A form began to take shape within the oval...If it wasn't for the red hooded cloak, you wouldn't be able to tell the first one through was Ryo's older self. He glances up from the book he's reading.
"I was wondering when the portal would appear. It's good to see everyone looking so young"
The second figure to fade into view and come through the portal looks older than the first. Shorter hair as well as a full mustache and beard hide his features, but the green eyes match Tam's perfectly.
He is wearing a more combat-oriented amalgamation of his duster and flightsuit, with what looks like armor plating in strategic areas *. His hands and forearms are covered by a pair of gauntlet/bracers, with odd designs etched into them. His gunbelt looks different as well, with the most striking feature being that his Caster is not holstered in it - just an (apparently) normal autopistol with ammo clips.
He looks around briefly, then calls back toward the portal, "Honey? You're coming into a kitchen - I guess you'd better 'dress' appropriately..." ;P
Ryo begins to look between the new arrivals, wondering why the older Aananda would need to wear something different, and trying to see if Old Tam's arms are longer than Present Day Tam's...
But the person holding his attention the most is his older self. He had expected him to be older, and he was, but not as old as he should be, if the other Tam was anything to judge by.
A very LARGE winged shadow appears in the portal, shrinking and coalescing into the shape of a woman as it steps through. Her 'armor' was primarily made of what looked like scales of light purple crystals, her long black hair held back from her face by a metallic band that lights occasionally flicker across. She is very obviously Aananda. Where the man is obviously older than Tam, she doesn't look like she's aged at all, the only real difference being that her hair has grown longer and the draconic appearance of her eyes doesn't fade.
"Thanks for the warning, love. That could have been awkward," she said with a sheepish grin.
"Just looking out for your comfort," he replies with a wink as he puts an arm casually around her waist.
"So," he says, turning to address the others. "What the heck did you do wrong this time?" :)
[Blink, blink]
o.O
"How long do you want me to list? I've been stuck in this time loop for five years my time now, Daddy. I'm stumped. Every time we beat her she just comes back in another timeline. And then I have to start over. And then there are the timelines where we don't beat her...This may be one of those. She has Jimmy. And Uncle Kannic. You guys found an amulet. That's new. But it's really creeping Mom out. So maybe it's something to help and maybe it's a new plot from the time demon. I'm in way over my head," Ephebe said, all in a rush, barely pausing to breathe.
After a bit of the shock of seeing 'Aananda' coming through the portal covered in armor, Ryo remembers some manners. Respecting you elders now has a whole new meaning...
"Welcome(back?) to my humble home. It's a pleasure to see the future without needing cards or Seer Eyes."
After a bit of the shock of seeing 'Aananda' coming through the portal covered in armor, Ryo remembers some manners. Respecting you elders now has a whole new meaning...
"Welcome(back?) to my humble home. It's a pleasure to see the future without needing cards or Seer Eyes."
"Thanks man! Yeah - this is definitely weird, with a large side of surreal for flavor," he says to the younger Ryo, while Ephebe catches her breath.
"An amulet that you haven't seen before, huh? Maybe we should take a peak at it. Unaccounted for variables almost never bode well when so many people are trying to bend timelines at once..."
"It does get a bit complicated at times. But if I've been having a bad feeling about it, one of you others should have a look. Maybe in a bit. You're going to want to catch her now. She's been trying to figure out why my eyes are different and the wish spell is making life difficult again."
Aananda looked a little pale and was swaying slightly as she started to lose consciousness.
Aananda looked a little pale and was swaying slightly as she started to lose consciousness.
"Aanaanda...oh boy."
Tam grabs a chair and tries to get it under Aananda before her legs buckle, but probably ends up sitting hard in said chair with her plopping down in his lap. :)
"As agile as I remember. Good to see the hound's bites aren't affecting you anymore."
For a moment, the older Ryo's eyes flash, turning pure white. Then they clear and he sneaks over to the door, now safe with the disappearance of the portal. He seems to be counting, then he pokes his head around the corner.
"Boo."
A yell comes from the hallway, followed by the sound of someone scrambling to get away, and finally a door slamming. 'Ryo' turns back to the others, grinning.
"Razzy likes to 'listen-in' on conversations, and that doesn't change. Been a while since I was able to sneak up on him though."
She walks over and gives Ephebe a hug. "It's okay, baby. We're going to figure out a way to fix this. It's gonna be alright."
Nods and then bursts into tears.
"I....just...want...to...go....home..." she wailed in between sobs.
