Serge lay stretched out on his hammock while looking out the window. He was relaxed, but he didn't know why. Belthasar had predicted the end of time itself if he and Kid didn't do something. Not to mention that the feeling on his chest might never leave if the paradox isn't resolved. They had went back to Arni village after Viper Manor. Glenn was waiting outside. Kid was getting information.
Things were changing, and rapidly. His mother had suddenly begun living in his home again, so the situation was just like it was at home... She recognized him. As close as he could be recognized.... She did not call him by his real name. She never even knew a young man named Serge ever existed. She thought she had a daughter.
A thought suddenly came to him... He remembered Kid becoming whole with herself again - her and Harle. Why would Kid suddenly be back....? Almost as soon as the question was asked, one of her curses drifted upstairs as she entered his room. Serge's jaw dropped.
Kid's once strikingly blond hair had now become a frosty blue, and her eyes which once seemed to brim with fire suddenly looked gentle and kind. The words coming out of her mouth contradicted those eyes, of course. She shook a now dainty fist at no one in particular.
" What the bloody hell is going on here? " she said with a beautiful voice that flowed like a clean water stream, " first you're a woman, and now I'm.... a different woman. OK, enough, were going RIGHT back to that old man to figure out what the flaming deal is. "
Serge yawned.
" OK lazy, I'll go to him and you stay here! "
Kid stormed out. Serge blinked a few times and realized he never really bothered taking a good, long, hard look at what the paradox did to him. As he sat up, something in the sun glimmered on a stand nearby. It was a gold cup. He stood up and stretched, actually noticing he was taller than before, despite being slimmer. Blinking curiously he leaned over to look at the gold cup on the stand.
The cup said: Viper Swimming Championship winner: Sera
Sera.... That was the name his mother had used when he returned home, even though she wasn't supposed to be here in this world... And he was supposed to be dead. But FATE was gone... And Panther demons seemed to go with him, inexplicably. That meant he couldn't have died...
Swimming championship... He remembered being a pretty good swimmer back at home, like how he'd sometimes go diving with Leena. But championship....?
He looked down and suddenly realized why he seemed taller. Long, strong, well toned legs greeted his sight. When he thought of swimming with his new legs, he actually felt a boat wouldn't be necessary to get around.
He noticed a small trunk in the corner that wasn't there before that sat in the light. He walked over to it and slowly opened it. He was greeted by the face of a startling beautiful young woman with large azure eyes which sparkled like the blue ocean on a summer's day, and wispy blue hair that blew gently in the wind . He did a double take and...
There was a hand mirror at the bottom of the trunk. The pure face which caught him off guard was his own reflection. He smiled. He had heard his own mother was a strong, healthy beauty when she was young and he saw some of that now.
He knew he should have been totally creeped out and crying out for his lost manhood... But that just wasn't in him. He was gentle Serge who, even now, had his mind on the ocean. He would opt to be Sera over Lynx anytime.
Under the hand mirror were folded clean clothes and.... a practical, non-showy swimsuit. Just what he was looking for. He had time to kill, and the need to work his legs was nagging him. He changed into the swimsuit and walked outside, where Glenn was leaning against the wall of his house.
" ......? Serge? "
Serge nodded. He pointed where he was going to swim.
" Very well. "
~
As soon as Kid entered, Balthasar's old face suddenly went very pale and a look of shock hit him. He suddenly broke out into sobs.
" P... princess Schala... " he muttered, hardly being able to hold back.
Kid looked puzzled for a second.
" Oh my... " she said.
Kid then shook her head, " Bugger! I didn't mean it to come out like that! ".
Balthasar took deep breaths and sat down.
" I knew the fact Kid came back was for a reason... " he said, " but.... Princess Schala... I never thought I'd see her again. "
Kid felt like slamming the table and yelling at him, but when that thought was completed, she found herself sitting next to him and putting a delicate hand on his shoulder.
" The interchanging paradox that is overlapping the worlds... " he muttered, " must have somehow regurgitated... P-princess Schala... "
Kid closed her eyes in an almost silent prayer.
" I'm afraid I don't under- I mean... what the flaming hell is going on here?! "
Balthasar chuckled.
" When I was part of the Zeal Kingdom... even during the Queen's insanity, there was one bright light of hope for both the Earthbound and Enlightened ones... Kind Princess Schala. "
Kid closed her eyes.
" Yes... yes, I remember those kids saying something about a Schala when we went to defeat the horrid... I mean... Ugly bugger Time Devourer! "
The old man got up and paced. His eyes were the most serious Kid had ever seen of him.
" You and Harle became one again when you were released from the power of Lavos... Your coming back here... to your real world... during this time of great paradox is surely a sign. Kid was probably the closest thing to the real Schala, so thats how you appeared at first... but you're reverting to your true self. "
A couple of tears rolled down Kid's face.
" Bugger, " she sniffed, " its gettin' harder an' harder to talk and think like myself... Oh Belthasar... "
Belthasar put his hands on both of her shoulders, the tiny black eyes with their own tears, and the jaw unde his beard shaking itself.
" Kid... you will be all right. Just let go of yourself. Emotions that you have denied yourself for an indeterminate length of time will come back to you... That anger you stored... Let it all come out. "
Kid put her arms around Belthasar and cried into his shoulder. Belthasar, now looking much older somehow than before, put a comforting arm around her. He felt his own pain seep away as Schala.... the beautiful princess of Zeal... was finally free.
~
Kid was surprised to find that Serge wasn't home. His mother said he and his friend left a while ago. On the way out, she ran into Leena who was outside her house, sewing a fishing net. Leena said Serge was out by the docks, watching her siblings while she attended her other chores.
Kid heard the giggling before she arrived on the dock. Little children were splashing about, and Glenn was nearby.... leaning against a post.
" Serge! " she called.
Peering out of the water amongst the children was a shining, innocent face who turned attention to Kid.
" Sera. " said Glenn.
" Hmm? " Kid looked over her shoulder at Glenn.
" They call Serge Sera here. "
Serge climbed up a post of the dock and sat down, legs hanging over the edge. Serge cocked his head back to meet Kid's eyes.
" What were you doing? "
Serge gestured at the kids, and wildly shook his head, causing some water to fly. Kid felt the urge to snap at him for goofing off, both in the nap earlier and now the swimming... But again, she found herself kneeling and offering a gentle hand on shoulder.
" Mate, I know you like this kinda thing... I promise ya, when were finished with the flamin' job we gotta do, you can come back home.... And we get you back to normal, OK? "
Serge nodded and stood up. Leena, right on time, came back onto the dock.
" Thanks Sera, they're a pain but they love it when you swim with them. I got that other stuff done. You're a real pal. "
Serge blushed and scratched the back of his head. He gave the thumbs up. Kid put her hands on her hips.
" If you're done..... Sera, " she emphasized the last word, which embarassed Serge further, " I have a plan. "