Chrono Corruption
Act 2: The Fall of Guardia
Chapter 8: Conspiracy
*The Sea*
After getting themselves cleaned and ready to turn in for the night, Crono, Lucca, Marle, Ty, and Tomo sat in their pajamas, ready to listen to Ty and Tomo's story as they sat peacefully waiting on the entertainment deck of the ship. Crono was eating a chicken leg at the table, while Tomo feasted on a large roast across from him in her true form. Marle hugged a large pillow and sat in front of Ty, who sat in a chair with Lucca looking on from behind him. Marle was ecstatic, "Oh boy, storytime!" she said like a small child filled with wonder.
"Well, it's like this...," began Ty with a deep breath. "By what we experienced and have learned from our ordeal, we can safely claim that Tomo and I traveled through time. It looks like we are from another timeline and 'replaced'...? I want to say? The other versions of ourselves that lived in this time line. You see, in the timeline, we're from, there is nothing in the Sea of Eden, it was just... the empty sea. What we saw there today was completely new to us, but the other versions of us from this timeline apparently knew about that civilization and have been researching it."
Marle and Crono were astounded to meet two more time travelers, while Lucca smiled. "So, you traveled through time too, huh?" Crono asked rhetorically.
"Wait, what? You just said 'too', are you telling me you time traveled?" Ty asked sidetracked.
"We'll tell ours in a moment, why don't you finish first?" Marle suggested, eager to hear their story.
"Okay then...," Ty said, clearing his throat. "We went diving in search of valuables that day and Tomo slipped off the continental plate and began to sink thanks to all the stuff she carried. I went to bail her out and we sunk for quite a while until we saw a strange structure in the water. Once we got back to the surface we told Toma to let us use the bathysphere we got from Porre to go and check it out. When we got that deep it turned out to be nothing but a metal tower from a ship, but thanks to a storm above we lost contact and kept on sinking until we hit bottom and were nearly crushed by the water pressure. At the bottom, we found a facility that was like it was right out of a science fiction novel. So we explored it like the explorers we are. Eventually, we found the legendary Frozen Flame at the center of the facility. A legendary treasure for the taking. We nabbed it and managed to return to the surface with our lives. After some R&R we decided to check out the find. After messing with the thing, it shot out a pillar of light, and Tomo and I were glowing. Our artifacts also glowed and we could then use magic with our artifacts acting as some sort of catalyst."
"Yeah, that was the weird part!" Tomo interrupted. "It's like we got a new part of our bodies or something. We couldn't explain how we could use it, we just could. And when we didn't have the artifacts, it felt like that part of the body went numb!"
"Actually, now that you say that, that's how magic is for us too!" Marle said with revelation.
"Except we don't require a catalyst...," Lucca followed.
"So, what is this 'Frozen Flame' thingie?" Crono asked with suspicion.
"Yes, I would like to know more about this 'treasure'," Lucca noted curiously.
Ty took a pause from his experience to explain the artifact. "From all the info I've gathered over my years of treasure hunting, it's some kind of... artifact from the distant past. Before we found it we thought it was some kind of massive jewel, but I don't believe that anymore. It's something... otherworldly for sure. I've noticed that it never appears in prehistoric art or cave drawings. This implies that it wasn't known then and was discovered sometime after prehistory. However, we can't put a date on when it was discovered 'exactly', but we can place its discovery sometime during the Ice Age."
"I wonder who discovered it?" Lucca asked rhetorically.
"Yeah, me too," Ty said in agreement. "Anyway, that light it gave off alerted a Porrean Captain named Zolander Viper, who was on patrol. He came by and raided our ship. We made sure to hide the Flame. As it turned out, his daughter Riddel was poisoned and with my knowledge of toxins and venoms handy, he wanted my assistance in curing her. I was happy to help her. As I was studying the toxin, a stranger in a hood and cloak paid me a visit. Needless to say, I didn't appreciate the fella's presence, so I asked him to leave. After some tests, I concluded that I needed some supplies from the 'underground market', so we returned to Choras. While we were there, I received a letter... from you Princess," Ty said mentioning the letter he gave her back when they first met.
"SO that's why I didn't recognize it!" Marle realized. "It was from an alternate me!"
