Start Date: November 21, 2021

Windwillow

Chrono Trigger

Chapter Nineteen

Traveling through time had been a long journey, from the present to the past to the distant future. Now, though, they had a new tool: the Epoch, the party's new vehicle to travel through time with.

And the surround sound was rockin'.

Scene One

Taban and Lucca had examined the Epoch closely. As they did so, Lucca also mixed up a few vials of Tonic. Robo acted as a backup mechanic.

"I dunno," muttered Taban. "I can't follow half of it and the other half is magic... pass the malt liquor, dear."

Lucca sighed.

"Whatever it is, I only care THAT it is. I've got a few Tonics made up, so we can head back to the End of Time."

Crono leaned back in his chair, chugging a cola.

"Maybe I'll go see Ma first..."

Lucca took a big bite of bacon as he left. Had a nice omelette too.

Crono entered his home, finding his mother laying down on the sofa watching television. Gina startled, running to see him and gripping his shoulders.

"Where have you been?!"

He sighed, and sat down.

"Long story... but I've gotta go again soon."

Gina groaned, sighed, and then paused suddenly.

"It'll be ten years since your father died, this Tuesday..."

Crono startled.

"I... forgot. I'll be back in time to be with you, Ma."

They both stood silent. Joaquim's death had been sudden, but the recovery took... well... it was still in progress. He'd died on a route to Porre to sell medicines; the desert got the better of him.

Gina sighed.

"He'd be so proud of you..."

Crono paused.

If I save the world, he certainly would be.

Scene Two

At the End of Time the party convened.

"So, we can go back," said Marle. "Who goes?"

Frog lifted his hand.

"I've got to do my part."

Ayla nodded.

"Ayla kick nasty lady ass."

The old man snorted.

"Wish I could've done that..."

Robo cocked his head.

"Pardon?"

He shook his head and sneezed.

"I need some cold medicine. Got a good pharmacy?"

Lucca sighed.

"I've downloaded the data from Belthasar's computers... Robo and I will go over it while you three deal with this 'Guru' or whatever."

Robo nodded.

"Affirmative."

Rising, Crono cracked his knuckles.

"Time to go, then!"

Scene Three

At the land bridge, however, the teleporter wouldn't work. Given that Frog was stumped and Ayla's solution of beating on it didn't work, that left the caverns to the west. They entered and found a strange jungle canopy.

"Curious," muttered Frog. "Why have this in a cave?"

They continued on to find a new village, full of primitive people with shoddy clothing. These ones spoke English, unlike the Iokans, and so they were directed to the village elder.

"Well, you're strange," said the Elder. "That makes you strangers. Why come here of all places?"

Crono sighed.

"We're supposed to rescue someone from Mt. Woe, wherever that is. Got any leads?"

The Elder nodded.

"The beasts' den in these tunnels leads there. We haven't seen the Guru since the Zealians kidnapped several of us and chained him up on the mountain... If he's there you couldn't miss him."

Frog cocked his head.

"What do you mean, 'kidnapped'?"

The Elder bowed his head.

"We Earthbound have never been favored by the Zealians for more than labor. They've abducted hundreds of us to work on their new Ocean Palace project, whatever that is. I doubt we'll ever see them again."

Crono shook his head.

"Yeah... We're here to stop whatever the hell they're doing, so we need this Guru dude. Do you have any intel on what we might find up there?"

Pausing, the Elder nodded.

"Mt. Woe is Zeal's prison colony. It's guarded by several Mystics, and laden with traps. You'll be facing overwhelming odds."

Ayla pumped her fist.

"Ayla fight!"

Frog nodded and gripped the Masamune.

"We have no choice BUT to fight. We'll set off at once."

Another Angle

"Stay and Guard the House"

"At last, our moment is here!"

Zeal laughed as she touched a magic circle in her throne room.

"Myself, Schala, and the Prophet will begin the plan. You'll stay here in case someone tries to interfere."

Dalton balked.

"Like who?!"

She slapped him.

"The punks you let get away, fool. After that you don't deserve an audience with the Almighty Lavos."

Schala stood to the side, quiet. The Prophet grabbed her shoulder fiercely, motioning for her to join her mother at the gate.

"All my life has led to this moment. We've got business down below."

Scene Four

Down into the beasts' nest went our heroes. After traveling through a few caves Crono and the rest entered a new area filled with vines.

Frog brandished his sword.

"I can hear voices," he whispered. "We'd best be careful."

