Chapter 14: Cleo

  “Cleo, if you jump around any more than this during the ceremony, Dr. Liam can’t concentrate,” Master Eldoris chided, and I tried to calm my heart down.

  “Right, Master. Sorry.”

  I was finally going to be a Guardian. I would finally have something precious to carry and protect.

  “Well, aren’t you going to get your partner from the Healing Center?”

  “Oh right. Right away, Master.”

  “I swear that these two were meant for each other. They’re both empty-headed at such times,” Master Eldoris mumbled to himself, and I headed straight for the Healing Center.

  My partner. A little hybrid as a partner. I was so excited that I almost rammed straight into Altair.

  “Cleo! Don’t take down the building in your excitement!” Amber reprimanded as she pulled Altair away fast enough.

  “Cleo! How are you?”

  Altair beamed, reaching out to touch my beak again. Was this his way of greeting me? If so, I would hit any animal that he greeted like that. He was my special partner, and he had a special greeting with me now.

  “I’m great! Let’s go, Altair!”

  I twirled around so Altair could get up on my back.

  “Now handle Altair carefully. His wounds haven’t fully healed-”

  What did Amber say?

  As soon as Altair’s legs were up on my back, I flipped, sending Altair screaming and hanging on to my fin desperately as I plunged headfirst to the Aquarium, where Dr. Liam was waiting.

  We glided through the water, watching the academy spring to life.

  Buildings began to brighten as humans began working, and the Training hall was buzzing with life and excitement.

  “The mornings are so pretty here,” Altair sighed, completely leaning onto me.

  “Isn’t it? I love it here. There’s so much to see, and I want to take you to all of my favorite places. It’s even more beautiful in the sea gardens and trench,” I giggled, and he patted me lightly.

  “I would love to see that.”

  I could just imagine him smiling back at me as he said that.

  In just a few moments, I was going to be linked to his lovely mind. What would happen then? Would our lives change like how my Elders explained?

  “Altair, Cleo, you’re here early. Are you ready to be bonded?”

  Dr. Liam greeted us at the quiet, secluded spot in the Aquarium reserved for the bonding ceremony with Master Eldoris hovering silently above him. I looked up at Altair, waiting for his reply.

  “Yes, Dr. Liam,” Altair replied, sliding down my back.

  “I personally didn’t think you would have a Guardian so quickly, but here we are, and I want to explain what’s going to happen to the both of you during this. I will be merely a guide for your two minds to meet and combine. What both of you will feel is the presence of your minds, so emotions and instincts can be shared between you. Do you have any questions before we start?” Dr. Liam explained.

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  “Does this… hurt?” Altair asked, and Master Eldoris sighed.

  “No it doesn’t, Altair. It will feel unnatural at first, but as you get used to it, you will learn to adapt to each other’s abilities and feelings. It will feel like two friends getting to know each other very well, if put in the simplest terms.”

  “Any other questions?”

  “Umm… I guess not,” Altair replied, and I nodded along.

  “Close your eyes, and I will begin,” Dr. Liam ordered, and we did.

  As soon as Dr. Liam touched us, my consciousness leaked out of my body. Before I could panic, I felt another presence merging with mine, and when I tried to open my eyes, I saw something else entirely.

  I was on a boat, watching the stars with a beautiful, red-haired woman.

  “What stars do you see up there, Altair?”

  Somehow, I understood their foreign, flowy language.

  “I see the big dipper, which means that the two pointing stars, Dubhe and Merak, will point to the northern star, Polaris. We’re currently in the northern hemisphere, so if we see Polaris, it means we’re facing north. But, I forgot how to calculate latitude from the angle of Polaris.”

  “Good job, Altair. But, you can’t calculate latitude without measuring tools. How about the southern hemisphere?”

  “If we’re in the southern hemisphere, we need to find the Southern cross. Then you drag a line between Gacrux and Acrux, and drag it down further. That makes up the South celestial pole. If I drag it down to the horizon, that direction is true south.”

  “What are the pointer stars of the Southern cross?”

  “Alpha and beta Centauri!”

  “Good job, my little genius! How did I get a son this smart?”

  She showered him with praises, and I could feel my face move into a smile. So this was how humans smiled. I never knew it was that easy for them.

  Onslaughts of memories poured into my mind, and I could feel myself drown in his life.

  “I love you, my darling. You are my special, special little genius.”

  “If I wasn’t this smart, would you still love me?”

  “Of course, darling.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you are my son. Remember this, darling; family is who you choose to be with, and ever since you were born, I chose you.”

  “Look, Mom! The ocean is so big!”

  “Yes it is, darling.”

  “Will we ever be able to swim through all of it?”

  “You will be able to, if you want to.”

  Years of watching the ocean, studying, training, playing, running, hiding passed by in mere seconds, and I could finally make out who was standing in front of me.

  “Mom, I did it! I completed your theory!”

  “As expected of my son. This calls for an ice cream party!”

  This boy was truly special. He had an intellect and a way of thought that I had never seen before.

  In his eyes, the world was beautiful.

  His innocent and pure eyes explained it all. He appreciated life like no one else I’ve met. His sapphire, ocean blue eyes sparkled with life, filled with a deep, profound admiration that hit me like a tsunami.

  “Mom, if one day you aren’t here, how will I continue on?”

  “If it ever comes to that time, then it means you are ready to face the world.”

  “What do you mean, ready?”

  “It means that by then, your world will expand more rapidly than you ever thought it could.”

  “I don’t want to leave you.”

  “Me too, but life is never stagnant, Altair. Your life is like a boat at sea. It will rock and sway with the wind and the tides, but you will reach the shore. And once you do, you will find me again.”

  He was lonely.

  He only had one person to depend on: his mother. And while other people came and went in his life, there was only one sole rock or pillar he could depend on.

  Looking at his life, I saw myself, even if he lived a totally different life from me. Messenger was right; I was meant for someone else, and that was Altair.

  Are you looking for a friend?

  I asked, and his entire being froze.

  I will be your friend. You can depend on me.

  I smiled, and his presence fell on me.

  Thank you, Cleo. Thank you so much.

  That smile had a history. And it made him so much prettier knowing where that smile came from.

  We’re going to be partners, Altair.