The Story of Tata Chapter 10
Good Bye Again
By The Man
The blue swirls of the time gate shone magnificently on Tata's tired face. It was a blue pool of energy that was two dimensional, as thin as paper. Tata was immersed in it's beauty and wonder, totally absorbed in it's glow. They were in the fair grounds, a place Tata had been told a gate had been before.
"Well, this is it, people." Said Crono.
Tata looked back to them. The whole gang was there, standing before the gate.
"We probably won't be seeing each other again for a while, so we should get our good-byes in quickly." Stated Marle to no one in particular.
Robo and Atropos were first to approach the gate. Their blank visual sensors stared at the gate, totally devoid of noticeable emotion.
Robo turned back to Lucca. Lucca reached out and held his hand.
"Our second 'final' good-bye." Said Lucca.
"Yes, but without the fear of me disappearing." Answered Robo.
Lucca smiled up at the robot. "I wish you could stay, Robo."
"You know I can't." he said. "I need to watch over the future. Need to keep the peace there."
"I know. I just…" she trailed off.
"Why don't you go with them, Lucca?" asked Crono.
"What?" said Lucca, the other's shooting quizzical looks at him.
"You could." Said Crono. "You'd fit in, and you would be with Robo all the time."
Lucca looked at Robo, then to Crono. "Are you sure you won't miss me too much?"
"What do you mean 'too much?'" asked Crono, a smile creeping across his face. "Haven't you considered 'at all?'"
Lucca punched him in the arm as he chuckled to himself. He got serious again and looked her in the eye. "I really do think you should go. You seem to need Robo a lot more than me."
She put her hand on his cheek, caressing it. "You are as much a friend to me as Robo." She said affectionately. "Don't you forget it."
She kissed him once on the lips, then went over to Marle. "You'll miss me, right?" she asked.
"Of course!" Marle laughed and embraced her. They held each other for a few seconds, then broke off.
"I'll miss you all." She said to everyone as she walked back over to where Robo and Atropos stood.
She stopped in front of Glenn and looked him in the eye. "Especially you, handsome." She coyly. Glenn let his head droop, slightly embarrassed, as she walked over to the robots.
She turned back to them. "Good bye, all!" she yelled.
A responding good bye chorused from the other members. And with that, she and the robots stepped through the gate and disappeared.
Magus and Flea stepped up to the gate. Magus turned and walked over to Glenn.
"Glenn," he began. "Thank you. You have helped me tremendously."
"And you have to myself." Responded Glenn. "It has been to long since I have had a great friend. I will not forget that."
Flea looked at the rest. "You are probably happy to get rid of me, right?" she asked.
Crono walked up to her, his head a good foot above hers. "I once heard that when enemies become friends, it is due to the better person. We fought, but now, you are our ally and friend. This time, you were the better person."
She smiled at him. "Thank you. I really appreciate that, Crono."
"Hey, did you forget about me already?!" exclaimed Shala.
Marle walked over and hugged her. "We love you, Shala." She said. "Of course we'll miss you."
Shala walked over to Crono. "I've…" she started. "… never been good at farewells." She admitted.
Crono just smiled. "Don't say anything then." He said and kissed her tenderly on the lips.
"Hey!" shouted Marle rushing over to them. Crono pulled away as Marle looked peevishly at him.
"I'm still here, you know!" she said.
"I know." He responded. "But she deserves a good farewell, doesn't she?"
Shala smiled and walked over to the gate. Marle sighed. "I guess… but not that of that type!"
Magus smiled. "This good-bye is better than the last, isn't it?"
"Naturally." Answered Glenn. "You are an actual human being now. That always helps."
"Indeed." Magus tightened his brow. "I just noticed this. You stopped using Olde English."
"I know." Glenn responded. "It kind of died out gradually when I became human."
Magus extended his hand. Glenn shook it, then he broke off and let Magus wander over to the gate. "I guess we'll be seeing you."
"Good-bye, Magus!" called Glenn. "Good-bye, Flea!"
"Good bye, Shala!" yelled Crono.
With that, they stepped into the gate and vanished.
Ayla was next, but she didn't approach the gate yet. She walked over to Crono.
"Great party!" she exclaimed. "Ayla have much fun!"
Then, quite unexpectedly, she hugged him tightly and kissed him right on the lips.
Glenn walked over to where Marle stood. "Shala couldn't kiss him, but Ayla can?" he asked.
She looked at him with a smile. "Hey, she's my ancestor. She's got a right to steal a kiss from my guy."
Finally, Ayla let go of him, Crono stumbling back, looking quite dazed. He regained himself and smiled. "I'll miss you too, Ayla."
She walked over to Glenn. "Ayla frog-friend no longer frog. Ayla like." She kissed him once.
"Ayla?" asked Marle. Ayla turned to her.
"Good luck." Said Marle.
"What for?" asked Ayla, a quizzical look coming over her face.
"With my past." She answered. "Take care of it!"
"Ayla will." She said with a smile. She and Marle hugged each other. Then, she let go and jumped through the gate.
Tata looked back at Glenn. "We should be taking our leave now, too." Said Glenn.
"Why don't we hold it right there." Sounded a voice from behind them.
A black lightning bolt flashed forward and struck the gate, destroying it. The group whirled around in time to see a figure step forward. It was covered from its neck down by a pitch-black cloak. It wore a smile on its face.
Tata looked at it and recoiled in terror. "Oh, no." he shouted. "Not you! Not you!!"
"Of course it's me, Tata." Answered the figure. "Len has returned."
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End of Chapter 10
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