Beautiful Stranger

So this is Nilva?

From what I heard in Elzion, Shannon's family home is near here.

This outfit...it has wings on its back. I wonder if this is the fashion in this era?

That piece was made by a designer who lives on the outskirts of Nilva. He's known for his unique style. His wife is a famous experimental chef, and his daughter, Shannon, is in the Miss Elzion hall of fame.

Wait? You are Shannon! No way! What brings you to our store?

Um...

Now that I'm here, what do I even want with the Shannon of this time layer?

Even if a Shannon exists in this era, she's not from my time layer. She's a complete stranger.

Who was that?

She's not here? I was sure she came this way.

Oh my gosh! That dress really suits you! You look sooo cute!

It looks great. The mini concert this weekend is bound to be a success.

I'm so nervous...

It's such an honor to be chosen as a singer. I'm happy, I really am.

But Ciel's the singer of this town. I'll do my best, but I'm so scared.

You'll be fine! You've been practicing loads, haven't you?

Have a little more confidence in yourself. That's all you lack.

Shannon?

That's me! What can I do for you?

Whoa! It's another Shannon!

(Shannon?) (If she's Shannon, then who did I see just now?) (No, that can wait. I have to do something about this situation.)

I, um...

Ah, I know! You're...

You're a fan, aren't you?

Huh?

I write a fashion column. A lot of girls take inspiration from my clothes and make up. I thought perhaps you were one of them? But maybe I'm wrong?

Oh, no! That's it!

You're in the Miss Elzion hall of fame! You're a legend, an idol across all of Elzion!

I've always wanted to be you, to be "Shannon." That's why I chose to look like you.

Even someone as pretty as you thinks that way?

I want to be able to sing like Ciel, so I sometimes imitate him.

You do?

Yeah. I'll never be like you, but if I could at least get close to it... That's why I wanted a stylish outfit to give me courage for my act. So I asked your...father...

Oh!

Huh? Why did I ask him to make a costume again?

Huh? What's going on? Something feels kinda strange... And...

The clothes your father made...were for...ugh...

Was I going to sing somewhere? No? What was I doing again? Um...

History is changing. But who is doing it?

......

Lily! Are you okay?

I'm fine. My head kind of hurts though. It's all better now. I've gotta go practice singing...for something or other.

You're not okay. I'll take you home. You need to get some rest, okay?

Yes, do so. I have some errands to run, so I'll come by later.

The museum's still here? I've failed again? Why isn't this working? The time layer monitoring system, Astral, said the divergence occurred in AD 300...

I'll have to start over.

Waiiit!

They got away! I just managed to get the gate coordinates before it closed again. The time coordinates are AD 300. The location is east-southeast from here.

That must be Unigan in the Miglance era. (There's really no need for me to stick my neck out for this time layer...)

Although, I haven't received my next assignment yet. I might as well check it out.

Okay, I need to find somewhere with no one around so that I can open up a gate.

Maybe I could use the site of the museum over there.

......

This looks like as good a place as any to open up a gate.

Latitude and longitude, check. Altitude, check. Now I'll just enter the time... Confirming coordinates. Releasing safety lock on spacetime travel device. Activating gate.

Hyaah!

Huh?

Phew! Just in time.

What are you doing?

I mean...

Oh my gosh! You gave me such a shock when you jumped after me! If I'd known you were gonna do that, we could've gone together! (Putting on this act in front of her is so embarrassing.)

I'm sorry for barging in. I was just curious about that girl from before. And about you...

......

You don't need to be so guarded. I don't care who you are. As long as you don't hurt my family, I won't hurt you.

I may be a cat lover, but that's not to say I can't get along with dogs.

You're much stronger than you appear.

Keep feigning ignorance as you've been doing, and I think we can be friends.

We're going to get along just fine, Shannon.

I'm sure. If we work together, we can find that girl!

Over there!

As you say, there are various relics found around the Ancient Battlefield. However, how did you know that I traded with the Nopaew Clan based there?

A young man from the future appeared on the Ancient Battlefield and made your dreams come true. We just talked about it. Did you forget already?

Oh, yes, of course... I get so passionate when I talk about my time-traveling benefactor.

Time traveling, eh? How fascinating.

Mind if we join you?

You!

My! You all look exactly the same! How can there be three of you?

I'm sorry for startling you. We're just blood relations. Something akin to sisters.

Ah, that would explain it. You really do look alike.

Sisters?

You look uncomfortable, Shannon. Or...

Should I call you DW-981?

Yes, do so. Shannon is far too fancy a name for me.

I agree. Her name is far too heavy a load to bear, isn't it?

The way you're speaking... Are you a fake Shannon as well?

Then surely you'll understand... Quite how sinful we are. That's why...

