Chapter Nine: Visitation

(Yuli)

This is what Cleo and I saw. . .

Talpa paced back and forth before the table where the staff of the Crystal Main lay. Badamon floated on the other side of the table, looking through a book of chants and spells. Both looked tired and exceptionally annoyed. They were obviously trying to unlock the Crystal Staff, but were having no such luck. "Badamon, I have not been able to access any of the powers I need!" said Talpa. "I want that power!"

Badamon sighed heavily, looking up from his book of spells. "This Staff is only meant to power the Maiden of Crystal, Master Talpa. Perhaps there is a code we can break to tap into its powers," he said, closing the book. It disappeared in a puff of smoke. "That would be the only way we could use those powers."

Talpa's eyes glowed. "But WHAT spell?! There is no way I can take this power!" said Talpa, slamming his fists down onto the table. The staff shook, and Badamon caught it before it fell to the floor.

Badamon gulped. "Well, perhaps you must question the Crystal Maiden. Perhaps she knows the key to unlocking the powers."

"No, she is still young. If she has it she wouldn't know how to use it," said Talpa. "But perhaps we could discover how to control her, and therefore, control the staff she holds."

"Excellent idea, Master Talpa," said Badamon. "Excellent idea, indeed. However we can't control her. Her will and power levels would cancel out any of our attempts, even if I tried to possess her myself."

Talpa looked over at Badamon. "Then how do you suppose we do this?"
"I have no idea," said Nether Priest. "Perhaps we could force her to watch Strata being tortured, then she may weaken."

"I like it! Even if it doesn't work I can still torture one of those pathetic Ronins! Although I would rather watch Sheila play with Torrent, this would still be fun," said Talpa.

"What is it that you have against that boy?" asked Badamon.

"He is the reason Anubis left us. Because he is the father of that Ronin brat, his hold to the Dynasty and my control over him began to slowly weaken, as did his strength. His paternity to the boy was pulling him towards the Mortal Realm. Finally, the Ancient snapped that hold all those years ago," said Talpa. "Not to mention he and Chrono made a fool out of me."
"Yes, that was- awful! Just awful how they did that to you!" said Badamon, although he did agree that his master DID look like a complete and total fool during that fight. "So we bring the two here and torture Strata. Got it!"

"Well, looks like I DO have to go to the others," I said, closing off the mirror. Cleo blinked. Then, she grinned.

"Can I come?"

I frowned. Cleo in the Mortal Realm would be a problem, especially when she started to make faces at the other Ronins. Which she WOULD do.

"I don't know, Cleo, you'll get into trouble," I said.

Cleo shook her head. "No I won't! I won't make ANY moves on them, I promise! Please, please, pretty please, pretty-"

"No, you have to stay here and guard the time stream," I said.

"I'll guard the time stream."

I turned around. "Father Time?" I asked.

Father Time nodded. "Yes, Yuli. Let her go. If she gets into trouble, she'll get double duty for misbehaving. That's MY order."

"Deal! Done!" said Cleo. "I'll be perfect!"

"If you don't want to, though," I said.

Cleo stuck her tongue out. "I bet I can! Let's go!!!!!!"

(Cye)

Over two hours passed, and still no sign of either Rowen or Robyn. "It shouldn't be taking this long," said Dad. We had since gone back to the house to wait for them to return. Besides, we all got hungry.

I nodded. "I hope they're okay. Rowen can take care of himself but Robyn's only been able to handle a few Tin Cans with my help. Can she handle the Dynasty itself?" I asked.

"I'm sure they're all right, Cye," said Mia. That was when we heard that strange sound from outside. We took a second to exchange looks before we all scrambled for the door. Ariel and her friends were slightly quicker and got out before us. As for Dad, Kojiro, Kento, Sage, Ryo, and myself, well, we all got stuck in the door.

"Yuli! Pink horse-lady!" I heard Ariel say. After Mia pushed us all out the door with assistance from White Blaze, we all looked up to see Yuli and a pink centaur standing before the girls. Yuli was in subarmor and held his bladed staff. The strange centaur held a staff with a key on one end.

"Yuli!" cried Mia, running to Yuli and embracing him. Yuli hugged back.

"I don't have much time, Mia," said Yuli. He gestured to the centaur. "This is my friend, Cleo. My alternate in the time stream."

"Alternate? Then who's in the time stream now?" asked Dad.

"Father Time himself," said Yuli. "The oldest man alive. But he's okay. He's like the Ancient. It takes a LOT to bring him down. But anyways, Robyn and Rowen haven't returned because Talpa found them out. He has them in a dungeon and is trying to unlock Robyn's staff. He isn't having much luck, though. But they STILL need to be rescued."

"How did you know all that?!" asked Ryo.

"Father Time and King Chronos gave him permission to look in on you guys while he's guarding the time stream. But he can't tell you all everything. That's tampering with time, and although he's good at it he can't do it all the time unless it's necessary," said Cleo.

Yuli looked a little irritated, but he tried to ignore her. "What matters now is that you guys go save Robyn and Rowen. You guys CAN do it, and Robyn is the key. The Crystal Maiden is very powerful. The Maidens were all powerful, until six were destroyed. The Crystal Maiden is the last one, and she has all the powers of all the Maidens. That's why I had the staff. Father Time stepped in and saved it to be brought to Robyn in this time."

The portal opened up behind them again. "Aw, that was too fast!" complained Cleo.

Yuli shook his head. "You never get that much time in the Mortal Realm, Cleo. C'mon, we gotta get back before King Chronos gets mad."

"Yeah, the old timer will really go off if he finds out," said Cleo.

"Why do I get the feeling that was a bad pun?" asked Sage.

Yuli shook his head. "The man is half a clock."

"Bye, Yuli!" said Ariel. Yuli smiled at Ariel.

"See you around, Ariel," he said. With that, he and Cleo stepped through the Gates of Time, and we gone.

Dad blinked. "We must go into the Dynasty and rescue Robyn and Rowen."

"Yes, we must," I said. "It's the only way."