The Fire When it Comes - Part 15: A Split In Time – In which a bargain is fulfilled.
A Crono-Trigger/Cross fanfic
By
Deborah J. Brown

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

1009 A.D.:
::Belthazar. Melchior.::

Looking up from his intensive studies of Lucca's equipment, the former Sage blinked. ::Yes Gaspar?::

::Janus has made a request. He asks that you both leave time and join me for a while.::

Melchior's mind voice spoke, ::But, why? Our studies::

::Will have to be completed later. Let me bring you to me and I will explain.::

With a sigh, Belthazar nodded. ::Just let me make my goodbyes to Lucca.::

***

END OF TIME:
Gaspar focused his time spells on his two 'brothers' and pulled them to him, then waited for the two men to recover from their trip. At last Belthazar spoke. "Well, brother? What is it that Janus wants? Is he here?" There was a faint distrust in his tone, Belthazar had never been sure what to think of the transformation Gaspar had told him the boy had gone through. Melchior, who'd not seen some of what Janus could do, and had not seen the Flame first hand, was somewhat more open-minded.

Smiling, Gaspar took his brothers' hands in greeting and told them, "No, Belthazar. He's already gone on to his next task. He asked me to fill you in And to keep you from being involved in the timesplit. He was worried it might cause more harm than good."

Two pairs of eyes blinked at the Prophet of Time. "TIMESPLIT? WHAT TIMESPLIT?"

"Come, and I will show you. Then we must begin studying a different timeline entirely, to learn what the dragons have done about their half of Lavos."

***

600 A.D.:
The seneschal opened the great doors to the throne room and shouted, "The Knight Protector, Glenn, once known as Frog!"

Leene, startled and pleased that her knight had decided to come for a visit, lifted her head. What she saw there made her gasp with joy. It was Glenn, a frog no longer, his form restored to its former humanity and his blue eyes shining with the innocent good-will that had always been the thing she'd liked best about him.

As the courtiers moved out of the way and murmurs filled the hall, Leene's Knight walked forward, striding confidently up the steps to the throne and kneeling before the King. "Majesty, I apologize most abjectly for this sudden appearance, but the future hath need of thy aid once more," Glenn said, blonde head lowered.

Rising from the throne, the King leaned down and pulled Glenn to his feet. "Now, now, you don't have to be so formal, Glenn. It's good to see you. Better still to see you cured! How might this have happened?"

"Magus relented. After all that we had done, after all our battles, he felt there wast no point in my remaining amphibious." Glenn fingered a necklace that Leene had never seen him wear before, covering the ruby stone with the palm of his hand. A slight quirk to his lips made her feel as if he were amused by something she couldn't see or hear.

The King was a trifle non-plussed to learn that it had been the kingdom's worst enemy that had been the cause of his servant's healing. Still, "Since it was he who placed that foul spell on you, it was only fair he be the one to remove it." Swallowing, hard, the King added nervously, "Is he here?"

"Not as such," Glenn said and surprised Leene by suddenly stuffing his necklace into his shirt. "Though I'm sure he would have much to say if he wert allowed to." That quirky smile formed again and he coughed. "My King, I fear I am not here to speak of the Magus. Rather I must discuss another matter."

"Please," the King stepped back and sat back down. "I am always glad to consider a request from my wife's champion."

Glenn nodded, "As ye know, much of what we did recently had to do with travel through time. I have learned of a terrible fate that will befall our kingdom in Crono's time and I would warn him." Leene stared at him in shock, hands clenching on the arms of her throne. The future Those brave youngsters in danger?

"What fate?"

With a sad expression, Glenn shook his head. "Twould be better if ye not know, lest ye attempt changes that wouldst set off more troubles in our future. Best to leave the handling of the matter to Crono, who wilt be there and best able to manage what ist to be done."

The King considered this. "I could command you to tell me," he said slowly, "But I trust your honor and your word. You would not refuse to speak without dire cause. Very well. Then what would you have me do?"

"When I leave here, grant me access to the treasury. There I wilt leave a message and ensure that it comes only to Crono and only in the right time and place."

Nodding, the King glanced at one of his guards. "Let it be as he has asked," he said. "What after, Glenn? Will you rejoin us?"

"Majesty, that is the other thing. There is that which I must do which demands my entire Self to the doing. I must, regretfully, ask to step down as Knight Protector." Glenn glanced at Leene with an aching sadness in his eyes.

Before her husband could say anything, Leene rose. "Glenn? That is mine to permit or deny, not the King's." Before her knight could say another word, she continued, "And though it pains me to do so I permit it. You are free to go and do what must be done."