You're trying to alter history in order to get her back?

Yes. If you understand, then don't get in my way.

Still, it was a pretty poor attempt at rewriting history.

History has changed so much, and you don't know how to fix it.

Why should I care what a hound from a parallel time layer thinks?

I know now where to fix it. I won't fail this time.

Fool.

Hm? Where's your sister gone?

The moment I take my eyes off her, she disappears.

Tell me, trader. Do you happen to know what she was interested in?

Um... I think she wanted to know about Aldo.

Now he's an unshakeable one.

You know him? It really is a small world.

Would you like to hear about my benefactor as well?

Thanks to that man from the distant future, I was able to fulfill my dream of opening a museum.

I am who I am today because he gave me hope when I was forsaken on the Ancient Battlefield.

Thank you for telling your tale to us. If she heard the same thing, perhaps she went to the Ancient Battlefield.

Let's go, Shannon.

You're still coming with?

Of course! If the museum disappears, the next mini concert won't take place.

Mini...concert?

It's a tiny event, but a lot of hard work has gone into it.

I would hate for it to disappear.

And how does that matter? I pity you, if you worry about something so trivial disappearing. The real Shannon sure is different...

Fine. Come along then. Your carrot may work better on her than my stick.

Shannon?

Before we find her, do you mind if I ask you something?

What is it now?

You're both me from another world, aren't you? Yet you spoke of getting Shannon back, as if you were talking about someone else.

Why would you talk like that, when you're Shannon?

Hm?

Ah. I think I see.

You're not a hound. You don't know about Astral.

I only know the name.

It's an observation device that records the history of the time layer and allows you to view the past. Even altered history is recorded within it.

That shouldn't be public knowledge.

You must have an exceptionally curious mind, to know all that. But ignorance is bliss, as they say.

That may be so, but I still want to know.

If I don't know about you, then how can we be friends?

Friends? Fine. I'll tell you about us.

She and I are both "Shannon" born from an altered history. Our lives and personalities have been overwritten. We're not her anymore. We're just imposters.

......

Generations before we were born, humanity tried to alter history in search of a better world. But you must know that already, being born in the same era.

Yes. They tried to go back in time and fix humanity's mistakes. They wanted a peaceful world, one where nobody died of starvation.

The consequences were dire. Lives were twisted and distorted, and yet the world was not saved.

However, this is not a concern for regular people. They'll never even get the chance to find out that they have been over- written. Even I didn't realize it. Not until I saw the history of the time layer.

Control number: DW-981. Requesting access to the time layer data transmitter, Astral.

A Dicé hound? Permission to use the terminal granted.

I would like to view information on fugitive HM-486.

My sibling who escaped from this time layer in multiple worlds. In today's history, he is an empty existence who was never even born.

It doesn't make any sense. The me in that recording cared so deeply for him.

I can't understand her feelings. She should be me. I should be her. And yet...

Who am I now?

So there you go. It sounds so serious, but it doesn't really bother me so much. I mean, it's not very Shannon-like to care about such trivial things, hm?

Shannon-like? Are you...

That's enough chit-chat. I've found our target.

The gate's still open.

Maybe her spacetime transfer device ran out of energy.

What a stroke of luck. I'm all for playing tag, but my feet sure hurt, running about in these shoes.

If you get blisters, tell me. If you can't walk, I'll support you.

I'll be fine. I already have another to support me. Even without your help, I can walk with just the words he spoke to me. It's the girl on the other side of this gate you should be telling that to, not me.

The scenery looks so different. I don't know how much of a head start she had, but she's got to be here somewhere.

We used the gate she opened. Which means she can't be far from here...

Did you hear that?

Let's go.

Caught you, parallel me.

Trust a hound to be able to follow me here. You sure have a good nose. But you're too late.

Aldo?

Oh, you knew him? That would explain his confusion when he saw me.

Shannon, are they...

......

They deserved to die. They killed the world over and over for the sake of the future they wanted. Now, they have paid for that sin with their lives. Now, the future will be corrected. The world will be as it was meant to be again.

Your body, it's...

I, too, will be corrected. I wasn't meant to be. I can finally return the world to you.

Shannon...

History's...changed?

...... I should've erased everything from you. I should've made you forget me. Then you might not have lost here. You were just so warm, so hard to tear myself away from. But my attachment for you got you killed. I'm so, so sorry. I will always remember you, Aldo. Always.

Shannon?

I don't need you to comfort me. There's no time to grieve right now.

We need to chase after her and change the altered present.

I've seen hundreds of histories on the observation device. Including the ogres' emergence in this era. However, it ended with human victory. The ogres shouldn't be here at this point.

In other words, she didn't correct history, she altered it. Which means, I have a solid justification for intervening.

