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The concepts have known each other since their birth. Even Time, who came last, had known them. Because she started “beginning”. And so, they knew how to move around each other like gears in a clock, turning the world into what it was destined to be. Decided by the Gods themselves.
But then, there was one who wasn’t.
A sudden addition to their pantheon.
Time found her first. Wandering around.
“...Who are you?”
“Hello!” The concept was naive still. Young. “I’m the Guardian!”
“Guard...ian? Guardian of what?”
“Civilization,” she stated as if it was simple. “I am the Guardian of Civilization. It’s nice to meet you, Warden!”
“You know of me?”
“I know of all of you!” The Guardian giggled. “The human’s know of you, and so, I do too!”
“...The Gods did not warn of this.”
“Oh, I… Haven’t talked to them yet. Hope that’s okay!”
“You haven’t talked to them?!” The Warden glared at the young concept. “What made you then?”
“Humanity.” The Guardian blinked at her. “Why? Is that bad?”
“...This can’t be happening,” she groaned. “Everything was going so well… why would they add someone else? We don’t need anyone else!” She growled and looked back at the concept. “Okay, listen you-”
She froze.
The Guardian… was sad.
“S-sorry… I didn’t know...” The young concept sniffled. “I… I can go? I think...”
Somehow, Time felt guilt.
She felt humanity.
All from this new concept.
“...No. No, I was just surprised.” The Warden sighed. “Welcome, I suppose… I’m… not really sure where you’ll fit in but...”
“I can stay?”
“...Yes. You can stay.”
The Guardian beamed at her.
“Thank you!”
“Y-yeah, no problem...”
Time held no sense of itself (though honestly, she should) and thus, she wasn’t too sure what happened next. Things had risen and fell and risen again just to fall again. A cycle of disorder, putting it lightly.
And yet they managed to find one another again.
“Oh! Warden!” The Guardian beamed at her and waved her over with her newest form. Another sort of human.
Time did not usually do so, but joined in her play anyway.
“Guardian,” she greeted while walking her way. “How have you been?”
“Busy!” She laughed and gestured around them. “See? It’s amazing right? We worked so hard on it!”
“On what?”
“The city! It took a while but it’s the biggest one yet! Towers to the clouds are being built, so many places for humans to stay, I even met the Keeper! She said my gardens were beautiful!”
“...Why?”
“Hm?”
“Why do you build it all?” The Warden looked around at the bustle. “It will fall to me eventually.”
The Guardian was quiet.
“The biggest towers, the biggest houses, all pass with time.” She frowned as she watched some folk gather together. “Humans especially.”
“...I know.”
“...You do?”
“I know,” she confirmed and nodded. “But they live for the time they live. They build for the next generation to build more. They may fall, but humans don’t die truly.” The Guardian smiled at her. “I keep their memories with me. So they will never die.”
“That… is certainly a way to look at it.” The Warden actually chuckled. “Well, I suppose I can’t win against that.”
“I-I’m not trying to fight you or anything, honest!” She frantically waved her hands. “I-it’s just that the best way to protect humanity from itself is through their history!”
“I see,” she lied. “They are their own worst enemy… even more than time itself?”
“Of course!” The Guardian frowned and tilted her head. “Because you’re not even an enemy, right? You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“W-what?!” The Warden gaped at her. “I kill humans, cities, civilization itself! You! How is that not an enemy?!”
“… Because that’s how it is.” Strangely enough, she took Time’s hand. “You aren’t hurting them just to hurt them. You’re balancing out reality. Yes, humans are sad about it, but they accept it in the end.” She smiled. “I can even prove it to you!”
“P-prove it?”
The Guardian reached behind her to grab a book she had stored away in a large bag that was in her cloak.
“This was written by humans! It’s their memories!” She beamed and put the book in the Warden’s hands. “You can have it! See for yourself, they don’t hate you!”
“I-I… don’t you need this?”
“I have copies at the library. We’re actually moving a bunch of them over there today!” She gestured to her bag. “That way everyone can access them. If you guys want, you can too!” The Guardian hummed. “But that one… consider it a gift! From me to you!”
“A… I...” The Warden was shocked, to say the least. “I… don’t have anything in return...”
