Day 256 [Back to the Future Day Special!]

[from StarLight]

Sanae stared blankly at the newcomer for a moment, then uttered a flat, “What.”

White Star grinned. “Don't worry,” she said, “I remember how confused I was the first time this happened! Actually, this is kinda weird for me too, because I heard myself say all this stuff and now I'm the one saying it, and I heard you say the thing I already said… wow, this is really trippy. I know how this entire conversation goes.” White Star suddenly assumed a manly pose. “'Your next line is going to be...'”

“Who are you?” asked Sanae.

“Called it!” said White Star. “I'm you, from the future!”

“You're me?” repeated Sanae.

“And I am you,” said White Star cryptically, before snapping back into serious mode. “But enough references for now. I came back from Monday evening so I can go to the parade in your place, while you take your exam!”

Upon hearing this, Sanae suddenly perked up. “Hey, that's a great idea!” she said. “Why didn't we think of that?”

“Actually, that's what I was about to suggest,” said Kousen. “But if I never got round to suggesting it, then-”

Before Kousen could finish point out the inherent paradox, Sanae interrupted. “Wait!” she said. “Why do I have to take the test? Why can't you take it?”

“Because I already did,” said White Star.

“Wait, what?” said Sanae. “Ugh, this is too confusing!”

“Yeah, I remember,” said White Star. “Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. Uhh… how did I explain this the first time round? Oh yeah!” Walking over to a whiteboard and easel in the corner of the room, White Star pulled out a black whiteboard marker. “Let me illustrate it,” she said. She drew a horizontal line across the board. “This line represents the flow of time. This end is today – Wednesday, October 21st, 2015 – and this end is next Monday.”

“I was about to ask where you got the whiteboard from,” interrupted Sanae, “but I think I already know the answer.”

“If you were thinking 'magic' – and I know you were, because I was you once – then congratulations! You get a gold star!” said White Star.

“Can I get a white star instead?” asked Sanae, cheekily sticking her tongue out. “Ba dum tiss.”

“Can I finish my explanation first?” asked White Star. “Gosh, now I know what Kousen has to put up with.”

Kousen smiled smugly. “You could learn a few things from your future self, Sanae,” she said.

White Star cleared her throat. “Anyway,” she said. “You are currently here, at this precise moment in time.” She began drawing another line parallel to the first one, this time in blue. “You'll progress naturally through the next few days, then on Monday morning, you'll go into school as usual and take that test. That evening, we'll meet on top of Fujitsu Tower to say goodbye, and then you'll travel back in time to now.” White Star drew third line, this time in green, leading diagonally back to the left-hand side of the board.

“And then I'll be you?” said Sanae.

“Now you're getting it!” said White Star. “I'll stay at home playing video games and teaching Kousen some more about the 21st Century, so I don't screw up the space-time continuum or anything. Then, on Monday morning, I'll travel to the parade in your place!” She drew a third line, parallel to the first two. “After Monday evening, you will have travelled back in time to become me, and there'll be only one Sanae Hikari again! It's foolproof!”

Sanae nodded. “Now I get it!” she said. “Yeah, that seems like the perfect plan! Nice thinking, Kousen!”

“Well, technically, I-” At this point, Kousen decided it would be better not to think about the apparent paradox and just roll with it. “I guess you're welcome. But I should warn you, a spell this powerful will consume an awful lot of energy.”

“One-point-twenty-one jiggawatts, to be precise,” said White Star.

“Don't you mean '1.21 gigawatts'?” asked Sanae.

“No,” said White Star. “Anyway, I don't think that'll be a problem, since I already made the jump.”

“That's true,” said Kousen. “But it will have taken a lot of power out of your Emblem, and it will take time for that power to recharge.”

“How long exactly?” asked White Star.

Kousen thought about it for a moment. “Probably until Monday night,” she said. “You already lived that time period once: were there any monster attacks during that time?”

“Nope!” said White Star. “And even if there were, the past me would have taken care of them for me! So everything should be totally fine!”

“Fair enough,” said Kousen. “This plan does seem almost too perfect, if I'm honest, but let's wait and see how it all pans out.”

“Come on, Kousen,” said Sanae. “It's just a little time travel. What could possibly go wrong?”