#fallenconstellation

Though they'd only gone through a couple of the holes so far, shaped to their bodies and the positions they were expected to make, Lloyd was already looking tired; having narrowly avoided being knocked into the water on the last run. His hands were on his knees, bent over as he tried to catch his breath; while Twoishe chirped in excitement, ready for the next challenge.

"This kinda reminds me of tryin' to get through one of the temples back at home.. never thought I'd have to do one of these dumb puzzles again. How come you're so good at this, Aster?"

“U-Um... Aster, does something feel different?” Emil wasn’t sure how to put it, but something definitely felt off. It took him a second before he realized- he was wearing Aster’s clothes, and Aster was wearing his. It took him a couple moments more before it clicked- they’d.... swapped.

Oh no.

“W-Well, uh... at least if we had to switch, we still look alike...?”

(‘Twenty gald says he’s gotten himself into trouble within an hour.’)

His presence back in Richter’s life was a blessing; something that completely changed each and every one of his goals, turning him back into a shred of the man he used to be. He would forever be grateful that his one and only wish was granted, even if he had to be taken from his home to see Aster again-- none of it mattered to Richter. All that did was that they were here, they were alive, they were together.

.. but he couldn’t push that nagging thought away, that perhaps after this, Aster would want nothing to do with him. As much as the mere notion threatened to shatter his heart, Richter knew he could not live in his fears for the remainder of their days here. He needed to make most of the time that they had, and if it resulted in the other pushing him away.. so long as he was alive, Richter didn’t care. He could live with it, for Aster’s sake.

Though.. he needed to give the boy the opportunity to make that decision for himself.

“.. Aster,” he spoke the other’s name suddenly, his voice leaving him quietly, cautiously. Though Richter had been particularly tense for most of their evening, he seized the chance to finally speak up during a lull in their previous conversation; the setting sun peaking through the curtains of his apartment lighting the hardened features on his face. He straightened his shoulders, forcing himself to meet the boy’s eyes-- though as soon as he had, he could feel his heartbeat beginning to quicken painfully in his chest.

“I realize this is abrupt, but there are a few things you and I must discuss. I’ve been meaning to bring them up for quite some time.. and now, I hope you will allow me a moment to do so,” of course, Richter knew that Aster would always give him the time of day, no matter what the situation pertained.. but the half-elf was still afraid of what the outcome would be, even if he told himself that it didn’t matter. “I have kept certain aspects of my life from you-- what I did after I lost you, the decisions I made that carried my resolve over the last two years.. though I wish to tell you everything, I must first ask you to be honest with me before I do.”

He pulled out a folded note from his jacket pocket and revealed it to Aster-- one that had a particular name written on it in a long forgotten language.

“How long have you been meeting with Emil?”

“Watch out-- Thunder Fang!” Stoutland collides with the CPN moments before it can hit the other boy, slamming it into the ground. Beside it, Porygon-Z flits and glitches between the monsters, seeming to understand their patterns better than anyone else can. “Well done! Keep up the pressure!”

But as he neared the door, more than ready to kick it down if need be, it was already being opened for him.. and standing beyond the threshold was a familiar face, as if waiting for him.

Though it was not one he.. entirely expected to see.

“.. ?!” at first, no sound escaped him. It was as if all breath had been stolen from his lungs, rendering him frozen in place. Even if he could recognize this person anywhere, to see them like this.. grown up past the point of their death..

“A.. Aster..?” it was difficult to believe what he was seeing was even real, and suddenly.. Richter wondered he’d somehow wandered into a dream.

This place was strange in a lot of ways- Emil understood that now. And yet, even with that knowledge firmly in his mind... when the eclipse came, there was someone he never could’ve expected to see here. He felt himself freeze up when he saw an identical face moving by, taking a step back as the boy turned to look at him.

(I-Is... is that...?)

(‘...Yeah.’)

“You’re...” He found himself stumbling for words, anxiety and guilt crashing over him in waves. What was he supposed to do, when faced with the boy he’d murdered? He regretted it so deeply, but he could never take back what he’d done.

“.. when I said that we were due for another adventure, this wasn’t at all what I had in mind..” and yet somehow, both Richter and Aster had once more been spirited away to some unknown land; though this place seemed significantly different than the island they were on previously. Suddenly, the pair found themselves in the middle of the jungle; approaching a rather ominous looking temple while surrounded by some sort of excavation team.. that they, apparently, were also apart of. They certainly were speaking to them as if they were, and pointedly ignoring any questions Richter tried to ask in regards to the matter.

What was going on..? Why was nothing in this strange place ever normal?

“And how on earth did our clothes change?” the half-elf gestured to the old looking hat that sat atop his head, and the whip which was now resting at his hip. His weapons, gloves, and jacket had all mysteriously disappeared; and already he could feel a massive headache coming on.

“I suppose it’s pointless of me to ask, but..” he passed his younger friend a glance, already knowing the answer to his upcoming question. “.. you’re going to want to investigate this further, aren’t you?”