"After getting what I needed, I returned to Viper and gave his daughter the cure. He then took me and the others to Porre to reclaim our ship," Ty explained further. "I managed to sneak aboard to find Tomo as she wasn't with us the entire time..., wait what 'did' happen to you anyway?"
"Well, it's kinda hard to remember as I blacked out a lot," Tomo said nervously. "After our capture, they took me to the kitchen and I ate a Hyper Kabob. It tasted weird, but after I was done they took me to some secluded chamber at the bottom of Viper's ship. Then, I sat down in the chair, and a few moments later, I blacked out. I then woke up on our ship with my dad at the Porre harbor. I was then taken to the bottom of the ship by a cloaked man and restrained. Then you showed up and I heard the ring of a jingle bell and that's... when I blacked out and became a monster. When I woke up I was in my normal fatty figure, something no one other than my parents have seen. Ty gave me a reassuring pep talk, but before we could leave the bottom of the ship, the cloaked man appeared with the Frozen Flame and claimed that he now had what needed to rule everything or something. He used it, to banish us to some weird place that was just..., mostly nothingness. We fought off creepy critters that were two-dimensional and then Ty stole a glowing rock from a big one and we jumped through a portal," finished Tomo ecstatically.
Ty continued, "We ended up in the futuristic facility that we found earlier at the bottom of the sea. Only this time, it was above the sea and operational. We were shown around by the leader of the place who called the place 'Chronopolis'. He dropped Lucca's name before we were sent back via the teleportation device they had. And then we made our way to you...," he finished.
A few moments passed with silence and then Crono gave his attention to Ty, "Hey, you said something about a cloaked man. My dad's note also mentioned this guy, do you think it's the same man?" he asked.
"I think so...," Ty said calmly. "Once I reached the bottom of that tower, it was indeed Chronopolis. The Frozen Flame, however, wasn't there. So I'm guessing your dad took it or the cloaked man did."
"It looks like we'll tell you our time travel tale another time," Lucca said with a yawn. "For now, I'm turning in for the night."
"Yeah, I'm all sleepy now," Marle followed.
"I'm worried about Guardia," Crono said. "I hope nothing's wrong... I'm gonna find this cloaked guy and see if I can't get some information out of him. If he is responsible for killing my dad, then I'm gonna mop the floor with him!" he finished.
"I'll be happy to assist you!" Ty followed with a cross expression on his face.
"Me too!" Tomo chimed in.
"Well then, it's settled, once we get back to Guardia, we'll start a search for this guy," Lucca planned. "But for now, let's rest up for the night," she finished. Everyone agreed and went to their separate rooms for the night.
*Manolia Town Harbor*
Toma's ship docked at Manolia Town and Crono and his friends disembarked. Marle asked Toma if she could barrow Ty and Tomo for a little while and he agreed in a brown-nosing fashion. As they made their way through town, Ty leaned into Marle, "Hey, uh, Princess? Would you be willing to give us some money for some new equipment by any chance?" he asked very politely.
Marle smiled, "Only if you stop calling me by a title and address me by Marle!" she said waving her finger in a scolding fashion.
"Oh, um, if you insist, Marle!" he said cheerfully.
The party made a stop at the shop to browse their goods. Crono approached the clerk and she was more than happy to help. "Hello there! How may I help you?" she asked.
"Hi, what kinds of weapons and armor do you have for sale?" Ty asked politely.
"Well, we're kinda low on stock right now, but I can always have something crafted for you if you have the materials!"
Ty searched through his rucksack, "Drat, no metals... What can you make from this?" he said as he handed over a lot of ivory and fur pelts.
"Well, let's see...," she said as she examined the materials. "We can make you either a set of scrimshawed daggers called 'Sabertooth Knives' made from some of the ivory and a little bit of the fur pelts or we can take all of both to make a scrimshawed Mammoth Masher for your hammer toting girlfriend!"
"Oh my, um, she's not, my girlfriend actually," Ty chuckled uneasily as Tomo merely blushed with her gaze shot downward. Ty turned to Tomo, "So, do you want a new hammer or should I get the daggers?"
"Well, it is your stuff, why don't you just get the daggers," Tomo said nervously. "I mean, I would like a new hammer as this one smells like Ogan, but..."
