Chapter 26: Friends: To Another End of Time

Eden! Can you hear me?!

Eden! Please, stop fighting us. We don't have to hurt each other anymore.

Wake up, Eden! Remember your true self! Remember your family, the people who loved you more than anything! Professor Chronos, Madoka, Cecile...and...

Eden, do you think you could remember me, too?

Aldo! ...wait, Kyros?!

Kyros?!

Kyros? Aldo? What are you doing?

......

Ky, Aldo, no! Stop!

What? Eden... Is that you?

Huh? My Geo Prisma?

Eden! It is you!

What do you...

Eden, what's wrong?!

Eden...

They did save the world. We couldn't have done it without all of you. Thank you so much.

Feinne's right. I reckon we owe all our lives to you folks. Words can't express how I feel. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

It was our honor to be of service, good sir.

Yeah, we just did what we knew we had to do. Nothing more.

Aldo would have been proud to see us succeed. I found his constant determination to take his fate into his own hands and do what was right admirable.

Speaking of Aldo, I wonder what became of him in the end...

Seems to me he did the only thing he could think of. To release Eden from his prison...

I'll bet he was able to remember his true self, and the happy days he spent with his family. I do wonder where Kyros is now, though. Did he merge with Eden, or what?

Aldo...

I hate to be indelicate, but we really ought to be going.

Oh, are you leaving already? Going back to your own times?

Yeah... I have my life as a hunter waiting for me back in Elzion.

And I must help the kingdom get back on its feet.

As a Civil Service Droid, it is my duty to help those in need. I am sure someone needs me even now.

You all have your causes, sure enough. I wish you the best of luck with them.

The feeling is mutual. May good health and longevity attend you.

Data collection complete. It is time to return home.

Adieu, mes amis.

See you around, Feinne.

Thank you again. Take care of yourselves!

Goodbye, everyone! Come back any time! I'll be right here!

Goodbye! I'll never forget you!

Well, nothing left for us out here. Want to head home, Feinne?

Sure.

And thank you, Kyros... Wherever you are... I'll always love you.

Huh? Wh-What?

Varuo!

Hey buddy. How've you been?

What's all that noise up there? Varuo, is something wrong?

Hi, Feinne.

Is...is that really you? I'm not dreaming, am I?

This is no dream. I'm as real as it gets.

Aldo! Oh...thank goodness! I'm so happy! I don't think I could have stood losing you on top of everything else...

Hey, come on Feinne, don't cry. You can't get rid of me that easily. You ought to know that by now.

I...I know... But...I just... I thought...

I know, I know. But I'm here now. So dry your eyes, okay?

Mm... Mmhmm... Okay...I'm... I'm all right...

Aldo...

Sorry it took me so long. But I'm home now.

Welcome home, Aldo!

Wakey wakey, big bro! Aldo... Wake up, Aldo!

Ngh... Wha...

C'mon, Aldo, it's morning! Get up already!

*yawn* I guess you're right. Mornin', Feinne.

Don't "mornin'" me. Do you have any idea what time it is? The sun's already risen above the Pekari trees. At this rate you're gonna be late for your meeting with Darunis.

Whu, ? Cyrus?! What are you doing here? Where's Feinne?

I was merely impersonating her voice. This is a secret skill worthy of any true warrior. You were deceived too easily, Aldo. Clearly you still need more training.

Oh come on, how was I supposed to know you were in my house?

No time for idle questions and slack-jawed gaping, my friend. There's a world waiting for us out there!

I'm fond of naps myself, but sleep too long and your senses will begin to dull.

What's with him? Oh well, time for another day of protecting the peace!

Wow, it's not just Cyrus? What are you all doing here?

After we returned to our respective time periods, we found the situation unsatisfactory. Lacking in closure.

It's great to see you again, Aldo! You up for another journey through space and time? You must feel it, too. You still want to help him, right? Well, you're gonna need our help. I don't know how we'll do it yet, but there has to be a way to save Eden!

That's right. Even I can't bear to end my alliance with you until this problem has been put to rest. We have to find a new future, one in which Eden is able to live alongside us, n'est pas?

Thanks, everybody! But, where do we even start?

For now, we should travel around and see what information we can find. There are plenty of places we haven't explored. The Synth Hydra can take us.

It's as good a plan as any other. Let's go find that perfect future!

Aldo...

Feinne? Something wrong?

A voice... I can hear Altena's voice...

What? How is that possible?! I mean, Altena's...

I don't know... But I'm sure it's her. Altena is still alive, she's out there somewhere!

I dunno about that...

Y'know, there is something about our fight with Altena that's been bugging me. Didn't some kind of weird green light appear before she disappeared? Could that have been Feinne's Geo Prisma protecting her?

Maybe... But I thought Feinne couldn't control her powers back then?

A similar phenomenon occurred when we defeated Guildna, a.k.a. The Beast King. At that time, Feinne's conscious mind had been sealed. Her powers may have been manifesting subconsciously without her realizing. It would not be beyond the Geo Prisma to be able to reconstruct a living organism one particle at a time.

Performing such a miracle to save her friend's brother, and never even knowing it... Rather poetic, in a way.

So both Guildna and Altena truly could still be alive and well in this world?

......

Aldo, please! I think Altena's in trouble.

Feinne...

If you won't help me, I'll look for her myself. I'll travel all over the world if I have to! I may not have my Geo Prisma powers anymore, but I won't let that stop me!

...... Fine. Have it your way.

Really? You mean it?

You're not going to change your mind no matter what I say. Besides, I owe Altena. She was willing to let herself be destroyed if it meant saving you. So if she's the one who needs our help this time, there's no way I can turn my back on her.

Right! Thanks, Aldo!

Guess we'd better get going. Is everybody ready?

You bet! Next stop, another world and another future!