Longing Dinner Room
It didn't take them long to find the dining room in order to have lunch.
The room was surrounded by white walls and floors, which contrasted greatly with the black furniture. A large table stretched to most of the the room's length was already full with several plates of all kinds of foods.
The room was illuminated by a large black chandelier with several black candles that burned with a white flame.
Without sharing a word, everyone took their seats. Obviously, Nephis took the top of the table while everyone else took the sides, sitting closer to her depending on their standing.
Although the food was simply waiting to be eaten, no one made a move to actually eat, they all felt that there was a need to have a serious talk first.
Nephis looked at a floating clock that seemed to be orbiting them.
==1:18:48==
"There is a lot to discuss." She simply stated.
The various Saints looked at each other and collectively let out a sigh.
"You can say that again, princess." Effie admited.
"Indeed, even if we have all said something about what we saw, there are implications we still haven't entertained." Morgan agreed.
There was not much else to talk about the viewings themselves. Everyone had understood the impossibility and challenge of that nightmare, everyone could recognize the sadness of Sunny's past, and so there was no need to talk about those viewings themselves.
The third viewing, however, brought a topic that many were entertaining now.
"Just how much have we forgotten?"
That question had been in their minds ever since it was revealed they would be watching about someone that had seemingly erased themselves from the tapestry of fate, becoming forgotten.
The last viewing had put that question into perspective as three people of that room were shown images of scenes they had shared with Sunny.
And so the question arose in all their minds.
"I believe we should try to piece together exactly what has been forgotten." Those words came from Seishan.
"What's the need for that? We are already going to be shown what has been forgotten, no?" Nightwalker rebutted.
Nephis closed her eyes while listening. Both sides were right. There was no need to wonder how Sunny fit in their lives if that was already going to be shown.
However, they were in an unknown position with little information, figuring out exactly what was missing would allow them to have an upper hand, especially considering that The Mask was pitting them against the other rooms.
"There is no good reason to not try to figure out the scale of the memory lapse, if one of the challenges one day requires things like information that is not necessarily shown in the viewings, it is better to know what is missing. Besides, no one wants to keep doing this completely blind, do they?" Cassie finally spoke.
Her voice sounded slightly empty and husky, as if she had been screaming for a long time, which was odd, considering that she had been quiet most of the time.
Nephis looked around at her subjects and noted a sense of agreement across their faces.
"The memory lapse can be traced to my cohort's third nightmare." Nephis finally said, drawing the gazes of those at the table to her.
"This means that whatever made Sunless the 'Fateless One' happened inside your nightmare, huh?" Beastmaster asked.
"Yes. Which means that we have a clear picture of the times when our memories might find gaps and signs of a void." Nephis clarified.
It was as she said.
With the last viewing it was clear that Sunny had been in the same year as Nephis, Cassie, and Caster. Considering the already existing theories of the Lord of Shadows coming from the Forgotten Shore, as well as the fact that the Changing Star's cohort that challenged him was mostly made out of members of her cohort during her times there, with the exceptions of Jet and Mordret.
It was most likely that Sunny had entered the Forgotten Shore at the same time as those three.
For people like Kai, Effie, and Seishan, it meant revisiting those old memories in search of any gaps where Sunny could fit.
Unsure if he should speak up, Kai hesitantly decided to talk.
"There was a time when I was stuck in a well in the Forgotten Shore, someone rescued me, and now that I think about it, I don't remember who it was."
Seeing Kai speak up, Effie decided to do the same while shrugging her shoulders.
"I also don't remember much of my times while I was hiding from Gunlaug's lackeys. My memories of that time in the Dark City are so blurry and messy that I can't even recall the place I had stayed at. Yet I'm pretty sure the princess asked someone to do her a favor to help me."
Seishan did not speak up, however.
'It's pretty much confirmed that he was in the Forgotten Shore, but there is nothing lacking in my memories, nothing big at least. That means that if we had any interaction, it was so small I might've forgotten it by myself. Still, if I remember right, he is currently ruling over that region, is he not? Why did he go back there?'
"So, he really ended up in the Forgotten Shore. What do we do with that information?" Jet asked.
