Tim3less - II

— So I went back in time just to save you? This can't be right. How can you be that important?

— I honestly don't know. But now that you remember what happened, it's probably the truth.

— What if my memories are deceiving me?

— Then we can fight again. But I won't let you kill me, of course.

— Alright, it's fair. Let's return to Tokyo, we can reorganize our thoughts there.

— Haha, I think this whole trip was a little more destructive than we predicted...

— Ah, don't worry about the house. My uncle can repair it whenever he comes back.

— What about the whole in the mountain?

— Well, I guess that'll become a touristic spot. Like, turn left after you see the giant hole in the mountain.

— Haha, you're right. What's important is that no one died today, so this will be engraved in our memories. Actually, I enjoyed our fight.

— Really? You're kinda masochistic if you ask me. I owned the fight from the beginning. Go before me, I'll look at the stars one last time.

Tatsuya threw his car's keys to Yuto. He caught it in the air.

— Are you kidding me? If I knew your power before, I could win the fight. And I'm not even hurt, look!

Yuto lifted his shirt and showed his slowly healing injuries.

— So your 7-Up is already working? Good, now I can punch you a few more times for being so stubborn.

— Haha, not if I do it first!

Yuto smiled brightly at his friend and went to meet Haji. Tatsuya looked at the stars. The wind blew through his hair. He was finally at peace, knowing the truth he had been searching for so long.

I could never see a clean sky like this in the city, because of the light pollution. People always say that the stars can calm your mind. It's cliché, but it's true.

Tatsuya looked at the moon once again, not afraid this time.

And the moon is as beautiful as ever. It's strange to remember what happened to it in the other timelines.

Tatsuya looked at his friends. They were walking towards the car, smiling to each other.

It's weird seeing Haji smile, but she's just a kid after all. Even if she's worried about Yuto's well-being, she may consider this all just a fight between friends. I'm glad she forgave me so quickly.

Tatsuya felt a shiver run down his spine. It wasn't the wind this time.

Wait, something is off. I don't know if it's my 7-Up's danger perception or my instinct, but I feel like something big is coming.

Just as he predicted, a red slash flew towards him from behind. It was aiming for his head. He quickly crouched down, dodging it. 

Suddenly, an explosion could be heard. Tatsuya immediately looked at the car, it was gone. But Yuto and Haji were alright, because they didn't enter it yet.

As he turned his head, another slash came. But Tatsuya was too focused in his friends, so he didn't see it coming.

Huh? How did I not notice it? Was it so fast that my brain couldn't register it? Why can't I move my body?

Tatsuya moved his eyes to see his body. It was no longer connected to his head. He was instantly decapitaded by the slash.

Those red slashes, it can only be Slade! How she knew we were here? Maybe the fight caught her attention? But we're so far from Tokyo!

Like pure instinct, Tatsuya traveled back in time. He couldn't fight with only his head, so he didn't stand a chance.

— ... Actually, I enjoyed our fight.

Tatsuya froze, noticing something strange. He had a déjà vu, but not only that. His memory from a few minutes later was missing. Knowing something would happen soon, he rushed towards the car.

— Yuto, let's go! We have no time!

— Huh? But why so suddenly?

— It doesn't matter! Just get in the car!

— A-Alright!

The three quickly got into the car. Haji, however, hit her head in the roof of the car, dropping one of her hairpins inside. She closed the door and Yuto offered to take it, since it was closer to him.

Maybe the problem is Yuto, but since we're inside a closed space, I can kill him if he tries anything.

Immediately after he crouched down, another red slash sliced through the car, decapitating Tatsuya again. As Haji was shorter, her head was cut in two.

Huh? But it was supposed to happen in a few minutes...

Tatsuya went back in time again.

— Did I kick some sense into your ass now?

Tatsuya was lying in the rubble. Suddenly, he got startled and looked everywhere.

— Not even a word-

— Wait a minute! This is urgent!

— Huh? You're not trying to lower my guard, right?

— Let's go back to the car! We can discuss everything when we're back!

— What car? It's broken, remember?

— What? It's right there!

Tatsuya pointed to the car. Smoke was coming out of it.

Huh?! How did that happen? Wait, I remember! As soon as we got here, it stopped working! Why did I forget it?

Tatsuya touched his watch, releasing the energy sword.

— Yuto, get out of here, please.

— What is that?! Did you have a sword this whole time?

— Take Haji and go back to Tokyo. I want to test something.

— I don't understand, but alright.

— Thank you.

Yuto flew with Haji to the sky. Tatsuya felt an attack coming from behind.

So Yuto was not the attacker...

Tatsuya tried to defend it with the sword.

A red slash?! This must be Slade!

After a few seconds, the slash won the match and cut trough the sword. Since it was made of energy, it did not break, but Tatsuya was hit. Beheaded, again.

He could also go forward in time, but the collateral effect was the same: memory loss between the two points. It healed after some time, but the enemy wouldn't wait. Some traces remained in déjà vu, the rest came back slowly. However, a few things could change between timelines. It was out of Tatsuya's control.

— It's time to end this, Yuto. I'm really sorry, but- wait. Something happened a few minutes ago.

— What? Of course, you were kicking me a few minutes ago!

— No, I mean...

If I am still alive, it means that Yuto didn't kill me. I'm in the future because something happened before it should have.

— ... my power is time. I'm the 3rd level 7.

— I knew it! You shouldn't have said it, dammit!

— I probably died a few minutes ago, but not by you. Do you know who else could be watching us from afar?

— No, I don't have a clue.

— If they haven't attacked yet, it's probably because you're with me. Try crouching for a second.

— Like this?

