Chapter 6: At the End Of Time
The tall, reptillian creature loomed behind the cloaked figure, it's red and yellow eyes glinting. Obsidian scales armored it's massive body. It was a frightening mix of muscle and skeleton. The head and snout, much like that of an alligator, had a maw with lines of vicious, sharp incisors that seemed to permeate death. It's hands were talons, it's feet, wicked claws. Large purple spines occasionally arise from it's back; and it seemed to just radiate of evil. The cloaked figure before it was almost a creature of shadows, a height of 5'0, and although the eyes and face could not be seen, occasionally one could see a snippet of purple hair tipped in light blue. The black cloak it wore fluttered around it as it seemed to stare into the glittering blue-black gate before it, which shimmered brightly. "Amazing how even the slightest damage to the timestream disrupts it all, isn't it Muramasa?" The youth said in a voice remnicent of a young teen's. "You even cut it, and it fluctuates. Fools... Come! We must resume our work!" "Yes, Akumu... Our... Work..."
"Pain. Utter, horrid, PAIN." Rei grumbled, rubbing her head. She quickly glanced around, then blinked. Aside the weird, street-like area with a lone light, she was in an abyss of sorts. She sat up, still rubbing her head and glanced down, noticing the cloak the fell off her shoulders that had been serving as a blanket. "Where AM I....?" Rei asked aloud, grumbling. There were two buckets in the area, it seemed, and a glittering spot on the floor. One bucket sparkled, the other had a foreboding glow. An older man in a bowler and a long brown Dick Tracy style trench coat glanced over, awakening. "Ah, your awake. That's good." He said calmly. Rei blinked. "Where AM I?" She asked again. The older man smirked. "Perhaps the question is.. When are you? This is the end of time. Welcome." He said. Rei blinked. "So I'm not dead?" She asked, getting to her feet. She shook her head. It felt like a thousand bees had decided to buzz around in it. The older man laughed. "Goodness no, child." He smiled. "....Well damn. I can hope, right?" Rei got up. "You seem troubled. Is something wrong?" The old man stared intently. Rei harumphed while looking for Rune. "Why bother bringing up the past?" She growled. The old man leaned back. "Ah. I see, Reiketsu. But what good does dwelling in the past do you? You should look at the future." Rei spun to face the old man head on. "How do you know my name!?" "I know all about Zale, child. This place is not very exciting in itself, but from here... I can watch the timestream. I am called Gaspar." "Gaspar... ...THE GURU OF TIME?!" Rei boggled. Gaspar nodded again. "You learned your history lessons well. But don't get too excited. You had a nasty fall from that Gate." "What's a Gate?" Rei asked, tilting her head to one side. "A Gate is a link between two times. However, only three people can pass through at once, however." "There's other people here?" Rei tilted her head to one side. Gaspar nodded. "Well.. One left. Their seeing Spekkio right now." Gaspar said slowly. Rei tottered, then looked around. "Where's Rune?" Rei looked around. Gaspar gestured toward Spekkio's room. "You know..." Gaspar said slowly as Rei started to go in. "Frog seems to like you. He was concerned when you hit your head arriving. You should talk to him." "Frog's here?" Rei blinked. ".....Why should I?" "Well," Gaspar chuckled. "For one, I would think he'd like his cape back." "....." Rei blinked, looking at the cape again, and carefully, she got up, rubbing her head. Finally, she trudged over to the door, still rubbing her head, and went in.
Frog and Crono were busy dueling the Pink Nu in front of them. Crono had wanted to try going to 1000AD immediately, but Frog didn't want to leave without making sure that strange girl was alright. Crono couldn't place why, but he had a feeling the amphibious knight had a crush on her. Crono watched Frog sheath Masamune and walk over when the girl walked over to him. Crono flailed at his friend, trying to get his attention back to the fight. Spekkio came up beside him, sweatdropping. "Hey, kid, whats with the frogman?" Spekkio whispered. "He have the hots for her or what?" Crono sighed exasperatedly at Frog and shrugged. Spekkio snickered profusely, then got down to business. "Hey LADY!" Spekkio called.
