And so it was that Kahli prepared to enter into her first scenario, only, something incredibly strange happened before she was rightly able to do so that shook her conception of time and reality to its core - which was really saying something, because she'd rightly had her general concepts of time and reality nearly eviscerated as of late. All that said, what did end up happening was that, as soon as she was preparing to enter into her first scenario - the scenario to hopefully distract Taubitha from the fact that they were both trapped in what appeared to be a timeless void inexorably tied to Kahli's [class] - a rift opened up in the empty void.

"What in the fuck?!" said the Supreme Time Protector in confusion.

Kahli gasped at the Supreme Time Protector's lack of composure.

Taubitha gasped in confusion, as the rift looked to be about the same as a dimensional rift save for its characteristic purple hue that marked it as something clearly similar yet indeed distinct and new.

Froufrou squelched due to indigestion, however it was so duly timed that indeed it appeared that even she was reacting to this alarming turn of events.

"Oh wow," said Kahli with a gasp as she stepped, big left foot first, out of the rift and saw the scene before her. "It's... the past."

The version of Froufrou that had traveled through the rift, the future Froufrou, squelched with anxiety and indeed even a little confusion.

"Wait just a fucking minute," said the past version of Taubitha as she turned to glare at the past version of Kahli. "Kahli, did that other version of you just call this the past."

"Uh, what?" past Kahli said in bewilderment. "Um, no. No, what she said was that-"

Kahli interrupted her past self with the most mock-confidence she could muster, "What I was saying was that, I'm going to beat you up so much that you need a cast."

"Like, that totally makes sense," said Taubitha. "But, like, what totally doesn't make sense is why exactly you're here. As in, why are there, like, two of you now? Is this some fancy [skill] you have because of your mysterious [class]?"

Kahli looked at her past self, who looked right back at her with the same sad, uncomfortable look. Past and future Froufrous, too, beheld one another, and squelched in turn. Finally, something clicked within the two versions of Kahli. Future Kahli suddenly realized exactly what it was that past Kahli was thinking. She was altogether unsure whether this was because she was forming new memories and then remembering them in turn, or if it was because she was using her [CLA] and [PER] to feel it all out with her system, or if indeed it was just due to a strong understanding of how her own mind worked. It could've even been a function of [Tale Teller] working to somehow ensure that her lies stayed afloat, as it were. Regardless, she found that she was able to lie in tandem with herself quite promptly.

And so it was that, in a barrage of alternating sentences, the vast majority of which were started by either the past or future version of Kahli and ended by the other version of Kahli, the Kahlis explained to Taubitha that her [class] was called [Duplificator] and she could make copies of herself through 'duplication rifts.'

"Like, oh my gods, that makes so much sense," said Taubitha with a nod. It was clear that she was wholly convinced, there was not a single hint of sarcasm in her tone.

With that, past Froufrou squelched with glee, as did future Froufrou. They both figured expressing this wouldn't turn any heads, and indeed it did not, for the Froufrous both were generally seen as far too indecipherable to ascertain meaning from via tauman ears.

"Yes, that's a very fascinating [skill] and [class] you have there, Kahli," said the Supreme Time Protector. Their tone was overall unconvincing, and it immediately struck the Kahlis that the Supreme Time Protector was clearly not a great liar.

However, before the ramifications of this discovery could be duly made clear, something else indeed happened that further complicated things - for Kahli's rift in time had remained open, and indeed Taubitha from the future had just stepped out of it.

"Like, oh my gods! It's me!" said both Taubithas in unison. "Like, I am so totally beautiful! You go, me!"

Both Kahlis groaned, as did the Supreme Time Protector.

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"Like, wow, Kahli, I can't believe you duplicated me," said past Taubitha. "That wasn't, like, very smart. Not a very good use of your, like, [class], either."

"Like, oh my gods!" said future Taubitha. She turned to both Kahlis. "Like, what am I talking about?"

And so it was that the Kahlis explained to future Taubitha that her [class] was [Duplificator] and she had mistakenly duplicated Taubitha. And while this was of course all but an extensive fabrication, it was through both the application of [Tale Teller] and indeed sheer gullibility that extended far beyond that of Kahli's [skill] that Taubitha - both past and future versions - were in complete alignment and belief indeed in Kahli's tall tale. The whole thing tickled the past Supreme Time Protector to no end, however, they generally did a very good job of hiding that and altogether staying silent. All that said, they did have a moment or two here and there wherein they broke out in a muffled chuckle, the cause of which either Taubitha thankfully never ascertained.

