Fetters
I don't own Chrono Trigger, and by the looks of it, will never manage a profit from it.
Helpful note: I have non-vocalized language, specifically, sign language, in italics. And blocked in. -like so-
The weeks of constant companionship was starting to grate on Magus. He didn't care for most of his companions, finding his favorite in the metallic golem, which they referred to as a robot, mostly due to the lack of conversation. Perhaps also the fact that it also discluded moronic statements.
Lucky him, they usually avoided him, and he verily tried his hardest to dissuade them of trying to assimilate him into their fold. Which was slowly petering off, but instead, they seemed to be accepting his snide comments, and still smile at him.
At least they don't expect me to pretend to be nice, he thought, grimacing. At first, everyone was irritated at his behavior, then, they had been sickly sweet to him, emphasizing their good manners and good conscience. With zero effect, except for him becoming more acidic in demeanor, they had finally started to back off, avoiding him when possible. Until they started to try being friendly again, and take him in stride.
It almost bothered him that they accepted him.
They must have decided this on their missions, he thought to himself. He found himself avoiding "adventuring" with them when he could. It wasn't really interesting him to help others for no purpose, but to help. Schala liked me how I am, was his only defense internally, although he knew Schala would have applauded his companions for their selflessness. Which motivated him sporadically to go out with the others every so often, and then more often, as he realized how weak he had become since Lavos had drained him.
This seemed to encourage the others even more. They even joked with him sometimes, although that usually ended up with them feeling awkward, and going silent before pretending they hadn't intruded upon his thoughts.
The only ones truly persistent with keeping him company was the mute, and the goggle-girl. The girl in white, he shuddered at the mere thought of her, tried to avoid eye-contact with him even, but was usually wrapped up in trying to keep Crono's eyes strictly on her.
Magus couldn't help but notice the pain in the girl, Lucca's, eyes when she watched the interactions. He noticed also that Crono, while judicious to the feelings of others, was always awkward with the silly girl while Lucca was watching. The boy didn't miss much, apparently.
Interesting enough, the boy had a clever hand language with which he could really only truly confer with Lucca and Robo. His throat was damaged, and speaking was difficult for him. So mainly, he only listened to others.
This was what prompted Magus to leave his enforced solitude. He was curious. His hunger for new things always pushing him forward. So he found himself picking up the hand language, absorbing it quickly, his dextrous, slim fingers used to intricate hand motions.
"Why do you want to learn?" Lucca had asked him, surprised at him approaching them as they stopped off at the End of Time.
He had merely smirked at her, before answering, voice blithe. "It seems to me that two-way communications is helpful," and before scowling at her once more, "And I will not have any miscommunication between any of us and myself if I can help it."
Turns out that Crono, Lucca and Robo all took turns teaching him, and he was taken out more, to see more of the world and times, and it occurred to him how truly empty his cup was. There were so many things to see, and learn about.
It could be said that the only things he was passionate about were learning and revenge. At least, his companions had only seen those aspects of him.
Magus was plagued with nightmares. He couldn't help himself. And usually they depicted him helpless against saving his sister.
Often he woke up breathless and sweating. Usually he avoided sleep. If anyone else had noticed, they hadn't mentioned it. He was only grateful to be past tears at this point.
At least, he thought he was safe. It wasn't until he was with Crono, practicing, and learning more of the hand-language.
-Nightmares?- was the question. Magus almost jerked, face still, eyes narrowed. The sign was casually put, face showing nothing special.
-None of your business- was all he signed back, motions showing none of his anger at the digging.
-I have nightmares too-
Magus rolled his eyes, -Spare me-
-Death does hurt, and the cold of being between is worse- went on the inexorable sharing of emotion. -You know, Marle felt that same cold. She latches on to me because she feels I saved her from it-
Magus looked at Crono, having managed to absorb all of it with little trouble, and realizing that this was a lesson in itself. A conversation took the comprehension of the hand langauge more than simple 'go this way' or 'lets stop here' did. In fact, he had to fill in the blanks here and there, and that was learning in itself. And he was surprised to know that the silly little flirt had managed so well after such a trauma.
