Chrono Continuum Chapter 9
Background Assistants
By Cain
602 AD
Lucca sat there, stunned. She couldn’t believe that Glenn was here. She had been certain that he wouldn’t. Frog would. What if Frog’s been erased? The thought froze her in place. Frog had been a very close friend, and the idea that he was gone was almost enough to make her cry. She looked closely at Glenn. Wow. He’s really handsome. Lucca shook that thought out of her head, and finally managed to stutter, "H-h-hello... Glenn." She tried to smile, but she feared that it didn’t come off quite right. Glenn nodded, and walked through the door. Cyrusa closed the door behind him, and they both pulled up chairs next to the bed Lucca was sitting on. Glenn smiled. Man, he’s cute.
"I fear that thou knowest mine name, and yet I hath not that knowledge of thee. Prithee, what wouldst thou be named, dear Lady?" Lucca had to take a moment to go back to processing the Olde English through her mind. The moment was so fast that no one noticed it. She replied, hesitantly, "I, sir, am the Lady Lucca." On a whim, she held out her hand for him to shake. Glenn took hold of it, leaned forward, and kissed it. Lucca furiously fought a blush, and Cyrusa smiled as she noticed. Information, information, information, she concentrated. She realized that this was how Frog would have turned out, were it not for Magus. That took her blush away quickly, the thought of her friend most likely lost for ever.
She leaned back, and Glenn did as well, and fully introduced himself, "I am Sir Glenn, Captain of the Guardian Resistance Knights. Sitting before you, as well, is the Lady Cyrusa, daughter of one of the war’s greatest heroes, and a fair damsel that I wouldst court if only her mother were to allow it." This time Cyrusa blushed. "And, might I add, it becomes a great boon to my life to meet any who are befriended to my Lady Cyrusa. Might I inquire of thee where and how thou comest to us?" Lucca could see that the question held some suspicion in it. He might believe that she was a spy, or some such thing. I did react like I recognized him. Damn.
Lucca fumbled for an answer, and thought of several. Someone from a foreign land here to help in the war against Magus. He might not exist. Whatever war they were in right now. I don’t know what it’s about. A merchant who was ambushed. A merchant from where? An ambassador. From where and whom? An envoy from the Mystics. Hmmm... it’ll work. She announced, "I am from the Mystic Lands to meet with the leader of the... Guardian Resistance." Glenn raised a green eyebrow. Lucca answered his question before he asked it, "The magician Flea put a spell on me so that I look human if I’m in the presence of humans. Watch, I can use magic." She concentrated on the latent fireplace across the room, and the logs burst into flame. Glenn heard the noise and looked back to the fireplace. Cyrusa jumped up in surprise. She stuttered, "Why Madame Lucca, I had no idea that you were a Mystic, or that you knew the great Flea." Lucca smiled inwardly. "Please, allow me and Glenn to summon an escort to the fortress." Lucca was about to reply, but Glenn turned back with another question.
"Cyrusa, how didst thou find Madame Lucca?" Cyrusa looked a little surprised at the question, but answered anyway, "I went outside, and I saw a flash. I went, very bravely, to see what it had been, and I found the Lady Lucca lying on the ground, unconscious." Glenn nodded as he assimilated this information, and he turned to Lucca. He posed yet another question, "Madame Lucca, I know not yet how thou ended up upon the ground, and I wonder, wouldst thou privilege us for thy reason for seeing Sir Guardia?"
"That’s classified. I mean, I’m supposed to talk only to Guardia. I can, however, tell you how I got here, if it interests you." Glenn waited for her to continue. I don’t remember Frog being this inquisitive... or might this be suspicion. She quickly thought up the tale, "I was in a carriage being driven by a fellow Mystic under a spell like mine, when ten... no, about fifteen humans in dark clothing came into our path. They used magic on us," she was assuming that there might be rumors of such people, if there weren’t actually any magic-using humans. "and quickly killed the mount and my driver. The spells were supposed to help us avoid detection, but these humans seemed to see right through them.
