This... is the final chapter. It's been a fun ride. Chrono Trigger belongs to SquareEnix.

Janus waited a moment, looking at Lyn, trying to determine if she had suddenly become a sadistic, homicidal maniac. Seeing that she mostly looked confused by his hesitation, Janus turned his back on her, going toward the gate. "Oi, you. I got the damn token," Janus snapped at the Hench, not in the mood for cerimony or negotiation.

"I sees it!" the Hench snapped back, opening the gate. "Go on, get yer new clothes," he added, jerking his head towards a door.

"Not that we need them," Janus muttered. "We're already wearing Mazoku clothing… Well, I suppose something newer might be nice."

While Janus and Lyn were busy changing, Ozzie cursed to himself and floated out of the room. Flea went out too, and Slash and Tihl glared at little at each other before Slash motioned that Tihl could go first. With only himself and the girl's mother left in the room, Slash spoke to the air in Zenese. "If you stay here a little while, you might be able to speak to your daughter alone."

Shanda looked up at the Mazoku who had claimed Maris, but the swordsman was already leaving. Looking back to the crystal, she saw it had gone dark, and so she crept to the door, and watched through a crack. First the blue-haired youth came out, now in blue pants and a leather cuirass, a sash around his waist and a red cape looking like blood covering his back. Lyn came out too, and tears came to Shanda's eyes when she saw how much her daughter looked like the general Flea. Her corselet top was crimson, as were the leggings, while the short skirt was a splash of black.

An Imp sat on a high stool behind a counter, a book open before him. Glancing at Janus, he looked mildly confused when he turned to Ozzie. "You're sponsoring this one, Maou Ozzie?"

"I am," Ozzie spat out, not looking at Janus.

The Imp shrugged a little and wrote in his book. Taking a packet of papers, he made some more notes on them. "Right… I need a name here, for the new Human-born."

Janus answered before Ozzie could more than open his mouth. "Magus," he said in a strong voice. "And I am not Human-born."

Ozzie turned quickly to glare at the boy, but the blue-haired man returned the Maou's gaze levelly. After a long moment, Ozzie nodded slowly. "As he says."

"Right then…" the Imp said, apparently writing down the information. "Now, if I can just have your seal here, Maou…" Ozzie practically snarled at the Imp and signed the places indicated. The Imp glanced over the paperwork again, then nodded and handed the papers to the newly-named Magus. "Now… who's with her?"

"I'm sponsoring her," Flea answered smoothly, motioning for Lyn to come closer.

"Lady Flea," the Imp said, sounding impressed. "I bet the two of them were a sight to watch, then, if they're being sponsored so highly."

"Just do your job," Ozzie interrupted.

The Imp gave a squeak and did as ordered. "Right, name? And, er… is she Human-born?"

"No, she isn't," Magus answered. This time nobody objected.

"I still need a name…" the Imp muttered.

Lyn didn't answer, and finally Flea rolled her eyes and stepped forward again. "Since she doesn't seem to care, call her Crimson." She smiled as she said the word; Mazoku didn't see the reds, and so their language had no words for them. Those few Mazoku who could see red simply used the Human words, and so most of the nation would never guess that 'Crimson' was being named after nothing more than the color she wore.

The Imp waited a little to see if the girl being named would object. When she remained silent, he finished her paperwork, scooting it over to Ozzie to sign. As soon as his part was done, Ozzie left.

"We'll have jobs for you," Flea promised, nodding politely as she left.

Handing Crimson her papers, Magus sighed again. "You okay there?" he asked, a rare note of concern in his voice.

Crimson looked up, then nodded. "I- I think so. N-now what, Ja… Magus?"

"Go get your chain. Then… hum, meet me by the Great Escape," Magus answered, thinking about his next move. He knew where there was at least one unoccupied room in the castle, he just hoped Crimson wouldn't mind sharing it with him.

"Right," Crimson agreed, turning to go and get her weapon.

"You probably already know this, you two, but just in case you don't," the Imp spoke up. "Keep tight hold on those papers of yours. You don't want to be mistaken for slaves now." Seeing they understood, he nodded to himself, hopped off the stool, and went out the door.

Back at the entrance to the dungeon, the two bodies lay as they had fallen. Going to the man who still had his head, Crimson carefully knelt, trying to keep her new clothing clean. Working quickly, she freed the iron links from their seat in cooling flesh. Now with her chain, she left, trying to figure out how to easily carry the makeshift weapon.

As she crossed the record room, Crimson heard a noise from the door Ozzie had entered from. Looking up, it took her a long while to recognize the ragged brown-haired woman who entered. "Shanda?" she said, free hand going to where the two pendants sat against her skin.

"What has happened to you, Lyn?" Shanda asked harshly, utter disgust in her voice.

"Why do you care?" Crimson asked tiredly.

"I saw you down there!" Shanda hissed venomously. "You use magic… you killed your own kind! Lyn, this isn't who I raised you to be!"

Something broke in Crimson, and her eyes went cold. "Lyn is dead! She died when a rebellious slave drug her to the deck of a ship! I am Crimson, Mazoku mage serving under the rule of Maou Ozzie!"

Shanda didn't answer for a moment, finally bowing her head. "I apologize, madam. I somehow confused you with my daughter. I thought she had somehow survived that rebellion." With a small bow, Shanda walked away, steps heavy and loud in the small room.

Crimson stood in the empty room, staring at nothing, until she could no longer hear the woman's steps. "The past is over. It was just a short-lived dream," she murmured finally. Leaving the room to find Magus, she shut the door behind her.

The End

And... that's it. Please, leave a final review!