Crono nodded.

"Right, let's go, Ayla... Ayla?"

They heard a scream and the sound of physical combat. They grit their teeth and ran ahead to find Ayla beating away a number of lumbering beasts, all tan in color with horns and fangs.

The three began their attack. Ayla kicked one towards Crono, who cut it in half, as another two were killed by Frog's sword. Several beasts circled, and Frog blasted one away with water pressure. Another three jumped Ayla and were promptly kicked to death.

Crono fought off one beast with Seiryu and blasted away two others with lightning. As they converged, Crono's eyes met Frog's and they both grinned.

Frog slammed his hand on the ground and created a massive wave of water around them, which Crono set alight and electrocuted the remaining beasts.

"Can't you at least TRY to be subtle?!"

Ayla giggled and stuck out her tongue, and the three charged on. They came across a giant chasm, with a huge chain leading upwards, presumably towards Mt. Woe.

Two colored beasts, one red and the other blue, charged down the chain and slammed into Crono, who fought them off and skidded into a corner. A small, brown Imp hopped from above and cackled.

"No entry!" it yelled. The Imp tossed a series of mud bombs at Frog, who dodged but was rammed by the blue beast, sending him into a nearby wall. He rebounded and severed the blue beast's head, as Ayla caught the horns of the other and launched it into the air.

Crono sent a wave of lightning at it, nailing its horns and shocking it to death. The Imp turned to run but was promptly decapitated by Frog. As it fell to the ground, thunder rumbled from above.

"Well," said Crono, "we aren't gonna take 'em by surprise. Let's raise some hell!"

Scene Five

Crono, Frog, and Ayla ran up the giant chain, finding themselves in a snowy, misty wasteland. There were no signs of life, no structures, no nothing.

Frog sighed.

"Maybe we'll make it through this."

Crono shook his head.

"The nasty-looking Mystics disagree."

He drew his blade as did Frog the Masamune. A horde of Mystics appeared: Imps, Gargoyles, and Freelancers. The bladed Mystics took point, sweeping down in droves.

The Freelancers clashed steel with the swordsmen, though were swiftly dispatched by them and Ayla. From there Crono and Frog released waves of lightning and water, crushing and shocking the Imps and Gargoyles, as Ayla mauled the remainder (the whole weapon-resistant skin thing didn't affect her much).

Crono sighed and sheathed Seiryu.

"Let's keep going. No sense holding back!"

They rushed up another chain, finding themselves in a craggy area surrounded by strange looking flowers. Again, nothing out of the ordinary...

Crono grinned.

"Guess they ran away!"

Frog tackled him, quickly preventing a flower-fiend from incinerating him with a fire blast. He thrust his hand forward and dissolved the fire with water.

"Or maybe they were here all along!"

The other flowers came to life; they were sort of shaped like a cross between a bush and a chandelier, with four arms rotating around. They spewed fire from each, which Frog blocked with his magic.

Crono cut through one and dodged fire from another, swiftly afterwards cutting down three more as Ayla ripped another to shreds. Frog also sliced through his own bevy of foes, blocking fire with water and quickly they were dispatched.

"Trust nothing!" yelled Frog. "They could be anything!"

Ayla howled.

"Ayla not lose!"

They again charged up the next chain, finding themselves surrounded by boulders. By now, of course...

The rocks popped up as beasts, a giant pressure dragging the party to the ground.

"Gravity?!" shouted Frog as he fell. "I can barely move!"

Crono fell as well, though he struggled.

"Dammit! What about-"

Ayla stumbled but swiftly recovered and shattered the rock demons with several punches and kicks, her prehistoric might overcoming gravity and destroying the enemies.

"Now!" yelled Crono. "I think this is the last chain!"

Up the final chain they charged, finding themselves on a cliff surrounded by mountains, looking out over a huge chasm. In the center of the area was a frozen block, looking much like Ozzie's barrier.

Frog readied himself.

"Please tell me Ozzie isn't the Guru!"

Crono nodded.

"If it's him, let him rot!"

A rumbled sounded, and a gigantic torso flew up from the chasm. It was huge and muscular, with a bat-like head atop it. Two huge arms rose and attached to it, and a wave of purple energy began to resonate.

"Dammit!" cursed Crono.

As the dark wave launched Crono threw up his right hand, swiping it and dissolving the energy with his lightning almost like a curtain. He glanced down and gasped.

"Cool!"

