Wrong Time, Wrong Place

Blue

"No no, I don't mind helping"

Mason nodded, and they headed back into the town, cleaning up the place as people leave to go back to their homes.

"Well, it's time for me to go home, I'll see you tomorrow maybe?"

"Of course! You're welcome to visit Maytown anytime! You're my friend after all"

He smiled at him, to which he smiles back and then turns around to leave Maytown, quickly slipping back to where he went to, going to trap town. He decides to enter through climbing up a wall where Blueband couldn't see him- there was a place he hadn't checked. He finds himself walking into a sort of hall, a man stands alone in the darkness, seemingly taking notice of his presence.

"This is the judgement hall. Are you ready to be judged?"

"... So you've finally defeated Stratosfear. The perpetrator who had imprisoned Maytown, who had sent you on a trivial quest to defeat himself..."

"After defeating their prosecutor, you are now Maytown's hero. They will remember you for you did. Hey, they might even put up a statue!... Right?"

"I-"

"Wrong."

"You've triggered a series of events that will forever change your destiny. Everyone around you will suffer an altered fate, and reality as we know it will be sabotaged."

"forty-one attempts is all you have before such consequences arrive. I judge you for both ignorance and your recklessness. Goodbye, Star Stealer."

"Forty-one? What does that m-"

"Go ahead, resume what you were doing. There's no escape from the fate you've got into, remember that."

His gaze grew distant, dismissing him into his thoughts. He didn't think about where he was going.

'forty-one attempts? For what? Oh dear, I really have to commit to the red x's words... Maybe the forty-one attempts is for getting myself back into the present...?'

"Weeeell, look who it is! You sure look exhausted. Tell me all about it!" Blueband took notice of Nick's presence, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh uhm, it was horrible to say the least"

"Normally I should be saying something here but, I'd never thought you'd even go after getting these, if I told you to get blue stars, you'd get them? But I can't really think about what Red x says about you, you're too kind"

"I kind of guessed this was something about him"

"Huh?"

"Trap Town, I've never heard of such town. Who would call their town a trap? Unless it really is a trap, I appreciate your hospitality though."

"I see, well there's no more room for dwelling on this reality. Timeline's resetting soon, might as well take you on a tour around town, so you can know more about it in later resets"

"Thanks... Thank you for everything, I can't tell if you're just faking your kindness, but it doesn't matter. I'm Stratosfear and nothing less"

"Star stealer, I am genuine with my words and considering your reasoning to get those red stars, I wouldn't want you to proceed into this. But I'm not red x, I'm just following orders"

"Right. Can we go on that tour now?"

"Of course, it's the least I can do"

Blueband takes him around town, telling him about each and every building, eventually going back near their original spot.

"Now stealer, may I know your name?"

"Nicholas, but call me Nick"

"Nick, I know it'll be hard to be the stat stealer and everything, but you'll get used to it, though some resets you'll be the star saviour again, and the next is Stratosfear, it's a pattern."

"Oh, do I keep my memories?"

"You do, but don't tell anyone about this. Consequences will come if you do, you wouldn't want anyone hurt wouldn't you?"

"I wouldn't..."

Blueband's eyes lit up in the dark, it was a light yellow.

"Now, have you always wondered why there's an archway here?"

"A portal?"

"Precisely, you catch on pretty quickly"

With a snap of his fingers, the archway lit up.

"No more wasting time, your journey's ending, Nick."

"Will I get to talk to you next time?"

"Why sure you can! I'm unaffected by the resets myself, I won't ever forget you"

"Thank you"

Without waiting for his response, the saviour steps into the portal, taking him to a long hallway.

"This is it, star saviour. Go on, walk forward"

He did as he was told and started moving forward, Blueband speaks throughout the walk.

"This is the finale, the end to your adventure"

"Everything you've worked hard for, did not go to waste. I assure you that."

"No adventure nor journey should end without a good ending."

"So, for your efforts, I grant you that ending"

"This isn't the best ending, but there's no turning back from this, you put yourself in this kind of fate, therefore this is the ending you will receive"

"Up ahead is the final star, once you get it, your adventure is over."

"Though, I can't say this is your last, but I can say that, this is merely just the beginning. For something far more, for you, you may not like it, but, you will learn to accept it."

"We're getting closer"

"Once you touch that star, everything ends, and your fate is sealed."

"It's been a pleasure to meet you. Star Saviour."

Nick stood before the end of the hallway, there was a floating red star— No- red x in the middle.

"If this is how it is, then I have nothing left to lose."

He takes the red x, observing it. He glances off at the darkness for a moment.

"Forgive me, Mason"

He puts the red x on his face and everything shook, to him it was all a blur then fell as everything went black.