Chrono Trigger
The Blackbird; a chapter in which our heroes find themselves being held captive by Dalton...
When her eyes opened again Marle was almost strangely thankful to Dalton. She had one of the most peaceful slumbers in her life. There were no nightmares, no crying in her sleep, and no sadness. When she awoke she felt truly refreshed and her body felt like it was brimming with energy. However, her thankfulness disappeared when she realized that the table she rested on had restraints that held her in place. Her head was unrestrained and she could turn to see that the others in her party were awake.
"Are you okay, Marle?"
"Yeah, how about you Lucca?"
"I'm fine…I'm just ready to take Dalton down a peg, is all."
"Aye, 'tis agreed that the fool needs to be knocked from his pedestal."
There was a snort of laughter followed by a dry, sarcastic remark; "Good luck with that."
They realized that they were not alone in the room. The voice was calm and collected. The voice also had a certain distinction about it, which suggested it was somebody who was learned. Lucca could smell antiseptic and gauze, and noted the sterile environment. She turned to the others and said, "We are in a laboratory." And after a moment of silence, she realized that she could hear a strange noise almost as if there was the steady hum of a high-powered engine. "And we are on the blackbird."
"I could have told you that."
Ayla growled in frustration as the scientist poked a needle into her. He absent-mindedly stated "DNA sample" as if he meant to apologize and went back to his work. As his back was turned everyone in the party looked at each other. Lucca mouthed to the others "on three" and began to count. At "three" they threw themselves against the restraints, causing the table to jolt. Yet their restraints held. They looked at their hands, puzzled that they could not break free.
The scientist did not laugh, startle, nor show any emotion of any kind. In fact, even as he spoke to them it sounded more like he was speaking to himself. He spoke quickly, hardly taking a moment to breathe in between sentences. "You were unconscious. Used a process much like the mammon machine to drain your magical abilities. An interesting breakthrough, really. Certain parts of the human cell have different characteristics as far as using magical ability is concerned. All cells have the components necessary, but lie dormant until a pseudo-psychosis stimulus is induced. Behavior suggests that all beings have magical ability. All humans capable of magic. Suggests that a catalyst can be developed to use cellular energy, such as a tablet or bio-weapon. Hmm…interesting…Mammon Machine is so effective at sapping magical energy. Cannot completely reduplicate the technology. Too many factors. Wish I could, but that would put subjects at risk. Waste of scientific opportunity."
There was a clinking of tubes and the scientist continued to work silently and talk to himself. The party simply lay there; Lucca being enthralled with what he was saying while Ayla struggled against her restraints. Slowly, the metal binding her to the restraints began to twist and bend. There was a soft clink as the metal snapped. The scientist, being freed from his revelry, spun about and did not react the way Ayla imagined.
"Interesting. Magical properties are drained, yet inner strength is not diminished."
Ayla grabbed him by his robes and lifted him off the ground, "Let my friends go. Now."
"Very well. I have all the data I need. You may go." The scientist, with no sense of care or worry pressed a button on the console. The party rose from their tables.
Ayla muttered sorry before she cocked back her hand to deliver a knockout blow. However, her arm was stopped by Lucca. Ayla growled, "What you do, Lucca?"
"We don't know how to get out of here."
Glenn looked at Lucca impatiently, "'Tis safer that we find the way ourselves. It is dangerous to let this man wander. He may shout out for help."
"Ridiculous." The scientist stated, "I'm a prisoner. Worked in the Enhasa research institute. Was abducted by Dalton. Wanted me to research a way to inhibit Lavos permanently. Dalton is an insurgent. Planned to usurp the royal family for years. However, I have no interest in politics. Too messy. Prefer the lab. Never any problems. Only solutions."
"Dalton is a genius." Lucca said, finally becoming wary of the man. "Why would he need you?"
"Agree. Dalton is a genius. Mechanically minded. Knowledgeable with weapons and fighting. Flight. However, knowledge in biology is minimal. Cannot fathom the higher levels of neuroscience. Cellular manipulation. He is a mechanical specialist. I am a cellular specialist."
"You do realize that we are bringing this place down, right?" Marle asked, her eyebrows rising in disbelief.
"Understandable. This place. Very powerful. In terms of battle, very tactical. A source of domination. Presents danger to the civilization below. Dalton is ruthless. Forced me to perform experiments on his soldiers. Very messy. Many ethical dilemmas."