"We now know where things are going, it might not be a lot for now, but it is something. Besides, it is a reminder that everyone here might've lost something. I want all of you to work hard to not miss anything in these viewings." Nephis explained.
"You mean that thing about one of the possible rewards being the possibility of erasing a viewing? That didn't seem to be listed for this next challenge." Effie said.
"That might be so, but remember that this will not be the last challenge we will face."
Everyone went silent for a moment, mulling over that answer.
"So you want to aim for a total victory then? Win every challenge? Why do you even think that others would even use that reward?" Morgan asked.
"I don't think the Shadow and Nothing Room would remove anything, but we can't trust the Alter Room."
"So, should we start this very challenge? Get first place right from the first challenge?" Effie wondered.
"Yes."
Faced with Nephis' monotone response, the group couldn't help but wonder who exactly was going to participate, who here could even drive a kart?
"I will participate." Nephis made it clear right away.
Some people looked incredulously at her.
"Princess, no offense, but have you ever driven?"
"No, but if Sunny is in the Shadow Room, I need to use this opportunity to enter into contact with him."
No one argued with her logic, either because they didn't see a clear flaw in it or because they couldn't really bother to.
"Sooooooo, what rewards should we choose?" Effie asked.
"I believe it is far too soon to be thinking of rewards before we even win, Saint Athena." Beastmaster noted.
"No, we should talk about it. If there is a twist in the way rewards are provided, it's better that Nephis knows what to ask, just in case." Cassie clarified with her tired voice.
That led the Saints to once again go into deep thought.
"The priority should be to arrange a union between the Longing Room and the Shadow Room. In the Dream Realm both domains already work in tandem, it would be better if it were the same in here." Nephis clarified first.
"It would be nice if we could recover some of our abilities." Morgan added.
"Then the third would be a toss-up between extra information, an extra vote, or bringing an alternate version to our room." Cassie spoke.
"Why an alter version?" Jet asked.
"If there is a version of ourselves with their memories intact, they might have information that would be useful to us, besides information on the other version in the Alter Room," she clarified.
Sensing a mood of agreement, Nephis nodded to herself.
"So it has been made clear. I will go and win this challenge, choosing to join with the Shadow Room, recover our abilities, and choose between the other options," she declared.
Her Saints merely nodded.
Alter Room | Regressed Timeline Living Quarters
Jet was striding at a quick pace down the corridor they had found themselves in earlier in the day. She was dragging Sunny by his arm, despite him being vastly stronger than her, he made no move to stop her.
She quickly stopped at the front of a door labeled "JET", opened it, and entered the room assigned to her, almost throwing Sunny inside.
"We need to talk."
Sunny sighed, seeing her serious complexion.
He wasn't completely sure of what exactly was stressing Jet, he hoped it was the whole "Your breasts" thing, since the alternative was that she found out about his regression.
But who was he kidding? It was most likely the latter rather than the former, wasn't it?
"Okay, then. Shoot it."
"Sunny... can you see the future or something?"
"What?"
That wasn't really the direction he thought it would go, really. Feeling the pressure of his flaw intensifying, he decided to answer.
"No, I don't. Truth is..."
Jet's eyes narrowed, prepared for whatever was going to leave his mouth, and she was more than ready to filter what he said to make sure that it wasn't a vague truth he had shown love for so much.
"I'm from the future."
It was a simple answer. Once so unbelievable that if it she wasn't aware of his flaw she would think it was a lie, like he seemed so use to do. But it was the plain truth.
"You are... from the future?"
"Yeah, everything you are seeing, it happened to me. When I was in my Third Nightmare, I was sent back in time, somehow. Ten years before my first nightmare."
Jet was flabbergasted. The man she saw as family was from the future. She couldn't believe it.
"Then... your hurry to challenge the second nightmare..."
"It was because I already challenged it before, same seed and everything. And because there is a lot I want to deal with before it happens or grows as bad as it was in my time."
"And older Nephis..."
"The reason why I wanted to save her from the assassins, why I became her guardian and care so much for her."
"What the Spell?! When would you have told me or Seishan? We could've helped you do something... Are you the only one from the future?"
"How was I supposed to reveal that I was from the future? And I am still trying to ascertain if I can trust Song. And yes, as far as I know, I was the only one sent back, for better or worse."
