The Fire When it Comes – Chapter 9: All our Yesterdays – In which Janus and Glenn complete a circle and go visiting.
A Crono-Trigger/Cross fanfic
By
Deborah J. Brown

Chrono-Trigger & Chrono-Cross and all associated characters belong to Squaresoft.

12000 B.C.

Glenn found himself standing on a stone outcropping high above the clouds. He stepped back rapidly and felt a chuckle come from the blue stone pendant he was wearing. "Very funny, Magus," he muttered.

"My name isn't Magus anymore," the pendant replied, still chuckling. "And as long as I'm with you, you needn't fear falling."

"Can't call ye Janus here, now can I? Janus is the Queen's son. Not a mouthy pebble," Glenn replied, pretending to be sour. It was strange, Magus, now Janus, now the Flame, might be transformed to his true essence, but much of that true essence was still the wry-humored, foul-tempered, all-too human mage Glenn had come to know. All right, he seemed to know a lot more than he had before, seemed aware of things going on that Glenn could only guess at, but still, in a lot of ways, little had changed in the way they treated each other. And he's doing it deliberately, trying to hold on to what human feelings he had, isn't he?

"Hmph. I'll have you know I have no mouth to be mouthy with," Janus said. "For that matter" ::it isn't necessary for me to talk aloud. Or for you, for that matter. If anything, its better you not. My people were accustomed to oddities, but a man talking to his necklace is still likely to be considered insane.::

Glenn nodded and held his tongue because one of those aforementioned people were heading his way. Turning and smiling at the woman, he bowed slightly. "Excuse me, ma'am. Ist this Enhasa? Am afraid I have gotten turned around."

A beautiful smile was the response. "Oh yes, sir. I just came from there, returning to the Capitol," she pointed up the walkway. "It's a short walk."

Glenn bowed and thanked her before continuing up the path.

***

Janus scanned the woman as they walked away. He could see her past, see her all too short future. In a few hours Zeal would be summoning Lavos. Suddenly, he felt an urge to interfere. ::Glenn. Stop her.::

::But why?::

Janus imaged a shrug for his companion. ::If she goes back to Zeal she'll die. Hell, all the inhabitants of this city will die if they don't go to land now.:: If that happened Janus Saw the number of Mystic survivors would be close to nil. Too few to breed much needed magic into the human race.

::How? How do I make her:: Glenn choked to a halt as an image formed around him. The image of the Queen's Prophet. Janus had taken up that pose the last time he'd been in this era and Glenn knew the trust these people had placed in the mage's prophecies. ::Ye'd better have a good explanation for this,:: the knight noted with irritation before calling out the woman before she could step into the teleport device.

"Yes, sir" The woman's eyes widened. "Prophet!"

"I have a warning for ye and all whom you might find. Go to the lands below and remain there. Great danger awaits the floating islands and ye must not risk your life to its power. Thou must leave these lands before the setting of the sun." With a swirl of the illusionary cape, Glenn continued up the path as Janus 'breathed' a sigh of relief. The vision had changed. She would live. Now it was necessary to do the same for the rest of Enhasa.

Glen stood on the stone steps leading into the emptied city of Enhasa and gazing out at the floating island where Melchior had been imprisoned. Soon, very soon, three time travelers would be rescuing the sage. He wondered what might happen if they ran into one another and decided it wasn't worth the risk. Turning his attention to Janus, he demanded, "I hope ist an explanation for all this?"

"There is." Now that there was no one to pick up on the conversation, Janus wasn't bothering with mindspeech, somewhat to Glenn's relief. Communication of that sort meant receiving not only the words but the intensity of emotion that prompted them. Considering the almost blind panic in Janus' thoughts, Glenn was glad of the respite.

"Something's going to happen in the future. Something terribly dangerous. When it happens, humans are going to need to have magic on their side. The world you knew had almost none. If enough of my people survive to pass on the magic to their children then that will change."

Glenn frowned. "But those few who survived didn't have magic when we were here before"

Janus sighed. "Those survivors were on the islands when they fell, when my Lady Mother's spells sucked all the power out of Zeal and into the Black Omen, their power was taken too. These survivors won't be in range. Believe me, humans of the future will have magic"

"Oh! What a fascinating idea. I didn't dream you could move through time like that, Prince." The voice was that of one of the tiny beings Glenn remembered meeting in this place the last time he and the others had come there. She was sitting in mid-air, grinning at Glenn broadly. "I'm Doreen," she added. "You were the frog, weren't you? That's a new look for you, Prince."

