Oct 27th, 1pm

Buzz!

Buzz!

Buzzzzzzz! Misha holds her finger on the intercom button. "Come on, come on, come on!"

She tries to settle her heart while waiting on Greg to answer. Hikari's prior text makes her mind race on her friend's condition.

"Hello?" The weary voice of Greg answers.

"I wanted to check on my good friend. May I come up?"

After buzzing her in, she gets to his door and knocks.

"Just a minute."

The sounds of cleaning echo inside the apartment before he opens the door. She can't ignore the deep dark circles under his eyes. His usually white t-shirt has stains here and there.

"Hey, Greg," she embraces him tightly.

"Who are you and what did you do to Misha?"

She gently nudges him in the ribs.

"That's better," a broken laugh escapes his lips.

"Hey! I can be nice when I want to be," she pouts to lift the mood.

"Come on inside," he rubs his eyes. "Just take your shoes off at the door. There are some slippers you can put on."

After Misha puts on the slippers, she sits on his blue couch. He comes back with a glass of water and hands it to her.

"I will be right back. I didn't expect company so I need to clean."

She gently grabs him by the wrist. "It's okay. Sit with me."

He reluctantly sits down on the opposite end. He rubs his eyes to stay awake.

"Have you been eating, Greg?"

"Not as well as before. Junk food and all that."

"I brought some snacks over from Penelope's place. Here," she unwraps small meat pies for him to enjoy.

His eyes widen from a single bite. "Really good. Do you want some?"

"I already ate."

"Thanks. Tell Penny I said thank you."

"I will let her know."

She lets Greg eat his fill before broaching the subject. "You haven't been talking to any of us over the past few days. What have you been up to?"

He tells her the information Hikari and him have been sending back and forth. "...I don't know what to make of it, but I need to keep looking for him."

"She told me a little about that. She thinks it's a kidnapping or something like that?"

"I don't believe in the supernatural, but I don't know what to believe anymore. The police wouldn't believe us even if we had the evidence. All I know is my best friend is missing and I let him and Penelope down."

She clutches his hand. "Why do you say that?"

He grips his knees. "Ever since Taki told me about what happened to his family, I promised him that I would protect him and his family until the day I die. Now, I failed him. I can't rest until I make it up to them," his voice breaks down.

Misha squeezes his shoulder. "We will find him. I know it. You need to rest though. We need you at 100% to find him."

"It doesn't feel right! My friend needs me and I'm sitting here helpless. I'm going to run out of vacation days. I can't see myself at work without him. He always sends me his dad jokes every morning and I would rate them out of 10. I wake up each morning expecting his text and it's not there," a rush of tears flood down his face.

Misha holds him as the same feeling washes down. "I miss him too."

Greg eventually cries himself to sleep on the couch. Misha throws a blanket over him while she cleans up around the apartment. She sees a crumpled paper ball near his bedroom door and enters it. Multiple wads of white paper are scattered around like a minefield.

She opens one up.

Kidnapping? Possible Suspects: Local gang members. Rival companies?

She throws them all away with the hope that Taki will return before Greg's health hits rock bottom.

----

Helen of Troy continues to hold an awake Briseis in her arms. The priestess silently prays to the gods she hates that her vision won't come true. With what little courage she has left, she crawls out of the tent to check on Takashi. Paris glances back while the foreigner is in a deep sleep.

The alarm on his phone wakes the time traveler up.

Without warning, Briseis latches onto him from behind, tighter than she ever had before. Taki feels her arms trembling from the grip.

He squirms around to embrace her. "It's okay. Was it another nightmare?"

Briseis wonders if telling him would trigger the omen. She breaks the embrace with eyes heavier than an anchor. "Remember how I told you I was a priestess?"

He nods.

"I receive powerful visions about the near future."

He leans forward from the revelation.

"I would use them to inform Troy, but they stopped listening since all had bad outcomes," she continues. "Before last night, the last premonition was of a horse with fire surrounding it. I thought it wouldn't happen until that day-"

Takashi lays calming hands on hers while maintaining eye contact. "Was your vision about me?"

