The face of Laurelindae stared back at Sheena. There was a dull, glazed look in her dim, sickly eyes that did not blink. Sheena face went from angry to concerned. "I-it's that elf girl," she said finally. "But...but there's something wrong with her."
"What do you mean?" asked Lloyd. Sheena turned her to face Lloyd.
"Look at her eyes," Sheena said. Lloyd did, and his brow furrowed and his mouth dropped open slightly.
"Huh," he said. Suddenly, as he watched, something changed. Her body moved slightly, and there was a flash in her eyes. The hand in which she held the gun moved slowly, straight for her own head. Sheena saw and snatched the gun out of her hand. The hand fell limp. "It's like she just got a message that said, 'kill yourself now'." Lloyd mused.
Genis and Colette just now caught up with their friends. "What's going on?" asked Genis. He saw Laurelindae and fell silent.
"She tried to shoot me," said Sheena. "But it looks like she's not even in control...like she's a puppet."
"Whose puppet?" asked Colette.
"The Orcs," said a male voice behind them. They turned.
Behind them stood Elemenduil, grim faced, a gun in one hand and a bloody mess in the other. "Elemenduil?" said Lloyd. "Do you know what's going on?"
"Yes," he said. "But we shouldn't stay here. The police will arrive soon. Hurry and get dressed, and then we must go." While they were dressing, Elemenduil walked over to Laurelindae, who had not seen him because she was turned the other way, and pulled out a pair of pliers.
Elemenduil shoved open the doors and stepped out into sunlight, his wife in tow. He blinked as his eyes adjusted. He took long strides, walking hurriedly with the four friends behind him. Laurelindae's face was blank, and she made little effort to walk. Sheena jogged to catch up with Elemenduil.
"Can you tell me what shot was about? The one while we were dressing?" she asked of him when she caught up.
Elemenduil did not break his stride. "No," he said. "We can't waste time. I'll tell you when we get to your house." Sheena nodded, her mouth open, panting with exertion. Then she grasped what he said.
"How do you know where we live?" she asked.
Elemenduil spared not a glance back at her. "It will become clear when we get there," he said, and left it at that.
Elemenduil sighed as he settled down in the dark wood chair. He stretched his muscles and popped his bones, sighed again, and rested his hands on his knees. Everyone who had gathered around Shizuma and the Arbiter now gathered around Elemenduil and his wife, who sat motionless at her husband's feet, expressionless eyes half-lidded.
"I know," began Elemenduil, "that some of you wonder what happened to us after we rescued Ryoko. In the confusion, it is quite understandable that you did not notice our absence. However, the truth was we, in turn, were captured. The Orcs had us outnumbered and cornered. We had no choice but to surrender or die. Normally they kill captives, but they had developed something they wanted to try, and we thus became their test subjects. For this." He held up something that looked like a thin screw with tiny prongs on the head. It was encrusted with blood. "They had these drilled into our heads. Then they let us into a room and proceeded to test their invention. I do not know what effect it had on Laurelindae, but as for myself, I felt very strong urges to do certain things, for instance to walk in a certain direction, or pick up something. I figured they had created some sort of mind-control device, but it malfunctioned with me. Or so I assume. I mean, why give your slave any free will at all? Yet I was free, only when they told me to do things, I very much wanted to them. So I played along. When they were satisfied that their devices worked, they sent us on field work. They had us spy on you. I imagine they must have some sort of way of observing by way of the device, for I never reported to anyone or in any way let anyone know what I learned. Anyhow, naturally, I did what I was told, for I figured if they saw me not doing what they commanded, they would come after me. So I concluded that what I had to do was to make it look like I was killed and take out the device then. I once had to use a pair of pliers for their work, so I said to myself that that would have to do. So, anyways, what I believe happened is that the Orcs thought that Sheena was on the verge of discovering something important, and had us follow you to the bath house. On the way there, we had to cross a busy street. So what I did was I let Laurelindae cross first, then when the light changed I pretended to trip and I threw myself in front of a car. The car was going quite fast and I didn't have much time to work, but I managed to take the pliers out, grip the machine, and yank it out while at the same time rolling out of the way of the car. I was amazed I was able to do it without getting killed. Then I went into the bath house to look for Laurelindae, and I just got in the door when I heard a shot. I feared the worst and ran into and looked all over for her. And that's when we ran into you. While you were dressing, I fired the gun and pulled out her implant. But nothing's changed yet."
