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Klein stood in front of the mirror slightly second guessing his decision.
Today, everyone had been called into work because a Red Glove was visiting. The reason was quite simple yet complicated all together.
They were testing a new sealed artifact.
The artifact itself looked like a simple mirror with the only odd details being the cracks covering all the edges whilst the centre was pristine. The reflection seemed slightly distorted and the side effect was having a distorted reflection for a while after use.
The Red Glove, Deacon Cristet Cesmir, was joined by Daly, and had explained that the artifact had no combat use but instead showed the user's future partner. If you remained single, then there will be no effect.
But it didn't just show your partner, but it also allowed you to talk to them and ask questions. So far it's been determined that the future projection cannot do anything outside the mirror, not even the Demigod a previous tester in Backlund summoned.
Originally Klein wasn't going to participate because he didn't want someone from earth to be conjured, but when Crestet said that he, as a Seer, would get double the reward of 50 pounds if he specifically volunteered, he didn't think twice.
The whole reason they were in Tingen in the first place was to see if he'd test the mirror so they can see if it reacts differently to a pathway that places a lot of focus on divination. Apparently the few seers in Backlund had all opted out, hence the doubled reward.
With the temptation of an extra 100 pounds, he now stood in front of the mirror, the silent amusement of the others a near physical force. In the mirror's distorted reflection he could see he still had a slight blush from his earlier overeager reaction.
No use in keeping everyone waiting. With a steadying breath, he reached out and put his left hand flat against the mirror as instructed and said the the activation phrase of "Mirror, mirror…"
In an instant the mirror was fogged up and Klein removed his hand, now anxiously waiting for the fog to clear along with everyone else. At first only a silhouette showed (Okay, so I do have a partner in the future, and with a thin waist like that it's probably a woman which is a relief.) before clearing to show someone's backside.
Much like how Klein noticed in the silhouette, the person's waist was thin, they had shoulder length curly black hair and was dressed in a dark robe with a pointy hat. As they were standing with their back towards the room, the Nighthawks couldn't see much details other than that and the person looking around in curiosity.
Not until they turned around.
Or rather he turned around.
Because as he turned, it became quite obvious that is was a man, the Adam's apple and flat chest being a dead giveaway. Klein's heart sank and his stomach dropped when he realised that little fact.
A man?! But… but I'm not gay!! There has to be an explanation! Maybe they're a cosplayer wearing a chest piece? Yes, that must be it! That probably what's going on!
Slightly relaxing at his own supposedly logical explanation for things, get decided to take a closer look at the person. They have a large forehead giving their face a striking angular look, black eyes that shined with amusement, a monocle and through the distortion it appeared that they were taller than Klein.
But the man himself didn't stay idle, he observed everyone else in the room from furthest to nearest, mentally noting Pallez's host, before moving his gaze over to the person right in front of him.
All the Nighthawks quietly observing the situation noticed how the man in the mirror lit up at spotting Klein, happy to see that whoever his future partner is, they are clearly happy to see him. All except Leonard who was bombarded mentally by the frantic cursing of the old man in his head.
Klein blinked in surprise at how happy the person became once their eyes lock, but his little hope he's built up by deluding himself that his future wife was a brilliant cosplayer, shattered moments after.
"Klein!"
That voice was most definitely a man's.
Oh Goddess, a man, it he's a man. My future partner is a man?! How?! WHY?! I'M NOT GAY?!?!
Amon's smile soften momentarily before becoming teasing. It's been so long since his Klein was unable to control his expressions, so long since he had accepted his sexual orientation. Oh how fun it would be to tease him, and with having authority over cycles, past, present and future~ Oh this'll be fun!
Everyone in the room looked on horror as the man in the mirror took one step out, and then another. Within moments he was standing in front of them, undistorted and most likely unrestricted.
Crestet Cesmir did not hesitate to pull out his sword, "You should not be able to do that!"
"I can and I just did~" Amon easily answered as he adjusted his monocle and cleared his clothes of invisible dust and wrinkles.
