I still don't own Chrono Trigger. Lots of Janus in this chapter.
Lyn spent that night in the dojo, on a bed Janus had made up for her at Slash's order. The next day, and the day after that as well, she simply watched, head and face and even ears hurting too much for her to function. When it was placed before her, she would eat the food that Janus brought. By the evening of the third day, most of her headache had receded, and her curiosity had increased enough that she asked, "You… are owned by the Maou, no?"
Janus paused, hand still on the plate he had put down, wondering what had prompted that question. "Yes, I am," he admitted.
"Why… are you with Slash?"
"Master Ozzie told Sir Slash to 'teach me about life'," Janus explained. "Like how Lady Flea brought you here."
Lyn looked at the food, thinking about what Janus had said. "Oh. I… should call him sir, no?"
The naivete of the question startled a laugh out of Janus. "Yes, you should," he answered, smiling a little.
There was a pause, and Janus stood, thinking the conversation was over. He had turned away when Lyn surprised him again, asking another question. "That was magic?"
He turned and looked down at her, trying to remember what she was referencing. Seeing his confusion, Lyn expounded on her meaning. "When we fight. You chant, and… dark light…" By the Lady, she hated this, not having the words she needed.
"Oh, that. Yes, I was preparing to cast Dark Bomb," Janus nodded, sitting back down.
"Humans… no have magic. You say that!" Lyn protested.
Janus shook his head a little. "Humans here. Earthbound don't have magic, and that's all any Human is anymore."
Lyn looked disappointed. "Oh… You… no Human. S-sorry."
Again Janus shook his head, silencing Lyn. "I'm Human. I'm not Earthbound. Don't worry, you don't know the difference."
Another moment passed in silence, and suddenly Lyn handed Janus a piece of bread. "You eat?" she asked, somewhat surprised that she was able to have a civil conversation with the boy she had thought was an ass three days ago.
Having learned the value of eating when he had the chance, Janus took the bread. "How… did you get here?" he asked, feeling curious and wanting to pass some time. His tasks were done for the day, but he wasn't quite ready to go to his small bed.
"My home… Esaku's clan attacked. When he… told go to Choras, he take me. M-mistress Flea come and… take me from his home," Lyn told her story, trying to keep her emotions detached, but only partially succeeding. "And… you?"
Janus' face darkened, but he answered, giving the barest outline of his story. "I was separated from my family. Master Ozzie found me and brought me here."
Lyn opened her mouth to apologize, but something in Janus' stern face stopped her and made her think twice. She wouldn't appreciate someone apologizing for actions they had not done, she realized, and so she closed her mouth, words unsaid. Janus stood again, taking the empty plate with him, and mutely ended the conversation by turning away and leaving Lyn in gathering darkness of the dojo as the light died outside.
It was the sun that woke Lyn, just as it had the last two days, shinning in through the east corner of the south-facing windows. Stretching, she realized she felt better than she had in days, and although the remnants of her headache still pained her, they didn't impede her.
"You look better," Slash observed, coming into the dojo with Janus trailing.
Lyn smiled at him and nodded. "Good morning, Sl- ah, Sir Slash. Yes, I feel better." She blushed a little as she nearly missed the honorific, especially since Slash had probably been kinder to her than Flea would have been.
Slash didn't comment on Lyn's slip. She had clearly learned the proper address only recently, and as long as she remembered to use it, and corrected her slips, he didn't mind them. "Then you're going to spar with him," Slash jerked his head toward Janus. "It's good to get practice fighting different people, and you put on such a good show last time."
"I promise not to use any spells this time," Janus added, going to the middle of the room.
"Ah… right…" Lyn muttered, standing and hesitantly approaching Janus. "Umm… What do I do…?"
Rolling his eyes, Janus said, "Attack me. You were happy enough to do so the other day."
"Well, but… that was—"
"Attack me!" Janus interrupted harshly, voice echoing through the room. "It was different? You were angry? Then get angry again, idiot girl, and attack me!" Lyn took a step back, used to avoiding other's anger, denying her own to pacify them and protect. "Attack me!" Janus repeated, stepping forward to maintain the distance. "It felt good when you hit me, didn't it? So what are you waiting fo—"
With a yell, Lyn launched herself at Janus, trying to punch him. With a derisive laugh, Janus moved out of the way, letting her fist brush past him. Stumbling beyond the boy a little, Lyn turned to find Janus already facing her again. She paused a moment before moving closer and punching again, trying to hit his body this time. Once again Janus dodged, skipping backwards, away from her. Lyn charged him, snarling, and this time he held his ground, letting her take him to the stone floor and then rolling so that he was on top. "Now what?" he asked, smirking and holding Lyn's hands above her head.
