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The young Pac-Worlder found himself walking through a forest. All around him he saw oaks, cypresses, an evergreen here and there, and cottonwoods.
It was peaceful here. Much more peaceful than where he came from.
Yes, Pacopolis's very own Pac Man was finding very much sweet peace at this moment. Even if previously he had been justifiedly freaking out at his current predicament, not less to mention the Pac-Worlder whom was walking right beside him. A legend.
When the Pac-Man found this very confused kid laying face first in his backyard (with his same first name/ full name as a moniker no less!) he was needless to say confuzled. (Confused & puzzled)
As the teen had explained, his mentor/resident future Pac scientist Sir C was tweaking with one of his time machines when something had gone haywire sending him and supposedly his two best friends back through time.
Pac also noted how he and his friends had previously gone back in time, but that this travel was a bit farther back than intended. Not to prehistoric times by a long shot thankfully, but just a bit before the revolution.
Revolution? Pac-Man didn't want to know.
And now not only did they have to find the kid's friends, but also this machine, which crash landed somewhere in Pac-Land, according to the kid.
But right now, he was watching this teenager stare at the trees, going on about wanting to get something to eat.
"After this do you think I could ask Ms. Pac for some grub? I'm getting close to starved." The youngster, Pacster, asked with enthusiasm.
Pac-Man shrugged, a standard smile set on his face. "I guess I can agree with you. I haven't eaten much today ether."
Another couple of minutes passed as they walked. The younger yellow orb's bright mood dampered a little, frowning a bit as he stared into the trees. "I just hope we can find my friends soon. I hope they're alright."
Pac-Man noticed the mood shift, and simply reassured him, gesturing a hand. "I'm sure they'll be fine, from what you told me about them."
Pacster sighed, reluctantly agreeing, but letting out a sad thought, crossing his arms. "Yeah. I guess. I just don't want to lose them too."
"Too?" The older Pac blinked. Pacster realized what he said, glancing to him. He was met with curious but concerned pie eyes. "What do you mean?"
The teen Pac Man looked away from the legend, sorrowfully cautious. "I.. don't think I should tell you. At least, not the full extent."
Again Pac-Man blinked, still confused. 'Full extent? What is this kid on about?' Though, he decided to drop it, waving a hand. "Fine then. I won't push you. If it's bothering you that much."
To steer away from the conversation, Pac-Man brought up a different one he was told earlier. "So, I'm famous in the future?"
That perked the kid's spirit back up, using excited hand expressions. "Oh yeah man, practically a legend! You're in history books, there's famous stories & tales of your escapades, people even made video games about you!"
Pac-Man raised a brow, questionably flattered they would be doing that so far into the future. "Really? That's flattering."
Pac seemed to get reflective, gazing across the path and surrounding nature. "I just can't believe I'm here... being in that small village of yours, it's like.." He gazed up to the sky. "I'm looking back in time through a telescope."
Pacster looked upset again, but more melancholic than worrisome. Now Pac-Man was getting worried. The yellow orb beside him looked lost, and now had been staring at him. "What's wrong kid?" Pac-Man asked.
Pacster had a sudden familiar feeling at PM's expression. 'I've been catching my-'
His head snapped away from him, avoiding gaze. "Nothing. I'm just thinking. About.." his voice drifted off into silence.
Pac-Man could tell Pacster was holding something heavy on his mind. And that he was finding uncomfortableness from it.
Their pace slowed, Pac-Man's cool & calm dialogue bringing Pacster's eyes back to him. "You don't need to push yourself Pac. Whatever it is I'm sure you'll get through. You have a strong spirit."
'I've been catching my-' Again Pacster was hit by a wave of layered emotions. He swallowed it down, a lump in his throat forming. "You think so?"
Pac-Man nodded, slowing to stand, smiling to him. "Sure, I see a lot of potential in you."
Pacster's irises widened a little as the pain hit his chest at full force.
'My reflection already looking..'
His eyes were filling with tears. PM's face fell, taking a step towards the teen. "Pacster?"
Turning away, he began to sob, the dam of mixed emotions breaking spectacularly. His hands went to his face, tears streaming down, unable to collect himself.
Pac-Man mentally jumped, panicking a little before his dad instincts kicked in, coming over to the yellow Pac and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Kid..."
And at that, Pacster lunged himself onto Pac-Man, desperately hugging him in a search for something comforting. Pac-Man immediately hugging him back with a parent's comfort. And part of a truth finally comes out. Something else that's been weighing more heavily than usual on the young Pac since he first met PM and the rest of the yellow Pac-villagers.
