Chapter 3: Welcome to Jarvis Street
Aeris's POV
After a few minutes of skimming through the Yellow Pages, (I can't believe how many Cole's live in Toronto!) I found my name, address, and number in it. For some reason I had the urge to call myself and hear my voice mail. Maybe I thought I could glean some information on myself if I did. So when I dialed the number, here's what I got, "Hello, this is Aeris Cole. Right now I'm out on some *cough* *cough* business, so call back later or something. Goodbye."
I dropped the phone in both shock and disgust. That didn't sound like me at all. For one thing she sounded like a chronic smoker, and had been doing it for a long time too. I never smoked in the Leo timeline, but I guess I had a stressful life in this timeline so I think I can see where this is coming from. Also, what did other me mean by business? Sure I worked at the local Best Buy, but I don't think that would qualify as "business". But maybe this is a good thing. Maybe I have a better job a live in a nice neighborhood.
Since I don't have a car, I had to walk all the way to my place, 459 Jarvis Street. I had a while to reflect on the past hour. Okay, so maybe I don't live in a nice apartment, but the important thing is that Leo is no longer in my life, and I have that to be thankful for. That stupid cat would have been the death of me if I hadn't done what I did. He never made any sense at all, he was always bashing on me for writing my fanfictions, and I couldn't take those gorgeous green eyes any... what am I saying! Leo had no good aspects about him at all. How could I even consider, calling his eyes gorgeous? He was an idiot and deserved what he got in the end. Besides that was a girlish crush and nothing more, after I found out he was an idiot he went off the list for possible boyfriends. Although we did remain best friends (I use that term loosely) after middle school, high school, and even renting out the same apartment, I never felt any feelings toward him. Normally I would have never done something like this. But today was the straw that broke the camels back, he was the plague, he brought havoc and chaos everywhere he went, and all I couldn't understand is why he came to me, why, why, why? "Because you look cute when your angry Aeris.", I could almost hear him say. I shook my head and quickened my pace. The last thing I need on my mind right now is doubt.
Leo's POV
Where am I? The last thing I remembered was me asking myself why Aeris didn't tell me why she had a time machine and the next thing I know, I'm here in what looks like a large cobblestone square with fencing all around it. Oh, that and the fact that its floating in space. Looking around I saw an old man in a brown bowler hat and a brown three-piece suit standing under an old-fashioned street lamp. He appeared to be sleeping, so I came over slowly so I wouldn't disturb him. But that didn't work, because he woke up as soon as I got close to him. He seemed surprised to see me, like he hadn't been expecting me. Regardless, he tried to be polite when he said, "Hello there stranger. I bet your wondering where you are.", I nodded, "Well before I tell you that, let me introduce myself. My name is Caspar, the Guru of Time."
I looked at him wide-eyed, "You mean from Chrono Trigger?"
He looked at me perplexed, "How did you know about the Chrono Trigger? And what do you mean by 'from it'?"
"Well", I began, "where I come from, there is a video game called Chrono Trigger, which is about a guy named Crono saving the future from Lavos, an evil alien that feeds off the DNA left behind by evolving creatures in order to get stronger. In the end everything is safe and everyone is happy. That is until Chrono Cross."
Caspar looked interested by what I was saying, "So this game explains all the history of where I come from, including the fall of Zeal?", again I nodded, "Interesting."
I then asked, "So is it safe to say this is the End of Time?"
He smiled, "Yes it is. Quite a boring little place isn't it? Then again, you haven't lived here for over three thousand years. Or has it been that long?", he shook his head, "Anyway, maybe you can tell me what happened to you so that I can figure out why you're here."
I told him everything that happened to me today, right up to the point of my disappearance. When I finished he said, "I figured as much. Leo, I believe you have been eliminated from time."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
He sighed, "It means that either A: The timeline broke due to unforeseen circumstances, or B: Someone wanted you out of there lives so they decided to get rid of you in the past."
I looked at him with an eyebrow raised, "Who would want to get rid of me though?"
Caspar sighed, "Think back. Who was the only person you came into contact today?"
I paused in thought at the question. Of course since I didn't leave my apartment today I only saw Aeris, but she left somewhere a little while after. But I don't see it. I mean what did I do to anger her? All I did was pee in her morning coffee (speaking of which I should get a different brand for myself, this one sucks), tell her I thought the game she was playing crashed a lot, told her I thought her favorite system was crap, said that her mom was a whore, and I think I answered my own question. I gave him a sheepish look and said, "You knew Aeris did this didn't you?".
