Yumetober 2025 Prompts

DAY 1: Far away from reality, kind of lost on the path.

What is considered reality nowadays when you’ve been magically transported to a previously-fictional universe? Is reality your current plain of existence, or your home realm an impossible distance away? Kalita would probably go with a mixture of both considering how often she feels disjointed by the societal differences in Colony 9, and how she’s literally far away from her reality on Earth.

Even after several years on Aionios, she still has fears lingering in the back of her mind that she’ll, to put it crassly, kind of fuck everything up. How many stories has she read where the protagonist’s presence alone affected the future? At least those are short-term consequences for up to a few decades. She’s stuck sometime before the plot of Future Redeemed; there’s still an entire millennium to pass until Ouroboros restarts Origin. Kalita’s only mortal; there’s no way to guarantee every step forward progresses correctly as the timeline dictates when she won’t live longer than 80.

Except...there is one way. No, no, she can’t become Moebius. No matter how lost she feels she refuses to become the literal enemy to the few rebels that exist. She just needs to trust everyone, trust A’s words whenever A appears, that the future path is still secure.

She’s not trying to change anything major, it just...sort of happened, and she’s selfish enough, paradoxically satisfied and unsatisfied enough, to prioritize her happiness in the moment when the outcome will result in tragedy as long as she doesn’t fight it. They’re doomed, to put it simply. She’s known since day one what will inevitably happen, and no matter how much it pains her, for the sake of Aionios she will have to let them go eventually.

All Kalita can hope is that she refrains from reality for just a little longer.

DAY 2: [prompt redacted]

“Oh God...” Kalita groans.

“There, there,” Shulk comforts her.

“Shulk, I feel like dogshit.”

“It’s okay, I’m here.”

“Can you,” she coughs. “Ugh, can you feel my temperature again?”

“Certainly,” Shulk leans forward and presses the back of his flesh hand against her forehead. “Well, we’ll have to see what the medic thinks, but to me the fever’s gone down a bit compared to yesterday.”

“Thank God. I’m still pissed off I’m sick, you know. Back on Earth my immune system was stellar; I completely forgot my stupid Earth body might be more affected by Aionios diseases. What’re they called, pathogens in the air...?” She coughs again, wincing at the irritation in her throat. “I fucking hate being sick! I can’t even speak properly!”

He makes a sympathetic noise. “I’m sorry, Kalita. I hope you feel better soon. Is there anything I can get you? Water, food?”

“The only thing I’m longing for right now is to get over this stupid illness,” she complains, then sighs. “Sorry, I know I’m being snappy. I’m just mad, and I don’t wanna get you sick too.” Suddenly, she groans again and clutches her stomach. Shulk hurries to grab the nearby bucket, which she yanks out of his hands the instant it’s within reach, and Kalita proceeds to dry-heave into it.

“Guess I also needed this,” she croaks, hanging her head.

He cups her cheek with his prosthetic, and a small smile arises at the sight of her sinking into the cool metal. “Don’t worry about me, Kalita. You’re sick, and I want to take care of you. I know if Rex were here he’d say the same thing.”

“Well, then that’d be two people getting sick. And don’t say you won’t catch this! I know how this goes. But...thanks.” She looks at him. “I’m happy you’re here. I appreciate it.”

“No problem,” his smile widens. “I’ll remain all throughout the night in case your fever worsens, though hopefully it’ll break by morning.”

“Please, universe, please. I wanna be normal again, er, as normal as I usually am. I feel so weird, I can’t tell if I’m delirious or what.”

“I think you should rest then.”

“Dramatic sigh, fine.”

“...Did you just say—?”

“Yes I fucking did. I’m sick, dammit, my brain to mouth filter is like non-existent right now including my ability to reign in my swearing and Gen Z lingo.”

“I’m just going to pretend I understood half of what you said. Let me get you more water, and then you can nap.”

“Okay. Thanks, Shulk.”

“Of course. I’ll be right back.”

(Kalita was already dead to the world by the time he returned, a miracle for a light sleeper like her. If Shulk watched her rest for longer than he probably should have, that’s his secret).

DAY 3: Step for step; dance with me and don't look back.

”Dance with me!” Rex laughs, stumbling.

Kalita visibly hesitates, “Um, what?”

”C’mon, K’lita, let’s live a little and dance!”

She stares, “There’s no music though.” She squints at him. “Are you...drunk? I thought you could hold your alcohol? How much have you had?”

”Enough to do this,” and he leaps forward to tug her close, forcing their hands together.

”Oof—Rex!” Kalita cries, stumbling against his sturdy frame as he bounces them around in a circle. She squirms in his hold, head twisting left and right to attempt to gather her bearings.

“Don’t look back!” Rex says. “Just have fun!”

He hums a tune only he can hear with not a care in the world. She doesn’t even bother to break free, resigning herself to how the movements are sort of…fun. At least, it’s fun when it’s Rex spinning her around. Step by step, her irritation fades into a fond appreciation for the absurd spontaneity that can only arise from copious amounts of alcohol. Soon enough—with her struggling to hide her slight panting—they slow into a sway.

“So?” Rex says out of the blue.

“So...?”

“Was it fun?”

“Yes,” she admits.

“Happy to hear my plan worked then.”

“‘Plan’...?” Suddenly, she realizes he hadn’t slurred his words even once. Kalita jerks her head upwards to stare at him, gasping at his smug expression. She pries a hand free and lightly slaps his chest. “You jerk, I knew you couldn’t get that drunk!”

He only laughs loudly, which she’s swift to cut off with a firm kiss on the lips.

DAY 5: Feels like home; but home is where I don't want to be.

The bright scarlet light fades into pure whiteness, forcing Kalita to shield her face. When she dares to lower her arm seconds later, she’s met with a shockingly-familiar sight:

A modern Americana neighborhood.

She knew this would happen, of course, but nothing could have prepared her for the painful nostalgia that came with it. And isn’t that funny, the fact she’s been in Aionios for so long a random, Earth-esque cul-de-sac makes her feel nostalgic?

To quote A, it feels like coming home.

The rest of the party survey the area in silent bewilderment, taking in the unusual architecture, the trimmed hedges and lawns, and even the pavement under their feet. Disregarding how it’s obviously not the snowy peak of the Black Mountains anymore, no one had ever stepped foot in such an alien environment—no one, at least, besides Kalita.

“Where’s this...?!” Matthew wonders.

Kalita swallows harshly, trailing behind the group as they approach the railing overlooking the modern city.

“Pretty...” Glimmer blurts in awe, head bobbing between the skyscrapers. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Wow. Those towers...it’s like they’re all...sparkling...” Nikol says.

Panacea and Linka stare at the Beanstalk contraption in the distance.

“And that enormous one...” The former starts.

“It’s so huge...bigger than a castle,” the latter finishes.

Shulk merely hums in thought, gears turning in his mind.

Rex breaks his stare to glance between him and Kalita for a split-second. “Shulk. This what I think it is?”