Rei looked at the creature that yelled at her, sweatdropping. She'd just handed Frog his cape, and hadn't even gotten to say a thing when the Kilwala Chicken yelled at her. Rei looked at Frog with a boggled expression. In fact, this whole thing was confusing her, but this was the icing that topped the cake. Frog chuckled. "That doth be the shapeshifter Spekkio." Frog said calmly. Rei blinked. "....A Kilwala Chicken?" Rei quirked an eyebrow. Spekkio flailed. "I ONLY LOOK THAT WAY CAUSE IF YOUR WEAK, I LOOK WEAK! And vice versa, but..." "...........I think that was an insult. Now tell me where Rune is, Chicken." Rei said calmly. Spekkio grumbled, but pointed at a pile of weapons. Rei sighed, went over, and began rummaging. Spekkio eyed Frog and Crono, and shrugged, then thought a moment. "....Hey, you two. Beat it a while." Spekkio said. Frog eyed Spekkio, until Crono grabbed him by his torso armor and dragged him out, Frog primarily complaining about the injustice of it. Spekkio wandered up behind Rei, who pulled out Rune. "YAY!" Rei cheered. The Master of War nodded, then circled Rei, who watched with an odd expression. Spekkio nodded. "Yes yes, it's all there, just like it ought to be. Good to know everything isn't all muddled up." Spekkio said. Rei quirked an eyebrow. "....What are you talking about?" She asked, sheathing Rune. Spekkio grinned. "Isn't it obvious? Magic! You've gone far too long to get much further without knowing it you know. Atleast I don't have to explain the elements." Spekkio wagged his finger. Rei blinked. "Eeehhh? How do you know magic?" Rei asked. "I'm the Master of WAR! Now!" Spekkio walked right up to the confused girl and put a finger on her forehead. "Lets see.. Your element is.... Water! But... Hmmm... Interesting, very interesting...." "What's so interesting?" "Your element is water, but your skill lies in ice. I see many problems with that. Even the last Ice-Water user didn't have the problem." "WHAT problem!?" "Well, looks like your spells are offensive or defensive. I say, are you masochistic? .....And are those real?"
Frog and Crono winced outside of Spekkio's door when they heard the Master of War get clobbered by Rei with Rune. Five minutes later, Rei came out, and Frog and Crono could see him writhing on the floor. Crono merely PALED. "......I.. I doth not wish to know what thee didst to the shifter, M'lady." Frog said, shuddering. Rei rubbed the back of her head. "Uhhh... Err.... Heh..." Rei chuckled nerviously then blinked, at Frog, who grinned. "Art thou feeling better, m'lady?" Frog asked. "Outside of a pounding headache, I guess I'm OK...." Rei replied. Frog nerviously took her hand and kissed it charmingly, making Rei go red in the face, and causing Gaspar and Crono to chuckle. "'Tis good to hear. I doth be.. Glad to see that thou art more cheerful as well." Frog smiled nerviously. Rei blinked, still blushing. "I.. Ah... Er... Uhm.... Thanks?" Rei blinked. Crono and Gaspar chuckled again, and Reiketsu just slumped. She hated when people laughed at her expense. Rei shuffled into a corner sullenly, causing everyone to go silent. Rei sat and looked down softly, seemingly silent.
The tall, reptillian creature loomed behind the cloaked figure, it's red and yellow eyes glinting. Obsidian scales armored it's massive body. It was a frightening mix of muscle and skeleton. The head and snout, much like that of an alligator, had a maw with lines of vicious, sharp incisors that seemed to permeate death. It's hands were talons, it's feet, wicked claws. Large purple spines occasionally arise from it's back; and it seemed to just radiate of evil. The cloaked figure before it was almost a creature of shadows, a height of 5'0, and although the eyes and face could not be seen, occasionally one could see a snippet of purple hair tipped in light blue. The black cloak it wore fluttered around it as it seemed to stare into the glittering blue-black gate before it, which shimmered brightly. "Amazing how even the slightest damage to the timestream disrupts it all, isn't it Muramasa?" The youth said in a voice remnicent of a young teen's. "You even cut it, and it fluctuates. Fools... Come! We must resume our work!" "Yes, Akumu... Our... Work..."
"Pain. Utter, horrid, PAIN." Rei grumbled, rubbing her head. She quickly glanced around, then blinked. Aside the weird, street-like area with a lone light, she was in an abyss of sorts. She sat up, still rubbing her head and glanced down, noticing the cloak the fell off her shoulders that had been serving as a blanket. "Where AM I....?" Rei asked aloud, grumbling. There were two buckets in the area, it seemed, and a glittering spot on the floor. One bucket sparkled, the other had a foreboding glow. An older man in a bowler and a long brown Dick Tracy style trench coat glanced over, awakening. "Ah, your awake. That's good." He said calmly. Rei blinked. "Where AM I?" She asked again. The older man smirked. "Perhaps the question is.. When are you? This is the end of time. Welcome." He said. Rei blinked. "So I'm not dead?" She asked, getting to her feet. She shook her head. It felt like a thousand bees had decided to buzz around in it. The older man laughed. "Goodness no, child." He smiled. "....Well damn. I can hope, right?" Rei got up. "You seem troubled. Is something wrong?" The old man stared intently. Rei harumphed while looking for Rune. "Why bother bringing up the past?" She growled. The old man leaned back. "Ah. I see, Reiketsu. But what good does dwelling in the past do you? You should look at the future." Rei spun to face the old man head on. "How do you know my name!?" "I know all about Zale, child. This place is not very exciting in itself, but from here... I can watch the timestream. I am called Gaspar." "Gaspar... ...THE GURU OF TIME?!" Rei boggled. Gaspar nodded again. "You learned your history lessons well. But don't get too excited. You had a nasty fall from that Gate." "What's a Gate?" Rei asked, tilting her head to one side. "A Gate is a link between two times. However, only three people can pass through at once, however." "There's other people here?" Rei tilted her head to one side. Gaspar nodded. "Well.. One left. Their seeing Spekkio right now." Gaspar said slowly. Rei tottered, then looked around. "Where's Rune?" Rei looked around. Gaspar gestured toward Spekkio's room. "You know..." Gaspar said slowly as Rei started to go in. "Frog seems to like you. He was concerned when you hit your head arriving. You should talk to him." "Frog's here?" Rei blinked. ".....Why should I?" "Well," Gaspar chuckled. "For one, I would think he'd like his cape back." "....." Rei blinked, looking at the cape again, and carefully, she got up, rubbing her head. Finally, she trudged over to the door, still rubbing her head, and went in.