Ty stood straight up with his eyes widened, "SO THAT'S WHAT THAT IS!" he said in shock. "At first I thought you just needed a bath and I wasn't gonna say anything 'cause I thought it would be rude! Here hold on a minute!" Ty said turning to the clerk, "Go ahead and make the hammer, please!"
The clerk took the materials uneasily as she saw Tomo boil with anger. "YOU THOUGHT IT WAS ME?! YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING YOU BONEHEAD!" she said as she comically smacked Ty out of the shop with her hammer and he went flying through the street.
*Later*
As the party left the shop, a pouting Tomo turned her nose up at an apologetic Ty who took her new hammer with her. The Mammoth Masher was made from hard ivory and had fur lining the heads of the double-headed hammer as well as the base of the head and end of the handle. Finally, it was 'scrimshawed' with ancient letters from a dead language for style.
"Oh, come on, Tomo!" Ty pleaded. "You know I didn't mean it like that!"
Marle watched as she bit on her thumbnail, "Boy, these two get along so well, it's gonna be hard for anyone to get between them!"
*Castle Guardia*
"So these are your new friends, Nadia?" asked King Guardia XXXIII. "Tomo Levine and Ty Drayguard. I've heard of the Levine family and I welcome you to Guardia Miss Levine. You, young man, I'm less familiar with, but I welcome you nonetheless! Oh, Crono, I have some urgent news for you! While you were away on your errand to find your father, your father returned!"
"What?!" Crono gasped in surprise.
As Crono gaped his mouth in surprise, a man began walking into the throne room from behind them. Crono heard the footsteps and slowly turned his head. Tears welled up in his eyes as he laid his gaze upon the figure that approached. The man in question had hair just like Crono's, red and fiery, but he had a small ponytail. He had facial hair that matched. He wore a tattered bandanna and the navy blue Guardia soldier uniform that was decorated with golden accents. He also had a sword strapped to his right side. "Hello son, my it's so wonderful to see you again!" he said as he too started to hold back tears.
Marle took a deep breath, "Oh, I'm gonna cry!" she said trying to breathe deeply.
"Well, I'll be a Nu's uncle...," Ty said flatly to Tomo. "The guy's alive.."
"Don't ruin the sentiment bonehead!" Tomo whispered back while placing her elbow into his side.
"What, what did I say?" Ty whispered in return.
As Ty and Tomo silently bickered, Crono rushed up to his dad and embraced him. "Dad, where have you been all this time?!" he struggled to say.
"I was..., well, let's just say I was stranded...," he replied. "I've already met up with your mom and it was a tearful reunion. I'm overjoyed I could make it back to at least see my son get married and to the Princess no less! You've done me so proud son!"
"Caelus, it's so wonderful to have you return to your kingdom and its people," said King Guardia. "So shall we continue with the wedding plans? It shall be the largest celebration this kingdom has seen in ages!"
Crono quickly approached Ty and Tomo, "Hey, would you two attend my wedding as guests?"
"Sure thing, I'd be honored!" Ty said with a respectful bow.
"Oh, I love weddings!" Tomo said with a lovey-dovey tone.
Marle followed up, "And for your help, we'll see to preparations about giving Choras its independence after the wedding's over!"
Ty's and Tomo's eyes brightened and they jumped with a cheer. "We did it! Everyone will be happy to hear this!" Ty cheered.
"Yeah, it all worked out for the best didn't it?" Tomo said happily. "I'm so excited!"
King Guardia called forth all the servants of the castle, "The wedding shall now proceed. It shall be held three days from tomorrow! So I want everyone to get preparations ready!" he ordered while throwing up his arms.
"Yes, your majesty!" said in unison, a comically sized crowd of servants.
All the servants cleared out of the room as fast as they entered leaving only the King, Crono, his dad, and his friends. Crono and his dad began walking out with Crono talking about all of the things he wanted to tell his dad. Marle quickly went after to catch up to them. Tomo stretched, "Well, I think I'm gonna go take a nap! That long trip back here took it outta me. Say, Ty, since I didn't get to check out the festival the first time, how about you and I go check it out together later?" she asked with a smile.
"Sure, I think I'll take a tour of the castle while you doze off or something," Ty said laxly.
