You were helping Schala climb over a particularly tall pile of rubble when Marle urgently whispered “Stop!” from up ahead. You moved instinctively to protect the blue-haired girl whose hand you were holding and caused a few pieces of rubble to clatter down in the process. Nothing seemed immediately dangerous and you focused on Marle and what she was pointing at: A building that was wider and not nearly as dilapidated as anything else you had seen. Multiple figures were moving on the ground floor. They were blobs, made from some viscous material, approximately human-sized and with some vaguely humanoid features. “Shadows.” the blonde princess said in a hushed voice.

“They’re... immune... to our weapons... even my... flamethrower.” Lucca grunted, still low on breath.

“Only Chrono’s Wind Slash could hurt them!” Marle added cheerfully.

Wind Slash… it was an Air-element magical attack, similar to the basic spell Aero, that Chrono had developed on his own without ever realizing that it was magic as magic had been reduced to the stuff of myths and legends by the time your friends had come from, what you had agreed to call the Present. “Vulnerable to magic...” Schala gave voice to your thoughts before you could.

“All magic, or a single element?” you pointedly asked her back.

She looked puzzled at that. “It’s.. possible their element is Earth.” she cautiously offered. This could make them vulnerable to only Air, the opposite of Earth, and no other elements. It would be impossible to know without attacking them, you didn’t recognize these monsters and from the sound of it neither did Schala. Either way, Water I was the only offensive spell you could use and none of the girls would be able to damage them. “What should we do?” she addressed you directly with her question.

File: Shadow.png (782 B, 62x66)

782 B PNG

None of the others answered. You looked back at the poorly illuminated building in front of you and tried to estimate their numbers while you considered your options. Three Shadows? Four? Maybe a few more. It was difficult to make an accurate count as their identical, gooey bodies shuffled around. Did something glint in the dark behind them? No, that wasn’t important right now. You and Chrono should be able to dispatch them if they were vulnerable to all magic, though you’d be as ineffective as the girls if they were vulnerable to only Air-element attacks. You couldn’t even be sure that your staff would be able to block their attacks and buy him time to deliver killing blows.

Alternatively, you could use your Shadow magic to try and sneak in without a fight. In this environment your father would have been able to cover his entire party and blend in flawlessly with little or no chance of failure, but you were not him. You could only cover one person other than yourself and you could make detection more difficult, but not impossible.

Or you could circle around, avoid this building entirely and continue on your way to that jetbike. Of all the buildings you had seen, this was by far in the best condition and exploring it could be rewarding, but it was not really a necessary risk.

>Attack them with magic. You and Chrono are enough to defeat them.
>Cloak yourself and someone else in shadow to explore the building without fighting them. (Who will you choose to come with you?)
>Avoid them, continue on your way. It’s not worth the risk
>Other (Write-in)

Party information: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/frozen-moment-chronoqm
Thread archive: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=ChronoQM
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChronoQm

>>5717564
Welcome back OP!

>Attack them with magic
We’re adventurers, how could we pass up opportunity to loot? Especially if the shadows chased robots away.

>>5717564
>Cloak yourself and someone else in shadow to explore the building without fighting them. (Who will you choose to come with you?)
Chrono, in case we need to go loud

>>5717564
>>Cloak yourself and someone else in shadow to explore the building without fighting them. (Marle)
oh shit, we back

>>5717564
>Attack them with magic. You and Chrono are enough to defeat them.
Nice to see this return.

>>5717564
>>Cloak yourself and someone else in shadow to explore the building without fighting them. (Chrono)
Welcome back Chrono, its been too long.

>>5717564
>>Attack them with magic. You and Chrono are enough to defeat them.

>>5717564
>Attack them with magic. You and Chrono are enough to defeat them.

>Attack them with magic. You and Chrono are enough to defeat them.
>>5717590
>>5717923
>>5718040
>>5718084

>Cloak yourself and someone else in shadow to explore the building without fighting them. (Who will you choose to come with you?)
>>5717591 (Chrono)
>>5717608 (Marle)
>>5717968 (Chrono)

Thanks for the welcome folks, I admit I was worried if people would still care. Now, since it's a fight you want, let's have three sets of 2d100 for you and Chrono! DC: 60

Rolled 25, 13 = 38 (2d100)

>>5718130

Rolled 84, 17 = 101 (2d100)

>>5718130

Rolled 73, 79 = 152 (2d100)

>>5718130

"Chrono and I will attack them with magic." you replied. You couldn't pass this opportunity, this unusual building might be your only chance to get something worthwhile in those ruins.

