Almost Dead Part 2
To Darkness And Back
By Krazy Sam
“You know, Crono, I’m sorry for getting mad at you earlier. I guess that I was feeling a bit agitated,” Lucca apologized at her house four hundred years and nine hours later, if you count time shifts, “It was so weird! That Zombor freak just…transferred his memory to mine right before I…died. Apparently, he hates Ozzie and only obeys him to keep alive. That’s why he didn’t kill me.”
“Funny,” Marle muttered, intrigued, “that’s why he died so easily.”
“It could be because our magic’s getting stronger,” Crono added. He glanced over at Lucca, who had a distant look in her eyes. “Hey, still with us?” She snapped out of her trance-like phase and jerked her head towards Crono.
“Just fine,” she answered.
“What was it like to die?” Marle asked, “was it like I described?”
Lucca shook her head. “I was conscious the whole time. I could hear everything, but I couldn’t respond, I couldn’t see, and was completely immobilized. It was like being in a dream.”
“Wow,” Crono gasped.
Lucca turned and headed for the stairs. “You guys can sleep in my room if you want. I don’t know if the room could fit three, but we could try. I’ll be upstairs for a while.” She trudged up the steps to take a hot bath.
.
“After today, I can’t be sure that this won’t happen again,” Lucca murmured to herself. She sighed and sank deeper into the steaming bubble bath. “I guess that…I’ll have to show my latest invention, finished or not.” Behind the thick shower curtain, Lucca felt isolated, and she liked it that way. She was about to lose herself in the peacefulness of the bath when…
“Oh MAN, I gotta pee!” Crono cried as he yanked open the door of the bathroom. Lucca heard the toilet lid being slammed up, and the unmistakable sound of one relieving themselves. It was all she could do to keep from laughing.
“Aaaahhhh…” When Lucca heard this, she burst out laughing. She heard a startled cry, and the curtain was abruptly pulled back. She shrieked playfully, and roared with laughter. Crono blushed a deep crimson and then realized exactly what was going on. He buttoned up his pants and started to leave.
“Wait!” Lucca called. Crono spun around and faced his best friend.
“What?” He snapped, “haven’t you embarrassed me enough?”
“Crono,” Lucca started, “this probably isn’t a good time, with me in the bath, and you taking a whiz and all, but…” She trailed off, and a lock of purple hair fell over her eyes. She quickly brushed it away. “I almost died back there, and I want you to know something.” Crono knelt by the tub, curious about this secret.
“What?”
“If this should…happen again, there is a small vial of liquid I call ‘revive’. It will restore me if I should die, and I want you to help me try it out.”
“Huh?” Crono asked dumbly.
“I’m going to get myself killed to try my own invention.” Lucca explained.
“What if it doesn’t work?” Crono cried.
“I’m going to have to take that chance. I test my inventions on myself before other people.” She reached for a towel and stepped out of the tub, pulling the plug as she left. She walked into her room and began to dress in old clothes- not caring if Crono saw or not. If he did, it wouldn’t have been the first time.
“Let me get this straight,” Crono said, not believing his ears, “you’re going to KILL yourself, and you want me to help you…all to test out a crazy potion? I’m not going to kill you, Lucca!” Lucca chuckled and pulled a black shirt over her head.
“No Crono,” she uttered, “you’re not going to kill me. You’re just going to carry me back.”
“I’m not going to do this!”
“Yes you are. Oh, by the way, get Robo down here. If the revive works, then I will be unconscious for a few days at the most. Robo could monitor my life signs.” She handed Crono the tiny vial.
Crono sighed in defeat. “What do I do?”
“It’s like a tonic, but it pushes its own way through one’s circulatory system. You just… well…make me drink it. Within minutes, any organs lost, including my heart, but not my brain, will regenerate.”
“Why not the brain?” Crono asked, puzzled.
“I don’t know. I guess because it’s the most important.” Lucca replied thoughtfully.
“How do you know this stuff won’t replace the brain?”
“It’s just a hypotheses, and to tell the truth, I’m not taking any chances.” Lucca sighed. Crono activated the gate key, and was fairly certain that Marle was gone and Robo in her place. Lucca pulled him out of the house and through Vortex Point.
.
“How do we know the monsters are still here?” Crono asked after ten minutes of searching for a beast in the magic cave.
“There’s a room that we haven’t been in. I’m sure that some monsters are there.” She and Crono walked in, and sure enough, some tough looking demons were hanging out in there. “Stay by me and blast those freaks after they kill me,” Lucca whispered. She took a deep breath, and leapt out in front of the small group of Cave Bats.
