Lost and Found

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance

Rating: PG-13

Setting: Post-game

Spoiler warning: This takes place during and after the new ending of the DS version and also mentions the new ultimate weapons. If you have NOT finished the new ending yet, turn back now!

NOTE: For those who thought the last part was a little rushed, it's been updated, and this part was created as extra.

Extra Part

"These are…" Serge whispered breathlessly.

"The steps of Sky Dragon Isle?" Steena managed to get out. "This… how is…?"

Guile waited until he was sure neither of the two were going to continue stammering, before he spoke. "Do not forget; this tower rose from the depths with Sky Dragon Isle. It is not that we are now walking on the steps of the Isle, but it is the steps of Terra Tower that we had walked on at Sky Dragon Isle."

Serge and Steena looked at him curiously, before looking to each other for a moment. After a few moments, they only nodded and once more focused on ascending the steep staircase.

The voices that screamed out around them were haunting, but they pressed on regardless. And after what felt like a short eternity, they stood upon the large platform where, once, they had found the Sky Dragon, waiting for them until they had gathered the other five Relics from the other Dragon Gods.

That felt like an eternity now…

The once grassy surface had made place for a smooth, stone surface, gorgeous mosaic-like patterns carved into it. And in the center, there stood an oval pedestal, with a dark orb hovering above it.

Cautiously, they approached the pedestal, hands resting on their weapons. Upon reaching it, though, the orb flashed red, revealing that there were multiple grooves engraved in it. They pulsed a violent red color, as if in response to the trio's arrival… and then the center slid open, and two yellow eyes glared out through an opening that almost resembled a parrot's beak.

That stare made them all freeze on the spot, even as the top unfurled and multiple fire-red, wavy spikes curled out from it, each 'flame' adorned with an eye of its own. Only when it pulsed once more could they move again.

"This… this is it…" Serge choked out, recalling his vision way back in Viper Manor when he had stared into the Dragon Tear. "The… The Frozen Flame…"

"So this is… this is that THING's energy?" Steena whispered, before she tightened her hold on her sword. "Then… we have to destroy it!"

But before she could strike the gem, Guile blocked the blade with his staff. "If I may, Steena, I do not believe that to be a wise idea." Before Steena could retort, he said: "What if, upon hitting this, you'll unleash its energy? We have no idea what will happen when we try."

"But-"

"He's right, Steena; we're talking about something that can take out an entire army of Dragoons, including the 4 Devas… It's… I'm sorry, but it's just too risky."

Steena didn't seem to like that, but she stepped down nonetheless.

Guile allowed a slow nod, before he looked to the Frozen Flame again –

"CYRUS!" the boy's voice shouted even as he smashed his hand, surrounded by electricity, into the older knight's chest. The jolt of electricity caused his limbs to spasm unnaturally, and he could almost swear he could pick up the erratic, irregular beating of his heart as the knight was thrown back.

Guile's eyes snapped open in horror at the sudden image burned onto his retina's. While a person being electrocuted in front of him shouldn't have bothered him so much, the fact that he was looking through the eyes of whoever had electrocuted the man made his blood run cold.

He stepped forward as the remains of the knight burnt to ashes, with the boy still crying on his knees despite the wound inflicted on his side. "Hmph. What's wrong?" he called out tauntingly, staring down at the boy as though he were no more than a cockroach, waiting to be squished. "Aren't you going to come at me?"

The boy choked as he backed off, staring up at him in horror, his face almost deathly pale.

A loud cackle rang out from beside him, but he didn't look back to it. "Like a frog glared at by a snake! Youngsters these days." There was a brief pause, before: "Well, how 'bout it, Magus? Why not change his form into something more suitable?"

He didn't reply right away, but then a slow smirk spread over his face. "Heh… very well. I'll abolish all those who stand in my way. Without exception!" he said, and brought up his hand.

Guile screamed and clutched his head in pain.

"Guile?" Serge and Steena rushed to his side as he collapsed to his knees. "Guile, what's wrong?"