He grinned and nodded, "Indeed I did. As you have told me she is a very wrathful person, so I figured it was her when you told me, but that's beside the point. The point is that we know who did this to you and now all we can do is wait."
"Wait for what?", I asked.
"We wait for her to regret her decision." he replied, "Your not the first one that this had happened to, and everyone who has ever been eliminated from time has went back to their respective times when the eliminators go back and fix their mistake. The shortest its taken is a year, but it will happen eventually."
My mouth was to the floor, "A year! I can't wait a year, BioShock Infinite comes out next year! I'd die if I missed that!"
Caspar sighed and bowed his head, "I'm sorry, but you can't change facts. Odds are you won't go back home until she fixes whatever she did, which usually is a year. I'm sorry Mr. Leonardo."
I sighed. He gave me an empathetic look and said, "Would you like to see whats going on with her?"
"How?", I asked incredulously.
"Well, you know the Time Gates over there?", he pointed to a door that I knew led to stairs into a different "room" that held portals that led to different time periods. I nodded, "You can't use them properly because you technically don't exist, but you can see whats going on in the time periods. Would you like to see your friend?"
I thought a moment, then said, "Well, its the closest thing to a TV and I always sort of wanted to see Aeris a little vulnerable, like she used to be, so yes, I'd like to see her."
He nodded, "Very well. Follow me."
He led me to the door and up the staircase. When we reached the top I saw nine columns of light that led to the different times. He motioned me to join him at the column in the center of the "room". He knelt down and put his head in the light. Figuring that was what I was supposed to do the same, I copied him. The sensation I felt was somewhat akin to having my head stuck in a hose. There was a blue hued light all around me. Then I saw a large hole come up towards me very fast. When I passed the hole it looked like I was looking at a bird's eye view of a snow covered sidewalk. I then noticed the pink cat walking down the sidewalk, looking contemplative. That was Aeris alright, and come to think of it, I had never seen her look so lost in thought. I then noticed the transparent head of Caspar flying toward her. It took me a while, but I got the hang of flying too. I then flew in closer to Aeris and followed her to a crummy looking neighborhood.
Aeris's POV
Okay, so there went the theory of living in a nice neighborhood. This is the ghettoiest place I have seen in my entire life. I've seen pictures about places like this, but by God, nothing could ever prepare you for the real thing. Sure you know the sites, but what about the sounds and the smells? In the distance I can hear a couple fighting, a baby crying, and people doing I don't wanna know in a nearby apartment, at the same time! Not to mention the smells, those horrible stenches that you would never smell anywhere else. I can taste the air around me, its like bacon gone bad! I hate this place, its just too... real.
As I walked down the sidewalk, I felt that someone was watching me. Someone familiar. I didn't pay it any mind though, and kept on walking. Eventually I saw three people, cats to be precise, in a convertible car. I thought that it was weird that some teenage punks would be driving around this late at night, but I really don't know ghetto culture. They kept driving down the street, but then they stopped at where I was. I ignored them and kept walking, with my eyes straight ahead. That is until the driver, a black cat, said to me, "Hey Aeri! Hows about you join me and the boys tonight?"
I stopped dead in my tracks. Aeri? I think someone's got a death wish. Turning around, I said in a questioning tone with an angry streak in it, "What was that?"
The black cat scoffed, "You heard me. You deaf or sumthin? Get in the car."
I knew that last sentence was an order, not a suggestion. Still, I wouldn't budge. No punk-ass twenty-something can order this Aeris around. I then said in my previous tone, "And who are you, to order me around? I don't see your name (whatever it is) on me anywhere."
The cats looked at me like I was a crazy person, then burst out laughing. The black one started speaking between bouts of laughter, "You crack me up Aeri, you really do! Well, if you want those questions answered, here I go. I can order you around because I'm a pimp, and youse one o' my ho's. That and my name is right there,", he pointed at my crotch, "along with about 100 other guys.".
Right now I was feeling a mix of emotions: Shame at myself for no reason, loathing at my other self, hatred at the three pimps in there car, but most of all, fear. Fear that I may become other me, the meek, unable to do anything about anything, me. The me who listened to this bastard and became his slave. The me who became, for lack of a better word, a slut. I knew I had to fix the mistakes other me made, and I knew the first three things that I'll fix right now. With a smile I said, "Yeah, I'm going to start wounding you all now, I'm not sure when I'll stop."