Her hesitation confirms it.

"I know I'm not the superstitious type, but this world is kind of crazy. Tell me what happened in your dream, Briseis."

"What if it happens?" Her voice wavers.

"What I know is that fate is not written in stone. That a small action can change any outcome. All we can do is try."

Briseis collects herself. She takes a deep breath. "Was there ever a moment that you thought that your life would be over?"

Something pops up in his head. Briseis feels a chill run down her spine as she can see glimpses of his time resets. Takashi lets go of her hand with heavy breaths.

Everything clicks for him. The reason why the loss of his limbs and wounds weren't present and yet he felt it happen. His brown eyes shake like a leaf.

He wraps his arms around his torso from the cold truth: the resets saved him mentally, but he had physically died several times.

The foreigner swallows the bitter pill. "I-I actually died?"

The priestess keeps space between them, thinking it would only make it worse. "I-I only got a glimpse, but you may be right. I'm sorry."

Without "reset", I wouldn't even be here. My family would never know what happened to me. He shakes his head to avoid thinking more negatively.

Helen stirs up and feels the cloud of heavy tension surrounding them. "What's going on?"

"It's nothing, Helen," Paris interjects. We-"

"Reset is a power of mine," Taki interrupts. He explains its benefits jumping backwards to a previous place and time in mind while retaining the prior knowledge But he also mentions the drawback of creating an extra day away from his loved ones.

"...I push time away from my loved ones every time I use it even though I want to be with them. What kind of sick joke is that?"

The Trojans and Helen are silent as they process his words. The weight hits Briseis the hardest.

"I'm sorry, Takashi. I wish there was something I could do to help you," Helen softly embraces him.

An uncomfortable silence is broken by his voice. "Briseis, since I already died before, how did I die in your vision?

She lets out a long exhale. "You were fighting Stavros. It turned red and he....got you with his scythe-whip. It would be better if you leave us to avoid that fate."

"Then fighting him is out of the question. Let's focus on getting your people out."

They were surprised at how fast he rebounded.

"You don't owe us anything. You helped us reunite with each other and that is good enough. Make your way back home from here," Helen encourages.

"I can't have that on my conscience. Knowing I can do some good and not doing that? I will still help you. We just need to plan it better."

"Are you in the best state mentally for that?" The former priestess asks with concern.

"I won't allow myself to get in my way. Overthinking will not help me. I can trust each of you to help me out. So let's get started," he speaks with rousing confidence.

"Alright. Let's talk about the distractions," the former prince of Troy speaks with a hopeful grin. He redraws the labor camp to the best of his ability with a stick. Briseis and Helen bring food and they eat as they discuss.

"I know the flammable stuff is right here. How about....."

Hope begins to swell in Briseis' heart that Taki's death could be prevented.

Meanwhile...

Ismene wakes up to a trembling Avgi, whose legs kick as if she's running.

"Big sister, where are you?"

The water nymph gently strokes her arms while humming a lullaby. Dark blue wisps emanate from her to provide a calm atmosphere.

The combination lulls the young Trojan back to sleep. The wisps get pulled back into Ismene's body but not before informing her of the nightmare.

Her nostrils flare. Her dark blue wisps shake her jar until she stops. "Deep breaths, deep breaths," she waves a hand to refill the berry jar. The nymph keeps watch from the base of the tree.

Birds chirp above in the treetops while a breeze rolls through. The peace settles her wrathful heart and mind. After some time, she gently nudges Avgi awake.

The little girl almost jumps up in a fright.

Ismene cups her face. "I'm sorry, Avgi. I didn't mean that," she embraces her until she hears her heartbeat return to normal. "Here, I found us some more berries."

"Okay," she eats until she is full.

The river nymph cleans the berry stains off her face with her watery hands.

Avgi grasps her hands and traces her palm. "Your hands are so soft. How do I get hands like that?"

"Well, I moisturize with some lotion. I promise to give you some later. Can you tell me more about your big sister?"