"What if I told you that if you come with us and help us escape, you could do some real good with your research?"
The scientist thought it over in his mind and responded, "Beyond the obvious choice, do not care too much as long as not confronted with ethical dilemmas. However, Dalton is constantly suspicious. Especially lately. May eliminate those who seem to harbor ulterior motives. May eliminate me to keep control. I would rather aid the settlements."
Marle smiled and looked at Lucca, "You were thinking of the villagers, weren't you?"
Lucca grinned, "If what he said is true, there is no telling how quickly we could recover from this incident. Who knows; if he can really create a catalyst that can allow anyone to use magic than imagine what that would do for the future!"
"The result could also be catastrophic." Robo mentioned.
Lucca grinned and tapped Robo on the dome while saying, "It was always you and Crono telling me to think positive. Don't get grouchy with me just yet! Besides, I have a good feeling about this one."
Ayla almost growled in impatience and rolled her eyes.
"It's nice to meet you-" Lucca began, thrusting out her hand.
The scientist did not take it, but looked around his surroundings and said, "Miguel. My name is Miguel."
Marle and Lucca exchanged momentarily unsure glances before Lucca continued, "Well, if there is any way you could restore our magic to us-"
"Not possible." Miguel said, absent-mindedly. A dark horror filled them. Miguel noticed their fright and said, "Cellular manipulation will return. Will take an hour; comes back slowly. Treatment prevents cells from channeling energy from mitochondria; nulls chemical inducers in the brain. Inducers associated with psychic activity. Magnetism generated from muscle tissue during power exchange; essential for elemental function. No opposing force, no charge, no reaction, no event, no magic. Cells regenerate energy; brain cells resume producing chemical."
"How am I able to use magic?" Robo asked, sudden interest in his voice.
Miguel paused for a moment before simply saying, "Unsure."
Robo hid his disappointment, "So what do we do? It's like we lost all our powers."
"Well, if we can't rely on our magic then we better get our weapons. If we do that we might have a chance." Lucca added.
"My hands are my weapons!" Ayla interrupted with a broad grin. She pounded her fist into her open palm to get the point across.
Marle hummed to herself in thought, "We need to be quiet, Ayla. We can't draw too much attention…at least not until we are armed."
"Okay," Ayla agreed enthusiastically.
"Miguel? Where are our weapons?"
"Other side of the Blackbird." Miguel pressed a button on the console and typed in what seemed to be random commands. Suddenly, in the corner of the room, a trail of lights flashed in succession. They were leading toward the door. "Ship is large. Easy to get lost. We can follow pathway of light. Will not be suspicious. Designed by engineers to aid crew."
The party moved to follow her by she stopped them and said, "For now, I go alone. It is dangerous if we all go together. Hulat di'."
Ayla peered out the door and looked down both sides of the hallway. Cautiously she stepped out and headed toward the direction of the lights. She moved quickly and silently, her legs stretching out before her with catlike grace and agility. She had reached a two way corner and paused at the edge. She listened and heard footsteps approaching from the opposite side. By the sound of the discussion it was a group of them. And they were close.
Dispatching them would have been easy enough, but any distress could cause the ship to go into a state of alarm. She silently cursed at herself for hesitating for so long because she no longer had enough time to dash into the room and wait for them to pass. Then, she saw her escape. There was an air duct that was overly large and able to allow her body to slip through. It was not even fastened with screws, but could be lifted from the bottom and slid back into place. "For easy maintenance," Ayla thought to herself.
The grate made a soft and barely audible clink as the sentries passed by and Ayla grinned triumphantly. She was about to leave when a sudden gust of wind caused her to look upward. Her grin broadened as she realized that the air duct opened wider and that it seemed to pass over the hallways. She clambered up a small ladder and went to the first grate she came across. She looked down and saw the sentries passing underneath her. There had been five of them, most likely off to their lunch break as a group. They all had communication devices with them. "Good thing I didn't take the risk." She noted the lights that flashed in succession in the corner of the floor and looked down the duct.
She continued with a light jog. She did not have to worry about making too much noise since the drone from the plane muffled the thuds of her feet. Whenever she came to a grate she would peer down and search the scene, trying to notice if she had ran too hard and aroused suspicion or if she were on the right path. A few times she had gone too far and have to backtrack to where she had seen the light earlier. Finally, she had reached a point were the light entered in through a door. Lithely, she crept the last few steps over what would have been the threshold of the room and peered down the grate. "Incredible" she thought to herself. There was only a single guard and he was fast asleep.
