Part 30: His Father's Son

Update 30: His Father's Son





: Oh, you're finally awake! You sure did have a nice nap.
: ...Where's Jack...?

I'd just like to take a second to be both mildly impressed at the extra detail (I'm pretty sure the hospital sprites/background never come up again), and irritated for the same reason.

: ...They still can't find him.
: ......
: But...it doesn't look good. I mean, from that height...
: ...Yeah...
: (I think we kept him from escaping into the past this time...)
: (But I never thought it would end up like this.)
: What about Dad?
: He's having a talk with Derek. It looks like a pretty intense conversation.
: Ah...
: (I guess Dad has a lot of explaining to do--about him and Mom, first of all.)
: The doctor said you should rest for a while.
: She said you really seem to have aged physically, too, on top of your injury.
: Imagine that--"really aged"! How rude!
: Ha ha...she might not be that far off.
: Huh?
: Er, anyway, I'll rest up and try to get better.
: Good idea. Get well soon, Ethan.
: Oh, yes-- I made some tomato soup for you. Want some, Ethan?
: Uh, sure. Thanks.





Pamela: ...You really are getting more and more handsome as you grow up.
Ethan: You're not, like, surprised by how fast I've grown?
Pamela: Mysterious things tend to happen wherever your father goes. I'm not particularly worried. Even if this IS the first I've seen anything like THIS happen...
Ethan: Oh, er, okay... (She's unbelievable.)
: Here you go. Be careful--it's hot.
: Thanks, Mom.



Ethan: !
: You okay? Did you burn yourself?
: N-no...I'm fine.
: (Such flavor...!)
: I was surprised, that's all. It tastes so...rich.
: Is it too strong? I'm so sorry.
: Your dad likes it strong. I guess I'm in the habit of making it that way...
: Huh? Dad likes it like this?
: I always make it strong because that's how he asks for it.
: ......
: But maybe it's not good for him after all. What do you think, Ethan?
: ......
: Maybe...just a little less...?
: ...Hmm...you're right. I won't make it that strong anymore.
: From here on out, it'll be nice and weak. Thanks!
: Um...you're welcome...?







Timothy: Well? Think you can use it?
Ethan: I think I'll be just fine.
Timothy: Now you're the only one who wields the Pen. Use it wisely.
: So there's actually a Hollow Pen thingy in that space there?
: Did Dad tell you about the Pen, Uncle Derek?
: More or less...but I'm finding it hard to swallow.
: Seeing you two here, though, makes it hard not to believe.
: I gave Derek a good overall explanation.
: To think the Pen becomes unusable once you pass through a Hole...
: Maybe because you can't "use up your Time" on that side...?
: Maybe so... Time as we know it most likely doesn't exist for those who've passed through a Hole.
: I--I can fix that. I know I can.
: For you and Mom...and for Kori.
: I hope so, Ethan.
: Don't worry.
: (Now...where to begin?)
: (Maybe I should try getting all my info squared away first.)

*Conversation: Pamela*
: I wonder if little Ethan isn't getting lonely back home...
: I just left him there before I came. I'm kind of worried...
: ...... (She really is concerned about me...)
: It's all right. I'll fix that up, too.

*Conversation: Timothy*
: How's Sox?
: Sox? You mean, the cat?
: Yeah.
: Fine...I think.
: He's been through a Hole himself. Did you realize that?
: Huh?
: One of his ancestors must've done it, I think...Sox has lived here for I don't know how long.
: ...I always thought he used to be Uncle Derek's cat.
: Sox did get rather attached to Derek, that's true...

Let's also take the chance to get our flashbacks cleaned up.


For those who can't see it, we're down to one unconfirmed flashback now that the immediate time problems with Irving are resolved.



We do have to check out this flashback, even though we have no new information on it except for a quick comment wondering if this is from when Ethan's dad saved Kori.



: But when I came through, I was back in class. Your father had pulled me through.



*Conversation: Timothy*
: Dad, can I ask you something?



*Question: So Kori was in an accident?*
: I'll never forget it...
: It would have been...19 years ago now. 5:05 PM on October 20... By the time I rescued her from a classroom window, three days had passed.



*Question: Where did you pull Kori through?*
: It was a classroom at Kako High--3-B on the third floor, to be exact.



*Question: Why did you pull Kori through?*

{Soundtrack: Silence}

: ...I did it for Derek.
: F-for me?
: Three days after she fell from the roof to her death...



: ...Derek followed in her footsteps. He hung himself in the entryway after class.
: !
: !! I...I did?
: Yes. You did.
: The only way I could change that was by pulling her through.
: I get it now...
: I can't believe I would do such a thing...
: (So Uncle Derek had a thing for Kori, too...)



We've technically never seen this, because this was during the video.

Ethan: ......... (...I want to help her, too.)

Now we have enough information to finish off our last flashback.






*Conversation: Vin*
: You're already out of the hospital? Thought you'd be gone a while longer.
: Yeah, they let me out.
: Huh...
: Well, if you're feeling up to it, stop by Chronos, too.
: Will do.
: See ya later.







: (Kori is way on the other side.)









*Look*



Ethan: (...! How am I supposed to save her like that? The only way to keep her from falling is to pull her over to this side... That's what Dad had to do. First let me figure out a way to put things back after pulling her through. I should have enough Time for that.)



And then we close the Hole.

===



===







: Are you all right?
: I-I fell... I know I did...
: You didn't fall. I saved you.
: Where am I...? Was I...rescued?
: There's so much I have to ask you, Kori. Would you mind coming back to my place to talk?



Kori: Your place...? But who are you?
Ethan: (...! That's right--THIS Kori isn't the same as THAT Kori. THAT Kori doesn't exist anymore...)
Kori: Who...who are you?
Ethan: ...... I'm Ethan Kairos.
Kori: Kairos...?
Ethan: Yeah...Derek and I are family.





Kori: Uh-huh...
: I'm...still not sure I believe it, but is this...the future?
: I know for sure you're Derek.
: Sorry I got so old.
: No, don't be...
: So, Kori... Who on Earth could have pushed you off the roof?
: ...I don't know... It all happened so suddenly.



: I see...well, I can't blame you.
: Oh! They would have a scrape, a cut on their hand.
: A cut?
: I was trying to grab onto something, anything, and ended up scratching at their hand. It was bleeding, so I know it left a mark.
: A mark... It couldn't be...



Jack: You made your bed, Kori...now it's high time you slept in it!





Jack: Th-thanks...





: What!?
: Irving...yes. It may very well have been him.
: Did he and you...
: Once...the two of us were assigned to clean up the classroom.
: And...?
: And that's all.
: But ever since then... He'd call me every day, send me flowers out of the blue...



Cue gasps of shock that Irving would be obsessive in any way.

: Why didn't you tell me?
: Because if I did, he'd go after you next.
: ...
: He would say I looked a lot like his mother... According to him, that's why it would have been wrong for me not to care about him.
: He's always saying random things like that.
: W-wait just a second... How did he know you looked like his mom?
: She was killed in an accident a long time ago.
: Dead...? What do you mean?

{Soundtrack: Silence}

: But she's not dead--she's alive and well.