"Briseis?"

"She sounds very important to you."

"She is super nice and pretty. Before she left, she kept me safe. She wanted to take me out of there, but there wasn't time," she grips her clothes.

The nymph shifts the topic. "Tell me more about you. What kind of games do you like to play? I like to play hide and seek."

Her brown eyes light up. "I love that game."

"We can't play now, but when we get to Briseis, I will play with you for all the time you want. I promise you that."

The six-year-old feels an expression of old on her face. Touching the corners of her lips, she couldn't remember the last time she smiled.

"You have a beautiful smile. I wish I had that," Ismene compliments.

"I wish to be as beautiful as you when I grow up."

Ismene's blue eyes shine a little brighter.

"Can I be a water nymph like you someday?"

"Maybe. I was just born from the water like this. Maybe in your next life, you will be something like me or even more beautiful," she places a white-water in the Trojan's black hair. "This suits you."

Her hands summon a puddle of water to act as a mirror. Avgi's mouth drops in wonder.

"Are you ready to find Briseis?"

The little girl nods her head. The nymph picks up the jar of water and puts it on her back. "Take my hand and don't let go."

They walk southwest of their direction until Avgi points to something. A part of a broken arrow with black fletching.

"It's made of feathers from a certain bird back home. It's Paris!" She almost exclaims from happiness.

"That's good news. They must be close by then. I ask that you be quiet until we find them. We need to be careful, okay?"

Avgi motions with a finger to her lips before they continue. Ismene's ears perk up from hearing something. She pulls Avgi behind a tree and gently covers her mouth. The little Trojan doesn't question her judgment.

Her nymph hearing picks up hooved steps followed by rough voices.

"Where could those filthy nobles be? Stavros will kill us if we don't come back with them."

She withholds her anger to keep listening.

"We haven't even heard back from the two that were chasing that priestess. Oh, wait. Our bird is back."

She hears a screech from the bird as it lands on a tree. Something is dripping to the ground. The smell of iron tells her what it is.

Blood from a pulled out set of eyes.

"WHAT IN TARTARUS IS THAT?!"

The outburst startles Avgi, but Ismene keeps her still.

"W-W-What's in the message?"

The messenger bird hops down. They read the scroll to themselves.

"Shit! I can't believe those idiots would try to ransack his home. Now we have that foreigner and a possible monster to deal with."

"It just says to stay away. Maybe he won't bother us."

"You better bet your life on that! He can screw everything up for us! Let's avoid the area of Thebes at all costs."

"Should we tell Stavros?"

"Would it help our situation knowing his temper?"

"Good point."

Ismene and Avgi stay still to let them pass in front of them. An arrow whistles. A yell of pain leaves one of the guards.

"Stop!"

The nymph feels a wave of emerald energy coursing past her. Birds trapped in mid-flight. Autumn leaves stuck in a fluttering motion. Checking Avgi, she's still breathing despite her frozen state. She carries her to get a better look.

Her turquoise eyes pick out the foreigner they were talking about. Along with the shot arrow that pierced one of the guards in the leg.

The stranger pushes the guards off their horses and confiscates their armor and weapons. He finishes the task by delivering sharp jabs to their noses.

"Play."

The guards fall to the ground in excruciating pain. Avgi's eyes dart around from the change in surroundings. Ismene covers her mouth and motions for her to stay still.

The guards reach for their swords, but they hold nothing but air. They also find their torsos exposed to the wind. Their pupils shake from the mentioned foreigner staring back at them.

"Don't move! I have an archer and he won't miss this time," he warns sternly. They try to look for the archer, but he's hiding too well in the treetops.

"Give us mercy, sir!" The guards bow down to him with trembling hands.

"The people you are after are off limits. Stop." Time freezes again and he knocks their heads together. "Play."

Their bodies slump into unconsciousness. Ismene hears someone climbing down from the trees and Avgi squirms from happiness. The nymph is relieved that the archer is Paris.

"Let's finish them off," Paris aims at the guards.