The King glanced from Leene to Glenn and smiled wanly, knowing that the two had cared greatly for each other. "Before you go, though, will you permit me to honor you one last time? You may no longer be my Queen's Protector, yet you will always be a true Knight Par Excellence of Guardia."

***

"You were sweet on her."

Glenn glanced down at the necklace that he'd pulled back out of his shirt, now that he'd left the throne room, then made sure that no one was following him or nearby to hear. "Of course I was," he muttered, mildly. "She's the Queen. We wert all sweet on her. Cyrus included."

"Uh huh. Certainly explains the blush."

Glenn would have snapped that he was not blushing, but he knew it wasn't true. "I'm just flushed from that ceremony. Twas moving"

Janus went quiet as they passed two or three guards, all of whom snapped to attention as Glenn passed, then murmured excitedly to each other once he seemed out of earshot. Then he said, in an unusually serious voice, "Yes, I suppose it was. Are you sure you don't want to stay? They would be glad if you changed your mind."

Glancing down at Janus, Glenn noted the muted tones of his flames. "Still trying to get rid of me? Twill not be so easy, my friend. I wast moved, aye, who wouldst not be? Yet I am not moved to the point of wanting kudos for what I hath done when there is still much to be done in the future."

Janus sighed. ::Can't say I didn't try:: he thought at Glenn, as they approached the guarded treasury door. Glenn shrugged slightly, nodded to the guards and went in, closing the door behind him. Then he paused, looking around, and waited for Janus to do what they'd come there to do.

***

Considering the room, Janus floated out of the necklace and noted that it was getting harder and harder for him to do so. FATE might be getting a powerful tool somewhere in the future, but it was a tool that would not be nearly as powerful as it had been. Oddly, the thought comforted him, for it meant that whatever she did would be at a disadvantage. More importantly, a disadvantage that she won't fully understand – hopefully until it's too late.

"Here, I think, wouldst be good," Glenn said, opening a chest. "An item in the corner, out of the way and – hopefully – out of mind for a good long time."

"Yeah," Janus answered, moving to hover over the chest and a sigil, a serpent twisted into a figure eight, swallowing its tail, formed atop it. "Now's where it gets tricky. Are you sure It's going to be a long wait"

"Wilt thou stop asking that?" Glenn asked, laughing tiredly. "I am utterly and absolutely sure. Besides, ye told me yourself that I wouldst not notice the passage of time. Art thou telling me that this ist not so?"

"No," Janus sighed. "I just hoped"

"Nay, Janus. This is part of what must be. Just do what has to be done. If we canst not time leap into so near to that place where we were already then we must simply wait until time carries us there."

In a human body Janus would have taken a deep breath. As it was, his flames flickered with bright red fire and wrapped themselves around Glenn, forming a bond with the knight, making the two of them, for the moment, as one.

Silently, the chest closed, concealing a darkened ruby, the faintest of glows sleeping at its center.

***

1010 A.D.
Crono staggered back, startled, as a bright light shot through the doors of the throne room and stopped front of him. His hand went automatically to his sword. Glancing at his wife, he saw her focusing a spell, preparing to attack or defend, whichever might be needed.

The light, a soft, coruscating ruby, formed the shape of a serpent swallowing its tail. "Come. A message waits in the Treasure Room." The voice was soft, almost familiar, and with those words the serpent swirled through the air and headed back out the door. "Bring Lucca as well. None else. Tell her to leave the children at the orphanage."

Crono looked at Marle with a worried expression. So many years of peace had passed, but he knew from Belthazar that that peace was fragile. It seemed this message was a sign. "Damn," he muttered. "There goes lunch."

Marle managed a wan smile. "You could eat while we wait for Lucca. It did say to bring her, after all."

"Should we even listen, though?" Crono wondered.

Considering that for a moment, Marle nodded. "Whatever is going on is in our treasure room. Do you really want it to stay there?"

"Guess not. But I swear if this is a practical joke, I'm going to turn whomever's behind it over my knee."

***

Lucca hurried beside the others. The last few years had been so quiet and pleasant that it was almost a shock to realize that she might – once again – be drawn into the unknown. She wished Belthazar had stayed, but a request from his brother had called the old man away. And what could he do anyway? Neither of us wanted to build a weapon of destruction to use against Porre, and that was about the only thing left to us.

She had watched Porre's growth as a military power with trepidation, especially when they'd begun waving their swords in Guardia's direction. The worst of it was knowing that – somehow – they'd managed to get a hold of her technology. She still wondered about that invoice, it bothered her, not remembering making such a sale. Still, what was done was done. They had tools that could destroy Guardia now, tools that she would not create in turn and could not defend against. We're doomed, aren't we?

