The Fire When it Comes - Part 18: The Worm Oroborous – In which the serpent swallows its tail.
A Crono-Trigger/Cross fanfic
By
Deborah J. Brown

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

11090 B.C. to 1006 A.D.:
The first ten thousand years were the hardest. At FATE's command, Janus raised the islands of Zenan and peopled them with clones of those killed when FATE had taken over. It puzzled him slightly to find so much material available to be raised, but he decided it was probably just the remnants of the Enlightened's floating Islands. Once that was done, all he had to do was guide the development of those who lived there, and work to extend his, or rather FATE's, influence north.

With little to do but wait and obey, and without daring to interfere too much, the only thing Janus could do was make sarcastic comments to his mind companions. He grew fonder of them, though, and very glad of their presence. Too, as FATE's plans progressed to her satisfaction he found more and more times when they all could simply drop into a state resembling sleep. He missed the Magus war because of it. Not that he really minded. It would have hurt too much, watching his stupid earlier self attempting things that he now understood to be impossible. Most especially he didn't want to watch what he'd done to Glenn.

At last the day Janus awaited approached. When the storm began high above Chronopolis, Janus tensed, knowing what was coming and both scared and elated. At long last it would begin. Now he would see if everything he'd done had been enough, or if – in the end – FATE or the dragons – or worse, Lavos – would win.

As his earlier self approached him, Janus drew himself together and sent a massive surge of thought into the place he knew his sister's soul waited, trapped in the depths of Lavos' Self. Wordlessly, he showed an image of his chamber, of a way she might, just might, find her freedom. She couldn't break free entirely, but – with his help and his old self's – they were able to give her a moment's respite. Then she was gone, leaving him bereft and grieving.

::Don't forget the boy,:: Lucca urged, reminding him that somewhere outside, two men carried a dying child.

The reminder perked Janus up immediately and when Serge was brought to him he longed to restore Glenn's memories to the boy. Only Crono's reminder that FATE might notice something like that forced him to settle on simply curing the child of the poison that was killing him and locking the boy's genetic pattern into the computer system.

As his past self left with Serge and Kid, Janus listened to FATE's ravings with smug pleasure, even as he turned his consciousness deep into his Self within the Frozen Sea. Rather to his surprise, he found someone waiting for him there.

***

TIME'S HEART:
It hadn't been easy getting in. Belthazar had had to follow that ancient streambed in time to just minutes before the day of Lavos to do it. But there, locked in time, was the opening he needed and he used it quickly, before the defenses FATE had made Janus put on that timeless world could find him.

There three familiar children were waiting, their eyes startled at his sudden presence. "Eh? Crono? Marle? Lucca?"

"In a way We're sort of memories Their souls, if you will." Crono grinned. "The boss guy's not paying attention or he'd probably be here to greet you."

"He's 'upstairs' gloating over Serge," Lucca said, with an air of amused tolerance.

"Can you blame him?" Marle asked, "He's never really forgiven himself for what he had to do to our friend."

Belthazar frowned. "Did to him? We were concentrating so much on the other timeline like he asked that we didn't have time to check much else. Who is this Serge?"

Marle smiled sadly. "To save Glenn from FATE, Janus transformed our friend and sent him back through time to 1003. The child Glenn became was adopted and named Serge by his new family. Now, after millennia of waiting, their paths have intersected once more and Serge, like Glenn before him, has become the one human who can command the Flame, blocking FATE from his use and defended from her by her own programming."

Before Belthazar could respond, a flare of red light filled the sunset skies and the Flame appeared.

***

"Old man? What are you doing here? Did you find an answer?" Janus forced his voice to a more normal human sound with effort. It'd been so long since he'd had to do so and he'd nearly forgotten how.

"I time-jumped into the Frozen Sea, near enough to the entrance to this place to avoid your guards," Belthazar answered, eyes wide as he took an involuntary step backwards, "And, yes er do you mind if I don't look at you?"

