Wrong Time, Wrong Place

Future

He sits there quietly, thinking.

'Is this really real? What's going to happen when I defeat Stratosfear? Will I disappear? Is this why the Star Saviour vanished? Am I fated to be the saviour of the past- no wait, this guy has his own life, that can't be the case... What happened to who was living this life then?'

The saviour got up and entered the other entrance, it takes him to a slightly more advanced looking clocktower, though seemingly crumbling apart.

"If the other took me at least thirty years in the past... Am I thirty years in the future?"

He went down the clocktower to check the outside, his eyes widen at the sight of the ruins that was once Maytown.

"Oh, hey.... You were hiding in the clocktower, huh? Stratosfear wrecked major chaos about Maytown... Everyone abandoned this place...."

"This shouldn't have happened..."

"I agree, it wasn't supposed to end this way... But oblivion is already upon us..."

"This can't be- I-"

"Huh? Come on, there's nothing much to do, but to stay safe from any further danger now-"

"I'll be fine, you do that for yourself, I need to do things"

"Mmm, alright if you say so"

He walks around the ruins, it was all broken down and empty. There were barely any people left in town, except for a few that take shelter in the ruins. He stumbled upon a man, sighing to himself.

"I'd do anything to see what the world was like before this... Maybe in some kind of time capsule..."

Nick looked at the man for a moment.

'wait didn't I pick up a time capsule from the past a few while ago? I should give it to him'

He approached the man and tapped on hos shoulder.

"Huh?"

"What would you trade for a time capsule?"

"Why, I'd trade one of my few remaining possessions, a star."

"Is that so?"

He took out the time capsule he held and gave it to the man, in return for the star.

"I've had that time capsule for the longest time. And I think you'll need it more than I do"

"Thank you, thank you for giving me this... Now I'll get to see what it was all once like, y'know, before Stratosfear came and wreck everything..."

He nodded and turned around, making his way back to the clocktower. He quickly climbs up and takes the remaining star in the present clocktower, now making his way back down.

"I honestly can't believe I'm in the body of a middle aged man- then again I'm nearing that age. Oh yeah I have to talk to Mason now"

He exits the clocktower and wordlessly walks up to Mason and sits by him at the fountain. He looks at him skeptically.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"Something's on your mind, I can feel it"

"Well, I'm just a little stressed out"

"Look, I know it's a lot that I'm asking for something that might be dangerous-"

"It's not that, it's something else"

"The incident years ago?"

"No, I just... I don't think you'll believe what I'm going to say"

"I can try understanding, you have to at least tell me what's bothering you, so you don't keep all your problems bottled up"

"... Fine, but can we go somewhere more private?"

"How about we go at my house? We'll talk about it there"

He nods and follows Mason to his home, they settle at the couch.

"Well, there's two things I need to say"

"Hm?"

"Something... Happened in the clocktower Mason, I can't- it's really odd..."

"What happened? Did you get hurt again, please-"

"No! The clocktower sent me back in time for a while"

"What? How far back?"

"as far as I remember, it's probably thirty years back"

Mason took a moment to process his words, looking around for a bit.

"Did you... See my Dad?"

"Yeah, it felt really weird to see him alive and a bit younger than he was years ago. I also saw you"

"Did- did I say anything? Or did Dad say anything-"

"Oh, well you said something about me in my old house, you said I was asleep and that I was alone and such- Julio introduced himself to me and last time we spoke it was when I did something"

"Did what?"

"Remember the time you climbed the clocktower and fell?"

"Wait- wait don't tell me- you saved me?"

"Yeah. I told you to be careful."

"I'm so sorry- but thank you, thank you for being there, I don't know if I'd be here today if you didn't-"

"Oh no need to apologize, at least I knew now who saved you"

"Wait wasn't there a second thing you're going to tell me?"

"I don't think I belong here. I don't think I actually lived this life"

"Huh?"

"I'm- I was in the future I swear, this star saviour thing- this is part of history for me, I went to bed one night and suddenly I wake up here, nothing feels right. I definitely have the memories of this life we lived, I definitely know people, I know Maytown. I definitely feel all the pain and emotions I should be, but I don't belong here. This isn't my life, why am I here?"

Mason was at a loss for words, staring at him with a lost look. He shakes his head and looks at him in the eyes.

"I- you were right that I may not understand what you're talking about, I'm not going to assume you hit your head back at tropical isles but- you're sure about what you're remembering? I knew something was off about you since you arrived here but I didn't think it would be this bizarre!"

"Sorry, I probably seem crazy right now, but unfortunately it's all true"

"Well, everything definitely feels real doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it feels like I was sent here for a reason but then again it's so out of the blue for this to be happening for me... I wasn't even an orphan last time I remember, apparently the Star Saviour is, but my life- I had a somewhat average life, it's a little lonely though"

"How does it feel to be in your place right now?"

"It feels like I'm constantly strangled by this indefinable sense of sadness that is attached to my 'memories'"

"Hmm... Alright, thank you for telling me this. I'll let you continue getting those stars, and have some time to think- for now I'll also be thinking, this is a lot to... Take in, you know?"

"I understand, where should I go for stars next?"

"There's a gate near the beach, you won't miss it. I hear there's a hidden entrance to some... Dimension, I don't know what that means but I feel like there might be stars there, besides I think the last gate to unlock may need more stars than you already have"

"Thank you Mason, I'll go check it out"

Mason smiles and watches as he got up and left his house, approaching the gate near the beach.