Chapter Two: Avalanche
"Oh gods, Gab.RUN!" Glenn shouted. Safety lay fifty feet away in the small
cliff. It was very high but not too high to climb. The snow had just hit
the summit of the hill and was plummeting downward when they broke into
sprints.
Gabrielle felt the snow under her foot slip. She fell to her knee; Glenn
yanked her back up. Taking a look at the avalanche, Glenn saw that it was
forty-five feet away. Glenn leaped for the cliff and grabbed for some foot
and hand holes. They desperately hurried to beat the tidal wave of snow
that would crush them against the cliff if they didn't hurry. It was now
thirty feet away.
Gabrielle's feet slipped under the rock and she fell to the snow covered
ground.
"Gabrielle!" Glenn shouted. He took the blanket off his shoulder and threw
one end down. "Grab for this." He ordered. Gabrielle took a flying jump for
it and made it. She gripped it and climbed with her feet as Glenn pulled
her up.
Once Gabrielle was within reach, Glenn grabbed her waist and yanked her
toward him and out of the incoming avalanche' way. They scrambled on all
fours away from the rushing river of snow. They watched it pass with wide
eyes and gasping breath.
Suddenly, two forms came into view in the middle of the passing avalanche.
Glenn recognized them immediately.
"Lucca, Robo!" he bellowed. He rushed to the edge of the cliff. A glint of
gold flashed and a hand poked out.
"Oh gods!" Gabrielle cried when she saw them. "Where's the avalanche
going?"
"See that wall of rocks?" Glenn asked, pointing.
"Yeah, the Samarans made that. That was a former village of theirs."
Gabrielle said. "It's supposed to protect them from avalanches."
"Let's hope they don't slam into it." Glenn said. "C'mon!" they ran down
the lower trail down the to base of the hill.
Once the avalanche stopped at the wall (some had escaped the wall but most
was contained) they rushed to find Lucca and Robo.
"ROBO! LUCCA!" Glenn roared. The snow Glenn was standing on suddenly gave
way. He cried out then cried out again only this in pain. Gabrielle rushed
to unbury him.
"Glenn?"
"I found Robo!" he wheezed. Gabrielle reached out her hand and helped Glenn
out of the hole of snow. After several minutes of digging, they uncovered
the robot and found Lucca a few feet next to him. She was unconscious.
"How are we going to get them home?" Gabrielle asked.
"We need help." Glenn told her. A familiar squawk echoed down the hill.
Midnight flapped to Gabrielle and perched on her shoulder. "How does that
thing know where you are?" Glenn demanded. Gabrielle shrugged.
"Midnight. We need help. Go get the others NOW!" she ordered. Midnight flew
off squawking loudly. They covered Lucca with the blanket and waited.
* * * "AVALANCHE!" An Amazon shrieked barreling into the village. "There's been an avalanche!" The others ran out of Gabrielle's cabin and went to the screaming Amazon. "Where?" Magus demanded. "North. West of the stream." She said. "It was right there." She pointed to the north. "It was on the hill where most avalanches occur here. We built a wall there to stop them. I hope it worked." Their fear confirmed; Lucca and Robo were probably in the avalanche. Just then, Midnight came in squawking uncontrollably. Magus grabbed the Gryphon with his gloved hands, ignoring the Gryphon pecking him. Midnight wrenched out of Magus's grip and began to fly out of the village. "Maybe he'll lead us to the others." Schala said. "Oh great. Let's follow the insane Gryphon." Crono muttered. They followed Midnight at a run until they reached the wall. Gabrielle and Glenn were freezing by the time they had arrived. Marle gave Gabrielle her coat and Magus gave Glenn his. Magus carried Lucca and Crono, Marle, and Schala together carried Robo back to the village. They sent for healers and they piled Lucca with blankets to get her warm again. "Once she gets warm, she'll be ok." Magus said, as he held her hand. He waited by her cot into the night. At daybreak, Lucca's eyelids fluttered open. "What happened?" Lucca asked thickly when she finally woke up. "An avalanche came and you got sucked into it." Magus told her. Lucca jerked up. "Where's Robo?" she demanded. "Did he make it?" "Yes. He's fine." He replied. "Just rest and tomorrow we start up the mountain. That avalanche was caused by Lavos." Magus said. Magus walked back outside where Gabrielle and Glenn were sitting on a log, talking animatedly. He was almost angry with them for not being with Lucca while she was getting better. He shook it off and walked away from the couple. He looked back and saw them laughing together. Glaring, he turned back and walked away from them. "Hey Magus!" Gabrielle shouted. "What's wrong?" she called. "Nothing." He called back. "I'm fine." Gabrielle shrugged and turned back around to talk to Glenn. Marle went to sit with them, later joined by Crono.