As Lucca stepped into the Treasury room with the others, a blaze of ruby fire greeted her and a voice that seemed to speak with all the world's voices said, "No, little one. You are not doomed if you are willing to make a sacrifice."

Lucca stared as the flames shifted, stretched and a shape formed out of them. A man, blonde, dressed in old-style clothing and carrying a sword similar to the Masamune sheathed at his side appeared, a blaze of ruby light hanging around his neck. "I greet thee, Crono, Marle, Lucca. T'is been a long time," he said. "And no doubt ye remember me in rather another form."

***

Glenn watched his three old comrades walk slowly forward, Crono with one hand on his Rainbow sword, the others equally prepared to attack or defend if he were to make the wrong move or say the wrong thing. He smiled, not blaming them at all for their concern.

"Your pardon, sir, but I'm afraid I don't"

"It's FROG!" Marle gasped, eyes suddenly going bright with tears. Before Crono could do anything to stop her the young woman – who looked rather more like Leene than was good for Glenn's comfort – had thrown her arms around him and was giving him a hug that nearly broke his ribs. "You're cured! YOU'RE YOU AGAIN!"

Unable to speak for lack of air, Glenn was glad when Janus interrupted. "Hey You think you could cut that out so he could get a word in edgewise?" He'd made his voice more normal and its tones were familiar enough to elicit a response from Lucca this time.

"JANUS!?" The girl rushed forward, staring into the Flame that Glenn wore around his neck. The knight could have sworn it was blushing and he couldn't help but grin, a response he knew Janus could feel through their connection. "What did you do to yourself?"

Crono coughed. "Uhm Maybe we should ask about what they've been doing later. I have a feeling this is urgent. Isn't it, Glenn? Janus?"

Marle released Glenn, rather to the relief of his lungs, and he straightened. "Thou art correct, Crono. In this time and place there ist no time left. Thy kingdom is about to be attacked."

Crono blinked and started to turn, only to stop as the door slammed shut, stopping him. "No," Janus said softly. "You three aren't going to like this, but the last thing you should do is go out and fight them."

Lucca's expression turned terrified and angry. "The children! Why did you have us leave them? They'll"

"They wilt be saved" Glenn said sadly. This was the hardest part of the whole matter. They couldn't remove the children from the timeline or save them from their hardships without making a change that would certainly destroy all their work. "Another me wilt protect them from the one who seeks ye, Lucca. But because they art needed in time, and thou and thy kingdom art not, they cannot be saved as we hope to save thee." He did not mention the second timeline, the one where the children died. Best not to confuse matters further.

"Seeks? Me?" Lucca stammered. "But why?"

"You're the only one who could break the Prometheus Code." At Lucca's widened eyes and look of recognition, Janus continued, "Yes, named for your friend Robo. Remember what Belthazar told us when I visited you? He placed the code within FATE's proto-self to keep her from harming humanity. She can only kill those humans who pose a threat to Chronopolis – a necessary protection to keep someone from accessing her power over time."

Crono frowned. "If we aren't needed in time, why the hell have you bothered to come here?" His frustration was obvious and Glenn gave him an understanding look. "If we are to die, I'd rather die fighting"

"It is precisely because you aren't needed in time that I can save you. But there's a price," Janus said calmly, "Half of it I've paid already, in losing a part of my very Self. The other is for you three to pay."

***

Crono gazed directly into the flame, forcing himself not to flinch at what he saw within it, the transformation and shattering and changing of the Universe itself. "Explain," he said grimly.

"Hast thou heard of the Frozen Flame afore this day?" Glenn asked quietly.

"I have," Crono agreed and suddenly understood what Janus had become. "You?"

"I will be. I'm not sure when or how, but if time continues along its course" There was agony in the voice, a pain Crono had heard before from the Magus, when he'd still been human. A pain never admitted to and never allowed to be sympathized with.

Marle reached out as if to touch the Flame, her eyes pained. "But time can be changed. We changed it."

"And what a mess we made of it, right, Janus?" Lucca's voice was soft and as sad as the Flame's. A terrible sorrow formed in Crono's heart, an aching lump of knowledge that at least some of what was about to happen was his own damned fault. "We Belthazar, Gaspar and Melchior FATE Everyone trying to make things the way they want it without thought to the consequence."

"And I'm no better," Janus admitted. "But if this works, if I can keep time from scattering into nothingness, then at least I will have accomplished something. Yet that means that I cannot prevent Porre from attacking. I cannot prevent them from using that damnable weapon on your kingdom." The Flame eyed Crono directly. "But I can replace your kingdom with a land that has no lives to matter. On another timeline the reptites survived and the price of their survival was the setting aside of the land that would have been Guardia in this world. That is the land that will be destroyed."

