Aphrodisiac Part 1

By The Storyteller

Last time, Crono and Marle had settled their differences and had become a true couple, happily in love.  Crono's problems with his father had been settled, and Crono's mother was freed of grief from her ex-husband.  Lucca, on the other hand, was influenced by some of her strange dreams, building her anxiety.  She managed to force Crono and Marle into joining her as they returned to the Poyozo Palace, in hopes that Magus could take Lucca to the source of all this strange technology she had been dreaming about, perhaps to get some of her own... and as I, The Storyteller witness these strange events, you, the reader, shall hear the story of the aphrodisiac...

"We're here.  Can you tell if anyone's up yet?" Marle asked, as she jumped out of the Epoch.  She eyed her surroundings, making out the trees and shrubs in the distance as they towered into the sky.  She looked forward at the glowing Poyozo Palace, its marble walls shining, taking full advantage of the moon's nearly full aura.
"You and Crono go ahead, Marle.  I'm going to park this baby in the back, okay?" Lucca said, as she kicked the Epoch into gear just as Crono was climbing out.  He jumped down, and stood next to Marle.
"What for?  That green headed chick isn't much of a threat anymore, right?"
"No, but I just feel a bit queasy about leaving the Epoch in the public eye."
"Alright, Lu, Me and Crono'll be inside.  Lata!" Marle said, cheerily.

Crono wrapped his arms around Marle as they walked into the castle, playfully kissing her and gripping her tightly.  She giggled wildly as he played with her, until hey approached the very front of the castle, and the motion-detector sign flashed on, blasting the music from Star Wars.

"Christ!  How the hell does this thing go on like that?" Marle yelled.  "Great, we probably woke everyone up!"
"They were probably already up.  Relax, come on, let's go inside." Crono reassured.

As they walked in, Crono continued to kiss her along the sides of her face and neck, until she turned to meet his lips.  Overcome with desire, he lifted her into his arms and ran to the far wall of the always-lit kitchen, pressing her with force as his lips devoured hers with need.

"Crono, here?"  she asked, giggling wildly, as he kissed her neck.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Lucca'll be here any second?"
"I can be quick." he said, as he nibbled her ear.

She giggled as his hands moved up and down the sides of her figure, while his lips took her with passionate fury.  Suddenly, a voice came from their right.

"Ahem?" the voice asked.  Crono looked up in surprise, to see Magus standing there, leaning against the corridor.  His arms were crossed on his naked chest, with his head dipped downward in an intimidating glare.  His eyes were red and somewhat puffy, which only increased his angry look.
"Umm... he he he... Hi, Magus!  Eh... heh... oh damn, we're dead, Crono..." Marle said, giggling nervously.

Magus stared at them, somewhat disgusted by their unbridled display of hormonally driven behavior.  Although they were both quivering with fear, he could see how they were so comfortable in each other's arms, a feeling he only wished he could experience with the one girl he cared so much for.  Sighing, he decided not to deny the couple of their romantic needs.

"Pick a room." he said, wearily.  Marle jumped in gratitude and ran to Magus, planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Thanks, Magus!" she cried, as she ran into the nearest room.  Crono followed happily, and planted his own kiss on Magus's cheek.
"DAMN IT, CRONO!"  he yelled, as he wiped off his cheeks.  Before he could open his weary eyes again, the door slammed shut, and they were gone.  He sighed a little, and looked into the kitchen, to see Glenn sitting quietly at the kitchen table.
"They had no idea that I was sitting here."
"I'd expect that kind of stupidity out of the blonde, but Crono?"
"You shouldn't have disturbed them.  I almost caught the live show!"
"Pervert..." Magus uttered, as he rubbed his tired eyes.  "Go... go, take the damned Media Crystal, go and watch the porn.  I don't care.  Just go."
"What's with your eyes?"
"Just--- Allergies.  Go!  Go!"

A sudden shriek came from the distance, and echoed throughout the castle walls.

"That's Sylvia again!" Glenn said.
"Her nightmares..."
"What's that kid's problem, anyhow?"
"She's dealing with a lot of things someone her age shouldn't deal with.  Now go!  Go!  Take the crystal and go and spank it.  Away!"

