Fulfilling a Great Ambition 1

Section

Side quests

Quest

Fulfilling a Great Ambition

Lines

194

Hiroko SagisakaHey, thanks for coming. And here comes the person I wanted you to meet...

NorioUm, is this Hiroko's office? I'm, uh, Norio. I'm a high school student, or, I should be...

Hiroko SagisakaNorio says he's here from the past. If that's true, I can't really offer him any help.

NorioJudging by the calendar... I believe I come from a time period nearly eight years ago.

NorioI was visiting Nishi-Shinjuku one day, and suddenly I was caught up in a huge explosion.

Hiroko SagisakaWhen I finally came to, it was eight years later... or so it seemed.

Hiroko SagisakaThat sounds a lot like what happened to you. I think we can probably trust what he's saying.

PlayerDo you have any proof?

PlayerMaybe it was just a dream?

PlayerI need to think this through for a while.

Hiroko SagisakaHe showed me his school handbook. It was, in fact, issued eight years ago.

NorioI wish... I also thought it was a dream at first, and kept trying to wake myself up.

Hiroko SagisakaOkay, I'll wait here. Come on back after you've had time to think.

Hiroko SagisakaSo, is everything all clear now? Can we continue where we left off?

PlayerSure.

PlayerNot yet.

Hiroko SagisakaExcellent. Now, let's get back to Norio's story.

Hiroko SagisakaWell, feel free to take a rest then. Just give me a holler when you're ready.

NorioIt seems I can't get home on my own, so I've been looking for someone to help me.

NorioI was able to use the cash I had on hand at an internet cafe. That's how I found Hiroko.

Hiroko SagisakaIt must be hard living in a time different from your own. We've got to get you home.

Hiroko SagisakaI believe you're the only one capable of helping him, so see what you can do, okay?

Hiroko SagisakaIs there anyone who might know of a way to get him back to his own time?

PlayerMaybe I should talk to Mirei about it...

NorioI'll be tagging along with you, so thanks in advance!

Mirei MikaguraI'll grant an exception. Luckily, I was able to connect to his old time. There's the exit.

NorioWh-Wh-What is this place?! Are you sure about this?!

NorioHm? This doesn't look right. Please... I need this to work!

MillenniummonWait! You can't go! I refuse to let you go!

NorioYikes! Look at the size of that thing! It's refusing to let me go back to my own time!

MillenniummonI will NOT let you go home. You can't be allowed to return to your time!

MillenniummonYou're quite impressive. I suppose I'll leave you be for the moment.

MillenniummonHowever, I refuse to give up. I plan to enjoy this moment a little longer.

NorioI had no idea that traveling through time was so dangerous.

NorioLet's get out of here... and fast!

NorioIs this the time period I originally came from?

NorioActually, now that I think about it, I do feel a sense of calm here.

NorioOkay, I'll try going back to my house right away! Thanks again for all of your help!

You have accomplished your mission, so it's time for you to return to your time as well.

Hiroko SagisakaWell, well, got some time on your hands today? You don't drop by that often.

Hiroko SagisakaThis is perfect timing. There's something I wanna talk to you about...

???Hello? Is anyone home?

NorioI'm glad I found you. My name's Norio.

Hiroko SagisakaNorio? You mean the same Norio that sent me an email saying he's from the past?

NorioThat was the me from the past. I'm the me from the present.

NorioYou helped me eight years ago. Although, I guess that was just a short time ago for you.

Hiroko SagisakaHm, I'm not sure I understand. Take it from the top and give us all the deets.

Hiroko SagisakaI see... So we talked to the Norio from the past and sent him—err, you—back to your time.

Hiroko SagisakaAnd now you're telling us that you're that version of Norio that time traveled before.

NorioNaturally, I knew that the two of you would encounter my younger self today.

NorioYou both know my situation, so there's something I could use your help with.

PlayerYou were supposed to go back to normal life.

PlayerYou want to time travel again?

PlayerMaybe it was just a dream?

NorioYes, that was the plan. My life was going to return to normal... or so I thought.

NorioNo, I'm through with all that. But I think my younger self is going to show up here again.

NorioI wish it was a dream. Actually, just saying that gives me a strong sense of déjà vu...

NorioYou see, when I went to the future back in high school, past me met up with future me.

Hiroko SagisakaWhat?! Isn't that dangerous?! Based on what I've seen in movies...

Hiroko Sagisaka...it totally screws up the future. I think it's called a time paradox or something.

NorioThat's right. You told me the same thing eight years ago and convinced me not to.

NorioHowever, I couldn't overcome my curiosity to see what it'd be like to meet myself...

Hiroko SagisakaSo you went ahead and did it.

NorioYep. Future me was mega successful. I lived in a fancy condo and ran an IT company.

