"Mornin Lieutenant" Nicholai, just like last time was drinking something, but she called me Lieutenant this time.

"G-good morning..." Me and Sam stood at the doorway, I talked in a quiet voice.

"Something wrong? You two have been off this morning" Raymond walked past us and into the room, looking back at us. It seemed that in silence, both Sam and I agreed to hide what we just we-...when the hell did she learn about my time travel, I just noticed that...I'll talk to her about it later. Regardless we decided to hide what we had just gone through.

"Yeah...we're alright, just a bad morning" Sam tried covering the both of us.

"Right, the day before a partner-link is where most DTs get more anxious" Oh fuck off, really!? Really Raymond!? I could tell Sam was also startled by what Raymond said.

"Ah, yeah, about that, what was it again?" She was getting a bit suspicious with what she was saying. The others seemed to just go back to what they were doing before, ignoring our conversation.

"Oh it's fine, we really tell you about it right before you do it so you can still turn back, also, you two still need to decide what your link is. Is it gonna be a token? a coin? Something painted on your face? Some tie? It can really be anything you want, I recommend it's somethin-

"Flower! Rose to be exact" Sam just spouted that out.

"You have to take care of it you now" Raymond, with a smile, leaned on the wall.

"It's fine, Sam knows about gardening, and I know the basics" I waved off Raymond's worry.

"So, where do you two want it?" It seemed like Raymond talking about the partner-link put Sam into a good mood, she was back in her bubbly version of herself.

"Here, and here" Sam pointed to the right side of her head, while pointing to the left side of mine.

"Well, Lee has to want it there as well"

"It's fine, let her have her fun, I couldn't think of anywhere else anyways, I need more accessories in my hair a-" When I brushed my hair with my hand I noticed that both my headband and hat were gone, for how long it's been like that? Who knows "Hey Raymond, where'd my headgear go?"

"What'dya mean? You still have it, I mean, you did just wake up...or do you wear your stuff to bed?" I made myself look like an idiot "I mean, you do wear your DT stuff to bed soooo, I wouldn't doubt it"

"No I don't...give me a minute" I turned away and went back to my room, hearing Raymond and Sam talk about the partner-link as I did. I looked around and saw a wardrobe, when I went and opened it, it had almost all the clothing I wore as a human, and some new ones that I feel I've seen before. I looked inside it more and noticed a small little slot on the right that had my headband. I picked it up and clipped it into my hair, I closed the wardrobe and saw my hat on a hanger that was on my door, I put it on, making sure my headband was still visible. "So, what'd I miss?" I came over to them, seemingly just as the conversation finished.

"Just giving a summary of what the Partner-link does" Raymond sat near the others, a part of me was still pissed at him, leading us to a fake New Min, then a killer of an informant.

"Mind saying it again then?" Sam still stood in the doorway, I stood beside her leaning on the doorway with my arms crossed.

"To really summarize it, it allows you to share powers, use a better form of PTS that allows it to be used even if magic is disabled, and some co-op abilities that require both people to use it together. There are more but it tends to be unique to each duo...well 'unique' You can have multiple partner-links, but your first one will always be the strongest unless certain things happen like they die or... whatever..." I've started to realize how terrible Raymond was when it came to saying things, the apology during graduation, and now this...I wonder, what things have changed. I pulled up my menu and looked at it.

Squad Menu

Lee Anc LV12

HP: 499/500

MP: 79/80

Sam Cal R7 LV12

HP: 300/300

MP: 140/140

Kenneth Brok R5 LV11

HP: 400/200

MP: 200/200

I stopped checking it after I noticed the obvious changes, we were higher levels...I...does my level change based on the timeline and dimension, or just me since I can time-travel? If that was the case then time-travel could be harder, since they could check my level and I just might be ten levels higher than them...

"Forget tomorrow! Let's do it now!" How'd she go from anxious to all for it? Did she forget how suspicious Raymond is? Speaking of the devil, he looked over at me, most likely awaiting a response.