Glenn, confused, shrugged and grabbed the Media Crystal, which had been sitting on the table.  He walked passed the tired Magus and took the room next to the one Crono and Marle had occupied, in hopes of hearing some action through the walls...

Magus sighed and rubbed his red eyes again.  He walked up to Sylvia's room, watching her shaking silhouette as it shivered and cried in the dark.  He reached for a chair along the side of the wall, pushing dirty clothes off the seat and the arm rests.  He placed it next to the bed, and took the shaking girl into his arms.

"Another one?"
"It was so scary..." she said, as she huddled into Magus's chest, her tears falling like rain from her eyes.
"It's awful, Sylvia, I know."
"How could you know?  Adults don't get nightmares."
"Yes they do, Sylvia.  You know, you and me are a lot alike.  I thought the same way when I was your age."
"But... nightmares?  You're older!  Bad dreams don't bother adults!  You get used to it."
"You never get used to this kind of life.  It takes a lot to be able to cope with not having a family.  All you can do is try to bear with it, to try with what you have.  And it's not easy.  I myself gave up way, way too early, and even now, twenty years later, I'm still paying the price."
"I know, I know..." she said, sniffling.  She pulled from Magus's grasp and laid down in her bed.  Magus pulled the covers over her and tucked them under her, after fixing her long green hair.  He sat and watched her, as she stared blankly out of the windows, her eyes wide open.
"You're not feeling any better, are you." he said, after a long pause.
"No..."
"Well, why don't you tell me about these nightmares?"
"What good will that do?"
"When I was your age, I had a lot of nightmares.  I always wished I had someone with me, someone I could sit there and talk to, just so I could ramble on about how I felt."
"Like who?"
"A lot of people.  I used to have a good mother, and a sister..."
"Really?  It would be cool to have a sister."
"I was nice to have a sister around, you know?  She was my only human friend, the only person I had back when I was living in my old home.  I didn't take advantage of that, you know.  I didn't realize just how much I'd miss her when we were separated... there were so many things I wanted to say to her, so many apologies for being such a brat--"
"What happened to her?"
"A lot of things.  It's a complicated story, and when you're older, I might just tell it to you."
"Do you miss her?"
"Every single day, more and more.  I would be searching for her now, If I only knew where to start looking..."
"Is she in your nightmares?"
"Yeah, every night she's in my nightmares, being taken away from me..."
"Do you cry for her?'

Magus sighed, and moved to sit on the bed next to Sylvia, to take her back into his arms, as he whispered to her.

"Do you promise you won't tell anyone?"
"Oh my honor."
"Are you sure?"
"Would I lie?"
"Fine then.  I do cry.  A lot.  Sometimes for hours, every single night... I just keep having the dream over and over again, and I just sit there and cry.  That's why I was up already when you screamed."
"But why?  Why would you cry?"
"Because I know, no matter what I try, there is nothing I can do.  I just pray you never have to feel that hopeless."
"I didn't know that men really cried.  It's just not a male thing to do."
"That in itself is fake.  It's a form of masculine pride and arrogance.  I'd hate to say it, but I'm like that, I'm always arrogant, and I don't even try.  I used to be worse.  Less than a year ago, I didn't care about anyone, not even myself.  And nobody cared for me.  It wouldn't make a difference if anyone did, anyway, because really, deep down, they didn't.  Nobody did.  And I figured... if nobody really cares for me, why even try to care for them back?   Why try if it wouldn't make a difference?  But it's not like that anymore."
"What changed it?"
"A lot of things.  For one, I was able, in a sense, to find my sister, and see her again, even though I blew the chance to tell her anything truthful... but then I met those people, Crono, Marle, Lucca... and I suppose I came to care for them, but only recently.  Yeah, I guess I do care for them..."
"Especially the nerdy one?"
"Well, yeah, but if you tell anyone..."
"My lips are sealed.  I'll keep quiet."
"Thanks.  Now go to sleep."

Sylvia smiled quietly and turned over, as Magus fixed the covers over her, tucking her in again.

"You know, dad... we didn't even talk about my nightmares..."
"Do you still want to?"
"I don't remember what happened..." she said, laughing a little.

Magus himself laughed, as he reached over to give Sylvia a modest kiss on her forehead.  He whispered "Good night" to her as he prepared to leave.  Sylvia stopped him.

