Arg, I'm horrible, I know. A full day late, and I still almost forgot it. Another transition chapter, but very fun. Side note, I hate Ozzie.
Chrono Trigger belongs to Squeenix.
Janus waited impatiently for Ozzie to return. Oh, sure, he could make excuses; the Maou didn't realize that he was back, or the Maou was busy ruling. But Janus was not in the mood to make excuses for the fat ball of uselessness that he considered Ozzie to be. Finally Ozzie entered the rooms, grumbling and muttering to himself.
"Hello, Master," Janus said softly, letting his power and confidence edge his words.
Ozzie bobbed in the air, mouth working soundlessly for a few moments. "B-boy!" he finally squeaked out.
"You seem surprised. Did you really think I wouldn't come back?"
Now fully over his shock, Ozzie sneered. "Of course I knew you'd come back, boy! I've taught you everything, and I knew you'd want to return."
"Of course I would," Janus agreed easily, sitting in one of the chairs around the room.
Ozzie lowered himself into the large couch, which groaned under the weight. "So, ah… I suppose you should get some sort of recognition for managing to return. Did you walk all the way?"
"The desert is lovely this time of year," Janus nodded. "Lady Flea's girl actually proved to be a help," he added, laying the groundwork for the next part of his plan.
"She's back too?" Ozzie asked, realizing that Janus was controlling this conversation. "Something should be done for her, then…."
Perfect, Janus thought. Now all he had to do was… "We are Mazoku. It's time we were recognized as such."
Ozzie's green face paled at Janus' statement. This wasn't the first time the boy had brought that up, but the Maou knew that this time he wouldn't be put off. "I… well, I suppose that would be right for you, boy, but surely the girl… She's only been here for a year, I mean!"
Janus let a small amount of power leak from his right hand. Smokey black tendrils of shadow magic stretched from his hand, climbing up his arm, reaching towards Ozzie. Casually, almost as though he were unaware of the frightening display he was making, Janus said, "She is Mazoku. I am Mazoku. Do whatever you need to, but make it recognized."
With a desperate swallow, Ozzie nodded. The boy was out of control, and not for the first time Ozzie had the premonition that he might be 'training' his own replacement. "I will arrange it, but it's her choice to go through with it or not!" he agreed, trying to keep back any clause that might help salvage this situation.
Secure in the promise Lyn had given him, Janus nodded generously. "Of course it's her choice." Pulling his power back in, the boy stood and started walking to his room. After a few steps, he stopped and half-turned toward the green Maou. "We'll be recognized by the end of the week, I expect." It wasn't a question, and he didn't wait for the answer.
"Who's there?" Flea asked from the library when Lyn walked in.
"It's me, Mistress," Lyn answered, almost sighing.
Flea came into the foyer, surprise on her pretty face. "Girl? I thought you were dead! How did you get back?"
"We walked, Mistress. Jan- the Maou's boy was able to open the cave," Lyn answered wearily.
Flea nodded, noticing how tired Lyn seemed. "Don't worry about it anymore, girl. Come to bed. You've been missed."
Lyn had barely dressed the next morning when the outer door to Flea's chambers was opened. Looking confused, Flea pulled on a robe and went to meet the intruder, Lyn trailing after. "M-Maou Ozzie! What- brings you here this early, sir?" Flea gasped.
"Your girl," Ozzie answered, seeming irritated about something.
Flea stiffened slightly, but moved to one side, giving Ozzie free access to Lyn. Without being told, Lyn walked past her Mistress. Maou Ozzie was not like she had expected. She had thought he would look more like Lizard in the tapestries, lean and fit. Instead, he was at least as wide as he was tall, and his head was only on eye level because he was floating.
Stopping a couple paces from the Maou, Lyn slowly gave a bow. "S-sir?"
Ozzie looked at the girl curiously. She didn't look like much, and he couldn't imagine that a girl like her could have survived in enemy lands, let alone be ready to call herself Mazoku. Well, that was all for the better; she would say no, and the boy would learn that not everything would go the way he planned. "My boy says you want to be Mazoku."
Lyn frowned slightly, trying to guess what Janus would have told Ozzie to make him think that. Sure, the boy had said that he was going to be Mazoku, but why would he think she would? She wasn't Human, but that didn't mean she was going to follow Janus'… And then she froze, remembering the last request Janus had made.
"Well, girl? You're wasting my time. Was the boy lying to me or what?" Ozzie asked impatiently.
She didn't want to be Mazoku… did she? But that didn't matter right now. She had given Janus a promise. "He was not lying, sir. He never lies."
Ozzie narrowed his eyes, trying to figure this girl out. "So you'll join him in the Trial?"
"I will join him," Lyn answered, not hesitating this time.
"So be it," Ozzie snapped, seemingly more irritated than before. Looking away from Lyn, he said, "Flea?"
Flea stepped forward and nodded once. "I'll take care of it, sir."
His business apparently finished, Ozzie left, muttering to himself. Flea turned and gave Lyn a long look before sighing. It was inevitable, really, she supposed, but that didn't mean it wasn't annoying to be loosing her slave like this.
"M-mistress?" Lyn asked softly, unsettled by the look Flea was giving her.
Flea shook her head, silencing the girl. "Don't ask questions; I can't give the answers."
It was only a couple of days later that Flea was told to take action. She opted for a sleeping spell, knocking Lyn out before the girl knew she was in danger. Carrying the sleeping girl down to the dungeon area, Flea hopped she would survive this trial.
Hehe. Next chapter, the Trial. How'd you like Ozzie?