The Arrow of Time

Remnants

Elfilin awoke on the floor of the rec room. The last thing he remembered before he passed out was seeing the figure in the white cloth under the pool table aiming a gun at him and pulling the trigger. There was a stinging pain in his ear, which probably meant that it had a new hole in it to match the other ear. He couldn't figure out what day it was, or the time. The clock said it was half past ten, but whether that meant the morning or the night, he wasn't quite sure. He left the rec room and quickly looked to see if anyone was in the bathroom. Nope. He moved down the hallway to the hospital. It didn't look like anyone was around, but he figured he should check the area with the beds. He checked behind a partition and saw Taranza under the covers, with Meta Knight standing beside the bed.

Taranza gave him a polite wave. "Good morning, your majesty."

Elfilin was taken aback by the greeting. "Uh, what? Is there something I don't know?"

"He appears to be suffering from some unfortunate delusions. After I put him here to calm down, he seemed to think I was Magolor. It was... uncomfortable." Meta Knight cringed.

"I don't understand what the point of this act is. Is this just another one of your weird routines, Mag?" Taranza was smiling brightly, shining like sunlight through a stained glass window. Something fragile, that could easily shatter in heartbreaking fashion if you interacted with it the wrong way.

"Don't call me that."

"Oh right, I forgot. You don't like nicknames. I'm sorry, Magolor, I feel like I'm forgetting a few things. Could you... please stay and help me remember?"

Meta Knight was visibly uncomfortable. "...No." He walked out as fast as he could manage.

You could see the dread crawling on Taranza as he called out after him. "W-wait! Magolor, where are you going? I need you here!" After Meta Knight was gone, he shifted his attention to Elfilin. "Queen Sectonia, would you mind bringing him back for me, please? I want to spend as much time with him as I can, before I die in a week."

Elfilin was definitely scared, but he couldn't tell whether the source of it was Taranza or something else. "Y-yeah, I'll, uh, be right back. I'll bring him." He threw the partition shut and fled the hospital.

Elfilin checked lounge E as well, and didn't see a soul. He got on the elevator and took it down to floor F, where he assumed the others would be. While he was trying to clear the sleep from his mind, he stumbled into the interrogation room. Sitting in the chair facing the one way window, was the figure in the white cloth. "Ｇｏｏｄ　ｅｖｅｎｉｎｇ．"

Elfilin flinched. "W-why? Again..."

"Ｅｌｆｉｌｉｎ，　Ｉ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ　ｙｏｕ　ｓｅｅｍｅｄ　ｄｉｓｏｒｉｅｎｔｅｄ，　ｓｏ　Ｉ＇ｍ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｅｘｐｌａｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｕｒｒｅｎｔ　ｃｉｒｃｕｍｓｔａｎｃｅｓ．　Ｉ＇ｄ　ｐｒｅｆｅｒ　ｎｏｔ　ｔｏ　ｈａｖｅ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｂｅ　ｔｏｏ　ｃｏｎｆｕｓｅｄ．" The figure motioned for him to sit down.

He obliged. "Okay... What do I need to know?"

"Ｔｈｉｓ　ｍａｙ　ｔａｋｅ　ａ　ｗｈｉｌｅ．　Ｉｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ａｌｒｉｇｈｔ？　Ｎｅｅｄｌｅｓｓ　ｔｏ　ｓａｙ，　ｉｆ　ｙｏｕ　ｔｒｙ　ａｎｙｔｈｉｎｇ　ｕｎｔｏｗａｒｄ，　ｉｔ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｎｏｔ　ｅｎｄ　ｗｅｌｌ　ｆｏｒ　ｙｏｕ．　Ｉ　ａｍ　ａｒｍｅｄ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｍｕｌｔｉｐｌｅ　ｗｅａｐｏｎｓ．"

Elfilin nodded. "Yeah, that's fine. I'd just like a piece of information that doesn't hurt my brain."

The white figure chuckled, then began. "Ｍａｇｏｌｏｒ　ａｎｄ　Ｄａｒｋ　Ｍｅｔａ　Ｋｎｉｇｈｔ　ｈａｖｅ．．．　ｂｅｅｎ　ｒｅｍｏｖｅｄ　ａｆｔｅｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｖｅｎｔｓ　ｏｆ　ｔｗｏ　ｎｉｇｈｔｓ　ａｇｏ．　Ａｐｐｒｏｘｉｍａｔｅｌｙ　ｔｈｉｒｔｙ　ｓｉｘ　ｈｏｕｒｓ　ｈａｖｅ　ｐａｓｓｅｄ　ｓｉｎｃｅ　Ｉ　ｓｈｏｔ　ｙｏｕ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｒｅｃ　ｒｏｏｍ．　Ｔｈｅ　ｗａｄｄｌｅ　ｄｅｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｂａｎｄａｎａ　ｗａｓ　ｎｏｔ　ｒｅｍｏｖｅｄ，　ｂｕｔ　ｔｈｅｉｒ　ｗｈｅｒｅａｂｏｕｔｓ　ａｒｅ　ｕｎｋｎｏｗｎ．　Ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｅｌｓｅ　ｉｓ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅｉｒ　ｒｏｏｍｓ，　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｘｃｅｐｔｉｏｎ　ｏｆ　Ｍｅｔａ　Ｋｎｉｇｈｔ，　ｗｈｏ　ｉｓ　ｔａｋｉｎｇ　ｏｎｅ　ｌａｓｔ　ｌｏｏｋ　ａｒｏｕｎｄ　ｂｅｆｏｒｅ　ｈｅ　ｇｏｅｓ　ｔｏ　ｂｅｄ，　ａｎｄ　Ｔａｒａｎｚａ．

