01; Action;

[uzuki]

We've got to hurry! We have to find Shion!

[It might have seemed strange to someone else, Shion speaking about herself in the third person, but Shion had already grown accustomed to it. Her past self was outside somewhere, in the warzone that Miltia had become over the last few hours. Shion knew she had precious little time to find herself, and rescue her parents, but she had resolved to do it.

She sprinted ahead of the group, and raced out of the large glass doors of the Labyrinthos lobby, and into... Another lobby? this is where she enters Prospero. She staggers to a stop, and takes a moment to stare at the interior of the hotel lobby she now occupies.]

No... This can't be right...

[She hurries outside again, and this time makes it. But it's very obvious that she isn't on Miltia anymore.]

I don't understand... What's going on?!

[Feel free to welcome this confused and frantic woman who is now trying to figure out how she has time or spaced jumped yet again.]

Comments

[want_a_vacation]

That's more of what doesn't make sense. I've been here for a year now. Gaignun's been here for almost as long, and he's actually from a point in time before me.

[uzuki]

A year..? Allen, we were just back on Miltia with everyone else...

And Director Gaignun Kukai?

[want_a_vacation]

*That information earns a startled look and he seems to droop somewhat. Even his tone seems less firm and more deflated.*

Ah, that...that doesn't really matter here. Time doesn't connect right, so people can come from any point in time and then leave right back to when they left.

And yeah. Like I said, he's been here for a while.

[uzuki]

No. I won't accept that, I won't! I was so close to changing it... Changing everything.

[Looking determined, she turns around. She glaces up and down the street, and seeing it empty moves to summon her ES there... Only nothing happens.]

No! Why isn't it working? If we can't use the vessels of Anima now...

[want_a_vacation]

*He knows what she's talking about, but he keeps quiet about what he found out. One confusing and unsettling revelation at a time, thanks.*

Our ESes aren't here. All we have is what we were carrying with us at the time, and item transfers don't work.

[uzuki]

[She spins around to face him again, this time looking close to tears. But she's doing her best to bite them back.]

Why are you so calm about this? Why don't you want to get back to where we're supposed to be? You-- ...Nevermind.

[She pulls out her connection gear, and lets out an aggravated noise when she discovers it's not working properly either.]

[want_a_vacation]

*He reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her down.*

Of course I want to go back home! But...it's not that easy. We can't leave just because we want to, there's something keeping us here that we have to figure out and stop first.

As for why I'm so calm, I told you, I've been here for a year. This is all old news to me.

[uzuki]

Well I'm not going to accept that all so easily.

[She turns and starts down the street with purpose.

Except yeah... She has no idea where she's going.]

[want_a_vacation]

*Yeah, he'll be following after her.*

What choice do we have? It's not like we can just pretend none of this is happening and hope it fixes itself. And it's either that or accept what's going on and try to overcome it.

[uzuki]

The choice we have is to stop it right now, so we can finish what we set out to do. Who's in charge of this place? And where are all the others? If we find the Elsa, we'll have a better chance of figuring out exactly how we got here.

[Have fun crushing those!]

[want_a_vacation]

*Sigh.*

If stopping it immediately was an option, don't you think we would have done it already? We don't know who's really in control of this place, and as far as I know everyone else is back where and when they belong. The Elsa isn't here either, unless there's some other part of the planet that's also acting as a dumping ground for people like us.

[uzuki]

If the Elsa didn't make it, then what about the others? Jr. and chaos... The Professor... KOS-MOS?

Why would it be only us?

[want_a_vacation]

Jr. was here for a while, but he disappeared. So was MOMO...and Albedo, actually. As far as I can figure out, it's random who comes and who goes.

*He'll wait to tell her she was here before until after she's wrapped her head around the rest of it.*

[uzuki]

No... I can't believe that. I just can't!

I was going to fix everything... Mom and Kevin...

There has to be a way to get back now!

[She slows to a stop, realizing she has no idea where anything is, let alone what to do anyway. So she's going to try the connection gear again.]

[want_a_vacation]

Shion...I hate to tell you this, but you couldn't have actually changed the past. We weren't really there, we were in a weird type of Encephalon created from your memories.

[uzuki]

[She looks up from the console.]

Allen... Why would you say something like that? If you don't think I can do it, that's fine.

I don't need your help, or Jin's... Or anyone's. I'll do it myself, just stay out of my way.

[want_a_vacation]

I'm saying it because it's true! I told you some people are from different points in the timeline. So far, I'm the furthest along. I know what happens and even who's responsible.

[uzuki]

[She stares at the device in her hand for a moment, not really seeing it, but lost in thought.]

I saw Kevin... Before I got captured by U-TIC. I know that Kevin came back as a Testament to help me. So I don't know why you're trying to tell me all of this.

[She isn't actually sure of any of this... But really, it's her best guess, and what she's really hoping for.]

[want_a_vacation]

*He flinches slightly when she mentions Kevin.*

The Testaments are the ones who arranged it. Kevin and Virgil both showed up to try to force you to remember what happened the hard way instead of pushing it aside like you'd been doing.

*He can't entirely say that pushing it aside was healthy, either...but finding out the way she did was too harsh.*

[uzuki]

[She lowers the gear, and looks at him with a vague air of suspicion.]

What am I "pushing aside" exactly?

[want_a_vacation]

What happened to you during the Miltian Conflict. How Febronia died and...the details of your mother's death. I think those are the things they wanted you to watch.

[uzuki]

...Wanted me to watch?

[She scoffs and crosses her arms]

Kevin was giving me a chance to change our destinies! I don't know why you and Jin are so against that idea, but I am not going to give up the change to change the future I didn't want.

[want_a_vacation]

We're against the idea because we know it's impossible. Especially now that I know what was really happening! You can't change the past through an Encephalon dive, Shion. And if you want proof...Virgil died in the altered events there, but it didn't really change anything.

[uzuki]

No! I don't believe it!

[want_a_vacation]

*He's putting a hand on her shoulder again, this time more firmly.*

Shion, think about it. Why would I lie to you about something like this? Haven't I always done my best to help you however I can?