Froufrou watched as the Supreme Time Protector greeted her and Kahli. She wondered whether they knew that the entire [checkpoint] was, for Froufrou, just an extended section of a singular timeline scenario. Indeed, it took some of the urgency out of the situation for her, and it also made Froufrou wonder if the Supreme Time Protector had any idea.

So far, if they did know, they certainly weren't making any real effort to explain that to Kahli. Indeed, the Supreme Time Protector just kept going on and on about making timely decisions, seeming bemused at their own pun. Did they really not realize that this was, in many ways, just one of many possible situations wherein a [checkpoint] could've been activated? Would Froufrou be able to explain it? She tried squelching up a storm.

"Froufrou, Theseosus' pincers, you ought to calm down!" said Kahli with a laugh. She looked to the Supreme Time Protector. "What's up with her? She's never all erratic like this unless she has something she really wants to tell me."

The Supreme Time Protector shrugged. "Sorry, Kahli. I'm a [Time Manipulator], not a [Mind Reader], unfortunately or not. Hey, is that even a [class]? That'd be a hell of a [class]..."

Froufrou was feeling quite disappointed. So the Supreme Time Protector either had no idea, or was just a complete jerk and a liar by omission. Sure, Kahli lied all the time, but she did it with a purpose. If the Supreme Time Protector did know that this was simply a [checkpoint] within a [checkpoint], then, well, what was the deal exactly? Did they seriously think Kahli ought not know that? It would surely majorly affect her decision making process to realize that the entire timeline they were currently in might not even be selected, per Froufrou's decision.

And then, Froufrou had a thought. Froufrou knew that it wouldn't matter to this version of Kahli whether or not this [checkpoint] was nested or not. To this timeline's Kahli, this was the only timeline. Of course, it did put Froufrou in a bit of an uncomfortable situation wherein she was a little more detached from the situation than Kahli was. And Froufrou didn't like that, even if it was only temporary.

Maybe she could use her [LIN] to get their attention somehow. But how could Froufrou use [LIN] to prove that she was from a timeline above this one, and indeed also a [checkpoint] before this?

There was, additionally, the question looming in Froufrou's head of why the Supreme Time Protector was happy to show up for them both when Kahli was in a nested timeline, but when Froufrou was in a nested timeline below Kahli's, well, there was no Supreme Time Protector to be seen. Along with that, they had sent in their younger self to oversee Froufrou's [checkpoint] when she'd entered it on her own, un-nested. It felt... disrespectful. Regardless, Froufrou racked her mind, trying to think of a way wherein she could use her [LIN] to reach through adjacent timelines and find something to make Kahli aware of what was really going on here. She had to act fast, because Kahli was already looking down at her big left foot, and was doubtlessly about to view her first scenario.

Froufrou threw all caution to the wind and reacted her tendrils into the unknown, focusing on something... anything... that could potentially help her out. Her [LIN] was, what, 11? That had to be enough to get some real results...

And then, she felt something. It was soft, it felt like cloth. And Froufrou started pulling, and pulling, and soon enough she realized that what she had done was pull an entire other Supreme Time Protector out into the timeline!

"Woah! If I didn't have a very high [CLA], I would be pretty surprised that this has happened," replied the Supreme Time Protector. "But of course I do, so I'm not. And I also know exactly what's going on here."

"Hey, it's me!" said the original Supreme Time Protector. "Only, I don't have very high [CLA]..."

"Yea, well, I'm you from an alternate timeline where the main difference is that I chose to level up my [CLA] to an extreme degree," replied the alternate Supreme Time Protector. "Which, honestly, I go back and forth on whether or not it was a good decision. I feel almost chained by my powers of [Foresight] - that's right, I got the [skill] and the [attribute], imagine that - and it's about all I can do to constantly think about all the millions of possibilities and inevitabilities and oh, by the gods, how I envy you, me, I envy you so much. Never give away your ability to not immediately know everything, everywhere, all at once... My mind is constantly reeling. I can barely sleep. I pray that one day, my immortality may be stripped from me, so that at one moment I can finally know the meaning of rest."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Everyone just kind of stared in silence at this alternate Supreme Time Protector.

Seeking to break the silence, Froufrou squelched.

"Oh, Froufrou! That was a nasty one!" said Kahli, waving her living wood hand over her nose in order to help dissipate the loathsome odor.

"Well, me," started the original Supreme Time Protector, "That's all incredibly disturbing to hear, and I'm dreadfully sorry for you. That being said, do you mind enlightening us all regarding what exactly the hell you're going on about? Or, more aptly, do you happen to have any understanding why our beloved Froufrou decided to pull you into our timeline in what I must say was an expert display of lineality?"