“Yeah,” the blonde nods. “The source of us all, Zanza—no, Klaus’ world.”

“And mine,” Kalita croaks.

Everyone turns around. She’s never been good at hiding her emotions, and this is another instance where her heart’s visibly on her sleeve. Her face is ashy and covered with streaks of pain, lips firmly pressed together to hide their shaking.

“When I said I was from a third world...Earth...this is what I meant. Not exactly, but pretty damn close to how this looks. This is...this is my home.”

But home is where I don’t want to be, she silently adds, looking at Shulk and Rex. Of the few hints she’d provided earlier, she can tell they’ve pieced together the hidden meanings she cannot say, understand why else she’s so stricken. Neither need to say another word aloud because Fate’s hands of time are creeping even closer against their will; they’re in the final stretches of Future Redeemed now that Origin is displaying this simulation.

And somehow I’m still not ready to say goodbye.

DAY 7: Until the mirror breaks.

Kalita can pretend she’s in a dream for only so long. She’s seasoned in how these kinds of stories go, and the notion of essentially being a weak fan fiction protagonist is daunting. But truthfully, the illusion shattered as soon as she woke up to the sight of a sturdy, dull tent ceiling—maybe even sooner when she saw Shulk amongst the Liberators in crystal-clear vision the day prior. And wasn’t that crazy, encountering one of your favorite formerly-fictional characters in the flesh? Had she seen him on Earth, she’d probably assumed it was some disabled middle-aged cosplayer with the best-looking wig known to man and an accurate, actually functional prosthetic arm.

Everyone in Colony 9 has treated her with mild distrust thus far, not that she can blame them. A mysterious young woman dressed in City-esque clothing wakes up in the middle of a field with no recollection of how she got there? Part of her wishes someone had told her there were better places to take a nap than on the ground.

Shulk, at least, has been one of the few to treat her with kindness right off the bat. Obviously, Kalita isn’t some secret Moebius agent or anything, but she worries even he will grow sick of her presence eventually. She can’t fight, she can’t strategize, she can’t cook, she can’t make things with her hands, and she doesn’t even have an Iris installed within her eye.

So then why is she in Aionios? How is she in Aionios? She’s almost 21, she’s in her final year of college. She should be focusing on graduating and instead she’s anxiously following Liberators around the colony like a lost duckling, eager for something to do.

How long until the mirror breaks? How long until they see her uselessness reflected in shattered glass? She can only pray she’ll find some way to pull her weight and not be thrown out to the wolves—or rather, she should say thrown out to the Volves. Guess it’s time to start brainstorming...

DAY 8: [prompt redacted]

Kalita frowns at the bandage wrapped around Rex’s lower right side, only noticeable now due to the stretching of his arms and raised shirt. “Hey Rex? Is that new?”

He glances down at where she’s looking, clicking his tongue. “Ah, yeah, nasty bugger swiped me hard. More of a bruise than a wound but the good ol’ medic wanted it covered just in case.”

She squints, frown deepening, “How big of a bruise are we talking?”

“‘Bout as big as my hand, if I had to guess.”

“Does it hurt?”

He smirks boyishly, “If I say yes, will you kiss it better?”

“Sure, if it’ll help your pain.” Though her cheeks are dusted with red, she says it seriously.

He blinks rapidly a few times, taken aback, but recovers quickly. “Alrighty then, come over here.”

Rex lowers his arms and rolls his shirt up just enough to expose the bandage. Kalita crosses the short distance to his body, crouches until her face is square with the area, and presses a tender kiss directly in the center. The sheer sincerity of the action has his heart swell with love the longer her lips remain, enough to ignore the tingling pain from the applied pressure.

She draws back with a fond smile, returning to her feet, however the smile immediately wipes away into a disgusted gag. “Wait, eugh, I think I got a fuzzy in my mouth.” Her upper teeth repeatedly scrape across her tongue until her gag lessens.

He can’t hold in a laugh, “A fuzzy? How old are you?”

“Old enough to kiss your boo-boos better,” she retorts.

“Touché. At least we’re even for the other night now.”

“Rex!” She whines. “I said I was sorry! How was I supposed to know my stupid sleeping sweat would get in all over your hair?”

“We both knew it was hot outside, so there’s your answer,” and he pats the top of her head with a smile of his own.

DAY 9: Wasn't it worth the pain?

“Kalita, you chose to become Moebius like N, yeah?” Mio asks, watching the young woman without judgement. Well, ‘young’ only in terms of appearance, for however young an immortal human who has slept the length of hundreds of terms can be.

No, hundreds of years, Mio corrects herself further. Years are what they use in the City, not terms.

Kalita pushes her lips together, guilt crossing her expression. “Yes. I could say Z persuaded my hand, but...truthfully, I couldn’t risk disrupting the timeline, or rather I didn’t like leaving the timeline up to chance. To be Moebius is to be selfish, and ensuring your future, here and now, was my main reason to do so.” She crosses her arms, “Though that isn’t to say I lack regrets, of course; technically speaking we’re meant to be mortal enemies.”

Mio protests, “You’ve never been our enemy, Kalita. You’ve been so helpful, to us and to everyone in the City. You’re always watching our backs, providing us intel no one else wanted to share, who knows where we’d be without you.”

“Well, thank you,” Kalita smiles gently. “Can I ask where all this is coming from? Is it about M?”

Mio’s ears twitch, and internally she curses the dead giveaway as Kalita hums. The Agnian rolls her words on her tongue, struggling to phrase the questions that have been bouncing around her head for the past week.

“Was it...worth it? Becoming Moebius?” She eventually asks. “I have M’s memories of you, and you two barely interacted before you went to sleep. But you knew all this would happen—our body swapping plan, I mean, and how she wanted to be free. I guess I just wondered if you regretted this too much, if you needed help getting...your own out, if it wasn’t worth it.”

Kalita stares at her for a long while, the silence stretching between them. Then, just when Mio considers making an excuse to flee, she sighs, “Mio, I don’t remember what, exactly, I shared with M besides my general promise to support her. First, let me be clear that while I’m touched by your concern, I’m here until the end.” Her face hardens into utmost seriousness before melting into pained weariness that Mio’s only seen a handful of times in her life. “Second...second, as I said, my main reason to become Moebius was to make sure you guys defeated Z. The other reason was because...was because I have faint hope I can see two very important people again before I die for real. I was never meant to remain on Aionios a millennium ago, and this hope, my love for them, has propelled me forward alongside my love for everyone else in this world.”

Though bittersweet, her smile returns, “Again, Moebius are selfish. For me, that selfishness lies in that it’ll only be worth the pain as long as I can say another goodbye to them. It’s not a guarantee, but I still hope I can claim that as a reward if they’ll have me.” She looks down at her hands, clenches them, and allows the Moebius infinity symbol to alight in her irises for no longer than a second.

Mio pushes down the instinctive flinch at the symbol and reaches outwards. She takes Kalita’s hands in hers, prying the fingernails away from skin.