This grate had been sealed lightly with screws, forcing Ayla to turn them with her thumbnail. She quietly lifted the grate, dropped down, and incapacitated the guard. Upon inspecting her surrounding she realized that she was in a storage area. From a rack she took a towel, found the weapons, and wrapped them all in the towel. Clutching the mess of wood, leather, and metal to her chest, she leapt back into the air ducts and began making her way back but was halted by the sound of machinery and a familiar and faint voice.
"Remem - plate the alloy or - freeze up - specifications exactly -".
Ayla frowned and followed the sound of Dalton's voice. The sound of drills, ratchets, and welding grew more decipherable as she neared what must have been a garage. Finally, she could see Dalton standing upon what appeared to be the Epoch. However, there were a few new additions. It had wings now.
A man stood next to Dalton, wearing a leather jacket with goggles upon his forehead. "So, she is flight worthy then?"
He nodded, his foot tapping the newly polished surface of the Epoch. "It woz easy to convert her. This is one of the most finely designed vehicles I have ever seen. Definitely ol' Bal's work."
The pilot nodded, "Why even bother tuning this thing up? We can just bomb them from the Blackbird."
"'Bomb them?'" Ayla whispered to herself, fear building up in her heart.
An unseen engineer spoke, "Bombing from this height is highly inaccurate. And our fuel cells are running low. If we dip lower into a thicker atmosphere we will drain our cells, be forced to land, and will be grounded for quite some time. Frankly, we were lucky that we were able to get back into the sky as soon as we did.
Dalton shrugged and sighed, "That's th' price o' goin' big, eh mates? No worries, o' course. With this 'ere vessel, we'll be able to hit 'em 'ard an fast whenever they get antsy like that a'gin."
"Sir? Are you sure it is a good idea to strike the chieftain's quarters? What if the people revolt?"
Dalton laughed, "They are tired and wantin' to live. When we show 'em wot happens to those who mess with the bull, they'll keep in line. Besides-" Ayla could hear the barely contained menace in Dalton's voice, "I wanna get that basterd that socked me in th' face."
Ayla watched as Dalton walked from out of view; however, he had not left the garage. An engineer shouted after him, "When would you like to begin the assault? "
"As soon as we add a bay for the bombs…get to work. I got me some specimens to visit…The spectacled girl said somethin' 'bout the not knowin' wot the Epoch can do. The doctor will make 'em talk." Ayla felt a stab of panic at the realization that Dalton was heading toward her friends. She scooped up the weapons and hurried back the way she came, hoping that someone would slow Dalton down to give her time to explain the situation.
It was easier to find her way back than it was to find the weapons. She peered downwards, making sure the coast was clear before she moved out into the open. Her feet carried her swiftly to the lab where she knocked on the door urgently. It opened wide enough just to allow her inside. Everyone stared at her, noticing the stress on her face. "Ayla," Marle began, "what is wrong?"
"There is no time! Lay down on the cots! Pretend that you are asleep! Doctor, do you have a pill like the one Dalton made us take?"
The party hesitated for a split second before they understood what was happening. They did not even reach for their weapons that Ayla laid to the side. They obeyed immediately, even going as far as putting their straps back on. The doctor placed a pill within Ayla's hand while she searched for a hidden corner. She grinned as she saw an overhead compartment that would be able to support her weight. She clambered into position, already hearing the footsteps approaching. She did not have time to whisper to the doctor that he would have to get Dalton to turn his back.
It was at that moment that suddenly she was frightened. The doctor pressed a button that closed the restraints around the wrists of the party. Ayla held back a startled gasp. Did he do it to make the ruse more believable? Or had this been a ploy the whole time? Was the doctor merely bluffing and trying to find a way to turn them in and protect his own life? She did not have much time to ponder as the door opened. The sound of thick leather boots entered the lab. Ayla realized that the party shared her concerns, seeing that an eye would flutter open nervously for just a second, or that a few of their jaws were clenched. Ayla watched Miguel intently, holding her breath despite the fact that her heart raced.
"So, how are they Miguel?"
Ayla watched to see if there was anything in his mannerisms that would give him away. Either Miguel was a great actor or he was being far too subtle in fear of Ayla killing him during the scuffle. "Sleeping. Heavily dosed. Can wake them up if you have questions. Need a shot of adrenaline. Painful. But will do the trick."