"Look at the terror trio, if it makes you feel better," Janus answered, only too used to human reaction to his form. Belthazar wasn't the only one who'd made it to this place, though the old man was the only one who knew the truth of what he was. "So? The answer?"

Belthazar talked quickly, describing the seventh element and the harmonic that it created using the other six, as well as the result. "The power to do it came from that which you left in their world"

"The Dragon's Tear, which the dragon gods have brought into this world along with their sweet selves," Janus said, "Though I suspect they weren't considering that fact when they made the jump."

"Now Janus, they had reason, and if they hadn't we wouldn't have gotten here," Lucca reproved. "It's not their fault they're what they are."

"Yeah," Janus retorted, "A bunch of insular, self-absorbed, stick-in-the-muds. There's a reason only dragons survived in their world and it has to do with the fact that anything that didn't fit with their worldview was destroyed. It might make for a paradise for those who fit in, but gods help anyone who doesn't!"

Crono chuckled. "I think someone still has issues with his childhood, that's what I think." He turned to Belthazar. "So, the trick will be getting the Dragon's Tear and Janus to Serge so that he can do the same thing on this side. Not to mention getting Serge involved in the first place. "

"I think FATE will do that for us," Lucca said thoughtfully. "Even now she's captured those two men, and one of them will – almost certainly – end up becoming Lynx. And she'll use Lynx to attack Guardia and" Her eyes turned sad and Janus suddenly wished he had a shoulder for her to cry on. "and time will be split. She's certainly going to be attempting to regain control of Janus, and if she doesn't try to break the Prometheus Code somehow, I'm not Lucca the Great."

The other two looked at her. "Well, strictly speaking" Crono said, grinning at her.

"Hmph. You know what I mean."

Janus turned his attention on Belthazar, causing the man to jump a little. "Sorry" he started to say, only to pause as he felt something shift outside. "Hello"

"What is it?"

"Nothing important, I think. We have a guest out there Kids? Would you mind getting him in here? No point in being inhospitable." As the trio disappeared, Janus turned back to Belthazar. "It's one of those two men who brought Serge here. FATE must have thrown him there to get rid of him. She did something to him too. If he goes back into a real time he'll die."

Belthazar looked worried. "Is there anything I can do for him?"

"No. I'll keep him safe, if bored out of his skull in here." Janus eyed Belthazar. "Do you still distrust my purpose?" he asked softly.

"No. You scare the three of us. Despite that, we've decided to trust you."

Janus nodded. "All right then. The best thing you can do is try and find out what Lynx is up to in that timeline where FATE's in control. If you meet up with Serge, help him, but don't interfere." He paused and added, "And if you can find out who the girl is that accompanies Lynx, and how she got Kid's amulet, that would help too."

***

1006 to 1010 A.D.:
The few years between Serge becoming his Arbiter and the Timesplit allowed Janus a bit of a breathing space. Without FATE yammering in his non-existent ears he was able to examine his memories carefully and determine how to proceed in the upcoming Event. As he'd rather expected, he got no sense of cooperation from the Dragon Gods. It was too bad, too. As allies they would have been invaluable. As enemies they were a constant aggravation.

The moment of the split was, of course, the worst. Even knowing it was coming, even knowing that it was impossible to avoid, didn't help. Nor did it help knowing that – on one world, at least – Lucca's wards had died. Janus would have given anything to have made it different, but too much of his power was tied up in the moment. Any more interference would have resulted in time scattering out of control and everything they'd worked for being destroyed.

Deep inside the Flame – in the unbreakable Heart of Time – closely and carefully protected, a time and place waited to be freed, while three children wept, and were comforted by the human who had found his way into that lonely place. "It will be all right," he said softly. "You, yourselves told me there's hope."