* * * Gabrielle woke up when she felt cold air on her feet. She rearranged her blanket so it covered her feet. Just then she realized it was the middle of the night. She lay on her back and stared at her ceiling until finally she gave up on sleep. Maybe a walk or a ride would settle her. She dressed and as she was slipping on her boots, Glenn woke up. He touched her arm to make her look up from trying her bootlaces. "Where're you going?" he whispered. "Nowhere. I'm just going to take a walk. Go back to sleep, I'll be back." Gabrielle murmured. She carefully stepped over the sleeping bodies of her friends and silently opened her door and tiptoed out. She cried out and jumped. She started to run but Magus grabbed her shirt and dragged her back. She countered by grabbing his hand and twisting left, Magus's arm went behind him and then she kneed him in the stomach. He grunted and grabbed her right arm and let it wrap around his back and flipped her over his hip. She tuck forward rolled as she landed just as he taught her. He smiled despite her snarls and curses. She flipped into an upright stance and charged at Magus; still not knowing it was he. He grabbed the front of her tunic and twisted and kneeled at the same time. The Amazon girl went soaring. "You still never think people are going to counter." Magus remarked dryly. "Magus?" Gabrielle demanded getting up. "Yep." He replied hollowly. "It's me." He grinned when he saw her scowl. "Why were you following me?" Gabrielle demanded hotly. "You scared me out of my wits!" She gave him a sharp punch on the shoulder as she was passing to go. He let her have the punch but grabbed her fist when right after and yanked her back to him. "Let go!" Gabrielle ordered. "No, I have something to talk to you about." Magus forced out. "What?" Gabrielle asked, her tone softening. "Hurry, it's cold out here." She put her hands in her pockets and sighed, making a large cloud form in front of her. "Ok, you know when we were in Zeal?" he asked. "I try to forget." Gabrielle murmured. "But the memories keep trickling into my head." "Yeah, must have been pretty bad." He said. "For you, too." Gabrielle murmured. "I guess, well, I've fought Lavos. It's not something I'm really looking forward to doing again." He looked down. "We have to though. And if that's what has to be done, then so be it." Gabrielle retorted. "Sorry, I really should say something like that cause I've never fought Lavos." Every time she heard that name, she wanted to scream. "It's all right. I thought the same thing before. But, this time we have nine people, and all of us are going into battle." Magus pointed out. Gabrielle paused before she said, "Yeah." "You're not scared are you?" Magus inquired. "Of course I am!" The Amazon snapped. "What d'you want me say? Something insightful? All I know is that I'm going to fight a creature that killed thousands of my people and my parents. And this creature is the creature that is going to destroy the world!" She turned on her heel and stormed off. "Gab.wait." Magus called. "I didn't mean for you to get upset, ok? I talked to Glenn and he said you're a bit nervous. I'm.I'm sorry." Gabrielle heaved a sigh, sending a cloud before her, "It's all right. I'm just really edgy." "It'll turn out ok." Magus said, uncharacteristically soft. "C'mon, let's get out of this cold." Gabrielle shivered. "Race you?" "Oh, c'mon, you never beat me in Zeal, what makes you think you'll beat me now?" Gabrielle inquired. "You never know what happens to people when they grow up." "You're on." Gabrielle grinned. She sprinted in the snow sending it flying behind her. Magus caught up with her instantly. The rest was a blur until they both slammed into the door, trying to get to it first. They were cracking up, which was an odd thing for Magus to be doing. Forgetting everyone was sleeping they let the door slam. Glenn sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Have a nice.run?" he inquired sleepily. "Ahuh, just peachy." Gabrielle murmured, ripping off her boots. She was still giggling. "Magus and I raced to the cabin." "Yeah, and I won." "You did not!" Gabrielle hissed. "I did so!" Magus retorted. "Hey!" Crono called from the other side of the cabin. "Keep it down, normal humans are trying to sleep." "Sorry." They murmured. Settling into her bedroll, Gabrielle felt better about the upcoming bout. She dreamt of the gang gloriously beating Lavos.
