CM/EG Time Line

Rated: T (I guess)

I did this one for myself... I regret nothing...

"…Long ago, there were two Ancients created to work together to protect Time and Order. But they were created differently down to their very cores to complement each other and to create a balance in Existence and protect it. While the Spirit of Order held a vast amount of wisdom, the Spirit of Time was given a gentle and guiding core. He was the head of their partnership to make sure her gifts did not corrupt her. But one day, the Spirit of Order got tired of being subjected by the Spirit of Time's judgment and made it so that he could no longer control her. So, she had him exiled as an Ancient. And though the consequences of their broken bond can still be felt within Time and Order and their powers were greatly diminished, they both went their own ways… Like the story? Oh, I know you do…"

The Beauty of Time and Order

Ruby colored eyes stared at their reflection in the calm stream below. Those eyes were surprisingly full of expression: Curiosity. Wonder…. Confusion.

And yet the owner of such eyes did not know what it all meant. And perhaps she never would…

The Spirit of Order had three forms, each served a specific function. And while she was made wise and powerful, in many ways, she lacked understanding. In fact, her emotions—which were not like human emotions—were barely there.

It was only in her Phoenix form that anything resembling true emotion came to light.

And this is what she examined in her reflection at the moment. She knew she had several forms—much like her male counterpart. But until now, she had not once noticed them. She had never really looked at herself. She had never felt a need to.

She knew her firebird form was powerful. She had seen so many reactions from other spirit and ghost's when they were before her. She was still learning to recognize what their reactions meant, being that she did not understand feelings and emotions. But her soul-mate had attempted to explain that those emotions in other's expressions when they saw her were called 'amazement', 'awe', and… 'fear.'

And although she was trying to learn to recognize these emotions, she did not know how they felt... or what they really meant.

But there was a reason why she was looking at her reflection and trying to understand for the first time. Her counterpart… Her… Clockwork. He had said something to her some time ago. Actually, he had said it to her a few times before… But yesterday, it had felt more significant.

"You're beautiful."

Serenity tilted her head with the memory as she studied her phoenix form some more. What did that even mean? He tried to explain it, but… it did not seem something substantial. How did you define beauty? What made someone 'beautiful'? And why had it… seemed important?

Suddenly, her form dissolved into red ashes before it reformed into her Ancient form. She looked at her reflection briefly and for some reason she felt the need to look away. But when she realized she was shaking a bit, she quickly turned into her humanoid form with a whirl of energy.

She looked back at her refection, and found she could look at it again. She watched herself for what seemed several minutes before she suddenly began gazing around at her surroundings. She… enjoyed it here she supposed. This was her and her counterpart's abode after all. He had once called it beautiful, too.

She could see the grand clock tower in the distance, and it connected to a temple that was filled with natural structures and gardens. There was also a mountain in the distance, and from it, a crystalline river flowed and traveled throughout the island. It divided into streams, like the one she was next to.

"Beautiful," she whispered; but she sounded like a child repeating a word she did not understand. Yet now in her humanoid form, the confusion and wonder from before could not be seen. But somehow… it was still there. Suppressed. Hidden.

She turned back to the stream and looked down at it once more before her long dress dissolved away and she was left in a thin silvery purple undergarment. She looked down at her uncovered feet before looking back at the stream and walking towards it.

It was only about three feet deep, so as she stepped in, only the bottom of her dress-like garment got wet. And yet, she did not seem to mind.

She continued to walk in, but she just stared at her feet as if she had never seen them before.

In some way, she never had.

Serenity suddenly stopped. And her eyebrows furrowed just slightly. She had seen something swim by. A fish? Yes, a fish. She looked past her feet, and finally realized there were more. Many more.

She watched them for a moment before she noticed a large rock in the center of the stream. She walked over to it, and took a seat. She then reached down and dipped her hand in the water. It was cool… and pleasant? Yes, that was the word. She brought it back and watched as the water droplets trickled down her arm.

She followed them all the way to her elbow. But then, continuing to follow the length of her arm, she went up until she started looking at every part of herself. She studied her body, her arms, and even fingers. She looked down at her legs, and then at her feet. Then finally, she reached for her face and touched it.

She suddenly paused when her fingers went through her hair. But the more she noticed herself, the more questions she felt stirred inside of her.

She bent forward slightly to look at her reflection again, and she brought her hand to her mouth. She still didn't understand. If she was wise, then why didn't she understand?

"What are you doing?"