"Guile, please! Tell us what's wrong!"

"N-n-n-no! NOOO! STOP! STOP IT! I-I-I'm not… I-I… I'm not! STOOOOP!"

The blast of magical energy that erupted from his hand slammed into the boy's chest, making him scream out in agony. In his blind agony, he stumbled away from them… and then he fell right off the ledge with a final scream of suffering that only made his smirk grow into a bloodthirsty grin.

"Gyah hah hah! You spineless wimp!"

…They say that if you stare into the flame… the flame will stare back at you…

"Da zuma lafwa roh laira…" he chanted softly, the words reverberating in the room. "Be spun betwixt heaven and earth… In exchange for this world's life…"

"MAGUS!"

…And of course, cue the 'heroes' with the damn perfect timing. But that voice, not to mention that feeling of magic that was all too familiar… Ah. Right.

"Oh… that frog from the other time…?" he asked, almost lazily, despite how he had to struggle to not grind his teeth in anger. He was almost there. He was this close! "How's your life been after that?"

"I'm grateful," said the frog, actually surprising him, despite that he didn't show it. "It's because of such a form…" He paused to pull out a sword from its scabbard. "That's I have what I've got!"

…! That energy… it couldn't be… it should have been destroyed… he snapped that blade in half 10 years ago…

"Oh… the Grandleon? Hmph. But this time, those of the earth had better not hinder me," he spoke simply. No sooner had he said that, or a familiar wind started brewing, sending an all too familiar shiver down his spine. "The Black Wind has begun to howl…"

A smirk played on his face as he spoke again. "Very well… come at me…" he said, before he whipped around with his scythe in hand. "If it's death you seek!"

'This isn't me…!' Guile couldn't even hear the voices of his friends as he struggled to shove away the visions swimming through his head. They hurt, and they made his heart pound viciously in his chest. 'This can't be me…! I… I would never… I'd never…!'

But then a sound pierced through his skull that made him scream bloody murder.

It wasn't anything of this world… but it was a sound that made him shake in fright like a child…

It was…

That sound… that screech… it was…

…it was…

…Lavos…

"How long have I waited impatiently for this day's coming?" he whispered softly, a pleased, but bloodthirsty grin on his face, before he discarded the cloak he had worn during his entire visit. "It's been a while… Lavos…" he said icily. "On that far-off day, I swore… To crush you by my hand! Even if it comes to losing everything for that sake! Finally… the time to fulfill that oath has come!"

'But… I couldn't do it… I couldn't match ITS power…' Guile felt water trickling from his eyes, but he couldn't reach up to stop them. 'I couldn't… I couldn't save… couldn't save her… Sis… Schala…'

"If I strain the last of my pendant's power, I can probably at least transfer all of you above ground." She looked away, biting her lip sadly. "Though I don't expect them to be forgiven… Please, my mother… This country… Don't hate them." She turned back to them and said: "I'm sorry…! Now, to the surface!"

As she began to chant, he climbed back up to shaky legs and opened his mouth to speak… but nothing came out. He couldn't say it… it was on the tip of his tongue but the words… they just wouldn't come. As much as he wished for them to be said… they refused to leave his throat.

And then the moment had passed and his vision of the darkened room faded away as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

…For every piece of bad luck… a ray of good luck will shine on you some day…

"Wait…! You're… you're that boy… Janus…!"

He only stared at the girl wordlessly. There was no use denying it now; they probably could've figured it out on their own eventually, anyway. His hair was a dead giveaway, to begin with, and his magic was the second clue. And besides, how else would he have known how and when everything was to happen in the Kingdom?

Rather than respond to that, he turned back around to face the ocean. And he wondered… would it be cold if he were to 'accidentally' fall down… or would the cliffs kill him before he could notice?

