Disclaimer: Since the name "Madcap Minstrel" is nowhere in Chrono Cross's credits, it's safe to say I don't own anything.
Chapter 2
"Rise and shine! A new day awaits!"
Serge opened his eyes to see Leena barge into the room and open the shades. For a moment, he wondered if it had all been a dream. But when the sunlight revealed the same room he'd rented last night, he groaned miserably.
"I'm glad I found you here, though," said Leena, "Serge, right...? Kinda feels odd calling you that. You know, I've been thinking...maybe you had some kind of accident and hit your head. That's why your memory's all messed up. You're really someone else, but you think you're the Serge who died 10 years ago,"
Serge sat up and glared. "I'm not crazy," he said flatly.
Leena pulled up a stool and sat down next to him.
"I want to help you," she said, "I can't just leave you alone like this. And...you don't seem like such a bad person, either..."
Serge closed his eyes for a moment. The same Leena…
"There's nothing you can do," said Serge sadly, "And anyway, I'm heading for Termina as soon as I eat,"
"Then let me join you," said Leena, "I have some errands to run over there, anyway. And to tell you the truth...it feels like I've always known you..."
Serge grimaced at the utter irony of Leena's words.
"Sounds strange, doesn't it?" smiled Leena, "Well, that's it! Shall we get going?"
Serge smirked resignedly, and nodded.
"Our excavation is nearly complete," said the guard at the entrance to Fossil Valley, "Just stick to the low path and make your way through. We still have some of our men working on the high ground, so don't interfere with their work,"
Serge and Leena silently made their way through the path in the valley.
"Shake it!" complained a familiar voice, "We can't just shake it on back to the manor like this! We failed in our mission!"
Serge quietly motioned for Leena to stop, and put his finger over his mouth, gesturing for her to be silent.
"That was awfully awful back there, Peppor," agreed another familiar voice, "I want a rematch!"
"By the way," said Peppor, "Do you remember what kinda outfit he was in?"
"Hmm…" Solt turned toward Serge and Leena. "Just something justly like that, Peppor," he pointed at Serge.
"Oh, you remember," said Peppor, "So he looked like that, huh?"
"Actually, it is him, Peppor," said Solt.
"You're sure?" asked Peppor.
"Wonderfully wonderful timing, Peppor," said Solt.
"Serge…!" said Leena worriedly.
"Don't worry," said Serge as he assumed a fighting stance with his swallow, "These guys are a joke…"
He charged at the two soldiers. Leena hesitated, and then ran after Serge.
Peppor grabbed Serge by the scruff of the neck. Solt smacked Serge upside the head, but Leena pounced on him, grabbing his neck and hanging onto him in mid-air.
"Can't…breathe…!" gasped Solt.
"Do I have to do everything?" Peppor threw Serge to the ground, and then grabbed Leena and dragged her off of Solt. He lifted her up in the air by the back of her dress. However, his fat stomach was completely unprotected. Leena aimed a sharp kick.
"Oooh!!!" Peppor grunted as he dropped Leena and doubled over.
Leena scrambled to her feet, and then aimed another kick at Peppor. Only this time, she aimed lower.
"AAGH!!!" Peppor clutched his groin and crumbled to the ground.
Serge executed his Dash & Slash on Solt.
"Retreat!!!!" wheezed Solt.
"Let's shake it on outta here!" gasped Peppor, his voice unusually high.
The two soldiers ran off.
"Those were supposed to be dragoon soldiers?" Leena asked skeptically.
"Dragoon soldiers?" Serge frowned, "But they disappeared three years ago on an expedition. When Porre took over Viper Manor, the dragoons broke up,"
Leena stared at Serge, "What are you talking about? That never happened at all!"
Serge shook his head and sighed, "I don't understand…it's like the exact same world, only there's slight differences. You're exactly the same as the Leena I knew…"
"What do you mean the Leena you knew?" asked Leena, "First you claim to be my dead neighbor, then you have these crazy ideas about the dragoons, now you say there's another me?"
"There's more to the story," said Serge, "Those men were after me specifically,"
"But why??"