"Okay!" she said cheerfully as she then excused herself from the throne room and went to the knight's quarters for a nap.
As she walked off Ty noticed a very stoic Lucca. She seemed off in her own little world. It was obvious something was on her mind that had her worried. Curious, Ty approached her, "Hey, everything alright? You've been awfully quiet since Crono's old man showed up."
Lucca blinked a few times as she came back down to the planet, "Oh, I'm sorry, I was thinking..."
"About? May I ask...?" Ty said showing concern.
"This..., what just happened I mean," Lucca stammered. "It doesn't make any sense... Crono's dad showed up so... suddenly. I mean it doesn't add up at all! I should be happy for Crono, but I don't! I feel this overwhelming sense of dread!"
"Maybe you should believe in miracles more, Lucca," Ty suggested with a chuckle.
"I believe in miraculous things just fine, Ty," Lucca started with a deep breath. "But this..., just feels off for some reason."
"Well, come out and get some fresh air with me, maybe you'll feel better!" Ty suggested gently. "I would like to know my way around this castle better if I'm gonna be sticking around for a few days."
"Alright, maybe I do need a little breeze on my face," Lucca said nervously.
*That Night*
Ty wandered the castle hallways during the evening hours, restless and bored. Footstep after footstep he took, accompanied by an occasional sigh. He passed by a bedroom door only to hear strange voices coming from within. One didn't sound like it belonged to a human, so Ty leaned quietly up to the door to eavesdrop. "Hmm, this doesn't sound right...," thought Ty as he listened harder.
The gruff deep voice spoke softly, "So I just have to keep this disguise for a little while longer?"
A second voice responded, "Yes, you only need to look like him for a little while longer," said the stranger.
"It was a great idea, having me convince the Princess to find you!" said the monstrous voice.
Ty recoiled from the door with a cold sweat as he realized who the second voice belonged, "It's Crono's old man! But who is he talking to?" he thought as he moved away from the door.
The bedroom doors opened and a set of eyes peeked out, "Hmm, I thought I heard footsteps coming up to the door...," said Caelus as he shut the door on an empty hallway.
Ty returned silently to the Knight's Quarters to get some sleep. He lies in bed thinking, "This is bad, someone here isn't who they appear to be! Who do I tell though? I can't tell Crono, he wouldn't listen to me if I claim his dad is up to no good. Neither would Marle or the King. Wait... Lucca was already suspicious about this whole thing. I gotta tell her, somehow. Crono will listen to her...," he thought quietly as he calmed down and drifted off to sleep.
Ty awoke the next morning and rolled over to find the fit-bodied Tomo coming to wake him up, "Oh, I guess I didn't need to wake you up then," she said with a tinge of disappointment in her voice.
Ty sat up, "What are you getting ready to do?" he grumbled and ended with a yawn.
"I'm going into the Guardia Forest to exercise, wanna come?" Tomo asked cheerfully.
"Doin' the ol' grind, huh?" Ty chuckled. "Sure, let me just get ready. I need to get some more materials anyway. Also, we can go to the festival afterward if you want."
"Sounds good to me!" Tomo agreed with a smile.
"Oh wait, before we go! Where's Lucca? I have to tell her something!" Ty said urgently.
"She's probably around here somewhere. I think I saw her headed towards the basement, probably to her lab," Tomo informed. She then turned slightly suspicious, "Why, what do you need to tell her?"
"Just, something about Crono's dad...," Ty started worriedly.
"Huh?" Tomo seemed confused.
"I overheard him talking to someone at night in his room and it sounds like he's up to something!" Ty whispered loudly. "Don't tell anyone though. That's why I'm going to go tell Lucca, she might know what to do. She was suspicious from the start!"
"Okay, well, I'll meet you in the forest then!" Tomo said as she departed for her routine.
*Royal Laboratory*
"So you're saying Crono's dad is planning some foul play?" Lucca asked rhetorically as she placed her hand to her chin in deep thought.
"Yeah, I don't know who he's with, but that voice did not belong to a human," Ty said worriedly.
"I knew this situation bugged me, but I wasn't sure how," Lucca said. "Still we don't have enough evidence to go and accuse him of anything either."
"So, you got any ideas?" Ty asked.