The coordinates must be something like...this.

Oh, before I forget... Will you let me be the one to discipline her? As a hound, I wish to handle my fellow hound's misconduct. I hope you don't mind?

Okay... If we wait here, she'll turn up.

Ah, right on time.

Trust a hound to be able to follow me here. You sure have a good nose.

We already had this conversation. Can we cut this short?

Oh... You've crossed time?

Yes. And right about now, your device should be out of power. You can't escape, can you?

Perhaps not.

Though, can I ask you something? Why are you intervening with this time layer? This is my time layer, not yours. This is nothing to do with you.

I'm just interested in you. You're so intoxicated with the idea of Shannon that you'd die for her. You're like a dog serving its master.

You seem different from before.

Teehee. The wolf has taken off her sheep's clothing. Don't you like it?

You awful woman.

Right back at you. I can't stand people who hide their ego behind a facade, claiming they do it for others, for the world. You don't want to get "Shannon" back. You just want to run away. From your guilt at her place. From the fact that you're an imposter. From this hopeless reality.

Grr! What would you know?

I know. Because you...are the same as me. (A foolish, helpless woman who continues to act like a lost human.)

Your crimes are threefold. Killing someone who ought to have lived. Changing history. And...using her as a justification to destroy the world.

Do you know why you're going to lose to me?

Pfft. Who says I am?

Ngh...

Making myself kneel before me. It's kind of a strange feeling.

It looks like Aldo was able to reach the peddler after all. The flow of time should go back to normal now. Is this a happy ending?

A happy ending?

You said you and I are the same. Well, we're not the same at all. I wouldn't take my enemies so lightly.

I wouldn't let someone pull the carpet from under me like you have.

*sigh* As expected.

The thing about me is, I always have a back-up plan.

Huh?

Oww!

I was trying to stay out of it where possible, but hopefully you don't mind.

I don't. She's already been disciplined.

Do you see now? You were the one with the poor endgame, not me.

Without that device, you can't do anything more. And your actions here will definitely disqualify you as a hound.

Basically, there's nothing you can do for "Shannon." She's never coming back.

No... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Shannon... I can't return this world to you...

You were doomed from the start.

You don't know that!

I do. I saw it on Astral. I saw myself try and fail the exact same thing.

Only, it doesn't really feel like me. I have no recollection of it.

Did you...have your memory erased as punishment?

I had it coming. Interfering in history is a serious crime.

Is that why you stopped me? So that my memory wouldn't be wiped?

It's hard to tell. I don't really know myself.

But if you don't want to forget about Shannon, then stop this.

......

Parallel me?

Would you like to come to Nilva with me?

I'm sure there's no harm in leaving you to your own devices now... But it seems almost cruel to leave a domesticated dog out in the wild.

......

So, will you come?

Then let's go. I want to check what became of the museum, so I'll come with you to Nilva.

How was my song?

It was amazing! I couldn't help singing along!

Those two...

There's an event taking place nearby, and she'll be singing. She's been practicing for ages. She really wants to make a good impression on the audience.

The museum must still be here then.

I guess you achieved your goal after all. Her hard work won't be in vain.

THAT'S why you followed me? All the way across time and space?

Yes. It was really important to me.

I may not know about time layers and history and going up against great things... But I do know how precious and important times like this are.

That's such a "Shannon" thing to say.

We respect order, while she loved freedom.

If I'd managed to correct history, do you think she would have been angry if she knew what I'd done?

That's something only she herself would know.

However, if I were in that position, I would be so very sad and angry. At the fact that so many lives were lost all for me. And at the fact that this you here right now, would have died.

......

You and I are like graffiti on a beautiful painting. There are people who find value in such things though.

Do you know what you'll do now?

No. I won't be able to return to the hounds after this.

And it's too late to go back to the future and live as I was meant to.

Then come home with me! My house is huge, and we have many empty rooms!

But...

There's so much more I want to talk to you about.

It would make me so happy if you came to stay!

Let me think about it.

I'll leave the rest to you.

Wait. Shannon!

What is it? If you're inviting me to live with you, I'll have to decline. I work out of a different time layer. It's far too far from my office.

How about if I simply invited you back for tea sometime?

If you're happy to host, I would gratefully accept.

This is going to be so much fun! I'll get the finest tea and the most delicious cakes for the occasion!

I wonder if each time I drink that tea, I'll make new memories. Both she and I are empty, but surely that means new memories are easier to come by.

This is DW-981. I have completed my investigation of this time layer. It would seem that the fugitive from our time layer is no longer here. I have also confirmed that there is currently no one attempting to interfere with our own time layer. End of report. I will proceed to investigate the next time layer.

Please be happy...

I pray the day will never come when your precious "now" is destroyed.