'In this world, one has the capability to see both the past and the future of itself.' Riku's words came back to Sora. He stopped on top of a hill overlooking a vast wasteland. Riku caught up first, Kairi following shortly.
"What is it, Sora?" Kairi asked. Riku frowned.
"This--just isn't right, you guys." Sora said, looking around him. He could only see a rain of ash, and snow. Why is this world such a wasteland now?
"This is much different then when I was here last," Riku said worriedly, beginning to descend Death's Peak. Sora followed, hoping that his friend was okay. Before long they were standing in front of a collapsed dome-shaped building. "The sign above the door once said 'Proto Dome," he said as they entered it.
"1000 years ago, a man came and killed the Queen of Guardia, Nadia. King Chrono disappeared shortly after, saying he would pursue this man until 'The End of Time' and destroy him utterly and completely," Riku read on. "After time, we believed him dead and pursued a new form of Government, which lead to our downfall. While we were freely distributing resources, Gaia began to diminish. By the time we figured it out, it was too late..."
Chrono, no. How did that happen? he thought as he heard some metal clang in the distance. Riku paid no attention to it. He put the book down, and instead he focused his energy on opening the portal of time to 1000AD.
"What's this?" Kairi asked, holding up a rusty pendant.
"This was Marle's," Riku said, taking it from her. He focused on it and a KeyBlade appeared. "And this is almost exactly like Frog's sword . . ." He trailed off as a door opened, and an orange-haired youth appeared in the doorway.
"Chrono!" Riku's joy was met by the business end of a katana.
"Step back, Riku. I respect you, but-- he's the one that I'm after." The figure said, pointing the katana at Sora, who drew back.
"How could he have killed Marle? He just learned of Gaia before we arrived." Riku said.
"We shall see..." He said. Sora nodded and drew his Kingdom Key into the open. He intercepted the katana's tip with the tip of the Kingdom Key.
"No...It was not you. He looked exactly like you, but he had more malice in his heart." The figure turned to Riku. "This is the one you told me about? The KeyBearer of Light?"
"Yeah, Chrono, This is him. Sora, meet someone who is a legend in his own world. His Highness, King Chrono Guardia. He destroyed an evil creature that made his world like this." Riku said, pointing around the room.
"Pleased to meet you, your highness." Sora said as he bowed his head. Chrono turned away.
"How can I let you call me King Chrono? My world looks like this only 1000 years after my time. I let someone kill one of the few people that I cared for, and was unable to change what happened, despite knowing everything about what happened." Chrono said.
"You said that this person looks just like me, right Your Hi--"
"Call me Chrono, and yes. He looked just like you, but he carried a giant KeyBlade." Chrono interrupted Sora.
"Can we go to that time? I want to help you, Chrono. Not because you think that I'm responsible, but because I want to see it with my own eyes." Sora said.
"Yeah, Chrono. I'm curious as well. Let's go." Riku said, walking into the door that Chrono came out of. Chrono turned to Kairi and the KeyChain she was holding. His eyes widened.
"That's the Pendant! We can use this to go to the other times as well." Chrono was too excited to believe what she was holding, Kairi handed it to him.
"Here. I found it in an old broken locker over in the other room." Kairi handed the Pendant to Chrono. A door to their left broke down and a bight light consumed the room.
"ALRIGHT CHRONO! WHERE IS HE? I SHALL DEMOLISH HIM HERE AND NOW!" a Robot clamored into the room and descended into the floor as a beam gave way underneath him. Chrono ran to the hole in the floor and gazed in. Kairi kneeled next to him. Chrono looked again and got up. Kairi stood and they walked into the next room.
"The Epoch. I thought it was destroyed when you entered Lavos." Riku said, gazing in wonder.
"It's taken a long time to rebuild, but it's not functional. I found the final piece just now." Chrono said, putting the KeyChain into the instrument panel. A few buzzing noises were heard and they three disappeared in a flash of light.
"Master Chrono! I will destroy the madman who killed your--" Robo's voice echoed throughout the empty hangar.
"Master..Chrono?" He scratched his metallic cranium. A worried look befell him as a drove of rats descended upon him.
"Wow. This place looks so beautiful. What time are we in?" Kairi asked, staring outside the Epoch. Sora shifted in his seat. Chrono looked back.
"1000AD. This is my hometime. Let's go to Truce Village. We can rest at my home there." He said. Riku nodded and the Epoch zipped out of sight over Medina.
"There you are, Chrono. Marle's been looking all over for you!" Lucca adjusted her glasses and held up a gun. "Like it? It's my latest model. Chrono?" She put the gun away and looked at the rest of the group. "Who are these people? They didn't come from another time, did they?"
"No, they--" Chrono started to speak, but was cut off by Sora.
"Yes! We're from 2000AD. Chrono--" Sora stopped, and Kairi cut him off before he could think of anything.
"No. We are really from another world. Chrono was kind enough to help us out when our ship crashed in 2300AD. We owe him a lot, and he told us of an event that happens tonight--" Kairi was cut off by Chrono.
"How did you-" Chrono said.
"Didn't you tell us while on our way here?" Kairi asked. Chrono shook his head.
"No, and you were asleep for most of the trip through time." Chrono said.
"Odd--" Kairi said. Lucca became starry-eyed, and bombarded Sora with questions.
"Where did you come from? Why did you land on Gaia? Does everyone on your world travel the stars? Do you know Magic? Do you have advanced technology? If so, May I examine it? How did your ship crash? How did you meet Chrono? Are there other Humans out there? Does Lavos exist on other Worlds?" Lucca questioned relentlessly. Sora fell over, eyes rolled in the back of head. Riku laughed.
"You killed him, Lucca!" Chrono said, helping Riku lift Sora up.
"DID NOT!" she said, leading them to Chrono's house. "It's not MY fault that he's a Questophobe!"
"Questophobe? You keep coming up with new explanations for everything, don't you? Here, get the door." Chrono said. Lucca opened the door and they were greeted by an older woman.
"Oh, you came back. Her Highness has been looking for you for ages." She said, putting a clean dish in the almost full rack.
"I'll bet you're not exaggerating, mom. I'm going to the castle tonight. Can we stay here for the rest of the day? Lucca almost killed another person with her questioning." Chrono asked. Lucca crossed her arms.
"Yes. You can stay as long as you like." Chrono's mom said. "Your room is still as clean as the day you left," she said, returning to her dishes.
Sora slowly woke an hour or two later, just before the sun had begun to set. Chrono's cat had made his home on Sora's chest.
"Sora! Can you walk?" Kairi asked, turning to tell the others he was awake. The cat stretched out, and began to purr. Kairi giggled.
"He likes you. Chrono said that the cat usually only likes him." She said as Sora stood, removing the cat from the bed. It promptly ran over and sat on Chrono's chair.
"Wow. The last thing that I remember is some lady asking way too many questions at once." Sora said, yawning and stretching. "So what did I miss?" He added.
" Let's get to the castle first. Chrono says that the look-alike is going to pass through a certain hallway at a precise time. We need to get there before He does." Riku said, leaving the room. Kairi and Sora followed suit.