Elemenduil drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he looked down and played with his wife's hair. "So that's what happened to us," he said suddenly. He raised his head and looked at Sheena. "Maybe you know what it was you found out that you weren't supposed to?"
"Well, you did say 'that's it' really loud, Sheena," Colette reminded her. "Was it that, maybe?"
"Oh yeaaahhhhh!" said Sheena. "I just remembered something that I completely overlooked earlier! Do you guys remember when we fought those monsters in the mana crater?" She saw most of the heads around her nod. "Well, remember how it ended? I summoned Aska and Luna and they killed them. I summoned them, from Symphonia, over to Earth. So I was thinking maybe I could summon them and they could take us back home!" The Symphonians began to talk excitedly, but Raine silenced them by clearing her throat.
"I hate to be Mrs. Bringdown," she said, "but I have an observation to make. That time, all you had to deal with was the barrier between worlds. Now you have that barrier plus the time barrier. If Symphonia got sent back in time like the Earth, then it's likely that Sheena's pacts haven't even been made yet. And even if we could summon them, there's no guarantee they could get us back home. We just don't know."
The Symphonians became quiet and subdued. No one said a word; they just sat with their heads bowed. Finally Zelos broke the silence. "We don't know," he said slowly, "but I'd be willing to bet the Orcs do. Why else would they try to kill Sheena? It must be because they know something we don't. And besides, it couldn't hurt to try."
"That's quite sound reasoning, Zelos," said Regal. "While they might have had something else in mind, that's certainly a good possibility."
"So what are you suggesting?" asked Ryoko, though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.
Zelos leaned forward in his chair. "We're gonna find out what they know," said he.
"LLOYD!"
Presea woke up to find she was on her hands and knees in her room in the middle of the night. Hot tears gushed from her eyes as she sobbed. She faintly heard the door open and shut again. "Presea?"
She looked up to see Lloyd there, his face wrought with worry. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, kneeling down. She threw herself into Lloyd, who caught her surprisedly. She cried a long time; Lloyd could not say how long he sat there, holding the little woman while she soaked his shirt with her tears. He closed his eyes, stroked her hair and comforted her. Eventually he noticed a lessening in the flood of weeping, and she stirred in his arms.
"Lloyd," she said in a choked voice, "don't throw your life away. We'd all rather die together than be seperated by life and death."
Confused, Lloyd shook his head. "What are you talking about?" he asked. Presea burrowed her head into his chest and clutched the back of his shirt in her hands.
"I had a dream," she said at last. "It was...worse than anything I've ever had before. The worst fear I've ever felt. I dreamt...I dreamt that you died. We were all there...there was an underground tunnel, and we were running down it, we were being chased. Then you stopped, and turned around. Sheena saw you and stopped too. She ran to you, screaming your name. She caught you by the arms and asked if she could stay too. You smiled and said, 'I can't take it.' Then you shoved Sheena away and closed a set of doors. Sheena pounded on them, before she got dragged away by one of us and then we ran into a blinding light...and that was it." She heaved a sigh and continued. "Lloyd...I used to just have dreams. But not anymore. If I ever have a dream...it's of the past, the present, or the future. It's never anything random. This wasn't the past, or the present, so it has to be the future. But please..." She looked up at Lloyd with bleary red eyes. "Please don't let this come true. Don't go where we can't follow..." She began to cry again, and Lloyd rubbed her back soothingly.
"There, there," he said. "I don't want that future, to be sure. But sometimes, things have to be done for the greater good. And if it becomes a situation like that...I don't...I don't think I'd be strong enough."
"Of course not!" cried Presea. "They'd kill you!"
"No," said Lloyd. "That's not what I meant." Presea lifted her head and sniffled.
"Wh-what do you mean?" she asked. Lloyd's face was somber.
"I don't think I'd be strong enough to let anyone else go to that fate," he said. "I myself am not afraid to die; I am afraid for my friends to die. There are a lot of things I can endure. But that's not one of them. No. I might be able to let them be tortured if I knew it was for the greater good, but to lose them forever...no. No, I could not do that. It's too...it's too much for me. Just the thought..."
He closed his eyes and shook his head. Twin tears escaped from his tightly shut eyelids and his mouth curled up in a scowl of pain. Then he sighed and picked up Presea. He carried her over to her bed and set her down in it. "You should get some sleep," he said tiredly. He turned to leave and was stopped by a hand on his arm.
"Don't go," said Presea. "I don't want to sleep alone." Lloyd blinked back new, sudden tears and nodded. Presea drew up her knees and Lloyd climbed in next to her, pulling the sheets up.