They stayed silent for a moment.
"How was I like in the future?"
"Why are you asking? You just saw yourself there."
"I want to hear it from you."
"Sincerely, you two are not that different. Well, older you seem more reliable, while you seem more relatable? To me at least, either way, it's good to have a familiar face and personality around. Even if I also knew Seishan in the future, we were not that close."
"Really? The way you two sometimes look at each other, I thought it was something that also came from the future. She really wasn't your future girlfriend?"
Sunny blushed.
"What?! No. I didn't have a girlfriend."
"Huh?"
Then, as if something had become clear to her, Jet's eyes widened and her jaw slackened.
"No way... Nephis?!"
Sunny flinched.
"Sunny you... you can't possibly be groo-"
"I'm not grooming Neph! I will take care of her as a father cares for his child. Any feelings I had for her have no space in this time. She is not the Nephis I knew, she is someone else, equally important, but not in the same way."
Jet sighed in relief, for Sunny exasparation.
"Are we done here?"
"Yeah, but you are now assigned as my spoiler guy."
"Sure, let's go."
Alter Room's Dining Room
It was a huge round table with several chairs placed around it. Everyone, except the Jet and Sunny, who had left, was already seated.
They had been notified separately that they were to introduce each alternate version before the challenge began.
However, no one had spoken yet.
Until someone did.
"Greeting everyone, I am Anvil. In our alternate world, there is no such thing as the Spell or the Awakened. We hope to not be an inconvenience."
Some eyes narrowed at the man, mostly from the various Nephises.
The mundane versions made a simple gesture to indicate their presence.
Ki Song, Smile of Heaven, Broken Sword, Mordret, Morgan, Nephis, Cassie, and Sunny.
Naturally, the presence of people considered legends, such as Smile of Heaven and Broken Sword, was a reason for surprise from everyone at the table.
Bygone Nephis looked towards the mundane versions, specifically at her mother. It was weird to see her move and smile, the way her hands rested on her husband's thigh and her daughter's shoulder.
A stir was felt in the dark abyss of her indifferent heart.
'What was that?'
It was not an unrecognition of the feeling of emotion but pure curiosity as to what emotion it was exactly, considering the feeling was so weak she couldn't really pinpoint what it was.
Not far away from the mundanes, a Cassie stood up.
It was clear from her condition that their timeline was not a pleasant one, drawing the worried gazes of several people at the table.
"I am Supreme Cassie, current Sovereign of Humanity."
A scoff was heard from the ragged and chained man beside her.
"In our timeline... Sunny was corrupted during our Third Nightmare, becoming a Great Titan who killed the Sovereigns and now dooms humanity to a small group of survivors in the Dream Realm."
At her words, her timeline's Effie, Jet, and Kai stood up, revealing their tattered and injured figures.
This made several people take in sharp breaths.
Only for a chuckle to interrupt the solemn atmosphere.
"Are you making one of your propaganda speeches, Torment? Oh, how incredible. Shouldn't you be more open? Everyone here is a version of your friends, well, most of them. There are plenty of me's in this table, after all."
The ragged man beside her said playfully, revealing his face that was previously being hidden by his dirty long hair.
It was Sunny, a deeply scared and mad Sunny.
As if looking at him, or even mentioning him, would cause them to go mad, everyone chose to ignore the Great Titan.
Seeking to move on from that monstrosity of his alternate self, Detective Sunless stood up.
"Detective Sunless, Mirage City PD. Mundane, I'm here along with another detective of our force, Detective Athena, and my therapist, Doctor Saint."
Some people looked strangely at the trio.
"Pfft- Doofus... he is a detective? That's hilarious." Effie from the Diverged Timeline cackled in laughter.
"I think that you being a detective yourself is more surprising, though." Kai said.
However, there was something even more surprising.
Nephis was looking at Doctor Saint. She was divinely beautiful. Not even actual Saints were that attractive.
"I guess Effie was right." Cassie said, beside her.
"?"
Seeing her confusion, Cassie clarified.
"I'm just saying that now, there is a superb chance that Saint IS Sunny's girlfriend."
How strange... her left eye couldn't stop twitching.
After their introduction, Seishan of the regressed timeline stood up.
