Disclaimer: I still do not own Chrono Cross.

Skye had expected something like this. She was hoping that since she came here first instead of talking to Leena, this wouldn't happen right now. Only now did she realize her mistake. She clenched her fists, automatically running through what she'd have to do to grab her knife in a hurry. "Don't be scared, Skye," she told herself as she slowly turned around. "Don't be scared."

She wasn't scared. She was surprised. Her eyebrows shot up as her eyes became riveted to one of the trio and not the one she thought she'd be focused on. She recognized Karsh, of course she did. The man was smiling in a self-important sort of way. He was so pleased to have caught her alone like this. But, it was one of the other two that had caught her attention. "Serge," she breathed, so low she was sure none of them had heard her.

The other of the trio, a young man with light brown hair, and a x shaped scar on his cheek, tilted his head a little bit. In something that the girl would have thought would come from the Shaker Brothers, he voiced one of the usual concerns about this. "Sir Karsh, forgive my asking this... but is this girl really a ghost? She seems like a perfectly healthy young girl to me."

Skye only looked out of the corner of her eye for long enough to see the speaker. Was that Glenn? What was he doing here? Shouldn't Solt and Peppor be here? And why was she seeing Serge?

"Ghost is a relative term," said Karsh lazily as he stepped closer to Skye, forcing her to take a step back to avoid being too close. He laughed. "It's meant to mean she shouldn't and doesn't really exist."

"She still looks real to me," Glenn muttered, almost sulkily.

"What do you want?" she snapped, hand trembling a little as she pulled out her dagger. There were three of them. She knew she wasn't a match for any of them yet. Not only that, but from what was just said, it seemed that the Deva knew a lot more than he should.

Instead of answering her question, the one who caught her attention finally spoke. "Skye?" For a moment, he stood there, like he was eyeing her, before he took a step toward her. "Yes, it has to be you. I'd know you anywhere. You can trust my word, Glenn, she is real. It's just... even I don't know how to describe it at this point."

Skye backed up one more time, noticing her back was pressed against the gravestone. Oh, that couldn't be good! It was only then that something occurred to her, and it was only now from even the original story she was even questioning it. "What do you want?" she repeated, once again trying to come off as unimportant, but even she had to admit it wasn't working. "And how could you even know to find me here of all places?"

Glenn shrugged, fast giving her the impression that of the three he was the least dangerous. But she had to quickly remind herself that the boy she knew from the story wasn't just someone who would stand back and just watch. Unless for some reason you took a certain route in the game. And she hated the look, like steel, in this Serge's eye. She couldn't help but shudder.

"Stop chatting!" Karsh barked, drawing his axe. "We've found her, now we've got to take her back to him."

"A lot of gratitude we'll get for that," Other World Serge muttered as he too took out his weapon, which to Skye looked like a staff with blades on either end of it. "Just come along quietly, Skye. I don't think he'll hurt you."

Skye shook her head. She knew she couldn't fight them, and there was only one 'him' she could think of right now. It was almost like it was going from bad to worse for her. She knew on her own that fighting back was not an option. She was outnumbered, and she had to admit that Other World Serge was right. Karsh wouldn't hurt her, but going to 'him' didn't sound like a good idea.

Then she remembered where her Serge went to. Her eyes widened and she instinctively turned her eyes toward one of the ledges there. In the game, she knew this would be where Kid would show up. While she wasn't expecting that girl, she knew who she could see. "Please," she thought. "Please be there!"

Impatient by the momentary delays Karsh stepped forward to seize her and she ducked under his arms, racing toward the ledge since the other way was blocked.

"Get back here, ghost!" Glenn shouted.

She looked back in time to see him trip right into the Deva, taking them both down. Other World Serge leaped over both of them in pursuit. She turned forward, heart pounding. Her knife felt slippery in her sweaty hand and any second she thought she'd feel someone grab her from behind. She tripped, falling to one knee right next to the first ledge.

"Skye!"

She looked up and saw her Serge stand on the approaching one. And for an instant both Serges froze in confusion. The girl couldn't blame them for that, because she was sure if she saw a girl that looked just like her, she would be puzzled too.

"What the hell?" Glenn said in confusion as he and the purple haired man rose to their feet. "Do you have a twin, Serge?"

"Not last I checked," Other Serge answered. He quickly shook away the shock before that same steely-eyed look appeared in his purple eyes once more. "I don't know who you are, but I won't let you interfere with our mission."

The boy on the ledge shook his head as well, as though clearing out his own surprise, before he jumped down and in front of Skye. "Do you really think I'm just going to stand here and let you capture Skye? Sorry, but that isn't going to happen. I have a promise to keep!"

Feeling a little more confident now that her Serge was there, Skye stood her ground and readjusted her grip on her dagger. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going with you!"

Karsh only smiled at their declaration and approached the duo. "Sorry you feel that way, junior," he told the girl. "But we have our orders."

The Serge the girl knew took out his own swallow and took a defensive stance. "Yeah, and I just said I'm not letting you take her!"

Karsh took a firm grip of his axe and rushed toward Serge. The boy had just enough time to hold up his swallow to block the attack in the middle of it, and struck back. For a moment, Skye thought she was going to lose her grip on her dagger again, until she noticed Other Serge coming her way.