"Fine...let's get it over with"

"Just saying, it's really painful" Oh yeah, sure Raymond, tell us that after we agree to it, it definitely won't bite you in the ass later on.

"Uhh...mmh" Sam thought for a bit "Ahh, it's nothing I haven't been through already"...really?

"When did you become a masochist?" I felt a sharp pain in my chest as I finished, as Sam elbowed me. "A-alright, I'm all for it"

"Good!" Sam clasped her hands together, leaving the room and walking through the hallway "Come on! Let's go!"

"Hasn't changed one bit has she?" Raymond left the room, the others waved us goodbye and went back to doing what they were doing beforehand...'hasn't changed one bit'

"What'd you mean by that?" The way he sounded...made it feel off...we just met didn't we? Maybe in this timeline we've known each other for a longer time.

"Huh? o..o-oh! I get i-it, I thought her demeanor would change after she became a DT, but i guess not."

"Ah huh..." We continued to walk behind Sam, until she reached the door and opened it.

"Umm...I don't know where I'm going" Sam looked back at us, avoiding eye contact as she seemed embarrassed.

"Come on, I'll lead the way" Raymond walked past Sam, the two of us went side by side while we followed Raymond at a reasonable distance. After Raymond got ahead of us a good amount I noticed Sam's change in demeanor.

"What's with you?" I looked to my right, looking at Sam.

"What? Thought I actually trusted him? It may be different in this timeline, but the two of us have known him for like...three days, maybe a bit more" Atta girl, deceptive as always.

"Kinda going overkill with it though, aren't you? You give the aura of a ten-year-old" I looked back at Raymond, he seemed to be focused on something else, yet, I could feel a glare coming from the right side of me.

"Well, it's working at least, you're drawing attention to yourself, banking out again and again, why the hell would the future you be trying to help this version of yourself specifically" ...

"I'm sorry, how would you know that?" I looked at her, she quickly avoided eye-contact.

"W-Well, I may or may not have...seen a vision of your mind...you know...that time thing..." I was wondering what that Lee was looking at...it still feels weird...now that I think about it, why hasn't another one shown up y-

"You mean m-

"Oh my Go-!" I practically fell over on my back while I saw Sam jump back startled. Raymond looked back at us confused and rushed over...how many times have I gotten jump scared by ghosts now?

"What's wrong?" Raymond knelt down near me.

"I just got scared is all..." I stood up and Raymond did the same.

"By?" I could hear Raymond's suspicion. I looked around and saw it, it wasn't some Lee I knew. It was someone with the same hair color as me (The white-ish pink thing) and it was only slightly longer.

"Nothing" I continued walking in the direction Raymond was going, trying to ignore whatever it was. I could see Sam confused and paranoid while Raymond was also confused, but more on the skeptical side of things.

(Note: Whenever a conversation is taking place in Lee's head, like this convo below, any words in italics are said directly to the person in his head, and anything written normally isn't(That doesn't mean they can't still hear him though))

"So what? You call me over then ignore me?" The 'thing' started walking in front of me.I can assure you, you're not the person I called. I continued walking, Raymond was a bit behind to the left, while Sam was to my right...again."I guess that's somewhat true...I'm not another you, but you can think of me as your subconscious" Why the hell would my subconscious look like a girl? "I dunno, why do I?" Not even just that, why are you only just appearing now? "Hmm...maybe because you're learning more about yourself? After all, you forgot that Cypher and Cally were with you back then" I guess there is some logic there...so...what happened to the other Lee's? "If they appeared before...and they're not now...they may be dead" I see...By the way, what do I call you? Lee doesn't seem fitting...for more than one reaso- "Yuna is fine" Yuna...why...forget it, too many things sound and feel familiar. So Yuna, I assume your gonna be here for awhile. "Probably forever" Yeah seeing how this is going it seemed about right. "Oh, seems like you're here, imma go now, good luck" Yuna gave a two-fingered salute then vanished...if I was able to call her last time, then I might be able to again if it's needed.