Frog and Crono were busy dueling the Pink Nu in front of them. Crono had wanted to try going to 1000AD immediately, but Frog didn't want to leave without making sure that strange girl was alright. Crono couldn't place why, but he had a feeling the amphibious knight had a crush on her. Crono watched Frog sheath Masamune and walk over when the girl walked over to him. Crono flailed at his friend, trying to get his attention back to the fight. Spekkio came up beside him, sweatdropping. "Hey, kid, whats with the frogman?" Spekkio whispered. "He have the hots for her or what?" Crono sighed exasperatedly at Frog and shrugged. Spekkio snickered profusely, then got down to business. "Hey LADY!" Spekkio called.
Rei looked at the creature that yelled at her, sweatdropping. She'd just handed Frog his cape, and hadn't even gotten to say a thing when the Kilwala Chicken yelled at her. Rei looked at Frog with a boggled expression. In fact, this whole thing was confusing her, but this was the icing that topped the cake. Frog chuckled. "That doth be the shapeshifter Spekkio." Frog said calmly. Rei blinked. "....A Kilwala Chicken?" Rei quirked an eyebrow. Spekkio flailed. "I ONLY LOOK THAT WAY CAUSE IF YOUR WEAK, I LOOK WEAK! And vice versa, but..." "...........I think that was an insult. Now tell me where Rune is, Chicken." Rei said calmly. Spekkio grumbled, but pointed at a pile of weapons. Rei sighed, went over, and began rummaging. Spekkio eyed Frog and Crono, and shrugged, then thought a moment. "....Hey, you two. Beat it a while." Spekkio said. Frog eyed Spekkio, until Crono grabbed him by his torso armor and dragged him out, Frog primarily complaining about the injustice of it. Spekkio wandered up behind Rei, who pulled out Rune. "YAY!" Rei cheered. The Master of War nodded, then circled Rei, who watched with an odd expression. Spekkio nodded. "Yes yes, it's all there, just like it ought to be. Good to know everything isn't all muddled up." Spekkio said. Rei quirked an eyebrow. "....What are you talking about?" She asked, sheathing Rune. Spekkio grinned. "Isn't it obvious? Magic! You've gone far too long to get much further without knowing it you know. Atleast I don't have to explain the elements." Spekkio wagged his finger. Rei blinked. "Eeehhh? How do you know magic?" Rei asked. "I'm the Master of WAR! Now!" Spekkio walked right up to the confused girl and put a finger on her forehead. "Lets see.. Your element is.... Water! But... Hmmm... Interesting, very interesting...." "What's so interesting?" "Your element is water, but your skill lies in ice. I see many problems with that. Even the last Ice-Water user didn't have the problem." "WHAT problem!?" "Well, looks like your spells are offensive or defensive. I say, are you masochistic? .....And are those real?"
Frog and Crono winced outside of Spekkio's door when they heard the Master of War get clobbered by Rei with Rune. Five minutes later, Rei came out, and Frog and Crono could see him writhing on the floor. Crono merely PALED. "......I.. I doth not wish to know what thee didst to the shifter, M'lady." Frog said, shuddering. Rei rubbed the back of her head. "Uhhh... Err.... Heh..." Rei chuckled nerviously then blinked, at Frog, who grinned. "Art thou feeling better, m'lady?" Frog asked. "Outside of a pounding headache, I guess I'm OK...." Rei replied. Frog nerviously took her hand and kissed it charmingly, making Rei go red in the face, and causing Gaspar and Crono to chuckle. "'Tis good to hear. I doth be.. Glad to see that thou art more cheerful as well." Frog smiled nerviously. Rei blinked, still blushing. "I.. Ah... Er... Uhm.... Thanks?" Rei blinked. Crono and Gaspar chuckled again, and Reiketsu just slumped. She hated when people laughed at her expense. Rei shuffled into a corner sullenly, causing everyone to go silent. Rei sat and looked down softly, seemingly silent.