***

1010 to 1020 A.D. - Both Worlds:
The worst part of the Timesplit was that FATE now knew her toy was trying to work against her. Only in the still whole Time's Heart, an area she had no access to and did not know existed, could the broken Flame connect with itself and get an idea of what was going on in both worlds. Janus was especially hampered in Another World, where he had to be extremely careful to seem utterly cowed by FATE's will. In Home World, on the other hand, he dared not make any obvious moves until Serge was old enough to act.

At last, though, Another World's FATE made her expected move, forcing her Flame to drag the boy into her world. Janus wasn't sure what she intended to do with the boy, but by now he could do nothing but hope.

***

1020 A.D.-Another World:
Belthazar watched the battle in his library with interest. Serge, Kid and someone who looked so much like Janus' human form it was frightening found themselves forced into a fight with the rather temperamental Fourth Deva, Marcy. She's strong, but letting a nine-year old be a Deva still doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

Despite Marcy's strength, however, Serge and his friends turned out just a bit stronger. Janus would, he thought, be glad to know that his one-time companion had grown up to be no less skilled, no less gallant and no less brave than the man who'd once been Guardia's premier Knight. It was, however, too soon to tell the boy anything. Serge would have to find his own way for a while longer.

"You'll find a way up to the next floor with a switch," Belthazar told the group. "What you seek is there."

***

As the door to the General's office opened, Serge found himself gazing into a light that seemed terribly familiar. Something, some distant and long lost memory was trying to establish itself and he thought he heard a voice in his mind. You won't remember. But I will know you. The memory shifted to that terrible dream he'd had before this madness had begun, the dream where he'd killed Kid. The dream he'd had just before he'd been carried into a world where he ought not exist. Where he had died at seven. Is this the Frozen Flame? he wondered, and sensed that though there was a relation, it was not.

Forcing himself to the here and now, he prepared to face down Kid's enemy. Lynx frightened him, reminded him of a day so long ago that he could barely recall it. Reminded him of the claws of the cat that had nearly killed him. He clutched his dual bladed sword, seemed to feel encouragement from its presence and prepared to fight.

They both won and lost. Lynx defeated was still a danger and when he used his dagger on Kid, throwing her into the waters below the manor, the group was forced to flee, to seek him out another day.

***

At the center of Fort Dragonia, Lynx smiled. The Arbiter and his friends thought he was defeated. But the time has come, brat. No longer shall FATE be mastered by mere humans. As Serge drew close enough the cat-man focused his will on the Tear, demanding its obedience and commanding its power.

The changeover was painful, agonizing even, but it did the job. Within moments their minds had switched. Lynx, now Serge, shouted that they had to finish Lynx off and Serge, trapped in the demi-human form, was too confused, too sentimental, to fight back. It was so easy, so very easy.

"Wait Somethin's wrong" Kid's voice was troubled.

"What are you waiting for! Kill him. Avenge Lucca and the others!" Lynx realized he'd erred as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Kid's expression shifted, became coldly suspicious and he felt for his belt knife.

"I don't recall e'ver tellin' yer about Lucca," Kid growled, moving slowly forward.

"Of course you did"

"No. I don't know how you did it, Lynx" She glanced sideways at the demi-human struggling to raise himself, to warn her. It was a mistake, for Lynx used the moment to good effect, rushing forward and driving the blade deep into her.

He wasn't sure why he decided to take the girl instead of killing her. Maybe it was her way of constantly surviving despite apparent death. Maybe it was because he thought he could find a way to control her in ways that he couldn't control the rather mercurial Harle, but he did.

***

As Lynx disappeared with Kid, Harle considered the demi-human form of his former body. He'd have to be gotten rid of. She wasn't sure why she didn't kill him right away. Non. He may be of zee use. He weel be seeking 'iz own form again. Eef he ees the man he seems, that eez. Zo! Now zat Master Lynx 'as what he needz, we must find a way to reach the Flame as weel, zo zat we may destroy FATE and take eet for ourselves.

Picking the unconscious body up, she carried him out of time and space.