"I'll explain it to you on the way," said Serge, "Let's go,"
"Sorry," said a woman selling flowers, "I'm totally out of bellflowers. There's a big ruckus down in Fossil Valley. Men from the dragoons were setting road blocks in the valley. I'll get some in a few days, so come back again then,"
The uniformed young man who stood before her looked guilty. "You have my sincerest apologies. I understand we're here to protect you as Acacia Dragoons. Those knights should be done with their work shortly,"
"Oh, that's alright," said the woman, "I can get my flowers from other places, too. Never mind that. I haven't seen Karsh around here lately. What is he doing?"
"Well..." said the young man, "He said he was going ghost-hunting down south. I'm just a private, so I do not know for certain, but I heard a rumor that Lord Viper ordered him to go,"
"A ghost?!" exclaimed the woman, "Now that is something…I just hope it's not a sign of a coming disaster. If you ever see him, give him my regards,"
"I will do that," smiled the young man, "And I will be back, too,"
"Good day, sir Glenn," the woman smile back.
He left, walking past Serge and Leena as they had stopped and eavesdropped on the conversation.
Leena's blood ran cold. No…impossible…Serge wasn't a ghost. First of all, if he was, he'd look like a seven-year-old, and not a seventeen-year-old. But…
She sighed. It was all too confusing for her to comprehend.
"Gawd, yer slow!" jeered a familiar voice.
Serge and Leena turned around to see Kid standing behind them.
"Ya made me wait forever! Making a lovely lady like…" she stopped short after noticing Leena, "Ahhh…so that's it. I get it. This Sheila over here is yer sweetie, eh? I'm right, ain't I?"
Serge and Leena both looked embarrassed.
"No need to be shy!" grinned Kid, "I'm not so bold as to break up lover's tender moments. I'm understanding! I'll wait till yer little date's over. Well then," she winked, "Have a bloody good time!"
She left.
"Lovely way she has of expressing things," said Leena sarcastically.
Serge shrugged. Despite his initial misgivings, the girl did seem concerned for his well-being. Perhaps another ally wouldn't be such a bad thing. And with Leena, he didn't feel as hopeless as he had last night. Maybe Kid's company would help even more. She seemed like she might have the answers Serge was looking for.
"Maybe we should catch up with her," said Serge, "She's the one who saved me from those guys earlier,"
"Her?" Leena looked shocked, "Oh, well…I guess she looks like the type who could defend herself against guys like that. Sure, let's go,"
They walked up a long set of stairs before reaching the top. Ahead of them, stood a large statue. In front of it, Kid stood looking at it.
"See?" Leena pointed at the statue, "That's General Viper- the leader of the dragoons. They're still a strong presence in El Nido,"
Kid turned around and saw the two. "Done already?" she smirked.
"Pardon me…" an old man stepped past Kid, and proceeded to polish the large statue.
"Master Viper," said the man merrily, "I'm here to polish your statue again! Alright, all squeaky clean. It's got to be extra clean for the coming festivities,"
He then turned to the three teens, "Have you folks come to see the Viper Festival? Termina is peaceful thanks to the watchful eye of our Master Viper. At times warm, at times strict, Master Viper watches over us always. With that said, of course, the real Master Viper resides in his manor, along with his Acacia Dragoons,"
He smiled proudly. "If you'll allow me to brag a little bit, I was invited to the manor a while back. It is a magnificent place... If there is a heaven on earth that would be it... The manor is beautiful and its design incorporates the surrounding terrain to its advantage, making it an impenetrable fortress. On top of that, there are powerful soldiers standing guard in front of the main gates that can destroy any monster with just one blow! Well, an upright citizen like myself might be invited to the manor's garden party, but not so for you folks. The most you will get is a cold reception from the gate guards,"
He chuckled, and then resumed his work.
"Alright- that's settled!" said Kid in a low voice, "We've gotta sneak into Viper Manor. You gotta find out what those Acacia Dragoons are up to, right? Why was Karsh tryin' to capture ya? I've got some business there as well, so I'll go with ya. How 'bout it, Serge?"
Seeing as it was the only option he could think of, Serge nodded.