For once Janus appeared at a loss for words, much to Glenn's amusement. He smiled back at the little being. "Doreen, of course I recall thee. Thou wert most cryptic, but most amusing, none the less. How ist it thou knowest that this is the Prince?"

"Oh, I dream the most amazing things. If I am to find my way in the dream, I must know how to read the truth. I see his soul within the gem you wear. Except it's not so much within as part of." She cocked her green head. "Did Master Gaspar's Seal on you break, Prince?"

"Er something like that, yes," Janus agreed, noncommittally. "Where is your Master now, Doreen?"

"Headed for Zeal's Palace," the creature replied, leaning forward to look into the gem. "Wow. So that's what the Lavos power looks like." She poked at the necklace.

"Don't do that. Leave me alone." Janus grumbled. "Glenn, make her leave me alone."

Doreen giggled. "Oh Prince. You're much more fun now that your power's unsealed." She smiled sweetly. "Why did you send everyone away?"

Janus' silence was as eloquent as it was sullen, and it was Glenn who asked, "Canst thou not guess?"

"My dreams do not show me what will be, merely what may be. It is strange, though, for there seems to be so few choices nowadays." Doreen sighed and her voice went low and sad. "The islands will fall, won't they?" She looked around the city. "I think I'm sorry. Master says nothing lasts forever, but" She shrugged. "What happened to my brothers, by the way? They were with you the last time you were here."

Glenn felt cold, remembering how he'd left the sword that contained Masa and Mune's spirits behind. "I"

"They fulfilled their purpose," Janus said grimly. "We No, I left the sword behind" At Doreen's frown he added, "They killed what was left of my humanity, Doreen. I don't think much of Masa and Mune survived the experience. Do you really think I wanted to be near what was left, even if what they did completed a change that had to happen?"

"I see" Doreen whispered. Then her voice strengthened. "What will you do now?"

Glenn wasn't sure how to answer, but Janus did. "Do you know the way into your Master's secret work room?"

Doreen considered the jewel gleaming around Glenn's neck for a long, searching, moment. "Come," she said, obviously making a difficult decision. "I'll show you." She turned her intense gaze on Glenn. "After which I'll take my brothers' place. You need a sword, knight."

***

"I begin to feel like a horse's fifth leg."

Janus 'glanced' sideways at his companion, pausing in his efforts, papers hanging in mid-air as they headed for a large black chest. "I don't understand," he said, puzzled.

The knight gestured at the scene from his position in the corner of the room. "Ye hath no body, yet ye can move things as ye will. I don't even really have to carry ye, do I? And if ye wanted to create the image of a body"

Janus allowed the papers to float to the floor and considered the knight's words. "I need you," he said, flatly. "I can create a body, but I cannot speak with your eloquence." A small tongue of flame reached out of his main form and gestured at the papers. "I need you. I can move these small, light, things with my mind, but your physical strength is still greater."

"So I am a cart horse"

"NO," It suddenly occurred to Janus that the knight was feeling overwhelmed and over his head. "I need you for another reason, Glenn. I need someone I can talk to. You're my friend" Janus came to a halt, cursing himself for the admission.

***

Glenn gazed at the solid piece of fire that sat on the table in the middle of the room. If it was possible for flame to show shock and embarrassment, then Janus was doing so. He frowned, not quite ready to believe the former mage's words. "Friend, eh?"

"Someone to talk to, that is," Janus said, hurriedly, covering up his moment of weakness.

"You're the god you said you'd become," Glenn pointed out, softly. "Does a god really need friends?"

Janus regarded him for a long moment and finally said in a dead serious voice, "Yes." Glenn blinked at him, stunned at the ease with which the admission was made when he'd expected to have to drag it out of the Flame his companion had become. Janus continued, "I have become something even I am having trouble comprehending. My powers are growing, ever so slowly, and I have seen what that power can do to an unprepared mind – witness my Lady Mother's insanity. She was not always so deeply mad. I have no feet to keep on the ground, Glenn, so I have to use yours instead."

Slowly, Glenn smiled, understanding coming to him. "So, what ist it that thou'rt doing?"

"Remember I told you that I'd found a box in the wreckage that held Gaspar's notes on time?" Janus turned back to his task, floating each sheet of paper into the box in careful order. "I'd written a note to myself and left myself a warning. I think it's going to be very important now to do that." He sighed, flames flickering slightly. "It seems the right thing to do, somehow."

Glenn felt a bit puzzled. "All this time travel confuses me," he confessed. "Why is it so important?"

