Chrono Trigger: Tempus Fugitive
Prologue
Leene Square: 2000 AD
It was like nothing Marle had ever seen before. The laser shows, and the holographic and robotic performers she saw around her were inconceivable in her own time. Having lived in the time of the last Millennial Fair a thousand years earlier, nothing could prepare her for the futuristic spectacle. Not even the incredible adventures she'd experienced with her new friends, one of whom she was currently snuggling against.
"Oh, Crono, it's amazing! Can you imagine none of this would have come to be if we hadn't been there to stop Lavos?"
Her red-spiked-haired companion nodded solemnly. They'd both traveled even further than this into the future to escape a dark force after them, only to learn that an even deadlier force had laid the world to waste, leaving only death and despair among the few survivors in its wake. That force had been Lavos, an alien creature that had arrived on Earth millions of years earlier, burrowing into the ground and growing in strength over the millennia. When it finally emerged in 1999 AD, it rained destruction down on the peaceful society that had evolved, destroying it completely.
Fortunately, Crono, Marle and the others they teamed up with, arrived to change the future by destroying Lavos. This was the result.
Crono smiled. "In a way, I feel like this celebration is partly for us. After all, this would even be happening if it weren't for us."
Marle gave a small facial shrug. "It would be nice if more people knew, but at least with Lavos gone, we can finally rest."
Medina Village: 1000 AD
Ozzie VIII scrubbed away at the kitchen counter. "This stain just won't seem to get out!" he grumbled.
Kumo, the young imp who was head of the village and Ozzie VIII's employer, simply shook his head. "Well if you hadn't missed that spot the last time then it wouldn't have dried on."
Ozzie VIII swallowed about a half dozen expressions he'd like to direct at Kumo. The imp was being condescending again and Ozzie VIII HATED that, especially since he did it without meaning to. "Sorry, sir," he said, timidly. "I'll do better next time."
As Kumo went back outside, Ozzie VIII contemplated, as he often did, how someone with his distinguished lineage could have ended up in such a remedial position. He was a direct descendant of Ozzie the Great himself! The great warlord had led the Mystics to so many victories over the humans. His name struck fear into the hearts of his enemies wherever they might be. He could have defeated those Guardia fools and ruled the entire world had it not been for some twists of fate.
First, Ozzie's closest and oldest ally Magus betrayed him. Ozzie VIII could never imagine why he had chosen to do that. Obviously, however, he must have revealed all of Ozzie's secrets and vulnerabilities to his enemies, for that is the only thing that could explain Ozzie's defeat in a battle with his enemies soon after.
When the surviving Mystics elected a new leader, an imp named Muko who happened to be an ancestor of Kumo's, he must obviously have realized he did not have the stomach for battle that Ozzie did. Instead, he chose to make peace with Guardia and encouraged the Mystics to let go of old grudges. Ozzie would never have been that weak.
Worst of all, though, those ungrateful fools had the audacity to turn their resentment towards Ozzie himself! Despite all he had done for the Mystics, they decided that it was Ozzie's aggression and the decision to launch a supposedly pointless war against Guardia that had caused the Mystics to fall on hard times.
With Ozzie's family having fallen out of favor, his descendants had to scrounge around for any work they could find. That's how Ozzie VIII ended up the housekeeper for the village head when in fact HE should be the village head, if not more.
"It's not fair," Ozzie VIII muttered. "It's just not fair."
"No, it's not," a raspy voice from the doorway whispered.
"Uhh.. Sorry, sir!" a startled Ozzie VIII responded, "I didn't mean to get distracted from my... Wait a minute. You're not Kumo!"
Ozzie VIII had no idea who this visitor was but it was indeed definitely not Kumo. The visitor was much taller and draped in a hooded cloak that hid their features. Ozzie VIII guessed they were human but couldn't tell for sure. Heck, he couldn't even tell for sure if they were male or female.
Ozzie VIII tried his best to regain his composure. "If you're here to see Kumo, he's outside taking a walk."
The visitor shook his (or her) head. "Actually I'm here to see you, Ozzie VIII"
The Mystic was taken aback. "Me?"
"I know who you are, I know about the great deeds of your ancestor, and most importantly, I know that had it not been for the actions of others, your life would have been very different."
Ozzie VIII rolled his eye. "There's an understatement."
The hooded visitor stepped closer to Ozzie VIII, continuing to whisper in their raspy voice. "How would you like to earn the power you deserve, and make those responsible for your situation suffer while you're at it?"
A wicked smile, one very much like his ancestor's, crept over Ozzie VIII's face. "Tell me more."
"I will. I think we can be very useful to each other in making our enemies pay."
Ozzie VIII leaned closer, trying to get a glimpse of the mysterious stranger's face. "Who are you, anyway? What's your name?"
The visitor lowered their head in thought, as though not quite sure themself. "My name? I had a name once, a long time ago. I don't think it suits me anymore. Call me... Tempus."