"Anyway, they used spells to destroy the coach, but I used the last of my energy to... uh, fly here. The flash was my spell ending." She was very pleased with her tale, and Glenn absorbed it all, nodding the whole time. Cyrusa seemed awed by the brave woman in her house. She’s not much like Cyrus. Lucca was pretty sure that Cyrus and Cyrusa were counterparts of different timelines. Glenn eventually seemed to come to a decision, and spoke.
"Madame Lucca, it seemeth to me that if these humans were to find that you had not died, or knoweth already, and merely searcheth for thee, then revealing thee would be quite perilous to thy life. Therefore, thy life would be better preserved if thou stayed at the home of Cyrusa, or myself if thou deemest it of necessity. What sayest thou, Madame Lucca?" Lucca was a little surprised at the invitation. He’d come to the most logical decision extremely fast, almost as if he already knew what to say. As if he knew the future, Lucca thought, a little worriedly. I’m glad I didn’t tell the truth. He might not really be Glenn. Her train of thought was halted as she saw the glint of light from above Glenn’s shoulder. He had a leather baldric strapped to his body, and the sheath was as big as Frog’s had been. But the fact that Glenn was a swordsman wasn’t as interesting as his choice of weaponry.
The hilt of a sword protruded from the top of the sheath. Once again, not surprising. But Lucca was very interested in the hilt. Metal runes from times long past were engraved on one side of it. They looked very familiar. Glenn looked straight at her. She was about to ask if she could see the sword, but he pulled it out before she could ask. He flipped it expertly, and caught it by the blade, holding the hilt toward Lucca. Lucca snatched it as Cyrusa looked back and forth between them, confused. Lucca examined the ancient runes very carefully. ME... L... CHI... O... R... MELCHIOR. It’s the... "Masamune," she said, unintentionally aloud. She looked at Glenn. He shrugged.
"They did, indeed, tell me the blade was named thus, the Masamune." Lucca almost jumped up into his face.
"Who told you that the blade-the sword was named the Masamune?" Glenn looked at her coolly, and replied, "P’raps thou shouldst stay in mine abode. Thou seemest distressed to some point, my lady. You shall stay with myself until thy temperament cools. And then, will I tell thee of the man of little stature in the green cape." Lucca almost fainted at what, she was almost certain, was an allusion to Frog. Glenn gently took the sword back from her and easily sheathed it. She barely noticed. Cyrusa was becoming very confused, and a bit distressed.
"Glenn," she whispered, and her lifetime friend turned to her, "what are you two talking about? I get the feeling that you know something that you’re not telling me." Glenn sighed. He eventually responded, "Fear not, dear lady, for I will tell thee, the day it all becometh clearer to myself. Until that day, I knoweth little more than thee." Cyrusa nodded, still confused, but decided that her friend, and a man to boot, knew what was best, and accepted that. Lucca had heard little of the whispered conversation, but had seen Cyrusa’s simple acceptance. It was hard to believe the difference between her and her male counterpart, Cyrus.
Glenn soon turned to Lucca, and announced, to Lucca’s delight, "I knoweth not the stomach of you or Cyrusa, but I feel as if no food hath come to myself in many a day. Cyrusa, wouldst thou do us the honor of cooking us a meal fit for our guest?" Cyrusa smiled and replied, "It would be a pleasure. Glenn, why don’t you go and fetch some wood for the stove, and we shall let Lucca rest." Glenn nodded, and immediately went to the task. Cyrusa glanced once more towards the shaken woman with the spectacles, and went to the stove, finding flour and fruit along the way. Lucca just sat and thought. She didn’t know what it all meant, but she was certain it affected her in some major way.
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Same Time
Gaspar closed the scanner and breathed a sigh of relief. He looked behind him to Lucca. She was wearing a very short skirt and a tank top. She had all of her tools in a tool belt, which she said was very comfortable, compared to keeping them in her shirt. She had a long scar along one side of her face that her machines couldn’t heal correctly. She was certain that she could alter her machines to fix the scar, but they hadn’t had the time. She looked at him expectantly.
