Amor Vincit Omnia Chapter 16
Another Old Face
By Minmei
It was early afternoon on the next day. The team was getting ready for their "trip" to Denadoro. Robo and Lucca were the only ones standing outside the woods, waiting for the rest of the team.
"Lucca," Robo suddenly said, "you have been uneasy around me ever since I returned. What is the matter?"
Lucca waited a while before answering. "Robo, c-can I ask you something?" she questioned, an uncomfortable look on her face.
Robo nodded. "Yes, Lucca, anything."
"Well…" She turned her head off to the side, then looked back at her metallic friend. "Do you ever regret turning against...I mean, are you mad we, um...are you sorry you left the, uh, um..."
"You mean, am I bitter you fixed me up, gave me a chance at a better future, taught me right from wrong?" Robo completed for her, perfectly reading her mind. He shook his head. "Lucca, no. YOU didn't turn me against the family of robots. You showed me I have a choice as to how to live my life. That is why I joined you. Because of you, I have everything."
Lucca felt a tremendous sense of relief. "Oh, Robo." She walked over to him and put her arms around him. "Ow," she said, pulling away and rubbing the top of her arm. She giggled. "Your collar is riding into my shoulder. Aside from that, it feels good to hear you say those words."
"Well, Lucca, humans, especially you, have taught me so much. I have many wonderful memories with you," Robo told her. "And speaking of memories, do you remember our pleasant trip to 1999 AD?"
"How could I forget?" Lucca thought back, smiling. "It was the day after Lavos died. You and I came in the Epoch and we went all over the world. You introduced me to all the great inventions of that era. Like that electronic box with the moving pictures. It looked a lot like the computer. What was it called? The television set. And that other electronic box that played music, the radio. And I learned more about computers. Then we went to your home and I met Atropos...well, met her again. At the end of the day, I gave you my gate key as a souvenir or something, and I kept your Greendream. It was the last time we saw each other, until yesterday. I guess I became a little busy or something, I don't know."
"It happens, but we never forget each other. I became quite busy myself, adjusting to my new surroundings."
A moment of silence passed. "How are your parents, Lucca?" Robo asked.
Lucca stared at him, surprised a bit at the question. "Oh, um, they're fine. I-I saw them yesterday morning, and they're, um, great."
"Lucca, you speak of them as if you have been worrisome lately," Robo observed.
Lucca nodded. "Yes, but my worries are over now."
"Okay, guys," Marle called, exiting the woods. "Sorry it took so long. We're ready now." She held her crossbow in her hands as she walked up to Robo and Lucca, the rest of the team following behind her.
"Everyone set?" Lucca asked, looking at everyone.
They all nodded.
"Then let's go!"
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Approaching Mount Denadoro...
They entered the area. Not much had changed in four hundred years, or had it? They observed the surroundings. There were still a couple of Ogans hanging around. The walkways were well worn. The one bridge they could see had been taken out. But there was something new: a large hole to the right. They could see the well-eroded entrance on the walls of the mountain.
The members were wondering only one thing: Was the entrance truly eroded, or was it Lavos-made?
"L-let's check that path," Crono said, pointing to the hole with his sword. They all started to walk towards the entrance.
Stupid song, Lucca suddenly thought. She could not seem to rid herself of the tune that had been in her head all day. It was one of the songs she heard on that...that radio invention, on a station, or whatever, that had a "mix" of songs, or so they say. What was that melody? She unknowingly and unintentionally gave her teammates a sample of that irritating song.
"...my name is Lucca...I live on the second floor..."
Magus turned around and eyed the young scientist strangely. "We don't care where you live," he informed her. "Right now, we have something more important on our minds."
"Yeah, Lucca," Crono added. "Quit dickin' around! This isn't a game, you know."
That last comment stopped the members dead in their tracks. They turned to face one another, uncomfortable expressions on their faces, a strange feeling building up inside each and every one of them. It was a feeling of sensing loss of control over their own lives, as if their fate lay in the hands of a single being who controlled them using a powerful instrument of some sort.
"That was weird," Lucca whispered to no one in particular, her voice barely audible.
"But it is a game to me, and this time I will triumph!" declared the voice behind the first walkway. Everyone turned to face the person in the melon-colored cloak walking towards them. "It is over for you, especially you, my little scientist," the figure hissed, pointing at Lucca.
"You!" Lucca's mouth fell open, and she gasped. "Wh-who are you?"
The figure threw back the hood to reveal its identity. Schala's jaw dropped as well.
"Dalton!"
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Oh...the plot thickens. What is the one thing that Dalton has against Lucca? Stay tuned...
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