Prologue
Leene Square: 2000 AD
It was like nothing Marle had ever seen before. The laser shows, and the holographic and robotic performers she saw around her were inconceivable in her own time. Having lived in the time of the last Millennial Fair a thousand years earlier, nothing could prepare her for the futuristic spectacle. Not even the incredible adventures she'd experienced with her new friends, one of whom she was currently snuggling against.
"Oh, Crono, it's amazing! Can you imagine none of this would have come to be if we hadn't been there to stop Lavos?"
Her red-spiked-haired companion nodded solemnly. They'd both traveled even further than this into the future to escape a dark force after them, only to learn that an even deadlier force had laid the world to waste, leaving only death and despair among the few survivors in its wake. That force had been Lavos, an alien creature that had arrived on Earth millions of years earlier, burrowing into the ground and growing in strength over the millennia. When it finally emerged in 1999 AD, it rained destruction down on the peaceful society that had evolved, destroying it completely.
Fortunately, Crono, Marle and the others they teamed up with, arrived to change the future by destroying Lavos. This was the result.
Crono smiled. "In a way, I feel like this celebration is partly for us. After all, this would even be happening if it weren't for us."
Marle gave a small facial shrug. "It would be nice if more people knew, but at least with Lavos gone, we can finally rest."
Medina Village: 1000 AD
Ozzie VIII scrubbed away at the kitchen counter. "This stain just won't seem to get out!" he grumbled.
Kumo, the young imp who was head of the village and Ozzie VIII's employer, simply shook his head. "Well if you hadn't missed that spot the last time then it wouldn't have dried on."
Ozzie VIII swallowed about a half dozen expressions he'd like to direct at Kumo. The imp was being condescending again and Ozzie VIII HATED that, especially since he did it without meaning to. "Sorry, sir," he said, timidly. "I'll do better next time."
As Kumo went back outside, Ozzie VIII contemplated, as he often did, how someone with his distinguished lineage could have ended up in such a remedial position. He was a direct descendant of Ozzie the Great himself! The great warlord had led the Mystics to so many victories over the humans. His name struck fear into the hearts of his enemies wherever they might be. He could have defeated those Guardia fools and ruled the entire world had it not been for some twists of fate.
First, Ozzie's closest and oldest ally Magus betrayed him. Ozzie VIII could never imagine why he had chosen to do that. Obviously, however, he must have revealed all of Ozzie's secrets and vulnerabilities to his enemies, for that is the only thing that could explain Ozzie's defeat in a battle with his enemies soon after.
When the surviving Mystics elected a new leader, an imp named Muko who happened to be an ancestor of Kumo's, he must obviously have realized he did not have the stomach for battle that Ozzie did. Instead, he chose to make peace with Guardia and encouraged the Mystics to let go of old grudges. Ozzie would never have been that weak.
Worst of all, though, those ungrateful fools had the audacity to turn their resentment towards Ozzie himself! Despite all he had done for the Mystics, they decided that it was Ozzie's aggression and the decision to launch a supposedly pointless war against Guardia that had caused the Mystics to fall on hard times.
With Ozzie's family having fallen out of favor, his descendants had to scrounge around for any work they could find. That's how Ozzie VIII ended up the housekeeper for the village head when in fact HE should be the village head, if not more.
"It's not fair," Ozzie VIII muttered. "It's just not fair."
"No, it's not," a raspy voice from the doorway whispered.
"Uhh.. Sorry, sir!" a startled Ozzie VIII responded, "I didn't mean to get distracted from my... Wait a minute. You're not Kumo!"
Ozzie VIII had no idea who this visitor was but it was indeed definitely not Kumo. The visitor was much taller and draped in a hooded cloak that hid their features. Ozzie VIII guessed they were human but couldn't tell for sure. Heck, he couldn't even tell for sure if they were male or female.
Ozzie VIII tried his best to regain his composure. "If you're here to see Kumo, he's outside taking a walk."
The visitor shook his (or her) head. "Actually I'm here to see you, Ozzie VIII"
The Mystic was taken aback. "Me?"
"I know who you are, I know about the great deeds of your ancestor, and most importantly, I know that had it not been for the actions of others, your life would have been very different."
Ozzie VIII rolled his eye. "There's an understatement."
The hooded visitor stepped closer to Ozzie VIII, continuing to whisper in their raspy voice. "How would you like to earn the power you deserve, and make those responsible for your situation suffer while you're at it?"
A wicked smile, one very much like his ancestor's, crept over Ozzie VIII's face. "Tell me more."
"I will. I think we can be very useful to each other in making our enemies pay."
Ozzie VIII leaned closer, trying to get a glimpse of the mysterious stranger's face. "Who are you, anyway? What's your name?"
The visitor lowered their head in thought, as though not quite sure themself. "My name? I had a name once, a long time ago. I don't think it suits me anymore. Call me... Tempus."