"Arg, get off me," Lyn yelled, struggling.
"Make me," Janus answered.
"I can't! You bigger and heavy! And you have my hands!"
"But not your legs," Janus pointed out.
As expected, Lyn proceeded to try and knee Janus, which he avoided by scooting back a little and using his weight to hold her thighs down. Janus suddenly realized he was sitting on a female, and Lyn, perhaps sensing his distraction, took her chance and freed her arms. With her arms free, Lyn was able to twist, throwing Janus off of her. They both scrambled to their feet and away from each other, something that might have been a blush lightly coloring Janus' cheeks.
"Not bad, but don't think you'll get lucky a second time!" Janus said, preparing for a second round.
Lyn tried to consider an attack that wouldn't end with her on the floor. The sun caught Janus' hair, and something about the color distracted Lyn. This time it was Janus who took advantage of a distraction, rushing Lyn and twisting her arm behind her, trapping it between her back and his chest, his free arm coming around her throat.
It took Lyn a moment to realize she was trapped. Grabbing the arm around her neck with her left hand, she tried to pull it back, which only resulted in Janus tightening his hold. Finally she sighed and stopped fighting, and Janus rewarded her by easing up on her throat, allowing her to breathe. "Wasn't ready… doesn't matter?" she asked in a resigned manner.
"You heard what Sir Slash said," Janus answered cheerily. "'Always expect anyone to do anything.'"
"Always… expect anyone… to do anything," Lyn repeated, going over the meaning in her mind. "Right. So, we do this again?"
Janus smile, releasing Lyn with a spinning motion to put himself out of her reach for a little while. As soon as she had recovered, she attacked again, assuming that Janus was already following the advice he had given her. Slash let them spar, noticing how Janus would direct Lyn with his words or motions, slowly increasing the types of his attack and letting Lyn learn by mimicking him. Janus' technique was also improving, as he had to think about his movements and he began to understand them better.
About half way through the day, Slash called an end to Janus and Lyn's practice. He had seen Lyn faltering, her movements slowing, as well as her eyes lingering on items he knew she was beginning to see differently. "Take a break. If you push too hard, you'll ruin your body. Sit, both of you." When the Humans had complied, Slash also sat on the floor, looking at Lyn. He thought he might be imagining it, but her skin looked brighter to his vision, and her ears were beginning to form points, a distinctly Mazoku trait. "Things are starting to look different to you," he said, and it wasn't a question.
Lyn nodded, not sure what to say. "I… yes, sir."
"Don't worry about it too much. He went through the same thing," Slash said, again motioning towards Janus to indicate 'he'. It was the second time Slash had gone out of his way to avoid using the name of one of the slaves, and Lyn was beginning to realize that it was completely intentional. He knew their names, in both cases, and yet he refused to use them. Esaku had done the same thing, Lyn realized, though it hadn't been as obvious. And yet, none of the Mazoku she had met had any problems using the names of other Mazoku.
"Th-thank you, sir," Lyn said quietly.
"Right, that's enough of a break. Boy, on your feet. You and me, now," Slash declared suddenly, standing. Lyn scooted back to the wall while Janus stood, and then Slash and Janus were fighting again.
Watching the conflict, Lyn found herself looking for the new color Janus had mentioned when she first came here. What had he said… beyond blue, and beyond violet, the Mazoku could see… What had he called it? She couldn't remember. But apparently, she would be seeing it herself fairly soon. And this was fairly common… at least, Janus had been through this. But then, maybe he was a special case? What would that make her, then? Flea had come for her, knowing about her healing tech. Flea had come for her… because of her healing tech. The Mazoku woman had said it herself, that if Lyn had not been able to heal the burnt slave, then Flea would have been wasting her time.
But her tech wasn't magic. Flea had said so, and even Janus agreed. It wasn't magic. It wasn't. It was just… unusual. And seeing differently… it was just a gift. A gift, something added to her normal abilities. She was still human. She had just… changed a little.
The same strange flash of color in Janus' hair that had distracted Lyn earlier caught her eye again. She tried to focus on it, but it was gone, and she wasn't sure if it was a trick of the light, or her eyes simply couldn't see the color right. She wondered how things would change, and how much different things would look different to her afterwards.
Pretty please review? At least tell me what you think of the color thing?