"Where are you going?"
"Downstairs."
"You're going to leave?"
"You want me to stick around?"
"I mean... yeah, if you can..."
"All right."
"Would you stay in bed with me?"
"Sylvia..."
"Please?"
"Sylvia..."
"Come on, please?"

Magus sighed and went to the bed, slipping under the covers.  Sylvia moved to sit in his lap, her head resting on his shoulder as his arms pulled the covers around them.  He held her tightly as she closed her eyes.

"Thanks, dad..." she whispered, as she slowly nodded off.

* * *

"Razzin frazzin kid... gotta make me nervous 'bout where the stinkin' ship is..."

Lucca uttered curses under her breaths as she jumped out of the cockpit of the Epoch.  She had hidden it behind Magus's castle, a place barely visited by anyone.  She had hidden it under the covers of the small forest that stood there.  She walked back to the castle, feeling her way past the bushes and shrubs that surrounded the sides of it.  After a short walk, she made her way through the illuminated front and down the halls to the kitchen.  As she walked through the corridors, a moaning sound echoed softly off of the white marble walls.

"GLENN!  I HEAR YA!"

The squeaking and moaning sounds stopped short as Glenn's figure emerged from one of the rooms, the floating Media Crystal tagging along behind him.

"Oh... uhh... Hi, Lucca!"
"Nice to see you, porno maniac."
"What porno?  I was watching... uhh... The Little Mermaid!"
"Exactly.  Where's Magus?"
"He's upstairs with Sylvia.  She had nightmares."
"What is he now, actually acting like a father?  Of all people..."

Lucca walked past Glenn as he shrugged and ran back into the room.  She climbed the stairs two by two, in an anxious search for Magus, so they could set off to see that underground Mystic territory...

As Lucca passed by the rooms, she noticed one that looked rowdy and messed up, with clothes piled all over.  She assumed this to be the room Sylvia was sleeping in, and she walked in slowly, to see Magus and Sylvia in the very same bed.

"Magus!"
"SHHHH!"
"What--"
"Shut up!"

Magus carefully slipped out from under the young, sleeping girl, and fixed her covers one final time.  He left the room as Lucca followed.

"What was that all about?"
"She had nightmares.  She wanted me to stay with her." he said, as he carefully closed the door to her room.
"I almost swore--"
"You really see me as that type of person?  I may be capable of certain things, but I certainly would not--"
"Fine then.  Listen.  I want to go to that place, the Mystic place.  I have to see what its all about, Magus, I mean, I really need to... my entire creative spark is depending on it.  So can we go?"
"When?"
"Now."
"NOW?  Lucca, the Mystic City is very, VERY large.  A trip there has to be planned, and it would take at least a couple of days to see everything that has to be seen..."
"Days?  Oh man..."
"But it's worth it, if you're willing to take the trip."
"Fine, I suppose... I left my parents a note telling them I might be gone for a few days anyway..."
"Why?"
"Just in case."

Magus sighed.

"You don't trust her, do you."
"She almost killed me, Magus."
"She's very sorry about that."
"I know, but I just want to be prepared..."
"Are you really sure you'd wish to go there?"
"Yeah, yeah... so come on!  The Epoch--"
"We can't go tonight.  You're not prepared."
"What's to be prepared for?"
"You're a human.  You'd get buried if you showed your face in there."
"I still have my Wondershot, I could fight back."
"Lucca, this is two people against millions of mystics.  Sure, they're all weak alone, but strength comes in numbers..."
"I never thought of it that way."

* * *

"All right..."

Magus sat at his kitchen table, across from Lucca, who sat there in a daze.  Magus held a small pad of paper in his hand.  He looked up and down the list of several items that had been written, small details concerning Lucca's image as a human that would have to be changed.

"I'll have to fix your ears..."
"With a spell?"
"No, I can get rubber pieces that would be glued on.  Nothing permanent like a spell."
"Do I have to?  Just paint them."
"Hair length..."
"My hair is short.  What's the problem with that?"
"You will be recognizable at this rate."
"I ain't shaving my head… what do you have in mind?"
"I'll find you some hair extensions or something... and we might have to change the color."
"No purple?"
"No purple."
"Aww, man..."
"Lips." he said, eyeing Lucca's pair.
"What about them?"
"We'll have to fix them so they're not as full."
"Why?"
"Because Mystics don't usually have very full lips."
"But I like my lips!"
"I like them too."
"Yeah and--eh?  What did you say?"
"They'll have to be changed a little."
"Oh."
"Eye color."
"What's wrong with my eyes?"
"Nothing, other than your eye color has never been seen in the Mystic community."
"How on earth do you change eye color?"
"Take a look."