Lucca thought for a moment until something came to her, "Wait, you said the Frozen Flame was missing from Chronopolis when you went into that hole right? Perhaps it's here in Guardia and Caelus is trying to find it!"
"How will finding the Flame prove he is up to something?" Ty asked curiously.
"I'm not sure exactly, but maybe whoever he is with is in disguise so he can relay info about the Flame," Lucca deduced.
"I feel that there may be a few holes in that deduction, either way, I'm definitely doing some snooping as soon as everyone settles in for the night," Ty said, crossing his arms. "There's no way in hell, I'm doing anything in the daytime. Not with all these guards around."
"I know my theory is a little shaky, but it's the best I can come up with," Lucca said nervously. "You just act normal and I'll keep an eye out here inside the castle. Here's a map of the castle as it is now," she finished as she handed Ty a new map. "Study this before you go sneaking around."
"Right, I'm gonna go train with Tomo for a while and then hit up the festival again. Catch you later!" Ty said as he left the lab with a wave of his hand.
"I really hope you can find something, Ty," Lucca said softly to herself.
Later that evening after everyone had turned in for the night, Ty quietly left his bed, fully dressed. He slipped up the stairs to the second level of the Knight's Quarters like a sneaky shadow. Not making a single noise. He inched his way into the Guardia corridors until he turned a corner and met with two of the night staff guards. "Where are you headed, sonny?" the first guard said mockingly.
"Oh, I just needed to use a restroom is all, but this castle is... a bit confusing at night. Could you tell me where the closest one is?" Ty asked politely.
"Is that all, sure, it's down this corridor and is the first door on your right," said the second guard.
"Thanks, you guys do your King a great service!" Ty said convincingly. "It's times like this I'm kinda glad the title of King of Thieves is something only heard of in the underground, or I would always be looked at with suspicion!" he thought as he dismissed himself.
Ty continued through the castle like a silent serpent weaving its way through the forest floor. He made it to the castle's front door and hid behind the staircase leading to the throne room. Two guards passed jokes to each other to pass the time. Ty threw a coin over the staircase and the guard became a little suspicious. The one furthest from him moved to check it out while the one in front of Ty stayed on guard. Ty took the opportunity to hit the man on the hand with his Ghostly Strike technique that was coated with his Tranquil Toxin. It left a cut made with surgical precision and was barely noticeable. He quickly stepped back and the poison was acting fast. As the other guard returned confused over the noise, he noticed his partner was very drowsy. "Hey buddy, you need to lie down for a moment? You don't look so good," said the guard.
"Yeah, I'll be right back, I think I'm gonna go lie down. I'll send someone..., in my place," said the other guard with a yawn.
"Hold up, I'll take you there, just get a hold of yourself. You've been working a lot lately!" said his partner as the two headed to the infirmary. They didn't notice Ty at all. Making haste, Ty ran silently up the staircase. As he reached the top, he felt a precise massive blow to the back of his head. He was out cold in an instant and hit the ground with a 'thud'.
Caelus and the Chancellor appeared as if out of thin air. "Yep, this is the one alright. I recognize the scent. He was listening to us through the door!" said the Chancellor.
Caelus sheathed his sword with a gentle smile, "Ty Drayguard..., not at all that impressive for someone who descends from the King of Thieves. Perhaps that really was just a nickname. Either way, take him to the Guardia Catacombs below the castle. We can't have this one sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong until the wedding."
"Right, erm, what about his friend, the fat one?" asked the Chancellor. "She might be trouble if she knows he's gone missing."
"Don't worry about her, she won't notice anything if we have the guards 'pamper' her," Caelus said. "We just have to wait a little bit longer...," they laughed in unison.
*The Next Morning*
Tomo came down into the Knight's Quarters to see if Ty wanted to continue training in the forest, but she didn't find him, "Hmm, I wonder where he is?" she thought out loud.
Her thoughts were shattered as two maids came up to her and grabbed her attention. "Excuse me, Miss Levine?" the first one asked.
"Oh, um, yes?" Tomo stammered.
The second maid started, "We were wondering if you would like to taste test some of the foods we will be serving?"
The first maid followed, "Yes, we heard you're quite the gourmand!"
Tomo seemed uneasy, "Um, well I don't think I should eat too much before I go exercise...," she said nervously.