NorioI even had a wife, too. I married a girl named Hanae that I liked back in high school.

Hiroko SagisakaIt was probably a bad idea to do that, but you're still here now, so it's okay, right?

NorioActually, no... Now I'm super poor and can barely even make ends meet.

NorioI felt my success was guaranteed, so I partied too much and failed my entrance exam.

NorioStill, I felt my life was destined to turn around, so I didn't even try to do better.

Hiroko SagisakaIt sounds like you only have yourself to blame. So, what do you wanna talk about?

NorioWell, the younger me is about to give in to his curiosity and meet his future self.

NorioWhen he does, he needs to see that I'm successful so that history can right itself.

Hiroko SagisakaI get it. You seeing your future self succeed is the way the timeline was meant to be.

NorioI'm worried that if something is different, I might disappear like in that old movie.

NorioSo I have to recreate the situation so I can avoid a time paradox. Please help me!

Hiroko SagisakaWell, what should we do?

PlayerOkay, we'll help you.

PlayerYou reap what you sow, pal.

PlayerI need to think about it.

NorioThank you so much! I knew you'd agree to help me.

NorioI know that as well as anybody. I'm truly sorry for my actions, so please help me!

NorioThat's just a polite way of brushing me off, right? Please! You're my last hope, here!

NorioHigh-school me already reached out. He said he wanted to talk.

NorioI know I didn't get permission, but I said to meet here at your office in about two hours.

Hiroko SagisakaSo, in two hours, you want our help with the meeting between your past and present selves?

NorioThat's right. At the time, I wore a nice suit. Oh, and my wife, Hanae, was there, too.

Hiroko SagisakaWe can easily rent a suit for you to wear, but Hanae is gonna be a problem...

Hiroko SagisakaWe don't have much time, either. I guess we'll just have to call her here.

NorioI've got her number. I asked her for it at our recent class reunion.

Hiroko SagisakaPerfect. Okay, Norio. You give Hanae a call.

Hiroko SagisakaMeanwhile, we'll go get that suit for you. We don't have much time, so move quickly!

Hiroko SagisakaSo that's the situation... Would you mind giving us a hand?

NorioMy past self will be here soon, so I just need you to pretend that we're married.

HanaeI don't know about time travel, but I've seen TV shows where people pretend to be married.

HanaeIt'll be like I'm a private investigator or something. It sounds fun. Count me in!

NorioTh-Thank you!

Hiroko SagisakaOh, perfect timing! Here comes the high school version of Norio now!

Norio (High Schooler)Hey there, future me! Wow, I'm, like, really talking to myself, here!

NorioHey there, high-school me. I know you want to know all about our life, so here goes...

Norio (High Schooler)Wow! I'm the CEO of an IT company AND live in a high-rise condo?! And I marry Hanae, too?!

Hanae...

NorioThat's right. A famous business magazine even named me the
"Savior of the Tech Industry"!

Norio (High Schooler)This is unbelievable! It's like I'm guaranteed to be successful in the future!

HanaeUm, can I say something? I don't think I can keep up this lie any longer!

NorioH-Hanae!

HanaeNorio! No, not you... The younger you. I'm not married to this person. It's all a lie.

Norio (High Schooler)...Wait. What?

HanaeHe's no CEO, either. I actually had to loan him money for our recent class reunion.

Norio (High Schooler)Are you... being serious right now?

HanaeEverything has been one big lie in order to help Hiroko and her friend.

Hiroko SagisakaI'm worried about the potential time paradox here, but I must admit, I agree with Hanae.

Norio (High Schooler)Hiroko and Player, right? Is she telling the truth?

PlayerYes, it's true.

PlayerWhat do you think?

PlayerHaha. We got you!

Norio (High Schooler)I should've known that I'd never be successful...

Norio (High Schooler)I know this is weird for me to say, but I trust Hanae more than my future self.

Hiroko SagisakaHey, this is serious! Let's try not to make this any more complicated than it already is.

Hiroko SagisakaAt any rate, I need to be honest with you, high-school Norio.

Hiroko SagisakaYou saw your future success and stopped trying, so that's why you end up like this.

NorioU-Um...

HanaeIt's over, Norio. I can't be a part of this charade anymore.

HanaeBack in high school, I was attracted to your honesty, but when did you lose that quality?

Norio...

Norio (High Schooler)I understand. Thank you. Now, then, is it possible for me to return to my own time?

Hiroko SagisakaWe can send you back... right? Go ahead and send Norio here back to his own time.

Hiroko Sagisaka...Sorry. I guess we need a little more time!

Hiroko SagisakaSomething's been bothering me for a while. Don't you find this kinda strange?

PlayerYou mean time travel?

PlayerAre you talking about Norio himself?

