Game Changer

15 of May is the most important day for the city of Moresley. There would be an annual festival that would be held to celebrate the Day of Victory. Tons of events and competitions were being prepared in this day, with a great amount or reward for the winners. Say it, the Day of Victory is all about the honor to be the champion.

Adrian approach that bizarre plaza. This plaza was built over 200 years since the city of Moresley exists, and it always the most significant landmark for all the participants. However, he found that nothing special as he almost came here annually for the Mazerace Game. In the other word, he was already an old friend to this place, whatever what details or views seems too reluctant to be appreciate by him.  

In fact, he was already late to the competition. He went for the shortcut that he usually took, expecting a junction would be found at the end of the street. If he was lucky enough, probably a taxi driver would be waiting there for incoming passenger. Of perhaps he could use the bicycles, there would be a bicycle booth and he could use them to sped up the route.

However, no any transportation was found on there, even a single road coated in tar. Most strangely he found the whole layout of the neighborhood building was not tally with his memory. 

How could it be? Is there any major reconstruction that carried out on this area? But it's impossible. He was firmly sure that the festival that held in the year of 2020 did not have any amendment of location.  

Finally he give.

"Excuse me, could you tell me where to go to the Augury Square?"

Admitting he was probably in lost. He reached out for a vendor that was selling grapes wine. 

"Augury Square?" The merchant is confused. "Sorry...I don't ever heard of this place." 

"Alright never mine..." His disappointed eyes stopped on the stall, being running along all the street makes him thirsty.

A full wall of vine was displayed proudly behind the vendor, it was climbing with bundles of ripped grapes. Thanks to the not so blazing sun on spring, there were all well grown, making the wine looks more tasty. Sweet smells that filled in the atmosphere remind him the smell of wine festivals, although it was not the time to buy a glass of it.

"Since you said it is the plaza, try to check out the trishaw rider at that place. That guy probably know every place in this city." That vendor suggested, at the same time he noticed Adrian's thirsty eyes: "You looks exhausted. Why don't just take some rest and have a drink?"

"Alright, a glass of Pinotage please, mild cold." he finally surrender, then pointed on a drink that labelled with this name. That competition might be starting in a minute, but at this point he don't think so he could made it.

Infact, he is here not to participate in the competition. 

He handed over that smoky glass with water droplet dripping on, swallowed in an frustrated anger although it might ruined the taste. But sometimes, get lost in a place that you expected to be pretty familiar with is uneasy drained you. Weird, weird. He was in desperation. 

Soon he took out some of the pocket money which he bring from 2021, while searching for the price list in the store, but found nothing. [What century is this if a store doesn't have any price list?] He can't find a single price list, then asked: "How much?" Not expecting the vendor would give a friendly price. Probably a store without price list would relatively be some 'picked' store.

"Hmm...135 Counia." The vendor was puzzled when he saw those things on Adrian's wallet "What is this?"

At this point Adrian started noticing something was going wrong. "Cash. Don't you ever seen this before?" 

"That's not cash. Did you get them from the millionaire board game? Huh? " The vendor teased, his sound alarmed: "Don't try to play tricks at here, do you have cash or not?"

He does not recognized the cash, Adrian was totally clueless. But at this point he thinks that he know the reason.

"No, I'm sure this is cash. Take this...Wait! Let me explain!" He tried to block his face before the furious vender started smashing stuff towards him. "There is something complicated...ouch! Don't smash!"

"Begone! Don't ever return! Or you'll in trouble!" 

That vendor is somehow overreact. He wanted to argued furthermore until there someone voice in entering the scene. "Hey! You, let's have a talk. Hey! You, let's have a talk. Hey! You..."

"Sorry sorry..." He felt his face heated up, he sense that baffled stare from that vendor's eyes: "Just a mo, I'll be right back." Then he dismissing himself in the corner of street.

"Oh gosh, I hope that this is not something devil..." That vendor, stood at there started sweating in cold, despite that sun behind the green wall still shining brightly. He was shaking terrible when he heard another voice coming from Adrian's direction. That young man skipping away while talking to someone invisible stills haunted him badly, probably causing him nightmare this night.

