Tautology

"Do not rely on the breakage of time as I once did." - Truth the Sunmaker, in her book: A Simple Guide for the Inheritors of Earth, on Having Realistic Expectations.

Rain leapt through the window shattered by Lucky Wu's bullets, easily slapped away Logan, freeing Aiden before she turned and defeated the undying Citizens-

Youtube Rewind!

Rain leapt through the window shattered by Lucky Wu's bullets and paused.

Logan laughed as he faced his phone, "She looks tricky chat, but time for round two-" He could not finish as his head burst like an overripe tomato. Rain withdrew her bloodied fist and-

Youtube Rewind!

Rain leapt through the window shattered by Lucky Wu's bullets, grabbed Logan by the collar and threw him into the stratosphere.

Youtube Rewind!

Rain leapt through the window shattered by Lucky Wu's bullets, grabbed Aiden and somersaulted out the window, her steps travelling hundreds of leagues in an instant-

Youtube Rewind!

...

Rain leapt through the window shattered by Lucky Wu's bullets and loudly sighed as Logan laughed maniacally. When Aiden slammed the door, muttering, "It's not a phase," knowing well Rain could hear him, five subjective minutes had passed in the loop.

<I>|<I>

Vanta's hands were tied as he sat with his three captors in a small and cramped room. The three brothers shared a familial appearance, each built like lumberjacks and clad in alligator leather.

"Everyone should have at least three extremely petty hobbies," the eldest, Stevie Smash, spoke. He had a distinct blocky steel prosthetic lower jaw that looked like the business end of a construction excavator. "Like ragebaiting online or shitting on your neighbours lawn. They're extremely petty, but fundamentally harmless. Humans need emotional outlets, otherwise it just bottles up like constipation. People who aren't petty must have it all pent up, who knows when they'll shit it all out?"

"Is this really the time to be asking about that?" the youngest, Pauler Smash, asked. "These Ozzie meta's are no joke! They apparently killed Xan."

The middle brother, whose proportions looked squashed as if a piano fell directly onto his head, Sean Smash picked his ear, "Who was that again?"

"The guy who could store things in his skin?" Pauler exasperated. "He was practically immortal!"

"Eh, that guy was a prick, and way too reliant on his power, and I heard he happened onto some kid who countered his powers and immediately panicked." Stevie picked his nose. He glanced at Vanta, "Know anything about it?"

Vanta of course knew, it was Aiden and his friends who killed the criminal whom Ya recently discovered was another mercenary under the Democracy's employ. What he had been doing stealing from a common bank was still in question.

"Onto the far more important matter," Stevie redirected, "It has come to my attention neither of you have petty hobbies. We need to fix this immediately."

"We should've been dentists," Pauler whined, he was sweating so much that the fake tattoo of stars and stripes on his arm peeled off slightly.

Stevie patted the sticker back on, "You know what ma said."

With a defeated face, Pauler recited, "Faces like yours, no one will believe you are dentists! Everyone will just think you are poorly concealed henchmen waiting for cue, just be real henchmen! Henchmen of honesty and honour!" He sighed, "I miss ma."

The three thumped their chests, "Bless her heart."

The door slammed open, in walked a bloody Praise Amazon, "What are you fools doing? Get to work!"

Outside in the hallway, Hyper Washington Moregunson carried the headless body of Budlight Turbo Reagan. "He is approaching."

"Who is?" Sean asked as they shoved their way out of the room. Pauler grabbed Vanta by the rope.

The lights flickered, Pauler briefly saw a dark silhouette at the end of the hallway before the light above the silhouette shut off.

Then the next.

And the next.

The once lit hallway was quickly painted in darkness. Hyper Washington Moregunson moved to a stance as the light above him went out, Pauler briefly saw something like tentacles wrap around the man before he was dragged into the darkness.

"Pauler!" Stevie yelled as sets of teeth manifested around him and flew forward.