Another wave came and so the party scrambled. The arms detached and flew towards Frog and Ayla, who deftly evaded them and charged ahead. One of them returned, hitting Frog away, though he rebounded and cut a deep slice into it.

Ayla launched herself up the other arm, charging and jumping onto the head, where she gave it a mighty punch. The head rotated and bore fangs, and before it bit her she leapt down next to Crono.

"Sir Crono, we need to destroy the head!" yelled Frog. "Back me up and prepare to use your magic!"

Crono cocked his head.

"Come again?"

Frog launched himself upwards, bounding off the arm that attempted to grab him and he drove the Masamune deep into the Mystic's head. Though it roared in pain it couldn't twist itself. Crono broke out in a wide grin.

"Gotcha!"

Stretching out his hand Crono released a massive burst of lightning, which as Frog jumped away plunged into the Masamune and ignited, literally frying the bat demon's head from the inside out. As the body dissolved the barrier began to weaken.

And, finally, the ice block broke open to reveal... Melchior. Frog shouted in surprise.

"How is this possible?!" he yelled. "Isn't he still in your time?"

Melchior began to weaken and fall, but Crono dashed forward and caught him before he hit the ground. He staggered, holding his head, and looked at Crono strangely.

"Who... are you, sir?"

Crono gasped.

"It's me, Crono!"

Melchior cocked his head.

"I've no memory of such a person..."

Crono sighed in frustration.

"Great, now what?"

The mountain began to rumble violently shake, causing the party to retreat with Melchior. Shortly after the entire structure, held up with chains, broke away, broke apart, and crashed to the ground below.

Scene Six

"I am afraid," said Melchior, "that I've not laid eyes upon you once in my long life... Have we met before, somewhere, that I've forgotten...?"

Ayla sighed.

"Old man go senile."

Frog shook his head.

"No, he's clearly the man we know. But somehow he either doesn't remember us, or... he's never MET us."

Crono startled.

"The hell'd'you mean?!"

Frog sighed.

"Traveling through time may have had an odd effect... somehow, however he got here, he may have never met us. That's the only thing that makes sense to me."

Melchior nodded.

"Indeed, it does seem to be a temporal anomaly... But, how did you travel through time in the first place? Who are you folks?"

Crono sighed.

"Okay, how do I explain THIS...?"

Another Angle

"Back at the End of Time: Good to See You"

"What are you laughing about, sir?"

Robo asked as the old man chuckled lightly, before breaking into a cough.

"I need a cough drop."

He smiled.

Finally got to see him again... well, the him I know. Glad to see he's cheerful! Hah!

The old man paused.

"Run, fools!" he yelled. "Someone's coming!"

Scene Seven

Melchior shook his head.

"What you say is... audacious, but makes sense. Not having met me, but having met me, due to a time warp seems reasonable... If time itself has been twisted, there's no telling WHAT is going on!"

Crono nodded.

"Well, we're on the same page."

A caveman rushed into the room.

"Elder, Lady Schala has arrived!"

The Elder leapt to his feet.

"She has WHAT?!"

Schala and Janus hurried into the chamber, Schala breathing heavily and clearly in distress. Janus scowled.

"What a filthy hovel..."

Ayla cocked her head.

"Who you? Why here?"

Schala caught her breath.

"The Ocean Palace has been completed... Mother wants to begin her plan!"

Melchior gasped.

"Then all is lost?! Damnation!"

The young princess shook her head.

"No, without me the Machine won't function. I'll not have anything to do with that abomination! You have to hurry! I've reactivated the skyways! Please, you have to stop her... stop my mother!"

Janus flew through the door with a thud, crashing into the wall. Dalton emerged and grabbed Schala by the neck.

"Naughty, naughty! You're wanted at the Ocean Palace, wench!"

Crono drew his sword, but was stopped as Dalton put a knife to Schala's throat.

"The woman's life means nothing to me! I can lie to the Queen if she asks!"

Growling, Crono lowered Seiryu. Dalton smirked.

"Smart move for an ape. Maybe you monkeys have a brain after all."

Melchior dashed forward.

"Dalton, stop! This madness must stop!"

Dalton backhanded him.

"I don't feel like being lectured by you, you old fossil! I'm outta here!"

A light flashed and, as sight returned, Dalton and Schala had vanished. Janus struggled to his feet.

"No, Schala...!"

Ayla rose and punched the wall.

"Ayla kick ass!"

Crono nodded.

"I just ran outta bubble gum. Let's raid the palace!"