-There are worse things out there than death- he signed back, fluid in his motions, graceful always.
-Yes, but we try to avoid those things- and now Crono was smiling, tousled hair waving gently. -I find it easier to talk about things when I don't have to vocalize it.-
Magus almost barked out laughter at the joke, being a serious comment, but also not because the boy couldn't really talk easily. What escaped was an eye twitch.
Crono did laugh, which was a breathy noise.
-Why do you ask?- Magus finally questioned. -You haven't said anything before this.-
-I could tell you that I'm worried about you, because you are my friend- began Crono, smiling benignly. -Or I could say that you make it hard to sleep.-
Magus did smile at that. The boy had a humor he could live with.
-Sharing does help get it out- and suddenly the aim of the conversation was clearer. -Talking about it helped me at least. I'm not bothered by night terrors so much anymore, where with you, it's every night.-
-If I tell, I'm not sure I could live with it- Magus mused, hands lazy, eyes dangerous.
-Who will I tell?- smirked Crono.
After a long silence, Magus wondering if telling him would really help or not. He had never had anyone he could really talk to, except as a child, when he would talk to Schala or Alfador. It had hurt not being able to tell Schala the problems he was having when he had returned home. So, finally, deciding to mind-wipe the boy afterwards, he looked back up, eyes meeting the much shorter boy.
Then he looked around, and noticed that all activity had died, and everyone else was asleep.
-How long was I thinking?- he asked.
-Couple of hours. Must be serious.-
-Of course it is.-
-You didn't even notice Marle trying to give me a goodnight kiss.-
Magus' eyes widened at that. And he had to seriously reconsider his chosen path of action currently.
He took a deep breath, and launched into his story.
-I dream of my sister dying, cold and alone, without hope beneath the ocean- he started darkly. -And I am helpless to save her. I have failed her. Failed my entire life's purpose.-
And strangely enough, it was easier than he had expected it to be.
-Then we better not fail this time.-
Magus couldn't figure out why he hadn't wiped the memory from the silent boy. But it did help with his nightmares. He didn't wake up so often, feeling empty inside. Every day, he became stronger, when not going out, sparring with Spekkio. He respected Crono more. He even went so far to be less harsh with Marle. He tried to be more tolerant with the others. He only really talked with Crono, Lucca and Robo, but he was less brusque with the others. Even the frog.
Mainly, he didn't want to be stabbed by an angry amphibian. It would ruin his day, and probably disgruntle everyone if he killed the damned thing. Personally, he considered the action to be a public service.
Everyone noticed the change in him, how he was more vigorous, less despondent than he was when he had began the venture with them. Not that it dampened his sharp tongue any, but it was more pleasant to be around him, and they began to trust him more and more, relying on him, where before they would watch their backs, not sure he would truly watch it for them in battle.
They did attempt to keep him from talking to the people they found in need of help, for he would usually end up insulting them, and only sneered when thanked. It was mildly embarrassing for them, and generally frightening for the individual his eyes happened to fall upon.
Those red eyes never really became any easier to handle when fixed upon you. It was always unsettling. The only emotions shone were dislike, superiority, or an uncaring detachment usually.
Magus looked at everyone as beneath him, truth be told. With the exception of Crono, perhaps. His eyes held a more respectful aloofness when fixed on the electric boy.
Eventually, after many trials and tribulations, all errors in the continuum seemed to be fixed, which left one last target. Lavos.
After seemingly endless missions, everyone realized that they had gained a strength that would be sorely needed to confront the nemesis of the world. And they would begin with the Black Omen, erasing it from all times, starting with it's beginning. The Ancient time of Zeal, which wasn't. At least, not anymore. So, the stop-off led to a goodbye to Gaspar, who bid them good luck on their departure.
Magus insisted on going on this mission. What he didn't say, was that he hoped that perhaps Schala had survived somewhere within the depths of the Black Omen. Crono had nodded to him quietly.