"I'm Song Seishan, daughter of Ki Song. I'm not sure of the exact difference between ours and on-screen's worlds. Other Sunny possibly being born earlier. As you can note from little Nephis here."
Little Nephis waved happily at the various Sunnys and Nephises along the table.
'Nephis is a kid?'
'I'm a kid?'
Let's just say that when you see yourself being treated as a child by the guy you like, or when the girl you like is a child, no normal feeling crosses your heart and mind.
Coughing into her fist, Diverged Nephis stood up.
She was kind of nervous, with so many Nephises and Sunnys here, she was slightly afraid of revealing the truth about the Sunny of her timeline.
'Can't you just lie, like you have been doing for so long? Not even your cohort is aware that you were the reason why he is in that hell alone.'
Her inner thoughts jumbled her mind slightly.
"I'm Master Nephis. The difference of our world is... that Sunny was left in the Forgotten Shore, rather than me."
It was weird, at the start of all these meetings, she received a letter, signed by The Mask, noting the differences between her world and the others.
She was initially glad that somewhere, Sunny had not been sacrificed, that she was suffering in his place. But who was she kidding? In the end it was not she who was suffering, and it was not her Sunny who was free.
She hated it and prepared to be scorned by the people at the table.
But there was nothing. Everyone seemed thoughtful, as if pondering exactly what had differentiated it and where it had been at all.
Before her confused expression could be noticed, Cassie pulled her down to her seat.
After that, Bygone Cassie stood up.
"Greetings. I am Saint Cassie... I speak in behalf of my Sovereign."
She signaled to the Nephis sitting by her side.
"Our world... did not have its Fate broken, and so Sunny did not become the Fateless One that the one in the screen will eventually become."
"Where is your Sunny?" Supreme Cassie asked.
"... he is dead. He died fighting the King of Swords." It was Bygone Nephis who answered.
""What?!""
As soon as those words were revealed, shock crossed the table. This was the only Sunny that they knew had been killed, once again ignoring the prospect of Sunny getting corrupted.
"Hahahaha! Oh my Spell, that is hilarious!"
The one laughing was the Mad Prince.
"I can't believe he lost to a guy with a domain of swords that is so bad at swordsmanship that he resorts to throwing them. Oh my, how amusing."
A fist struck the table, making the plates and cups tremble.
Shockingly, the strike came from the normally emotionless Bygone Nephis, whose eyes burned with righteous fury. By her side, Cassie, who would normally be glad that Nephis was showing such emotion, was instead showing a disgusted expression at the Mad Prince.
"Be mindful of your words, fiend."
"Why should I, dear? There is no hurry, there are plenty of knives here. If you want to dance, it would be my pleasure, my Nephis." he said while licking his cracked and scarred lips.
Before either of the two could make a move, however, the chains around the abomination constricted him tightly to the chair.
"How boring... How am I supposed to eat now? Will you feed me, Torment?"
Beside him, Supreme Cassie sighed, looking at the silverware of his plate before shaking her head, dismissing the idea.
"Forget about introductions. We should choose who is going to participate before we don't have time to eat." Master Effie said.
"What about us?" Hel from the enemy's timeline asked, only to be completely ignored.
Instead, everyone looked towards the clock that had been hovering around them this whole time.
==0:34:04==
"There is no need to be put much thought into it. I will do it." The Devil Detective stated.
"And why should it be you?" Mad Effie asked, slighly anoyed.
"Does anyone here know how to drive? Or what about being in a car chase? Have you ever been in one?"
No one answered, the mundane versions could say that they knew how to drive, but being in a car chase? No, they hadn't.
"Fucking thought so." He said before digging in on the food that was beginning to get cold.
Chosen Competitors
Longing Room - Nephis
Shadow Room - Luster
Nothing Room - Mordret
Nightmare Room - Noctis
Alter Room - Sunless [Mirace City]
********************
A/N: Another chapter, and this time it wasn't a short one, yuppy!! Next chapter is the challenge and a few character interactions.
Check Out my other Fanfics:
Cursed Shadow (JJK/JJK Modulo x Shadow Slave Crossover Fic)
Trailblazing Shadow (HSR x Shadow Slave Crossover Fic)