Serenity looked up, though she stayed seated on the rock in the middle of the stream. She stared for a moment at her counterpart. But for once, she was noticing him, too. All his features. All he was.

Clockwork frowned slightly in confusion as his form turned childlike.

"What is wrong, Serenity? What are you doing there?"

Serenity looked at him before she asked calmly, "You think I am beautiful?"

Clockwork's eyebrows heightened, but then he nodded. "Yes."

Serenity glanced over at the tower in the distance before turning her eyes back at her counterpart, and further asking, "And our abode? You say it is beautiful, too."

Clockwork briefly looked around him before he slowly nodded. "Yes, I like to think so."

"Why?"

Clockwork's form changed into his elder form as he asked back, "Why what?"

"Why do you think I am beautiful? What makes me… and this place… beautiful?"

Clockwork studied her for a moment. Sometimes he wondered why his equal had been made how she was… She was powerful, and wise in so many ways. When it came to her duties, there was no uncertainty.

But when it came to the everyday things… when it came to even them…. She did not seem to know anything.

It troubled him sometimes. But… It never really bothered him. He liked teaching her. He liked watching her learn something new, just as he enjoyed learning from her. He liked how she could affect time and him… He liked how he could not predict her as he could with time. It made his existence… meaningful.

Perhaps, more meaningful than his own duty with time did.

Clockwork smiled. "Because you are," he finally answered. "Some things just… are."

Serenity looked back at her reflection. "Is it the way I look? My body? My face?" she pressed. She wanted to understand.

Clockwork chuckled a bit, and she quickly looked back at him. To most, her expression had not changed. But the time spirit knew when his soul-mate was annoyed.

"You are physically beautiful, yes. But that is not why I say you are beautiful, Serenity," he answered.

"Then why?"

Clockwork studied her 'confused' face for a moment before he released his time staff. It stayed up on its own as he removed only his cloak.

He then approached her, and walked into the stream himself. His form turned into his adult form, and suddenly stopped changing. It was only when he was near her that his changes halted.

The boulder was big enough for him to then sit beside her. He looked down at their reflection, not really caring that his clothing was getting wet.

"Look," he told her as he waved at their reflection. "Do you see us?"

"Of course," she muttered.

"And what do you see?" Clockwork then asked her warmly.

"Our legs are getting wet," she answered.

The time spirit laughed. "Yes, and what else?"

"Our reflections in the water," she answered this time.

"Look past what you see physically. Tell me what you feel."

But Serenity shook her head. "We do not have feelings. We are spirits."

Clockwork raised an eyebrow. "Of course we have feelings. Just because they are not human-like or ghost-like emotions does not mean we do not have feelings." He suddenly grabbed her hand and their white hues instantly turned gold as he asked her, "Do you feel my hand?"

"Yes," she answered.

"I feel yours, too. Do you see? We feel," he explained to her calmly.

Serenity's eyes widened a bit in understanding.

"You are beautiful, Serenity, because you make me feel whole. You give me purpose. Yes, we were created to protect Time and Order; but we were also created for each other. This place… It is beautiful because we built it together. It is a reflection of our bond. It is a reflection of how strong we are—together."

He then waved back at their reflection in the water, and further said, "Look again. Do you know what I see? I see our unity. Our purpose. I see us. And it is beautiful."

The slightest smile curled the order spirit's lips before she looked back at her counterpart, and uttered, "You are beautiful, too, My Clockwork."

Clockwork smiled back at her before he raised their joined hands and opening them up until their palms were touching.

"Watch…," he told her.

And she watched—and felt—how time and order melded inside of them, creating a brighter gold hue around them. Then, it expelled outwards, like a ripple, through their abode and further into the Ghost Zone and all Existence.

In turn, their home glowed with their power; and as the moving clocks in the distance moved at a steady beat, their surroundings flourished all the more.

"Beautiful," they voiced together.

Serenity looked at her soul-mate; and for once, she genuinely smiled. She did not understand why things were the way they were or the whole concept of feelings…

But she now knew what beauty was.

Sorry, I love these two. The whole concept of them. And though they are by our definition 'husband and wife', their bond is not human-like at all. I think that is why I enjoy writing this angle because what is between them isn't your typical romantic relationship.

It is so much more meaningful and significant, and it spreads into their own powers. I don't know. Maybe I'm just a dork. But I enjoy trying to explore their relationship.

I will probably write more of them in the future since I have so much ideas on them which do not fit into my stories.

I am happy. haha. Ta for now.