Leo's POV
Man, its fun to watch Aeris beat up people who aren't me. Especially when all of the guys are a bunch of dicks. Plus I've never seen her fight more then one person at a time, so its interesting to see all the creative ways she could harm three people at the same, OH DEAR GOD A HEAD SHOULD NOT GO THERE! That is something that you cannot unsee. I turned my head to Caspar, and I'm pretty sure the look on his face mirrored mine. He started talking, "I think that I could have done without that, don't you?"
I nodded, "No kidding. I never thought Aeris could literally stick a guy's head up someone else's... urrgh.", I shuddered.
We both looked back at the brawl, and the pimp who was driving the car was now getting his crotch acquainted with Aeris's knee. He dropped to the ground as I grimaced in sympathy. Aeris hits really hard when it comes to her ball breaking maneuvers. I mean, its practically genocide! Of course that didn't mean that I didn't hate the guy she was doing it to, he deserved it after saying all that about Aeris. Not for I second did I believe that she was a prostitute when that guy said she was (in fact, I think I was angrier than Aeris was!). Just when he fell to the ground, Aeris picked him up and held him by his shirt collar.
Aeris's POV
Whew, that sure gave me a rush. It always gives me a good feeling beating up assholes like those three, and now I want some answers. I picked up the little punk by the collar of his shirt and said in a low pitched voice, "Now, you will tell me everything you know about me, or I will introduce you to my friend Mr. Rusty Castration Knife. Get it?"
The dick nodded fearfully, "Got it."
I smirked, "Good. Now, whats your name and how did I meet you."
He stuttered, "M-My name i-is B-Brendan. I met you about three years a-ago, at a whore house where I contracted you to be my ho."
It gave me great enjoyment to hear this ass was talking normally, but I still had some questions, "What was I like?"
He raised an eyebrow, "Wouldn't you know that yourself?"
I brought him closer, "ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION!"
He yelped, "You were always submissive and did everything you were told! You were my favorite ho and I think you were everyone else's favorite too! You never went up against me or anyone else before!", he then calmed down again, "Except tonight. Why is that?"
I then put him up against the wall, "I'M ASKING THE QUESTIONS HERE!", I lowered my voice, "Take me to my home."
I loved seeing that bastard piss himself before saying, "A-Alright Aeris."
Leo's POV
That was pretty interesting. I wondered why that guy was surprised when Aeris fought back, and now I know. I turned to Caspar and asked, "Is what he said true?"
He sighed, "Indeed it is. Your not being there for Aeris has caused the her of this timeline to become depressive, a smoker, timid, and a prostitute. You may be lucky Mr. Leonardo, you might be out of here in a year or so."
I sighed. He was still on about me being here for a year? Well I hope he's wrong because I don't think Aeris can last a year like this. I mean we're both following that car that she went into with that ass, and they were stopping in front of a shabby looking house, and her fur is turning a lighter pink.
Aeris's POV
"Are you sure this is the place?", I asked Brendan.
He nodded, "459 Jarvis Street. We came here plenty of times to fu...".
My glare made him stop mid sentence. With an awkward laugh, he ran into his car and drove off as fast as he could. With a satisfied smirk I walked to the door and opened it, and immediately I could smell smoke. Not only that but I could see smoke too. Oh my God, how much did other me smoke. I walked around the small one story, four room house. To my dismay, I found that there wasn't even so much as a Virtual Boy to keep me entertained, and there was no TV either, so I couldn't watch True Blood tonight. I'm actually starting to think that this was a bad decision. No, it was a good decision. So what if my past sucked, I could live a good future. Plus Leo's still gone, so everything's good here. Why do I feel so tired? With a yawn I head into my bedroom and flop down on the cot, hoping that tomorrow will bring better news.
General POV
Truly sad, no? She knows she's unhappy, yet she still won't except the truth, or even the truth hidden within the truth (A/N Hur, hur, FullMetal Alchemist reference). Can her stubborn nature be broken? We shall see, we shall see.
(November 19th 2011) Fixed a lot of punctuation and spelling errors. I was reading this yesterday and wondering, "How the hell did nobody bring all of these mistakes up?" Oh well, they're fixed now. Review Please!