Tower of Memories

Episode 90: Round and Round Time Goes


The idea was still tumbling in my head as day turned to night. It still sounded crazy. But at the same time…it made too much sense. Too much for me to not consider it.

"You look like you're brooding again."

I looked up from where I was sitting. The sill next to the large stained-glass window. My usual seat. Jarec was sitting across from me. His back to the window.

"I'm thinking. About Red. I think I have an answer."

"Oh? She finally tell you something useful?"

"No. Not outright. She told me to talk to someone who gave me an idea that's insane. But also I think makes sense."

"Try me. I love a good conspiracy."

"Do you think it's possible that Red might be an Echo from the future instead of the past like the others?"

At first Jarec looked confused. "You're right…that is crazy. But…that would also explain a lot."

"She's not like the other Echoes. We know this. There isn't a time period in the past she could be from."

Jarec nodded. "That's true."

"If we've eliminated all other time periods, doesn't that only leave one option?"

"Modern uniform. That song of yours. I mean…I can't think of a time period she could be from. That's been the big mystery since you met her."

And it would explain how she knew things.

"So you believe me then?"

"I believe that while it sounds crazy there's nothing I can think of that makes it sound impossible. I just can't understand how that's a thing."

"I wish there was someone who knows Dragon Tower better that we could ask."

Jarec gave me a look. One that seemed a little more exasperated than I felt was earned. Then he leaned back on the glass and tapped on it with his right hand.

One, pause, three, long pause, two.

"Any thoughts on this Red being from the future thing you old lizard?" Jarec asked.

I heard nothing. As usual. I waited impatiently.

"He says that he doesn't think that something like that is possible, but he also has no idea what other explanation there could be."

"Hmm. That's…something. Thank for your input…Dragon Tower."

(*********)

I didn't dream that night, despite actually getting alright sleep. That was probably for the best all things considered. Who knows what sort of strange time warpy dreams thoughts of Red and the year she was from would have given me.

Maybe when I go home I could talk Dad into watching a Star Trek marathon. Start from the very beginning and binge the whole thing.

There was enough fantasy in my life thank you. I think I would need a dose of sci-fi to bring me back into balance.

(*********)

Russel was waiting for me outside of History. "So…" he began after I had said goodbye to Angelina, "time travel."

"It's just a theory right now." One that I felt certain was at least plausible.

"Of all the things I expected to have to deal with when I got here, time travel was somehow not on my list."

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Me neither. But then again there have been a lot of things the past couple of months I did not anticipate having to deal with when I got here."

"It's something to think about, that's for sure. Don't know how the others feel about it though."

"I don't know how I feel about it either. And feel free to tell them I'm open to other suggestions if they have them."

(*********)

I was in the middle of measuring a piece of copper to calculate its mass when Celica commented.

"I think you might be wrong."

"If you want to check my numbers here's the measuring tape."

"Not the copper Stewart. Red."

Oh right. "I don't know how I feel about it. It's just a thought I had while talking to my dad."

"The human." Her tone reeked of judgement, like she didn't think he was capable of figuring out stuff like this.

"He's smart though. And the source of everything I know about Alchemy. And he's not usually one for crazy theories without at least some proof."

"It's really too bad he won't be coming to visit us."

"If we had our way he would be. But rules are rules. Nothing I can do about it now. Hopefully I can manage Mom for a couple for days without his help."

"Manage?"

"Mom is…a lot. I'm kind of banking on the excitement of seeing her old friends again will keep her on…maybe not her best behavior but out of trouble."

When she didn't say anything I looked up from where I was writing down the measurements of the copper chunk. The look on her face was strange. Less judgmental, more curious.

"Your mother causes trouble? The same person who is Vivian Hearth's oldest? Mother made it sound like her other friend was the source of all their antics."

"I mean…Mom only talked about it a little so I can't comment on specifics, but I'm almost certain that she was the mastermind behind a majority of the chaos they caused this school."