Taubitha decided to talk to herself for a moment about hair care, which was altogether banal for everyone to listen to. Whilst that was happening, and indeed she was jabbering incessantly, Kahli addressed herself in a hushed whisper.

"Alright, me," whispered future Kahli, "What do we want to do about all this?"

"That's a good question," said past Kahli. "I was hoping I had a plan already. And by I, I mean you, me."

"Yea, well," future Kahli took a deep breath and stared off to the side of the dark, seemingly endless void. "Let's just say that this isn't altogether intentional."

"WHAT?!" said past Kahli so loudly that for a moment - indeed, but only a moment - it called the attention of both Taubithas. Once the enemy was once again jabbering on with herself, past Kahli took a deep breath and looked back to her future self. "Sorry, me, but, what? You time traveled to the, well, to what I assume is the past for you, here, and you didn't mean to?"

"Unfortunately, yes, that's spot on," future Kahli told her past self. "See, the thing is, I used a [Minor Time Rift] to travel through time because Taubitha was up to no good. She had opened up a [Minor Dimensional Rift] and it was preventing me from choosing the second timeline scenario. So I decided to travel through time to try and stop her, but I didn't necessarily understand how to control my [Minor Time Rift] and before you know it, here I am."

"Oh, wow," said past Kahli. "So you're only just barely from the future compared to me."

"Yup."

"So, tell me, me," started past Kahli, "How is the first scenario?"

Future Kahli racked her brain for a moment. "You know, it's not all that bad. Taubitha doesn't know how to react to a scenario at first so it really throws her off, which is a good advantage. But I'm still holding out to see how the other two scenarios go."

"Ah, okay. I was thinking that Taubitha would end up making my head explode or something," said past Kahli. "You know, because of how the whole [checkpoint] started."

"Hey, hey, hey, everybody!" said the voice of the Supreme Time Protector.

Everyone turned their heads and gasped when they saw that the future version of the Supreme Time Protector was clambering out of Kahli's rift in time. Indeed, the rift was so small that they appeared to get their cloak kind of trapped within it, especially trailing bits there near the end.

"Like, oh my gods, I can't believe you duplicated that freak," said past Taubitha.

"Like, yea, Kahli," said future Taubitha. "I, like, totally can't believe it either."

The future Supreme Time Protector sashayed over to greet the past version of themselves with a fist bump. Then, they turned to address the Kahlis. "You know, Kahli, you should really close that rift in-"

"The duplication rift?" said future Kahli immediately, eager indeed to maintain the effect of her [Tale Teller] lie on past and future Taubitha. Indeed, as long as nobody blew her cover, she would hopefully be able to pull this whole thing off without either version of Taubitha figuring out what her real [class] was. Of course, having everyone join her here in the past was going to complicate that substantially, but indeed Kahli had no choice but to do her best to succeed anyways.

"Ah, yes, the duplication rift," said the future Supreme Time Protector. "The duplication rift that I just stepped out of. Right. Duplication. The rift that duplicates you, the duplification rift."

"Yes, yes," said the past Supreme Time Protector. "The duplication rift that just duplicated you. Me. We. Us?"

"Close enough," said both versions of the Supreme Time Protector as they turned to face everyone.

Kahli scrambled over to the rift in time and raised her living wood hand. With a flash of light, the rift sealed shut and soon faded into blank nothingness.

"Like, oh my gods, this is crazy," said past Taubitha. "Though I've totally got to say, you must be a real fool, Kahli, because if you'd thought this through, you wouldn't have duplicated me! Now, you'll have twice as many enemies to fight."

"Like, yea!" agreed future Taubitha.

"Well, that might be the case, but I've got double the Froufrous to help me out!" said past Kahli.

"Yea," said future Kahli. "And I have two big left feet now!" She didn't add the part wherein that meant that she'd be able to summon up two big rocks and attack in tandem. Taubitha had already forgotten about that, most likely. She was, after all, a bit of an airhead.

"Like, that just totally makes you sound bad at dancing," said past Taubitha with a chuckle and a sneer.

"Oh my gods! Like, I am so totally done with arguing!" shouted future Taubitha. "Let's, like, totally fight!"

Kahli looked at herself, and then to each version of Froufrou. It was time. They both glanced down at their big left foot, noticing a scenario under each, inexplicably. And yet, both versions of Kahli attempted to allow their scenarios to activate.

[Now viewing scenario 1]

[Now viewing scenario 2]