After a quick decision, they had decided to bring Lucca, believing that their remedies would keep them safe enough. Also, Crono thought that it would be better not to antagonize the powerful mage unnecessarily. It was always more pleasant when Marle, Ayla, or Frog weren't around. Plus, all three of these warriors could speak without speech.
Which seemed actually to be a good idea, after entering the Omen. The lasers that had greeted them showed how warm a reception to expect once they actually entered the labyrithine structure.
Inside, it was eerily still, only a walkway high above machinery leading further into the depths. That, and more machinery, whirring into life as they passed by, only to become yet another threat to their continued health.
Quick reactions were a bonus here, which Magus was very quick and evasive, where Lucca needed a little help here and there. This required either Crono or Magus usually getting her out of the way. Crono tried when he could, because Magus usually was more forceful about it, shoving or tripping as he pleased, yanking when necessary. Crono was more gentle with the mildly delicate inventor.
Also, the creatures which they had first encountered in the Ocean Palace had morphed.
-What happened to everything in here?- asked Lucca, eyes darting everywhere, a few creatures that had been harder to dispatch than expected behind them. She was panting slightly, eyes wide, which was magnified by the glasses she wore.
Looking, Magus sighed, before answering, -The energies that caused the Ocean Palace to shift into the flying form we are in now, was also surrounding everything that was here before, steeping them in stray power from Lavos. They have obviously grown more powerful.-
He heard both Crono and Lucca suck in their breath at what he had told them.
-How did they switch form, too?- Crono asked, after a moment, looking at the beasts again.
Magus launched into the explanation, hands flasing. -The form fits the power.-
He heard an 'Oh' from Lucca. -I didn't know that magic did that...-
Magus snorted, -Of course you didn't, no one thought to tell you. Haven't you noticed that your hair has been becoming more...fiery, in nature?-
-How far does this go?- asked Crono, wary, looking himself over quickly, noticing he was slightly lighter, and faster than he had been before, for the very first time.
-As long as you continue using your...magic...- Magus stopped, reminded of a conversation he had held with his sister, years ago now. Which hurt. He remembered the trust, and joy he had felt, talking to her. His eyes widened, as they looked into the past. -We should keep going.-
He strode forward, ignoring the looks that passed between the other two behind him. He didn't care what they thought. What needed focused on was the situation at hand. Surely enough, going through doors led to more danger. Beasts that flew, beasts that crawled, beasts that walked. All of them contained more strength, either physically or otherwise. Some of them even put out nullification fields, rendering magic impotent. Which caused a relief at actually training in both mind and body.
Everything was more...blue, than before. In fact, it seemed to seep life from them, and they became tired more easily. That, and the fact that the ship was like a large city inside. All causeways, elevators, and pools of plasma. Also, having to backtrack here and there, as there was disrepair inside, some passaged blocked off, so alternate ways had to be taken, as Magus led them to the core of the behemoth ship.
Magus was going off of memory, having helped design the ship, and having gone through it at the end. He didn't think of that, other than revenge. This place was the physical representation of Lavos' power. He was stronger than he was before, and this time, he had help, and even he had to admit that they were no small asset to be scoffed at. This much he could afford his companions, even if he would never tell them so.
It didn't settle well with him that he felt safer to have them along for the journey. Or that he would have a much harder time traversing the belly of the monster. Or that he would probably fail again on his own. So he just gritted his teeth and continued on.
Lucca was tired, she could admit that much to herself, but the boys seemed to have an endless source of energy, that kept them going. Or at least, it seemed that way. So, she lagged behind. She became slower than normal, which she cursed. At least she could hold her own in a fight, if not in speed.
Lucca was embarrassed to have to be saved. She wished that she could be as fast and strong as her friends. She watched as Crono tried to keep up with Magus, who barely even seemed to touch the ground.
On closer inspection, she noticed that Crono was breathing slightly harder, his headband moistened by a small amount of perspiration. Magus on the other hand, was still cool, but his face seemed more strained, more tense than usual. Then she tripped.