Magus opened his eyelids wide for Lucca.

"They're red."
"Come closer."

Lucca's head moved in closer, staring blankly at his red irises.

"They're still red."
"No, closer..."

He moved head up right next to hers, keeping his eyes open as wide as he could, trying to help Lucca see the source of the red color.  He was amazed by her willingness to actually be so close to him... to let him feel her breath... his eyes drew closed as he turned his head to the side, going in for the kiss...

"Can't see if your eyes are closed."

Magus jumped, realizing his daydream had almost turned full.  Sighing, he opened his eyelids again with his fingers.

"Look real close.  There's almost an outline around the eye, right?"
"I think I see something."
"Watch now."

Magus turned his head around.  Lucca had no idea of what he was doing.  When he turned around front again, his eyes were closed, and he had an odd clear item on his finger.

"Look closely." he said, as he opened his eyes.  One was still red, but the other was another color... an odd mix of blue, green, and gray, that turned out to be Magus's natural eye color.
"But--but how is that possible?"
"Contact lenses, they're called.  I've been using the red for years."
"Wow... take the other one out."

Magus opened his eyelids and touched his finger to the clear plastic piece.  Lucca held her breath in agony when Magus's finger touched his plain eye.  When he removed the plastic bit, both of his eyes were the same blue/green/gray color.

"Wow.  That is so cool!"
"I know.  My eyes feel weird now, I'm so used to wearing these..."
"They're pretty."
"Thanks."

Magus reached to put them back in, but Lucca stopped them.

"Leave them out!"
"Why?"
"They're better than that annoying red color."
"If you like it... I have tons of other colors I can give to you.  Silver, green, any color blue, any style that you could ask for, and I have it.  I can get you cat eyes, targets, letters, even ones that glow in the dark."
"Things can glow in the dark?!?"
"Yeah.  Its a special chemical, they use it everywhere..."
"Incredible."
"So what else?  Clothes, I can handle that.  Nails?"
"Mine are short.  I tend to bite them..."
"Ehh, nobody will notice, and if they do, I'll give you gloves.  Other than that, you're set."
"Alright!  So we can go tomorrow morning?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"The Mystic City works on an opposite schedule.  When it's daytime overhead, the Mystics usually sleep.  It might have changed since the last time I went there though..."
"Wonderful." She said, sarcastically.
"For now, we should get some sleep."
"Hmm.  Is there a room that's free?"
"Well, there's the one that Glenn is watching porn in--"
"You let him watch that?"
"I really don't care.  I have more important things to worry about than his... habits."
"I didn't want to have to hear that."
"Crono and Marle are obviously sharing a room..."
"So I hear." Said Lucca.  As she went silent, she could hear the odd sounds of fornication emanating from one of the taken rooms.
"No, Lucca, that's Glenn."
"EGADS!  He's that loud?  But it's only him!"
"And the Media Crystal."
"Please... if this were my castle?  Forget it.  He'd be gone before he... uhh..."
"Don't worry.  I'll bet he's taking each porn channel in turn.  Just wait until he gets to the Hentai channel.  He'll swear off the Media Crystal before you know it."
"What's hentai?"
"You don't want to know."

A sudden scream came from one of the rooms.

"What was that?"
"Sylvia again?  Wait... no..."
"It was a woman's scream.  Marle?"

Lucca thought to herself.  Crono?  That good?

"Certainly not... no, I think Glenn has just found himself that lovely little channel I was talking about."

Suddenly, a door burst open, and out ran Glenn, in his boxers.

"Magus!  Magus!  What on earth do you have on that machine?"
"You shouldn't be watching channels like that."
"There was this girl!  And this monster!  And he had a bunch of tentacle thingies!"
"Yes, I know, Glenn.  Now go away.  And leave the Media Crystal outside."
"I would rather burn the damn thing..."