"Bold claim."

"When you meet her, I think you'll understand." Probably.

"Promises, promises Stewart."

(*********)

Fethris was quiet when I got to Monsters. I sat next to him without saying anything. He looked like he was thinking about something.

If he wanted to talk, he'd bring it up. Fethris was bold enough for me to not worry about reaching out if he wanted something, right?

After class began we were set loose to wander around and find and document bug species.

I was glaring at a spider when Fethris finally said something.

"For some reason, Jade wants to talk to you."

I looked at him, "Who?"

"Jade Runebringer."

Oh. So that's what their first name was. I'd feel worse about only just now learning it, but it wasn't like we had interacted much. I also couldn't remember them introducing themself to us. "Did they mention what they wanted to talk about?"

"No. They were…noncommittal about it."

That seemed foreboding. Might as well get this over with. "Well, whatever it is can't be as bad as meeting with Horus."

He laughed.

"Should you really be making fun of your fellow representatives?"

Ah, there they were. "Hello Jade."

"Fethris, can we speak privately?"

Fethris looked to me.

I shrugged, "Sure, I guess."

Fethris looked between the two of us for a moment but I guess he deemed whatever it was that Jade Runebringer wanted was harmless enough.

Or he was being a Dragon and letting someone mess with me.

But that coin was already in the air.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I have…concerns. Horus has been behaving oddly for a couple of weeks and I'm worried he might be planning something."

Huh. Strange. "Well if he is, thank you for letting me know."

"You don't seem worried."

'Planning something' was far too vague for me to actively worry about it. It wasn't like I was the only person Horus didn't exactly get along with. Plus it wasn't confirmed to be nefarious, whatever it was Jade had noticed.

Thinking about it, I wondered if the fact Jade had noticed it at all meant that maybe he wasn't really trying to hide. If it wasn't something worth hiding then it was probably not my immediate problem.

"I'll have to think on it. Don't worry, I won't do something as dumb as try to ask him outright. It may not concern me at all. Isn't he in his fifth year? Probably has much better things to do."

"I'm starting to see what Farsee is talking about when she mentioned you were difficult to shake. I have to wonder if that's why they picked you to represent them."

I shrugged at them again. "I have no idea what the others were thinking, if you want to ask and they actually tell you please tell me."

Jade looked at me strangely. I think they were trying to decide what to make of me. Or my words.

I remembered vaguely what Fethris had said about Kelpies and games.

I was so bad at this. But perhaps Jade would be willing to play a little bit nicer than their peers.

"You really have no idea how this school works, do you?" Jade asked incredulously. Then they started to laugh.

"I thought I was making that pretty clear. I have improvising this entire time, and I think the results speak for themselves."

"You don't have any influential allies on the Representative Council. Yes there's Set but the only ones who cares what he thinks are the Pixies."

"Also, I don't exactly have plans that require allies. There's nothing I need or that my Tower wants that requires voting in my favor."

"For now."

"If that changes, we can talk. But for now I think I'd rather be out of everyone's way as much as I can."

They frowned, but after a few seconds nodded. "Alright. I suppose that's one strategy."

"I'm bad at long term plans. I have more pressing things on my mind."

"Like what?"

"The parents' weekend. Professor Hearth and I got confirmation that all five of us Dragons are going to have parents there. We have to make sure everything's ready for that."

"That doesn't sound too bad."

If only they knew, "I can't give specific details, just know that Vivian Hearth is starting to get nervous."

Did the temper around us just drop a little? Then I noticed a flash of dust drown light and bits of frost at Jade's feet.

They kicked at them.

I should probably do damage control. "It's probably not that bad. Or at the very least it will only be a Dragon problem. I'll try to keep any and all chaos within the confines of Dragon Tower."

Mom wasn't going to make that easy, but it would be fine.

Really wished Dad was going to be there to help wrangle Mom into semi-behaving. But I would have to manage. Maybe Vivian would be okay at it.

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