"Okay," he said, "Let's go,"
"It's the obvious choice, right?" agreed Kid, "According to grandpa here, this Viper Manor's a bloody large place, which also means it'll be easy to break in to! There's gotta be more than one way in. If we don't plan this right, it'll cost us our lives,"
Leena gulped. What had she gotten herself into?
"How about you, Sheila?" winked Kid.
"My name is Leena," Leena stared pointedly, "Not Sheila,"
"My apologies, Leena," said Kid, "Will you join us?"
"Look…" said Leena, "As much as I want to help, I'm not so sure that breaking and entering is my thing…"
"Don't worry," assured Kid, "No one's forcing ya to do anything dangerous. We certainly don't want you slowing us down if you think you're no good on a job like this,"
"Are you going right this minute?" asked Leena.
"I think we should plan this out a bit more," said Serge, "Besides, we should get something to eat,"
"I'll treat you," said Leena, "I can at least do that,"
"So, she was out of flowers," the young woman sighed, "That is unfortunate. Then let us pray without any flowers for today,"
Glenn knelt beside the woman at the graves, his sword drawn.
"Father…" he said softly, "…Brother…"
"It is such a mystery," said the young woman looking at Glenn's sword, "This sword never rusts, even when left in the rain. It seems as if the souls of its masters live within it. Do you not think so, Glenn?"
"Yes," said Glenn, "I have engraved in my memory the lives of my father and brother, who had wielded the sacred sword Einlanzer,"
"Let us hope that is true," said the woman.
"What do you mean by that?" Glenn looked at her, "Lady Riddel, I cannot allow even you to…"
"Do you think there is something odd about the dragoons of late?" asked the Lady Riddel, "Daddy's face shows anguish, and even Karsh was saying he was sent on a 'ghost hunt'…"
"Miss Riddel…" Glenn began to say.
"Everyone has been acting oddly, ever since that beastly guest arrived in the manor," the Lady Riddel continued, "Glenn, promise me to always keep the unclouded truth in sight. Do not be swayed by the masses. The splendor of the Einlanzer must not be tarnished..."
"As you wish," said Glenn simply. The woman couldn't help but chuckle.
The two remained silent for a moment. Then, Glenn stood up.
"Miss Riddel," he said, "A chill wind has risen. Shall we return to the manor?"
"Yes," said the Lady Riddel, "Of course,"
She got up, and the two walked out of the graveyard together.
"I could use a lager to loosen me nerves," said Kid boldly as she, Serge, and Leena stepped into the local bar.
"Before a mission like that?" Leena frowned, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"A little drink never hurt no one," said Kid, "It's not like I'm gonna get pissed before we hit Viper Manor,"
"Did I hear you mention Viper Manor?" A tall, handsome masked man approached the trio.
"What's it to ya?" asked Kid.
"My name is Guile," said the man, "I am having a certain bet with the fortune-teller by the bridge. If I can bring the item of proof from the manor within a week, I shall win. If I cannot, I shall lose, but...as there is a trick behind any mysterious magic...there is no such thing as an impregnable fortress in this world,"
"Keep talkin'…" said Kid.
"So you have business at the manor as well..." said Guile, "Interesting. Gambling is a lot more interesting with higher stakes. What we need now is a seasoned sailor and a sturdy boat to cross the rough waters. If you can find one, Leave the rest to me. I will guide you to Viper Manor. What will it be?"
Serge and Kid looked at each other, and then nodded.
"All right," said Serge, "Deal,"
Guile smiled. "Once you find a boat, leave the rest to me. I shall guide you. I believe the fortune-teller said the target for the bet is located in the manor's mess hall,"
"Can we eat first?" Kid asked.
"We were about to sit down for lunch," said Leena, "Would you care to join us?"
Guile smiled and nodded.
"I noticed your primary element is white," observed Guile as he looked at Serge's grid.
Serge took a sip of his water and nodded as he set the glass back down on the table.
"What's yer color then?" asked Kid.
"Black," said Guile, "And the more variety we have in this group, the better off we'll be. We might encounter anyone in that mansion, and we have to be ready for any kind of element that anyone might throw at us,"
"Right," said Kid.
"Here's your food," The waitress arrived with a tray that held four dishes, and passed them out.
"Oi!" Kid grinned, "Looks good enough to eat, eh?"