"Hold me," she said. For a moment, he did not move, and then she felt him shift on the bed as he put his arms around her and pressed her into his body. She gripped one of his hands tightly. "Don't leave me," she whispered pleadingly.
There was a sickening silence, followed by two syllables: "I won't."
She desperately hoped he meant it.
Alcohol. It was Zelos' idea of "releasing the tension." Since Sheena had tried to summon the Summon Spirits and had failed each time, it was decided that they would have to return to the Orc's base. This little operation was to take place in two days' time, and so this party was thrown to get every relaxed and ready.
However, it just wasn't working for Lloyd. He leaned forward against the railing of a second-story balcony, staring out into the night. A glass of rum and coke chilled his hand, and the weight of a thousand heavy cares rested on his face. He could hear them inside, having a good time. Lloyd wished he could have a good time right now. But some things, he thought, cannot be drowned in liquor.
He slowly took a swallow and then let the glass go back down, to possibly return at a later time. By now, his body was everything, and it was nothing. Such paradoxes are common of those drunk and or in deep thought. Lloyd couldn't tell whither he was; he only knew he felt worse than he ever had before, and he couldn't tell if he was entirely miserable or if he was secretly enjoying it.
Lloyd raised his head slightly at a sound from behind him; a second's attention told him it was Kratos. He came up next to his son and leaned against the railing with him. He sighed, and turned his head to look at Lloyd.
"Hello, son," he said. Lloyd's eyes fell to the ground.
"Hey dad," he whispered back.
Kratos looked back out over the city. Lloyd silently joined him in gazing at the twinkling lights of Japan. A quiet breeze ruffled their hair and knocked a silvery wind chime about gently. No one spoke for a long time. Kratos shifted on his feet and cocked his head slightly.
"Lloyd," he said. Lloyd looked up at him.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I do not know exactly what it is," Kratos said slowly, "but I just wanted to let you know that there is no point in worrying about it."
Lloyd continued to watch Tokyo. "Oh?" he said.
"If it is in the past," Kratos said, "then there is nothing you can do to change it. If it is in the future, then you still have time to change how things will turn out. And if it is in the present, then take comfort in the fact that you have learned a valuable lesson and that it will soon pass. So there really is no reason to worry."
Lloyd snorted. "Tell the rest of me that," he said. "I think just my ears heard it."
Kratos eyes softened. "Lloyd," said Kratos, "I know that sometimes we cannot help ourselves. But you should try to have fun while you still can. The more time you use worrying, the less you have for doing. Your concerns are eating up your time. You've just got to realize that there's a use for the backburner-to keep things fresh, but not in your way. So why don't you try to set these things aside, and come in and try to have a little fun, hm?"
Lloyd did not move. Kratos looked at him compassionately. Finally Lloyd heaved a sigh and pushed himself back from the railing.
"I suppose you're right," he said. "I guess I'll give it a try. Thanks...dad."
Kratos smiled. "You're welcome," he said, his voice sounding only a little choked.
Lloyd walked inside and was assaulted by music and light. "Hey Lloyd!" said Sheena, a drunk grin on her face and a bottle of something or other in her hand. "Come on! Lesss...go make out...or sumthin'..." She laughed and pitched forward into his arms. He caught her with a laugh and took the bottle from her.
"Whatcha doin'?" she asked.
"Well," said Lloyd, taking out the cork with his teeth and spitting it out, "I don't think I've had enough..." He lifted the bottle and glanced at the label. "Rum...to be in the mood for that."
He threw his head back and took long swallows.
"Well then less go dance or sumthin' til you get yur...mojo or whatever," Sheena said, and she laughed hysterically as she tripped over herself going into the living room. Lloyd followed her.
A lot more people than Lloyd expected were here; not only was his household here, but almost everyone else they knew was here too, except for the older adults Ranma knew. Most were dancing, but some were occupied with other activities. Zelos and Colette were on a couch, half-naked and kissing like there was no tomorrow. It look like it could get farther any minute, so Regal insisted they find their room, which they somehow managed.
"Look at us, we're naked!" shouted a random assortment of nude people from the second floor, made of Shizuma, Kuno, Presea, Nabiki, and Ryoko. Everyone turned to look and they jumped off. They caught everyone except Shizuma, whom they let hit the floor, where he laid giggling. Then they picked him up and threw him in a closet for no reason. They could still hear him laughing.
