a collection of tales [[ chronocompass writing ]]

He was tired of ruling, tired of this planet and its people. Not that Silvarum wasn't an intriguing place, to be sure, but Moony had been here quite a while, and seen quite a lot. From the rise and fall of dragons to the arguments between the original rulers of the three kingdoms of this planet - he had taken over mainly to try and keep the peace, to make a difference.

Things had advanced well - the Moonrise kingdom had become the first with a working sewer system, and lightbulbs instead of torches or lamps. The studious leader had poured his heart into improving the place, but now that things had stabilized, to a degree, he felt it was time to pass on the crown, as it were. What had begun as a delightfully mad dash to get everything done, to fix things, had become a frustrating slog of writing letters, answering letters, listening to petitions, making rulings that his council really should have been able to do on their own.

Today, of course, was no different. Moony had just welcomed in two odd beings to his hall - one, a dopey looking quadruped with a long neck and tail, the other a strange bush - like being with antlers, eyes, and feet. He didn't make any comment on it - new and fantastical beings appeared in Silvarum every day. Moony only hoped they didn't want him to do something like find a missing bag of coins, or send someone to exterminate some bugs. As important as those things could be to an individual, there were folks besides the ruler of a kingdom to ask for help there.

"We, uh, we don't want anything," the long necked one said, when Moony as much as asked them.

Moony squinted. "And you decided to waste my time for nothing, then?" He glared at the both of them, waiting for an answer. After several long moments, the bush spoke up.

"Well, it's more like we needed to see something for ourselves," they said. "You've done a really good job with this place! It's impressive to see somewhere in the middle of the desert so full of life."

Moony was still skeptical of the duo's intentions, but appreciative of their kind words. "My thanks. ...I quite enjoy the challenge of taking on a challenge. While not entirely an intended one, I'm glad I've been able to help around Moonrise." He glanced around the hall they stood in. Tall pillars, glass above to let in light - he had contributed a lot of work to bring the place to this point.

The tall necked one nodded. "So you're a scientist and a ruler at the same time? What kinds of things do you want to research?"

A leading question, perhaps, but Moony paused, watched the two beings, and considered their expressions - and intentions - to be pure enough. He always loved talking about his endless ideas, anyway. So, for the next twenty minutes, he regaled them with concepts he wanted to test and inventions he intended to create, and if he veered a bit into the unobtainable area, so be it. He had ideas for things that would never be able to happen with him as a ruler like this, but he could dream. And dream big he did.

When Moony had finished explaining his favorite idea (finding a piece of the ancient artifact scattered throughout Silvarum that granted time travel, traveling to a place far away, rich with resources, and figuring out how to replicate it), the two nodded, thanked him for his time, and departed. Moony dismissed the thought of them being spies or secret-stealers, and hurried to go about the rest of his duties for the day.

That night, as he sorted through the mail he had received, an odd package caught his attention. It was wrapped up in a dark rope, and he sensed something heavy inside.

It really felt like a trap.

So, as to not worry anyone or endanger others, he snuck outside, and walked into the middle of the desert, package held under one arm. Once he was a fair distance away from the city, he summoned up his small amount of magical ability to cast a shield around himself, and opened the package.

The paper fell away, and no horrible explosion happened. Instead, Moony gasped in shock. Inside was a small tablet, and more importantly, a shining fragment of a silver pocket watch. It glimmered Blue as he watched. There was no doubt about it - this was exactly the artifact he had told the two visitors about earlier in the day. Hungering for answers and mind racing, he turned on the tablet, and read the message awaiting him there.

The words washed over him. A new planet - a colony of creatures - a brand new beginning? He was in love with the concept at once. And this piece of the artifact - this was all he needed to start his own group of time traveling researchers!

...Well, it did depend a bit on how intelligent the beings on this new planet were. But having some extra hands to gather materials, to make a new home, and to make something great? Moony was all in. He'd have to settle affairs on this planet, of course, help pick a new leader, but once that was done, he would be off on a brand new adventure, and it would be brilliant. Moony laughed out loud into the night, the happiest he'd been in several months.

(In the far future, in a completely different star system, two dragons returned home to their own place and time. Their own homemade time machine - a ramshackle mix of wires and metal - was a little more worse for wear, but neither was too concerned. They had set a good man on a good path, and no one else in their large hometown would ever be the wiser.)

(The duo stepped outside into the morning sun, and prepared for whatever mischief they would cause next.)