Clock's Ticking

Dissolve

When Sylvie is flashed back to her original position she flashes a few more times but doesn't move. We turn back to Ranslayer who is clicker her button over and over again, wondering why it isn't working, before the elevator doors open. We look around Ranslayer and see B-15 exit the elevator and with a simple click on her pad our collars drop to the floor, "for all time. Always," before any of the guards around us can move B-15 throws Sylvie's sword to her.

Once the sword leaves her hands the two guards closest to the door go after her. I wish I could say we helped, but once Sylvie catches the sword the four guards around us move in on Ranslayer's orders, "protect the time keepers!"

I place my back to Loki and Sylvie, the three of us forming a triangle for a moment. We waste no time fighting the guards around us, our goal at the moment, not being the time keepers, but keeping the others safe. The guards seem to underestimate Sylvie and I, only one of them going after each of us and two going after Loki. "A little help here," I turn and see Loki being kicked to the ground. I don't even think before running over, jumping up and wrapping my legs around one of the guard's neck, before spinning around and throwing him off the platform, landing at the edge.

I look over to Loki before I get up, "your welcome."

"Here," Sylvie tosses Loki her sword, probably because she and I are only fighting one guard each. But then again, one guard down, so is Loki.

When I stand I turn to another guard, "come on," I gesture for him to come at me.

Soon we take care of two more of the guards, leaving Loki and I two fight two of them together, while Sylvie focuses on Ranslayer. Ranslayer grabs a pruning rod before squaring up with Sylvie, "this time I finish the job."

While Ranslayer fights Sylvie, she gets the upper hand and pins Sylvie to the ground. I look over to Loki who nods, "I've got them, get Sylvie."

I nod and get away from the guard I'm fighting, before I run up and knee Ranslayer in the face, knocking her off of Sylvie and back on to the ground. I help Sylvie up before I turn back to Loki, who is stabbing the last guard in the stomach. He walks over to Sylvie and I, giving Sylvie her sword back, before the Time-Keepers begin to speak again, "you're a child of the Time-Keepers too, Sylvie. We can talk."

"Oh yeah?" Sylvie marches up the stairs before throwing her sword at one of the Time-Keepers, slicing the creatures head off while the others laugh.

The head lands in front of Loki and I, but it doesn't look quite right. Sylvie prepares to throw something else, but I stop her, "wait." As I say this the other two Time-Keepers appear to freeze.

I look back down to the head and Sylvie runs back to us, before picking it up, despite Loki's protest, "don't."

Sylvie looks over the head in her hands, showing is the wires sticking out of its neck, popping and sputtering, "fake. Mindless androids."

I look over to Loki who takes a deep breath, "it never stops."

I look up and around, if nothing more then to hold back tears of frustration, anger and confusion, "then who created the TVA?"

Sylvie shakes her head, "I thought this was it." She throws the head, it clattering on the ground as it lands.

I sigh and shake my head, looking down as I walk behind Sylvie, who has a look of total defeat on her face. I don't turn back around until I hear Loki, "Kamaria..."

Sylvie tries to chuckle, but it is weak and forced, "not another pep talk."

"No," Loki walks around her to me, stopping right in front of me, "I have to tell you something." He takes a deep breath, "we will figure this out."

I sniff a bit, still holding in tears, "how do you know that?"

"Because, uh..." He takes another deep breath, "well, back on Lamentis..." he drops his hands to his side, having been gesturing around a bit, taking yet another deep breath, clearly uncomfortable, "this is new for me, um..."

I look over his face, trying to figure out what's wrong, "what?" He tries to speak again, but doesn't, instead he places his hands on my shoulders, "what is it?" He looks into my eyes and I see what could almost be a spark in them. A glimmer of affection, possibly even love behind them. Loki takes another breath as he begins to speak, but before he does his breath turns into a gasp and I see a hole forming in his chest, "no! No! NO!!" I shout as I watch Loki dissolve in front of me. Behind him standing Ranslayer.

Before I can even react Sylvie has her on the ground and the pruning rod up to her face. Ranslayer looks down to the rod then up to Sylvie, "do it."

I look over to Sylvie, no longer fighting to hold back my tears, now letting them flow down my cheeks, feeling what could only be described as numb, "if you aren't going to, can I?"

"No," Sylvie glances back to me for a moment, "she's gonna tell us everything." At the end of her statement Sylvie lunges at Ranslayer.