Holy Spork: Another fast update! Yay!
Young Kratos: (-staring at Old Kratos-) Just who the hell is that guy anyway?
Old Kratos: ...
Spork: Your cluelessness amuses me.
Young Kratos: Hey!
Old Kratos: ...
Spork: Tales of Symphonia and its characters, locations, and plot line are property of Bandai-Namco. Not Spork. Get it? Got it? Good.
Chapter X: Time Paradox
After several minutes of shuffling, randomly blurted 'I'm sorry!'s, and 'get your hands off me!'s, everyone had finally arranged themselves so that they were standing up, and not on top of anyone else. Noishe looked annoyed, Young Kratos was very confused, and Old Kratos hadn't moved at all.
Lloyd and company kept staring at Old Kratos, wondering when it was appropriate to finally ask how and why he had left Derris-Kharlan. The ancient angel was, very pointedly, not looking any of them in the eye, especially his son. In direct contrast to this, Young Kratos couldn't seem to stop staring at Old Kratos. He was very unsettled by how much he looked like the older man.
Raine was the first to break the silence. She turned to Yuan and said, "It seems that recent events all have roots with the Renegades: Young Kratos' appearance, then his capture, then the Kratos we knew appearing… would you care to explain just what has happened?"
Yuan could feel the beginnings of a headache, but said anyway, "Young Kratos appeared as the result of… an accident. When we were unable to locate him after he fled the Flanoir Base, I contacted his older self to ask for help. He was able to identify a number of places Young Kratos could have gone. When we discovered the boy he was brought back here, and then, at the wish of someone other than myself, released." Yuan glared at Lloyd and company.
Something went click inside Young Kratos' brain, "W-wait a minute!" he stuttered, pointing at Old Kratos, "Are you saying… this guy is supposed to be me?"
"I'm surprised that you were unable to figure this out before now," said Old Kratos, sounding slightly bored.
"Then, you were dragged into this time too?" asked Young Kratos.
The older sighed, "No."
"But," the younger looked puzzled, "The Kharlan War was four thousand years ago… from now… that doesn't make any sense!" he wailed, "I don't get it! How come you're me, but you aren't from a different time like me?"
"Does it take such a stretch of the imagination," started the older, "For you to realize what that means?"
The younger stared at his older self with growing horror as realization dawned on him, "You're… You're FOUR THOUSAND YEARS OLD?!"
"That is correct."
"HOW THE HELL DOES THAT WORK?!" panicked the younger, "HOW COME YOU'RE NOT A PILE OF DUST?!"
"You will eventually discover the reason on your own," said the older, who didn't seem bothered by his younger self's panic attack.
"WHAT KIND OF AN ANSWER IS THAT?!"
"The only one you are going to receive. I would suggest that you take a deep breath before you speak again."
"Why do you have to be so formal all the time anyway?" said the younger, who had calmed down a little, but had, for the most part, ignored his older self's advice, "Seriously, is talking formally something you do to impress people, or is it just something all old farts do?"
The silence was deep. No one even seemed to dare breathe.
"Insulting yourself will not be productive," said Old Kratos, though his voice was tinged with annoyance.
"Insulting yourself will not be productive!" mimicked Young Kratos. His imitation was completely flawless, but still mocking.
Was I really ever such an irritating brat? Wondered the older, suppressing an evil desire to strangle the kid he once was.
"Enough!" interrupted Yuan, deciding that it would be best to stop the Kratoses before they became violent, "Will the pair of you just… stop it! None of us will benefit from your bickering!"
Young Kratos glared at his older self, but said nothing. Old Kratos didn't react at all.
"What kind of 'accident' drags a person four thousand years into the future?" Raine asked Yuan, in an effort to change the subject.
"That is strictly classified information," said Yuan with a tone of Finality, with the capital F.
"Well, can you send him back?" suggested Sheena, "I mean, if you could get him here in the first place, there has to be a way to send him home, right?"
"Unfortunately, we have been unable to find a way ourselves as of yet," said Yuan. Then he looked at Lloyd, "However, now that we have the Eternal Swordsman involved, I'm sure something can be arranged. Meanwhile," Yuan turned to the Kratoses, "It would probably be best if you two avoided physical contact. Clearly just having both of you in the same room does not create a dangerous paradox, though that might change if you touch."
"So, basically you think the universe will be destroyed if I poked him?" asked Young Kratos, while the Old Kratos looked slightly annoyed.
"To put it rather simply, yes," said Yuan.
Young Kratos looked back at his older self, seemed to think about something for a moment, and then reached out an arm. "NO!" Yuan shouted, but before he could stop the boy, Young Kratos poked his older self on the forehead.
The universe imploded and everyone died. The end.
No, that's a lie. Nothing happened, except Old Kratos looked a little irritated.
