The Aftermath by Scorpius15

Summary:

Glenn (Frog), Ayla, and Robo learn about the fall of Guardia. Though they are too late to stop it, can they at least find Crono, Marle, and Lucca?

Relationships:

Crono/Marle/Glenn (Frog), Lucca/Elaine, Fritz/Elaine, Ayla/Kino (minor)

Notes:

• This is basically the fall of Guardia with very little regard to Chrono Cross.

• Frog is human. His form is based on his sprite image, not the cut scenes, so basically, long hair instead of short.

Warning: This story includes scenes of rape and torture. The victims of rape involve a major character, a minor character, and (mentioned, but not described) minor original characters. The story also includes some violent battle scenes and adult language.

• This story will be edited from it's original form to fit a Mature Rating. The original story, (rated Explicit or MA) is on Archive of Our Own under the same user name and title. The scenes that will be edited in this version include torture, rape, sex, and possibly some fights/battles. I'll note in each chapter if it was edited.

Chapter 1: Worries

(This chapter has not been edited from the MA version.)

The moon hung low, and Glenn stared at it from one of the castle rooms. He heard someone walk in, and after a few steps, he recognized who it was.

"Your majesty."

"You are worried about them." Queen Leene wasn't asking. She knew Glenn too well. People whispered complaints about her getting too close with the knights. It was fine for the king, expected even, but not for her. She was supposed to keep her distance. She was supposed to have better things to do. It was nonsense. How could Leene expect these men to protect her with their lives if she didn't even know their names? Her husband understood. He trusted his wife and his men. She was particularly close to Glenn, long before he was a knight. She had heard rumors about this, rumors that made her blush, but she wasn't doing anything wrong.

Glenn made a short nod. After saving the world, Lucca had mentioned dismantling the Epoch. Glenn, known as Frog at the time, had gone back to his time believing he would never see them again. Thankfully, he had been wrong. For various reasons, she and the others visited, and a few times, he had been taken to 1000 AD to visit them.

"It has been too long," he informed.

"Perhaps they have decided it was best not to travel through time."

Glenn closed his eyes. "Marle would have made sure I was told, and Crono..." He trailed off, leaving his thoughts unspoken. "I am not convinced she would have allowed it, at least, not yet. She was so excited when your majesty announced that you were with child. She could not help telling me it would be a daughter."

"She nearly told me herself." Leene smiled in memory.

The same amount of time had always passed between visits. After the last visit, Magus' spell had finally worn off. Glenn had no idea how or why, but he had become his human self. Soon after, he became knighted, and he had earned the respect of the kingdom. He had to share this news with his friends, and he eagerly awaited their return...but that was two years ago.

Glenn turned to her. "Something is wrong, and there is nothing I can do about it." His fists clenched. "Dalton threatened to attack them. I fear he carried out his revenge." He turned his head away. "To save the world, only for him, him of all people to be a threat." He was sure he'd go to his grave wondering if that threat had been carried out.

Leene folded her arms, feeling cold with worry. Each of those from 1000 AD were special to her. Crono had saved her and the kingdom. Though she had since been told of Magus' true plan, she had no doubt that many more would have died if not for his interference. Lucca had shared her wisdom, prompting Leene to want to know more. The young woman had also taken the time to tell Leene what she knew about her ancestry.

Then there was Nadia, or Marle, as she preferred to be called. Proof that Guardia would still exist in 400 years, proof that Leene's family line would not die with her.

They were all brave, warm, and good. The idea that something horrid might have happened to them gave Leene shudders.

A young soldier walked up the stairs and entered the room. "Queen Leene." He knelt down.

Both looked to him, and Leene approached. She knew that this particular soldier was supposed to be on duty outside right now. "What brings you here?"

"I have been sent. There is something in the forest...like a large metallic bird."

Glenn's eyes lit up. Could it be? He looked to Leene, but she spoke before him. "Let us see what this is." Glenn gave a nod before following the knight. It took willpower not to bound ahead. It seemed to take so long just to reach the front door of the castle.

The soldier stopped briefly, looking to the queen. "Your highness may wish to stay here."

"I do not fear the dark, and we are no longer at war. I wish to see this for myself."

The soldier bowed. "Very well, your Majesty."

The walk through the forest took almost an hour, but the soldier finally stopped and gestured Glenn forward.

"Let's see this," Leene said as she followed Glenn.

Glenn felt his heart pounding. What if it had been there for a while and they just found it now? What would that mean for those who had been in it? Why hadn't they come to the castle? What if it wasn't even the Epoch? He hesitated slightly before continuing...and there it was. "The Epoch..." Truly, this was a good thing. "Who has approached it?"

"No one, sir," replied a fellow knight.

Glenn glanced to the men. "Guard the queen." He walked closer to the time machine. "There are no signs of overgrowth." He spotted a particular vicious species of weed under the machine. If the Epoch had been here for more than a few days, these new weeds would have already grown around it. "No tracks."

"Is anyone inside?" Leene asked.

Glenn took out the Masamune in case he was about to find the wrong people. He jumped up on the bird ready for anything. The only thing he found was dust in the seat. No one had sat in here for a while. "No one, your majesty."

"How is that possible?"

Glenn looked over the machine. "Sometimes, the Epoch seemed to follow us in our time of need." Memories made him smile. "Ayla believed it had a soul."

A nearby knight scoffed. "It is metal. Metal has no soul."

Glenn smiled more as he heard a protest from a particular metallic item of his. He jumped down and pointed the Masamune towards the soldier. "My sword has two of them."

That's right! Mune thought, though only Masa and Glenn could hear him. The argument wasn't worth showing himself to the knight.

"And Robo is living," Glenn added. "He has done more for this world than you ever will. Who are you to say he does not have a soul?"

The knight remembered him. He seemed to be a man made of armour. Not human, but for a while, Glenn didn't seem human either. The knight knew better than to argue. "My apologies, Sir Glenn."

Glenn nodded and put his sword away. "I accept." He then turned to the queen. "Your majesty. My friends..."

"Go see to them." Leene gave a nod. "Take as long as you need. Be safe."

Glenn jumped back on to the Epoch. "Be of sound health."

"Wait, sir," one of the knights called out. He opened a bag he had been carrying and looked to the other knights. "Fill this with supplies." Glenn watched as food, tonics, ethers, and other supplies were dropped into the bag. The knight then tied the bag and tossed it to Glenn. "Safe journey."

Glenn tucked the bag on to himself as he gave a nod of respect. He then turned to the controls.

Old memories of how to work the bird flooded back. He lifted it off the ground and soon found himself higher than the castle. "1003 AD," he muttered as he set the dial. Then the world around him blurred in whiteness. Various shapes moved around him. He knew he would see much more if he looked down.

"What did you want to show me," he asked as he saw the world under him becoming clear.

The castle seemed the same as he remembered it. Nothing wrong there. The forest looked fine as well, and Glenn suspected the Epoch had been hidden within for the past two years. Glenn frowned in confusion. Had he worried for nothing? He flew the Epoch away, heading towards Truce.

Half the city was missing. As he looked down, he noted that the poorer areas of the city were gone. It was covered in overgrowth. He peered closer, but the moon did not provide much light. Then Glenn felt ill as he realized the buildings he saw now were new. Some were still under construction. Nothing of the old Truce was left. He looked back to the castle, able to see it from this distance. It looked the same, but he knew it was not.

To be continued...