Her shapely features tensed in worry for a moment, she didn't like you willingly heading into danger, but she surprised you when she flung herself to you and planted a quick peck on your lips. "Go." she whispered softly, her voice barely more audible than her breath that you felt on your skin.

You didn't need any more encouragement than that. You stepped forward, drew your staff from your back and exchanged a nod with Chrono, his katana already in his hand. The Shadows visible through the large doorway did not react to your quiet approach as you came close enough to stop. Chrono gestured towards a Shadow to his right for his target and indicated a different one for you. You agreed, he had fought them before, and silently began counting down with your fingers.

Three...
Two...
One...

"Water!"
"Wind Slash!"

You attacked at the same time, a ball of Water launching from your hand as he swung his sword to send a cutting wave through the air. Both attacks struck true and two Shadows dissolved into puddles. The other three - you were close enough to see that they had been five in total - let out a sound that was something between a screech and a gurgle and counterattacked, stretching their spindly arms towards you. You swiftly dodged to the side while Chrono dashed inside. "Wind Slash!" he called again and two more Shadows were reduced into puddles one after the other from the attack he had lined up.

Only one remained and it was your turn to deal with it. "Water!" you cast your spell at the last enemy and a fifth puddle formed on the floor. You scanned beyond the doorway, confirming that nothing hostile remained inside it. "They weren't so tough." you told Chrono. He grinned, gave you a thumbs up, and cautiously proceeded inside. A distant shriek echoed from outside. You beckoned at the girls to follow before going in yourself, it would be better if you didn't remain too far apart.

File: Berserker Ring.png (31 KB, 118x135)

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Never letting go of your staff, just in case more Shadows lurked around, you now looked at your surroundings more carefully. The room was spacious and tall. The walls were full of half-faded drawings depicting human knights wearing gradually heavier armour, magic-wielding monsters who looked a lot like the magical constructs and summons that the Kingdom of Zeal used as servants, battles, and green landscapes with castles and ornate buildings. Pieces of glass littered the floor, but you could still see that the broken tiles underneath the dirt had once been white marble. There were display cases in regular intervals, their protective glass long since shattered. Some of them were upturned, many were empty, but you could still see some holding melee weapons and bows and some scattered pieces of armor. There were also more than a few cases full of jewellery. Your first thought at their sight was to gift something to your love, but you quickly dismissed it. She had made her feelings on further gifts from you known, and this... loot would make for a poor gift anyway.

"A museum..." Lucca commented from behind you. The girls had caught up in the meantime.

Marle spoke up next and her focus shifted between various drawings and displays as she recited. "The evolution of the Guardian Knight, King Guardia the First's victory and founding of Truce, King Guardia the Third's miraculous defense and dedication of a Cathedral to the Goddess Manolia on the site of battle, the conquests of King Guardia the Eighth... it's a museum dedicated to the Mystic Wars!"

They had already told you a little about the wars fought between their Kingdom and the non-humans they called Mystics. You could ask them for more details, but this part of history did not seem relevant at the moment, so you simply nodded in acknowledgement. You all dispersed across the room and took a closer look at the objects around. None of them seemed superior to what you had been given in Arris Dome at a cursory glance.

"Nothing looks useful to us..." Marle sounded just as disappointed as you were when she spoke.

"We could sell them when we return to the Present and split the profits." Lucca offered a suggestion that did not sound bad at all. Your pouch had been left almost empty after your purchases before you left your Kingdom and it would be nice if you didn't have to rely on the continued kindness of strangers like Mr. Whitwell. Schala had repeatedly offered to pay for you, but relying on her didn't feel right either.

"I can carry everything in my... wait." Schala, who had gravitated to the jewels, spoke absentmindedly, then paused as she took a dark, spiky ring and held it aloft. "Um... this ring has been enchanted."

"Hmmm... enchanted by the Mystics and put on display for all this time. No human would have been able to sense its power." Lucca mused.

"Sweet! What does it do?" Marle exclaimed, her earlier disappointment fading fast.

"It's full of hatred and rage... This is a Berserker Ring, the one who wears it will be granted considerable strength and resistance to damage, but their mind will be clouded by rage at the sight of an enemy and they will be unable to perform anything more complex than a furious assault." she explained sadly.

This Berserker Ring was a double edged sword, its power coming at a serious drawback. Would you recommend that someone wears it?
>Yes (who?)
>No

While you pondered what to do with that ring, Chrono yelled from the other side of the room. He had found a door leading further inside the building. Another shriek echoed from outside. Did it sound closer this time?

>Take everything valuable from this room and go.
>Go now, these exhibits aren't useful to you.
>Continue exploring this museum.
>Other (Write-in)

>>5719102
>No
>Take everything and continue exploring this museum.