Klein swallowed heavily and took a few steps back, now that the man was outside the mirror, the height difference between them was more obvious. He's at least 10cm taller than me! Don't tell me forced…
Amon's smile stiffened a bit at that, both the action and the thoughts. "No need to be afraid dearest! Oh, I know! A proper introduction!"
Amon took off his magician's hat and placed it over his chest, his heart, and gave a slight bow. "I am the Angel of Redemption under the Fool," Klein flinched at that though no one was paying attention to him except Amon.
And as he stood, Amon focussed his attention Cesmir instead, "Though the little Red Glove might know me better as Blasphemer Amon~"
Crestet stopped breathing at that, horrified of the fact that one of the worst villains in the Records was not only standing in front of him, but that the newest Nighthawk in Tingen was the monster's supposed future lover.
"Amon as in the 4th epoch Amon Family?" Klein questioned, his mind easily connecting the name to his knowledge of history.
"There is no Amon family, only Amon." Crestet said softly, but all heard in the quiet room. If anyone were to look at his eyes, they would see that they've become pinpricks. Idea after idea going through his head as he attempts to come up with a plan to survive the situation.
At the back Leonard's eyes widened as he suddenly realised why the old man kept insisting that the leaves as quickly as possible. There was no-one the voice in his head feared more than Amon.
"That's right! But there's no need to be scared the way you are, I know that I've got quite the reputation, but I would never hurt my beloved Klein's friends and family!" Amon stated easily with a clap of his hands before turning his gaze towards Leonard.
"And that includes you Pallez! The Evernight was quite clever in Her concealment of you, you're quite well hidden so there's no need to try and run. Even now I can't sense your presence inside Leonard~"
Everyone subtly looked at Leonard in suspicion, but the most of their attention remained on the magician in front of them. That was until a second voice appeared, a second Amon.
"So that's where little Zoroast has been hiding the last few years." A new Amon appeared in the room, but everyone could sense that there was something fundamentally different about Him, but couldn't quite describe it.
"I wouldn't unless a parasite plague here if I was you, and surprisingly or not, I am!" The Amon from the future was all to cheerful about it.
"And why would that be, dearest Me?"
"Nothing much, only that you wouldn't want to risk forcing a Divine descent by harming the Evernight's blessed. Though She probably wouldn't get the opportunity as you are a sequence 2 avatar and I am a sequence 1 true body and I won't hesitate to devour you if you think about hurting our Klein~"
The Klein in question shuddered at the possessiveness in Amon's voice, the whole situation just reinforcing his idea that this was a forced relationship. He glanced around hoping one of the others might be able to help him. But if what he said about being a sequence 1 is true, then will anyone here because able to help?
"Our Klein?" The present day Amon quickly stole a few memories on the situation, figuring out about Mirror. "Well then future me, since Klein is ours in any case, why not let me play with him! Considering you're from the future, it goes to show that he wouldn't break so easily~"
And yet more thoughts of the relationship being forced occupied his mind as he shuddered once more. Carefully, seeing the two Amons focussing on each other he decided to attempt to take a few steps back, but was stopped in his tracks as the second Amon immediately looked at him.
His spiritual intuition was going of like a sirens when he looked at those cold eyes, but it didn't last long before the Amon from the mirror stepped between them. Klein won't admit it, but he did slightly relax at that display.
"Oh you're no fun!" Amon pouted, "Alright, fine then, since you won't allow me to play with this Klein, why don't you tell me about our relationship with him instead?" He's curiosity was peaked by the other's actions. That was until he noticed something when looking at his future self that set him on edge.
"Where's our monocle? Why don't you have it?"
The future Amon chuckled, adjusting if normal, if expensive, crystal monocle. An opportunity to tease Klein how he originally intended had appeared, and with it, an opportunity to also prank his past self. I was such a sinner back then, surely scaring him with carefully worded truths would be a good punishment.
"Our Monocle? The one we were born with and had our entire life of over 3000 years? Why, Klein took it!" He said it all too enthusiastically.
"What?" For the first time in a very, very long time, Amon felt true shock. Horror even.
"Mmhmm, yes, one day our dearest Lord decided we don't need it anymore so he took it away!"
"Took it? He," Amon incredulously pointed towards Klein, "took away an integral part of our being and you have the gall to call him dearest and Lord?!" He was starting to think that the artifact brought someone from a distorted future because he would never allow anyone else to take what was His.