* * * "UP!" Ayla bellowed. Crono jerked up with a yell. "We climb! We go fight Lavos!" she shouted. She was already dressed in Amazon snow gear. "Ayla," Gabrielle groaned. She looked out one of her small windows. "It's not even dawn." "We go NOW!" she snapped. Gabrielle blearily led them to the armory where the snow gear was held. First went on their clothes, then they put on wool pants and shirts. Next came fleece lined leather trousers and jackets. Everyone but Magus and Robo added a vest filled with goose down. Snow goggles, snowshoes, and gloves went on last. Magus grabbed an ax with a special blade for ice. Gabrielle snatched headscarves off the hooks and rushed back to the girls and helped them arrange them on their heads. "Can you still breathe?" Schala asked when she arranged Gabrielle's scarf to cover her mouth and nose. "Yes." Gabrielle answered. "Thanks." "Amazons packed for us." Ayla told them. "Here, everyone have a pack." She pointed to the large canvas packs on the floor. Gabrielle went to pick up the one with a Gryphon on it: she knew it was hers. When she picked it up, she dropped it. It was heavy! Glenn was there; he helped her put it on her back and caught her and she stumbled backward. They smiled at each other and Gabrielle helped the knight put his pack on. "Thanks." He murmured.
* * * The party assembled before the trail that led up the mountain and waved goodbye to the Amazons. The girl Danelari's mother was made temporary chief until Gabriele returned; she had been made temporary chief when Gabrielle left for the future. "All set?" Crono asked his goggles hanging around his neck. Everyone nodded in turn and they began to hike up the trail. Here the snow was only ankle deep but they knew the snow would only get deeper. They were silent for the first few hours, concentrating on getting through the now knee high snow. Lucca and Robo had etched symbols into trees, logs, and in the snow itself. "We're almost a fourth the way up." Robo announced. "I think we should make camp. It's almost dark." Inside Crono's pack was a large tent. They set it up together and saw it would barely fit all of them in it. "It'll be warmer all crammed together." Marle murmured. Gabrielle rummaged through her pack. She saw the olive green canvas she desperately hoped was in there. "Look!" she exclaimed. "Another tent!" She yanked it out and the girls set it up with brisk efficiency. "See, now we have two tents." Gabrielle told them wiping the sweat off her forehead with her coat sleeve. "Huzzah, now let's go to bed." Glenn said dryly. Gabrielle climbed into the tent that was in her pack, she smiled when Glenn followed her. Ayla and Schala came after Glenn. They settled into their fur-lined bedrolls and bade each other goodnight. The night became very cold and when the four woke up, they were all squashed together; it was awkward but warm. "Could we please just sleep in?" Gabrielle wanted to know, climbing out of the tent. "Not if you want to get up this mountain." Crono said, catching her as she stumbled over the threshold of the tent. "Let's pack up." Lucca said sleepily. As Gabrielle slid the last stake into the bag that Ayla held, she noticed the amount of mountain they still needed to climb. It was a small mountain by some standards but it wasn't a mere hill. They hiked down the trail until they had to begin to actually ascend some steep slopes. Crono hurled up a rope with a triple hook on it. It fastened to the cliff on top and they climbed the rope two at a time. When they all reached the top, Crono coiled the rope and put them back in his pack. After fifteen minutes, snow began to fall. At first it was flurrying but then snow began to fall more thickly and quicker. They all pulled up their goggles that kept the snow out of their eyes. Soon the snow got so thick that they took lengths of rope