A/N: Sorry for short chapter but...well just read.

Chapter 26: Revelations

Ratchet and Pyrrha didn't say anything. They both just stared at…the other Pyrrha.

Pyrrha, or rather Specter, screamed at them. "Happy?! Now you know who I am!"

Ratchet didn't know how to react. "P-Pyrrha…but…what…"

I don't understand…why does Specter look like me?!

Ratchet tried to understand what was happening but no logical explanation came to mind. "What the hell is going on?!"

Specter couldn't look at Ratchet and shifted her gaze to her feet. "You wouldn't understand!"

Ratchet looked at his Pyrrha. "You...are the real one right?"

Pyrrha was taken aback but couldn't blame him for asking. Yes Ratchet. But…why does she look and sound like me?

Specter's hands were shaking and she wasn't sure what she should do. Ratchet looked over towards her and decided to get some answers. "Just talk to me Specter. Who are you? What's going on?"

A fiery explosion went off in the distance and it shook the ground with tremendous force that Ratchet almost lost his footing. Specter remained perfectly still. She was trying to decide if she should actually talk with him or try and run. Thinking back however, she was tired of running from her problems. She never got anything done that way.

Specter took in a breath before speaking but she didn't look up at Ratchet. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos. I'm from the future. About 13 years from now, Ivin's little sister Mimi brought me back to life by creating a living body and recapturing my soul. It's a long process I'm sure you wouldn't understand. She's a Kekovich so she knows what she's doing."

Ratchet narrowed his eyes and processed what she was saying before speaking up. "13 years from now? Well why the hell are you some assassin working for Freedom and not the same old Pyrrha?"

Specter sighed. "The world…isn't the same in the future. War has broken out between the kingdoms and it's all thanks to you."

Ratchet was shocked to hear her say that. "Me? I caused a war?"

Specter nodded. "Your actions in Atlas caused an uproar. Even I don't know what you did. I was told to come back and try and stop this from happening. So that's what I did. I found your mother and father and tried killing them. Your mother died saving you and your father attempted to stop me but after I told him why this had to happen, he joined me. Together we formed Freedom and I joined as a normal solider, moving up through the ranks while your dad was the leader. Together we would stop that future from happening."

"Do you hear yourself?!" Ratchet yelled at Specter. "That doesn't make sense! Save the future by what, dropping the moon on Remnant?!"

Specter chuckled. "Yes I guess it is a bit crazy. But this way, the council and all the kingdoms can't continue their foolish war because it would never have happened. And if you get killed in the process, all the better."

Ratchet took a step forward. "You aren't really Pyrrha! She would never do such a thing!"

Specter finally looked up at Ratchet and she had tears rolling down her cheeks. "You don't get it?! I had to watch as countless people died in front of my eyes! Our friends slaughtered each other without hesitation, all for the sake of their kingdom!" Specter tried to keep her emotions in check but she fell to her knees and punched the ground. "I even had to kill the one person I love!"

"You did…what…" Ratchet couldn't think of a way to respond to what she was saying.

Ratchet… Pyrrha tried to get his attention but he wasn't listening.

Specter looked defeated and she was still crying. "That's right. I had to kill you…I was ordered by Ivin and Mimi to kill you. I didn't want to but…you became someone else…something else. You were a savage…the Badlands did something to you. Nobody knows what happened out there but it changed you. And so, I had to kill you. Now I have to do it again…whether I like it or not."

Ratchet couldn't fully understand everything she was saying but he got the general concept. He was the problem. And Freedom's goal was to take him out. Even if that meant bringing humanity to extinction.

Ratchet!

Ratchet turned to Pyrrha and she was starting to fade away. "P-Pyrrha!"

I think my time is up. She gave him a kiss and smiled. Listen…we don't know what will happen in the future. Just know, I'll always be by your side.

Ratchet watched helplessly as Pyrrha slowly faded away out of the world of the living. Once she was gone, Ratchet felt empty again. He felt alone. He looked over to where Specter was and she had gotten up and started running away. Specter was most likely trying to escape but he couldn't waste time dealing with her. As another part of the building exploded, Ratchet slowly made his way to where his father walked off to.

Little did he know, his father was waiting in his office for Ratchet. He knew he'd most likely ask questions and he was prepared to answer them.

A/N: See? It was short because I believe you all need a couple minutes to recover from that information overload. Well sadly for all of you, the next chapter won't be out for a few days. I'll try and finish it up as quick as possible.

Until next time my companions

- CLOUD MARIO