"I went on living… thinking only of beating IT…" he spoke softly. "I was swallowed in the swirl IT made, fell into the Middle Ages, and since then…" He snorted. That part was history. "You just had to get in the way of my summoning of Lavos in my castle… Hah…" He laughed haughtily then. "Who'd have guessed that, swallowed yet again in a dimensional swirl, it was this era I would reach… It's ironic…"

He paused to stare ahead of him to the slowly setting sun. "…Knowing history, I approached the queen as a prophet and waited to confront Lavos… But the results…"

The tension in the air told him that they all remembered.

"…Lavos's power is tremendous. Before IT, the Black Wind of Death blows fiercely against all…" Turning with a harsh frown that didn't reach his eyes, he spoke icily: "At this rate, you too will have the same fate… The same fate as 'Crono'."

"…! Wha! Don't you dare talk bad about my buddy, you-" the girl snarled out.

"He's dead!" he interrupted. "The weak die like worms! That is all…"

The girl growled angrily and pulled out her weapon, training it on him. "You arrogant pig!"

"…You would fight, here, now…?" he asked slowly, hand poised on his scythe, as though he had any intentions of fighting back. But he hadn't; all the fight had left him the moment he had woken up on that icy beach, let alone that Lavos had sucked up the majority of his magic power, leaving him with only the level two elemental spells, sans Dark Bomb. He had lost everything… twice. He had said it didn't matter, but his heart disagreed with that. It was important.

She looked ready to do it; her finger was itching on the trigger, and had already pulled back a bit… but then her fingers fell away…

"No…" she said finally, placing her weapon back. "If we fight you now… what good will that do us? It won't bring him back… won't bring anyone back."

'Wha… what! She… she's not going to… w-why?'

"Goodbye, Magus."

And with that, they just turned and left. Just like that; just turned and left.

Left alone once more, he only stared at them for a long moment, before he snarled angrily and turned back to the ocean. Once more, his gaze fell to the waters below as he stepped dangerously close to the edge. Wouldn't it be funny if the edge he was on right there would crumble just then and drag him down to hell?

That's where he belonged for all he did, anyway…

But the ledge did not crumble, no giant fish jumped up to gobble him up, or anything similar. That would've been too easy.

Slowly, he raised one foot and moved it forward, willing himself to take that one, final step into the abyss from whence he had come. But his body refused to make that step; his will was strong, but his body was stronger, pulling his leg back and planting his feet into the snow firmly.

"Damnit… I can't do anything right, can I?" he whispered. "I can't destroy a pitiful kingdom… I can't kill Lavos… I can't save Schala… and now I can't even kill myself! Damnit… I'm… I'm pathetic…"

But… some tiny part of him kept saying that… that there was still something he could do…

"…"

Turning his head quietly, he watched the group of three go. Could he really…? And… would they accept him…? Probably not… he had nothing to offer…

…or did he?

"…Gaspar… the Time Egg…!"

Realization dawning in his mind, he finally turned fully and took quick steps to catch up. "Wait!"

Guile choked when the pain finally stopped, panting for breath. His mind was racing to catch up to what he had learned and as much as he wanted to believe that he couldn't have done everything he had done in those visions, a distant part of his mind told him it was no use. He had lost his past, but it had found him once again, reminding him that there was no escape…

"Guile… are you…?" Serge's voice asked, and the illusionist looked up.

"I am all right; I was just… reminded of something when I looked into the flame. My apologies."

He couldn't tell them… it wasn't their problem. Once everything was over… then he would set everything right again.

He had to…

At the end of their "trip", Guile found that his memories were, once again, toyed with. At least… the memories concerning what had happened with… what was his name again? Oh well… That boy with the bandana. He still remembered the boy's face (partially), but his name had simply disappeared.

But one thing had not; his true memories…

Guile… Janus… or Magus…

Which of those three was he, really?

Guile had been an identity made to hunt down Lynx, and attempt to forget about the horrors he had faced. Losing Lucca, the orphans, and everyone that had mattered had made him resort to this. So, in all honesty, Guile was someone who didn't really exist.