“You don’t need to!” The Guardian’s grin warmed her chest. “It’s a gift for a friend, after all!”
Both of them jumped at the sound of a bell and the Guardian yelped.
“Oh no, I promised to be there soon!” She began running madly down the street, waving back at the Warden. “See you later! Hope you enjoy the book!”
Time was frozen to the spot. Somehow, she lost track of time. Time lost track of time. All because of humanity’s concept.
She looked down at the book and felt excitement, anticipation, and… happiness. For the first time.
The Warden wondered what she would learn next from her new friend.
... She didn’t wish to learn this.
Fire, one of mankind’s greatest discoveries, was burning down its history.
Human’s were their own worst enemy.
The Warden wouldn’t care, originally, time marched on regardless of struggles and strife of such small lifeforms.
But the struggles and strife of a friend? She didn’t know what to do.
She found the Guardian sitting at the water’s edge, her eyes never once moving from the morbid pyre. She was just sitting there, curled up on herself.
The Warden approached her again, but with the tenderness she had seen from the Keeper once before.
“...Guardian… we-”
“I should’ve known.”
“What?”
“I should’ve known… It was a bad idea to move them all there.”
“But… there are copies, yes? And many more libraries.”
“Some of them didn’t,” the Guardian’s voice was unsteady. “Some of them are gone...”
“The humans remember, they can write it again.”
“...They cannot,” she stated plainly. “They cannot remember correctly. They cannot remember completely. Those that could have...” She closed her eyes. “Are lost with the scrolls themselves.”
“G-guardian...”
“I don’t remember.”
“...What?”
“I don’t remember…” The younger concept curled up further, clutching her head. “I don’t remember anything about them...”
“The scrolls?”
The Guardian remained quiet.
The Warden looked around at the state of humanity.
The ones the guardian loved.
The ones that hurt her.
All of them too busy to help the concept laid bare in the sand.
The Warden… felt sympathy.
She stood there, wondering what to do. She wanted her friend to be happy again. Time wanted someone else to be happy.
With a deep breath, the Warden knelled down and hugged the Guardian.
Who was shocked.
“W-what are you…?”
“It’s going to be okay. Humans rebuild.” She bit her lip, trying to find the words. “They rebuild themselves again and again over time. Yes, those that are lost may remain lost, but with time… it will heal.”
They were quiet for a while before the Guardian turned and hugged her back.
“...thank you.”
It’s after the war when she meets civilization again. Chaos had arrived to save them all from disorder and brought them together to create fair order. Not one ruled by just Time, but by all concepts.
In this, they meet again.
The Guardian seemed out of place, in a way. She had a different look in her eye than the calculating one the Warden had seen before the war. In their first meeting, she looked as if she didn’t even know what had just happened. Time was shocked to find out that her friend had gone corrupt and tormented Nature while she herself was busy fighting Space.
And yet despite being corrupted just moments before, she looked just how she remembered her.
Once they were all leaving for their respective rooms, the Warden followed her.
“Guardian,” she called, making the avatar jump and quickly turn around.
“W-w-what? I-is something wrong?”
The Warden blinked at the reaction.
“No, I just… it has been a while.”
“It has?” The Guardian tilted her head. “I uh… sorry. I kinda… don’t really remember the last time we met?”
She should’ve been surprised, but by the way Chaos had talked about her deeds, it was no surprise that her memory had worsened. She doubted her friend would have been corrupted easily if it weren’t for the decay of civilization over time.
“It was a while, even for me. It’s okay,” she tried to reassure her, only to get a frown.
“Hmm… I guess.” The Guardian shrugged. “A-anyways, can I help you with something?”
“I just wanted to know how you were doing. This is the first time you’ve been on this plain, right?”
“Yes… Baelz helped me get here.”
“...Has everything been treating you well?”
The Guardian looked away and the Warden spotted guilt shine in her eyes.
“...I see.” The Warden hummed and looked over her fallen friend before biting her lip. “Do you… need any help?”
“I’m… good.” She sighed. “This is just how it’s supposed to be.”
“But...”
“No. I did something bad. I may not… remember it,” she paused to steady her breath. “But I did it.”
“...I did something bad too.”
“Huh?” The Guardian blinked at her.