"Did he said that he'll be right back later? I'll better be prepared. " He mumbling, then his shaking hand starting gathering tools and items. At the same time, asking for his beer buddy to teamed up...

***

In Adrian Perspectives

If you are the one who can't remember events in history , then having a friend like Jasper would definitely help you. Don't worry, he is not going to give you a tuition. All you need to do is just sneak into his invention room, and throw yourself into that shimmering portal.

Top secret, I am someone who came from the year of 2021. From the same day which the festival for the Day of Victory supposed to be held. However, due to the current Korved-09 pandemic, it is sad to said that my favorite celebration had to be called off. It is a great regression for me as I had spend my crazy amount of time for that MazerRace competition and that's all. I had never get be the champion before, the best record is just the silver plate in the year of 2020, which is one year before. 

Fortunately, I am lucky to have a incredible friend like Jasper. Although his invention is not exposed to the public, yet. But believe it or not, I had saw a reallife time machine in his workroom. I had heard he mentioned something related before, and I believe that he had succeed. Since I am the person that as the first testimony of his invention, volunteered by myself.

Yes, you get me. At 2021 which the Day of Victory supposedly to be celebrated, I was totally upset to looking out the empty street. Everyone is quarantine in home, no festivals, no competitions. Those training that I had overcome was just, unworthy. 

I better not wasting it, I need to do something. 

Before this, I actually asked for Jasper permissions by using his time machine--by leaving a note on his table, stating that:

"Hey buddy, I volunteered to be your first user of the time machine. Wait for my useful comments later on! - Ad."

Seriously, I need to admit that his time machine was a beast. I had successfully transferred to the City of Moresley, which the festival would be normally held. It's an delightful experience as you saw everyone at here doesn't equipped with a facemask. Since Korved-09 stills in peace in our area, at this moment.

Not like where the world that I belongs. I thought in sorrowful. There is never a return, and these scenes would be forever. 

My leather watch showing time of 11.45 am. Around 15minutes more before the festival start, I hope that I could get right there before the festival start. I still need to be prepare for my competition. Probably smash the 2020 version of myself into blackout temporarily and replace him... Or helping myself secretly when the competition was going? I started figuring different kinds of solution started forming in my mind. 

I AM HERE TO CHANGE.

I could confidently claimed that I knows everything of this plaza, I came here every year. However, it is funny that I eventually found myself wondering aimlessly at the plaza. At this point, probably I was lost.

Perhaps you had knew that what I had happened between that Grape Juice seller and me. I had drank his awfully weird grape juice, which is too acidic my taste buds. Supposedly something called Pinotage wouldn't be too bad but I was wrong. And later he says that I gave him some fake cash that only found in the Millionaire board game, I was speechless.

Lucky a call from Jasper had saved me from that difficult situation, although at this point I had a regression of the ringtone that I had picked.

"Adrian. I'm salute for your courage. How's about the trip." 

Seems Jasper was not in a good mood. I better choose my word wisely.

"Umm.. I think it is successfully in terms of effectiveness. But I think the people at here is quite wierd..." I commented.

"You know why?" He was almost squeezing his word, trying to not freak out: "This time machine stills posses BUGs that I'm trying to prefect it. It only could specified the date, but not the year."

I felt a sudden thunder storm internally, my world started cracking "You means that..."

"Yes you are right. Now please. Get to a nearby bookstore. And one thing I had to tell you, you need to be prepared.."

"What thing?" I swallowed. While at the same time, I glanced towards a bookstore at my right side. There are newspaper that displayed at the glass mirror. I keep my urge to comment on their outdated design of the window(in fact the whole street is all with this kind of old design), and peek towards one of the newspaper. 

And Jasper's sound stills keep going in the phone. 

"Listen, Adrian. I still not yet invented the portal that could bring you back from that time. So..."

"Alright." my sound croaked, "See you 40 years later."

At the date column of that newspaper, stated in their old style font, boldly:

15 May 1985.