"Lee~" I could feel Sam tapping my shoulder "Eaxura to Lee~" I brushed her arm away.

"I'm alive" Raymond stood in front of me...when the hell did that happen?

"Remember, once we enter I won't allow any turning back" Oh, so we can still turn back even after agreeing, maybe he's not like I thought.

"Forget it, we're already here, let's get the torture over and done with." I waved my hand around as I talked and walked to the door until Raymond stopped me "What?" Raymond pointed behind me, I walked backwards and got a look at the building again, there were two doorways in the front, one that Raymond was at, and the other where Sam was. "What, your door leads to some spectator room?"

"Yes"

"oh...okay then" I walked back up to the building, going over to the double door that Sam was at. I put my hand on the left door as she did the same with the right. We saw Raymond enter so we did the same, right as we opened the door someone fell onto me. I grabbed their arms to support them.

"Tha-thank you..."Their voice was stuttering. Another person walked out holding their arm.

"It's a real pain in the ass...you two better hope you have some pain tolerance like I do" The other guy grabbed the person leaning on me and supported them.

"Soooo...still up for it?" I stood in the doorway, keeping the door open, waiting for Sam's response.

"Yeah!" Her enthusiasm was commendable...so was her stubbornness.

"So be it" We both walked into the white room, there was a line that I guess led the way. The place looked like a lab...I wasn't going to be killed here was I?

"I guess we just follow the path, there is only one way to go after all." Following what Sam said we began to follow the line, the place got darker over time yet everything was still white. Seemingly jinxing myself everything went dark, only thing that was easily noticeable was Sam's hair with its bright pink, but even then it was difficult.

"Give me a second" I took off my headband, put it to the floor and began striking it, causing sparks to be made.

"Oh! Hold on, stay still" I kept my headband still and soon a small fire was lit, I could see Sam with a small fireball in her hand.

"When the hell did you learn that" I raised the hairband back up to shoulder level.

"I didn't...someone just told me a second ago how to do it." What? wait...if Sam could see the other Lee's during that time thing I did...maybe

Yuna! Seconds passed then in the dark I saw her pop up "Yip Yip!?" The hell is Yip Yip? "Don't worry about it. Anyways, what is it?" Did you speak to Sam? Tell her how to use fire magic by chance? "...maybe?" Yuna! "Hey, it's better than being in the dark...unless yo-" no...just no "Yeah, that's fair. Was that all?" No, one more question, if you're my subconscious, then why can Sam hear you? "Maybe because that New Min thing when the guards messed with her head, since our magic comes from the brain and those guys were looking for memories with you in them, it may have done something" Yeah...done something. "Oh shut it you! I'm your subconscious not a magical dictionary, I only know stuff that you already know deep down" I see...alright then, that's all. "Alright! Bye" And with that, she left.

"Alright, let's go" After a bit of silence I spoke, it seemed to startle Sam.

"What'd you do?"

"Just checking something in my menus"

"ah huh..." With my headband in hand...hehe, handband...ermm anyways, with my headband in hand we started walking, the fire only slightly illuminated around us, just barely enough that we could see each other, and a bit ahead. "Do you think this is part of it?"

"Doubt it, Raymond's 'trial' thing went to hell as well." I had no way of telling if it was a part of this stupid link thing. But I had more than enough reason to think it was.

"Well, let's think of this as a part of it, after all, Raymond gave us a heads up last time, so why wouldn't he now?" I guess that was a good point.

"Alright, I'll go along with that logic" We came up to a door, two doors actually. We both went up to one door, I grabbed the handle, but it wouldn't open.

"So maybe we try the other one?" Sam went to the door, it opened.