and tied them to each other so they could stay together. They couldn't tell if it was night or day when they began to tire but they kept going. They began to create hand signals to keep them from having to bellow over the howling wind. Crono led them with Marle right after him. Lucca and Robo were next, Gabrielle and Glenn, then Schala, Magus, and Ayla brought up the rear. The party became extremely fortunate when they found a small cave and decided to make camp inside it. Magus stood next to Gabrielle only because he was pushed there by Ayla taking off her pack. When Gabrielle took hers off, she made sure she hit the wizard. "Watch where you swing that thing!" Magus barked. "Well, you shouldn't stand right next to me!" Gabrielle retorted scornfully. "I got pushed here, you could have waited before you whacked me!" Magus snarled. "You know-" Gabrielle was about to snap but was interrupted by Crono. "HHHHHEEEEEYYYYY!!!!!!!!" He bellowed. "What the hell is wrong with you guys?" he demanded, yanking off his headscarf. "Sorry, I'm just really tired." Gabrielle sighed. "Me too, I guess." Magus put in. "Sheesh guys." Crono muttered. "Just relax. If we're going to be like this the whole trip, we're going to kill each other by the time we get to Lavos." "On the contrary, Crono." Robo said. "We'll be there in no time. We're making excellent progress." "Let's get some food, I'm starving." Marle announced breaking the silence. Dinner was prepared and they all gathered around the big-banked fire. Afterward they played charades and made shadow puppets to entertain themselves. Gabrielle guessed Schala's interpretation of a time warp in Epoch, which made Gab's team, Glenn, Ayla, and Magus leap up. "That gives Lady Gabrielle's team twelve points. Princess Marle's team has ten." "Yes!" Gabrielle cried. "Ok, our turn." "I got one." Magus said and walked up to the front of the fire. He began to wave his hands around his ears and roar like an awakening Gargoyle. "Uh." "Oh." "Huh?" "What the?" "You don't know?" Magus inquired. "Here, I'll do it again." He repeated the motion. "We don't.know." Crono told him. Gabrielle yelped and started squirming around grinning ear to ear; she knew what it was. "I know! I know!" she squealed. "Lady Gabrielle may answer." Robo announced. "The birth of Altika." Gabrielle told him. "That's it!" Magus cried. "We won! First team to thirteen!" Gabrielle shouted. She leaped up and Magus caught her. He swung her around as she struck a pose with her arms. "Whose Altika?" Schala wanted to know. "It rings a bell but I still don't remember it." "Altika, goddess of pain of suffering, who was born out of Galau's head." Magus said as if from a textbook. "She's a Tenotekhan goddess." He explained to his still-confused friends. "I can't believe you remembered that!" Gabrielle cried. "Well, I did!" They hugged warmly. They played another game then hit the sack. When Gabrielle arranged her bedroll next to Glenn's he gave her a look that made her frown. "What's wrong?" she wondered. Glenn did the same reenactment of Altika's birth that Magus did. "Huh?" "You and Magus are getting really close." Glenn said. "So? We're friends." Gabrielle replied. "But." Glenn fished for a response. "Glenn, you have nothing to worry about." Gabrielle assured him, she was kneeling on hers. "I love you." She grabbed his hand and held it in both of hers. "I love you, too." Glenn told her, putting his hand under her ear and pulling her face to his. They kissed passionately until Crono and Marle came to prepare their own beds. Glenn winked at her as she hastily wriggled into her own bedroll. They kissed one final time goodnight then Gabrielle turned around to look the other way. Marle was looking at her. The princess's smile was visible thanks to the banked fire. Marle threw her covers over her and snuggled closer to Crono.