Ｉ　ｉｍａｇｉｎｅ　ｙｏｕ＇ｒｅ　ｗｏｎｄｅｒｉｎｇ　ａｂｏｕｔ　Ｔａｒａｎｚａ＇ｓ　ｃｏｎｄｉｔｉｏｎ．　Ｈｅ＇ｓ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｓｅｖｅｒｅｌｙ　ｔｒａｕｍａｔｉｚｅｄ　ｂｙ　ｒｅｃｅｎｔ　ｅｖｅｎｔｓ，　ａｎｄ　ｉｓ　ｅｘｐｅｒｉｅｎｃｉｎｇ　ｄｅｌｕｄｅｄ　ｍｅｍｏｒｉｅｓ　ｏｆ　ｈａｐｐｉｅｒ　ｍｅｍｏｒｉｅｓ　ｉｎ　ｈｉｓ　ｌｉｆｅ．　Ｈｅ　ｍｅｎｔｉｏｎｅｄ　ｔｈａｔ　ｈｅ　ｗｏｕｌｄ　ｄｉｅ　ｉｎ　ａ　ｗｅｅｋ，　ｂｕｔ　ｈｅ＇ｓ　ｐｈｙｓｉｃａｌｌｙ　ｃｏｍｐｌｅｔｅｌｙ　ｈｅａｌｔｈｙ．　Ｔｈｏｓｅ　ｓｔａｔｅｍｅｎｔｓ　ａｒｅ　ｂａｓｅｄ　ｏｎ　ｈｉｓ　ｍｅｍｏｒｉｅｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｗｈｅｎ　ｈｅ　ｗａｓ　ａ　ｃｈｉｌｄ，　ａｎｄ　ｍａｎｙ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ａｒｏｕｎｄ　ｈｉｍ　ｆｅｌｌ　ｔｏ　ａｎ　ｉｎｃｕｒａｂｌｅ　ｉｌｌｎｅｓｓ．　

Ｈｉｓ　ｄｅｌｕｓｉｏｎｓ　ｏｆ　ｈａｖｉｎｇ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｌｌｎｅｓｓ　ｈｉｍｓｅｌｆ　ｃｏｍｅ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａ　ｎｉｇｈｔｍａｒｅ　ｈｅ　ｈａｄ　ｓｅｖｅｒａｌ　ｍｏｎｔｈｓ　ａｇｏ．　Ｉ　ｐｒｅｓｕｍｅ　ｈｅ　ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒｅｄ　ｉｔ　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　Ｍａｇｏｌｏｒ　ｗｏｋｅ　ｈｉｍ　ｕｐ　ａｎｄ　ｃｏｍｆｏｒｔｅｄ　ｈｉｍ．　Ｔｈａｔ　ｎｉｇｈｔ　ｗａｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｉｒｓｔ　ｔｉｍｅ　Ｔａｒａｎｚａ　ｏｐｅｎｅｄ　ｕｐ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｈｉｓ　ｅａｒｌｙ　ｃｈｉｌｄｈｏｏｄ．"

Elfilin listened to that, took a minute to process, and then asked a question. "How do you know that?"

"Ｉ　ｗｏｎｄｅｒ．．．" They got out of the chair and made for the exit, white cloth flowing behind them. "Ｓｏｒｒｙ　ｆｏｒ　ｓｈｏｏｔｉｎｇ　ｙｏｕ，　ｂｙ　ｔｈｅ　ｗａｙ．"

"Hey, wait." Elfilin followed behind them as they stopped in front of the door. "You kidnapped everyone, and you're keeping us here. You periodically remove people who are inconvenient for you, and yet you also seem to try and help wherever possible. If it wasn't for the circumstances of where we are, I wouldn't think you're a bad person at all. So... who's side are you really on?"

The OSO stayed silent for a few moments. "Ｃｏｎｆｌｉｃｔ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｃｉｒｃｌｅ．　Ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅｉｒ　ｏｗｎ　ｓｉｄｅ．" They left the room.

- .... . / --- -... ... -.-. ..- .-. . / -- --- - .. ...- . ... / --- ..-. / - .... . / -- .- ... -.- . -.. / --. .... --- ... -

By this point, Taranza was too hungry to simply stay in bed. He got out and pulled back the curtain. Right outside, he saw Magolor. Or at least, he thought he did. It wasn't as if Taranza was in a good enough state to properly identify the difference between someone who is Magolor and someone who is not Magolor. "You came back."

The person who he thought was Magolor gave him a cordial chuckle. "Yes. I wasn't doing very well, I'm sorry." There was something odd in his voice, but Taranza naturally wasn't noticing the little things.

"Are you better now?"

"I am, but I'd rather keep my personal space for a while. It reminded me of some things I'd rather forget. You should get some sleep. I'll stay next to your bed if it'll help."

Taranza nodded. "Thank you, but I'd rather stay awake as much as I can. Especially when I don't have long to live..."

"Oh, I should have realized. The doctor didn't tell you, but they found a cure. You should be good as new in a few days, but the side effects of the treatment can cause moderate amounts of... I believe she called it cognitive dysfunction. Hallucinations, short term memory loss, and all that. It's supposed to only be temporary, but it's best that you try to keep yourself in check."

Taranza nodded and went to his bed, as the other person tucked him in. "I have a bad feeling. Like something terrible has recently happened to Queen Sectonia." The other didn't respond, instead looking down at Taranza while waiting for him to sleep. Eventually, he drifted off.

"Good. He's regaining his grip on reality." The other person left, a veritable shadow of an existence. A shadow that was clad entirely in white.