As soon as Yuto crouched down, a red slash came towards Tatsuya's nape. He quickly touched the watch and defended the attack with his energy sword. Seeing that it would collapse, he arched his back to dodge it.

I knew it!

— Slade is the only one I know of who attacks using red slashes. 

— Whoa! Slade? Wait, from behind!

Another slash was thrown towards Tatsuya's back.

How?! She really got around me from afar in a few seconds? But I can dodge this!

Just as Tatsuya crouched down, Yuto rushed towards his front with no second thought. He was sliced in two, but Tatsuya survived.

What was he thinking?! I'll have to go back again just because of this!

— Whoa! Slade? Wait, from behind!

— Don't worry, I got this.

Tatsuya didn't turn around, knowing about the attack. After reassuring he would dodge it, Yuto didn't move. But Tatsuya was sliced in two. Vertically, this time.

He couldn't even think about what just happened, because his brain was damaged. As a natural reaction from his body, he went back again.

— If they haven't attacked yet, it's probably because you're with me- wait, don't move. They probably have a large-scale attack. We're safe because we are close enough-

Beheaded again. The slash was small enough to hit only Tatsuya.

— I don't care about what you say- Haji, can you come here, please?

— Huh? Why the sudden emotion shift?

— It doesn't matter. Yuto, get in the car, please. It's urgent.

— A-Alright, I guess...

Tatsuya threw his keys to Yuto.

— What do you want with me?

— Come here.

Tatsuya squatted down and lifted Haji's body to eye level. Since Yuto already got in the car, a slash came to kill Tatsuya. But they both dodged. Another one, but he stopped time.

He had to close both his eyes to stop time indefinitely. That's why he walked a bit faster than Haji a few days ago in the city: each blink stopped everything for a fraction of a second.

After taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and started to blink repeatedly to slow down the slash. As soon as he saw it, he started running towards the car. When it arrived, he had more than enough time to dodge it.

Haji saw all that, because Tatsuya could bring anyone to his stopped time by physical contact. But she didn't have to close her eyes. She soon understood his power. When they were close enough to the car, Tatsuya closed his eyes.

— Haji, hold my hand until you're inside the car, okay? No need to rush.

— Alright, I understand.

She got into the backseat. Tatsuya got into the car and took the keys from Yuto's hand. He turned the car on, because he could interact with the world inside stopped time. After everything was right, he opened his eyes and looked at the rear view to predict the slash.

— Whoa! Tatsuya, when did you get here?

— It's my power. I told you I would reveal it.

— I'm not sure if it makes sense, but okay. Are you alright? You look pretty tired.

Tatsuya was indeed looking tired. His power could exhaust him if he used it too much, just like any power. But his exhaustion could travel in time, so he couldn't avoid it by returning a few seconds.

— I'm okay, don't worry.

— If you say so...

Yuto realized that he had stepped in a turd. He lifted his shoe and arched his back to look at the car's floor to see if it was dirty. Tatsuya only realized it at the last second.

— Get down, Haji!

— Huh?

Tatsuya dodged the slash in time.

— Haji, are you okay?

Tatsuya looked back. Haji was using her phone, so she couldn't react in time. Her head was sliced into two again.

No, this can't be happening! What should I do? I am alive, Yuto's alive! I shouldn't waste this chance! Yeah, this is the best course of action!

As the car was still moving, Tatsuya accelerated it. He couldn't look back, because he would hesitate. As soon as Yuto looked at Haji's corpse, he couldn't say anything. He just stared at it in disbelief.

— Wait, Yuto, I can explain-

While he was distracted talking, a vertical slash sliced the car in two. Before he could even close his eyes to stop time, he was hit again.

Beheaded again...

Sliced into two...

Haji died...

Yuto died protecting him...

The car was broken even before arriving...

All them died at once...

Too tired to plan anything...

This is my limit. How many times did I use my power? A few thousand? I can't even predict the slashes anymore...

— Tatsuya, are you okay? You look pretty tired.

I'm more than pretty tired. You know what? I don't regret anything. I already accomplished my mission. Slade won't kill Yuto, nor Haji. Genesis is still alive in Russia, I hope. This is the best timeline, for sure...

— Take Haji and go to the car. You can go without me. I can stop time, so I'll be there in a minute.

Tatsuya threw the car keys again.

How many times did I throw these keys? At least the car isn't broken in this timeline...

— Are you sure? Wait, you can stop time?

How many times did I explain my power?

— Yeah, I'm Stopwatch, the 3rd level 7.

— Really? Wow, I didn't think I could be friends with a level 7! This makes things easier, now there are only two!

— Yeah, you're right. We'll plan everything there, now go.

— Did something happen? We can wait for you.

— Nothing, really... I just wanted to explore the farm a last time before going back. It's nostalgic, and we don't come here often.

— Oh, I'm sorry... I didn't know you were so attached to this place.

— It's okay, don't worry...

Tatsuya forced a smile.

Yeah, it's okay... Everything's okay now... I did what I had to do, now I can rest...

— Okay, then! Bye for now, Tatsuya!

Haji also smiled at him.

— Don't force yourself too much, Tatsuya! Bye, for now!

Bye, Tatsuya! You tried hard enough! Thank you, Tatsuya! You saved us! You did the right choice!

Yeah, this was the best course of action, Tatsuya. You did right. It's okay. You tried. At least your friends are alive.

— Goodbye, friends!

A tear ran down his face after they turned their back to face the car. They started it and waved one last time to Tatsuya. Since they were too far, they couldn't see his face.

— Bye bye, Tatsuya!

Tatsuya smiled at them one last time.

Yeah, bye bye, Tatsuya...

They disappeared over the horizon.

Beheaded one last time.