She pats Ephebe's back and lets her cry.
"Ryo," she said, when Ephebe's sobs had started to decrease, "you should probably give Tam a hand there before she falls onto the floor." She nodded towards where her younger self was precariously balanced on Tam's lap, out cold.
"And then I need some way of contacting my mother. This can't go on. I need to know the truth. It's become a serious vulnerability. It's cost us more than a few battles with the demon. And according to the wish she bound me with, she's the only one who can tell me what I am."
At first, both Ryo try to help, but the older lets his youth help Tamrin place Aananda in a large chair.
"My younger self will not be able to get through to your mother, but I may be able to help. We can try the Thought an the Family Tree cards, but they are freshly made and may not be at 100% for the call."
At first, both Ryo try to help, but the older lets his youth help Tamrin place Aananda in a large chair.
"My younger self will not be able to get through to your mother, but I may be able to help. We can try the Thought an the Family Tree cards, but they are freshly made and may not be at 100% for the call."
"Good enough. Just once it would be nice to have a timeline happen where she actually tells me before I have to find out myself the hard way. Any chance of that improves our chances of winning this war. It'll make the fight against my brother that much harder, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
"True - the second bridge really doesn't matter if we can't get over the first one at all," Tamrin says with a sigh. "Give it a shot, Ryo."
He walks over to Ephebe and gently kisses her on top of her head.
"You've done an amazing job, angel. We're almost there - we'll set it right. Promise."
He puts an arm around Ephebe and Aanandareavekki, giving them both a reassuring hug.
Tam just looks at the three of them as the younger Ryo helps get the unconscious Aananda into the other chair. A thought stirs him out of his silence.
"So I take it whatever magic her mother worked prevents her from perceiving any information that would...you know..."
Two cards float from his sleeves as he tugs his hood lower. Taking a card in each hand, he crosses them over his head and draws them apart to make a circle in front of him. Light follows the cards in their wake.
"We wish to talk to another,
with these cards and but a thought,
let Aanandareavekki contact her mother."
At first, nothing happens and the circle of light just floats in place. But then it seems to shudder, and fills in, becoming a disk.
"Call for her.. before the cards give out."
"Ryleh'tinakksavith. Mother. Please. I need to speak with you. Right now."
There is a long silence. Aanandareavekki is tense watching the circle made by the cards carefully, trying not to hope too hard. She'd never had the chance to meet her mother. She always seemed to get there just a little too late. The silence dragged until eventually the light went out. Her shoulders slumped.
"I'm sorry Aananda, but she may not have even heard you. I haven't had the time to work out any problems they may have."
There is a long silence. Aanandareavekki is tense watching the circle made by the cards carefully, trying not to hope too hard. She'd never had the chance to meet her mother. She always seemed to get there just a little too late. The silence dragged until eventually the light went out. Her shoulders slumped.
He walks up behind her and gently places his hands on her shoulders. He doesn't say anything, but his face shows his concern.
"I know. It's just...I shouldn't have got my hopes up. I know that."
"To answer your earlier question, Tam, yeah, the terms of the spell prevent me from perceiving any information about what I am unless my mother tells me. I found out during the process of my brother trying to kill me. Some of the spells on me were....damaged. Or maybe it was just because he killed our mother first. Maybe that changed the conditions of the spell somehow. I don't know. I never got to meet her, to talk to her. I wish that had been different. It's hard learning how to be a dragon when you've only ever been human."
She buries her face against Tamrin's shoulder, taking comfort from his presence. "I'll be alright, love. We'll just have to find another way to tell me who I am," she said softly.
"I know. It's just...I shouldn't have got my hopes up. I know that."
"To answer your earlier question, Tam, yeah, the terms of the spell prevent me from perceiving any information about what I am unless my mother tells me. I found out during the process of my brother trying to kill me. Some of the spells on me were....damaged. Or maybe it was just because he killed our mother first. Maybe that changed the conditions of the spell somehow. I don't know. I never got to meet her, to talk to her. I wish that had been different. It's hard learning how to be a dragon when you've only ever been human."
She buries her face against Tamrin's shoulder, taking comfort from his presence. "I'll be alright, love. We'll just have to find another way to tell me who I am," she said softly.
He wraps his arms around her and nods.
"I was hoping that you coming back to tell yourself would be a loophole that would work, but I guess not..."
Tam furrows his brow, then asks his future self:
"Um - you've seen what Aananda looks like in her dragon form, right?"