Atlas of Worlds (Pt. 1)

"Really wish there was a fair; I'd take you on a rollercoaster or have you try your luck in the shooting gallery."

Maggie had one look at Prima, but remained silent. She had a crush on several people that lived in the mansion.

"yeah me too. Fairs are always fun. Though....I don't think I'd like to go on a rollercoaster. Those rides involve heights and falling." "Please tell. I can keep secrets."

"I-I made you remember that, didn't I? Sorry about that," Volt told her. "What about the shooting gallery? Are you still a good shot?"

"there's too many ears..." Maggie whispered.

Liela looked down for a moment. "It...Fine...I know I'm still a good shot. I've had lots of practice." "Let's go to a different room then."

Volt gave her a kiss. "Don't think about it. You can't change the past; not now at least."

Liela smiles a little. "How are you thinking of changing that past? "

"Oh, winning a few lotteries, just really minor things..." he told her. "I was thinking of something more substantial, but that's risky."

After an uncomfortable amount of silence, Ayah spoke up. "So... are you gonna tell us or not?"

Maggie stood up and left the kitchen.

"Wining the lottery isn't anything minor...What was it that would be substantial?" Prima followed but Kia stayed. "Man people act so odd when love is in the picture."

"I was considering either preventing your accident or having me do a pep talk with my myself under a disguise," He explained slowly. "But changing either of those things would likely make it as if we never met. And by extenstion, you wouldn't meet Lillith or most of the people you know now."

Maggie was just in her room, staring at her reflection in the mirror, frowning.

"Well, what did you expect?" Ayah told Kia. "When was the last time you've seen a monster in love?"

"hmm.. Maybe it would be just better if we watch how each of us got to where we are today. You can watch what happened to me and I'll see what happened to you.." "don't look at yourself like that." "Well lillith is in love with that tentacle monster."

"Fair enough. Now just to make the time machine..."

But Maggie kept staring. "I'll always be the elephant in the room..."

"But I haven't seen it proclaim love to her," A thought made Ayah nauseous. "And I definitely don't even want to think about how it'd look like."

"how long do you think that will take?" "Not really. I think we all are elephants. " "I'm very confident that thing likes her very much. I don't know what they see in each other but I can tell when one is in love."

"The rest of my life, I'd reckon. Those things take time." Volt snickered at the seciond sentence.

"You can at least go out in the public, blend in," Maggie told her and finally turned around. Her eyes were watery. "I can't."

"That doesn't mean it isn't gross or creepy," Ayah voiced her opinion. "I'd be fine with it if she went a Mobian or even another demon, but a tentacle monster?!"

"What if when you finish it in the future your future self goes back in time and gives you the blueprints to make the time machine so you don't have to waste all your time on making it now?"

"Ahh I'm sure there is someone who can turn you into another animal."

"So you're saying that tentacle most get doesn't deserve to get love? It is a living thing too you know!"

"T-that's actually a strong possibility," Volt admitted. "I am kinda selfish."

"I'm not completely a snake; just from the waist down."

"It does, but I can't help but feel absolutely disgusted," Ayah argued. "I'm sorry, I just feel really uncomfortable about anything that has tentacles."

"would certainly make things way easier.maybe any minute now you'll get a visit from the you of the future..Heh.."

" No I mean a person that can turn you into a mobian . "

"But you're a bird? What would be not alright with the tentacles?"

"Maybe I'll get a warning that I shouldn't build the time machine. Things tend to get out of hand when time is involved..."

"As I was human before, I searched for a way to get rid of this curse, but I've only got into dead ends," Maggie explained. "All I know is that when I was born, I was infused with dark magic and for nearly twenty years, it was dormant and increasing in power until... until I started turning."

"I may have watched a few movies I wasn't supposed to when I was a kid."

"Well I guess only time will tell " "there is bound to be a person that can make that magic go away." Kia just smiled and Ren started laughing.

A light of sorts appeared behind them, slowly seguing into a very crude-looking portal.

"Mages refused to help me and when I turned to demons – who I presumed would have knowledge about dark magic – I was being hunted even more relentlessly than before."

"I watched horror movies, okay? Not... whatever you guys were thinking about."

Liela noticed the light and turned around. "Whoa..." "Hmmm" prima started thinking. "Heh...Very special horror movies"

A figure appeared out of the light, shambling, slowly walking towards them. It wore the same clothes as Volt, just dusty and torn in some places.

The figure, old enough to break a few records, looked as if the tides of time were finally catching up to it, it's skin rapidly rotting away.

It didn't utter a single word, not even a sound, laying motionless, now completely skeletal after only just a few steps.

Volt rubbed his eyes over and over again; he refused to believe what he just saw was real.

"I lost a bet, okay? I was sure I was gonna win that I picked a horror movie..."

"what just... Happened...?" Liela said scared. "Heh..."

Volt was stuttering heavily. "T-t-that c-can't be me," he said shakily. "r-right?"

"I think of you, all of you, as family," Maggie spoke up after a short period of silence. "The only one I have left...."

"Five minutes of laughter, ten years of repressed memories and me refusing to get therapy."

Liela bent down and poked the clothes. "It's your clothes..." "Well we won't abandon you. You can't stay here for as long as you like. " "That's sad."

"W-why did I have to wish for something bad to happen?!" Volt said, panicking. "I meant an extra arm or leg, but not this!"

"I'm very grateful that you're saying that," Maggie replied. "I'm sorry for threatening to petrify you."

"I had bigger things to worry about – like my kleptomania, so there really was no time for me to get over such a ridiculous fear."