Who we are . . .Sometimes isn't enough for everything

Astra 9a

"It appears that we've got rather odd company," the old manwolf says, holding one of our special items in his hand. "Who are you people?"

"I'll answer that," I sigh. "I am, after all, the leader of this band."

I do not like this situation at all, but by God I'll stand up for my crew.

I make the assumption that they have already set up to detect lies beyond their empathic powers. I do not know (yet) why they've done what they'd done with us, but precautions like I'd just told of isn't out of the realm of possibility.

Being that this is pretty much the last straw (either it works or we are going to have our first failed Quest). The last feeble gasp at preventing things from going belly up.

Well, here's how it plays out. They actually believe that we mean no harm and we believe what we say.

They also believe that despite alien (and quiet unfathomable scientific based equipment they mistake for something beyond their current magical state of the art) that we are quiet OFF our rockers!

Keep us chained up so we don't harm ourselves (or others). That and send someone down to play counselor to try to talk us back to sanity.

. . . . . .

Now, I know that they MEAN well but by GOD, sometimes I've just got to say that this is proof positive that God has a REALLY weird sense of humor at time!

Then again this is EXACTLY why we do not go around and tell the whole, unadulterated truth about our Quests and such to outsiders while off reality. It just sounds plain nuts, event though it's the truth!

So basically we spend the next week trying not to be driven "sane" by our well meaning counselor when things finally happen to Fred and Alicia.

That is, the Dream dies. With the revelation that the one's who'd spearheaded this unification of all non-humans into a nation, that puts them beyond the pale (i.e. they're seen as no longer mentally competent, so are pushed aside). Ah, other Manimals try, but the thing falls apart and disasters is soon looming (starvation, impending invasion from other nations sensing a chance for gain, that stuff). Thus, as a final act of desperation from those who find themselves now backed into a corner turn to the (silently) gloating elves. Thus the elves get their way, disguising their "Guardian" ceremony as a means to heal the minds of the now rather naive fox manimals.

Oh, it does bring back memories of their former selves, but . . .also sets them permanently as Guardians. Setting them up as the personifications of the magical Border between the Human Lands and the non- Human Lands (see episode 3961 for details).

. . . .

All this has a BIG problem for everyone INSIDE the Borderzone which I'll explain.

It's a matter of something akin to the irresistible force meeting the unmovable object . . . Brace yourself, this is going to be an involved explanation!

The personal history of a Champion can't be altered. It is protected from tampering by the Rules and Agents, you know, so that some OTHERS can't go and undo us becoming Champions (or doing other things to royally mess us up). From what we can figure out this can put some kind of lock on the reality we're situated in, causing IT to not only not to have it's history unable to be altered but also prevents quantum fissioning as well. That is because of Interoffice politics that . . . are really strange. One thing is that the various Offices don't want their Opposites getting more Champions that way. The way more Champions come about is either through Induction through true love for a Champion or Champion offspring taking up the mantel. It's an odd way of doing business, but until I learn more that's all I can say about it (i.e. the affairs of Celestrials don't totally make sense to me). That also applies to Quests (the non-quantum fissioning) because with only one outcome for one Quest (bad or good) is again the way Interoffice politics set it.

BUT that Guardian spell can't be denied, and as the Demons hope some kind of . . .compromise has to be made. Something akin to KEEPING things changed but NOT. It's akin to that causality disruption that had seen to the unexpected resurrection of those New Amazons back in Daria. See, the Demons really are having a jolly good time over this because those affected by this seeming paradox. Those who'd been affected (all of those who'd been displaced by the non-Humans in their revolt, humans and nonhumans alike) by time appearing to be turning back on itself.

History is a lot of things, but it includes the effect it has on a person. It leaves memories of what had happened to them. Not saying that history actually turned back upon itself. Just saying that that it appears to have done so to the outside observer.

Instead, what we have here is this: two sets of memories of what actually happened and what APPEARS to have happened. Meaning that the true memories of the revolt and all that are still present within all those effected, but they also have false memories of events as what would have happened if Fred and Alicia had taken up the job of Guardian in the first place. Both are conflicting, though. Both are somewhat akin to having a loud argument in one's head (for all except us Outsiders, the Champions). Meaning that unless we don't move quickly those within the Guardian Zone are going to become insane. Dangerously insane!

So, after getting over the disorientation of finding ourselves suddenly OUTSIDE and unchained, we have to rush past screaming hordes of people who've got something of a war going on inside their heads.

We have only one hope for them, and that lay within Fred and Alicia (or whatever they call themselves now). We're grabbing at straws, but we hope that removing them from this reality will break the spell and release those afflicted.

We blockify them and get them quickly to the pickup point. A flash and we're back WITH the native Fred and Alicia (still dressed up like druids).

"We can't go back," Alicia the druid says sadly, with a softly reverberating voice. "If we do the spell goes back into effect."

"Nomads without a home," Fred sighs, also with a soft reverberating voice (side effect of the office they'd been forced into). "We're one of a kind, I and my mate. . . ."

Hm, they haven't met the Pack yet, I see. Speaking of the Pack, here comes that pun spouting Packleader (who the druid/fox manimals are now blinking at, surprised).

"Beg to differ on that," Manfox Fred chuckles, coming out from the side. "Nice to see yet another handsome face."

Well, we didn't get everything here but . . .then again we can't have everything. That mirror Terra will have to find its own way to enlightenment or damnation. It's own fate because WE are done, thanks. The dreams that the native Fred and Alicia had were sweet. Maybe with the reshuffle the dream can live again by those left behind. Maybe something more modest (i.e. start with creating a nation populated by manimals first as a non-human nation vice a grande collage of every race under the Sun). Have to start somewhere, I guess. Or . . Maybe not, but our part in things are done.

Not a particularly strong ending, I agree, but it is an ending of sorts.

1. Later . . .with another group . . .

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree