Disclaimer: I do not own Chrono Cross or any of the characters. Square Enix owns those rights.
Author's Note: This particular one-shot is based on one of my favorite video game scenes of all time; Lucca's orphanage in flames. It's sad knowing what Kid went through as a child but it sure gave her quite the personality in the present day. This is basically a reenactment of the whole scene, so you'll notice some differences from the game. I hope you enjoy it! Reviews are optional but greatly appreciated.
Update: It's been a long time since I've written this and I decided to touch it up.
Serge paced back and forth anxiously inside Radius' hideout, he couldn't stand waiting any longer. His friend, Kid, was laying on a bed in some kind of coma and he felt insignificant that he couldn't do anything to help her. Radius, as old as he was, took charge in taking care of Serge's friend while he was out doing important tasks.
Serge was a young man who was emotionally scarred by a panther demon as a boy, which later turned out to be his nemesis, Lynx. Serge and Lynx swapped bodies temporarily at one point, but Serge was able to be reborn after being in contact with the Frozen Flame. A lot of other hardships happened up to this point, which made him stronger and more determined than ever.
"Come here, my boy," Radius said to him calmly from across the room. "I have an idea what's wrong with her."
Serge immediately darted in the old man's direction, glancing at Kid on the bed and then at Radius sitting in a wooden chair beside her.
Serge then replied anxiously; "Tell me, Radius, will she be okay?"
Radius let out a miserable sigh and looked up to meet the young man's eyes. "I don't know."
Serge went over to his friend's side with an unhappy look. He kneeled down beside Radius and held Kid's hand in both of his own. She was very warm.
"Radius… what can we do?" The young man said quietly, his voice breaking a little. "What can I do?"
The old man rested a hand on his shoulder. "Well, there's really nothing we can do," he answered just as softly. "Her mind has been sealed by an incident in the past, I'm afraid she'll never come around."
Serge was almost at the point of tears as he combed his fingers through Kid's blonde hair. He refused to believe there was no way to bring her back. Just then, the two-bladed weapon on his back began to glow a brilliant light as if it reacted to his sadness. Serge quickly took the weapon into his hands, not sure what was going on.
"Now that's love right there," a voice called out from the weapon. "Our master is young, but his heart is as pure as gold. Don't you think so, Mune?"
"Indeed it is, Masa," another voice called out.
Serge remembered that his weapon was alive, in a way. The corrupted sword, the Masamune, was now the dual-bladed Mastermune, a weapon of holy power. The true form of this weapon was two powerful beings joined as one.
"What incredible power…" Radius stated, amazed by the aura of the weapon. "I've never felt anything like it."
"Master, what is your wish?" Masa asked.
Serge was a little confused, he wasn't sure how to respond.
"We have the power to bring the girl back," Mune added. "Our magic can break the seal.
The young man gasped in astonishment as his eyes widened. "You can really do that?" he said with a hopeful tone.
"Of course!" both Masa and Mune answered in unison. "Do you think we're just a couple of amateurs?"
Serge smiled at the weapon, amazed by the power of these magical beings.
"Now listen," Masa began, getting Serge's full attention. "We can't... uh, bring the girl back just like that."
"What? Why not?" Serge said a little loudly. "I thought you said your magic could break the seal!
"True, our combined power is indeed extraordinary to carry out such a feat, but you have to understand that it isn't that simple," Mune added.
"In order for us to accomplish this, we need your help, Master," Masa said. "You must enter the girl's mind and free her from a terrible event in the past."
Serge looked bewildered. "That sounds... complicated, but if it's the only way to bring her back, I'll do it."
"Good!" Masa replied. "Our master is so brave. Isn't that right, Mune?"
"Very brave," Mune agreed. "Now, we are giving you just one warning."
"One warning only," Masa added.
"Be quiet!" Mune yelled at his brother. "I'm telling him!"
"Oh, sorry," Masa said softly.
Serge and Radius just looked at each other and blinked.
"Anyway..." Mune started. "When you enter the girl's mind, do not alter the past in any way. This one event is where it all began… and changing it will erase you from existence."
Serge gulped and nodded, understanding the warning.
"We would be sad if you never existed," Masa said.
"If he never existed, how can we be sad?" Mune said, raising his voice at his brother.
"Good point," Masa replied softly. "Sorry."
"Here's another thing…" Mune continued. "We won't have a lot of time to do this, Master. Find the girl, set her free, and we'll do the rest to get you back safe and sound."
Serge nodded and said; "Thank you." He was a little nervous because of the limited time frame for completing his goal, but he also had a lot of courage to carry it out without fail.
He whispered in Kid's ear; "I'm bringing you back." He gave her a kiss on her warm cheek, making Radius believe that the young man was very much capable of saving her.
Serge stood up from the bed and held onto the Mastermune tightly, ready to depart.
"Master, your love for this girl is very powerful," Masa said. "Keep her in your heart and you will succeed. We believe in you."
"As do I," Radius said with a nod. "I know you can save her, my boy."
Serge turned his head to the old man and smiled, then looked down at the Mastermune. "Okayt, I'm ready," he said with a deep breath.
"Alright," Masa replied. "You'll be in her mind very shortly. It's best if you close your eyes during this part."
Serge nodded and closed them before being enveloped in a blanket of light. The young man disappeared in front of Radius, leaving Kid in his care once again.
Serge felt like he was freezing as his body was hurled into another place and time. As soon as he arrived at an unknown place, the light surrounding him disappeared and he was no longer cold. Instead, he was feeling an intense heat as he finally opened his eyes. To his surprise, he found that he was inside of a house engulfed in flames. Serge covered his face from the heat and coughed as the smoke creeped into his lungs.
A couple of screaming children ran to him for help, they were both girls and neither of them looked like Kid.
"Mister! Mister!" one of the girls cried out. "Lucca and Kid are trapped in the back of the orphanage! Please, help them!"
This is an orphanage? Serge thought, but then it made a bit of sense to him. "Don't worry, I'll save them!" he said loudly over the fire. "You two, there's the exit! Get out of here, quickly!"
The kids nodded and smiled as they ran out through a door in the distance, away from the burning house.
Serge ran through a couple of doors, realizing that this place was bigger than he thought. He reached a small hallway with many children's drawings taped to one side of the wall and he happened to glance at a few as he ran by. One picture showed a purple-haired woman with glasses and the words 'Lucca' in big letters underneath, one showed a picture of a small blonde girl that was possibly Kid, and the last picture was a man with red, spiky hair with the words 'Crono is cool' underneath. Whoever these people were, Serge had a feeling they were important somehow.
"Hurry, Master!" Masa called out from Serge's weapon. "Mune still has some power left, but I can't hold on much longer."
Serge nodded and quickened his pace, his breaths getting increasingly louder as he searched through more rooms. He dodged falling debris and rolled through a wall of fire until he reached what seemed to be the back of the orphanage. He opened the wooden door and rushed into a large room that was even more dangerous than any other. To his horror, he found three deceased children on the ground, almost completely buried in debris. He stared at their bodies and clenched a fist, trying to hold back tears.
"If only I arrived here sooner…" Serge said miserably.
"No!" Mune replied, cutting him off. "Forgive me, Master, but you can't change the past. These children were meant to die like this. It was their fate."
Serge held back his sadness and found a dark figure amidst the heavy smoke, someone very familiar to him. Then, he knew who it was as his eyes widened with rage.
"Lynx!" Serge yelled out, his shout blanketed by a loud crash of debris.
Beside the demi-human was Harle, a harlequin who was a follower of Lynx at the time. They both turned around to face the vengeful eyes of Serge, his teeth clenched tightly. The young man was about to run toward the two until Mune blurted out; "No, Master! Don't do it!"
Serge stopped immediately, containing himself. Lynx and Harle simply smiled at him and then disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. That was the last time Serge would ever see them.
He hurriedly explored the room and found what appeared to be Lucca from a picture he saw before. Her lifeless body had been slashed several times with some kind of sharp weapon. Beside Lucca was a young blonde child curled up against her, crying her eyes out. It was Kid.
Serge walked over to the child and reached a hand out to her. "Come on! I have to get you out of here!" he yelled over the flames. The child kept on crying and Serge had to act fast. He grabbed her hand to take her away, but she struggled to stay with Lucca, trying to break free.
"Let me go!" she cried out. "Lucca's my big sis! She's the only family I have!"
Debris was falling down more so than usual and some of it blocked the only door out of the room. Frustrated, Serge placed the Mastermune on his back and picked Kid up into his arms while she was screaming out for Lucca. He would have given Kid more time with her if he could, but that's the thing. Time was running out.
Serge carried her to a window nearby and saw that it was night. He also realized that it was going to be a long drop down if he jumped, but there was no other option.
"Jump, Master!" Mune said out loud. "I'll use my magic to help you both land safely!"
Serge nodded and jumped out of the window with Kid safely in his arms. Mune reduced speed on their fall so that he would land gently on his feet.
Finally out of the burning orphanage, Serge ran as quick as he could away from the building until he and Kid were at a safe distance. He gently placed Kid on her feet and she continued sobbing while staring at the inferno that was once her home.
"No!" Kid screamed. "It's burning! Our home is burning! Lucca! Lucca!"
Serge heard the present Kid tell him the heartbreaking story about losing her friends and family in a fire, all because of Lynx. He finally got to see it for himself as he held back tears.
"All my friends… they're… they're…" Kid sobbed. "Why…? Why did this happen!?"
She turned around to face the man who helped save her life, but he quickly backed up and hid his face in the shadow of a tree. He couldn't let Kid see who he was.
"You… are you going to go away?" the girl said, her lips trembling. "Are you going to leave me?"
Serge didn't respond, but a tear fell down his cheek.
"I'm going to be alone again, aren't I?" Kid continued with more sobs. "Everybody I have ever loved has gone far, far away…"
"I'm sorry…" Serge said inaudibly as he took another step back.
The girl stepped forward and said; "No! Don't leave me! What'll happen to me?"
Kid moved closer to him and hung her head low. Even though Serge knew she couldn't see him, he decided to get on one knee and give her a hug. She gave him one also.
"Master, that's enough," Mune announced. "We have to go now. She'll be okay."
Serge was silent.
"Your cheek… it's wet?" Kid said, brushing a hand through his hair. "Thank you… thank you for saving me. Will I… ever see you again?"
All of a sudden, Serge vanished, leaving Kid all alone in the dark.
"What?" she said in shock. "Where did you go…? No! Come back! Don't leave me… please, no…! Don't leave me all alone!"
Serge was back at Radius' hideout, standing near Kid. Her eyes opened just as he returned.
"You did it, my boy!" Radius said happily at his side. "I just knew you would!"
"That was incredible," Masa said with a drained voice. "Isn't that right, Mune?"
"I'll say!" Mune added. "It's been centuries since I've used up all of my magic. Please, don't make us do that again, Master."
Serge smiled gratefully at the Mastermune. "Thanks a lot, you two. I couldn't have done it without your help." His clothes were covered in soot and his face was just filthy.
Kid looked up at him, confused. "What happened?" she asked. "Why are ya so dirty, mate?"
Serge missed hearing her voice. He gave her a big hug and replied happily; "It's good to have you back!"
Kid smiled, wrapping her arms around him tightly and whispered; "I knew ya wouldn't leave me."