SPECIALIS - :Far Longer Than Forever: [44]

We waited for a very long time, holding the barely-breathing Zelda in our safe captivity. Groose continued to look down at her while I placed my hand on hers and fed her small portions of the energy I had taken. Stronger signs of life emitted from her as the feeding continued, however I had to pull my hand away to conserve whatever there was left to beat the clock.

Groose looked up at me, "Is she gonna be okay?" I pulled my hand again, not knowing how many times I had applied it. "I'm doing the best I can; so far she's keeping strong, but I don't know how long that's going to last." I would've thought I'd have been fighting some sort of epic battle in the end, not play nurse. I sighed to myself and continued to nurse the spirit maiden with the borrowed energy. Fi had remained behind with Groose and I, however her voice could still reach Link and guide him through. I had asked why she hadn't gone with Link, and she didn't have an answer for me. She looked down at Zelda, and then at me and nodded. "I believe it was a wise choice for you to extract some of the goddess's spirit before the ritual could complete itself, Miss Jacqueline," and I nodded, "Yeah, I'm not sure what really inspired me to do that. It just seemed to scream to me 'do it' and I did it."

"Perhaps Hylia was still calling to you to be Her vessel once more."

"Blech, I don't think so." There was a creepy notion that hinted that Fi was right, but I shoved it away. I continued feeding Zelda with the power, watching her form glow faintly in reaction to it. Fi looked up and towards the pit. She bowed low, "I have confirmed the eradication of the demon king." I looked to Groose with a grin, "That means Link pulled through!" Groose let loose a loud 'wahoo' and took my shoulders and began to jostle me roughly as I held Zelda's unconscious form steady. Fi began to float to the pit and nodded to me, to which I nodded and looked at Groose. "Come on, let's take Her Highness to the Temple..."

Once inside the temple, Zelda had slowly regained consciousness, and the last of the energy I had borrowed poured into her and revived her in full. Impa gave a look of relief, back on her feet and looking quite healthy. Zelda went to embrace her guardian while I remained back with Groose, who looked on in affection. He blinked and looked around, "Hey, where's Link?"

"He'll be along soon, I'm guessing. Fi's just going to check on him." I wasn't worried, and I moved past the gathering troop and went to the stone slabs at the back of the temple, placing my hand on it. I knew that behind the doors, two crystals were contained, and another version of me was sleeping, trying to fight off the taint I had been tormented by for what seemed like an eternity. It's over...I don't feel that darkness pulling at the back of my mind anymore...which means....

"Jacqueline! What are you doing over there? Come back! He's coming!" I turned around and rejoined the party, smiling to see the knight return with Fi. It was a warm reunion all around; Fi was floating next to Impa, Zelda was crying with relief while Groose made a passing joke of our entire adventure being called 'The Legend of Groose', to which I snorted and shook my head. The memories of my struggles with Link hadn't been erased from my mind yet, but I knew the moment was coming. Old Impa's words echoed in my mind, and I dreaded time from continuing further than this point. Still, the others desired to return home, and I wanted to go with them.

However, staying true to all that had happened to me, what I wanted wouldn't happen. Fi ushered Link off to the side and behind the Gate of Time, and I followed. "What, Jacqueline! Aren't you coming with us?" Groose's voice called and I stopped and closed my eyes. I smiled, "...I'll be right behind you. You guys go ahead without me..." I drew my attention forwards and looked at Fi and Link. Fi turned to Link, "Master Link, you have successfully protected the goddess reborn and defeated Demise, fulfilling your role as the hero of legend. My purpose here is complete." She looked at the pedestal that stood behind the Gate, "Therefore, I ask you to dissolve our arrangement as master and servant. Drive the sword into the pedestal before you, and I will return to the sword to enter a sleep without end." Link looked up sharply, "You'll go to sleep forever...?"

That sounds familiar... I looked at the doors beyond the pedestal and then looked back to Fi. "Fi is an instrument of the gods, Link; she doesn't belong indefinitely in the world like this. It's like asking someone to stay separate from their home forever." Link looked at me, and a faint glimmer of recognition sprouted in his eyes. "Like you..."