“I have things I need to make up for too. Things I am guilty of… One of which is leaving you to deal with that on your own.” She shook her head. “So… If you need anything, let me know.”
“...Okay.”
“That’s… all I wanted to say,” she said with a smile. “Rest up, Guardian.”
Time turned to walk away, only to stop.
“W-warden?”
She turned back to face her friend, who was fidgeting.
“Hm?”
“...Can I… have a hug?”
Something broke through the Warden’s wounded pride and she nodded.
“Of course.”
With time passing, the Warden found herself a place in the present.
Once things shifted and moved without her acknowledgment, only to now get pointed out by other members of the council.
Chaos somehow managed to even convince them all to agree on things. One of which being their identities. It was a way to connect them more to this reality, giving them all a distinct avatar not just simply copied from other humans.
The Guardian was already ahead of them, having lived among humans for so long. The issue was that she didn’t remember the names she had been given over the years. Instead she settled on the last name she did, Mumei.
The Warden found herself her own form, but took a while deciding a name. All the others had already chosen theirs before she found her own, Kronii.
After this, they all became more and more human. Jokes, mistakes, emotions, they had them all. Just like Baelz had planned, it made them closer to both reality and each other.
Despite their duties being all important, they now had times dedicated to just being with one another. Whether they played games or simply talked, it was a break away from being a concept.
So it wasn’t uncommon for Mumei to linger about when she didn’t have an immediate task. Even when Kronii was clearly busy.
She was trying to keep an eye out on a regular in her court when she felt a weight on her shoulder.
“Hm?”
Glancing over, she saw that the avatar of civilization had rested her head there, looking down at Kronii’s tablet quietly.
“Uh… can I help you?”
“Mm? Oh, sorry, is this too much?”
“...No, do as you will.” She sighed and tried to turn her attention back to her work, only for Mumei’s small smile to catch it again. “Y’know,” she drawled. “I’m sure you can find better pillows than a pointy clock like me.”
“Maybe,” was all the reply she was given verbally. Yet the owl was about to reach out to her before pulling her arms back to her sides.
Kronii found herself smiling.
She put her tablet down and moved away, unfortunately making Mumei frown, before turning to her.
“Come on,” she started walking to the lounge. “It’ll be more comfortable here.”
The owl quickly followed behind her and the moment Kronii sat down on the couch and opened her arms, she hugged her.
She took a moment before hugging her back, blushing slightly as Mumei’s breath tickled her neck.
“Better?”
“Mhm!” She felt the owl smile. “Thanks, Kronini.”
“D-don’t mention it… Especially to Sana.”
Mumei giggled and Kronii felt her clock stutter.
“I won’t, I promise.” With a content hum, she sunk further into the embrace.
Kronii gulped and played with the fabric of Mumei’s cloak.
After a moment of peace and quiet, the owl’s grip on her tightened.
“I’m… forgetting again.” A strained sigh. “I don’t know what to do.”
“We can help,” Kronii suggested, taking to rubbing her back. “You know we wouldn’t mind.”
“I know. I just...” A sniffle. “Why do I forget?”
“...Things… fade… eventually. There isn’t anything wrong with it.”
“But... I don’t want to fade.”
Kronii froze.
“M-mei...”
“I don’t want to forget you.”
“I-I...”
“I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“You won’t. I promise.” Before the owl could speak up again, she cut her off. “I am time itself, I will always be with you in some form or another. And...” She pulled her closer. “I’ll always remember you. You’ll never truly die.”
“K-kronii...” Mumei sniffed again and buried herself into the avatar of time.
“I’ve got you. Don’t worry.” She smiled sadly. “We’ll all help...”
“T-thank you...”
“It’s the least I could do for you.”
All things fade with time. Empires fall, people die, memories go. It was a rule Kronii hated now. She had made her peace with it when Nature started, because she’ll go too. But she was never ready for Civilization. She never made peace with it.
It crumbled first before she could.
Wars upon wars, assassinations, hatred, it all took its toll on Mumei. It took everything the council had to not go down there and stop the humans themselves, because they knew the humans’ Guardian.
Despite everything, Mumei still loved them. She would protect them. Even as she forgot more and more and more.
She was still easy to love, always was, but it did hurt whenever she would forget something about herself.