* * * "AVALANCHE!" An Amazon shrieked barreling into the village. "There's been an avalanche!" The others ran out of Gabrielle's cabin and went to the screaming Amazon. "Where?" Magus demanded. "North. West of the stream." She said. "It was right there." She pointed to the north. "It was on the hill where most avalanches occur here. We built a wall there to stop them. I hope it worked." Their fear confirmed; Lucca and Robo were probably in the avalanche. Just then, Midnight came in squawking uncontrollably. Magus grabbed the Gryphon with his gloved hands, ignoring the Gryphon pecking him. Midnight wrenched out of Magus's grip and began to fly out of the village. "Maybe he'll lead us to the others." Schala said. "Oh great. Let's follow the insane Gryphon." Crono muttered. They followed Midnight at a run until they reached the wall. Gabrielle and Glenn were freezing by the time they had arrived. Marle gave Gabrielle her coat and Magus gave Glenn his. Magus carried Lucca and Crono, Marle, and Schala together carried Robo back to the village. They sent for healers and they piled Lucca with blankets to get her warm again. "Once she gets warm, she'll be ok." Magus said, as he held her hand. He waited by her cot into the night. At daybreak, Lucca's eyelids fluttered open. "What happened?" Lucca asked thickly when she finally woke up. "An avalanche came and you got sucked into it." Magus told her. Lucca jerked up. "Where's Robo?" she demanded. "Did he make it?" "Yes. He's fine." He replied. "Just rest and tomorrow we start up the mountain. That avalanche was caused by Lavos." Magus said. Magus walked back outside where Gabrielle and Glenn were sitting on a log, talking animatedly. He was almost angry with them for not being with Lucca while she was getting better. He shook it off and walked away from the couple. He looked back and saw them laughing together. Glaring, he turned back and walked away from them. "Hey Magus!" Gabrielle shouted. "What's wrong?" she called. "Nothing." He called back. "I'm fine." Gabrielle shrugged and turned back around to talk to Glenn. Marle went to sit with them, later joined by Crono.
* * * Gabrielle woke up when she felt cold air on her feet. She rearranged her blanket so it covered her feet. Just then she realized it was the middle of the night. She lay on her back and stared at her ceiling until finally she gave up on sleep. Maybe a walk or a ride would settle her. She dressed and as she was slipping on her boots, Glenn woke up. He touched her arm to make her look up from trying her bootlaces. "Where're you going?" he whispered. "Nowhere. I'm just going to take a walk. Go back to sleep, I'll be back." Gabrielle murmured. She carefully stepped over the sleeping bodies of her friends and silently opened her door and tiptoed out. She cried out and jumped. She started to run but Magus grabbed her shirt and dragged her back. She countered by grabbing his hand and twisting left, Magus's arm went behind him and then she kneed him in the stomach. He grunted and grabbed her right arm and let it wrap around his back and flipped her over his hip. She tuck forward rolled as she landed just as he taught her. He smiled despite her snarls and curses. She flipped into an upright stance and charged at Magus; still not knowing it was he. He grabbed the front of her tunic and twisted and kneeled at the same time. The Amazon girl went soaring. "You still never think people are going to counter." Magus remarked dryly. "Magus?" Gabrielle demanded getting up. "Yep." He replied hollowly. "It's me." He grinned when he saw her scowl. "Why were you following me?" Gabrielle demanded hotly. "You scared me out of my wits!" She gave him a sharp punch on the shoulder as she was passing to go. He let her have the punch but grabbed her fist when right after and yanked her back to him. "Let go!" Gabrielle ordered. "No, I have something to talk to you about." Magus forced out. "What?" Gabrielle asked, her tone softening. "Hurry, it's cold out here." She put her hands in her pockets and sighed, making a large cloud form in front of her. "Ok, you know when we were in Zeal?" he asked. "I try to forget." Gabrielle murmured. "But the memories keep trickling into my head." "Yeah, must have been pretty bad." He said. "For you, too." Gabrielle murmured. "I guess, well, I've fought Lavos. It's not something I'm really looking forward to doing again." He looked down. "We have to though. And if that's what has to be done, then so be it." Gabrielle retorted. "Sorry, I really should say something like that cause I've never fought Lavos." Every time she heard that name, she wanted to scream. "It's all right. I thought the same thing before. But, this time we have nine people, and all of us are going into battle." Magus pointed out. Gabrielle paused before she said, "Yeah." "You're not scared are you?" Magus inquired. "Of course I am!" The Amazon snapped. "What d'you want me say? Something insightful? All I know is that I'm going to fight a creature that killed thousands of my people and my parents. And this creature is the creature that is going to destroy the world!" She turned on her heel and stormed off. "Gab.wait." Magus called. "I didn't mean for you to get upset, ok? I talked to Glenn and he said you're a bit nervous. I'm.I'm sorry." Gabrielle heaved a sigh, sending a cloud before her, "It's all right. I'm just really edgy." "It'll turn out ok." Magus said, uncharacteristically soft. "C'mon, let's get out of this cold." Gabrielle shivered. "Race you?" "Oh, c'mon, you never beat me in Zeal, what makes you think you'll beat me now?" Gabrielle inquired. "You never know what happens to people when they grow up." "You're on." Gabrielle grinned. She sprinted in the snow sending it flying behind her. Magus caught up with her instantly. The rest was a blur until they both slammed into the door, trying to get to it first. They were cracking up, which was an odd thing for Magus to be doing. Forgetting everyone was sleeping they let the door slam. Glenn sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Have a nice.run?" he inquired sleepily. "Ahuh, just peachy." Gabrielle murmured, ripping off her boots. She was still giggling. "Magus and I raced to the cabin." "Yeah, and I won." "You did not!" Gabrielle hissed. "I did so!" Magus retorted. "Hey!" Crono called from the other side of the cabin. "Keep it down, normal humans are trying to sleep." "Sorry." They murmured. Settling into her bedroll, Gabrielle felt better about the upcoming bout. She dreamt of the gang gloriously beating Lavos.