"Well alright then" I walked over to the door and it slammed shut "Well I guess not then." I took a few steps back and the door opened. I reached for the door that was previously locked, when I moved the door handle it opened. "I get it, alright Sam see ya on the other side!" I went through the door, it was pitch black, the fire on my handband was extinguished so I put it back on my head, I could feel the warmth of where the fire had been before. After what felt like five minutes lights came on, the room I was in had a dip a few steps in front of me, when I looked down at it I noticed water was at the bottom, and a ladder leading back to the side I was on. To my left was another ladder that led to a platform, it had a sign on it that showed water going up, a box was also beside the button, on the other side of the water and dip was a door...not like I needed it, I would just use magic to get over it, it can't be that hard, I can just use my little blood spear thing then stand on it. I bit my thumb and tried to summon it...nothing, blood just continued dripping from my fingers, and like someone was taunting me I saw a screen appear in my hud.

No Cheating!

Using magic in this partner-link room is prohibited!

You and your test partner will not be able to use magic

for as long as you remain in this room.

Greeeeat, I loved handicaps. I heard something bang against something to my right, I looked over and saw Sam, there was a barrier that blocked us from getting to each other, but the dip with the water had a small slot, like a box could go through...I could see her trying to talk, but even with the hole for the box I couldn't hear anything, and soon Sam stopped trying. Looking into her room it was practically the same thing, only reversed, her button was on the other side and there was no box however. I guess it was some simple puzzle, not too hard, just required cooperation. I went up to the ladder, and held down the button that was on the wall, I looked down to my right and saw the water rising, using my right leg I stretched over to the box, barely nudging it, it fell into the water and started going over to Sam's side, when it reached however, I could see her give me a death glare...she thinks I'm gonna release the button doesn't she...well, now that you put it in my mind...Naw, I'm not that much of a jackass. Sam hopped onto the box and began stabilizing herself as the small box began to shake. After getting her balance back she jumped over to the other side, landing then jumping up while stretching both hands out to each side, something someone would normally do after doing gymnastics tricks and whatnot.

Sam climbed up her ladder and held the button the box started coming over to my side, but when it got to the middle it seemed to be stuck, I let go of my button and the box seemed to have fixed itself, now moving over to my side, I jumped down the ladder and waited. When it got in front of me I jumped onto it, but before I could regain my balance the top of it broke and I landed in the box, I couldn't regain balance as the bottom of the box started breaking off as well and it slowly started to sink. I thought of something though, I looked over to a worried Sam, motioning my hand left to take her hand off the button, then slam it back on. She looked confused for a bit by my motions but soon realized. She turned off the water bringing me down then soon turned it back on just as fast, thanks to the sudden change the box jumped up a bit allowing me to boost off of it, barely catching myself on the edge of the other side. I gave Sam a thumbs up as she got off the button. I walked up to the door, it had no door handles, or anything I could push or pull, it also has a checkmark on one side of the double door, and an X on the other one, I looked over to Sam as she climbed down the ladder, when she got to her door the X became a checkmark. The doors opened and we were allowed to enter, both doors on each side led to the same room so me and Sam were reunited.

"I thought you were gonna let me fall into the water" Sam put her left hand on her hip as she talked.

"Well, I had a feeling I wanted to, but I'm not that rude." Sam took her hand off her hip and started walking again, I soon followed.

"Well that's debatable" The two of us kept walking until we reached a dome-like room with a flat floor, it was hard to see things, but I could see silhouettes in the darkness.

"Well this feels like a boss room" Almost on cue the lights turned on as the world's most ANNOYING CIRCUS SONG STARTED PLAYING.

"My ears hurt!" I saw Sam covering her ears as she winced in pain.