“You’ll see them,” she swears, squeezing her hands tightly. “You deserve happiness too, and it’s not selfish to want it.”

Kalita chuckles, eyes watering, “Thank you, Mio. It’s really nice hearing that.”

“Then I’ll keep repeating it until you don’t need to hear it anymore.”

“I suppose I’ll look forward to that day.”

DAY 11: Stay in touch.

“Please stay in touch,” Kalita demands. “Let me know once you get to the Rest Spot.”

Shulk blinks, “Rest Spot?”

She waves her hand, “Campsite, whatever. Just call me before you go to bed please; I know it’s just a simple supply run but it'll ease my anxiety.”

He shifts in place, cocking his head. “Is your anxiety high today? You're normally not so insistent.”

“Eh, maybe?” She looks to the heavens, nods, then grimaces. “Okay, yeah, I would say yes. I don't even know why, probably just usual mental illness shenanigans or what have you.”

“I'm sorry,” he frowns, sympathetic. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Call me when you get to the Rest Spot—campsite,” Kalita repeats with an amused grin and laughter in her throat.

He chuckles, “Besides that.”

“A hug then?”

“I can do that.”

Kalita beams and eagerly steps over, arms wrapping around Shulk's torso firmly. Their height difference means her head is level with his shoulders, and she’s more than happy to snuggle her cheek against his right shoulder. While she and Rex have attempted to train him (using ‘train’ in the nicest way possible, of course), Shulk’s still the least eager for hugs out of their trio. Thus, there’s a slight delay before he reciprocates her action, and even then his grasp is a little on the flimsy side.

Well, when a man goes without a hug for multiple years... He’ll get there some day, we’ll ensure it, she thinks fondly.

Squeezing once, Kalita lets go a second later—but not before giving a quick peck on the lips.

“And there’s your kiss for luck,” she says. “Now you have no excuse to not call me when everything will go A-okay.”

“I could somehow forget,” he offers.

She raises a singular eyebrow.

“Or not.”

DAY 12: [prompt redacted]

How many nights have you possessed me now? Kalita thinks, watching Shulk’s sleeping form beside her. She huffs a second later in amusement. That makes me sound like I’m being haunted by a ghost. Of all the times for my brain to be in pretentious writer mode, hah.

The two of them, alongside Rex, embarked on a day trip out to Aurora Shelf. While she doesn’t get as stir-crazy as other people, there will still be a point where Kalita needs to leave Colony 9. She’ll venture out to the ruins of Outlook Park, watch the aquatic monsters from the shore of Tephra Hill’s tiny beach, or climb to the top of the steep entrance to the base—just far enough so she can gaze at Planada Siq and the exit to the rest of Yesterdale, but close enough that a guard down below won’t yell for her to return. And when she gazes at Planada Siq, that’s her breaking point.

So after a week of planning, she finally got permission (well, more like Shulk and Rex had enough free time and felt secure enough to leave the Liberators without a leader) to see the wild beauty of Aurora Shelf. It’s just as breath-taking as the last time the trio went. What she won’t tell them, though, is that the greatest reason to take the hike is because she’s with them.

Here in nature, she’s allowed to be as free as she acts whenever they’re tucked away inside one of their tents, if not more free. She doesn’t have to mind her volume, or her vernacular, or her actions. She can be just as giddy and loving as she yearns to be on a daily basis, in a world where being their girlfriend isn’t seen as so perverse.

Never shame Kalita for simply desiring to express affections to those who consume her thoughts.

From her other side, Rex takes a break from his guard duty to lean into her ear. “You should get some sleep.”

“I know, it’s all just so nice,” she whispers back, quiet as a mouse. “He’s beautiful like this, sleeping so peacefully.”

He cranes his neck behind her to look at Shulk, to see his lax expression and twisting pools of golden locks. “Yeah, he is.” Then, he lightly bumps his shoulder into her. “And you could look the same if you got some shut-eye, eh?”

She snorts, “Go back to looking for monsters already if you’re gonna pester me.”

Still, she adjusts her position until she’s laying on her side with her arm tucked under her pillow. “Night, love you.”

“Love ya too,” he says, and promptly watches their forms until his shift ends.

DAY 13: Far out of sight, yet in a new light.

An annoying, repetitive beeping sounds from the corner of Kalita’s desk. She pauses in her writing, confused for a second, before realizing what it means: someone’s calling her Orb. The large sphere is the physical replacement for an Iris. Since Orbs lack an official name in-game, she had to snort at its title here. It figures that an internal communication device stored within the iris was called an Iris, and a communicative device shaped like an orb was called an Orb.

Remembering Riku’s instructions, she presses a button on one side and waits patiently. The orange holographic screen lights up to show the figure of...Shulk? What would Shulk need with her?

“Ah, Kalita. Glad you picked up,” his voice says, distorted and tinny through the speakers.

She still finds it fascinating how, mysteriously, the Iris is able to display the caller’s image as if they were video chatting with a phone and not the literal implant in their brain. It breaks all logic and rules of technology when the only sight she should be seeing is whatever landscape is in front of Shulk.

“Uh, yeah, hi Shulk,” she greets, angling the Orb until her figure is properly in-frame through the camera preview. “What’s up?”

“I just had a quick question for you; what was the gemstone you were interested in viewing? The one not in storage?”

“Uhhhhh.” She grabs the journal housing her Collectopedia notes and flips through it. “The ‘Delicate Bell,’ an extremely rare gemstone.” She looks back at Shulk. “Why do you ask?”

He smiles triumphantly, “I thought it was that,” and then he holds up a small, round gem.

She gasps, “Wait, is that it?”

“Indeed.” He taps a metal finger against it, and a faint noise similar to a bell plays.

“Oh my God, Shulk, I don’t even know what to say. Thank you! I can only imagine how hard that was to find.”

“Not a problem, Kalita. In my youth I grew accustomed to finding collectables for others around the Bionis, so I still have a knack for scouting.” He puts the gemstone out of frame. “That was all. Our likely ETA back is in two days, so I can give it to you then.”

“Okay, thank you again, Shulk.” She waves. “Have a good day.”

“You too.”

The call disconnects.

Kalita stares at the Orb, dumbstruck. He remembered, she thinks. I’ve only known him for a month or two at best, yet he found it for me. A warm feeling rises in her chest.

He may be far out of sight, yet she feels like she sees him in a new light.

DAY 14: [prompt redacted]

“Rex,” Kalita’s voice, as well as the hand on his forearm, is gentle. “Are you okay?”

“Okay? Of course I am!” He grins widely. He’s a good actor, she’ll give him that, but years of being by his side has allowed her to see the grin for what it really is: a mask.

“Come now, Rex, it’s just us in here,” Shulk chides. “There’s no need to hide. You know we won’t judge you.”

His jaw visibly twitches, “C’mon, you two, I’m alright, don’t worry about me.”