"Hmm…" Dalton tapped his finger ponderously, as if he delighted in the idea of inflicting pain at the moment.
"Adrenaline is over there." Miguel pointed toward a table.
Ayla would have screamed at herself for letting her nerves get to her. In her fear of Miguel betraying her she almost missed her chance. Miguel had to frown in annoyance to signal her as Dalton glanced at the rows of syringes. Her eyes widened in shock as she leapt from her hiding place, landing lightly on her feet. At that moment, Dalton had looked to his left, comprehension dawning on his face. He spun around, his eyes a raging fire of anger. "Miguel! You son'a'bitch you are missing that blon-"
He could not finish the sentence as Ayla violently thrust the pill into his open mouth. The effect was almost instantaneous. Ayla did not realize as a result of her nerves how hard she pushed the pill toward his face. She had broken his nose. Dalton stumbled forward, reaching toward his waistcoat for something. However, he fell forward on his face and began to snore soundly. Ayla smiled brightly at Miguel who nodded in reply. He pressed a button on the console, freeing the party.
"What was he reaching for?" Marle asked.
"Panic button. Everyone aboard carries it at all times." Miguel began, "You did well Ayla. Improvisation. Cunning."
"I glad I trust you." Ayla smiled nervously, her past anxiety affecting the fluidity of her speech.
Ayla quickly recounted to the party the plan she had overheard. Lucca gawked and squealed with excitement when Ayla recounted the part of the story where Dalton had turned the Epoch into a flying machine. "That is our escape!" She interjected, and added with a grin, "And it is way to take the Blackbird down before they bomb the people below!"
Marle smiled and looked toward Miguel, "So, do you think you can pilot the machine? Do you know what it can do?"
Miguel shook his head, "Kept in the dark. Worked only in the lab. Focused on my own duty. Never wandered around the ship. Wasn't interested. Not a mechanic."
"But I am!" Lucca could barely hold back the glee in her voice.
Marle felt guilty to put a damper on Lucca excitement but said, "Lucca…not too long ago we didn't even know that flying machines existed. What makes you think you can fly one?"
That had stopped Lucca short and she had to ponder. She did not ponder long before Robo replied, "I do not know why, but I am programmed with aviation techniques. I can fly."
Lucca frowned in disappointment, but saw the logic in Robo operating the machine.
"And what shall we do with this one." There was a slight hiss of disgust in Glenn's voice as his eye looked over the prostrate form of Dalton. His fingers touched the hilt of his sword.
Ayla frowned, "Kill him."
Marle looked at Dalton, not feeling any sort of sentimentality toward him. However, the death and destruction she had witnessed in these last few weeks left her heart heavy and sullen. This whole adventure had resolved around fighting. For so long they had been taking lives to end a struggle, and the lives they took were only a byproduct. "Why?" She had to ask herself. "Why of all times, of all places, of all people, especially this one?" She already knew why. The death of Crono had somehow cemented it for her. She didn't want death anymore. She was sick and tired of fighting. The only reason why she wanted to keep going forward is because she knew that was what Crono would have wanted. Suddenly, she could understand why they others did not want to continue the journey. When she looked up at Lucca and their eyes locked, she knew she felt the same way.
"Leave him." Marle stated.
Glenn's hand dropped to his side, his eyes wide and bewildered. "What? Why? What is this nonsense?"
"He's as good as gone when the Blackbird goes down," Lucca said. "When it crashes it will be quick."
"So will snapping his neck!" Ayla nearly growled.
"Aye," Glenn said, his voice thick with frustration. "Better that we end his life now, so that he brings to pass no more mischief. To let this cretin live is an unpardonable sin."
Robo spoke, walking forward on unsteady and bent legs. "If we are not in consensus, if there is any ill-feelings, we should not go forward with it."
Ayla and Glenn scoffed, their brows creased in anger. "Fine." Glenn muttered, "If this cockroach lives to see the sun again, and brings hell with him, let it be known that I hath protested this."
The party began to move, Robo putting much of his weight on Glenn as they walked. Notwithstanding having his power drained, Glenn was still remarkably strong due to the fact that he had always trained with a solid bronze chest plate. Ayla led them to the air ducts. Miguel chortled and said, "Security; lacking. Dalton's ego. Most definitely his weakest point." They had to move slower, since their collective footsteps would easily have been heard. With a sense of fear, Marle heard a growing discontent among the staff. Within another few minutes she could hear somebody over the PA system, saying something about finding the location of Dalton.