Janus put the last paper in the box and floated a blank sheet to himself. "Time is a river. What happens to a river when you try to force it into a position?"

"It puts itself back where it belongs, doesn't it? Unless the new position is stable."

One of Janus' 'eyes' swiveled around to glance at Glenn and the knight was suddenly very glad that his friend was keeping his nature under check. He still remembered looking into those eyes and seeing the truth of the universe in them. "Exactly. Time wants to stay in its course. Under ordinary circumstances, this wouldn't be a problem. A big enough shift would create off shoots, other timelines that separate from the main stream and find their own way. If our world's timestream hadn't been so badly mauled by everything that's happened to it we wouldn't be in this mess." The former mage went silent a moment. "The black winds howl around us and stir time's waters to a roil."

Glenn suddenly wondered if what they had done to defeat Lavos had been the cause. Before he could ask, though, Janus continued, "No need to feel guilt, Glenn, we came into the game late and it is not our fault that matters are so confused. It's a long story and I'll tell you what Belthazar told me later. Suffice to say that the fewer ripples we create in time, the better, and that means avoiding anything that would create a paradox." A pen appeared over the paper and wrote something rapidly, signing the letter with a flourish.

"I still don't understand." Glenn watched the paper float into the box and the lid tighten on. "And frankly, tis enough to give me a headache."

Janus couldn't show an expression, yet Glenn sensed a wan smile. "I think, if I had a head left to ache, I would share your sentiment. Once we've taken care of this I'll take you outside of time and show you. We can pay Gaspar a visit while we're at it."

***

END OF TIME:

Gaspar started awake and blinked at the young man standing in front of him. "Oh, Glenn. You're cured. Are the gates open again?" He gazed puzzledly at the bluestone pendant hanging around the young knight's throat and felt a surge of fear. Beneath the blue was something raging with frozen heat. "What is that?"

"It's me, old man." The words that came from the jewel seemed to shift and change, echoing in this place outside of time with the voices of thousands, sending chills of fear and awe into the cloned sage. Gaspar stepped back, his fear growing to true terror. "Oh drat." The voice shifted, became more human, more like the voice of the being Gaspar knew must reside within that blazing stone. "Is that better?"

"Aye," Glenn answered for Gaspar, who was still considering having a heart attack. "Tis much better, Janus. Thou must watch thy power. Tis growing too quickly for the rest of us."

"It's growing too quickly for me too, I might add," the voice growled.

Gaspar managed to speak. "Janus? Is this what we prevented him from becoming?" He stared at the stone, watched as it floated free of Glenn's neck and landed upon the nearby pedestal. Then the image of the necklace disappeared as a fiery shape formed in its place. "Lavos?" His voice sounded weak, terrified, despite all his efforts to speak calmly.

Janus' voice spoke from the fire again. "Not quite. I know what I am now, old man. Have you been in communication with Belthazar?"

Taking a deep breath, Gaspar nodded. "Yes," he admitted. "He he told me what happened with you in the time he's in But"

"He didn't tell you what happened next because he doesn't know," the Flame answered No, I have to think of him as Janus or I'll go mad. Gaspar decided weakly. "You can tell him if you'd like, but I'd suggest waiting until I've settled on a plan. I'll be needing all three of you to help me, though." Gaspar clenched his fist, about to refuse.

Glenn spoke up, tone a trifle sharp. "Janus, before ye assume they will help, mayhap t'would be wise to reassure them that thy plans do not involve either world conquest or destruction? Thou'rt making assumptions of folk who only know thee by thy deeds and have reason to fear ye because of them."

The flaming shape went silent and it seemed to blink at Glenn. "Now do you see why I need you?" Janus said to the knight. "Old man No Gaspar, I don't know what to do for certain. I've some vague idea of a plan, but I need to look at the whole picture, which is why we're here." There was a sense of a faint, wan, smile from within the fire. "Suffice to say my only real purpose is to get matters in order. If all this shifting and twisting of time keeps up we're going to have a real mess on our hands, and Schala will be lost forever."

Gaspar heard a soft note of real distress in Janus' 'voice' and realized his brother had been right. The black mage, the child he and the others had feared and had Sealed, had only one true wish in his heart – or what remained of it – Schala's safety. "Do you need my help for that?" he asked, doubtfully. "I'm afraid, despite what brother Belthazar told me, I still can't see time as anything but a tree."

"Not yet," Janus replied. "Give me a few hours to look at things and think about it." He paused, turned to Glenn. "You might look in on Spekio. I think that he may know more than he lets on."