PlayerNorio's suit?

Hiroko SagisakaYeah, time travel is definitely weird, but I'm talking about something else.

Hiroko SagisakaYou noticed it, too? There's something off about all this.

Hiroko SagisakaWell, it DOES look a bit cheap for a "CEO," but I'm talking about something else!

Hiroko SagisakaYou and Inori were both caught up in the chaos and turned up missing.

Hiroko SagisakaIt was because you traveled eight years into the future. Norio should've been the same...

Hiroko SagisakaSo why did Norio grow up and not go missing? Does it mean that one of them is a fake?

This woman actually has a brain on her shoulders.

MillenniummonI took an interest in the boy when I saw him wandering between time and space.

MillenniummonI was curious what would happen if he met himself, so I played with space-time a bit.

MillenniummonThis is a rare opportunity. Therefore, I cannot let you go home before I have my fun!

Norio (High Schooler)Stay back, Hanae! Get over here, quickly!

HanaeAgh! My legs refuse to move... Help!

Norio (High Schooler)Look out!

HanaeYoung Norio! You saved my life... Are you all right?!

Norio (High Schooler)O-Ow... I'll be okay. Come this way, Hanae!

Norio (High Schooler)We'd just slow them down. We should probably leave this to our friends here!

MillenniummonUrk... Impossible... How could this be?!

MillenniummonI lost... Go ahead and finish me off now. Erase me from existence!

NorioThere's no need for that. It's not like curiosity is a bad thing, right?

Norio (High Schooler)Besides, it was your mischief that allowed me the positive experience of meeting future me.

Millenniummon...Well, I apologize. I'll refrain from ever engaging in such behavior in the future.

MillenniummonYou should go and live a happy life.

Hiroko SagisakaSo this warping of time and space caused two versions of Norio to come into existence.

Hiroko SagisakaAnd it goes without saying that the high school version of Norio doesn't belong here.

NorioOkay, this is goodbye for real, then. I'm sorry for all the trouble.

Norio (High Schooler)It's all good. It was amazing having the chance to meet you... or should I say myself?

Norio (High Schooler)Okay, Player. Please send me back to my own time.

Mirei MikaguraWhat can I do for you? Oh, it's you again.

Norio (High Schooler)Again? What do you mean?

Mirei MikaguraI just sent you back... Wait. This is a slightly different time from last time, huh?

Mirei MikaguraOkay, I'll send the kid home, but this is the last time I'll let a normal person through.

Norio (High Schooler)Is this the time period I originally came from? I do feel a sense of calm here.

Norio (High Schooler)Am I really going to be such a loser in the future? Is my fate predetermined? No...

Norio (High Schooler)Anyway, I'll try going back to my house now. Thanks again for all of your help!

You have accomplished your mission, so it's time for you to return to your time as well.

Hiroko SagisakaAh, you're back. It looks like young Norio made it home safely?

NorioHey there, Player. I'm sorry for any trouble my past and present selves caused.

NorioOkay, we should be heading home, too. Are you ready, Hanae?

HanaeYes.

Hiroko SagisakaHm? It's been a while since you two last met, right?

NorioHuh? No. What are you talking about? We're married.

NorioWe're going home. We live in that high-rise on the other side of the park.

HanaeYou two should come visit us sometime!

Hiroko SagisakaIt turns out you ended up becoming successful after all?

NorioI wrote about my experience, and it became a bestselling book, anime, movie and musical.

NorioWhen I saved future Hanae that time, I felt I could change things if I tried hard enough.

HanaeWhen he came back from the future, he told me his feelings for me. He seemed so different.

Hiroko SagisakaYeah, quite a difference from the Norio who couldn't even pay at his own reunion...

NorioEverything's great now. I have a home and a job, as well as a beautiful wife.

NorioOf course, this is all thanks to the two of you sending me back to my own time.

HanaeWe should get going, Norio. You'll be late for your magazine interview.

NorioOh, that's right. Well, I hope to see both of you again someday!

Hiroko SagisakaI guess the younger Norio was worried about his future and actually got serious.

Hiroko SagisakaOr maybe this was Norio's plan all along...

PlayerHe must've inspired his younger self.

PlayerWhat do you mean?

PlayerWas it all a dream?

Hiroko SagisakaYeah, that must be what happened.

Hiroko SagisakaIn other words, I think he might've used us to get what he wanted.

Hiroko SagisakaI kinda wish it was a dream. It's all so confusing I don't know what to think.

Hiroko SagisakaMaybe he knew that by showing his past self what he'd become, he'd end up successful.

Hiroko SagisakaSo perhaps there was no historical anomaly, and history played out exactly as intended.

Hiroko SagisakaOh, that reminds me. Norio gave us something to thank us. Here you go! Nice work!