I nodded and looked back to Fi, "It's....really hard for the both of us to say goodbye to you, Fi. You're like one of the family." The blue figure nodded slowly and she looked to Link, "Now, Master, it is time for us to conclude our necessary companionship." She rose high into the air as a being of light and shot into the blade from behind with such force that Link doubled over from the force of the hit. When he recovered, he looked at me, and I nodded my head slowly. "...Do it, Link. Let her rest...she's gone through a lot of pain to bring this story to a happy ending..."

He looked at me and then at the pedestal. As he approached it, I sighed. "...Hey, Link." Link turned around, seeming to be grateful for the moments he could still spend before sealing Fi away. I crossed my arms and swallowed hard; it was happening too quickly. I was really saying goodbye to him, and to everything I had experienced. With that in mind, I knew that what I said next would be safe enough to say. I looked to him, "...When you seal Fi away, I have to go..."

"Back to your home?" I nodded and he glanced down for a moment before nodding in turn. "I'm glad you can go home, Jacqueline...you must miss it a lot." I shrugged half-heartedly and looked at him, revising over what Other Me had said. "When I leave, I won't be coming back...seems like this was just a once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing, right?"

"That makes sense." He and I shared a brief moment of silence before he looked to me with a smile, "At least we'll still remember each other, right?" Agony shot through my heart, even as I lied through a smile, "Yeah...we'll always be friends, Link...I'll never forget you."

"And I'll never forget you, Jacqueline." Oh, the pain I felt at that statement and the extreme effort it took for me to hide it. All of you are going to forget me...it's for the best... Link went to the pedestal and unsheathed the Master Sword, raising it high into the air. As he prepared to seal Fi away and end the quest, I thought of all of the struggles I had come through; the first time Ghirahim had infected me, the stupid arguments in the volcano, betraying his trust in the desert, helping the people of Skyloft, the delicious pumpkin soup that had the taste of home in it, being tutored by Batreaux, my training at the Academy, mastering my control over darker creatures, and losing myself to Ghirahim's evil plots, only to awaken to find myself among friends again. All of these things I filed through my head, wishing that forgetting them was just a horrible joke; I wouldn't even be mad if it was a prank. I just didn't want it to come true.

Still, I knew that Other Me was deadly serious about it; I would be forgotten. I had to be forgotten, or the history would change. For the safety of my friends, I had to let it all go, despite my deepest desires to stay with my best friends in the world. I looked back, seeing Groose and Zelda had already departed through the Gate. Link was in position to plunge the sword into the pedestal, his gaze focused on it. He lifted the tip higher in momentum.

I closed my eyes as I heard the sword slip neatly into its resting place, and a light began to emit through my eyelids. "Goodbye, partner..." The light grew brightly and it was suddenly gone.

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I sat down on the steps, watching as the knight descended them after he had said his farewells to Fi's spiritual voice from the sword, seemingly without a clue or hint that he was forgetting something. He went to the bottom of the steps to talk to Impa, both within sight. I looked at myself; I was transparent and pieces of me were gently filtering off into golden orbs. Yup...he's forgotten me now, and I'm fading away from all of their memories...

...Miss Jacqueline...

My head shot up. "Fi? What the--you haven't forgotten me?" I turned and saw Fi's form floating over the blade, her eyes on me. I scrambled to my feet, wildly moving my hands in disbelief. "What...but Other Me said--"

...What your spiritual half told you was correct....you will fade from all comprehension of mind in legend and of those that you have traveled with....Yet...something beckons me to hold onto my awareness a little longer to speak to you...my data does not have the comprehension to manifest my collective conscience and form a true human emotion...however it may come close to the need to pay a debt to you...

"Fi, what do you mean? I don't get it--you don't owe me anything! You've saved my ass dozens of times!"

It is not just myself, but Hylia Herself, that feels indebted to you, Miss Jacqueline...were it not for you, everything She fought for would have perished...and you have done so much for Her people without question...even in doubt, you turned away from your chance to return home...and remained to complete the salvation of this world...

"It's not like I could really go back, otherwise Earth would be fucked." I turned to look down the steps, "I guess this is really it? It's really happening. I'm going home..." I turned to look at Fi, "Is it bad that I really don't want to go home?"

Fi looked up to where Impa and Link were talking, pausing. ...I believe the closest sensation that I have to human emotion is mutual regret, Miss Jacqueline. Master Link was a good master, and if it were meant to be, I would have....stayed a little longer, as well. We both shared a moment of silence, looking at the knight and the spirit maiden's former guardian, and I glanced behind me at the doors. "Hey...am I still behind there?"