“I literally have the mental illness that makes me worry about everything 24/7,” she deadpans, then shakes her head. “Nevertheless, it’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it, we just don’t like seeing you hold in whatever this is.” She squeezes his muscle, “So, what do you need? Words of affirmation? Advice? Hugs?”

He closes his eye, and the grin falls completely. “I—” He clears his throat, tries again, “I just wanna sit with both of you near me.”

Shulk and Kalita share a glance. “We can do that, I’m sure,” the former says.

“Of course!”

When Rex doesn’t do anything further, they share another look and decide to guide him over to Shulk’s cot. He absolutely melts against the flimsy mattress, head dipped near his lap like a puppet with its strings cut. Kalita leans against his right side, Shulk his left.

They remain like that for what could’ve been a singular minute or ten, until Rex finally breaks the silence, “I’ve just been thinkin’ about them a lot lately.”

“Oh, Rex...” She presses her weight against him harder.

Shulk grabs Rex’s hand, “I’m sorry. I know your pain.” It’s said matter-of-factly, because it’s a simple truth, a simple comfort that Rex isn’t alone in the experience.

Kalita takes his other hand and rubs circles into his skin, thinking of her own family.

“I can almost pretend they’re here with your bodies next to me,” he whispers.

A sharp inhale; no one can determine who it comes from.

Both Shulk and Kalita are lost for words at his confession. It wouldn’t be smart to play into the delusions, they at least know that, but it seems so out of character for the man.

(Except something Shulk and Rex swore to never tell Kalita was that they had tried, multiple times, to pretend they were back in their respective worlds, with their respective spouses, before she entered their lives. It was unhealthy all around, and Shulk feels a prickling of fear that Rex may be reverting to that yearning again).

So what Shulk says instead, in as steady of a tone as he can manage, is, “Shulk and Kalita are here for you, Rex.”

His breath stutters heavily. “I know that, Shulk.”

“I’m just making sure.”

It’s quiet after that. For once in their relationship, the silence might be preferable to excited babbling, or passionate explanations, or light-hearted jokes. The absence of noise, the uncertainty of how to make Rex feel better, can be converted into actions at least. So they keep holding Rex’s hands, and once it comes to it, take turns wiping the tears that occasionally fall down his cheeks. All the while, Rex’s lips move, repeating lines that spring to mind from memories of both good and bad.

This repeats until he gets an audio-only Iris call. Kalita startles at how seamlessly he slips into what she calls his ‘leader mode,’ how quickly his pain is removed from his voice.

“Duty calls,” he mutters, abruptly rising.

“Rex—”

He ignores her.

Shulk sighs, “It must be truly bad if he’s not even saying thanks.”

Her lips press in concern, “That was so...odd. I don’t even know what to do now.”

“There’s nothing more we can do at the moment. Let him seek us out when his head’s cleared.” He frowns and shakes his head.

“I’ll trust you then.” Kalita still looks doubtful.

He turns to her and smiles sympathetically, “You did good.”

She hums, “Well, for his sake let’s hope it was good enough.”

DAY 15: Anger is nothing but fear dressed in black.

“What the bloody hell were you thinkin’?” Rex snaps. “Architect, you can’t keep doin’ this to yourself, Kalita! You’re gonna seriously harm yourself!”

“I thought I made it quite clear I’m a grown-ass adult, and I’ll suffer any consequences of my actions!” She fires back, glaring fiercely.

“That doesn’t make it automatically right that you’re burnin’ yourself out day in and day out! I can see your exhaustion from here, your bags are worse than Shulk’s.”

“Okay, rude,” she says, her face overcoming with an expression of disgust. “And I never said it was right. If I wanna be sleep-deprived everyday then I will be! I’m 21-years-old, I’m legally old enough to drink, God, Rex, you’re not my fucking dad.”

Disgust also appears on him, “Of course I’m not your feckin’ dad, I’m your friend! And as your friend I’m sayin’ I’m concerned for ya, and ya need to stop these damn studies. You’ve got all the time in the world to continue when your brain won’t run as empty as a discarded Ether canister.”

“You don’t know that, Rex!” She yells. “For all we know shit could start up tomorrow and I’ll be completely unprepared! I need to study, I need to play catch-up before it’s too late!”

“Dammit, Kalita!” He throws his arms up into the air, and—

He notices her tears.

She’s shaking slightly, face contorted with remnants of anger, but she’s crying.

Her brown eyes, normally so full of life, are now filled with fear.

(Anger is nothing but fear dressed in black).

“I’m scared, okay?” Her voice cracks. “I’m fucking terrified! I can’t actually predict the future, you know. What if I was plopped here six months before shit goes down? How can I help if no one’s written language looks like English, I don’t have magical powers, I don’t have combat knowledge, or survival knowledge, or anything useful besides my brain! So I’m fucking sorry my anxiety’s running me ragged, I quite literally cannot help it.”

Kalita pants heavily, sniffling, and wipes her tears under her glasses. When she opens her eyes, Rex has drawn closer, and he seems quite embarrassed.

“Kalita,” he sighs. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make ya cry. I got so heated...” He trails off and gathers his thoughts. “We can talk more tomorrow. I don’t know what it’s like in your head, but I’d like to learn, if that’s alright. I just...I was also scared; you passed out. I know you’re determined, but please, please, can you take a break for one night?”

“...Okay,” she eventually whispers, and doesn’t say a word the entire time Rex guides her to her tent. And once inside, she cries again.

DAY 17: Even if you run, the story's the same.

The five year anniversary of Kalita’s arrival on Aionios started like a rather typical day for her:

She woke up (alone, today) in her cot and disabled her Orb alarm after a few seconds. Sighing, she rose out of bed and went to double-check her itinerary. In 45 minutes she was to help sort the supplies that had arrived last night (score!), so that gave her about 10 minutes to get ready for the day and half an hour to eat breakfast.

Nearly two hours later she finished sorting (a small stash, unfortunately) so she checked the time on her Orb to determine her next task. She just happened to glance at the custom-built calendar UI in the corner and—

She sort of froze.

Well, no, she did freeze. She stood in the middle of the Storage area in stunned silence for far longer than she should have, staring at the 12/09 as if the numbers would magically change. A pool of emotion swelled within her; melancholy, grief, homesickness... Kalita bit her tongue and speed-walked back to her tent.

Those stationed near the front of the Command Center paid her no mind, and frankly that relieved her. Past there, it’s a short distance to where her tent’s set up, and an even shorter distance to the storage bin that held all of her Xenoblade-related papers.

She opened the lid. Found the earliest journal holding the most accurate information. Flipped to the first page denoting the timeline of Future Redeemed. Read the text to herself over and over again. Wondered if there was anything she could be missing. Knew there was something she’s missing. Agonized over what she forgot. Agonized further with the recollection it’d been five years on Aionios, five years away from her classes and friends and family members and all comforts she’d taken for granted in 2023. It was, technically, 2028. She turned 25 next month.

(Her brother would be 22 now).