"Well," she asked in a slightly raspy voice, caused by all the screaming, "how’s it going?" Gaspar sighed, and replied, "So far, so good. It doesn’t look like this is going to cause a paradox." Lucca ignored just about everything he said about paradoxes.
"Yeah, but how are things going there?"
"Oh, that. Well, you’ve seen the Masamune and recognized it. I hope Glenn does his part." Lucca breathed a sigh of relief. He continued, "It’s not over yet. We don’t know what we’ve caused. What happens here could be worse than what happened to us. And besides, there’s a lot more we’ll need to do before we can insure victory. And some of us still might die anyway. We’ve got to be prepared to try this again and again if it doesn’t work."
"If we survive that long. He’s still after us, and we can’t run forever," Melchior cut in. He looked awful, but they hadn’t had the time or magical power to try to regenerate his arm. Gaspar sighed.
"We might have to."
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Same Time
That was delicious, Lucca thought. She didn’t know how Cyrusa could cook so well without all the proper spices and technology, but she did. Oh, how she does, indeed. Glenn looked satisfied as well, and Cyrusa just looked pleased that they had liked it so. Although the amount they ate, together, would require her to replenish most of her larder. Still, it was very rewarding.
Glenn eventually stood and announced, "It seemest that it becometh dark soon. I fear that all should have to retire soon. Cyrusa, we shall leave thee to thy rest, having two guests at once, and Madame Lucca, you and I shall retire to mine home." He held his hand out to Lucca, who accepted, and he led her out the door. Cyrusa relaxed in her chair, but had trouble sleeping that night. Glenn would, hopefully, know enough to tell her what was going on tomorrow.
Glenn led Lucca along a simple dirt path. Lucca wondered how Glenn knew what he knew about her, and who had simply given him the Masamune. But most of all, she wondered about his allusion to, most likely, Frog. Could he still be alive? And if he was, how could he and Glenn exist along the same timeline? Glenn seemed to be concentrating on the path, and probably wouldn’t tell her anything before they got to his home. She idly wondered of he was planning anything un-gentleman-like. She looked him up and down as she followed him. She almost hoped so. She soon realized that if this Glenn was at all like Frog had been, (he was so far) then that was probably out of the question. She examined him again, but snapped her eyes back up when he looked back to see if she was still following. Too bad, she thought, a bit wistfully.
Glenn suddenly stopped, and jumped to the left off the path, sliding down a steep embankment. Sunset was coming soon, Lucca saw. How romantic. Glenn yelled up, "Ho!" Lucca almost got mad until she remembered that "ho" meant "hello," or "come." She stepped off the side, and tripped on a root. She lost her footing and launched off of the hill. She was about to hit the ground face first when Glenn jumped up and caught her. He still landed on his back, but her fall was broken. He got up with her still in his arms. She smiled.
"Thank you, Glenn." He smiled back. They stayed there, he holding her up, until his eyes opened wide and he dropped her unceremoniously on her feet. He looked away and mumbled something about her being welcome and him being her humble servant, good lady, and began to walk off, expecting her to follow. She did, keeping pace as best she could in the dress.
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Same Time
" ‘Thank you, Glenn’? That was the best you could do," Melchior kidded Lucca. The raspy-voiced woman responded, "Hey, it wasn’t like that. And you know it. Right, Gaspar?" Gaspar was silent a moment. He finally responded.
"Why didn’t you kiss him?" His response was a slap to the back of his head, followed by another head-slap to a laughing Melchior.
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Same Time
They finally came to a small, simple house. About time, Lucca thought. My feet are killing me. Glenn opened the door, and bowed to Lucca, holding the door open for her. She nodded her thanks and walked into a dark house. The sun was almost gone, now, and the house was a little creepy. Glenn soon entered and walked to a table. He pulled out a tinderbox, and had lit the candle on the center of the table in a few moments. The light flickered and cast shadows throughout the main room. There was a clutter of books in one area of the room, and the faint smell of tobacco was in the room. It wasn’t a very dirty place, but it wasn’t even close to being considered neat. It was somehow even a little romantic. Oh, everything’s romantic to you right about now. As long as you’re in the same area as an attractive man, you’re like this. Glenn turned to her.