"That he did, or rather would in this case!" Amon continued all too eagerly, a sharp smile easily settling onto his face. "And we usually call him Mister, or Sir, or my Lord. I like to add dearest because he's the dearest thing in the world to me! My dear Mr Fool~"
Klein didn't know what to think, at first his future lover is a man, and I am most definitely not gay, and then it sounded to him like he was forced into the relationship. He most likely took the monocle as a way to bargen for his own freedom, but hearing that this Amon knows that he's Mr Fool, and apparently prefers calling him by dominating honourifics… I don't know what to think anymore! Maybe this is all a fever dream? That must be it!
"The only Fool I see is you for allowing a human to take a part of our being away from us like that." The Amon of the present time was starting to consider killing Klein if he was such a threat to Them in the future.
"If I'm a Fool then you are a moron for not seeing how lovely life with Mr Fool is!" Amon from the future stated, sweeping his arms as if putting on a show for everyone.
"Tch," Amon tsked and stole a chair to sit on, "how did I become so delusional? Fine then me from the future, what makes life with the little mortal seer so lovely?"
Good, now I have everyone's attention! Let's see how they react to this! I wonder how much longer it will take for my Klein to show up?
"Where to start? Oh, I know! He likes to pluck my feathers, and likes to watch me clean up his messes…"
Unbeknownst to everyone, Klein and Pallez had the same thought, What?!
Everyone else thought is still carefully watching the interaction, ready to fight at a moments notice, but as the mirror Amon started talking, more and more started shooting glances at Klein.
"… He also like to toss me around! He especially enjoys pinning me against hard surfaces like walls, though usually when he does that his hand is around my throat or he's dragging me by the hair. He so loves doing that, it's why I've been growing my hair out!"
I'm like half a head shorter than you, how am I capable of doing all that?!
Amon from the present tried to interrupt his opposite, but found he couldn't. All he could was listen in horror to this alternate gladly brag about getting abused!
"Then there are the times his gives me these things to eat and it would burn! My whole body would get all red and I would start crying because of the pain and then he would just sit there and laugh! He has such a beautiful laugh~"
The Nighthawks were sending more and more incredulous looks towards Klein as Amon kept talking, and Klein could only stare helplessly back at them with wide eyes. Don't believe a word he says! I'm not like that! Haven't you ever heard of abusers pretending to be abused?!
"Let's not forget how he knows where I am at all times and who I talk to and even what I talk to them about! It feels so nice having some watching out for me like that." Amon hugged himself, the smile on his face seeming more deranged than one filled with adoration and love.
To keep track of Amon like that… I fear your 'colleague' might be the true danger here. Pallez was analyzing everything this future Amon, and couldn't find fault. The most damning piece of evidence he could find though, were the bruises he could sense littering the angel's body. And if he could sense it…
Leonard could do nothing but nod along to the old man, Pallez's words. A part of him wondered if he truly knew Klein or if something happened in the future to turn him into an abuser.
Daly at first thought that she'd get plenty of information on everyone and would be able to tease them, especially little Klein when she saw his reaction to the man in the mirror, but now… Now she wanted to roll up this Angel in a weighted blanket and get Them psychological help.
The rest were just as caught off guard because Klein was their friend, their teammate, and none of them ever thought that Klein would be capable of such cruelty. And yet the evidence was standing in front of them.
"Does he, I mean Klein, hurt you?" Surprisingly it was Leonard who asked, Klein sending him a look of utter betrayal.
"Hurt me? He doesn't hurt!" Amon said to him blinking owlishly, and just as the other Amon was clearly about to interrupt, he lifted his sleeve showing a yellowing hand shaped bruise around his wrist. "He leaves these beautiful marks all over my body! I can feel them whenever I move or something touches them. They constantly remind me of how much he loves me~"
For the first time since he arrived, the Amon of present time looked at mirror Amon, truly looked at him, "You're not a Marauder anymore." He said in horror.
"How are you not a Worm of Time anymore?!"