“Hey, look at me!” She cried. She gave them the finger and giggled. “You dorks couldn’t beat me up without magic!”
The group of five bats shrieked in anger and one of them spit fire at Lucca.
“Ow!” She cried, but remained standing. The second bat tried its luck by emitting an ultrasound yell. Lucca fell to her knees, clutching her ears and moaning. When it was over, she stood up.
“Is that the best you can do?” She taunted. All five bats huddled together, and all spit fire at her midsection. The impact blew her insides out and onto the back wall, and she collapsed. Crono gagged and turned away. He suddenly remembered why he was there, and cast a lightning spell, killing all five bats. He reached in his pouch and pulled out the vial.
“Hope this works,” he muttered. He poured the contents into Lucca’s half-open mouth, and almost instantly, her internal organs began to regenerate. Crono watched in disgust as the organs grew and began to pulsate, and he was relieved to find that the skin was growing over the large wound. Crono waited for five minutes, but Lucca didn’t develop a pulse or begin breathing.
“I tried my best. All I can do is wait,” Crono breathed. He waited for another minute, and suddenly, Lucca gasped and her chest rose and fell. Crono felt for a pulse, and finding one, cried out in joy.
“It worked! I can’t believe it!” He happily picked Lucca up and carried her out of the magic cave. When in Lucca’s front yard, Crono set her down. He then noticed why she wore old clothes. There was a big hole in her black shirt that was also visible in the back. He was just glad that the shirt was still on her. He hoisted her onto his shoulder and opened the front door.
.
“What HAPPENED???” Taban shouted when he saw his daughter. He couldn’t bear to see his daughter unconscious and slung over the shoulder of another person.
“She tried her potion, and it worked,” Crono replied triumphantly. Taban gasped.
“I TOLD her not to do it, but that girl wouldn’t listen! When she comes to, I’m going to give her the spanking of a lifetime!” Taban cried, his strong face turning red, and his buzzed red hair dampening with sweat. His muscular arms began to throb, and Crono silently exited.
.
“Where were you?” Robo asked in Lucca’s bedroom. His green eyes flashed, and his brass body reflected the sunlight pouring in from the window.
“Lucca and I were off testing an invention of hers,” Crono explained. Robo nodded and stood up.
“That explains why she’s sleeping so deeply.”
“What do you mean?”
“The vial in your hand says revive,” Robo resolved, “that made it clear that she died at some point. Also, one’s body heals when asleep, and their life signs go to a specific state, like Lucca’s had.”
“She’s dirty,” Crono announced suddenly, “We need to clean her up.”
“Leave that to me,” Robo said, “My brass body has a plastic covering so I won’t short circuit when in contact with water.” He carried Lucca off to the washroom, and Crono listened as water ran.
.
Crono gently laid Lucca in her bed ten minutes later. She was dressed in a long shirt, and a pair of white socks were on her feet. He pulled the blanket to her chin and sighed.
“Now all we can do is wait,” he sighed.
.
Two days later, Lucca still hadn’t regained consciousness. Robo sat faithfully at her bedside, monitoring her life signs, and waiting for her to wake up. Crono had returned to his house to sleep after a long night of waiting by his best friend’s side. Lucca sighed and sank into her pillow.
“She’ll wake up any minute now,” Robo said to no one. He took another reading of her vital signs, and stood up. “Ten percent increase in brain activity…She’s coming to.” As if on cue, Lucca slowly opened her eyes. They fluttered a bit, and stayed open. Her lips parted, and exhaled as if she were saying something. She drew in another breath, and tried again.
“Robo,” she gasped.
“Yes?”
“Wa…wa…water…” She breathed, struggling to form the words. Robo dashed out of her door and returned with a water bottle.
“Drink this,” he instructed. Lucca was too weak to lift her arms, so Robo brought the bottle to her lips. She drank for a long time, taking small sips, when Crono burst into her room.
“Is she awake yet?” He asked excitedly. He took a look at Lucca, and smiled. “Great! I’m glad she’s awake!” Lucca turned her head, and Robo pulled the bottle away from her.
“I’m…glad to…be awake,” She squeaked. Crono yelped with joy and hugged Lucca, tears pouring from his eyes.
“It worked! You’re alive, the potion worked, and everything’s fine!”
.
“Ready?” Lucca asked three days later armed with her silver gun.
“Yep! There’s adventure out there, and I’m not going to miss it!” Crono cried.
“We shall go back in time to fight Magus and prevent him from bringing Lavos to our world!” Robo exclaimed. The three paraded out the front door, with the sun setting to their left, and the festivities of the Millennial fair just ahead of them.