Kalita pulled out her Orb. Checked the time. Took a deep breath. Held it. Exhaled. Put her things away. Stood up, read her itinerary again. Nodded, made a plan for what to do next. Pushed the anxiety that plagued her daily to the back of her mind. Forced herself to prioritize the tasks that she could complete today and not tomorrow.

The five year anniversary of Kalita’s arrival on Aionios ended with her cursing the universe for both Shulk and Rex being away from camp, desperately yearning for the physical comfort her partners could provide her. But they couldn’t magically teleport to her, so she continued like normal.

She woke up on 13/09 and wondered if that would be the day everything changed. But it wasn’t, so she continued like normal.

She woke up on 14/09 and wondered if that would be the day everything changed. But it wasn’t, so she continued like normal.

She woke up on 15/09, and finally her boys were back, and wondered if that would be the day everything changed. But it wasn’t, so she continued like normal.

Months later, when she hears about the City falling...she will merely express appropriate worry and concern for the residents. Were anyone to ever ask, she will deny that a dark part of her experiences minute relief at the news. Because she’s known since day one that even if you run, the story’s the same, so why bother running at all?

And Kalita is exhausted from remaining in place.

DAY 18: [prompt redacted]

“Get on your knees,” Z commands coldly.

Kalita slowly obliges, upper body swaying against the pain. Her head is dizzy, black spots dipping in and out of her vision every other blink. It's a monumental struggle to not lose track of Z’s words.

“You are a unique case, Kalita. Very few Moebius come from similar backgrounds, as one who fought so hard to ensure their place outside of the Flow, yet is now willing to join it. I'm certain you know of one case.” At this final sentence, the opera theater projection clicks on to display Noah’s—N’s—struggles as a soldier, and then his decision to become Moebius in order to revive Mio, or M.

“But you are as displaced from the Flow as one can possibly be. For that, we must fix you.” Z casually walks towards her bent form, hands behind his back. Every click of his heels is like a step closer to her irreversible decision, to her second death. She has never been more terrified of the beast before her.

“An experimental Moebius, a Consul from neither Keves or Agnus. One who lacks an Iris in either eye, and thus shall gain it.” The being narrows his own eyes at her, allowing the Moebius infinity symbol to glow ablaze around his pupils. Kalita swallows.

“You will suffer for but a moment in the Endless Now.” Z raises an arm, fingers splayed towards her forehead. “As agreed upon, I cannot directly interact with the administrators, but I will allow you more leeway than other Moebius.” Mere inches from touching her skin, he pauses. “I must admit, much like N it's almost admirable what humans will do for their desires. I look forward to all you shall do in the desire of love for them.”

His claws connect, and the last thought Kalita has before she screams is how she never wants Z to acknowledge her again.

DAY 19: Swallow your frown.

“Ugh, what a ridiculous idea. Of all the proposals...”

Kalita raises her head from the mindless doodles she’s been sketching across her journal pages. Nearby, Shulk shuffles paperwork in frustration, occasionally adding notes in the margins or preparing his own response on a separate sheet of paper.

“How would we even... No... Yes...?” His muttering to himself continues.

She purses her lips, debating on whether or not she should speak up. It’s clear to her his work won’t end any time soon based on the messy arrangement of documents, and the whispers from him have gradually crescendoed into discernable words she can hear from her side of his tent. Honestly, she has no clue how long he’s been working at this point, but the multiple completed spreads in her journal may be a hint. Sighing silently, she refrains the urge to groan in boredom.

“No, what am I saying, this makes no sense at all!” He suddenly cries, and she jumps slightly with a faint yelp. Evidently, her jump wasn’t as minute as she believed it to be (or, more likely, the yelp bounced around the walls) for he turns to face her with an apologetic expression. “Ah, sorry, Kalita. To be honest I nearly forgot you were here. Er, no offense.”

“None taken,” she brushes it off. “I think you should take a break though. I know when I can’t get my point across I need to rest my brain for like a solid half hour.”

“I wish I could, but this needs to be ready by tomorrow morning. I can’t afford to waste time.”

“Really? Not even five minutes?” She raises an eyebrow.

He frowns, “Every second counts.”

Now she sighs dramatically. “You’re acting like I would in college,” she says in amusement. “C’mon, I know how to reset your brain in a second.”

Kalita sets her supplies aside and rises, walking over to Shulk. He merely blinks at her, confused, from his seat. Before he can guess her plan, she crouches, smiles, grabs his cheeks, and kisses him deeply. She does her best to add as much feeling as possible to the gesture, and when she does pull away Shulk seems dazed.

She boops his nose, “I dunno if they say this where you’re from, but turn that frown upside down. Or, I guess if I wanna go the more archaic approach I can say you should swallow your frown.”

Shulk blinks again, shaking his head, “That was longer than a second.”

“Oh my stars, that’s all you have to say about it?” She laughs. “Whatever, enjoy your resetted brain! See if I do that again!”

DAY 21 (Birthday!): A look into each other's eyes, and it hurts beyond belief.

Art of Rex and Shulk dying before Kalita's eyes

DAY 23: Now we're throwing paper planes into the sky, hoping they will crash and burn.

“What’re they doing?” Nikol asks, pointing towards a group of children.

Kalita follows his finger, squints, and smiles once she understands. “I think they’re throwing paper planes.”

”Paper planes? What the spark are those?” Glimmer asks.

”Well, they’re little airplanes made out of paper! You just fold a sheet of paper a certain way, throw ‘em, and see how far they can go.”

Their confusion doesn’t alleviate in their expressions. Kalita tilts her head, then makes a noise with her mouth. “Now you’re gonna ask me what an airplane is, aren’t you?”

They nod, and she waves her hand, “Forget about it, it’s a thing where I’m from.”

”Um, could I throw a paper plane?” Nikol asks shyly.

”Of course you can! C’mon,” she treks towards the children and the two follow, albeit one with more enthusiasm than the other.

The kids recognize the older woman and wave in greeting. “Hi, Kalita!” A little girl says.

”Hi there! We’re wondering if we could join you guys in throwing paper planes?”

”I never said I wanted to,” Glimmer grumbles.

Kalita lightly thwacks her.

“Yeah!” A boy shouts. “We’ve got tons of leftover flyers you can throw!” He scurries over to a small pile on the ground and deposits a plane into Kalita, Nikol, and Glimmer’s hands.

”Is there a certain way to throw them?” Nikol wonders, analyzing the simple form of the object.

”Nah, you just throw them into the sky, like this!” He chucks a plane directly upwards, and it floats close to his body several seconds later. “Aw, I was hoping that’d go further.”

She chuckles and pats his head, “I believe they need to be thrown straight ahead of you, not towards the sun. They will go further that way.”

Picking the plane by its base, she straightens, draws her arm back, and releases it as if she were throwing a baseball at another player. True to her claim, the plane glides for several feet before nosediving into a crumbled mess on the ground.

“Well, and crash and burn,” she winces.