Taki lowers his bow from the side. "They are not worth it. Scaring and beating them like this is good enough."

"Get out of my way, Taki! This is our war, not yours to get involved."

Ismene holds Avgi close to her, hesitant to let her go.

"Honey, please listen," Helen interjects calmly.

"They deserve to die for the atrocities they committed. I thought you were on our side," he shoots a glare at Takashi.

"I understand the rage you feel. If you want to be a good king to your people, then use that anger to free them. I know how much pride you have in your people. Don't let them down," he encourages.

A glimpse of his older brother pops into Paris' mind. Hector's wisdom almost aligned with the words of his new friend. He raises his bow. The messenger bird lands with a heavy thud.

Helen embraces her lover tightly. "Breathe, Paris. Breathe."

Ismene stays in place to let his anger subside. In the meantime, Taki ties the men up and this time checks for hidden knives to take away. The four of them hear something rumbling in the bushes.

Takashi's ears tell him that it's smaller than them. The smell of lilac entering his nose tells him it's not a threat. He motions for everyone to lower their weapons.

Avgi runs out of the bushes to the Trojans' delight. The six-year-old runs to Briseis who scoops her up for a big hug. She touches her healed face repeatedly with welled up eyes. "Big sis!"

"Avgi! I'm so glad you are okay!" She peppers her face with kisses.

Helen and Paris join in for a group hug.

Takashi leans on a tree to let them have this moment.

"Little sis, you look different. Where did you get that dress?"

"A friend helped me out."

"A friend? That's nice of them. Who is it?" Helen asks.

"It's safe. You can come out now!" The little Trojan calls out to the bushes. Ismene saunters out from the bushes. Based on her skin and looks, everyone else knows she isn't human.

"Hello. My name is Ismene and I'm a river nymph. Nice to meet everyone."

"Thank you for helping her, Ismene," Helen appreciates.

She warmly smiles at them.

"Wait. Avgi, how did you get out?" The former prince of Troy asks.

The little girl squeezes her eyes to seal off the truth. Her body squirms against the priestess.

"You don't have to say anything. The main thing is that you are safe," Briseis assures.

"I forgot to mention that I saved her from those guards," Ismene adds.

Avgi nods in agreement while looking away from them.

"They won't hurt you again," Taki interjects. "I won't allow that to happen."

The six-year-old turns her head to the foreigner. The similarities and contrasts between a Trojan and him confuse her.

"His name is Takashi and he saved me," Briseis explains.

"You can call me Taki if it's easier."

"Ta-ki," the girl pronounces.

"I like the colors of your dress. I wish that I can pull that off. Dresses are just not my thing though," he jokes.

A laugh escapes her lips. A sound they miss hearing.

"I can make a dress that would complement your brown eyes," Ismene joins in on the joke.

The imagery brings tears of laughter down their faces.

"Who knows? Taki might become more beautiful than Helen," Paris jests.

"Stop that," his lover laughs between tears. "Don't say that."

"I like Taki," Avgi admits.

"Glad to hear that."

She stretches her hands out towards him and Briseis passes her over. Taki holds her carefully while she takes a closer look at him. She runs her fingers through his short black hair.

She touches the rest of his face and pinches his nose.

"Avgi, be nice. Don't do that," Helen almost laughs.

"I don't mind at all. I have a baby girl who might do this to me," he speaks nasally. His voice makes her laugh some more.

"You're funny."

"I try."

She throws her arms around the back of his head. "Thank you for saving big sis."

"You're welcome," he questions Briseis with his eyes if they're related.

"I act like one to her," she mouths back.

"Will you be staying with us?" Avgi asks Ismene.

"I will. I want to help as well with freeing your people. Can I speak with you for a moment, please?" She motions Taki to the side.

He hands Avgi back to Briseis. Taki and Ismene walk deeper into the forest until they are out of sight.

"What is it?" He asks the river nymph.

"I saw what you did to those guards."

His jaw drops. "What?"

