Fan Fiction ❯ Never Ever in a Million Years ❯ Anyone but HIM!! ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Chrono Trigger or anything having to do with it. Happy?

"Robo, hand me that wrench." Lucca wiped her brow with a sweaty hand and grabbed the wrench from Robo's claw with the other. With a grunt of satisfaction she tightened the last bolt. Finally. It was done.

It was noon of the following morning, and, as promised, pretty much everybody was helping Lucca with the Epoch in some way. She was glad of the help. "Good thing I wasn't fazed by that asshole last night," she thought smugly, albeit being a little cross about the whole ordeal . But she didn't want to think about it. Instead she ran over to the campfire, where something was apparently cooking. No, not something. Jerky. Most definitely Jerky. That was all they had been carrying when the Epoch had crashed, anyway. Marle was experimenting with it.

Five minutes later the whole gang (well, except for Robo, who was present but for obvious reasons did not eat) was munching on the spicy stuff, which was apparently simmered in water with some kind of herb. It wasn't TOO bad, even Lucca had to admit. "Let's just hope her IQ is higher than I think and this plant doesn't turn out to be poisonous," she thought a little doubtfully.

"Well," said Crono cheerfully, "looks like we're okay. I guess after we're done eating we'll get in and head back to Truce."

"But wait!" exclaimed Marle, actually showing signs of intelligence. "Robo says that we're near Choras, right? We don't have to take extra time and come back. Why don't we just go and ask about Toma NOW?"

Frog agreed wholeheartedly. "It seemeth like a good idea, Lady Marle."

"My girl ALWAYS has good ideas," said Crono, giving her a quick kiss on the lips.

Feeling sick at just the plain corniness of it, Lucca pretended not to see. Not wanting people to notice the tears pricking the corners of her eyes, she quickly volunteered to be one of those that went to Choras.

***

Choras turned out to be only a few miles away. It was located in a valley that could be seen right from the edge of the forest. An hour and a half later, Lucca, Frog, and Marle (who, much to Lucca's disgust, had decided to accompany them) found themselves in a local pub sitting on the outskirts of town. It was a rickety affair, with bright patches of sun peeking through the thatched roof and the curtains being old and moth-eaten, but the place seemed to have a friendly, hometown vibe to it. The trio entered to both have a drink and to get some information on Toma, since they had no idea where to look.

The bar was almost full, it still being around the noon hour, but they managed to snag three stools at the counter. The middle-aged woman tending bar brought them what they ordered (for Frog it was ale and for Lucca and Marle it was pastries) and when there was a lull in the business, they asked her if Toma had been at his home lately.

"It's funny you ask, " she replied, putting a pitcher down on the counter. "He visited here maybe two days ago, said he was off to find the Rainbow Shell. Codswallop, I say! I say such a thing probably don't even exist!"

"Where be he headed, madam?" inquired Frog, sipping his ale. "Did he mention?"

She thought about this for a moment, and replied, "The talk is he's headed to Pamall, something about that big beastly island up northwest. Now what's it called…Giant's Claw? Yeah, Giant's Claw! He believes the shell is in that area. As I said, codswallop! He'll find nothing because it ain't real!"

"Where's Pamall?" Marle asked, ignoring her opinionated air.

"Oh, it's a fishing village up north, dear. Toma likely thought he could get him a boat to Giant's Claw from there. Oh, excuse me…" She hustled off to the kitchen in the back.

"Geez, what was HER problem?" Marle huffed. "Isn't Toma supposed to be famous or something?"

Lucca rolled her eyes at Marle's stupidity. "Really, Marle, you believe EVERYTHING Toma brags about?! He's mostly just talk. Back in our time I've never even heard of him. It's just that he might have leads on the Shell but can't reach it."

***

After stocking up on things like mid-tonics, revives, and food other than Jerky, the three headed back to camp. It took a little bit of work relocating the whereabouts of the Epoch, but with Frog and Lucca's combined knowledge (forget Marle), they got there safely. Upon their return, everyone gathered around to hear about Toma.

"So let me get this straight," said Crono, scratching his head. "Toma's headed for Pamall, a town northwest of there. From there he'll probably catch a boat to Giant's Claw, an island even further northwest. Does he know for sure if the Shell's there?"

"I already told you," Lucca replied, "we didn't talk directly to Toma. He left this area a few days ago. The only way we'll learn anything for sure is if we follow him."

Crono sat down on a nearby rock. "Well, I guess we have no choice, then. We'll have to pick a party and head for Giant's Claw. Hey, didn't we see an island or something on the way here, a little while before we crashed? Could that be it, maybe?"

Ayla pounded the ground with a fist. "Ayla see too!" she grunted. "Big island, with pointy mountain in middle. Big mountain there…"

Robo scanned his memory for a few seconds. "I seem to recall it, also. It was approximately 20 miles long and 17.5 miles wide. I would proceed there with extreme caution."