The kids are unbothered by the destruction. If anything, they’re excited by it, and chatter about wanting to copy her actions.

“I wanna go again!” One yells.

“No, me, me!” Another retorts.

“How’d you do it?” Glimmer tilts her head.

She shrugs, “Aerodynamics.”

“Huh.” She looks at her own plane and lets the unfamiliar term wash over her.

Farther back, Rex and Shulk watch the tiny horde of children crowd around Kalita, eager to watch her throw a plane again. Nikol and Glimmer squabble amongst each other about who should go next, and end up throwing at the same time. Glimmer’s plane doesn’t go as far as Nikol’s, and she scowls at her loss while he consoles her. It’s hard to believe just a month prior they were opposing soldiers fighting on a battlefield.

“Should we assist Kalita?” Shulk wonders, crossing his arms.

“Nah, she’s got this covered,” Rex replies.

They watch the kids chant and hype her up; a particularly young kid screeches at the top of his lungs in glee and she frantically covers her ears.

“...On second thought, let’s head over before they blow her eardrums out.”

DAY 25: Why has this fear never bothered me before?

God, I love them.

Kalita freezes. The thought came up unprompted from the deep recesses of her mind, completely out of nowhere from just simply thinking about... Oh my God, she was thinking about Shulk and Rex.

She’s thankful she’s just been daydreaming on her cot otherwise she’d be mortified by whatever expression she’s making. It’s probably a strong representation of the universal 'oh shit' moment, wide eyes and all.

She places a hand on her racing heart, blood pumping in her ears. The warmth in her chest, alongside other past unconscious thoughts, rebukes any possible protest—not that she could even offer one up. Kalita’s emotionally aware of herself to know those four words weren’t thought platonically, or familiarly.

“I love them,” she slowly tests on her tongue. “I love Shulk. I love Rex.”

It’s whispered into the fabric-lined walls of her tent, bouncing across the small space that she claims as her own and sinking back into her skin. She could pretend an echo graces her with one additional name thrown into the mix.

“I love you,” she tries, immediately cringing at the sudden anxiety. That seems even more daunting to say, to imagine her saying that in front of them and not some hypothetical outsider.

Why has this fear never bothered me before? She asks herself. On Earth, she’s had plenty of crushes. Sure, she’s confessed feelings only twice in her life, but she’s still overcome that hurdle! Except deep down, she knows the answer: because she’s never been in love before, if this could be considered love. Additionally, both prior confessions were over the Internet. She didn’t have to entertain the possibility of mustering up the courage to say she liked them in person when both of her past relationships were long-distance.

When have these crushes evolved into a different L-word, she wonders. She’s had a sprinkling of romantic attraction for them since her early days on Aionios, and she’s acknowledged her minute crushes in private late into the night numerous times. Have they truly been building up over the past twoish years?

“Whelp, I’m officially a simp for two middle-aged, married men,” she jokes under her breath. Biting her lip, flashes of fandom culture whirl through her. If...if she does ever confess to either of them, does she stand a chance? Her, Kalita? What if she...?

Who is she kidding, of course she doesn’t. This isn’t a fan fiction she’s written, this is her new, impossibly-true reality. She can’t force them to love her in return to fulfill her fantasies. So, unless something changes, she better resign herself to keeping these emotions carefully guarded against her chest. Yeah...it’s for the best...

DAY 27: Without your grace, I will perish.

“I wish I knew exactly what you thought of me,” Kalita says into the empty space. Far in the distance, the unnatural monsters and machines of Origin fulfill routine patrol checks. There’s a perpetual hum in the air that only dampens within Z’s Opera Theatre, and she avoids the building whenever possible. It’s impossible to say whether it’s caused by Origin being one colossal man-made structure, the culmination of Moebius energy seeping into every molecule, or the tens of thousands of souls slumbering within Core Crystals.

Per her agreement with Z, she was granted access to a miniscule platform far away from any other snooping Consuls or dangerous enemies. Really, it was more like Z teleported her there against her will and left her stranded, but she can’t complain too much when she also magically learned the Fast Travel ability spot in her Iris. Perks of being the overseer of the entire world, she guesses.

“I know, I know, you can’t break the rules,” she rolls her eyes to the heavens—to them. “If you’re listening right now I can almost imagine A’s disapproving look.” She laughs at the mental picture. “I hope you’re listening, anyway. I don’t come here for just anyone.”

No response. Kalita hugs her arms, lets the sharp plating of her armor dig into her gloved hands. It’s a reminder of who she is now, of the choices she’s made. To think she was so naive a millennium ago to believe she’d never need to become Moebius...

“I have a selfish request,” she says after several long minutes. The other flaw of being in Origin is the knowledge Z is also likely watching her, so she picks her words carefully. “When my time has come, when it’s the true end for us, could another exception be made?”

She licks her lips, “I...I fear that without your grace, I will perish in more ways than one. So if I could have a sign then, anything that lets me know my sins are forgiven, my consciousness will greatly appreciate it.”

There is nothing around her besides that damned hum.

Please,” she begs, tearing up under her mask. “My choices were my own, but we are selfish creatures, and my selfishness also lies in you all. So that is all I ask for.”

Kalita wipes her eyes. For once, she wishes she had to maneuver around her glasses in order to do so. It’s another trait of the past permanently gone.

“I love you,” she whispers, and teleports back to secrecy. The purple wisps left behind filter upwards and fade from existence.

DAY 29: Termination; deleting what I believed to be.

Song: "I Just Fall in Love Again" by The Carpenters

Dreamin', I must be dreamin'.
Or am I really lyin' here with you?

Rain patters quietly across the colony. On top of the metal buildings and railways, Kalita knows if it rained any harder the noise would sound like gunshots. Quite frankly, rain never existed for the original Colony 9 due to its position on the bottom of the Bionis’ leg, so why would it matter what their buildings were made out of as long as they were sturdy? Everyone in the new Colony 9 suffers for that decision now.

As if she willed it into the air, the noise grows louder. She flinches at a particularly-loud plop somewhere on the rooftop behind her. Stars above, she loves rain, but not when it startles her.

She shifts a little closer to the body on her left, cheek resting against the cool shoulder. The temperature has her sigh under her breath in contentment, alongside the knowledge she isn’t resting alone. That, in of its own, is still hard for her to believe; that Kalita has someone she can sleep next to.

Baby, you take me in your arms.
And though I'm wide awake, I know my dream is comin' true.

Squirming, she adjusts until she’s more comfortable. Another loud rain drop has her tense, inhaling sharply through her nostrils. Even if she wanted to sleep, she simply couldn't. Not due to the rain, actually, but because she’s not alone on the cot. The offer to (literally) stay the night was tempting hours prior, except for the fact a little voice in the back of her mind whined at the fact she usually needed open space to rest, and at how she’s a painfully light sleeper.

Kalita flinches again, and a pair of arms draw her closer. Her frame relaxes on instinct.

Well, she did say she ‘usually’ needed open space.