The way down was a blur, but instead of the usual end that she expected, with her glasses skittering off, and elbows bruised, an arm held her up. She smiled, expecting it to be Crono. Except there was an exotic musk, likened to incense, rather than steel. The arm, gauntleted in dark metal, leather gloves under the metal protection, set her aright. It was worse when Magus saved her. The smile faltered slightly, as she looked up, way farther up than it would be for Crono, and saw the mildly mocking smile.
She was let go of quickly, almost offensively so. It made her feel like she must be filthy.
-Sorry.- she signed, tweaking her glasses straight with the other hand.
With a concerned look, Crono signed back, -We can stop for a while if you like, it feels like we've been fighting our way through all day.-
Lucca wasn't quite fully successful in hiding her relief. And the smirk didn't miss her notice, either.
-We will find a stable area, and I will set the perimeter.- Magus told them, signing lazily, looking around, seeing that they were on more causeways. Crono nodded, and Lucca braced herself for more work.
It didn't take long, and Magus began setting up the barrier that kept them safe throughout the night, beginning with the way they had come, and working his way to the other door.
They had settled into a room, and had found it necessary to destroy more machinery. This time it was the wall panels coming alive to destroy them. Lucky for them, they were easily dismantled. Lucca couldn't stop herself from pilfering wires now that they had stopped for the while. She noticed hazily, that Crono and Magus had taken up their usual spots, sitting across from one another, while they practiced the language she had learned just to teach to Crono so many years ago.
After her guilty pleasures were concluded, she carefully coiled the wires into a neat bundle, and she sat down, watching the other two talk to each other. She couldn't help notice how graceful Magus was compared to Crono, who was very deft with his hand movements. She hadn't even bothered to actually notice what they were talking about, she was so absorbed.
Lucca might have had a fixation on hands, but she could only watch helplessly, breathless at the quick motions that flashed before her eyes. Until she heard a cough, and saw them looking expectantly at her.
-What?- she asked, suddenly flushed red under the scrutiny. Crono was smiling good-naturedly, which was one of the reasons she loved him so much. Magus, on the other hand, was using his usual smirk, eyes laughing. For some reason, his scrutiny made her blush harder, which confused her, as it had always been Crono to do that to her before.
-Just wondering what you were going to use that wire for.- Crono reiterated, eyes gentle.
-Oh, well, you never know! It could come in handy,- Lucca answered, a little too quickly. -I could use it to repair Robo again, or the Epoch, or any number of things!-
Crono did his quiet, breathy laugh, stretching as he did so. Lucca heard a few pops when he did, which made her grimace, knowing she would sound the same after the day that they had. In fact, she did stretch, and according to her prediction, she felt several resounding pops of her own, which did feel very good. She smiled content. It was the small things to appreciate.
Magus did a little stretch of his own, which was irritatingly silent. The man was like a well oiled machine. Which attracted her, but she was repelled out of habit at the same time. Besides, it was hard to get along with such a caustic personality. She couldn't remember ever seeing him happy. She had only seen a perverse joy at the attempt to destroy Lavos, which had almost immediately crumbled to despair at failure. It did little to reassure her. Besides, he was like a machine in his passions, as well. She had yet to see him ever focus on a life form with any sort of warmth.
So she quashed her sudden inner heat ruthlessly. Truly, she had to wonder at her emotions. They seemed to be as quick to rise as the flames to her hand lately. She couldn't ever remember being so passionate about anything other than machinery before. But now passions that she had thought to have forgotten about seemed intent on rising. Like a wildfire, which she was on a losing battle with, she feared. Until she remembered the earlier conversation at the beginning of the day. Of magic.
Our magic changes us, she thought, wondering if this was yet another effect of the magic she used.
She kept her thoughts to herself, as she yawned, and curled up where she was, lost in thought, missing Crono's grin. And Magus' questioning look, which was shrugged off, as Crono laid down himself.
Lucca didn't notice Magus moving farther off from them, keeping himself, as always, separate from them. She fell asleep instead, to dreams that made her squirm.