The first maid egged her on, "Oh, but this is such a special occasion, Miss Levine! Can you not take a break from your training to treat yourself?"
The second maid continued, "We will give you all you can eat!"
"Well, I suppose I can take a break! It isn't often I get to eat Guardian cuisine!" Tomo relented with a smile. The two maids clasped their hands together cheerfully as they casually led her to the castle's kitchen.
*Royal Laboratory*
Lucca paced back and forth in the empty lab worried. Her worry grew as the day moved forward as she had not seen or heard from Ty. She sighed, "Where is he? I hope nothing went wrong...," she said under her breath as the door to the lab opened and Crono came in.
"Hey Lucca, what are you doing in here? You seem a little out of it," Crono asked with concern.
"Oh, um, it's nothing! I'm just running some things through my head is all!" she said with an uneasy chuckle.
"Lucca, I know you better than this. I can tell something is bothering you," Crono said sternly.
Lucca sent her gaze to the floor, "Tell him what Ty told you, tell him something you dummy! Our very lives could be at stake!" she thought desperately. "Crono, what would you do if say..., Caelus was an imposter?"
Crono's face went blank, "What do you mean, Lucca?"
"What I mean is..., how do you know if it's really him or not?" Lucca said with a very tense expression.
Crono simply smiled, "I know it seems sudden Lucca, but it's really him. All this stress has us all worked up. I gotta admit even I'm wanting this to be all over so we can fall into a nice routine. Although, no matter how you look at it, being Prince will take some time getting used to!"
"I..., sure Crono...," Lucca relented.
"Good, now shall we go and help the others?" Crono asked with a smile.
"Sure, I'll be right there," Lucca said softly.
"Oh, by the way, have you seen Ty? I haven't seen him in a while," Crono asked curiously.
"Not recently, last time I saw him he went to go train in the forest," Lucca said as truthfully as she could.
Crono placed his arms behind his head in a stretch, "Ha, that guy! He must want to catch up to me! Alright then, I'll see you in a bit then!"
"Okay...," Lucca replied. Crono waved as he left and Lucca took a deep breath, "I can't handle this much stress. Where are you, Ty? Don't make me come look for you!"
*Wedding Day*
People from all over Guardia filled Leene Square in anticipation of the Princess's wedding day. Right under Nadia's Bell stood the beautifully decorated altar where Crono and Marle were to accept each other's vows. Crono stood, dressed in his regal clothing with a white cape and golden crown. He was obviously anxious as he waited for his bride to come down the red carpet. The King stood nearby Crono and came to his side, "You seem a tad troubled, are you so nervous my boy?" he asked.
"Of course, but one thing's missing," said Crono.
"What is that?' replied the King, wide-eyed.
"You remember the two Chorasites, Ty Drayguard and Tomo Levine? I invited them to the wedding, but I can't see them anywhere in the crowd," Crono said with concern.
"Ah, they must be hanging around the square somewhere having fun," reassured the King. "There's no need to worry."
"I hope so," Crono said, not entirely sure. "Lucca did seem rather worried..."
*?*
The sound of rushing water was the first thing Ty heard as he woke in a dark dungeon. He rubbed the back of his head softly. "Yeowch, Crono's dad sure packs a wallop. I'm still feeling that hit. I've been down here for a while now. Ah, headache or not, I gotta break out!" Ty thought out loud.
Ty realized he still had his Thieve's Kit and other equipment with him. Reaching into his kit, he brought out lock picking tools. Fighting back the pain in his head he reached around the iron portcullis and easily picked the old lock. He cautiously opened the gate and stepped out. He took in his surroundings. He was in a cave with some small streams running throughout. "Whew, this is an old as all hell dungeon! The cells are just set into the cave itself! I must be underneath the castle. This must be..., the Guardia Catacombs..."
Ty began to investigate the cavernous dungeon. Cells were set into strange positions in the natural cave formations. Some even seemed tortuous in nature. Other torture devices such as guillotines, iron maidens, and racks were strewn throughout the area. He swallowed hard as he became uncomfortable. "Oh well, no reason I can't loot the place!" Ty thought, keeping his mind on something else. He traveled to each cell he came across, picking the locks and taking anything he could find useful.
