The Future's Young Fingerprint
Pallet Town, Kanto. 25th July 2047. 12:06pm.
"Hey mom, dad! I'm home!"
Nineteen year old Liam stepped in, closing the door behind him softly. His little brother came in running. "Liam!" he cried, clinging on to his older brother. Liam ruffled his hair. "Hey Aidan." he spoke earnestly. "Where're mom and dad?" he asked. Aidan shrugged.
The two siblings set off to their parents' bedroom, Liam walking calmly, while his eight year old brother was skipping. They opened the door. "MOM?!"
"Hey Liam."
"What's going on? Why're you transparent? How can I help? Where's dad?!" Liam asked frantically. His mom smiled sadly and shook her head. "Calm down, child." she teased a little. "What the fuck, mom!" Liam shouted, exasperated at his mother's attitude towards him. She frowned. "That is no way to speak to your mother. Especially when she's close to dying." she huffed.
Both the sibling's eyes widened. Aidan started tearing up. "But mom!" he wailed, before he burst into tears. Liam pulled him in for a hug, though his face was down. "Why..?" was all he was able to manage, choking in sobs. His mother sighed.
"You can save me and your father."
Liam looked up. "How?" he asked, his green eyes wide with hopefulness. His mother smiled sadly, her own green orbs watering a little. "Go to the past, and save me and my friends." she told him. Liam wiped some stray tears with his sleeve.
"Who're your friends? What year do I go to? Will dad be there?"
His mother let out a breathy chuckle. "My friends are your aunts and your uncles. Along with your father." She told him. "And the year is…" she whacked her brain slightly, trying to remember. Then, she snapped her fingers. "I got it! 2033!" She exclaimed happily.
Liam frowned. "Two years after I was born? But wasn't dad your husband at that point? Why're you calling him your 'friend'?"
His mother smiled. "Always like your father." She sighed earnestly, before turning to regard her son. "Just… go to the past. And tell my younger self about you. She'll help." Liam nodded, turning slightly to go to the door to prepare for him and his brother to go to the past.
"But," Liam turned back to face his mother, who now had a tear streaking down her cheek. "You have to get this done before the new year. Else our family, friends, your girlfriend, we'll all die." She told him, now crying. Suddenly, she inhaled sharply, as if she'd been hit by something in the stomach. Both Liam and Aidan ran to her side. "Every…every time you," she continued weakly. "get closer to- to defeating him," she gasped for air. "the time will delay, giving you more time to save us." She gasped again.
Liam hugged her. "How much more time will it give us?" He asked her gently. "A week more every time." She told him, panting now. She pulled back. "Just remember boys," Both siblings looked at their mother, who was now looking at them with glossy eyes. She pecked them both on the forehead. "Your father and I will always love you. Forever." She told them before disappearing in her older son's arms.
Both siblings turned to retreat to their rooms, crying. That night, neither of them slept. They just cried until it was time to go.
To save their family.
To save their friends.
To save Liam's girlfriend.
To save their mother.
To save their father.
To save themselves.