In accordance to the events that have come to pass to prevent Lord Ghirahim and Demise from succeeding, yes, Miss Jacqueline. Your sleeping form will remain in this timeline as a necessary factor to keep evil from changing the fate we have given this world. I smirked, "At least a part of me is sticking around, even if nobody will be around to see it." I looked at my hand, finding it harder to see. "Fi, I want to thank you for being there for me. You were an annoying bitch at times, but...you were a real friend. Honestly there were times when I thought I was completely alone in the dark."

The blue figure looked back to me, and then back down to Link and Impa. ...You are welcome, Miss Jacqueline. My collective knowledge indicates that it was necessary to save you, even if you were not meant to last...I did what I could to prevent your suffering. The Goddess never originally intended you to be caught within the chaos. Fi fixated her gaze on me, There is something that...can be done to ensure that you will be fondly remembered without interfering with the history, Miss Jacqueline.

I looked up at Fi, "Really? Well...that's...that's better than being entirely forgotten, I guess. What did you have in mind?" Fi looked down at the Master Sword, which was glowing faintly with her conscience. As you can see, Miss Jacqueline, I will fall into a sleep of which I shall never awaken again. Because of this, my knowledge will remain closed to the mind of mortal mankind. If you wish, Miss Jacqueline, I can retain one interaction and store it with my spirit in sleep.

I sat up straight and blinked. "Really? Well....I....okay..."

Fi looked to me, It is your choice to make, Miss Jacqueline. If you wish it, I will store one memory with me as I sleep. Which memory do you wish to import? I looked at Fi and began to think of the many wonderful moments I had shared with all of my friends on my adventures. The day we met? Too cliché...and this moment is just stupid--who wants to Kodak the moment of their death?! Hmm...something impacting, something meaningful.... I looked up at Fi, "I want to make one last memory, Fi, to store with you while you go to sleep. Is that all right?"

The blue figure nodded, and I stood back up, towering over the Master Sword. I looked Fi head-on and spoke gently:

"My name is Jacqueline, and I died so this world could live. When I first came here from Earth, I didn't know what the fuck was going on. That could speak for what happened here in this world, and what was going on in mine. I'm fading away now, and all of the adventures I shared with my friends here are going to disappear and fade away. I'm not going to be remembered, or be a celebrated hero. Hell, I'm not even going to remember saying this when I disappear. But I want you to know that I...honestly don't regret a single thing. It was especially satisfying to see Ghirahim 'poof' out of existence like that, but what was even better was the friends I made along the way. How are you doing Fi? You're doing okay? Okay--okay, I'll try to make this quick, then. It really sucks that nobody's going to remember this after I'm gone. It really blows. But it's for the best; apparently things would get really shitty if people tried to get heroes from Earth to do their work for them. Same goes for evil, too. I wish I could remain in your hearts, but my legend's about to die. Fi, I'm sorry you have to go to sleep forever too; I've never known someone quite like you, and I'm going to miss you--well, at least a part of me is, since the rest of me is going to forget when I go back. Whoever comes after Mister Hero Pants down there had better treat Fi right and wield that sword safely; it's the blade of Evil's Bane, after all. Goodbye, everyone. It was nice knowing you. Stay safe..." I looked up at Fi, "That's what I wanted to record. Did you get that?" Fi nodded and began to recede into the blade. Miss Jacqueline, thank you for your kindness, and thank you for saving this world. This is truly a remarkable fate to be given to it. Perhaps we will meet again in another time.

"I wish, Fi...goodbye. Sweet dreams." The sword paled slightly as Fi's conscience slipped away, along with the final memory of me. The last one to ever remember me was gone, and I turned to look down the steps. A light began to glow from within me as I felt myself being removed from the world. I burst into tears and laughed as cheerfully as I could, "Take care, Link! Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone!" The light took me, and I was lifted into the air, and my existence was erased. All except for the crystallized figure that slumbered behind the doors.

I wouldn't know it, but the Chosen knight that had saved both spirit maidens multiple times before turned to hear a familiar voice call a farewell to him, and he had turned to answer with a reflexive response. The memory of Jacqueline vanished almost instantly, and the sad laughter became nameless in his mind. He turned to look at Impa, nodded to her, and passed through the Gate of Time to his saved world.