"There, Lucca, is the bedroom," he pointed toward a door. "And I assumeth thou wouldst appreciate knowing the source of my knowledge of thee." Lucca nodded. "He told me thou wouldst. Very well. Let me just tell you that I am to show this note," he pulled a note from off the table, "to you." Lucca was surprised that Frog had known she was coming. "I knoweth not, however, what the section of the note written to thee speaks of. I shall alloweth thee to read the note, now, and, truly, I would like to know what it speaketh of, if I may. Here it is." He handed her a note. Lucca was surprised to see that it was in her handwriting, and it wasn’t in Olde English. Maybe it wasn’t from Frog.
To Glenn,
This sword is known as the Masamune. It is very special. Hold it dear. It can save your life. In five days, you will visit Cyrusa. You will bring gifts and beg her to court you, although her mother won’t be there to see the display. She will introduce you to a woman named Lucca. She will give you a tale of being a Mystic. It is not true. She is a magic-using human, but is not one of the Kingdom. She is your ally. Trust her. She should recognize the Masamune. Show it to her if she doesn’t. Make sure she sees the runes on the hilt. I am sad to say, however, that in the coming adventure you will likely be involved in, you will probably lose all you hold dear, and possibly your life. I know you to be a man of honor, and I trust you will do the right thing. This next segment of the letter is to Lucca. You won’t know what it’s about, so whether you read it or not isn’t important. Please, let her read this.
To Lucca,
Hello, Lucca. This is you. More specifically, a future you. Notice I said a future you. If our plans work out right, your future will work out much better than ours did. Seeing as how anything could change because of this, I can’t give you much advice. That, and Gaspar’s afraid that some of this information could be dangerous for you to have too early. We’ve given Frog our Masamune. He is unaffected by the time waves for various reasons. Those reasons have given him immunity to the point where a second Glenn has appeared. There is no conflict between their realities because of how seriously different Frog is from Glenn. Frog\ is \alive. You’ll have to find him, in this time, our a few days prior, I’m not sure. If you can get back to timestream traveling, you’ll need to try to replicate our actions. After giving Frog our Masamune, we told him to find Glenn in the Blue Carriage Inn. We’re not sure how, but he should have given Glenn the Masamune. What happened to him after we met him isn’t important, because you will meet him instead of us meeting him. You’ll have to go back several timelines to find him in the one you’re in.
Most of your friends are safe, for now. I don’t know your future circumstances, but you might be able to save more of them than I did. You can do this, Lucca. I almost did.
Lucca looked up at Glenn. He looked back at her.
"Well," he prompted. Lucca sighed. She began, "All right, first of all, I was born in the year 983 AD. I did, and do spend a lot of my time creating new, and usually useful inventions. Now, when I was seventeen, I created a thing I called a Telepod, or two of them. My best friend was Crono, and he had just met a girl who told him her name was Marle..." And so she went on, telling Glenn the story, and answering any questions he asked her along the way. She stayed up with him half the night. Well, she thought, I got half of my wish.
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Same Time
"Good," Lucca breathed, in a sigh of relief. "She’s telling him what he needs to know. He had to get me drunk before I told him what she’s telling him. And at least she knows what she’s telling him. I think I spent five minutes talking about my bra."
"Really," Melchior said, one eyebrow raised. "Hey, Gaspar, fire up the Epoch. We’ve got an alternate timeline to go to." Gaspar snorted and tried to get some sleep, while Lucca gave a disgusted, but slightly amused look, and went back to studying the scanner. Melchior sympathized with Gaspar and soon fell asleep himself.
"Sleep well," Lucca whispered. "We’ve got a lot more work to do."
.
"For if you knew who stood with you, how could you be afraid?"
God, The Bible, I can’t remember which book (Sorry... really)
.