"I lost my parents!"
Pac Man gasped lightly, mouth open in saddened realization and empathy.
Pac continued to cry, whimpering the words out, needing to speak them. "It was so long ago. I haven't seen them since- I was a baby."
Pac-Man wasn't going to say anything, but.. "Did they say goodbye?"
Pacster didn't know what to say. "No I don't- remember.. Last we spoke.. I just wish I could see them again..."
His panic flared up again, hugging Pac-Man tighter. "I know they're out there! I just know it!! B-but-"
Pac-Man interrupted, rubbing his back. "It's hard. I understand. I'm sure they're out there." He concurred.
"...Have you lost anyone?" Pacster asked.
Pac-Man blew a breath. "..Of course I've had Pacster. Everyone's lost someone."
There was a moment of silence, before the future Pac spoke slowly, almost whispering.
"Were you sad or brave?"
The adult Pac picked up the guilt racking the prepubescent's voice.
"Oh, kid, I-"
The teen felt ashamed. Ashamed for being so sad, ashamed for holding onto hope when it felt hopeless. He wanted to know how the Pac-Man would have felt. He wanted to know if he should or shouldn't feel that way.
Pac-Man rocked him a little in his arms. "No I don't condemn you."
Again, this reminded teen Pac of that familiarity. 'Back and forth..'
Pac-Man placed his hands on the young man's shoulders and faced him. "You lost the most important people in your life so young.. you can express yourself however which way it comes."
For a while the tear stained, lightly sniffling Pac hero stared at the adult he respected, a figure he admired and spent countless nights collecting and studying whatever information he could find about him. The world's first Pac-Man. The guy who's name was his real name. A person he just had to live up to. A person his dad wanted to live up to as well.
Honesty just fell out of his mouth.
"You look like him."
Pac-Man abruptly realized what he meant. His eyes getting a little big, then small. Heart wrenching in deep feeling, but a little (truthful) joke getting the best of him anyway. "P-Pac. Don't make me cry."
Pacster hugged him again, facing away, looking beyond the tees. "You- you remind me of him is all. And my mom."
'And myself..'
Once more Pac-Man held him in an embrace, full on in dad mode. This teenager needed this. Pac knew he could give him this.
The youth Pac was barely a whisper. "I'm the only yellow Pac person.."
Pac-Man felt surprise by this just audible sentence. "What?"
But Pacster backpedaled on that quickly. "N-nothing. You don't need to know."
Pac-Man decided not to push it.
And so it was, two yellow ones, two Pac-Mans, stood in the forest, warmly hugging each other, one needing comfort and one who could provide that comfort.
After a while, the present Pac spoke up to the youth. "Think you got it all out squirt?"
The Yellow One nodded, departing from the hug and rubbing his eyes with the back of his gloved hand. "Y-yeah. Thank you Pac-Man."
Pac-Man just smiled. "Please, just call me Pac." Shaking Pacster's shoulder a little bit he teased light-heartedly. "You're the one carrying my name aren't you?"
The two stood side by side, Pacster gaining a small upturn on his mouth. "Heh, yeah. I'll do all I can not to let your legacy down."
The two started walking again, and PM spoke out friendly. "You know what? Just for now, I'll let you call me dad."
Pacster chuckled, rubbing the back of his head anxiously. "Um, I'll have to think on that."
To that Pac-Man chortled a little too, doing the same hand motion. "Heh, probably too far huh?"
Pacster waved it off, relaxing. "It's cool."
Looking up to the sky the older one noticed the sky's blue color turning. "We should probably start heading back."
"Good. I'm starved!" Pacster was seemingly back to his chipper self again.
This time Pac-Man chuckled in his head. 'The little ones always are.'
He fully agreed, looking forward to the path. "Me too."
He added one more thing to say to Pacster, giving a sideways thumbs up. "And hey, as long as you're back in time, I'll be here to help you out."
Pacster nodded immensely, the two getting back to the legend's home of Pac-village.
Though, there was one thought lingering in the back of both their heads.
Both looking to some type of past, reflecting on their present and future.
'You tore me up more than you know.'
You remind me of myself. You remind me of others, of who I'm meant to be.
You tore me up more than you know.
You tore me up more than you know.
You tore me up
I look back in time through a telescope
I've been catching my, I've been catching my,
My reflection already looking...