Mirror Amon shrugged, "Oh, that? My dearest decided I shouldn't me a Marauder anymore! So I changed pathways~"
"I can see you changed pathways, but how?!"
"It was quite easy! Mr Fool threw a Supernova at me and forced me to resurrect. You'd be surprised at what the unrelenting concentrated power of a dying sun is capable of, it was so beautiful to see and experience~"
Amon made sure the smile on his face remained serene for the next part, "The feeling of him devouring my characteristics, to become one with something more…" The shudder he gave was not fake. The feeling of Klein devouring his characteristics while he resurrects was intense and never before has he felt the desire to converge more than in that moment.
Everyone's attention was on the Amon from the mirror, horror filling them as he spoke, even the Amon from the present. All but Klein. His attention was on a disturbance by the mirror.
His eyes became impossibly wide as he saw a spectral door open by the mirror, all too familiar fog covering it. And beyond the doorway? An eternal darkness that gave him a splitting headache, a void unlike any other, a void from which a version of him stepped out of.
A him that showed Klein to stay quiet as he slowly made his way behind mirror Amon without anyone noticing. Klein watched as this other him, a taller him that was still shorter than Amon, sneaks up behind the Angel and in one fluid motion took off his hat and flicked his ear.
Whatever Amon was about to say next died on his lips the moment the flick hit his ear, because only one person dared to flick his ear. No longer caring about his little scheme, Amon spun around to half hearted glare at Klein and whined, "Don't do that Klein!"
Everyone was shocked at yet another new man appearing, this time someone who was clearly Klein despite the hight and luxurious suits. The ones who experienced the worst of this shock was none other than Amon and Pallez because that was wasn't a seer who joined them, the was a full on Lord of the Mysteries.
And despite their differences, they came to the same conclusion. Amon in the future would willingly subjugate himself to whatever Mysteries intended on doing to him if it ensured his survival.
In the time it took them to come to that conclusion, mirror Amon realised that he no longer had his hat and that His Klein was wearing it, a small, loving, soft smile being directed at him.
Though before he could comment on it, Daly, through some womanly instinct, stepped between mirror Amon and Klein. "Don't you dare touch him. Don't you even look at him!" Her voice held an arctic chill while the words were a blazing declaration.
Klein could only blink in confused curiosity, "Miss Daly?"
"Don't." Daly had every intention to stand her ground while both Dunn and Cesmir wanted to pull her back for reasons of their own.
Klein looked past her back at Amon with a raised brow, "My beautiful Black Dahlia, what have you been up to, to cause Daly to react like this?"
"Give me my hat back and maaayyybbbee I will tell you~"
Klein shook his head in fondness, letting out a light chuckle. Ignoring Daly's attempts to keep him away, he blinked next to Amon and put the hat back on his head. "Okay, one hat returned, now would you please tell me why they're all looking at me like I killed a baby kitten in front of them by biting it's head off?"
Amon shrugged and smiled teasingly, "Simply the truth~"
"The… truth?" The Lord of the Mysteries looked around at everyone, had it not been for his self control he would have been doing an impression of a fish. "How exactly did you tell this 'truth' to them?"
"In a way that makes it sound like I'm abusive! If anything, I'm probably the one being forced in the relationship! I'm not even gay!" Everyone turned to stare at Klein who has his arms thrown in the air breathing hard.
"Sometimes I forget how much I dissociated back then."
Amon snorted "Back then? You're still a very dissociative~"
"Okay, how delusional I was back then, better?" Klein teased back.
None knew how to feel about the light teasing happening between supposed abuser and abused, not Klein, not Pallez and especially not Amon.
"I'd argue that you are still delusional too." Amon smugly stated.
Present day Klein did a short impression of a fish, having not yet become a clown, before finally settled on his words. "I am not delusional or dissociating! You are-"
His words were cut off by a hand landing on his shoulder, a hand belonging to the him from the future. "Our first proper opinion of Leonard was that if he actually took care of his looks, he'd be prettier than all the models in the fashion magazines."
Leonard's eyes widened at the realisation that Klein found him attractive, but with it came the realisation that he couldn't move. Pallez had started to deepen his parasitism of Leonard, taking control of his body, but when the Lord of the Mysteries arrived, he froze all movement.