And oh, I just fall in love again.
Just one touch and then it happens every time.

“It’s alright,” a voice whispers in her ear.

She hums in acknowledgement, a non-verbal thank you. The touch grounds her, the physical sensation a comfort to lean against whenever the bangs make her jump. She’s so grateful to have someone who loves her like this, multiple someones, even.

Inevitably, her thoughts start to drift into topics she tends to only contemplate during the wee hours of the morning. Kalita, ever the romantic, has enough self-confidence to say she deserves a happy marriage someday. She tries to not be a shitty person, and she yearns to eventually be married to the person of her dreams. The problem arises when her sexuality is taken into consideration, her asexuality. It’s exceedingly challenging to even start a romantic relationship for someone like her, not for lack of trying on her end, mind you.

And then Aionios, and later Shulk and Rex happened. Of course she knows what will happen however-long in the future, but for the time being she’ll enjoy her newfound happiness. At least until the end, she can revel in the termination, the deleting of her fears that she’ll never find her perfect person (er, persons). Afterwards...

What I want is reincarnation, she muses to herself. I want to experience this again, when I had believed I would never obtain this. I want to still be loved by them. I want to fall in love again.

The last sentence causes a familiar melody to be pulled from the recesses of her memory. It’s a nice song, one she’d heard with her mom frequently on Earth. It’s fitting, and comforting. So Kalita snuggles closer, and tries to let the song lull her to sleep.

And there I go, I just fall in love again.
And when I do, can't help myself, I fall in love with you.

DAY 30: [prompt redacted]

Kalita does not know how long she’s been in the cave. It could’ve been hours, it could’ve been days. Time started blurring together quicker than she could blink, and a combination of fear, stress, dehydration, and starvation will make the mind play tricks.

In short, the problem is she shouldn’t still be on Aionios.

The assumption that everyone had, A included, was that she’d be sent back to Earth as soon as A, Shulk, and Rex became the new Origin administrators. So in that final, tearful goodbye with everyone she’d handed the remainder of her supplies to Matthew and prepared for the unknown with nothing but the clothes on her back and the Earth-based contents from her cotton purse. She didn’t pack food or water, because why would she need it if she returned? Except, of course, she hadn’t returned. Instead, she’d been randomly transported to some cave that, presumably, wasn’t affected by the destruction of the Cent-Omnia region. This cave, as is par the course, has some species of monsters in it, monsters Kalita can’t hope to fight if they attack her because she handed her damn staff to Matthew. Without an Iris, she can’t summon another weapon or contact someone for rescue. Without her Orb—which she had, shocker, handed to Matthew!—she also has no alternatives for communication.

Kalita had unintentionally left herself exposed and ready to die.

The first few hours were the scariest, the knowledge that she was trapped in a small passage that was blissfully-free of monsters, but led to an open cavern that would've signed her death warrant. She remained huddled in the furthest corner, flinching every time a Vang screeched in the distance or an Arachno scuttled along the cavern floor. She’d walked in circles around the room just to try to get the anxiety out, before giving up to conserve energy. Since then, she’s been trying to entertain herself by daydreaming, reflecting on past memories, writing stories in her head, and holding introspective conversations with herself.

I’m going to die at 25, she thinks to herself for the umpteenth time. A roar sounds from her stomach, and she whimpers in pain, clutching herself. Everyone from the colony thinks I made it back safe and sound. No one will know I’m dying besides A, Shulk, and Rex. And they can’t even do anything since they’re the new admins!

The names of her dear lovers cause a fresh wave of emotion to rise within her heart. I knew I couldn’t be an exception to the rules, and yet I wonder. If my love’s burning desire for them isn’t enough to rescue me, what can? There’s no force in heaven nor hell that could—

A shiver suddenly wracks her frame, cutting off her poetic train of thought. She curls even tighter into a ball. I’m so cold...I’m so hungry and thirsty...I just want anyone to...

“Please, anyone...” She weakly calls, desperate for some acknowledgement that she's still alive. Her voice is rough from a lack of water and usage. “I could do so much more...I tried, I really did...why...” She coughs. “Please, can anyone...”

The last thing Kalita expected was an actual answer.

“Ugh, what a pathetic sight.”

Her head rises from her chest. She blinks languidly, attempting to see through the smeared glass in her frames. Is this finally the end? She’s hallucinating voices now?

“Over here!” The voice taunts somewhere in front of her.

Still unable to focus, she guesses the direction and hopes for the best. Unfortunately, the figure she loosely recognizes is not one who would have her best intentions in mind. Kalita knows that mask, and her heart leaps out of her chest; it’s X, one of the original Moebius Consuls.

“I thought you’d at least be a little happy to see me considering you did ask for anyone to help,” she mocks. “Save your begging for later. Normally I’d just leave you to die or kill you myself, but Z sees potential in you, so off we go!”

Z? Wait, no—

Before she can react, X touches the top of her head and her vision is overcome with purple. The rough dirt is replaced with nothingness, and then the nostalgic flooring of a theater’s stage. She grunts at the abrupt change, coughing once more.

X’s boots tap along the stage, “Well, there she is, Z! One pathetic human!”

A whooshing sound, and Z is also in front of her. He leans over her, expression mildly displeased as if she’s some ant far beneath him. Perhaps the metaphor isn’t that far off considering her sad state.

“You remain an anomaly,” he finally says. “A visitor taken from another world even I hadn’t known of, someone even frailer than the humans on Aionios, and yet your knowledge of the future is vast. You know of things to come that I nor even Alpha could predict. And it’s only due to your knowledge that I am offering you the opportunity to partake in the Flow.”

He bends downwards, clasping her chin to his face with his long talons. “I do not ask just anyone to become a Consul, Kalita.” She shudders at her name on his tongue, the touch of his nails on her skin. “Again, I must say you are only given this chance because I have seen all you’ve accomplished in your limited lifespan. If you do not accept, I will merely return you to that cave, and you will stay dead. If you do accept, I expect your compliance to help retain the Endless Now. You will die, but be reborn with the power for the change you crave.

“Do you accept?”

Kalita breathes slowly. A deal to give her soul over to the devil, and for what? Just time to live longer? To...

“Ah, yes, mortal emotions of love.” He forces her head to turn behind her, causing her to yelp, all so she can see the projection screen. To her utter shock and horror, her memories of her time on Aionios play, her many, many encounters with Rex and Shulk. She seems so happy in her memories, all three of them do. But how the hell are they playing when she’s not from here?

As if he read her mind, Z says, “Origin records everything, including your experiences the instant you arrived.” He frowns, disgruntled, “I cannot bring them back as they are the new administrators, but just for you, I can give you space to communicate with them. Perhaps you may encounter them in the future.”

Her heart betrays her, skipping with hope. She remembers now. She’d toyed with the possibility of becoming Moebius years ago during her what-if brainstorming sessions, the ability to be immortal in order to ensure no butterfly effect from her presence. Could she become Moebius, fight as a double-agent and help the City, help Ouroboros a thousand years in the future?

