[Broadcast Mind - (mostly) voice]
[It edges into his mind once again, that conversation from so long ago. He thinks, at least, it is fortunate that not all of it had been shown here, where Aximili could witness it.
But then that feeling of unease is upon him again, as the memory becomes too sharp, too clear once again.
No, no, please don't let him see--]
"What do you want from me?!"
"We want nothing."
"Liar! Why are you here if you don't want anything?"
"We do not interfere in the affairs of other species."
"Then go away! Get out! Leave me alone!"
"We do not interfere. But sometimes we repair what has been shattered."
[A frozen moment, that seems to stretch on forever. What does he want?]
"What do I want? Nothing. But I can tell you that you have twisted and distorted time. Things are not as they should be. Battles are lost that should have been won. What should be safe is now endangered."
"I can't go back. I'm not an Andalite anymore. I'm human! I have a wife. I have a place here."
"All a product of your meddling. The human girl Loren was meant to marry a human. You were meant to be a warrior. A great hero to your people. A mentor and guide to your brother."
"I have a brother? He was born? I knew my family was preparing--"
"In this broken time line, no. But you should. He has a job to do. And so does another person who you do not even know exists. Elfangor, without you, your people, both your peoples, will be slaves of the Yeerks."
"You're lying. Manipulating me. Using me."
"We don't use anyone. We don't interfere. But if you ask me to fix the mess you have made... to repair the time line so that you return to your destiny... that, and that alone, I can do."
[Hatred, dark and burning and ugly, rolls off of him in silent answer.]
"There is a battle, Elfangor. A turning point. Visser Three is there. You are supposed to be there. Right now."
"I can't leave Loren."
"Listen to me, Elfangor. Visser Three will come to Earth one day. He remembers her. He remembers that she mocked him. Do you know what he will do to her? And will you be able to stop him, when he is surrounded by a thousand of his own troops?"
[Tears, burning far worse than the anger.]
"And if I go back... if I ask you to repair the time line... will it save Earth? Will it save the Andalites? And my Loren?"
"No. Not by itself. But what is impossible now will become possible again."
"What game are you playing, Ellimist?"
"Will you cross-examine me, Andalite? Or will you ask me to undo the mess you have made?"
"Loren...?"
"Will never know you existed. But you will know. You will still have your memories."
"...You said something about a battle, Ellimist..."
"Come. I will carry you there. I will undo what was done, and repair the fabric of your fate, Elfangor."
[And then, just like the last time, it is over.
A numb horror settles over him.
He just stares at the Forge, eyes wide but unseeing for a long moment.
Eventually he manages to turn it off.]
((Note: The conversation comes directly from his canon source.))
But then that feeling of unease is upon him again, as the memory becomes too sharp, too clear once again.
No, no, please don't let him see--]
"What do you want from me?!"
"We want nothing."
"Liar! Why are you here if you don't want anything?"
"We do not interfere in the affairs of other species."
"Then go away! Get out! Leave me alone!"
"We do not interfere. But sometimes we repair what has been shattered."
[A frozen moment, that seems to stretch on forever. What does he want?]
"What do I want? Nothing. But I can tell you that you have twisted and distorted time. Things are not as they should be. Battles are lost that should have been won. What should be safe is now endangered."
"I can't go back. I'm not an Andalite anymore. I'm human! I have a wife. I have a place here."
"All a product of your meddling. The human girl Loren was meant to marry a human. You were meant to be a warrior. A great hero to your people. A mentor and guide to your brother."
"I have a brother? He was born? I knew my family was preparing--"
"In this broken time line, no. But you should. He has a job to do. And so does another person who you do not even know exists. Elfangor, without you, your people, both your peoples, will be slaves of the Yeerks."
"You're lying. Manipulating me. Using me."
"We don't use anyone. We don't interfere. But if you ask me to fix the mess you have made... to repair the time line so that you return to your destiny... that, and that alone, I can do."
[Hatred, dark and burning and ugly, rolls off of him in silent answer.]
"There is a battle, Elfangor. A turning point. Visser Three is there. You are supposed to be there. Right now."
"I can't leave Loren."
"Listen to me, Elfangor. Visser Three will come to Earth one day. He remembers her. He remembers that she mocked him. Do you know what he will do to her? And will you be able to stop him, when he is surrounded by a thousand of his own troops?"
[Tears, burning far worse than the anger.]
"And if I go back... if I ask you to repair the time line... will it save Earth? Will it save the Andalites? And my Loren?"
"No. Not by itself. But what is impossible now will become possible again."
"What game are you playing, Ellimist?"
"Will you cross-examine me, Andalite? Or will you ask me to undo the mess you have made?"
"Loren...?"
"Will never know you existed. But you will know. You will still have your memories."
"...You said something about a battle, Ellimist..."
"Come. I will carry you there. I will undo what was done, and repair the fabric of your fate, Elfangor."
[And then, just like the last time, it is over.
A numb horror settles over him.
He just stares at the Forge, eyes wide but unseeing for a long moment.
Eventually he manages to turn it off.]
((Note: The conversation comes directly from his canon source.))