"Wait, Klein you read fashion magazines?" The stunned question came from Kenley.
Both Kleins glanced at him, one in horrified betrayal. "Then there's our reading preferences. There's also the times we encountered demonesses and felt nothing. In fact, the first time we dreamt of women in that way, it was through corruption of an evil goddess."
He looked in his younger self's terrified eyes, "We. Are. Gay. We are also gender apathetic, but that's another talk."
"You… I… We… but…" Klein struggled to find the words because surely his future self doesn't mean it! There has to be another explanation like-
"There's no foul play in our relationship with Amon, if there was then Sefirah Castle would have purged it instantly."
Sefirah Castle? What's that?
As if reading his thoughts future Klein easily responded, "At this point in time we're still referring to it as the Grey Fog."
"How can you talk about the fog so easily?!" Klein's been very careful to keep it a secret, and to have it revealed so boldly in front of everyone…
He saw something shift in the eyes of his future, an apathy he didn't think he'd ever be capable of. "Considering I have no memories of this event happening in the past, it's quite clear that at the end of this little display I will be erasing it from everyone's minds."
"What…" Klein fell to his knees when the supporting hand left his shoulder. What he just saw in those eyes makes everything Amon from the mirror said possible.
"Pot, kettle. You like tormenting the little humans as much as I do~"
"I never said I didn't," Klein lightly commented back with a smirk.
Wait, was I just being bullied? By myself?! Just as he thought that, his future self turned back towards him just long enough to give him a wink. Can he read minds? Wait, does this mean I can read minds in the future?!
"Can you really do that? Erase this whole event?" Crestet questioned, his voice wavering in the presence of the powerful individual.
"I can, it's not hard. I have created time paradoxes before. But before I do that, I feel the need to explain what my beautiful beloved had said earlier," Klein patiently explained. "So is there anything you specific would like to know?"
"Why do you feel the need to explain if we're just going to forget everything?" Frye was brave enough to ask first.
"So that I don't have to explain everything to you individually when returning your memories in the future. Next question?"
"The bruises," Daly started. "He showed us and it was clearly a handmark. He also said that you enjoyed shoving him into and against stuff."
"Ah, that," Klein scratched his head. Before anyone could react, he had Amon pressed up against a wall, one hand wrapped around exactly where the bruising on Amons arm is, pinning it to the wall, Amon's legs instinctively coming up to wrap around Klein waist.
"Tell me Miss Daly, does this looks like abuse? I'm a possessive man and enjoy seeing my claim on my lover, but I never do anything to Amon he doesn't want." Klein looked back towards her, easily spotting his yourger self being red as a tomato. "Besides, I'm covered in just as many bitemarks."
"And if you don't put me down, I'll be showing everyone here exactly how I give you those bitemarks~" Amon threatened, attempting to wiggle against Klein, but the grip on his hip was ironclad.
Klein looked at Amon, blinking owlishly. "We can't have that." Within moments, instead of against the wall, Amon was tossed over Klein's shoulder like a bag of potatoes, a steadying hand firmly placed on his ass.
Just what is future me doing?! This isn't gentlemanly behaviour at all! Though from this angle… No! Stop thinking that! That's a man's butt! Klein was getting redder and redder.
"Then what about the hair pulling?" Seeka asked next, quickly followed by Old Neil, "And the feather plucking?"
"The hair pulling is obviously included in our very kinky bedroom activities."
"Can they really be called bedroom activities when 70% of the time they happen outside said bedroom?" Amon quickly chipped in. With hands pressing against Klein's back, he easily lifts himself high enough to be and to glance at everyone in the room.
"Oh hush," Klein fondly shakes his head, "as for the 'feather plucking', Amon has wings and wings are high maintenance. I help him with grooming and that includes carefully removing any damaged feathers."
"Then what about feeding him something that burns and then laughing at him. Do you have any explanation for that?" Royal challenged him.
"Firstly I would have you know that I warned him no less than 5 times that my food, unlike his, is very spicy. He, fully knowing that, insisted on having me feed him a bite of my food. I naturally caved like I do with a lot of things that involve Amon, and gave him a very small taste. And yes, I did laugh at his over the top reaction after being warned multiple times and being well aware that he doesn't have the pallet for spicy food."