More than she should, she wouldn’t respond to her own name. Not because she remembered a different name, she just simply forgot the one they had been calling her for a very long time.
Thankfully she trusted them enough to let them help her remember. And they learned a few tricks to do so quick.
But it was starting to become not enough.
The humans were gone far too soon. Far sooner than Time itself thought.
Mumei was gone too, her journal left on her desk with no signs of her anywhere.
They searched nonstop since they found it, only getting to her days later. She didn’t know her name nor where she was, she only barely held any recognition for the council. While she did follow them back, they all saw the confusion she had while facing any of them.
And yet she still tried her best.
It was common for her to now work in someone else’s office. After all, civilization had collapsed, but reality kept moving. She had nothing else to do but stay with the council, and if she did, she was always the type who wanted to help if she could.
More often than not though, her help usually turned into an impromptu break for the member she was talking with.
But with humans gone, none of them really had any urgent matters, nor did they mind.
It felt normal somewhat, talking to her.
But then she had to ask something.
Something that froze them in their tracks each time she asked.
“What are humans?”
Kronii bit her lip, still feeling unease despite having answered before.
“They were… special little creatures. They made a lot.”
“Like what?”
“Paper, books, clocks; you name it, humans probably have touched it.”
“But… Why are they gone then?”
“...Time wears down everything. It was… simply an end.”
“O-oh...” Mumei frowned and looked away. “Sorry...”
“Don’t be.”
Quiet grew between them as Kronii turned her attention back to her duties.
Only to be soon disturbed.
“Hey, Kronii?”
“Hm?”
“Concepts… have duties, right?”
“Mhm, we do.”
“...What are mine?”
She paused at the new question, unprepared.
“I-I uh...” She cleared her throat. “You finished your duties long ago, so don’t worry about it.”
“But I… Don’t think I did?” Kronii looked over to find Mumei deep in thought. The owl clutched at her chest. “It doesn’t feel like I did… There has to be something, right?”
“No, there really isn’t. Just trust me.”
“...So you know what my duties were?” Her eyes snapped to meet Time’s avatar. “What were they?”
“You...” Kronii sighed and shook her head before standing from her desk. “Never mind it, Mumei. We should check on Sana, she probably has a constellation to show you-”
“Warden.”
Her eyes widened and she froze.
“M-Mei?”
“Your title is ‘the Warden’, right?” She was glaring at her. “What was mine?”
“That isn’t important.”
“It is to me!”
“I told you, it’s nothing to worry about!”
“It is! I don’t know what I’m even here for!”
“You don’t need to be here for anything!”
“WHY AM I HERE?!”
Kronii flinched at at the sudden burst of anger from the owl. She was quiet as slowly her companion’s tears started falling.
“I want to know… You all… are so important… Why am I here when I can’t do anything?” Mumei pressed her hands to her eyes. “Why am I here at all?”
“Mei...”
The owl tensed before she ran out the door.
“M-Mei!”
Kronii ran after her, just barely being able to see the end of her cloak around each corner. Thankfully though, their home was not limitless, and eventually the owl was cornered. Instead of feeling any relief though, Time felt absolute sorrow when she saw her companion curled in on herself sitting on the floor.
“Mei...”
“...I don’t know.”
She slowly approached the vulnerable avatar.
“Mei?”
The owl looked up at her and it broke Kronii’s heart to see the deep pain in her eyes.
“O-oh, hey Kronii...” She sniffed and rubbed her eyes with her sleeve. “Sorry… I… don’t even remember why I’m even crying!” She chuckled nervously before giving her a small smile. “Did you need something?”
“...Are you still sad?”
“Yeah?”
“...Do you want a hug?”
Without any words, Mumei stood and quickly hugged her old friend with a sigh.
Kronii hugged her back and winced.
“I’m sorry, Mei.”
“...What are you apologizing for?”
“Making you sad.”
“Eh? You didn’t make me sad! You could never make me sad!” Mumei smiled against her neck. “I just really needed a hug.”
“...Then… just ask next time.” Kronii forced a smile. “I’ll give you one anytime you want.”
“Really? That sounds great! Thanks, Kronii!”
“It’s… the least I can do,” she said before kissing the owl’s head. “For you.”