"We probably have another few minutes until they find out we are gone. Don't worry too much about discretion now. We need to hurry."
Ayla ran on ahead. Years of stalking prey in the jungle had given her the uncanny ability to muffle her own steps. In fact, she was amazed that no security had discovered them already, seeing how much noise her friends had made. She peered down into the garage. She grinned in delight. Whoever sent out the announcement unintentionally cleared a large portion of the guard. She motioned to the others to hurry. By the time they approached the grate the ship's alarm began to sound.
"Sounds like they found Dalton." Robo laughed as he leapt downward.
Ayla had already dispatched of the few guards by the time the party landed on the catwalk. Lucca was the last to land. She immediately scanned the Epoch. Her eyes gleamed. Her hand traced over the shape of its new starboard wing. She laughed impishly as she looked at the adornments underneath the wings. "They armed you to the teeth, didn't they?"
She felt a sharp jab on her arm. Marle motioned impatiently to the dome. "How do we open the canopy?"
Lucca scoffed jokingly, "Peons…can't even open up a door…"
The Epoch's dome popped over with a hiss, the dome smoothly arcing back. Lucca looked to Glenn who was helping Robo into the cockpit. Lucca saw that Robo's left replacement leg had broken due to the fall from the ceiling. "Glenn! We need to open the bay doors! Marle! Help him find the switch! We don't have that much time!" As she said this she helped Miguel climb aboard. Suddenly, the garage was filled with a freezing cold vacuum. Anything that had not been tied down began to drift slowly to the exit. Glenn announced his success triumphantly and escorted Marle back to the Epoch.
Lucca did not even wait for Robo to climb up to take her place. She had noticed that he would never fit into the pilot's chair. "Everyone! Buckle up! We are going into freefall until I can get it started!"
Evidently, Dalton did not intend for the Epoch to be a simple strike vehicle. The inside of the epoch was lavish with comfortable seating and pillows that formed a semi-arc. Three chairs were separate from the arc and were at the front of the Epoch. While the Epoch was built for leisure, Lucca was glad to see that Dalton had the foresight to add five-point harnesses to different parts of the lounger. As Marle strapped herself in, her icy blue eyes flashed with fearful anger, "What do you mean, 'freefall'?"
The ship lurched as Lucca touched the controls. Robo was now at her side, steeling himself for the freefall. The servos in his arms whirled as his grip tightened. The harnesses were too small for his frame. He would have to rely on his arms and weight to hold him in place. "You have to check the mixture of oxygen and fuel! If there is not enough oxygen the fuel will only come and go in bursts!" Lucca moved her hands quickly, Robo assisting with shouted instruction. Outside of the canopy, above the whistling suction of atmosphere, they could hear the shouted curses of enemies. There was a sound like an explosion, but the Epoch only shook slightly.
"Solid framework, Dalton," Lucca thought with a grin, "I guess that was a good enough reason not to kill you…"
The ship lurched forward again, only this time it was much stronger. Everyone felt a violent shove of force press them back into their seats. The Epoch leapt from the belly of the Blackbird, soaring into the sky on its own…before it began to plummet again.
"You fired the engine too quickly. You have to rev it up slowly. The engine is stalled." Robo said, too calmly.
The sickening feeling of free falling was in the pit of their stomachs. Clouds of ice and water droplets sped past the canopy. In the distance, the Blackboard hovered in the sky as a solid mass of dark blue color. The Epoch began to pitch and roll, the sky suddenly beneath them and their heads facing toward the ground. They were jammed back into their seats, yet the sickening feeling of falling remained. Lucca began to panic. Glenn laughed to himself in cynical incredulity, "Mayhaps thou couldst have put more thought into this, aye Lucca?"
"Shut up, Glenn! Everything is fine!"
"Certainly!" he said, with an amazing show of serenity, "Oh, please, hasten thyself naught. Take thy time." Lucca did not appreciate that fact that his voice dripped with sarcasm.
"He must have got that from me." Lucca thought.
The other passengers gripped their seats uneasily.