Eventually, after looting numerous cells and filling his pockets, Ty heard a creepy moan echo off the cavern walls. "H-hello, is anyone there?" Ty shouted loudly as he drew his daggers.
The voice responded, "Ty? Over..., over here, ohh," the familiar voice said with a moan.
"Wait, is that you, Tomo?" Ty asked loudly as he ran towards the origin of the voice.
Ty searched for a cell he had not yet opened and finally found one. "In here...," moaned Tomo.
Ty picked the lock and entered to find his friend in her natural state sprawled on the ground, rubbing her stomach. She was moaning in pain as she stared up at the ceiling. "Wow Tomo, you seem... 'larger' than normal! What happened?!" he asked in wonder.
She moaned as she began her explanation, "Uh, the whole day..., yesterday. The maids... dragged me to the kitchen... to, ugh, try samples of the food that was to be served..., erk, at the wedding. Everything was delicious..., ugh, once I started... I couldn't stop! Even when I had enough... ohh, the maids just kept stuffing food into me... I guess I must have fainted after being..., stuffed stupid! I guess I really can eat a lot, but if I eat another thing I'll pop!" she moaned in pain.
"Wow, I guess so, your belly is almost twice the size! Did you misplace a few organs by any chance?" Ty chuckled as he exaggerated.
Tomo struggled to get up only for her stomach to jiggle and slosh in protest as she slipped on the damp cavern floor. "Ugh, it didn't get 'that' big you twit! Ugh, help me up would ya?" she pleaded.
"I think you need to stay here and rest for a bit, how did you get down here anyway?" Ty asked curiously.
"Not sure, like I said... ugh, I fainted after eating too much and I woke up here," Tomo explained. "Are you just gonna let a young woman lie on a cold dungeon floor then?" she scolded. Her stomach sloshed and made an audible growl of pain that even Ty could hear. Tomo moaned, "Never mind, I belong here...," she collapsed.
Just then, Ty's attention was caught by the sound of approaching footsteps. "Tomo do you hear that? Someone's coming!" he asked as he got behind Tomo and helped her up.
"Ohh, be more gentle would you?" Tomo pleaded.
"It's kinda hard when you're all big like this! Can't you transform into your thin state?" Ty asked irately.
"No, apparently, my body won't respond to the spell if I've overeaten! I'll change back as soon as my gut settles!" she said sitting up. Tomo got to her feet and took a deep breath, "Wheew, I'm up!"
"Come on, let's move!" Ty urged as Tomo followed.
They left the cell and started up to the main door of the dungeon only to be intercepted by the Chancellor. "I was just coming to check on you, but it seems you've escaped..., no matter. Ohh, I was hoping for a good meal, so I had those maids stuff the fat one silly! I was hoping you would gain a little more weight before I ate you!" he said with an inhuman tone growing in his voice.
"Tomo, it's the monster in disguise!" Ty warned.
Tomo was pale with fear, "I was being fattened for some monster?! Gross, now I feel even worse!"
"You won't be chowing down on anyone you bastard!" Ty threatened with his daggers drawn.
"How dare you speak to me that way, human!" the Chancellor shouted angrily. "TRUE-FORM, CHANGE NOOOW!" chanted the imposter. The imposter gleamed with light until its physical body changed. When the light faded, the Chancellor imposter reverted into a Yakra.
"He's a purple Yakra?!" Ty said astounded.
"Not just any Yakra either, this is a Yakra King!" Tomo stated. "It's bigger, stronger, and has magic too!" The Yakra King was just like any other Yakra. He had a purple flabby and fuzzy body that was shaped like a mole with claws, snarling teeth, and bull-like horns.
"That's just lovely...," Ty said sarcastically. "Well, I guess it's 'eat or be eaten' then!"
"I will gobble you both up!" threatened the Yakra King as he lunged forward.
Ty leaped into the air and slashed the monster across the left cheek. This only seemed to irritate it, however. It roared in anger as it bolted around the cavern in a hurry, sweeping them both off their feet. Tomo sat up and clenched her stomach in pain with a moan.
Ty took the moment to take out a new poison, "This is my 'Deadly Poison', so get ready to feel your life being sapped away!" he said as he coated his daggers with the wretched toxin. Ty then used his Ghostly Strike technique to hit the monster in the hide. It shouted in pain as the open wound bubbled with the poison.
