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]

*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?

[uzuki]

If you really wanted to help me, you wouldn't be treating me like I'm a child!

[She shrugs his hand away and starts walking again. There has to be something, some clue. Maybe she'll start asking townspeople if they've seen a huge green ship anywhere.]

[want_a_vacation]

*There's a temptation to point out that she's acting like one, but he bites it back. He hasn't forgotten how hard she can hit. So he follows after.*

I'm just telling you what I found out.

[uzuki]

Even if it takes me a year, I am going to find a way back. You can help me if you want. If not, I'll do it alone.

[want_a_vacation]

Of course I'm going to help! Even if my situation when I came here wasn't something I wanted to go back to, I'd still look for a way to get home just on principal. Especially now that you're here.

But none of my help is going to do any good if you won't even believe me about what's going on!

[uzuki]

It doesn't make any sense Allen! Lieutenant Virgil was still alive because Jin saved him, just like Kevin had in the real past.

And if Kevin came back as a testament to help us, why... Why would he want me to relive any of that?

[want_a_vacation]

But he died after that, during the Realian riots. He locked himself in the church with them to give us a chance to escape. Doesn't that prove that all we really were was spectators, and that nothing that happened there affected the real past?

And Kevin...I'm honestly not sure why he did all of what he did.

*Which technically isn't a lie. He knows Kevin isn't who Shion thought he was, but he still doesn't fully understand him.*

[uzuki]

That doesn't prove anything! Even if that's true, Jin said we could be affecting the future. If Lieutenant Virgil is in danger, we can try harder to help him!

[want_a_vacation]

Shion, this is all in the past from my perspective. I saw him sacrifice himself to save us from the Realians, but it didn't change anything. The version of him we remembered even showed up right after that.

[uzuki]

Even so...

[She trails off, as she had been rummaging in her pocket. She looks somewhat confused as he pulls, from her pocket, a cellphone.]

How did I get this?

[want_a_vacation]

Oh, everyone gets one of those when they show up. You can use it to get in touch with the other people who've been trapped here.

You should also have a key and a card somewhere.