He knocked Pauler out of his daze, he used his power and with it he sensed dozens, hundreds of teeth in the darkness. "Multiple attackers!" He glanced at their captive, a single moment that didn't go unnoticed to their attacker as a massive brown serpent darted out of the darkness. Only to be jerked away as Sean caught it by the neck. Quickly, it looked to the three of them to be a piece of rope with a snake painted over it.

"Spawner type," Stevie assessed. "Pauler!"

Pauler clenched his fist, and all those teeth warped to his control, the serpent's jaws violently slammed shut in the wrong way, piercing itself with its own venom, but his gut instinct kept screaming.

For focusing on the numerous sets of teeth ahead of them, Pauler had dismissed two sets of teeth above them.

Aiden fell from the ceiling, shedding his camouflage for armour in a single moment, he slammed Stevie into the ground as two serpents darted towards Pauler and Sean. The brothers reacted quickly, Pauler controlled his serpent by its teeth, jerking it around so that it went for Aiden, while Sean grabbed the second serpent and threw the old and new one into the air above.

Pauler's controlled serpent connected, but as soon as it made contact with skin Aiden reabsorbed it, leaving only limp rope. The teeth of the other two serpents shone a brilliant white as Sean used his power, quickly their teeth multiplied until they exploded into shrapnel, only for the explosion to be stopped in midair just a short distance from their assailant.

"Hmm, this is a predicament." Aiden had Stevie on the ground in a hold, one finger with a mantis shrimp tattoo against his back, but a set of floating teeth caressed Aiden's neck.

"Do anything and I'll rip your throat out," Stevie grunted through his steel jaw.

"You summon teeth and manipulate them, that guy," Aiden glanced at Pauler who audibly gulped, "senses and controls teeth and can even change their shape, while the short guy over there can make the teeth of those he touches explode."

There went their hand reveal.

"You're not faster then me," Aiden stated to Stevie.

"Try me," Stevie grinned, "We're the Smash Mouth brothers, we've killed a dragon, we're Immortal with a capital I."

The trigger occurred when Praise Amazon ran back in the corridor and threw a gas canister that exploded in the middle of them.

Aiden's finger flicked faster than sound while the teeth on his neck tore into him. Below Stevie summoned a new set of teeth that Pauler quickly reinforced with his own power to block the flick, while above the attacking set of teeth met grey stone skin. The two men threw each other off. Stevie back with his brothers while Aiden faded back into the darkness.

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"Hey! You could've gotten us," Sean yelled at Praise Amazon as they retreated out of the toxic gas.

"You are just cheap labour, we can replace you any time," Praise Amazon answered. "Where is the new employee?"

Pauler glanced down to find Vanta gone.

<I>|<I>

5,251 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Aiden slammed the door and the loop started anew. "Why won't you let me win?" Logan laughed.

Rain replied with a straight punch, unchanged from her second loop and with years of practice behind him, Logan finally dodged it. The aftershock of her punch blasted back his hair, threw debris into the air and rocked the cargo ship back and forth. Logan's grin grew wider before his vision started spinning, he crashed onto the ground, seeing his headless body fall as he was decapitated by Rain's roundhouse kick.

Then his head began spinning backwards, flesh reknit and Rain took a step back, the clock rewound before beginning again. Aiden slammed the door and Logan's grin did not change. "You know I'll just reset and come back newer-" he said as Rain repeated her attacks, he dodged the punch before being decapitated with a roundhouse kick. "-And with every try I'm getting even faster than you are."

"Perhaps," Rain acknowledged, "This is a contest of wills and endurance to see who gives up first." She smiled, "And personally, I have fought battles that lasted much longer."

92,162 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan finally dodged the roundhouse kick. "Don't you see! It doesn't matter how many times you win! I control what results from this! And this makes you my prisoner! You can't win against my determination!"

Rain only looked confused as she speared her arm through his heart, "Is your memory this short? I just told you a moment ago it was a battle of wills and endurance."

