Chrono Continuum Chapter 49
Fashion Sense
By Cain
Pre-Time
Lucca stepped out of the gate. Something had been very different about going through Magus' gate. It had been a bumpy ride, to say the least. She looked at her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was the bright golden light everywhere. The second thing she noticed was that Frog and Glenn had stepped out of the gate behind her. They looked lost, and Lucca was sure she didn't feel much different.
And then a dark form appeared before them. The light blurred their view of him. "Who are you," Lucca asked.
The form bowed. "My name, my dear lady, is Thanatos, and it is a pleasure to meet you in person. But I must say your fashion sense is changing more every time I see you." Before Lucca could reply, Thanatos turned, and began to walk away, without another word. The three were quick to follow.
Their eyes, once out of the tunnel, were greeted with a golden place of beauty, floating in the golden emptiness. Several humanoid shapes were standing around a fountain, and Thanatos was waiting for the three Travelers to come closer.
No sooner had they got there, when they were assailed by a shout, "Lucca, Frog!" And one of the forms jumped at them. Their eyes had yet to adjust, so they were wary of this form, but had no time to defend themselves. Although they soon realized that they had no need to.
"I'd recognize that hug anywhere," Lucca managed, through gritted teeth. "Hey, Ayla."
The cave woman put them both down, and got a really good look at the both of them, and vice versa. "Wow. You not same, Lucca," she noted. She looked down at Frog. "You still same, Frog. Look tasty as ever," she kidded, making reference to the first time they'd met. She looked at the amused man behind them. "Who this? Look strong, like Crono."
Glenn, realizing she was talking about him, bowed. "I, dear lady, am Sir Glenn, Knight of the Square Table."
She raised an eyebrow. "You talk funny, like Frog."
Lucca laughed, while the two Glenns looked hurt. "That's because, in a way, he is Frog. But we can get to that later. It's good to see you, Ayla. Who else is here," she asked.
Ayla nodded, still excited. She moved away, and let the three travelers onto the main platform. The first person they got a good look at was Thanatos. He had on an impossibly black suit, impossibly shiny buttons, and an impossibly wide smile. Next they saw a robot.
"Who is that," Frog asked.
But Lucca didn't need to ask. She knew. "Robo," she yelled happily, and ran up to hug him, like Ayla had. Robo beeped. She pulled back, and looked him over. "Robo, what happened to you."
Robo beeped. "I've been remodeled, Lucca. Do you like it? I can see you don't. Well, after this is all over, perhaps we can change it."
"Well, it's not all bad," Lucca decided.
"True," Frog told him. "It looks more battle ready than your old one."
Robo shrugged. "We'll talk about it later." He turned to Glenn. "Your name is Glenn, yes? Perhaps you are an alternate of Frog's, one that never met up with Magus?"
Glenn's mouth dropped open. "How didst thou know?"
Robo beeped. "It was the logical explanation. I assume you know our story?"
"To some extent. Many of the things Lucca hath told me art beyond mine capacities, I fear."
"Oh. Well, I'll do my best to explain. I am an instructor, after all."
Meanwhile, Lucca had turned to the next nearest person. "Who are you," she asked the middle-aged man.
He smiled. "My name is Geddicus, but you can call me Gedd, and I'm quite the accomplished tinkerer and inventor."
Lucca raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, we'll see who's the tinkerer and inventor around here."
Gedd couldn't help but smile. Then he looked at Frog, and jumped back slightly. "What are you?"
Frog shook his head. "The question, dear sir, is "Whom". 'Tis a long story, mine, and one for another day."
"No, I'd really like to know how you came to be."
While Frog started to explain his past to Gedd, Lucca looked around, for anyone else.
"Looking for someone," Thanatos asked.
Lucca looked at him. "I was hoping to see one of three people here."
A voice spoke up behind her, "Like me?"
Lucca spun around, and gasped in surprise. "Corea, you're all right," she exclaimed. The two hugged (a lot of that going on in this chapter, huh?). Lucca pulled back. "What happened to you?"
Corea smiled. "Time traveling can be hard on a girl. You should know that better than anyone."
At this point, Thanatos decided to speak up. "Well, this is a happy reunion for many of you. And you all have stories to tell. But that will have to wait."
"Why's that," Lucca asked.
"Well, in case you haven't noticed, several of you aren't quite dressed appropriately for an adventure. And I just happen to have quite a complete wardrobe."
Lucca smiled. Thanatos had a point.
Thanatos gestured, and a door appeared on one edge of the main platform. "You all should have outfits laid out in that room. If you don't like it, let me know."
Lucca's eyebrows drew downward. "How can you do all this? Where are you from?"
"Oh, here and there," he answere cryptically. "Now, go, go. You'll learn everything you need to later."
Lucca shrugged, realizing she'd get no more out of him, walked over to the room. When she got inside, she found that it was a rather small room. An outfit hung on hangers on a coat rack-type stand. It looked a lot like the outfit that she had worn twenty years ago, with a few alterations. For one thing, it had more room in the chest, for obvious reasons. Also, the boots were now long enough to reach up to her knees. The green body suit she normally wore under her shirt was gone. All in all, she guessed it looked more attractive. It also had a headpiece, and a new pair of glasses. Thanatos had thought of everything. She picked up the headpiece, and listened to it. "Note to self: Invent straps to secure seats. Uhhh... Seatbelts." It was the same message she had left on it before she had lost it. How did he know?
She changed, but didn't discard all of her former garments. She kept the bullet gun, and put it in her tool belt.
She came out, and waited for a response. Gedd whistled. Everyone else was engrossed in conversation.
Corea was the next to change. When she came out, she looked brand new. She was prepared for battle. She wore a light blue skirt, with knee-length armored boots. An ornate belt held held twin metal rods, to replace her arnis sticks. Silver armor covered her upper body like a second skin, with large shoulder pads. Metal elbow-length armbands adorned her lower arms. Her head was about the only unarmored part of her, sporting a simple blue headband, similar to her father's.
Frog declined to change, but Glenn felt it might be a good idea. When he came back out, he was wearing green pants with simple leather boots. His belt held an ornate sheath for the Masamune. He wore a green shirt, and armor that clasped around his shoulders, to protect his chest and back. Iron gauntlets fit his hands perfectly, and his green hair pulled back into a pony tail. This time, Lucca whistled jokingly. Glenn bowed.
Next was Geddicus. When he came out, he was wearing simple grey sleeveless jumpsuit with balck boots. A white bandanna hid his grey hair. A tool belt was the only interesting part of his outfit.
"Where's your weapon," Lucca asked.
Gedd smiled. "I don't need weapons. I'm a pretty good martial artist."
Lucca nodded. Good. He wouldn't be useless.
At this point, Thanatos cleared his throat. "That reminds me," he announced. "I've also got another room that might be of interest to some of you."
"What would that be," Corea asked.
Thanatos gestured, and another door appeared. Gedd, being closest, walked over to it, and opened it. He gasped. He turned to the others. "It's a tech equipment room."
Lucca turned to Robo. "That means we can remodel you, if you want us to."
Robo thought silently for a moment. Then he nodded. "Yes, I think I would prefer my old body to this, although some of these adjustments are beneficial. We'll see which ones we should scrap, and which we should keep."
Gedd spoke up, "And I've got something I've been thinking of making for a while." He turned to Thanatos. "You really are a marvel, Thanatos. What would we do without you?"
Thanatos shrugged. "Die?"
.
You can't give up now! There ain't no gettin' off of this train we on!
- Barret Wallace
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