Glenn walked away forlornly, slamming the door shut.

"Wow, you took that calmly." Said Lucca, a look of surprise on her face.
"There's no point in anger, Lucca... it's all just a waste."
"Hah!  Words like that from you?  Oh wait... I think I just heard the ice crackling of Hell freezing over..."

Magus stood from the table and stretched.  He then fixed his long blue locks and walked away.

"Wait!  Where do I sleep?"
"In my arms?"
"What?"
"Ehh... there's a bunch of rooms upstairs.  You can take the one next to mine.  Feel free to come in my room if you ever need anything."
"Oh, alright..."

Man, she thought, What is up with my ears?  Am I hearing things?

She stood and followed Magus to her room.

* * *

Sylvia turned over in her bed, as she awoke suddenly.  She looked around her, at the covers and the chair that had sat next to the bed, looking for Magus.

"Dad?"

When there was no answer, she sighed and pulled the covers over her head.  The comforter she used was big and soft, and felt relaxing against her tired self.  She shut her eyes again, trying to get back to sleep, but after several minutes of trying, she got fed up.  She stood, threw on a robe, and left for the kitchen.

When she got there, she saw Glenn sitting at the kitchen table, as he usually did when he was bored.  His eyes were closed quietly, with his fingers tapping on the table.  His long green hair fell over his naked shoulders in a reckless wavy motion.  She watched him intently as he sat there, apparently engrossed in his thoughts.

"Do you need something, Sylvia?" Glenn asked suddenly.  Sylvia, surprised, jumped backward, quaking with fear.
"What?  Are you okay?"  Sylvia had no reply.
"Are you going to talk or what?"
"Uh... umm..." she uttered, her voice shaking.
"Sylvia?  Sylvia, why is it that you do nothing but shiver when I try to talk to you?"
"Oh... uhh... eh... heh heh... umm... sorry..."
"For what?  Why don't you answer me?  It gets annoying when I ask you a question and all you do is sit there and mumble!"
"I... I'm sorry..."
"That's okay.  Really.  I'm just saying, there is no need to be shy around me."
"Oh... okay..."

He took a deep breath, and stared down at the table again.  Sylvia shuffled over to the refrigerator, grabbed an  item, and ran away.

"Sylvia!  Wait!"

Sylvia had run off, unable to hear Glenn's calls.

"Now why on earth would she need the ketchup?"

* * *

Sylvia ran into her room and slammed the door.  She fell against the door as if she had no more strength left in her.  Gasping nervously, she sunk downward toward the floor and hid her face in her hands.  She held back her tears and gritted her teeth, grunting when the emotion almost took her over.  After a few minutes of deep breathing and sniffling, she reached to turn on the light switch.  She slid herself under her bed and searched around in a pile of magic books that Magus had given to her when she asked to learn more magic from him.  As well as giving her tons of books full of simple white spells, she found a special book she had hidden.  It was a book full of blank pages that Magus had given her so she could make her own spells, but she had been using it as a diary.

Flipping through the used pages, she found the closest clean page and started to jot down words with ferocity.

Oh my goodness... I have no idea what I just did... I was just thirsty, looking for something to drink... and he was there... I didn't know what to do!  And then he yelled at me for being shy... but he has such a pretty voice, he sounded like an angel!  Why can't I talk to him?  Why can't I act normal around him?  I don't understand it... I just try to act like an adult, and then when he's there, I can't!  I think I'm going insane, and I don't know what to do... this crush is driving me mad!  I need to think of a way to make him like me, or the next time I see him, I might just burst into tears, and then I'll just be a stupid little girl again...

I have to think of a way to make him like me.  I mean, adults have husbands and wives, right?  Me and Glenn would be perfect!  We'd have tons of kids, and we'd kiss, and we'd be just like real adults.  I don't know what to do, though.

She sighed as she finished writing, shut off her light, and jumped into her bed.  She was so full of excitement that any hope of falling asleep had totally diminished.  She stared around her room for some time, thinking of what she might be able to do to win Glenn's heart.  A sudden old adage sparked her interest as it passed through her mind.

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

She giggled some as she looked down at the bottle of ketchup that lay on the floor beside her bed.

The Storyteller's Fanfiction