***

1008 A.D.

Belthazar examined the receipt in his hand and shook his head. Signed by a General Tatascion of Porre, it recorded receipt of certain weaponry created by Lucca. Except Lucca had no memory of having ever created such items.

"and I certainly wouldn't have sold them to another country," Lucca grumbled, glaring at the paper.

"I don't know, Lucca," Belthazar told the young woman. "I don't understand how this came here either. I do know that something changed time to the point that Porre is now a major military power, instead of the rather pastoral village that it had been. Melchior tells me they've expanded over to Medina and are driving the demi-humans that had lived there out. He plans to go as well, for fear his skills will be misused."

Lucca took the receipt back and put it away in her files. "I can't help feeling responsible, as if there's something out there ready to punish the three of us for what we did in time." She looked at the old man and there was fear in her eyes. "What if what we did made everything worse instead of better?"

"I know," the old man sighed, "I know that fear only too well. Worse, it seems that my fear is constantly being proved right." He walked to the doorway and watched the children running back and forth. "I feel like every step I've taken has resolved one problem only to create two new ones."

Moving to stand beside the old man, Lucca watched the children as well, particularly Kid. The little girl was climbing a tree and preparing to leap onto one of her 'brothers', clothing ripped and torn with the force of her wild play. "If only Janus would come back," she whispered.

That, Belthazar knew, was likely never to happen. He'd seen the mage's expression as he'd left them that day two weeks ago. Janus had known he wasn't returning, at least not as Janus. He wondered what strange transformation was going on in the young man's body. It had to do with Lavos, that much he was sure of. He had a feeling that, if he could understand the change, he'd understand better what to do next. "He won't desert Kid," Belthazar murmured. "I'm sure of that much."

A small smile crossed Lucca's face. "No, that I know too," she whispered and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I just wish he"

Belthazar reached out and drew the girl into his arms gently while she began to cry.

***

END OF TIME:

Glenn stepped out of Spekio's chamber with a sigh. It had been good to talk with the big Master of War, but his comprehension of matters still remained confused. The mystic, one of Doreen, Masa and Mune's kind, had spoken in riddles too convoluted for him. "I just don't understand," he muttered to himself. "What does it all mean?"

Spekio had told him much about human history and while he feared that history was being changed even as they'd spoken, he was fairly sure of one constant. Humanity had been shaped and evolved by Lavos' presence within their world. Life had come from the sea and had been changed by that great fire. He remembered Azala's efforts to prevent that change and wondered what would have been had the reptite Lord succeeded.

Yet it seems to me that Lavos would have done the same thing to the reptites that he did to us. He recalled the raging fury of the elemental dragon on Gaea's Naval and wondered. The reptites had hated humanity, hated it with such intensity that the very thought of sharing a world with them had been an obsession worse than even Magus' obsession with destroying Lavos.

Speaking of whom, he went up the steps that had once led to the many gates in time that he and the others had used. Aside from the fact that the gates were gone, the room seemed pretty much what it had been before. Now, though, a single glowing column stood at its center and within that, blazing brilliantly blue and red, was Janus.

Eyes opened within the Flame and they turned to look at Glenn. Not for the first time Glenn felt the shock of those eyes looking back at him. The knowledge they contained, the vision that burned into him, was a heady mix of terror and joy. Then, hurriedly, Janus turned something off inside himself and closed off that view. "What did he say?"

"Many things, most of which I didst not understand," Glenn confessed. "Mayhap t'would be better for ye to speak to him instead?"

Janus considered that silently. "Yeah, I guess so," he agreed. "I've looked all I can at this mess."

Walking to the column, Glenn frowned at it curiously, "Wert thou successful in thy seeking?"

Janus sighed, becoming a necklace again and hanging himself around Glenn's neck. "Not as much as I'd like. Not surprising, really, the I that we met in Frozen Time didn't know the answer either, though I think I he was holding secrets so as to not affect our actions." He went silent a long moment and added, "I think, too, that Spekio may be doing much the same. We will not get much more from him."

"So what is the plan?"

"Tell me what Spekio told you, first. Then I, no, we will have to decide if what I think is a solution will lead to a new problem instead."

To Be Continued

Author's Notes:

We're entering unwritten territory here, so updates will begin to slow down as I try to catch up. I'm aiming for an update once a week if possible, so feel free to nudge me if you think I'm slacking. However, I do know where I'm going, so it's just a matter of working out the details and finding the time to write them down.