Janus… He had only used that name when he was a child and when he had lost his memory. As a child, it was either said with reference by the older inhabitants of Zeal, or disgust by the other children. Even after he had decided to cover up his magic abilities, making it seem like he had no magic, the children he had 'attacked' with it hadn't forgotten. That was the main reason he had never had any real friends as a child…

But was he Janus…? He wasn't sure…

Magus… god… he didn't really want to think about that…

But there was no denying that he had spent most of his life as said mage. A past drenched in blood, and one he couldn't shake off. He couldn't even remember how many people he had killed while using that name. And yet he had never shook it off, never changed his name back or into something else… After all, it wasn't something he could let go of so soon.

When he had lost his memories, he had wanted to know his past at all cost… but now… he wished he didn't…

It only left him more confused than ever…

Who was he supposed to be now?

"Meooow!"

Surprised, he blinked at that and looked back. What he saw there, startled him beyond belief.

"…Alfador?" he whispered as a small, dark purple-furred cat walked over, meowing happily. "How did… where did you come from?" he asked as he bent down to pet the cat.

"Meeooow!"

As if responding to his questions, which he wouldn't find all that strange, the cat hurried off. Guile instantly ran to keep up. That cat was a lot smaller, but definitely no less faster than he was.

Soon enough, he found himself in an area he didn't recognize… or remembered. "…Where is this…?" he wondered, looking back the way he'd come. But again, he saw nothing he remembered. And now that he thought about it… he couldn't even remember most of the trip there.

How had he…?

"Janus!" a familiar voice suddenly screamed out, making him tense before he looked over.

"Lu…Lucca?"

The purple haired scientist was standing there with her hands on her hips and that cheeky smile on her face, glasses pushed up on her nose as usual. "What took you so long? Come on! Let's get going!"

He was about to ask, but then he noticed the other people standing a little further behind, obviously waiting. 'No way…'

"How did… what… huh?"

"Hey, c'mon, man! Let's get a move on!" Crono laughed, thumbing over his shoulder to wherever they were clearly planning to head off to.

"Go go go go!" Ayla cheered, making Marle giggle. "We go now! Have much much fun! Dance sing eat drink!"

A familiar beeping sound drew Guile's attention to the metallic, golden colored robot standing next to Ayla. "My sensors indicate it is high time to move ahead."

The only one of the group who had nothing to say was the green-haired man waiting and watching from behind Crono. He didn't remember him, but it wasn't really that hard to figure out who he was.

"…Where are we going?" he asked after a moment.

"Our next big adventure, of course!" Crono called out with a big grin.

Guile blinked in question, but when he looked at Lucca, she nodded and held out her hand to him.

For a long moment, he wasn't sure what to do, but then there was a mewl from near his feet. Upon looking to his feet, he noticed Alfador, a lazy cat smile on his face, before he tottered over to where the others stood.

His sense of logic was eating at him that this couldn't be right… there was just no way that this could be real…

But his heart clenched tightly at the sight of his old 'companions'.

Long ago, he would've claimed that he had only been alive until he had lost his sister. But after so long, he came to the realization that, the only time when he had ever felt truly alive… had been when he had been with the group of time travelers.

Chuckling softly, he shook his head. "Fine, if I must."

Without hesitation, he stepped forward and toward his old… 'friends', he supposed was the best word in this situation.

He didn't know what "new adventure" the group had planned, but he may as well enjoy the ride for however long it lasted.

After all; he'd been lost for long enough. It was high time he found himself again.

One thing to note about the North Cape scene; in the SNES and Playstation versions, Magus just faded out after you beat him the second time. However, in the DS version, he runs to the edge and is struck down by a bolt of lightning. Which clearly hints that Magus was pretty much suicidal at that point, since he most likely knew that his powers had been sucked dry by Lavos. I mean, he didn't have a chance at full power, why would he after having his energy drained?

Anyway, this part just came to me one day when I remembered that Guile actually does say something to the extent of "I'm not like that!" if he's first in line when approaching the Frozen Flame. I guess this was where they had intended to make the connection between Guile and Magus that never came about (and in the end did), but oh well.