Can't I Fit In Anywhere?

Chapter 89: Home

"-your fault."

The voice, old and weary yet still had a tang of determination, sounded familiar as it echoed around the black space Ryan found himself in. It tugged on Ryan's memory, but he couldn't place it. He felt...floaty, hard to think.

"How is this my fault?" Ryan felt himself perk up as much as he could. That sounded a lot like Unicorn, so Ryan should be decently safe wherever he ended up.

But the voice sounded older, but at the same time, it clearly was Luke's voice…

"Your clone-"

"Child."

"Your child," The older voice stressed. "Ended up screwing the timeline up slightly trying to fix it and I've been the one actually fixing it."

"I thought you said it was fixed."

The voice huffed. "No, I merely bounced it closer on track. Pred, god how was he my successor, was supposed to try and end the world around their fourth year, not first."

"Sorry, how was I supposed to know? You are the only one able to mess with time besides my child and I. " Not Uni's voice placated. "Still don't know how he managed that one for how young he is, but we did stop him from making a bigger mess, we're the only ones."

A period of silence echoed about.

"We are the only ones to be able to, right?" He continued.

The old voice gave a cough. "At the moment."

"What do you mean, 'at the moment'?!"

"Remember when I said the Time Runes came from a sudden mutation in my original Runes."

"Yes and how it happened...stop giving me that look, just spit out who before they mutate their Runes and I'm not prepared."

"Chaos child."

A dull thud followed, sounded much like a head banging onto a table.

"Can't you do some time stuff and change the person? Them? Really? Why not Flower child, they seem safe and sane."

"Flower doesn't have the proper Runes to even achieve the mutation. The only thing I could do is to make Chaos' mutation sooner."

"No!" A crash followed. "Nothing against them, but let's just try and fix this before they come...what's with that look?"

"We aren't able to before it's time. All old plans fell through, remember?"

"We seriously can't be abandoning this timeline."

A whack sound followed, along with a yelp. "We are not abandoning. Have faith. I doubt you would even abandon your favorite clone."

"Child and I don't have favorites. Stop! I don't!"

"That's a lie, but like I said, all the old plans. Here," the sound of rustling papers followed.

Silence fell, and Ryan blinked. Was he dreaming or what? Lucid dreaming? Aren't you in control when you lucid dreaming? He's definitely not. It felt like he started watching a movie sequel before the first one and was left to click the clues together.

"No…" Not Luke breathed out. "Are you serious, we can't!"

"And it's the only way."

"...you started it already, haven't you?"

"I have. You clones-"

"Children."

"Your children all have their own versions dotted throughout the timelines and time trees and dimensions and everywhere. All friends in each little nook and cranny. You were getting attached- you are, even if you dislike Chaos' well, chaos, so I went ahead and nudged it along."