Actually, the space/time continuum collapsed and the world ended.
That's a lie too. The coffee is actually hot.
And now to return to the feature presentation:
"Cool!" exclaimed Young Kratos, "I didn't break the space/time thingie!"
"You stupid reckless boy!" snarled Yuan, though this didn't seem to faze Young Kratos at all, "Didn't you understand when I said that physical contact might destroy the universe?!"
"Well, yeah," said Young Kratos, "But nothing happened. So what's the big deal?"
Yuan's hands clenched into fists, and for a moment he seemed to consider doing something violent and irrational. But then he took a deep breath and relaxed. "Fine," said Yuan, his voice strained, "Fine, if that is how you wish to behave – "
"FASCINATING!"
Everyone turned to Raine, who was staring at the Kratoses. They watched as the Professor's eyes lit up with a familiar and terrible gleam…
"Simply fascinating!" she continued, "I will admit that I am not a physicist, but this is simply fascinating! Absolutely fascinating!"
Young Kratos hid behind his older self, "Raine… please stop calling me fascinating," cowered the boy, "It's kinda scary…"
"But this is a time paradox!" exclaimed Raine, "Two versions of the same person have met, an event that is considered impossible! We are witnessing something that has never before taken place! And it has occurred without any detrimental effects to either Kratos, or the world! FASCINATING!"
"KEEP HER AWAY FRO M ME!" panicked Young Kratos, still hiding behind Old Kratos. Old Kratos reached behind him and dragged Young Kratos out from behind him with a yank on the boy's shirt collar.
"Cowering like a frightened child will not help matters," said Old Kratos, as his younger self struggled to free himself. As Raine watched, she noticed the telltale metallic glint off of something around Young Kratos' right wrist. It took her only a moment, and some speculation, to identify the object.
Raine flew forward and grabbed Young Kratos' right arm, inspecting the metal 'handcuff' on the boy's hand. "MARVELOUS!" she shouted with terrible glee, "Yuan, is this a Magic Inhibitor? I had no idea that the technology still existed! Oh, a fusion of polycarbonate and inhibitor ore used to suppress magic in the wearer! It was used during the Ancient War to subdue captured mages! I never thought I would live to see one! MARVELOUS!"
Young Kratos has his eyes tight shut, trying desperately to find his happy place as Raine almost devoured his hand with her eyes.
"Can I keep it?" demanded Raine, turning to Yuan, fixing him with a Ruin-Mode stare.
Yuan hesitated. What Raine was demanding was Renegade property, but that was a rather frightening look he was getting. Yuan gestured to one of his men. "Release the boy." He ordered, "And let her keep the Inhibitor." A Renegade walked over, pulled out a key ring, and after a moment and a metallic click, the Inhibitor came off Young Kratos' wrist. Raine immediately descended on it like a greedy vulture, snatching the Inhibitor from the guard, muttering joyful exclamations to herself as she stroked the dark metal.
"I don't get it," started Genis, "If that thing is supposed to suppress magic, why put it on Kratos? He's human."
"It's standard procedure," explained Yuan, as Raine stroked and cooed at her latest acquisition, "Whenever we take a prisoner we put on a Magic Inhibitor, because many half-elves could pass for human. It's simply a safety precaution we take with everyone we jail. That is simply how I trained my men."
That's weird, thought Lloyd, Did they put one on me when I was captured? Lloyd still vividly remembered being kidnapped by the Renegades shortly after he was banished from Iselia. He tried to remember if he had been given an Inhibitor then. He didn't think so, but Yuan said it was standard. Maybe Lloyd just didn't remember. He didn't have a good memory for details anyway.
Lloyd looked back at Old Kratos, who had not said or done much other than fight with his younger self. Kratos had not even looked in Lloyd's general direction since they had met. Lloyd was started to feel a little upset about that, did his father not want to see him?
Yuan looked from Old Kratos to Lloyd and back. He seemed to be in deep thought.
"I think it's time we let Lloyd and the older Kratos have a moment to themselves," stated Yuan, "I'll show the rest of you to my office."
"Huh?" Young Kratos looked confused, "Why? I mean, what would they – "
Yuan, who didn't want to tolerate the boy any longer, grabbed Young Kratos by the collar of his shirt and dragged him, and his many protests, away. After a quick glance at Old Kratos and Lloyd the others retreated, leaving the two angels alone. The father and son looked at one another. For what felt like half an eternity neither said anything.
"…Hi," said Lloyd, lamely.
Kratos looked uncomfortable. "Lloyd…"
Old Kratos was at a total loss as to what to say. He never knew his own father, so he didn't know how to behave now with his own son. It had been easy when Anna was still alive; she seemed to know how to raise a child. Now that she was gone he was completely at a loss as to what to say and do.That was without considering how Lloyd felt about Kratos leaving Aselia and then suddenly returning. Did Lloyd resent him for his choice?