* * * "UP!" Ayla bellowed. Crono jerked up with a yell. "We climb! We go fight Lavos!" she shouted. She was already dressed in Amazon snow gear. "Ayla," Gabrielle groaned. She looked out one of her small windows. "It's not even dawn." "We go NOW!" she snapped. Gabrielle blearily led them to the armory where the snow gear was held. First went on their clothes, then they put on wool pants and shirts. Next came fleece lined leather trousers and jackets. Everyone but Magus and Robo added a vest filled with goose down. Snow goggles, snowshoes, and gloves went on last. Magus grabbed an ax with a special blade for ice. Gabrielle snatched headscarves off the hooks and rushed back to the girls and helped them arrange them on their heads. "Can you still breathe?" Schala asked when she arranged Gabrielle's scarf to cover her mouth and nose. "Yes." Gabrielle answered. "Thanks." "Amazons packed for us." Ayla told them. "Here, everyone have a pack." She pointed to the large canvas packs on the floor. Gabrielle went to pick up the one with a Gryphon on it: she knew it was hers. When she picked it up, she dropped it. It was heavy! Glenn was there; he helped her put it on her back and caught her and she stumbled backward. They smiled at each other and Gabrielle helped the knight put his pack on. "Thanks." He murmured.
* * * The party assembled before the trail that led up the mountain and waved goodbye to the Amazons. The girl Danelari's mother was made temporary chief until Gabriele returned; she had been made temporary chief when Gabrielle left for the future. "All set?" Crono asked his goggles hanging around his neck. Everyone nodded in turn and they began to hike up the trail. Here the snow was only ankle deep but they knew the snow would only get deeper. They were silent for the first few hours, concentrating on getting through the now knee high snow. Lucca and Robo had etched symbols into trees, logs, and in the snow itself. "We're almost a fourth the way up." Robo announced. "I think we should make camp. It's almost dark." Inside Crono's pack was a large tent. They set it up together and saw it would barely fit all of them in it. "It'll be warmer all crammed together." Marle murmured. Gabrielle rummaged through her pack. She saw the olive green canvas she desperately hoped was in there. "Look!" she exclaimed. "Another tent!" She yanked it out and the girls set it up with brisk efficiency. "See, now we have two tents." Gabrielle told them wiping the sweat off her forehead with her coat sleeve. "Huzzah, now let's go to bed." Glenn said dryly. Gabrielle climbed into the tent that was in her pack, she smiled when Glenn followed her. Ayla and Schala came after Glenn. They settled into their fur-lined bedrolls and bade each other goodnight. The night became very cold and when the four woke up, they were all squashed together; it was awkward but warm. "Could we please just sleep in?" Gabrielle wanted to know, climbing out of the tent. "Not if you want to get up this mountain." Crono said, catching her as she stumbled over the threshold of the tent. "Let's pack up." Lucca said sleepily. As Gabrielle slid the last stake into the bag that Ayla held, she noticed the amount of mountain they still needed to climb. It was a small mountain by some standards but it wasn't a mere hill. They hiked down the trail until they had to begin to actually ascend some steep slopes. Crono hurled up a rope with a triple hook on it. It fastened to the cliff on top and they climbed the rope two at a time. When they all reached the top, Crono coiled the rope and put them back in his pack. After fifteen minutes, snow began to fall. At first it was flurrying but then snow began to fall more thickly and quicker. They all pulled up their goggles that kept the snow out of their eyes. Soon the snow got so thick that they took lengths of rope