They broke through the cloud cover, the wide expanse of ocean underneath them. The setting sun illuminated the water, making it seem as if it were sparkling like slivers of broken glass. As Lucca fought with the controls, a dial suddenly lit up on its own on the control panel. For a moment she was confused, but reached for the dial and turned it. It had clicked off, lit up again when she had turned it too far, and clicked off when she had gone back. Another dial lit up and she had done the same thing she had done to the previous dial. A smile came to her face now as she went over the controls, following wherever the lights took her. "I think she is teaching me how to fly her!" Lucca laughed with amazement. Finally, the engine began to roar and they felt a sudden burst of speed forward.
"The Epoch?" Ayla asked, her eyes wide.
They were no longer falling, but moving forward. It was a very disorienting feeling, seeing the ocean overhead and the sky beneath them. Lucca grew tired of the feeling and noticed that the console lit up near the lever. Lucca slowly pushed the lever in the direction of the light and cheered in excitement as the Epoch righted itself. They had corrected themselves with plenty of time to spare before hitting the ocean below. "Told you I would be fine!" Lucca said with a grin toward Marle.
Marle's brow furrowed, but she smiled nonetheless, "First thing, you never said that. Second thing, I'd call that 'freefall' anything but fine!"
Glenn unbuckled his harness and turned about in his seat. "The Blackbird. She is behind us."
"Well, why don't we see what this girl can do?" Marle said with a grin.
Without a word Lucca banked to the right, the Epoch turning course slowly. Upon feeling the pull of gravity, Glenn refitted himself with the harness. They quickly gained on the Blackbird, which was still a solid black figure shrouded in clouds. Suddenly, orange light illuminated the clouds. High pitched whizzing sounded from outside the dome. "Bank, Lucca! They are firing at us!" Lucca obeyed, throwing everyone in their seats and the Epoch violently banked.
"Slowly, Lucca! Slowly! The faster you are going, the lest adjustment you need to make!" Robo cautioned.
"What are we doing?" Ayla asked, "Can we even fight back?"
" Of course we can! I saw the weapons they put under the wings! I just need to know how to fire-" A light appeared on the console. She laughed aloud, "Ah-HA! Thank you, Epoch!" Lucca shouted triumphantly as she slapped the button on the console. It was almost as bright as lightning striking nearby. Light bounced over the clouds as a beam flew forward. The dark figure burst into orange flames and even above the whipping winds they could hear a siren of alarm coming from the ship.
Miguel shook his head, "Strange. So big. So showy. Yet, so unarmored. Aim for the wings."
Lucca learned forward in her seat, pushing forward on the controls. The Epoch was fast. Ridiculously fast. Within moments they were behind the wing. "Attack from a higher angle." Robo advised. "We don't want to be hit by any of their debris." Lucca obeyed. She fired the weapon, which sounded with an ear-splitting crack. The dark shroud exploded into hell fire. Robo's advice was well founded. The force of the gale pushing against the wing forced it off with a sound of screeching metal. The solid black mass began a fiery descent below the clouds and was out of sight.
"We did it." Marle breathed, almost in disbelief.
A cheer went through the Epoch. While they traveled straight forward, they were free to move about the cabin and celebrate. It was the way it was before they lost Crono. They were jubilant to the point where all troubles seemed to fade and a victory truly seemed like a victory. After a long moment of basking in their glory, Glenn looked to Lucca and said, "Mayhaps, I can call thee a bird anon. Take us home, bird, so that we may inform the people below!"
"The Epoch has been doing that since I gave it the command a few minutes ago. It just circled about so slowly we didn't even notice it change course."
Glenn shook his head, "'Tis an amazing machine. I imagine it had its intelligence long before Dalton touched his grimy hands on it…but, reluctantly, I have to give that evil bastard his praises." He laughed, almost sounding mirthless toward the end.
Ayla asked the question that was going through Glenn's head. "Lucca. You were so slow to take Dalton's life. Why didn't you mind destroying the Blackbird? With all the people on it?"
Marle and Lucca paused, taken aback by the question. It wasn't because it was a rude question. It was definitely a well-founded and appropriate question. Upon thinking on it, Marle surmised that the surprise at the question was due to the absolute truth of it. They shrunk to take Dalton's life. Yet, they celebrated upon the destruction of the Blackbird, notwithstanding the hundreds of people aboard. The realization of it made her feel sick, but she slowly admitted: "Maybe it was because I could not see them die."
They grew silent for a moment while everyone pondered what she had said. However, the silence was no longer one of resentment or opposition. Rather, it was one of understanding.
"Well, I can see the Commons." Robo said, pointing ahead. "It looks like we are coming in for a landing."