Serge and Leena cracked smiles as the four companions dug into their meals.
"...and that guy rushed and hid it as soon as I got there. It was a hilarious sight!"
The young boy laughed at his older friend's tale. "That's great!" he exclaimed.
The older boy laughed also as he sat in his canoe. Then he noticed a group of four people approaching him. Three teenagers, and a masked man.
"Oops," he said straightening up, "I got customers. Sorry. I'll getcha some BIG fish next time you come by,"
"Alright, Korcha," said his younger friend, "But is it really gonna be big this time? All you ever catch is the puny ones. Your boating skills are first class, but your fishing skills suck..."
"Aw, shawdup…" grumbled Korcha.
"See ya," grinned his friend as he walked off.
"Hey, you!" Kid said as the four approached Korcha.
"Hi there," said Korcha, "You're tourists, right? The festival's a waste of time. My name's Korcha. I'm here from Guldove workin' as a ferryman. I can take you anywhere you like with this boat. I take money, but don't worry, it's not that much. My boatin' skills are quite famous around here, I guarantee a comfortable ride,"
"Save us the pitch," said Leena, "We're already interested,"
"We want to get to Viper Manor," said Kid, "Can you take us there?"
Korcha scowled, "Viper Manor? Whatcha gonna do up in that place? Gonna go steal treasure from the vaults or somethin'?"
"Don't go snooping into yer customers' privacy," glared Kid, "Are ya gonna take us there or what?"
"As long as you pay me," said Korcha, "I'll take you anywhere you want. It's just that I don't know how to get to the manor. If you want to get there, bring someone who does,"
"I shall guide you there," said Guile.
"You sure you can get into a place like that?" asked Korcha.
"Yes," said Guile, "Trust me. All you need to do is prepare the boat,"
"You got it," said Korcha, "But it's gonna be 100G,"
Serge dug the money out of his pocket and counted it before giving it to Korcha.
"You don't say much, do ya?" Korcha said to Serge.
"He's a bit shy, isn't he?" smirked Kid.
"I might as well ride also," said Leena, "If something goes wrong, I should be there to help you,"
"As you wish," said Kid.
"Well, get on board," said Korcha, "It's a little tight with five of us, but it'll be a short trip. Dontcha worry about a thing,"
"Dontcha think this is pretty dangerous?" Korcha asked warily as they docked at the bottom of a cliff near Viper Manor.
"Indeed," said Guile as he, Serge, and Kid got off the boat, "But we'll make it,"
"You sound confident," observed Kid, "Alright. Let's get our arses in gear. Hope you blokes are good at climbing…"
She grabbed hold of the rock and began to climb up effortlessly. Serge and Guile did the
same.
"Huh?" a soldier ran to the edge of the cliff and peered down below. "Intruders! Begin the stone toss!"
"Whoa!" exclaimed Kid as she dodged a boulder that came barreling down.
"We'll have to climb faster!" shouted Guile to the others.
Yikes…thought Serge as he let go of the cliff with one hand, and swung to the left to avoid a falling rock.
"C'mon, Serge!" shouted Kid from the top of the cliff, "Just a few more feet!"
Serge braced himself, then grabbed the rock with his other hand and began to pull himself to the top of the cliff.
"Impossible!" exclaimed the soldier as he ran over to the three, "How could you make it up?! Well, no matter," he drew a sword, "Let this be the end of you!"
Kid pulled Serge up, and the three braced themselves for battle.
The soldier swung at Guile, who blocked the sword with his staff. Kid wasted no time in running up behind the man and nailing him over the head with the hilt of her dagger. The soldier fell instantly…over the edge of the cliff.
"Oops…" said Kid as if she'd merely dropped a cup.
"Kid…" Serge stared at the soldier's broken body as it was washed away by the sea, "You…killed him!"
Kid shrugged. "It's a dog-eat-dog world, mate," she said, "It's either him or me. That's the reality of life. C'mon, you two. We should find somewhere to hide for the next couple hours. The sun will be setting soon, and then we'll have the dark on our side,"
Serge followed, still shocked by what he'd seen Kid do. Up until now, he'd thought of her merely as a punk street-kid. But now she'd killed a man. Even if it was an accident, she obviously didn't care.