(Could she really speak with her loves if she’s inside Origin?).

“I ask again, do you accept?”

Past-Kalita laughs at something Past-Rex said, playfully hitting his arm. He grins widely, pecking her cheek. Past-Shulk shakes his head in visible amusement, chiding them both.

“I do,” she croaks.

“Very well then.”

And he smiles with nothing more than cruel detachment, victory ablaze in his eyes. Regret pools into her stomach, but it’s already too late, she just signed that pact.

Forgive me, she prays.

He lets go of her chin and takes a few steps back, circling the stage like a lion stalking its prey. “Get on your knees,” Z commands coldly.

——

Jump to Day 18.

DAY 31: Your heart should only be beating for me.

It started like this:

Kalita Winters was isekai’d into a favored video game of hers, Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed, during her senior year of university. Unfortunately, she was transported prior to the start of the game’s main plot, so she had no idea how long she’d remain on Aionios—or if she’d ever return home to Earth.

It ended like this:

Kalita Winters, five years older, fell in love with the older variants of the Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and 2 protagonists, and, impossibly, they returned her affections. The plot of Future Redeemed came and went, including Kalita. As soon as Origin’s new administrators were acclimated into the system, she was safely returned to Earth, and only she knows what occurs in the epilogue.

But what about the in-between? What of those five years where a young woman had to embrace a role she never wished to hold, where she had to learn how to assist and acclimate for the betterment of the future as one should do? In the CliffNotes, one may view Kalita Winters as a selfish, childish woman who was kidnapped against her will to be taught a lesson about personal sacrifice for the happiness of all. In the full novelization, Kalita Winters can be seen as a young woman who, more often than not, stressed herself to death fearing for the unknown inevitabilities alongside her own limited abilities to prove her worth; the only reprieve she garnered, much like those few souls from the Before of Aionios, were the comforts of loved ones. And it is the full extent of those she loves that accurately characterizes her as a person.

During the in-between, Kalita Winters was many things: naive, hopeful, anxious, orderly, stubborn, kind. Yet if you were to ask the in-between Kalita what trait she cared about the most, she would say it’s her capacity to love. Kalita cared for the people of Aionios—the Liberators, the poor souls forever reincarnating as child soldiers for Keves or Agnus, all of the babies born in the future City—as much as she cared about the people of Earth. On Earth, she was just a random American college student trying to complete her degree, or more simply put, she was a nobody. On Aionios, she was a flux in the equation, a human who never gained an Iris and all the mechanics within one, and thus she treasured her heart and her brain because knowledge is a power of its own. Kalita knew that, much as she knew bits and pieces of random side quests or NPC dialogue. The outcome would still be the same; Alpha would be destroyed, three new administrators would be added to Origin, and over a thousand years of eternal fighting in the Endless Now would occur until the last batch of Ouroboros were born. But the minor, oft forgotten details could maybe, just maybe, be tweaked in their favor. An optional sidequest could be made mandatory and bring a long-term boon to the operation, or save the life of someone originally destined to die. The ship carrying fear of the butterfly effect had sailed long prior, and would remain sailing with every passing day she stayed on Aionios. So she never forgot that fear, and also focused on ensuring she never forgot how to love.

(For the record, Before-Aionios Kalita would say she appreciated her emotional intelligence the most. After-Aionios Kalita... As previously stated, only she can share that answer with herself and none other).

During the in-between, Kalita experienced deep romantic love for the first time in her short existence towards not one, but two individuals. She acknowledged that love and cast it aside for the betterment of Colony 9 and those she held affections for. Except that was a lie; her capacity for love wouldn’t allow her to cast it aside. And even when the impossible occurred and her feelings were reciprocated, she still tried to cast it aside because she thought of how it might affect the Liberators, and the future, and most importantly them. They were important to Aionios. She was...trying to be. So her loves, ever so chiding, told her not to worry about themselves and worry more about herself—a most ironic statement considering her ever-present anxiety— and the young woman terrified of being seen as selfish allowed herself to be just that.

(Was it not human selfishness and fear of the unknown that created Aionios in the first place? When every human holds a piece of Moebius, these selfish fears, within them, is it so terrible to want to act human by allowing yourself to love? As long as love does not turn into obsession, is it so terrible to wish to be loved as much as you love the world?).

(Kalita loves the world very, very much).

During the in-between, Kalita aged one, two, three, four, five years. A scared twenty-year-old became a scared twenty-five-year-old. Depending on which Liberator interacted with her, she might have been seen as a little less naive, a little less anxious, a little less stubborn than when her story started. The truth of the matter is she simply got better at hiding those traits, as people often tend to do. She was still naive-hopeful, and anxious-orderly, and stubborn-kind. However, most importantly of all she still held onto her capacity to love. Not everyone cared about bettering the future as much as she, but she was naive-hopeful, so she kept loving the world. Not everyone worried about what-if’s that could topple a ten-step plan, but she was anxious-orderly, so she kept loving the world. Not everyone liked those with hearts deeper than the sea, but she was stubborn-kind, so she kept loving the world. It should be noted Kalita tried to be a good person, and like all people she occasionally messed up. So she apologized for messing up, and tried to change for the betterment of those around her.

(Had it not been just mentioned how Kalita was still naive-hopeful, and anxious-orderly, and stubborn-kind regardless of what change happened? Sometimes it takes a while for the mask to accurately reflect reality, a while far longer than five years. Kalita tried though, and kept loving the world as much as one mere human—because that’s what she was, human—could).

During the in-between, in the split second before In-Between Kalita became After-Aionios Kalita, the world cried out to her, Your heart should only be beating for me.

In-Between Kalita merely replied, Alas, my heart loves too deeply, and so I must wave you goodbye. But know that even if my brain forgets all about you, my heart will remember this beautiful, messy world and all of the beautiful, messy people in it.

So it started like this:

Kalita Winters was isekai’d into Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed over five years before the game occurred.

And during the in-between, Kalita Winters fell in love with Shulk Ortiz and Rex Rhodes, and they fell in love with her in turn.

So it ended like this:

Kalita Winters said goodbye to Aionios as soon as Future Redeemed ended and returned to Earth with nothing more than a heavier heart full of love.

Fin.

To whoever reads this in the future: I thank you for making it down this far, or for simply scrolling to the bottom out of sheer curiosity. It makes me so happy to put all of this out in the world. This was the first time I ever completed an October creative challenge in full, and I had quite a lot of fun working on something so near and dear to my heart.

If you did scroll to the bottom for the hell of it, my personal favorite prompt to read, if I had to pick only one, is day 31. However, as it's over 1,200 words long, my runner-up recommendation is day 27 (which, now that I type that out, is a bit ironic since day 27 is an AU of my ship).

Again, thank you for reading. <3


Prompts originally created by my friend Mai.

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Pub: 29 Sep 2025 22:00 UTC

Edit: 03 Nov 2025 05:22 UTC

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