Lloyd's chest was burning by now, and his head swam a little. Everything was funny, and his drive was full to the max, all inhibitions now dissolved with rum. "Are ya feelin' it now, babe?" asked Sheena. Lloyd's eyes went wide and he nodded yes. Sheena grinned and pulled him upstairs, into their room, and they were not seen for the rest of the night.
Regal woke to Sheena screaming. However, it was soon followed by Lloyd's hysterical laughter, so he smiled and relaxed, letting his arm fall back around Raine. It was then that he noticed Kratos sitting in a chair near the door to their room. He was holding a large sketchbook and a pencil.
Seeing Regal was awake, he said, "Good morning," and lowered his pencil.
"Were you drawing us?" asked Regal.
Kratos nodded. "It came out better than I anticipated," he said. "Here, look." He got up, moved towards Regal, and turned his book around.
"Wow," whispered Regal. "It...it's beautiful!" The drawing was of Regal and Raine, both nude, leaning against each other in sleep, slight smiles on their faces and sheets thrown loosely across their legs. Regal took the pad and studied the drawing closely.
"I never knew you were an artist," said Regal after a minute or two as he handed the sketchbook back. "Where did you learn that?"
Kratos turned his head and closed his eyes, as if pained. "When you live as long as I have," he said, "you have time to learn a lot of things."
Regal simply nodded. It was then that they heard Zelos shouting.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Zelos cried. "I figured it out!"
"Zelos!" said Lloyd, taking his friend by the shoulder. "What did you figure out?"
Zelos was so excited he could scarcely utter a word, but his eyes were on fire and his lips trembled. "What didn't I figure out!" he said at last. "Oh man oh man oh man, I did it!"
"ZELOS!" screamed Raine. "TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW BEFORE I DO SOMETHING IRRATIONAL!"
The whole house fell into complete and total silence. Zelos nodded a couple times, took some deep breaths, rubbed his hands together, and began.
"Okay," he said, "so it happened like this: I got up this morning and I was real bored, like always. So I started up the computer to play a game I was playing. And I was playin', and I got real far, and then Lloyd comes in and says, 'Oh, there's a hard part coming up, you'd better save', cuz, like, he already beat the game? So then I was like, 'Yeah, that's a good idea, I mean if something goes wrong, I can start right back there.' And then, something amazing happened. I don't know if it was a random thought that led me around or what, but I think I've figured out what the whole deal with everything that's happened to us since that thing. You know, the twisted future no-time thing place."
Everyone leaned in closer. He grinned, and Raine scowled at him. He stopped grinning and continued.
"So here's my theory, and tell me what you guys think: I think that time, based off of what we've seen and stuff, is kind of like video game time. Let me explain, okay? In a video game, you go pretty much in chronological order, like in real life. Now, what's different is the reset button, right? If you save, and then you die or lose or whatever, then you can always go back to the save point, right? So, if the characters in the game were real, when you go back to the save point, they don't know that they just died and came back, and have done so many times. They would believe they did everything right the first time. But you know. The one who resets it knows. So if real time is like that, then maybe when Cruxis created that weird tower that screwed up everything they somehow created a save point. And when we blew it up, it was like going back to that save point. And then we knew how to do it right. And that's how those people could get those memories back, cuz if you think about it it's actually in our past, and since it happened in the past, you could recover them, but because the time period was the future, it didn't seem possible...are you following me here? You get what I'm saying though, right?"
They all nodded. "A fascinating proposal, Zelos," said Yuan. "I never would have thought of that."
"But wait," said Colette. "You said that we knew how to do it right, right? Am I right to say that you were talking about when that freak accident killed Cruxis?"
"Yes, my darling," said Zelos.
"But we didn't do anything about that," said Colette.
"Perhaps it was not an accident," said Kratos quietly.
"But then who?" asked Presea. "We had no knowledge of where they were, nor did Ranma or Ryoko or their friends."
"Summon Spirits," said Sheena. She shrugged when they looked at her. "It's all I could think of. They're the guardians of the world, right? Anyways, if what Zelos says is true, then I'm thinking that since I actually already made the pacts, then I should be able to summon."
"Haven't you already tried?" asked Genis.
"Well, yes," said Sheena, "but remember what it was like last time? There was that huge chunk of mana right there. I think that concentrated mana gave me the extra boost I needed to summon from this world."
"I see what you're saying," said Botta, "but where are we going to find anything like that?
"Maybe the Orcs know," said Elemenduil. "Besides, my wife is...well..."
"Yes," said Raine. "We're still going."
