The Arrow of Time

Sky

He opened his eyes. The air was thick and stale. It was dark. He moved around the strange place he'd found himself in, then found what appeared to be a hole in the wall. At the back of it was some kind of lever. He pulled it open, and light flooded his surroundings. Well, not really. It was still dark. But at least now he could see. In that room he was just in, he saw... twenty other people. Two of them waddle dees. Seemed like they actually caught him. That was something. He stepped out into the smoking crater the safe was in. The sky was dotted with stars. There was debris everywhere, some of it was on fire. He walked around and explored the destruction. "Hey. Marx. I wouldn't recommend going around by yourself, y'know?" He turned around at the voice that came from behind him. Ribbon was hovering in the entrance of the safe.

"Oh, good morning, Ribs. You got any idea how we got in there?"

"Don't... don't call me that. And no, I have no idea how we got here. The last thing I remember is pulling out a chainsaw and then being engulfed by pollen."

Marx flew up and looked over the surface of the planet. It was completely barren, outside of the flaming debris. It was almost nostalgic, really. He came back down. "Looks like they caught that OSO fella. The waddle dee with the sailor's cap."

"How do you know that's who it is?"

"Kine and I snuck up on him in the warehouse and they panicked and cut off his limbs. I tried to get away but he knocked me unconscious."

Ribbon stared. The crater clearly meant something, but she couldn't understand what it meant for the life of her. "Maybe we should wait for someone who understands what's going on to wake up."

"Did someone call for me?" That voice definitely belonged to Magolor. "Hey, looks like they got him. Hope my letter helped." He tousled Marx's hat. "How are you two doing?"

He stretched his wings. "Well, this landscape is feeling a little nostalgic, if you catch my meaning. You know, if it brings up anything that you really feel like you need to talk about, I'm here."

Magolor chuckled. "Hey, let's not act like any desolate landscape is gonna freak me out, you know? I appreciate the thought, though."

"Okay, Ribbon, we're gonna go explore. You stay back and tell anyone who wakes up what's going on." Marx wrapped a wing around Magolor and walked away from the safe.

"You can let go now." Magolor was already prying Marx's wing off of him.

"Yeah, yeah. Look over there, it's a cave." He gestured to a gap under some rocks.

"Hmm." Magolor peeked inside. "Looks like it's empty."

Marx flew up above the entrance. "Heheheh, the rocks up here are loose."

"If you take out a load bearing rock and trap me in here, I will peel your ugly little bread shoes off your feet and make you eat them."

"Uncalled for." Marx popped his head into the cave, looking it up and down. "You know, you've seemed a lot more relaxed ever since you got with Taranza. I'm happy for you."

Magolor sighed, then ducked completely into the cave. "If only I didn't ruin it in there."

"You ruined it? How'd that happen?"

"Turns out that Sailor Dee can get really cutthroat when he's serious. Long story short, he threatened me into helping him. I never told Taranza about that, and I imagine he's probably pretty upset about it."

Marx climbed into the cave and collapsed at the back. "And why did you never tell him?"

Magolor sat on an elevated part of the cave, leaning back against the wall. "I was just being extra careful. I wasn't acting rationally, I was really scared of what would happen if I told him..."