An evening bemoaning his rotten luck with Crystal and an favorite childhood movie helped Hannah and Darren begin to mend their relationship. By the end of the evening the two seemed to have come to an understanding.
As Darren now approached Yuriko's home for another lesson he and Hannah talked. Hannah, like Steph, seemed a bit unsure of Yuriko's motives. Today the fiery robot would get answers. As they now entered her home they could see the elderly wizard gazing at a shimmering image.
"Afternoon Ms. Yuriko what are you doing?"
Yuriko smiled, waving her hand and causing the image to vanish from sight. "Just gazing at other universes,: she said softly. "Mostly watching Jack's son Ty."
"Wait Jack has a son," Darren exclaimed.
"Indeed he does," Yuriko stated. "Years ago, shortly before my birth Jack and Kellie gave birth to a son named Ty."
"What happened to him," Hannah asked.
Yuriko sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Ty is a very special person a child of god level power," she said. "In this universe, in an alternate future to be exact, he grew to become our greatest enemy." Yuriko could now see the teens eyes grow wide as she explained Ty's history.
In this timeline, in a future that did not come to pass Ty became a timeline conquering titan known as Villar. Villar traveled here, fighting the original Catalyst before meeting his demise. The titan though would not go quietly, he would open a riff in the universe bringing magical beings into conflict with one another in two timelines. The Catalyst and there friends would then fight his followers sealing the rifts here.
"So if you beat him why banish him?"
"Those followers would do anything to capture that child," Yuriko said. "In order for Ty to grow up and forge his own destiny it was decided that Ty would be given his own universe. One completely disconnected from this one, and before you ask how I could do that remember I was an infant at the time."
Darren and Hannah looked at one another before asking further questions. "Did this Villar guy cause any more problems," Hannah asked.
"We faced his ghost when I was around your age," Yuriko stated. "He possessed the Catalyst and her friends. It took Lynne, myself, and our friends everything we had to stop him. Needless to say we still worry and it's been over 60 years."
"So what is Ty doing now," Darren asked.
"Shrinking his step mom," Yuriko said nonchalantly. "But that's his story, I want to know how you two are."
"We talked," Darren stated.
"And WE think Darren is making the right moves despite what you think," Hannah added. Yuriko simply shook her head as she now gazed at the robot girl.
"Even after all of my proclamations," she sighed. "All of my words of encouragement I am still seen as an opposing force. I must know, why is that Hannah?"
"Well you seem real keen on giving people their youth back," Hannah said, her eyes narrowing.
"Its what I'm most familiar with," Yuriko shrugged. "That being said I am on your side whether you want to believe it or not."
"Did you want Hannah to be human again?"
Turiko fidgeted slightly, nodding her head before looking at the two teens. "I admit I did like her human," she said, a triumphant look crossing Hannah's face. "But dont get too full of yourself Hannah, allow me to explain."
Yuriko now asked the two teens to sit down, a kindly smile on her face as she looked Hannah and Darren over. "To be honest I thought their would be a romantic spark between the two of you," the look of abject shock now crossed the teens faces as they seemed to slide away from one another.
"What can I say I'm an old romantic," Yuriko chuckled. "I've read and seen too many things. I thought the best friend would become the girlfriend. It happened with my godparents, I thought lightning would strike twice. I appear to be wrong on that account."
"Is that why you tried to stop me from changing Crystal," Darren asked, his cheeks burning with anger.
"No," Yuriko said. "No that was completely on the level. She has a different destiny, I can't get into it without altering it but she is not meant to be a dragon or a robot for that matter."
"Do you hate robots," Hannah said bluntly, Darren burying his face in his hands in embarrassment.
"Of course not," Yuriko scoffed. "But I do have an opinion. The world Hannah and Steph dream of has its pitfalls. A world of robots with no free will, their sole existence being servitude? I'm not a fan of the happy slave."
"Were not slaves," Hannah exclaimed.
"But you would take Darren's orders if they made him happy," Yuriko said softly. "You are unique. I would hate for your life to be nothing but servitude. Your better than that. Also humanity isnt is simple as you think it to be. Their is always a dark side."
"So what the hell does that mean," Hannah exclaimed.
"It means we tread carefully," Yuriko said. "Were not just changing a person or an event, were changing the world. No matter how Darren changes things two things are certain. I will support you and there is always a downside."
Darren and Hannah now sat quietly, pondering Yuriko's words as the elderly wizard stood. "We can talk more about this later," she smiled. "Juat before you arrived I talked with Jack he has information on the supposed dark lord."
"What was he able to find out," Darren asked.
"Our supposed dark lord is connected to an organization known as the Normal," Yuriko said. "Jack has had dealings with them in the past. One his daughters dealt with them, they were known as the One Humanity years ago."
"Okay so is Jack coming back here," Darren asked. Yuriko smirked, waving her hands as a portal now seemed to rip open in the very fabric of reality.
"No we are going to him," Yuriko smiled. "Today I will be taking you to Corces Amusement park. It exists in a timeline very much like this one save one thing, magic and magical creatures mix with humanity in very much the same way droids mix humanity here. I think, seeing wmthw type if world a Catalyst can create will help you in your journey eyes ahead."