"Well," Marle said, standing upright while dusting off the back of her clothes, "let's get ready to tell Gaway the good news…"
The people had been celebrating. Although they did not know the reason for it, they had seen the Blackbird plunge into the ocean. While the rest of the Commons breathed a sigh of relief, those who had known the people who had been taken captive waited in anxiety. While the Epoch soaring through the clouds frightened some, Gaway grinned so broadly he could feel his cheeks smart. When Lucca and the team landed they were greeted with wild applause and cheers. Instantly, Gaway took an interest in Miguel. They spoke quickly, discussing the future of the people and what things they would need to do to prepare for their new environment. Miguel began reporting his findings on work that he did in his own time; his meanderings contained ideas on vaccines, inoculations, medicines, all which was very interesting to Gaway. However, the prospect of putting down diseases took a momentary backseat as Miguel mentioned that his studies led him to believe that magical properties could quite possibly exist in all beings as long as there was a catalyst and that it could easily be made. The two were aglow as they discussed needed materials and began formulating ideas and goals.
That night, there was a celebration. Marle had been in the middle of dancing by a fire when she felt a tug on her arm.
Lucca led her back to the area they had been staying. The group sat there in reverent silence. They smiled at Marle and she smiled back at them. It was Lucca who said it first, "I still don't intend to go. The journey is over for me. Ayla feels the same way. But, going through everything we did just reminded me that although I don't agree with you, that doesn't mean I should stop you. When we get back home, I'll fix Robo's legs." She looked toward Robo and said, "It was wrong for me to threaten you the way I did; threaten you by saying I wouldn't fix you. You really are your own person. I knew that. I'm sorry." She was fighting to control her tears by this point while Marle shook her head, meaning to say that no apologies were necessary. "I just…when Crono…I loved him so much. If that were to happen to any of you…"
Marle threw her arms around her and hugged her tight. The tears flowed freely now. However, true to her nature, Lucca grew tired of the hot streaming water coming from her eyes and stopped it as soon as she parted. "If you guys say anything about this, I'll kill you." She said with a chuckle, wiping the water and steam from her glasses.
"We'll leave tomorrow." Marle said. "Thank you Lucca. I know how long of a shot it is. We might not ever find a way to defeat him. But I have to keep searching."
"I know why now. It's okay. We're friends, and that's not going to change."
They hugged again and went to hug everyone else. After they gathered and controlled the emotions that made them weepy, they went out among the people and celebrated with the New Zealians one last time before saying their goodbyes.
The sun had risen and the air felt surprisingly warm. It was the perfect way to leave this time, knowing full well that their efforts had wrought true changes here. Robo walked about on his unsteady legs that had been repaired since he landed on them yesterday. He had been in a better mood, seeing that he happened to make a few puns about snow on his way to the Epoch. It was the first time that he could remember when Lucca did not groan in annoyance. Everyone seemed to be in a better mood. Glenn had prayed before he went to sleep the previous night, thanking God that they had one final adventure to make things right between them.
Gaway and Miguel waited for them at the Epoch as well as a crowd of people that were very familiar. Most likely these were some of the soldiers who helped them infiltrate Zeal. He took Marle by the hand and said in a hoarse voice that surprised even him, "My friends..." He stammered as if he had a long speech prepared and forgot how it started. "I don't have the words."
"Neither do we." Marle said with a grin. She gave him a hug and he returned it with his single arm.
They said their final goodbyes and started to board the Epoch. Just as they were about to close the dome they could hear somebody shouting in the distance. A young boy was running wildly up to the Epoch. Given the fact that so many bad things happened out of the blue, Gaway instinctively threw the boy down to the ground with a strong jerk. Instantly, the veterans were upon the boy, their knives drawn. The boy had paled instantly as he looked at the blades. "What is your business here?" Gaway commanded more than asked.
The boy stammered, but nothing came out. Robo interceded and said, "Do not worry, Gaway. He means no harm. I can sense it."
Gaway slowly signaled his men to release the boy. The boy still stammered, his nerves a tangled knot that would not release his tongue. Robo said, "Take a breath. Don't worry. You are not in trouble. Don't rush yourself. You are fine. We just had bad luck with people coming up to us the last couple of days, as you might have heard."
Everyone laughed, causing the boy to slowly laugh as well, allowing him to relax.
"Are you alright now? Can you speak?" Robo asked.