What on earth could make a girl that young so callous?
"You must be the new helpers I was told about," said an old man as Serge, Kid and Guile stood in a barn.
"That's right," Kid lied smoothly.
"Great," said the man, "You're just in time. My back gave our recently, and I can't feed the dragons. I'll need you to take over for me. Here- I'll give you this key to the manor,"
"Deal," said Kid.
"See those ten buckets over there?" the old man pointed to the corner, "They need to all be empty. That's how much these dragons eat in one sitting,"
"Bugger!" Kid said, "That's some appetite, eh?"
"Yep," nodded the man, "I'm counting on you,"
"This'll be easy," said Kid as she walked over to one of the buckets.
Ten minutes later, the old man handed a key to the three singed people.
"You have a lot to learn about feeding dragons," he chuckled, "But I suppose you weren't bad for first-timers. Come feed the dragons again for me sometime,"
"Highly unlikely," muttered Serge under his breath.
The three entered the manor with the aid of their new key. They walked down a hallway until they reached a large set of doors.
"No doorknob?" Serge scowled.
"Is this a trick door of some type?" asked Kid.
"There must be a way to open it," said Guile.
Serge looked at the snake-like statue next to the door. "I wonder…?"
He went over to the statue and pressed down on the heads until one of them went down. Suddenly, the floor opened up from underneath, and the three fell down a chute.
"Serge, you moron!" yelled Kid as they kept sliding.
They landed in a cell, where three soldiers stood outside.
"Unnngh…" Serge groaned.
"Intruders!" exclaimed a soldier.
"How'd you get past our security?" the second soldier demanded.
The third soldier laughed. "I can't believe you would fall for a trap like this. Serves you idiots right!"
Kid began to laugh.
"What's so funny??" demanded the first soldier.
"You dragoons are a bunch of dag-nuts!" giggled Kid.
"Watch your tongue, girl," warned the second soldier.
"Or what??" Kid sneered.
"Kid, this probably isn't the best time…" said Serge nervously.
"Oi!" Kid scoffed, "They're scared of us! That's why they're still out there. CHICKENS!!!"
"This should be interesting," said the second soldier, "Let's teach them a lesson. Come on- open that door,"
"Hey now…" said the third soldier, "Don't be taken in by her fast talk…"
"Shut up and open the door!" snapped the first soldier.
"Bring it on, chums!" snapped Kid, "I'll warn ya though- I don't go down quite so easily!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Serge could see Kid quietly pulling out a handkerchief and a small bottle. She opened the bottle, dabbled some liquid onto the handkerchief behind her back.
"There!" exclaimed the first soldier as he managed to open the cell door. Kid sprung outside instantly.
"Please," said Guile as he readied his staff, "There's no need to resort to this foolishness. We merely wish to speak to-!"
"Shut up!" snarled the second soldier as he delivered a sharp kick at Guile's stomach. Guile merely deflected the kick with his staff, and then pulled back, sending the soldier spinning to the ground.
Kid pounced on the fallen soldier, pressing the rag against his face. Soon he didn't move.
"Using cheap tricks, eh?" growled the first soldier as he swung his sword at Serge. Serge blocked the sword and stepped back.
Guile sighed. "I didn't want to have to do this," he said ruefully, "But…"
He lifted up his rod which suddenly disappeared. A few seconds later, it reappeared…inside the soldier's stomach.
Serge gasped.
The soldier staggered a bit, then fell back, stunned. His eyes closed.
The third soldier wasted no time in trying to run away. Serge put out his swallow, tripping the man. Kid pounced on him with the chloroform.
"You…" Serge began saying to Guile.
"Performed a mere trick of illusory," Guile finished, "The power of suggestion is, well…powerful. He really thought he had been impaled with my rod. But…"
With a flash of his hand, the wand reappeared in his hand.
"So he simply passed out?" Kid asked, "Right,"
She went over to the soldier and pressed the bandana to his face.
"I wonder…" she said, "Help me get their clothes off. We can disguise ourselves and move around more freely,"
"Good idea," said Guile as he bent down near a soldier and began undressing him.