Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"Interesting. I can only hope Praecantatia and I continue our efforts into solving that issue, then," Temporus comments, "If we remember."

 

“You can’t - not without intervention from Mother. Praecantatia may be able to, if you sacrifice a version of her to enter an un-timebound place and allow herself to be annihilated then re-created. You’re kinda stuck, though.”

 

Temporus shrugs.

"It's rather moot at this point though, isn't it?" Temporus says.

 

“Not if another you tries again all to waste time you don’t have.”

 

"Inevitably, he will." Temporus says with certainty.

 

“I have given you a safe means to avoid that, yet you place little faith in the children of the Allmother and her kin. You have connections to those who write the rules of realities now - they are your way out, your key to the ‘happy ending’ your friends deep down dream of finding.”

 

"Surely you understand that by the nature of time, and the nature of doomed timelines, at least one version of me - splintered from the alpha - will get himself stuck in this situation again. It's an inevitability of the infinite." Temporus explains, shrugging.

 

“Of course - but you see less from broken lenses. Are you sure you wish to remain adamant against the aid of those beyond infinity?” Petunia asks, seeming a bit suspicious.

 

"I personally would try to avoid this situation again, but it's out of my hands. As every coinflip splits us into a timeline of heads and tails, I can't say that the coin landing tails wouldn't contribute to us ending up here again. However, I assure you that I will not try to get here, as I have been doing since time began." Temporus explains.

 

“There are no guarantees, there are only better odds. Now give me a yes or no answer - are you willing to tilt fate in your favor, or not?”

 

"Yes, of course, but that's not up to me to decide," Temporus says, "Though I'll try my best."

 

“It is now. You have five minutes to converse with all of your other selves - determine what you are willing to give to render some amount of unfavorable outcomes impossible. Go.”

With a snap of her fingers, Temporus’ senses are heightened and he can sense telepathic links (of sorts) to every version of himself that survives past the next five minutes - even those who seem to come from timelines that already gained Petunia’s influence.

 

For the five minutes, Temporus remains silent, conversing with his alternate selves.

Once the five minutes are up, Temporus bears a calm expression, seeming satisfied.

 

Petunia turns back to him, though someone else also turns to him - their gaze everywhere, even within.
"Speak, my child," their voice whispers, "I need not grace you with my absence otherwise."

 

"I needn't sacrifice anything. I already know what I must do." Temporus says.

 

“Petunia, dear, what did you tell him?”
“I told him about coin flips and rigging fate and stuff.”
“Ah... I thought we discussed this prior?”
“Yes, mum. We did.”
“And what did I say about that analogy?”
“Not to use it, mum.”
“I suppose my influence is a gift enough to make up for that misunderstanding, then?” Petunia’s mother asks, seeming almost doubtful of her supposed gift.

 

"The clear knowledge of my alternate selves was the greatest possible gift." Temporus says, a slight smugness to his tone.

 

“In that case, you know what will happen if you allow your mortals to bring all of their equipment through the rift. I trust you will be more proactive regarding that matter next time?”

 

"Of course, I shall alter fate as much as I can to prevent it." Temporus says, smugness replaced with glee.

 

“You sound like your eyes were opened to the solution of a long standing problem,” the voice chuckles, “But to be clear, there will be a punishment if you fail to keep your word. I needn’t teach my children to lie.”