***
1020 A.D. - Home World:
Janus knew the approaching lifeform wasn't really Serge. For one thing, his Self on the other side of the Time Split had been able to warn him. For another, he had had the Masamune before he'd used it to block Serge's path, and that was an impossibility. Lynx was the only one who could carry that blasted thing without being badly affected by its aura of hate and anger.

Still, the body that was approaching was very definitely Serge's and Janus knew that if it reached him its possessor would have the power of Arbiter over him. Thus he set up every interference he could, threw every one of Chronopolis defenses into stopping Lynx from making it to the island before the real Serge – fighting his way through Frozen Time – could reach him. It didn't work. Lynx was just too damned strong for those defenses, even in Serge's body. It was a terrible fight, but at long last the former demi-human stood before Janus.

"Flame, I stand before you as Arbiter. Acknowledge me!"

Janus screamed in pain as the force of the link hit him. He fought, dear god how he fought, but the bond that had kept him from obeying anyone but Glenn in that far away future forced him to obey this false Serge. At last, whimpering, weeping at his very heart, he whispered, "I acknowledge you Arbiter. What is your desire?"

Lynx smiled. On Serge's face, with Serge's eyes, it was a horrible expression. "First. Use your power to rejoin your Self, and FATE, in the other timeline."

Shuddering, Janus reached out, flinging power out with a prodigality he could ill afford. With a sharp twist he tugged Chronopolis entirely out of the one timeline and merged it into the second. Before he could get his breath, Lynx continued. "Now. Show me where my former body is."

Janus trembled. He could feel the real Serge within his Self. He couldn't show them that, couldn't Despite his wishes, the image of Leene's square formed, showing Serge and his new companions talking to the human, Miguel, who'd been trapped there for so long.

"Where is that?"

A moment of hesitation. "It's reached through Frozen Time." Not a lie. Not the truth. His apparent unwillingness to speak convinced Lynx and kept him from asking a more probing question.

"Then, if Frozen Time is destroyed, will it trap, or better yet, kill them?"

"If time is permitted back Yes, they could be trapped in the chaos." Janus would have gritted his teeth if he could. Glaring hate at Lynx, though, seemed the only thing he could do.

"Could be?"

"They'd have to be carried out by air," Janus gasped angrily, even as a part of his mind loosed the Sky Dragon's bonds. ::Save them, or FATE will be triumphant!::

Lynx's voice might have been Serge's, but it was still a cat-like purr. "Then do it. Destroy the Frozen Sea."

Regretfully, Janus obeyed.

To Be Continued

Author's Notes:

As the story progresses, confusion will, I hope come to understanding. It's convoluted, I know, but I've tried very hard to make the pieces fit together. (cue: Schism.)

Nasuka-kun Don't die Please don't die! I'll post, I promise! (SFX of Kosagi hiding under her computer with her fingers typing from under the desk.) Oh, Glenn's hair is blonde in the Cutscene at the end. I think it looked brown in the game itself, but (And am I the only one who thinks Serge's hair would stick straight up just like Glenn's does if it weren't for that bandanna of his?)

Skahducky: Yeah, Glenn's eyes. I look at the image of Serge on the front of my game guide and they are the most incredible blue. Admittedly, it's impossible to be sure what Glenn's eyes would have been in Trigger. Oh, if no one noticed, Marge noticed the resemblance of those eyes way back when. That's why she thought Glenn was Serge's father.

Darth: Now, now, Janus went to the trouble of putting the real Guardia out of harm's way two chapters ago. Unless things go hideously wrong at the end, he fully plans to put it back. Good enough?

Let's see, further notes. This segment gets a little jumpy owing to the fact that I refuse to novelize the entirety of Chrono Cross. Bits and pieces of the upcoming sections were taken verbatim from the game and are based on a script by Sheamon and was found at GameFAQ. I've tried to be brief with the long speeches Time is short and we already have over 100 pages in this thing.