How Gypsy or the others got through that day was a mystery. Her mind had gone through several of stages. First, she had a sense of denial. Of course this was a joke. People don’t just go missing. They don’t vanish leaving nothing but a note. They didn’t even know a Catherine.

Then anger. Barbara and Angela both ran from her as she started shouting and throwing things. She attacked Joseph when he put his hands on her, and nearly broke Ms. Jinx’s arm when she intervened. How dare that rat bastard run off with another woman after last night. He’d pay dearly for what he did.

Bargaining came next. Maybe he was mad at her? Had she displeased him somehow? He’d never said anything. Maybe, just maybe, this was a test? Maybe if she promised to be nicer to the others two, he’d come back. Maybe, she could try being more of a homebody. No more skippy outfits or flirting with the clients.

Depression hit the worst. She practically collapsed in a chair while Barbara brought her drink after drink. No one else wanted to mess with her. That made sense, she thought. She was a monster. Such a monster she must have driven Jackson away. Her mind wandered to the point where she in tears believing he was never coming back.

Finally, just before the party, Gypsy accepted that Jackson would come back when he finished his current quest. Clearly, she’d just over reacted. After all the note said he’d see her at the party. Laughing it off as she struggled to get dress, Gypsy barely managed to walk to the party. If Barbara wasn’t there, she would have fallen over at least twenty times.

“You know, for a homicidal natural disaster of a monster, you’re pretty useful. Never change Barbara.”

Barbara said nothing but felt a strong desire to strike Gypsy in the gut.

Angela noticed Gypsy enter with Barbara and shook her head. She was just as angry with Jackson running off again, and already planned to kill him in a few different ways, but she didn’t like how Gypsy acted. She found it disgraceful.

Angela noted that the mood of this party was not like the other days. Instead of celebrating and dancing while people introduced themselves, the crowd was somber. Most of them had bandages or other visible scars. They seemed drained, like all the fight had left them. Some even looked more like corpses then people. It didn’t help that the food was stale and there was a distinctive lack of staff. Most of the servants were avoiding the guest less they get verbally abused again by one of the ungrateful nobles.

The only person who seemed happy was Princess Luna who once more made an entrance by walking down the staircase. Her mother stood to the side holding her face but gave no introduction. Angela could practically feel the shame that the queen endured. Even the cheerful Lili was glaring at the cat girl. Barbara was restraining Gypsy who looked likely to attack the brat. Angela knew her face had turned a deep red and her anger was rising. Especially when the spoiled princess started to speak.

“That was fun. But, from what I’ve been told, no one managed to take the champion position from Jackson Ripper. Therefore, he is the winner? Where is my champion?”

She laughed loudly while covering her mouth with one hand. It was that spoiled, noble laugh that rich people did in cartoons. Several of the guests struggled with their own anger at her remarks. They were clearly weighing their options. What would the punishment be for attacking the princess? The queen hid her face in shame.

“Oh, I guess he’s not here. Too bad, looks like I won’t be getting married.”

“Sorry I’m late but it has been a long two days. You see, some spoil brat threw me into the fire. However, I’ve been looking forward to this.”

Angela jumped as Jackson appeared. Just like his disappearance, he was simply there. A blond girl was standing next to him. Similar to the queen, the girl seemed to be hiding her face in shame.

“Jackson? Heard you ran away. I guess you wanted to give me your answer, champion.”

Luna was nervous. Evidently, she believed Jackson was a coward who’d run long before becoming engaged.

“Run away? Never. But I am your Champion.”

“You don’t mean…”

“No. I really, really don’t like you as a person. We’d just make a terrible pair.”

“Well then-”

“But I gave it a lot of thought. And you know what, I know the perfect person for you. What type of teacher would I be if I didn’t reward my pupils for their hard work? I pass my the prize of your hand in marriage to Edward Maverick, hero of the Republic.”

“What? That’s not all-”

“What a splendid idea.”

The queen interrupted her daughter’s outburst. The color had drained completely from Luna. The queen then summoned for Edward to come to the front.

“Why are you like this?”

Jackson’s companion murmured as Jackson turned away from the princess and queen.

“Sorry, I have to leave you here, Princess, but I got things to do, people to kill and wars to stop. I’ll see you tomorrow Edward.”

Just as Angela broke through the crowd and was about to call Jackson out, he vanished again with that girl. The others stared at her with faces of confusion while the rage in Angela boiled over.

Catherine nearly collapsed as she allowed time to tick forwards once more. Jackson caught her and told her good job while passing her to Annabelle.

“Nice show.”

Charles commented. They had watched the performance from the balcony. It was the same one Catherine had stalked them from the night before.

“I wanted to make it longer, but the last person we need just arrived. I’m going to go talk to him, and hope this gamble pays off.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Oh, we’re all dead. Hey, can I borrow a sword?”

Annabelle glared at him before passing him one of her weapons. It was a sturdy one-handed sword. Jackson tested the balance a few times before heading off.

“You better return that. And stop abusing my little sister like this. She clearly can’t handle this magic.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

Jackson wasn’t surprised to find the man waiting for him at the entrance. Jackson gulped down some anxiety. The man turned to look at him, his golden eyes glowing in the dim light. He was dressed in a black trench coat; his left arm was covered in black metal as was his left foot. His hair was a mess and his face was heavily scarred. Looking into that face brought back dark memories. The man looked mostly like Jackson’s father, to include his build and grim expression. But he had his mother’s nose and would have had her eyes if they weren’t gold.

“You’re an idiot.”

“I’m you!”

Jackson retorted. The man before him was without a doubt his future self.