Chapter Eight: Yuli's Vision
(Yuli)
Despite what I'd thought when I'd first arrived at the Chronos, it wasn't so bad playing Time Guardian. Chronos wasn't that bad of a master, and I wasn't living a life of solitude. I missed Mia and the others, but I did have a pet and a few friends. Stopwatch, my dog, ran over to me from my seat on my bed. "Hey boy," I said. I rubbed the brown dog's head. "Good boy," I said.
KNOCK-KNOCK.
"Come in," I said. I lifted my head as Chronos entered my room. He was followed by Father Time himself. King Chronos is a tubby man with golden hair and a body shaped like a clock. King Chronos is a bit of a rude loser at times, but I don't argue with the ruler of time. He makes the rules I live by. He's the one who decides if I am allowed back home once I've reached fourteen physically.
Father Time is my favorite person in the Chronos. He's a tall, old man in a light blue robes with little hour glasses imprinted on it. He always carries a tall staff with an hour glass on the tip, and is very kind to me. He is the only one besides the other Ronins who think I did the right thing by letting Kojiro live. Sad that Chronos didn't always listen to his wise advice.
"Yuli, my boy," said King Chronos, sitting awkwardly next to me. "You've done a fine job as the Time Guardian. A splendid job!"
"You seemed to hate him when he first came here for saving that boy's life. No harm will come from him or his descendants. So why punish him?" said Father Time.
"Because he played with time, YOUR creation," said Chronos. "I was wondering if you'd like to take over after I'm done."
"What?!" I asked.
Chronos pointed at his body. "See? This ticker is at eleven thirty p.m."
"I've noticed," I said.
"It moves to a new minute once a year. At midnight, the old Chronos dies and a new Chronos takes over. You could rule time with my job," said King Chronos.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to have to decline," I said.
"What do you mean you foolish boy?" asked Chronos.
"He has friends back in his world. And I have noticed him taking a few sneak peaks at the week before he is to return," said Father Time. "I think he's fallen in love with this young Ariel girl."
I blushed. I had been wondering what the guys would be doing when I returned. I happened to see Ariel. She'd grown up in a really pretty red headed young girl. Very beautiful. She'd be that one day. From a little shrimp who'd followed me around and before my eyes had grown up into a beautiful young woman. "Maybe. . ."
Chronos groaned. "Well, I can't force it apon you, but it isn't a bad idea, young man."
"I miss my friends. I couldn't leave them forever," I said. "Ten years will be bad enough for them."
"You know, Yuli, I believe I can show you something that might allow you to see them. At the time of two years into your service, they have another attack, as you know," said Father Time. "The Crystal Maiden and Strata are captured. You should report what they were to report to Wildfire for them."
"I can?" I asked.
"Peek in and see what Talpa has been up to. Then you can appear to them in a hologram and report your findings to them," said Father Time. "You may be interested in what Talpa is up to."
"I am!" I said. "Where to!?"
"The Gates themselves, young man, where else?" said Chronos. I got up and grabbed my staff on my way out. I started to walk down the gold and silver hallways towards the Gate of Time. I wasn't always on duty, they did let me sleep, but I was the main guardian.
My alternate, Cleo, was waiting for me. Cleo is a pink centaur with brown hair. She held her own Key of Time with her, which was a long, golden staff with a clock on one end and a key shape on the other. Unlike me, however, she could not see events in time unless I let her. I can tamper with time. Cleo only guards it. "Hi, Yuli," she said.
"Hey, Cleo," I said, waving to her. Cleo was a good friend of mine. We sometimes stayed in the Gates together, but only once in a while. "Chronos is allowing me to help the other Ronins."
"How so?" asked Cleo, clicking one of her hooves.
"They sent two spies, one of whom was the Crystal Maiden. She and Rowen of the Strata- the one you think is cute- were captured," I said.
"I want to help, to!" said Cleo.
"Uh, Cleo, I don't know-"
"Aw, at least let me keep you company!" said Cleo.
"Oh fine," I said. "But if I catch you peeking in on Rowen while he's in the shower again-"
"I won't!" said Cleo. The two of us opened the Gates and stepped inside.
The actually Time Stream is beautiful. It's a long, long, LONG hallway of mirrors, each for a different year. All the way from when time began and forever on. I'm only allowed to see up until the year I return to the other Ronins as a fourteen year old. I actually got to see all sorts of cool stuff in history, like when the Ancient battled Talpa. THAT was cool. I got to see a lot of stuff. I saw my parent's wedding. I saw many, many events in world history. Yeah, I kinda became a history buff after all this.
Once, I got curious. I wanted to see what happened the night Cye got Ariel. It was really emotional. I watched it unfold in awe. Cye looked so scared, so shocked, but when he held Ariel, I could see a twinkle in his eyes I'd never seen before, one that replaced his very last bit of innocence that he's lost just nine months earlier. Fatherly love. He really did care about Ariel. I watched as he made the heart-wrenching decision of leaving us for Tokyo. I saw how he met Kojiro, and I even saw the scene where Kojiro left his home. I saw Ariel grow up, right to the point where she met me. I missed her.
I finally found where I wanted to be. The mirror that represented the year Talpa captured Rowen and Robyn. I peeked in on the exact moments that he and Badamon were trying to open Robyn's staff. "That thing is beautiful!" said Cleo. "Is that really the Crystal Maiden's staff?"
"Yes it is," I said. "And there is no way I'm going to let her die."
"Why's that?" asked Cleo.
"Can't tell you," I said teasingly.
"Aw, c'mon, Yuli, you're the closest thing I have to a best girlfriend in this whole place!" she said.
"Best GIRLFRIEND!?" I said in alarm. "I'm a guy!"
"Like I said, the next best thing," said Cleo. "Look, let's go see what this Talpa guy is gonna pull and go fix it already!"
"Okay, okay, fine, fine!" I said. I pointed the blade at the mirror.
Gates of Time
Hear my cry
Open the doors
I must know why
In a glowing gold light, our reflections turned into a scene staring inside of Talpa's castle.