"It's… good to see you again… Dad," said Lloyd shyly. He hadn't thought he would ever see his biological father ever again. He had been so sure when he exiled Kratos on Derris-Kharlan what was it. But now…
…Now he didn't know what do to.
They had never been close, not really. They had just barely started to really know each other before Kratos went on his self-imposed exile. Kratos loved his son more than his own life, but couldn't find the words to express his feelings. Lloyd just didn't know what to do at all. So he said the first thing that came to mind.
"I missed you," said Lloyd awkwardly.
Some light seemed to flicker to life behind Kratos' eyes, but died as quickly as it appeared. I shouldn't be here…
"I... missed you as well," said Kratos, because he couldn't think of any other way to respond.
Another silence fell between them. It was full of words they couldn't find, or feelings they didn't know how to express. Most of all it was filled with a void they couldn't seem to cross.
Kratos was the first to look away.
"We have kept the others waiting long enough," he said, his voice devoid of anything that could even vaguely be called emotion. He turned to leave without a glance behind. Lloyd, still unable to say anything, followed his father. When they reached Yuan's office, they found the half-elf standing outside the door, waiting for them.
"Lloyd, I need to speak with you for a moment," he said, and then added, "Alone." Kratos gave Yuan a suspicious glance, but walked into the office, leaving the two alone in the hall.
"What is it?" demanded Lloyd, looking up at the half-elf.
"I need you to do me a favor," said Yuan, "And I want you to keep this to yourself."
Lloyd blinked. What could Yuan possibly want from him? "Okay," said Lloyd, "What do you need me to do?"
Yuan paused for a minute, hand-picking his words, "Just keep an eye on Kratos," said Yuan, "And make sure he doesn't do anything… stupid. All right?"
"Uh… okay," said Lloyd, who didn't have a clue why Yuan was asking him to do this.
"Good," Yuan walked back into his office. Lloyd, still at a loss, followed the half-elf. When they entered the office, Yuan started to speak. "Now that you've gotten involved," said Yuan, addressing Lloyd, a tinge to his voice indicated that he sorely wished Lloyd had never stuck his nose into the Renegade's business in the first place, "I'll have to ask you to use the Eternal Sword to send Young Kratos back to his time."
Lloyd turned to Young Kratos. "Do you want to go home?"
"Hell yeah," said Young Kratos enthusiastically.
"Asking him isn't necessary." Said Yuan.
"Yes it is!" argued Lloyd, "If I'm going to send someone away, through time or space, I want to make sure they're okay with it first. I won't sent anyone anywhere with the Eternal Sword unless they want to go."
"Fine." Said Yuan, who didn't have the patience for a lecture from Lloyd.
"I guess… this is goodbye then," said Lloyd, looking back at the younger version of his father.
"Yeah," said young Kratos shrugging, "I'm ready to go home." And be away from crazy people who want to capture me, hold me hostage, or feed me to their dogs.
Lloyd held out his arm, and with a flash of light the Eternal Sword materialized in front of him, glowing and pulsating in midair. Young Kratos looked up at the weapon. This thing is supposed to send me home…?
"Well… goodbye," said Lloyd.
Young Kratos nodded, "You too,"
"Just send the boy home," said Yuan, "It's about time that we resolved this issue."
"All right," Lloyd nodded at Yuan. Then he called, with all the conviction he could muster, "Origin!"
What do you wish of me, Master of the Pact? Inquired the deep voice of the King of Summon Spirits.
"Send young Kratos back to his right time!"
There was a pause, in which nothing happened.
"…Isn't something supposed to happen?" said Young Kratos, with a little bit of sarcasm, "Like… I dunno, a flash of light, or maybe, me returning to Libra?"
"Origin!" called Lloyd again, "Send young Kratos back to his time!"
I cannot.
Spork: Okay, raise your hand if you thought I was going to end the story. Seriously, I'm curious to see if I fooled anyone.
Kratos: Why couldn't you have just ENDED it?
Spork: This is too much fun! (Even if the scene with Lloyd and Old Kratos sucked like a leech...)
Kratos: (-groan-) Well, when do you think you'll stop?
Spork: No idea. I mean, I'm not even half way through yet. Or even a quarter of a way through, if I decide to include some other weird stuff I'm considering...
Kratos: WHAT?!
Spork: (-cackle-) Please review! Oh, and a heads up: Past and Future will be on a hiatus for December, but that's because tomorrow (12/1/2007) I'll be posting something special. :)
Kratos: Great, just when I thought I was going to get a break for once...
Edited 3/23/08 - Cleaned up and changed a few lines.