"Certainly, me," replied the alternate Supreme Time Protector. "You see, Froufrou pulled me in here because she is actually from a timeline one step above this one."

Everyone other than Froufrou gasped in unison.

"Wait," Kahli interjected, "Are you telling me that Froufrou went to a [checkpoint] by herself? But she did it before I went to a [checkpoint]?"

"Yes, exactly," replied the alternate Supreme Time Protector.

"Wait a second, me," replied the original Supreme Time Protector. "How do you know that Froufrou's from another timeline, as you posit? You aren't some sort of a [Mind Reader], are you? That sure would be cool... Not to even say anything about the prospect of [multi-classing]..."

"No, no, I'm afraid that the answer is instead incredibly mundane," replied the alternate Supreme Time Protector with a sigh. "You see, what happened is, I saw with my [CLA] that I was going to tell you that Froufrou went to a [checkpoint] by herself. Of course, when I saw it, I was at first under the impression that this would happen in my own timeline, not in this strange parallel timeline that Froufrou's pulled me into. No, I only realized that moments later when I saw it, too, thanks to my [Foresight]. Indeed, the powers of my system are a blessing and a curse..."

"Wait a second!" said Kahli. "So you're telling me that all you had to go off of was a prediction of yourself saying something?"

"Yes?" replied the alternate Supreme Time Protector.

"But if that's the case, then how in Theseosus' pincers did you learn it in the first place?" said Kahli.

"From myself. Duh."

"But," Kahli stammered. "But, like, where did the information come from? Surely you had to have learnt it from somewhere originally?"

The alternate Supreme Time Protector shrugged. "I've gotten very used to things such as this happening with an exceedingly high [CLA]. It's just how it goes, as they say."

"Who is they in this sentence?" asked Kahli suspiciously.

"Me. Duh."

Kahli groaned. "Look, how do we even know any of this is true if all you have to go off is a prediction of yourself telling it to us? that doesn't make any sense!" Kahli turned to Froufrou. "What do you think, Froufrou? Is this alternate Supreme Time Protector you've summoned up to greet us right? Is this really just one of your timeline scenarios?"

Froufrou squelched, unmistakably, in the affirmative.

"I knew this was going to happen," said the alternative Supreme Time Protector.

"Theseosus be praised and forgive me my verbal transgressions, but this... this is fucking ridiculous," said Kahli with a sigh, plopping down to sit in the void with a sigh. "I don't want to be Froufrou's alternate timeline Kahli!" Her eyes were watering.

Froufrou slinked out of the hand bag and writhed over to Kahli. She hated to see her [paired] companion so sad, timeline scenario regardless. She rested her disgusting tendrils on Kahli's enormous left foot and squelched.

"That - sniff - that really reeks, Froufrou," said Kahli, wiping tears from her face. "I just don't want to stop existing or anything! And I don't want Froufrou to just drop out of existence if she doesn't choose the timeline!"

"I knew this was going to happen, too," said the alternative Supreme Time Protector.

"Kahli, Kahli," the Supreme Time Protector sighed as they walked over to comfort her. "You realize it's all irrelevant, right? I mean, it's just like when you don't select a timeline. In fact, we covered this recently, the last time you were in a [checkpoint]. It's not like it's the end of the world."

Kahli sniffled. "Really?"

"Clearly, I haven't explained this in depth, so please allow me to proceed in doing so."

"Okay?" Kahli was still sniffling. "Froufrou, that squelch really is repugnant. But I'm so glad you care!"

The Supreme Time Protector cleared their throat. "Yes, great. Alright, well, please let me explain-"

The alternate Supreme Time Protector cleared their throat. "I knew this was going to happen-"

"WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCKING HELL UP YOU OBNOXIOUS FUCKING CUNT?!" screamed the Supreme Time Protector as they whipped out a machete and slashed into the chest of the alternative Supreme Time Protector, spurting blood everywhere. "FUCK YOU! IT'S TIME TO GIVE YOU THE SWEET RELEASE OF DEATH YOU SO RIGHTLY CRAVE!!"

Kahli gasped and Froufrou squelched as the alternative Supreme Time Protector fell to the invisible yet clearly present floor of the void. Blood was gushing from their chest at an alarming rate.

"You know what, me?" said the alternative Supreme Time Protector to the Supreme Time Protector.

"What?" asked the Supreme Time Protector.

"Come closer, I feel weak and it's hard to project," rasped the alternative Supreme Time Protector.

The Supreme Time Protector leaned in towards their alternative self, treating them as if they were a prized relative - the inherent narcissism of the moment was not lost on either Froufrou or Kahli.

"I knew this was going to happen, too," said the alternative Supreme Time Protector. Then, they pulled out their own machete, and sliced the Supreme Time Protector's head clean off.