"When you said "stop", I was worried about Avgi since she wasn't moving. Her heart was still beating which gave me relief. I also saw that everything was paused momentarily."

"Are-Are you a god?"

"Partially. We are born from gods, but we aren't immortal like them. We just live longer than humans."

"I think I remember reading about minor deities from my culture. Those that represent aspects of nature."

"That's what I am. Me and my sisters are like that."

"That's actually good, Ismene. You can still move while I control the aspects of time. You can be a big help to me in case something happens."

"How are you able to do that though? Are you a demigod?"

"I'm not. Neither of my parents are gods."

The nymph raises her eyebrows. "But you used aura."

He tilts his head. "Aura?"

The nymph notices his complete lack of knowledge behind that word. She channels her dark blue wisps to foam around her body as an act of demonstration. His jaw drops in wonder before twisting into horror.

His right foot taps from the stress.

Ismene stops the blue wisps from appearing. "What's wrong?"

He clears his throat. "Why do I feel Poseidon from you?"

"I am one of his many daughters. How do you know him?"

His eyes look down. "He's been stopping me from getting home."

She covers her mouth with a hand. "I'm so sorry. Why is he doing that?"

"I don't know," a long exhale leaves his lips. "...Forgive me for being scared. Could you tell me what you just did?"

She summons the wisps with a faint presence. "Only those with divinity in their blood can access aura for many things. Intimidation. Fighting. Revealing information and so on. Another important thing is color which reveals your divine parentage. Mine is blue while yours is green."

So time control is basically my aura in action, he rationalizes his past actions. "Okay. But my parents are human. My sister and I would have exhibited traits of demigods at any point in time."

The river nymph tilts her head. "That's strange. Either way, I can't properly train you, but aura is tied to your strongest emotions. Anger being one outlet."

"Okay. Thanks for teaching me a bit," he smiles. "I need every bit of help that I can get. Oh, what are your thoughts on the guards?"

Ismene smiles from his humility before it vanishes. "I have to be honest. Avgi had a nightmare when she was with me. I want to make them pay for what they did to her."

The water in the jar starts rumbling inside. Her eyes turn to a seafoam white. The blue wisps around her body take on a hint of black before she shuts it down. Taki's right foot won't stop tapping until he steps forward.

"We will make Stavros and his men pay after we free the people of Troy. I want to dismantle what they have so they won't try that again. I just ask that you knock them out. No killing unless needed."

She crosses her arms. "Why should they continue to live?"

"I understand your anger. I'm just not comfortable with killing. I'm thinking we have them arrested. Is slavery legal in this world?"

"It is, even prisoners of war."

"Damn it. What if we get them out of here? If there's a ship we can take, they can get far away from here."

"But where would they go? Other nations will try to capture them for "glory."

He ponders for a moment before snapping his fingers. "Aeolia. It's a neutral place that not even the gods cannot wage war against. I just need to send a letter to Aeoleus, but it will take-"

"I have an easy solution," she summons a liquid waterfowl from her hands.

The foreigner takes a step back from the magic she performed. "This. This will do," he gets to writing out his message on the scroll paper.

"Give it a mental image of Aeolia and it will know where to go," she instructs after tying the message. Taki imagines the floating kingdom. This transfers into the bird's mind which flies off in that direction.

"It's a fast bird. So it should come back soon. So, can you tell me what you're planning against Stavros and his men?"

The time traveler tells her all of the plan and mentions she can improvise her way.

"You have some of this figured out. I like that."

After their talk, they return to the others.

"Is everything good?" Paris asks.

"Yes."

"We are less than a day from the camp. What time should we start the plan?"

"Morning or night?" Taki asks Briseis with intent.

The priestess understands he's asking when his death would occur. She thinks back to the setting of the nightmare. Peeling away the red, a light of orange stands out.

"Morning wouldn't be best," she advises.

"Nighttime it is. Briseis, I need you to watch Avgi while this takes place. Ismene will take over for you."

She understands. In case things go wrong, she can keep Troy's legacy going. She holds onto Avgi, praying that Taki's death will be undone.