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Friday, October 25, 2013

Narnia: If I could turn back time (The Midas Pool version 2)

[Originally posted at Ana Mardoll's Ramblings.]
[Having discovered a pool of water that turns all it touches into gold (with the body of an unfortunate person trapped inside), Caspian has decided to become RICH and sworn everyone to secrecy on pain of death, Edmund has decided to angrily argue the chain of command, Lucy has decided to use sexism to assume that two boys being jerks means all boys are jerks, Eustace has narrowly avoided being turned to gold himself, and Reepicheep hasn't done much.  At this point, with bloodshed imminent, Aslan shows up.]

Aslan said, "The humans always do make a mess of things, don't they, Reepicheep?"
"Often times they do," Reepicheep responded. He noticed that the humans were all frozen in place.
"I'm thinking of rolling back time a bit and having a do over. You'll be protected from the effects but they'll be disoriented and suggestible. Do you think you can get them out of here before they screw up again?"
"I can do it in three sentences sire."
"Then that is what I will ask you to do."
"And what of the man in the pool?"
"I was hoping that the humans would take it upon themselves to save one of their own, but it looks like I'll have to get him out and revive him. Just like I did with Octesian."
"Sire, if I might inquire," Reepicheep said, "what did happen to Lord Octesian?"
"He gave away all of his possessions, one at a time, to the poor, the needy, and those who had distinguished themselves through tireless service to those less powerful than themselves. The last of his original possessions was a wrist bracelet he gave to a dying old dragon who had long defended the neighboring islands from pirates. He did this not long before you arrived and the dragon died.
"Unfortunately he became shipwrecked on a reef not far from 'Dragon Island' and, with his shipmates, was in need of a boat. I had hoped that finding the bracelet would cause the humans to start a search which would have quickly located the reef, Octesian, and his companions, thus rescuing them with minimum disruption.
"Instead I had to go to him personally and swim him to the nearest inhabited island. Then do the same for each of his companions. While I was doing that pirates exploited the absence of the dragon to sack a village, I believe you've been there."
Reepicheep nodded.
"Are you ready for me to roll time back?"
"Yes sire."
"Remember, if you don't act to change things quickly the timeline will remain the same."

----

[Not part of the story, but if anyone wants to know what happened after time was turned back, here is the original text which follows the above exchange:]

   Across the gray hillside above them—gray, for the heather was not yet in bloom—without noise, and without looking at them, and shining as if he were in bright sunlight though the sun had in fact gone in, passed with slow pace the hugest lion that human eyes have ever seen. In describing the scene Lucy said afterward, “He was the size of an elephant,” though at another time she only said, “The size of a cart-horse.” But it was not the size that mattered. Nobody dared to ask what it was. They knew it was Aslan.
   And nobody ever saw how or where he went. They looked at one another like people waking from sleep.
   “What were we talking about?” said Caspian. “Have I been making rather an ass of myself?”
   “Sire,” said Reepicheep, “this is a place with a curse on it. Let us get back on board at once. And if I might have the honor of naming this island, I should call it Deathwater.”

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