Kirti Kriti Aur Kartik Ki

Chapter 2

A/N: And chapter 2... I have nearly rewritten the whole chapter so... yeah. Fingers crossed that it works out well. And Mahadev will be OoC. Before you ask why, he chose them for the mission. And while he is not a cryptic person, I don't think he'll be willing to leave two people from the future completely in the dark, not especially ones with a past like the duo have so... yeah.

It would be an understatement to say that their grandmother didn't freak out when she heard the news about them time-travelling to the past. It had taken a few emotional talks and some persuasion and reassurance on their part to convince her that they wouldn't just leave her and let themselves be whisked away to some random place.

Thereon, it was a slow process. Mahadev chose to contact them via dreams, giving them tips and advice that should help them cope with the sudden shift in landscape and detailing more on what they were about to do. 

"I don't like it" he'd said once. "Madhav is planning something... something that might alter the whole plan, probably sending you back in time earlier than expected... It would be for the best if you stay vigilant. And expect the unexpected. You do know his reputation" 

Then the Covid pandemic had stuck, not even a month after. And they were having a hard time to cope with everything. Taking every single precaution when they have to go out of the house to buy essentials, keeping in mind the elderly grandmother at home, who will be prone to the disease.

But if anyone asked... it was inevitable. No, their grandmother didn't contract Covid, but it was like choosing between the devil and the sea, and they didn't know which was the worse option. She'd slipped in the bathroom and hit her head on the sink as she fell down.

It was bad. By the time they were able to break the door, there was a pool of blood seeping onto the floor and she was paling quite rapidly. It was bad, especially for a woman her age... they tried to keep strong as the ambulance came and the paramedics hurried to take her to the hospital.

The procedures happened. The doctors said that there was a slim chance for her recovery. A hit to the head and a fractured hip. They'd kept her under observation but even if she recovered... they didn't want to think about the consequences. And seeing their grandmother plugged to all those machines was unnerving.

They won't be able to afford the hospital bills, they knew that for sure. They'd have to take up multiple jobs between them if they had to survive and be able to pay the bills. Something which was impossible with the lockdown that was going on. And they didn't know how they were going to get through.

"If I should trust my gut... I'll say we'll be whisked away any time soon" Kritika commented to Mahadev the next time they met. If the 3 had to comment on the relationship they shared, it'll be somewhere between a familial and mentor bond once all the awe and fear disappeared. "I too think the same... I don't know what Madhav has planned. He's being secretive with me" 

"Aren't you supposed to be omnipotent?" Kartik pointed out. "Not always son. Some things can be easily hidden from our sights, especially when there are different options for the said incident to happen. You can be caught in an accident, contract the virus, have some medical complication... the list is endless." he said.

"Oh..." "Yeah oh. But I think it is time. Ask away what you want and I will try to do my best to fulfil your wish" Mahadev said.

The duo stared at each other for a while, talking in hushed whispers before they turned back. "I want this tattoo to be permanent. No one should be able to destroy it. And it must be able to contact you when we are in need of you" Kartik stated as he thumbed the tattoo on his arm. 

"Done" Mahadev said as he gently touched the tattoo on the arm. "But only for emergencies. I am not your personal mailman" he warned.

"I would like to be able to take a few of our things from our time, things that can be blended or disguised as ordinary things that can be found back then... just so that we can have something to justify our backstory with..." Kritika said hesitantly. "Sure, just list the things you deem to be necessary and I will do it"