"Who thought this was a good idea!" I saw spinning objects in the air, with what seemed like a jump pad on the floor. I assumed we had to get to the top. "Sam!" She looked over at me, still disorientated from the music, I motioned over to the objects in the air, and the jump pad, she seemed to understand "I'll go first!" I ran over to the jump pad, jumping up and landing on it, I expected a small boost but it launched me up to a wall. I grabbed the top of it, barely hanging on with both of my hands, I looked down and immediately regretted it, the height I had was beyond terrifying. I let go with one hand and tried summoning my sword, and to my surprise, it worked. I jabbed my sword into the wall and stepped onto it, allowing me to get up easier. "You're up Sam!" I don't think she could hear me, but she seemed to realize I was up already. I could hardly see her, but I was able to see her looking up and immediately start taking steps back. I grabbed my sword out of the wall and jammed it lower down by leaning over the edge, I hoped Sam would try grabbing onto it. She seemed to start sprinting over to the jump pad, seeing that I stretched my hand out, hoping that if she missed the sword I could reach her. Sam jumped on the jump pad, launching her into the air, I expected her to go as high as me, but if anything she went past me and landed on a different platform. She peered over the edge of her platform and looked down at me.

"Heyo!" I could tell the music was still getting to her but she smiled. "See ya ahead!" I looked behind me and saw nothing, there was nowhere to go.

"Sam! I can't do anything down here!" Hearing me she came back over.

"Well, there are some buttons up here, but they're far away from one another"

"Just try it" I stood at the edge of the platform, waiting for anything to happen.

"Alright..." As she said that I heard a button click, and with that a very small and skinny platform rose, one that you could only put a foot on. "Going to the other one" As I heard it click again the platform vanished, then another click took its place, this time, a platform the same size and look appeared, but farther away...it didn't want us to do what I think it does right? "Ohhh, I get it...hehe, hey Lee!? How good are you at hopping?"

"Mediocre"

"Well...sucks to be you then..." She clearly wanted to taunt me, but she sounded more worried. "Ready when you are." I got ready to jump to the first platform, I would need to anticipate where the others would appear. "Go!" I heard the first click and jumped, I felt my heart racing, jumping over to thin air was terrible I felt like I was just killing myself. I landed on the first platform with my left leg. "Next one incoming!" I jumped again as the platform beneath me vanished. I landed on the next one on my right leg. I could feel myself getting unsteady, I mean, how could I be, only one leg could fit on this thing...maybe another if I squeeze it in but... "third button!" I jumped again, this one was just guessing, I didn't know where it would appear. Right as I started to look down because I couldn't see it, I saw something appear above me, In an act of desperation I resummoned my sword and without being able to look at it, I used the curved hilt of my sword to try and hook onto the platform, luckily it worked, sadly I didn't know how to recover from this.

"Sam!" I looked around and realized I was up to her level, she looked up from the button and noticed me.

"Oh!" She ran over and reached her hand out, we were still decently far away but on the same level, it was more distance now. It took me a second to realize, she let go of the button... As the platform vanished I swerved my sword over to her, I was already holding the blade part of it so I didn't have to worry about cutting her. As the sword came near her she grabbed the hilt, swinging me under the platform she was on and banging my head.

"Ow..." I slowly swung myself back and saw Sam extending her hand out. I grabbed her hand and she pulled me up.

"You alright?" I didn't know what she was referring to, but as I felt my hand get warmer and Sam's face look ill, I could guess what it was. I looked at my right arm and saw blood slowly coming from a decently sized hole on my arm...I don't recall my arm hitting it though... As we started walking on the platform I could feel a headache slowly start to rise in the front of my head, it only started after I looked at my arm. I started feeling sick, why was the cut so important? Was it? Did I get Sam's phobia of blood? That wouldn't make sense though...I could feel my body getting heavier, and soon, like so many other times, it went black.

I was in some abyss, it surprisingly felt warm...or maybe that was just how my unconscious body was...that room was hot for some reason...

"Well, that didn't take long" Hey, it's not like I'm dead. Yuna, expectingly, appeared in front of me. "Maybe...you know if you're not dead I can wake you up" So do it! "Alright, alright, don't say I didn't warn you" Wait but you didn't warn m- She practically warped to me, kicking me in the chest, then I could start feeling my body again...I guess it did work.