"He's right, you know," Crono said, shrugging. "Big mountain, out in the middle of nowhere. For all we know it could be a hideout for a gang of thieves."

"Let's take four people instead of three," Marle chipped in. "I'd even say that all seven of us should go, but what if a lot of unfriendly people DO live there? We'll be spotted if there's a lot of us." She fell silent for a moment but then piped up again, "But I want to be one of the four. You're NOT leaving me behind this time!"

Lucca was about to point out that, unlike her, Marle had HARDLY ever been left behind at the End of Time, but Crono's next reply crowded out any of her present thoughts. "Yeah, seems like a good idea. I'll come too. And as for the other two people that would come with us…how about you, Frog? After all, you're the one from this time period."

Frog was currently sitting outside the circle, looking even greener than usual. "I shall have to pass up your request, Master Crono," he croaked in a slightly subdued voice. "You see, my stomach churns like a tempest. And I do not wish to hurl chunks at you or your friends, if you catch my meaning." He turned away from the rest of the group.

Lucca remonstrated, "Frog, I TOLD you not to eat any meat cooked in a bar! If you don't know the animal, don't risk it !" Talking at that moment was a fatal mistake, because, of course, for once Crono noticed her.

"Well then, how about you, Lucca?" he asked innocently.

Lucca inwardly groaned at the thought of spending a few days with Crono and Marle both together, but for Crono, she'd do anything. She put on her sweetest smile, and said in her most sincere voice, "Of course. I'd be GLAD to come along."

Crono smiled back. "Great!" Jerking his head over to the right, he added, "And as for one more person, um, um, how about you ("No!" thought Lucca. "No, no, NO! Oh please God, NO!"), Magus?" ("Aw, shit!") She had been avoiding him ever since the Epoch incident, and he knew it. Whenever she HAD to be near him, she stayed especially close to either Frog or Crono. Even then, she still had quite a few venomous glares being shot at her from his direction. And to be stuck for two days with not only Crono and Marle, but with HIM too, well, she might as well be writing her own obituary.

"Very well," said Magus, not looking too happy about it (he called all these extra tasks a "waste of time" and wanted to get straight to Lavos). "I want to start off immediately, though. I am NOT spending another night in this hellhole of a forest." No, he wasn't happy (heaven forbid if he ever was), but Lucca could have positively SWORN that for a few seconds she saw a crooked smile flit across his face. At her. No, things weren't looking too good. During this trip he was definitely planning to make her life miserable.

Lucca thought fast. "Umm…Crono," she proffered, "I just remembered. I don't think I can go. I've checked everything with the Epoch except I didn't take it for a test-drive to see if everything's okay. You want me to make sure about that, right?"

Crono crossed over to where Lucca was sitting and put his hand on her shoulder in a brotherly-type fashion. Lucca's heart began beating faster just being near him. "Listen," he said, "I can say right now that you did a great job with the Epoch. I'm sure it's fine. We could really use your smarts for this little adventure. Just come along with us."

"But are you SURE?! One bent cable and that thing could go haywire. You don't want that, do you? I'm sure that Frog is up to going with you. He's as smart as I am, right, Frog?" Her heart was pounding so hard that she was pretty sure Crono could hear it.

Silence ensued after her suggestion. Well, not COMPLETE silence. With supreme humiliation, Lucca slowly realized that the one noise she could hear at the moment was Frog "hurling chunks" in the bushes nearby. Her face immediately turning beet red, she managed to stammer, "Um…I guess not. I-I guess I'll go."

Crono shined down a smile that could have made her insides melt. "Good girl! I know we might have some tough fights up ahead, but that's why we need you to help us."

Marle got up and dusted herself off. "Let's listen to Magus and get going. Somebody told us that Pamall is maybe like ten miles off that way, so maybe we can get there sometime late tonight."

"Yeah," said Crono. "We can sure try. Let's pack up and go."

Everyone turned to help him pack up some gear and equipment for the trip. Lucca herself turned and started to head for the Epoch so she could add in some things of her own, but a hand grabbed her shoulder. She whirled around, knowing who it was before she saw him. Magus.

If he was angry, he didn't show it. With that same crooked smile on his face, he said lightly, "Packing, are you? Well, remember to bring some tissues. After all, we wouldn't want people to notice if you…cry again, would we?" After that he just stalked off, his cloak billowing behind him in the wind.

Lucca turned a bright shade of red yet again. Her worst fears were coming true. That last rude little comment was his own way of saying that during this trip, HE was the one in charge. Oh, her life would be miserable indeed. But worse…he HAD known she had been crying the night before. What if he had enough perception to figure out WHY?! If he did, he probably would be only too happy to tell Crono about the whole affair. This trip was definitely not going to be a fun one…