"Yes," said the boy, "thank you."
"So, why did you run up to us like you did?"
The boy had to take a second to remember and collect his thoughts. After a moment he began, "Someone at the outskirts of the Commons asked me to pass on a message to the people who owned the chariot that came down from the sky yesterday. He told me it was very important and that he needed to speak to someone right away."
"Schala?" Glenn whispered, his heart filling with hope.
"The boy said 'he', Glenn." Lucca answered, feeling the same sensation of loss.
The boy continued, not hearing the exchange between the two. "He said that he would be waiting for you at the Northern cape." The boy pointed with an uncanny sense of direction. Using his photographic memory coupled with his knack for triangulating, Robo noted that the boy was off only by a few degrees. Robo knew about the cape. Gaway had told him it was a great place to stare into the ocean and think. It was also a great lookout point for finding survivors during the first few weeks of the recovery. Robo thanked the boy for the message. The boy went on his way, but only after Gaway and the veterans apologized and gave him a "soldier's knife" by way of an apology.
"What you think?" Ayla asked, her hands on her hips.
"At this point, I don't think it would hurt to check it out." Marle answered.
They flew us into the sky, a crowd of people watching below. Lucca was beginning to notice more and more the impressive work that Dalton had put into fine-tuning the Epoch. She was not sure if Dalton had added his own engine or if he merely integrated its flight mechanism with whatever Balthazar built, but it flew like a dream. As she learned the controls she had found that the Epoch flew quietly when she correctly mixed the fuel, oxygen, and fired the engines correctly. The rate of acceleration and deceleration was amazing as well. They had covered the ten miles it took to get to the cape within a minute and a half without putting an ounce of strain on the engine.
As they approached their destination they flew low. The could see the edge of the cliffs in the distance, as well as a single and solitary figure watching the ocean. Long before they landed, Glenn knew who it was. He could tell the moment he saw the figure as a tiny little dot on the horizon. He could tell by the sickening feeling of rage and resentment that inexplicably built up into his stomach. He could tell by how his hand twitched and went for the hilt of his sword.
Glenn seethed the name he hated most. "Magus…"
Author's note: You are all champions and deserve medals for your patience. :D Man, my little sabbatical has taken a bit of a toll on my ability to write coherently. When I do sit down to write, I typically write pretty fast. I make a lot of little spelling errors that don't get picked up by a spell check. (Case in point, I actually wrote "work check" instead of spell check and had to fix it just now O_O) One of these days: EDITING BONANZA. I'm going to have one. So, sorry if there are a ton of little errors out there. I know there are people who would stop reading a story for that reason. Now to address some of the readers: Balthazar, I am totally not going to give up on this thing. The updates are coming out slow, for sure. But I hate leaving things unfinished. My OCD allows me to leave spelling and grammer errors all over the place, but they won't let me not finish something! ;) Patattack, I am glad you are still reading and I hope the cliffhanger was good enough to keep you coming back. Don't worry, everything will be fine…in the grand sense of the word. (Hey, I gotta keep you in SOME kind of suspense so you keep coming back). :D Unclever title, that is one of the greatest compliments you can give a writer, saying that you are wanting to reread it. :D Thank you so much! Hopefully I'll be able to go back sometime and cut down on the word load so it isn't such an undertaking. XD Plasma Knight, I know you probably won't get to this until way later, but I just got your comments on the way earlier chapters. Your comment about the "reward" was hilarious. XD I forgot what context I was using for "nunnery", but I believe I meant it as a crazy house. I was making a statement that Glenn felt as if he were imagining things and that if he was going crazy, he was in the right place for it. Nunneries were residences for nuns who would attend to the sick and the afflicted. Most times they were also used for housing and treating the mentally ill. Puja, I am so glad you are enjoying everything. :D I am going to work right now so people don't have to wait for so long to see the Mexican-standoff between Glenn and Magus. :D Hitman, thank you so much for your feedback. I am glad you are enjoying the story as well. Your criticism is well founded. I meant for this to be a more "realistic" retelling of the story. Little things like travel, the thoughts of characters, what they ate, war strategies, were things I wanted to focus on. However, I am pleased to announce that the powerhouse character stuff is coming. :D I don't want to ruin the surprise, but I think I have an interesting plot twist for all of you. :D
Anyways, that is enough author mumblings. Until next time, folks! :D And by the way…
Hulat: Means "wait here"or "stop" when spoken forcefully.