I felt pressure on my shoulders, wobbling on them. Soon a sharp pain went through said shoulders as whatever was on them boosted off them. I opened my eyes and held my right shoulder, I stood up and looked behind me, I could see Sam struggling to scale a wall, but soon she got up it, she turned around and looked down, soon realizing I was there.

"Oh! I-I thought you were completely out of it...I used your body as a boost..." Ahh, that makes sense now. "Come on! Let's continue" She knelt down and reached her hand out. I ran over, pressing my feet against the wall and scrapped it down, giving me a slight boost. I reached for her hand and grabbed it, as she began pulling me up again. As I readjusted to the new platform, I was what was ahead of us, there was no floor, but small little walls the size of doors were suspended midair, yet there was nothing to stand on.

"I got an idea, how about we use our weapons to hook onto them" I looked back at Sam to see her opinion.

"How do we get around the walls then? It's in a straight line"

"We swing each other...Yeah! We swing each other, then they hook onto the other side of the wall so they can jump to the next!"

"How does the other person get across then?"

"Your daggers can turn to a sword right? I could stand on it after I swing you across and you plant it."

"No?"

"Huh?"

"Where did you learn that my daggers can turn to a sword? First time I'm hearing this" Huh? N-No I was sure of it...

"I-I see...maybe it's a vision I saw in the future then" I could openly talk about it with her now, since she already knew...I still need to tell the others

"Maybe, but I can assure you, at this point in time, I can't"

"I've got another idea then, basically the same one though" I held my hand out "Can I see your daggers real quick?"

"S-Sure" She summoned her daggers and handed them to me, I activated the chains to it and threw them at the wall, the minute it hit the music stopped, not only that but the wall shook. "The walls move!?" I could tell we both got a shred of dread.

"W-Well nothing has changed, watch!" I had placed the dagger in a way we could stand on it, one leg for each dagger.

"Hold on!" Even though Sam sounded genuinely worried I jumped over the wall, I landed on the dagger and held onto the wall as it shook, I didn't even know the walls were this thin that I could grab onto it, I just had a natural reaction. I summoned my sword and jammed it into the other side of the wall, making sure it didn't stab me as it came through the other side that I was up against.

"S-See! It's fine" The wall soon stopped shaking, I held out my hand "You're up! Come on, I'll catch you!"

"And I'm the reckless one..." I could hear her mumbling, but she came sprinting over, she jumped and I caught her, and with that momentum, I swung her to the other side, I let go as I heard the clanging on my sword, symbolizing that she landed on it. "How do I get across?" Right, she didn't have her daggers.

"Reach your hand out real quick" Doing as I said she held out her hand over to my side, this was a terrible idea but it was the only one I had. I grabbed her hand, and knowing I wouldn't fall I swung to the other side and managed to fit one leg on the sword, I was practically holding onto the wall with all my force as I pressed down my left leg onto the sword as much as I could.

"The hell are you doing!?"

"Hey! You can go now you know!" The wall was incredibly swingy as I kept having to readjust myself.

"Oh right!" I could see the daggers to my left disappear as they were summoned to Sam's hands, she threw them the same way I did to the walls and jumped over to it, landing the same way I did. There better only be two of these, I feel way too tired to keep going this way. "Come on!" Mimicking how I did, she held out her hand for me to swing on. I got onto my sword as I could feel the wall breaking, the sword wiggling on it must've started breaking it. I jumped over to Sam, grabbing her hand, and while I was swinging I summoned my sword to my right hand as it had nothing in it, and jabbed my sword into the wall again. I landed on it and saw it, a platform that was stable and a door! Hell yeah! I reached out my hand for Sam to do the same thing I did, she grabbed onto it and swang over. "hi..." It was kinda awkward...I jumped over so Sam could do the same.

"See, my plans do work" I gave a bow as I heard her jumping over. I stood straight and looked back at the door where Sam was waiting.

We each gripped the doorknob on each door and together we pushed it open as we faced our final "test"