"Nice one!" Tomo said with a thumbs-up gesture. "Now it's my turn!" she said confidently as she raised her hammer and landed it on the Yakra King's right rear paw, crushing its claws.
"Yeeooowch!" roared the Yakra King. "That does it! You asked for this! Avoid my 'Needle Spin' technique if you can!" The creature's skin crawled until it morphed two spouts from its back and ejected a torrent of long thin needles at the two of them. The attack was so fast and the needles fell like rain on them. They only managed to protect their faces and vital areas but a majority of their bodies had taken the needles quite deep.
"Ouch..., that really stings... like... everywhere...," Ty cringed as he began pulling out the needles.
"I know, but... it's a good thing... I'm fat right now... none of these needles got to my organs!" Tomo reassured as she to pulled out the needles.
The Yakra King laughed menacingly, "Just like pin cushions! You now have enough air holes so you'll cook properly!" he added as he conjured fire in his gaping maw. Before he could breathe his fire the Yakra King felt the effects of Ty's Deadly Poison and oddly colored drool oozed from his mouth. The fire ceased as he began to cough. "Ugh, the poison is strong..., Drayguard must be... the cure... I'll eat him first!"
Suddenly, the monster lunged toward Ty, who was too injured from the Needle Spin to do anything, but look on in horror as the Yakra King barreled toward him. As Ty closed his eyes for an incoming he heard a loud hit. Tomo had smashed the creature's face in with her hammer, intercepting him. Ty sighed with relief, "Ah, thanks Tomo, you really saved my bacon there!" he chuckled as he knelt down and guzzled a potion. "Yech! I hate the taste of those things!"
Tomo turned to Ty, "You're welcome! He left himself open!"
Ty noticed the Yakra King open his jaws and instantly lunge for Tomo instead. Ty opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came as the beast's jaws clamped down on the right upper half of Tomo's torso. Tomo screamed as Ty covered his eyes in horror, fearful that the beast had just torn a huge chunk of his friend's body off. However, Tomo just kept on screaming until she realized that there was no pain. The beastly Yakra was in too much pain and weakness from Ty's poison that it simply stood there moaning. Tomo dislodged herself from the Yakra King's mouth and wiped the smelly ooze from her clothes in disgust. She was angry, "Ty, let's hit him with a Dust Devil!"
"Sounds good to me!" Ty agreed as the two conjured their magically generated Earth and Winds. The spells merged into a powerful dust devil and engulfed the now fearful Yakra King. The Yakra King roared loudly as its skin and fur were buffed off. "Wow, he's still alive? What a stubborn monster!"
"Too stubborn if you ask me! So, it's 'eat or be eaten', huh? Well, I know the perfect way to finish you!" Tomo shouted with a big grin as she used her Gastromorph technique. The bright yellow light enveloped the agonizing Yakra King and in an instant, he morphed into a small Yakra shaped pastry. She took it in her hands in just a few bites she gulped it down. After licking her fingers she gleamed with a yellow aura. "Hey, I learned that Needle Spin technique! Here watch!" she instructed as she blasted a nearby rock with a flurry of needles that materialized from her hands. She laughed triumphantly until she felt the pain of her overstuffed stomach again. She fell back onto the ground, "Ugh, that Yakra pastry... it sits on my stomach like a bowling ball! Oh my! I think I'm gonna pass out now!"
Ty shook his head and sighed as he approached her, "You really couldn't wait to just eat that pastry later?"
"No way, pastries must be eaten when fresh or they dry out and get stale if you leave them for too long!" Tomo explained as she lay on the ground. "Anyway, you can leave me here if you want, I'll catch up as soon as my gut settles..."
"Nah, I gotcha...," Ty said as he took her feet and began dragging her out of the dungeon.
"Hey, this feels kinda nice...," she said pleasantly.
"Don't worry, I'll give you a special metabolic toxin I'm working on! It's still in the experimental stage, but it should speed up your metabolism for a little while to help you digest all that food!" Ty stated as their voices echoed throughout the dungeon. They comically bickered back and forth until the echoes stopped, shut off by a huge door closing.
*End of Chapter*