and tied them to each other so they could stay together. They couldn't tell if it was night or day when they began to tire but they kept going. They began to create hand signals to keep them from having to bellow over the howling wind. Crono led them with Marle right after him. Lucca and Robo were next, Gabrielle and Glenn, then Schala, Magus, and Ayla brought up the rear. The party became extremely fortunate when they found a small cave and decided to make camp inside it. Magus stood next to Gabrielle only because he was pushed there by Ayla taking off her pack. When Gabrielle took hers off, she made sure she hit the wizard. "Watch where you swing that thing!" Magus barked. "Well, you shouldn't stand right next to me!" Gabrielle retorted scornfully. "I got pushed here, you could have waited before you whacked me!" Magus snarled. "You know-" Gabrielle was about to snap but was interrupted by Crono. "HHHHHEEEEEYYYYY!!!!!!!!" He bellowed. "What the hell is wrong with you guys?" he demanded, yanking off his headscarf. "Sorry, I'm just really tired." Gabrielle sighed. "Me too, I guess." Magus put in. "Sheesh guys." Crono muttered. "Just relax. If we're going to be like this the whole trip, we're going to kill each other by the time we get to Lavos." "On the contrary, Crono." Robo said. "We'll be there in no time. We're making excellent progress." "Let's get some food, I'm starving." Marle announced breaking the silence. Dinner was prepared and they all gathered around the big-banked fire. Afterward they played charades and made shadow puppets to entertain themselves. Gabrielle guessed Schala's interpretation of a time warp in Epoch, which made Gab's team, Glenn, Ayla, and Magus leap up. "That gives Lady Gabrielle's team twelve points. Princess Marle's team has ten." "Yes!" Gabrielle cried. "Ok, our turn." "I got one." Magus said and walked up to the front of the fire. He began to wave his hands around his ears and roar like an awakening Gargoyle. "Uh." "Oh." "Huh?" "What the?" "You don't know?" Magus inquired. "Here, I'll do it again." He repeated the motion. "We don't.know." Crono told him. Gabrielle yelped and started squirming around grinning ear to ear; she knew what it was. "I know! I know!" she squealed. "Lady Gabrielle may answer." Robo announced. "The birth of Altika." Gabrielle told him. "That's it!" Magus cried. "We won! First team to thirteen!" Gabrielle shouted. She leaped up and Magus caught her. He swung her around as she struck a pose with her arms. "Whose Altika?" Schala wanted to know. "It rings a bell but I still don't remember it." "Altika, goddess of pain of suffering, who was born out of Galau's head." Magus said as if from a textbook. "She's a Tenotekhan goddess." He explained to his still-confused friends. "I can't believe you remembered that!" Gabrielle cried. "Well, I did!" They hugged warmly. They played another game then hit the sack. When Gabrielle arranged her bedroll next to Glenn's he gave her a look that made her frown. "What's wrong?" she wondered. Glenn did the same reenactment of Altika's birth that Magus did. "Huh?" "You and Magus are getting really close." Glenn said. "So? We're friends." Gabrielle replied. "But." Glenn fished for a response. "Glenn, you have nothing to worry about." Gabrielle assured him, she was kneeling on hers. "I love you." She grabbed his hand and held it in both of hers. "I love you, too." Glenn told her, putting his hand under her ear and pulling her face to his. They kissed passionately until Crono and Marle came to prepare their own beds. Glenn winked at her as she hastily wriggled into her own bedroll. They kissed one final time goodnight then Gabrielle turned around to look the other way. Marle was looking at her. The princess's smile was visible thanks to the banked fire. Marle threw her covers over her and snuggled closer to Crono.