Magus awoke in the morning, earlier than the other two, realizing just how tired he had been the night before. The difference in how he felt was astonishing. Traversing the Omen was more tiring than he had realized. It may have been a blessing in disguise that Lucca wanted to stop, he thought, pursing his lips, looking over at his dozing companions.
He was amused to see the girl blushing in her sleep. He wasn't really surprised, fire users were always passionate. Crono was more sedate.
So, to while away the time waiting for them to wake up, he began mental exercises of his own. It didn't take long for the other two to rouse from slumber. They were light sleepers from necessity.
Breaking their fast with travel rations, namely meat buns, they were prepared to go again quickly, so Magus broke down his perimeter, storing the energy that had been trapped in the perimeter back into himself, he felt even better. On that good note, they started moving again, every so often coming across things that had matured with power. Not everything from Lavos was to their loss. Magus found himself smirking to himself, the irony not lost on him. So what has been upgraded just by the power flow, will help us to defeat it.
It was nearing halfway through the second day, when Magus almost stopped, jerking slightly, his face tightening into a partial snarl, as he became aware of what they were approaching. The questioning looks he received disappeared after he gestured to them to try and feel out with their other senses, rather than what they had used during their life. It was mildly satisfying to see their disturbed looks, as they felt it too, after a moment's questing. Only mildly, though. He knew what they were heading towards. He should know. It was him who had solved the riddle on how to build the damned contraption.
But there was another power, that was menacing as well. He could feel it pulsating as well. He knew it, and recognized the fact that it had sensed them coming from a long ways off. In fact, that it had known they were there all along. It was his mother, awaiting them, at the end of the causeway.
And when they did reach it, she was grinning, her sick smile plastered across her face, eyes gleaming with a malicious hunger.
"Behold, my pretties!" she cried, arms gesturing wildly, everything in it's whole. "Destiny, it it's most brutal form!" and now she was laughing while she spoke. Then it was all serious, her voice low, at odds with the grin on her face. "All the dreams that might have been. All the happiness and sorrow you might have experienced. Gone! Forever! For you, there will be no tomorrow!"
At their look, she intoned once more, her smile condescending, and Magus missed the looks from Crono and Lucca, at the similarity they bore each other in that moment. "The Dark Omen transcends time and space, waiting for Lavos to awaken. Destiny has lead you here. And here you shall rest forever. Unless you can defeat me, and smash the Omen!" and her tone gave away her utter disbelief at the possibility that she could be defeated at all. Especially by them. So they advanced, as that was the only thing to do at the moment. Magus felt relish, at the abilitly to finally approach his mother. He hated her. And this was an unexpected treat for him. The Queen loved her voice well, though. She was unable to stop more taunts to fly from her lips. "Come, dear friends," she purred, eyes uncoordinated. "Perhaps I can persuade Lavos to share his dreams with you."
Then she attacked them, jumping forward, bringing power to her hands, their gestures intricate. "Did I say dreams? I meant his eternal nightmare!"
Magus grimaced, as she bent her power to them, death in her hands, more powerful than she had been. But so was he, and so were his companions. The trip through her Dark Omen had prepared them even more, especially to the dangers within the confines of the city ship.
The trick was to break through her barriers, which kept their attacks from truly destroying her, for she didn't even bother to really dodge them when they attacked, but her power rebuffed them, and they did have to dodge and redirect what she threw at them as much as possible. She wasn't really doing anything particularly clever. Mainly just using brute force. It took know-how to use brute force in the fashion she was.
In the end, they won out, and it wasn't terribly difficult. It rankled the Queen. To no end.
"My powers don't seem to work here!" she screeched, face furious. Which she thrashed out her frustration, before suddenly stopping. Her silence was strange, as was the serene expression on her face. "I'll simply toss them into the Mammom Machine!" she turned to them, then, "You'll be one with the Omen, Lavos, and me!" Which she then began muttering to herself, when suddenly the force of the other presence awakened fully. A darker presence than Queen Zeal herself. It was more mindless and destructive all at once. She was still muttering to herself as she disappeared, and the whole area disappeared into another type of portal, which felt stagnant. The Mammon Machine was there. Broken on the ground. Greyed. But lights still twinkled, blinking in the muzzy light. It was suddenly standing up again, it's elegant supports whole, the ragged cut that the Masamune had inflicted gone. The alloy spotless. The power emanating from it with a strange sort of sentience. Creating the eldritch miasma encompassing them. .