5,316,719 subjective years had passed in the loop.

"How are you still not tired!" Logan screamed as he dodged Rain's first punch.

Rain held her earlier confusion, until she suddenly realised something as Logan dodged her roundhouse kick. "I apologise for my earlier comment," Rain said as she speared her arm through Logan's heart again, "I just realised you may still be operating on mortal timescales, and thus not remember."

"What is she talking about chat," Logan said through gritted teeth, "Millions of years have passed! How is that a mortal timescale?"

"It can still be measured by mortals can't it?" Rain replied simply.

8,484,491,151 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Despite his body resetting to full health after every loop, sweat beaded down Logan's face as he dodged Rain's third move. "Why do you not change your moves?" he asked.

"You are not worthy," Rain simply told him. "It would be like using a weapon against a child, entirely unfair and unjust."

Logan gritted his teeth then screamed, "Do you hear that chat! She thinks she can beat me! ME!"

Rain pointed at his selfie stick, "Your device is not on."

It had never been on.

Logan rushed Rain in mad rage.

1.6e11 subjective years had passed in the loop.

"Why?" Logan rasped, "Why am I not worthy?"

And Rain told him.

Logan stood still, letting her words sink in, his selfie stick clattered to the ground. Then his eyes turned to the revolver Budlight Turbo Reagan had dropped onto the ground billions of years ago. He picked it up, held it in his hand, then Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

7.2e19 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

2.9e56 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

1.8e97 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

2.6e129 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

6.7e258 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

3.5e386 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

9.4e894 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

1.4e1551 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

7.7e3341 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

2.9e5143 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

8.2e9888 subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

ERROR NANEINF subjective years had passed in the loop.

Logan put the revolver in his mouth and fired.

…

…

…

Aiden slammed the door and Rain rushed Logan, her first punch missed him by a hair, as did her follow up roundhouse kick, sweated beaded down Logan's forehead as he dodged her arm spearing the space where his chest was. "Why?" Logan rasped, "Why am I not worthy?"

Rain answered that question with a question of her own. "What is your goal?"

Logan opened his mouth, "I-" the tattoo on his back of stars and stripes glowed. "I am to serve the Democracy," the tattoo dimmed, "-and save the world."

Rain nodded, "Indeed, a noble goal whom many share. From what I understand, this realm's powers don't work through actual laws of reality like physics, but from how people may imagine supernatural power to function. Thus there is a significant cultural aspect to it, potions were unheard of in your world until one woman created a cure-all potion. In creating a 'motif', people culturally began to associate healing with potions, and thus more people obtained powers relating to creating potions."

"How is this relevant?"

"In your history, there is also a very clear and obvious point where time was controlled as a weapon against you, the woman named Truth also very famously passed information through time to repair the world's ecology. Yet, when I arrived, I found none in this world who could control time to a meaningful degree, only scant evidence of past time manipulation with your damaged timeline."

"Truth could only do it on accident," Logan said.

"Really?" Rain asked with a raised eyebrow, "An old monster like her, who survived the end of the world and shepherded humanity through the dark, who rallied armies of endless eras of history against the moon and personally shattered it, would not be able to control time when an example of it being done so with repeatable science and technology was literally above her head? And if not her, then certainly someone else. This world doesn't lack the motivation, your people are very abnormal, unlike my world there is no shortage of heroes and martyrs; you could grab a random person off the street and they would be willing to give their life to save the world."

Logan asked very quietly, "What does it all mean?"

"It means something very simple, there have been, is, and will be, countless number of time travellers in this world, and they all failed."

Logan stood still, letting her words sink in, his selfie stick clattered to the ground. Then his eyes turned to the revolver Budlight Turbo Reagan had dropped onto the ground. He picked it up, held it in his hand, then put the revolver in his mouth and fired, his body fell dead to the ground.

"And that's why you aren't worthy," Rain gently chided. "You cannot contend with an enemy as basic as the objective futility of your own existence."