After hearing that, and seeing them properly interact, no one spoke as they digested the fact that Klein and Amon actually seemed to have a loving relationship in the future, loath as present day Klein is to admit it.
"This is all nice and dandy, but future me said that you threw a supernova at us and then ate our characteristics! I'd like you to explain that one!" Amon looked at the supposed Lord of the Mysteries, wanting to know the truth about that.
Klein gave him a soft smile, "Remember the prophecy your father made about you being the light at the dawn of the apocalypse? For a short period of time you were a dual pathway God or the Door and Error pathways, but the urge, my urge, to converge was putting you in danger, so we came up with a plan."
"We decided on a no-holds battle inside Sefirah Castle, winner takes all, and loser becomes an Angel after resurrecting. I gave you the level of control I had over the Sefirot to make it a bit more fair, well as fair as a single pathway God versus a dual pathways God can be. My final blow against you was a supernova, yes, but the fight was intense."
Amon patted Klein's back signalling that he wanted to be put down, and Klein easily did so without stopping his retelling.
"While you were resurrecting in the Corpse Cathedral under your Father's gaze to ensure nothing goes wrong, I, in a state of delirium after nearly losing to you, did not have the strength to resist the desire to converge, and devoured your remains in the Castle."
"My Father?" Amon softly question in an uncharacteristic show of vulnerability. The fact that he was with his Father, the implications of it, easily overtook the excitement of knowing he'd have a chance to become Lord of the Mysteries in the future.
"Yeah, Dad's back, and don't ask anything else, you know how Spectators can be." Amon easily stopped his younger self from asking more questions, knowing that the information would be detrimental to the rest. "Well Dearest, I believe that covers everything I told them earlier!"
"I do believe there's still one thing that needs to be addressed before starting this paradox." Klein said, looking at Amon.
"Oh?"
Before anyone could react, the Lord of the Mysteries crabbed Amon, the present day Amon, by the front of his robes and firmly planted a kiss on his lips. Lips which opened in surprise at the action and Klein didn't hesitate to lick is way into the all too familiar mouth.
And yet present day Klein, who had just gotten his blush under control was blood red once more, the colour deepening as the kiss continued.
When Klein pulled away, he felt quite smug about the soft pink dusting the cheek of Amon's past self, "And that, my beautiful crow, is revenge for stealing my first kiss."
"Can it be called revenge when past me hasn't even stolen past you's first kiss yet?" Amon teased, hiding a chuckle behind his hand, though his eyes told a different story.
"Paradoxes love, paradoxes." Klein teased, giving his Amon a peck on the cheek before turning back to everyone else. "Well now it is time to say goodbye-"
"Wait!" Present Klein called out to his future self, and seeing he has his attention, "Since you'll be erasing out memories, then why do you call Amon your Black Dahlia..."
Being a keyboard warrior, he had naturally learnt of the gruesome murder.
He hesitated a moment, looking at everyone before back at his future self, and continuing in fluent Chinese, "Do we ever find a way back home? Back to Earth, to our family there?"
Future Klein conjured a beautiful dark purple flower, the petals in the centre nearly black. "Well Dahlia flowers in general represent eternal love, and while Black Dahlias don't actually exist, it sounds nicer than dark bloom Dahlia. And those are further associated with Mysteries, elegance and inner strength, which I think describes Amon beautifully." Then his smile smile became sad and Klein could easily guess the answer to his second question. "Once you become a Demigod, you'll learn the answer to all your other questions."
Without giving time for a response, the Lord of the Mysteries snapped His fingers.
There was a subtle shift no-one noticed, an ordinary day in Tingen, and in Backlund. Crestet was going over a report or a new mirror artifact slates for testing, shattering unexpectedly.
Daly was busy training her powers over undead spirits.
And Amon?
Amon was on a hill, something not feeling right, and he couldn't figure out what. Not even with all the avatars working together could they figure out the problem. After chalking it up to his Zealous Brother's interference, he instead decided to spend some time exploring the nearby town.
Apparently it was called Tingen~