Magus stood tall against the onslaught. His companions braced themselves with him. This was his sort of battle. He understood this world far more than they. His smile was broken. It was nearly as bad as the Queen's, and it held a similar hunger. His power felt closer to the Mammon Machine.
Then it began to pulsate, and they had to defend themselves from it. Magus recognized what it was doing first, which he snarled to the others, his gleeful countenance growing, as he taunted it, and they all took turns confusing it's defense systems with both magical and physical means. After a time, they destroyed it, shattering the corrupted dreamstone core. The matrix unable to repair itself anymore, and the power tubes ruptured.
They found themselves back in front of the dais, Queen Zeal more aggravated and insulted by their tenacity at life.
Her screaming was almost incoherent, but they all understood the gist of it. She had been determined to gain immortality with Lavos. They pitied her.
Magus began muttering back, face dark, voice low. "Idiots. Nothing can live forever." At her look, he finished, voice louder, and self confident, and self aware. "Zeal," he drawled, voice filled with loathing, a pity for the foolish and the daft. "A pitiful woman, duped by Lavos." And he was overjoyed, finally saying all the things he had wanted to tell the deranged woman over the years.
"Prophet!" she howled, voice filled with outrage, then suddenly seductive, cloying to their very nerve fibers. "I haven't forgotten what you did a the Ocean Palace," she purred, speaking as if the two city ships were different entities. Which they pretty much were. "You will now forfeit your life." Then she turned her gaze to the other two offending members. "How dare you insects come after me!" Turnign her eyes up into their sockets, leaving the red-veined mass of white to show, she gave forth a throaty plea "Almighty Lavos! Lend me your power!" At which, they felt another wave of energy come forth, and they found themselves moved out of the ship, and up, above where they had been, on the crown of the floating ship, where the harsh winds whipped at them, and Zeal was uncaring of it, her face now rapturous as the energy built up in her. "At last, Lavos awakens. Compared to him, you are as germs!" and now she gestured to herself, "But, I. I shall obtain immortality!"
Magus watched her sudden transformation, her body discarded like so much offal, as she became an entity not unlike Norstein Bekkler. Her mask held a different kind of smile. Her eyes held no more insanity. They held a religious fervor. "Indulge in such regrets in the next life!" her voice boomed out, holding more life than it had in years. No more games, no more taunts, just a tremendous will.
This battle was harder. She had more power at her disposal. The colossal mask was made of a substance that defied damage. The attacks thrown at them were better thought out. More clever. Which meant they had to be more careful. She had become more self aware, less of a puppet, but more, at the same time. But her determination to serve her master was less than Magus' thirst for revenge. Less than all his hate and rage. Nothing she had to offer could dampen the fire that suffused his heart. And his utter destructive need carried him and his companions through the fight, as she never became panicked, even as she died.
His anger only diffused at the end, when he felt the power leached from her, as the mask disappeared, but she didn't reappear. Her body had been destroyed. She herself was discarded, her use at an end. For a moment, he could feel his mother again. For a moment, his heart was breaking. Then they had to run along the ship, and leap into the Epoch, as the Black Omen began to shudder, it's existence beginning to fray. The temporal shudder acted as a wave which they rode to the End of Time.
As they spoke to Gaspar, Magus felt the sadness well up again at his words. "That poor woman can finally rest, now that the Black Omen is gone," and the old man sighed, voice melancholy, "She's reverted back to human..." and Magus tuned out at that point.
He had just killed his mother. Queen Zeal could now rest. But he felt despair welling up inside of him. He remembered loving his mother once. All her kindness. All her caring. Gone.
But it had been gone for a while now.
a/n: I finished it finally! Well, this chapter at least. On to the next one. Oh, and thanks to all the people who seem to enjoy this story.