Crono hesitated. "The same thing that was done for me on a larger scale. But what will happen to Guardia?"

"I will draw it into my Self, hide it in a place outside of time, unchanged and unchanging. Such has been done with another bit of time, in a place called the Frozen Sea. But this place will not be the same, for I dare not let FATE know of its existence. If all goes as planned, 10 years from now, things will come to a head. One of us, FATE, the Dragon Gods, or I, will find a way to choose the world's final future. If what I want to happen happens, then I will be able to replace Guardia in its proper place. If not"

"If not, we all fall." Crono said grimly. "You spoke of a sacrifice, though."

"There ist no choice for Janus. He must become FATE's tool. For millennia he wilt be alone, her bound and bonded slave," Glenn said softly and Crono, watching the Flame, saw in the flickering light the edge of fear. "I Likely I wilt not be available to help him. Yet in a long distant past, the two of us found ye three, or rather, representations of thee, within the Flame's Self. Of thy courtesy, Janus asks that ye become his guardians, the human minds that wilt keep him from madness and despair."

"Oh sure, put the worst light on it you can," Janus grumbled. "Like I really need to be reminded that I'm going to be turned into a battery for an oversized computer with delusions of godhood!"

Crono eyed Janus' Flames and knew the terror that he was barely hiding. Imagining the time that Janus was going to be enslaved was horrifying. But if we're together It won't be so bad I hope He turned his eyes on the other two and it was Lucca who said, "Janus, if you swear to me that there's nothing more that can be done for the kids that you've done everything possible to protect them I'm with you."

Reaching out to take Crono's hand, Marle looked into his eyes and they both nodded as Crono said, "As are we."

***

FATE watched Guardia with an avid eye, her every sensor focused on what was about to happen. Her tool had done well, so very well, and now – despite the handicap of losing control of the Flame – she could destroy those interfering mortals. The weapon Porre had invented had been primed and its power was about to be unleashed.

Soon Soon The explosion turned her sensors black momentarily, a brilliant white light that engulfed Guardia castle. A second explosion a second later did the same to Truce. So much power came from those explosions in fact that Time itself was shaken. She could feel something shudder and heard the Flame shriek in pain. Let it. The damned uncooperative thing had been grinning at her seeming helplessness all these years. She might not be able to punish it for its temerity but she could gloat that this – at least – it had been unable to prevent.

***

Within the Flame, something shattered as time split. It could feel the change, knew what was coming, but also knew that, in order for its younger self to save the real Guardia, that change was needed, that somehow, if it won, it would restore things, bring the damaged lines back together into some semblance of order.

Thus it was that while Glenn and Janus saved Kid and the children in one world, in another they never arrived, never prevented Harle from robbing the child of her only protection before Lynx's sword could end her life. With that death, another child who would have been saved from drowning died, shattering the one shield the Flame had against FATE's control and restoring FATE to power.

Split between the two worlds, the Flame momentarily lost control of the Frozen Sea, for it needed to concentrate its power on the Guardia that was and – it hoped – would be again. For that moment, time returned to the point prior to the Sea's destruction by Lavos and created havoc for a few precious minutes. When it was over, the Frozen Sea became a place devoid of even the semblance of life, inhabited only by the protections FATE had forced her Flame to put into it so long ago. At the same time, its younger self was thrown forward through time, unable to control its wild flight, and carrying its burdens, old and new, into the future.

To Be Continued

Author's Notes:
I wasn't sure at first if I could find a good reason for that scene at the end of Trigger where Glenn is honored for something, but then it occurred to me that it might have been necessary for him and Janus to sit and wait for a chance to reach Crono. They probably didn't have to go to that time, but Glenn wanted to say goodbye.

I think I had Janus say those three weren't really Crono, Marle and Lucca back in the beginning. Either he was mistaken or I need to rewrite that segment to be more vague.

Hey, Darth, is the reason you were upset earlier that I made Janus the 'child' of the big evil bad guy? Suffice to say that I needed to do it in order to supply him with the power to do what has to be done. And let's not forget that a lot of Japanese plots revolve around the child of the villain redeeming his heritage. grin Anyway, rescuing Lavos back when he first arrived, unfortunately, would negate everything that had been done and possibly create a really nasty paradox. And anyone who reads my Shadow Of Destiny fic will know that I don't consider paradox a good thing.

Anyway, Skahducky only came up with a few questions for me. One may require rewriting some earlier stuff, the others are already clarified. So posting is about to increase speed to one a day for sure! (Well, I hope.) (SFX of Kosagi waving big Thank You Flags at Skahducky!)