The young man, whom Skye could only figure was an Acacia Dragoon from how he was dressed, was trying his hardest to not look at his double as he came toward her. However, she noticed that the swings of his weapon felt off. She only had to move a little bit in order to dodge most strikes, and even those that could have hurt her were easily blocked by her own dagger. It almost felt like he wasn't even trying.

"Serge, what's the matter with you?" Glenn asked as he stepped up next to his fellow Dragoon, his own sword in hand.

The Other Serge turned his head toward the other boy, but said nothing, aside from giving a nod. The brown haired boy smiled as though he understood, and both of them jumped backwards, causing Skye's green eyes to widen. The only reason she could see them doing that was if they were going to try an X-Slash, which was a move that the two could do together.

"Skye!" Serge cried, as though he saw the girl was in trouble, but was unable to keep his eyes off of Karsh for long, causing him to quickly duck under his axe.

The blonde could only stare in surprise as the two boys ran up to her, but they seemed to meet way too soon into the X and crashed right into each other. Though she had seen Glenn trip earlier, she quickly wondered if the Dragoon Serge was more rattled than he let on.

"Idiots," Karsh murmured, surprising the blonde, as she couldn't remember the Deva saying that to Glenn before. She could understand the Shaker Brothers, but why would he say that about Glenn and Other Serge?

Deciding it was best to put that thought to the side, she rushed over to her Serge. Karsh noticed her movements, and turned his sights toward her, but this caused the young man to smile, and lash out when he wasn't looking. The Deva grunted in surprise as he stepped backwards, holding on to his arm.

Serge quickly put his weapon away and reached out to grab Skye's wrist. Deciding it was better not to protest, she let the young man guide her away from the cape. The girl looked at him, and watched him place a finger to his lips, as they ducked into a nearby cave. He kept his finger in place, and she nodded.

Sometime later, Karsh, Glenn and Other Serge rushed passed their hiding place. The Deva cursed a bit as they ran by, barking orders to the duo to find her. A few minutes passed and their voices faded away, causing both of them to sigh in relief.

"That was close," Serge remarked, his hair looking like a dark shade of blue in the cave. "I'm glad I could make it in time."

"Me too," Skye agreed with a nod of her head. "I was hoping you would show up, since you talked to Leena and all."

"Yeah, and now I'm even more confused," the boy replied as he crossed his arms. "When I saw her, she was surprised to see me, and like Miguel, asked if I was on leave. I couldn't reply and she thought I was thinking back to 'that time.' I asked her what she meant, and she told me I don't need to hide it, since she knew your death has been eating me up inside, since you drowned ten years ago."

"I know what you mean," the girl admitted with a sigh. "I just saw my own grave. And those dragoons said they were looking for me, as the ghost of the girl who died ten years ago."

"But what does this mean?" Serge asked the girl. "You were acting oddly earlier, but now it seems like everyone is! And then I see another me as I find you at Cape Howl!"

Feeling as though she couldn't keep quiet anymore, Skye hung her head. "I think I know a few things, but to be honest, I don't know what I do or don't anymore."

"If you have any answers, it would be appreciated," Serge told the girl gently.

"Well, I don't know if you will believe me," the blonde remarked, looking her Serge in the eye. She had to admit, after seeing that look in the eyes of Other Serge, it was nice to see a softer and concerned expression from him. "But I think we fell into another dimension. One where I am dead and buried and you became an Acacia Dragoon."

"Another dimension?" the boy questioned, confusion filling his purple eyes. "How did that happen?"

"To be honest, I don't know. I thought this was all a story before, and I never figured out how the switch occurred the first time. All I know is that we did. It's how no one knows me, and if I told them I'm Skye, they would call me a liar. They think you are with the dragoons, which is why Miguel and Leena asked if you were on leave."

"I'm not so sure I understand, especially when you said you thought this was a story," Serge remarked as he shook his head.

"That is a little hard to explain," the girl admitted as she rubbed her left arm. "You said that I disappeared for my own protection after you found me unharmed." She paused for a moment, wondering if she should say where she thought she came from, but having a feeling he wouldn't know where it was anyway, decided it was best not to. "I saw a story named Chrono Cross when I was there. I thought I was a minor character because of that and wanted to put things on track but…"

"Some parts of the story have been wrong already?" Serge questioned, looking more puzzled than he did before. "I'm not sure I understand to be honest." Skye allowed herself another sigh, as she could understand how that could be an issue for him. How would she feel if someone came up to her and said the same thing? Of course it would be confusing! "But if you thought this was a story, do you know why the Dragoons are after you?"

"Karsh, one of the Devas, said something about taking me to 'him,'" Skye started to say.

"You mean General Viper?" Serge interrupted, causing the girl to shake her head.

"No, even with the changes, I doubt he knows," Skye replied. "I think the 'he' refers to General Lynx."

"General Lynx?" Serge repeated as he crossed his arms. "That's the first I've heard of him."

Skye nodded her head in understanding and placed a finger to her chin. "I'm not sure if the reason is the same, but I can only bet whatever he wants me for, it isn't good."

"Well, I won't let him get you, I promise you that," Serge told the girl, curling one hand into a fist and placing it on his chest.

Despite her situation, the girl allowed herself a giggle. "You don't need to keep promising me, I get it already. Still, thank you, Serge. I know what I just said is confusing, and I'm glad you would stick by me."

"Of course," the boy told her gently. "I don't know what happened or what this story you were talking about told you, but I won't abandon you." His smile wilted to a frown as he leaned back to the cave wall. "But, now what are we going to do?"