DISCLAIMER: I don't own Chrono Trigger. I'm making no money off this. If you paid money for this, get your money back.

Janus woke up. He was in an unfamiliar house. He was in worlds of pain, not that the King of the Mystics would DARE make this known to anyone. Above him, he could hear the sounds of someone hammering boards over the gaping hole in the roof. He moved, slightly, grunting low to himself. Gina entered the room, carrying a basket full of medical supplies. Janus twitched, slightly, inquiring, "Who are you? What is this place? And What happened to me?"

Gina chuckles, slightly, and put the basket on the bed, taking salves and bandages out, beginning to work on Janus' wounds, as she took a seat on the stool beside the bed, and replied, "Well, I'm Gina Turigga, This is my home, and best I can figure, you fell thru my roof from high up. At least high up enough I had to call my neighbor to repair it. Who are you, and how'd you get up so high, anyhow?" Janus considered his options. The house looked Guardian in nature. Meaning that the name 'Magus' may or may not be known here. If it was, then it wouldn't be known well. 'The Prophet' wouldn't get his caretaker's trust, obviously. However, Zealians had access to time travel gates...so his proper name may not be good either. He thought, hard. The name Gina sounded somewhat familiar, but he couldn't place it. So, he decided to reverse his proper name, and go with that, until he knew he could trust her, "My name is Sunaj. Dunno how I fell thru the roof. ... Just out of wandering curiosity, could you give me the full date and time?"

Gina raised an eyebrow curiously, thinking to herself on this strange request. But, ultimately, she opted to answer the strange man, "Well, it's November 13, 982. Almost Dusk outside. You've been asleep for 4 days while I patched you up..." Magus nodded, slightly, and lie back, letting her treat his wounds, "...How fortunate I have such an attractive woman to nurse me back to health. What condition am I in...?" Gina blushed, slightly, at Magus' words, and smiled, sticking her toungue out (Which Janus found so incredibly HOT, damnit...but he couldn't let this girl distract his search, more than needed for him to heal!) and replied, "Well, you seem to have a broken left leg, Upper AND Lower; you also have a cracked rib, and a lump as big as a Roly where your head hit...You want anything to drink, Mister Sunaj?" Janus smiled, and nodded, slightly, "A Glass of ale might serve wonders to take my mind off the pain, ma'am..." Gina nodded, getting up, shuffling off, closing the bedroom door behind her, to fetch the ale, making sure to not let her charge see her continuing blush...

4 weeks later

Janus had finally healed of his wounds. He'd even spent a few days helping Gina's neighbor Taban patch the roof, and other odd-job repairs. He'd gathered his belongings, and had just had breakfast with Miss Turigga. He nodded to her, to wish her well, and made it to the door. Then he heard a most strange sound...

Sniffling..?

He turned, slightly, to see Miss Turigga crying, quickly trying to wipe her eyes, and cleared his throat, looking her over, "...What is amiss...? Something I said...?"

Gina shook her head, plastering a fake smile, "No, no...I'm ... just being stupid...again..."

Janus' eyes narrowed, slightly, "Not hardly. I've had stupid people working under me. You're not stupid. You patched me up when not many here might have. I cannot depart here owing you for that, with you crying over it."

Gina smiled, slightly, "It's just...well, when I moved out here, Sunaj...I was running from a bad situation, and ... well, I've been...well..." And here her voice lowered, almost to a whisper, "...lonely." She cleared her throat, "...I know you probably have a beautiful woman waiting for you...But... for one night...can we just... pretend? You're the only single person I've found to talk to around here...and nobody else will have me..."

Janus stood there, processing what he'd just heard. The girl was a nervous wreck. He could just leave her...let her do whatever she was going to do with herself. He almost did. But then he thought...if he did that...he would be no better than those arrogant fools he'd had to suffer when he'd been a boy...and again, when he'd been 'The Prophet of Zeal'...As much pain, and suffering, as he had witnessed...to inflict that in turn upon someone who'd not only meant him no harm, but had indeed healed him, almost 380 years after he'd tried to take over Guardia as 'The Magus'...it left a bitter taste in his mouth. If he did that...then he was no better than his own mother.

He nodded, slightly. The woman was obviously on the edge of insanity. He would repay her kindness. It was the only thing for him to do. And once they'd had a full day and night of dalliance...he could continue the search...

That evening, he lay beside her, in her bed. He was, for the first time, smiling slightly. He was proud of himself. Who knows, perhaps he'd done some good...to make up for a life of misdeed. If only the damned Frog could see him now! He'd rubbed the woman's back and feet, made lunch and dinner for her, taken her for a hike in the mountains, carried her back from the mountains, and even bedded her, using every sensous and romantic thing he could think of. Perhaps this good deed would pay whatever powers-may-be for him losing Schala, and failing to find her before now.

The next day, he departed, promising her that when next they met, if she were still single...he would offer to marry her. Of course, he suspected the likelihood of THAT happening to be astronomically against...but...at least she would have something to hope for. Something to keep her going.

He had to walk for days after that, before he found another red portal. But this one only served to anger him, as it took him to the dark gloominess of the 'End of Time'. Then he realized this may just work to his advantage. Perhaps he was closer to Schala than he'd thought. Magus sighed, walking up to Gaspar, who woke up just as he arrived, Janus barking, "You, old man... Guru... You once said that in this place...you see all, know all that happens. I'm looking for - " Gaspar nodded, slightly, finishing for him, "Schala. It is Schala you seek. Wizard, I have been waiting for you to find a means of getting here. When you entered that broken red portal, it brought you here. I'm afraid your search is at an end. But not from lack of effort..." The man sadly shook his head, "Schala, as you know her, is no longer among the living. She has been propelled to a place beyond any of our's reach. And worse...she has been absorbed by that which you and the others thought you destroyed. She is now a part of Lavos reborn...the Devourer of Time..."

Janus dropped to his knees, shaking, "Is there no way? No matter how dangerous? Any way at all?"

The old man shook his head sadly

And Janus Zeal, The Magus of the Mystics, the Prophet - And Prince - of the lost kingdom of Zeal, cried. Screamed. Roared. Ripped at some of his own hair in grief. His life-long search...for nothing. But Gaspar continued, "However...recent events in your life have done good. You have served to prevent the chance of Lavos's existence resuming. That makes again you've saved existence..."

Janus looked up, confused, "What...what do you mean...? ...The Woman? How was SHE important??" He demanded, his eyes narrowing, staring almost accusingly at Gaspar. If he was making something up, so help the Fates, he would rip the man apart...

Gaspar smiled, slightly, "Why don't you go find out? ...The portal to 1000 AD's 'Millenium Fair', in Guardia. Take it. And go speak with Crono. Do as he asks. You will learn her importance from there, Janus Zeal...and remember that had you not met her...things would have turned out...badly."

Janus nodded slowly, and got up, walking towards the portals, Gasper speaking up, "You should know, Prince... Schala is beyond your reach...but... she will be rescued from Lavos. That much is certain. She will be rescued...and she will be happy. Do not despair her fate in that regard..." Janus turned, and nodded, smiling slightly. His goal had originally been to get Schala...and protect her. If he couldn't do that, however...then at least somebody else was going to whip Lavos' ass one more time, and rescue her. He entered the portal, which snapped shut almost hungrily behind him. Had he known what he was about to learn, he might not have been so quick to do so...

End Chapter 2!