>>5719102
>Yes (Chrono)
It is a really good ring. It's really just between us and him, but we are on healing duty and he's stronger anyways.
>Take everything valuable from this room and go.

>>5719102
>No
>Take everything valuable from this room and go.

>>5719102
>No
>Take everything valuable from this room and go.

>>5719102
>No
>Continue exploring this museum.

>>5719102
>No
as in literally not make a recommendation. But if Chrono decides it's worth it to use, and Marle lets him, then sure. But right now it might be not the best if he's the only one with attack magic substitute as I reckon the ring doesn't allow much finesse in attacks, or?

>Take everything valuable from this room and go.
Probably better get moving before whatever is making that sound catches up. Although a pity we didn't find a demolition man railgun for Lucca in here.

>>5719102
>>No
>Take everything valuable from this room and go.

>No
>>5719115
>>5719123
>>5719131
>>5719148
>>5719198
>>5719252

>Yes
>>5719117 (Chrono)
>Continue exploring this museum.
>>5719115
>>5719148

>Take everything valuable from this room and go.
>>5719117
>>5719123
>>5719131
>>5719198
>>5719252

"We should take everything valuable from this room and go before whatever is making that sound catches up with us." you said to no one in particular. That shriek worried you.

Lucca looked wistfully at the door Chrono had found and adjusted her glasses. "I wanted to see if we could learn more about what happened between 1000 and 1999AG, but you're right. It sounds larger than the mutants we fought before."

"Umm... shall we take this ring as well?” Schala addressed you again with the Berserker Ring hidden inside her closed fist.

You hesitated. You didn't want the ring for yourself, that was for certain. It was a powerful ring, but its power came at great cost. You kept the rage you had felt at the Djinn that had injured her close in mind. You hadn't succumbed to the anger then, and you had prevailed against your strongest opponent yet by fighting calmly and rationally. There was also another thing that lurked in the back of your mind, Lavos's offer of power you had rejected once, a single instance of something that your love had experienced for years. You wanted to become stronger, but not lose yourself in the process. But was it really your place to make that decision for everyone? Should you say something?

In the end, you didn't have to. Chrono approached Schala and wordlessly extended his hand. Marle acted quickly and placed her hand on his armband. "I've never seen you get angry or hate. I like how calm you are. Why do you want to take something that will change you?" she pleaded with him.

"I may need it." he answered simply. They stared at each other for a long moment, before Marle relented and slowly retracted her arm. Chrono turned back to Schala.

"Are you certain?" Schala asked him in turn. He nodded and she released her tight grip on the ring, letting it fall on his open palm. You couldn't deny you were relieved when he placed it in his pocket and not on his finger.

Chrono acquired Berserker Ring.

After Chrono took the ring, Schala turned around and opened the rift leading to her Extradimensional Space. You helped her gather what looked more valuable. Weapons, pieces of armour, jewellery, even a shield you had initially overlooked all eerily disappeared in that distortion. It made you feel like a common burglar, hastily grabbing valuables before the guards showed up to apprehend you. In a sense what you were doing wasn't so different, except the owners and anyone who might appreciate these museum's exhibits were long gone and what you were trying to avoid was a monster.

Acquired Artifacts from the Mystic Wars.

You left the building in a hurry. "This way!" Lucca confidently pointed at a side street. No one doubted her directions, but you were still curious about her knowledge.

"How do you know?" you asked her.

"I memorized the map." she answered matter-of-factly, leaving no room for further discussion.

With your meager findings, you weren't sure if the diversion had been worth it and your uncertainty only grew while you continued your laborious trek as Marle led you from the front, occasionally pausing to look at Lucca for directions. The shrieks were getting louder, slowly but surely. Something big was following you now and it was steadily gaining ground every time you struggled to overcome an obstacle that blocked your path.

On a stretch of the road that was easier to navigate than most in this city, you asked them for more information on the mutants they had fought before. It was honestly something you should have done before. They - mostly Lucca, Marle remained at the head of your pack - told you that mutants were slow and large, two or three stories high, with a bulbous humanoid head. They were hard to kill but not especially vulnerable or resistant to anything your friends had tried. They attacked either by slamming with their bodies or by sending their tentacles to attach to a victim and drain his life. Chrono shuddered at the mention of these tentacles, he had apparently been the one to get hit. They were solitary and mindlessly attacked and tried to consume any human they detected, but your friends had also been told they were extremely hostile to robots, which was why robots avoided the route you were now taking.

Schala remained thoughtful after their explanation ended. If something was bothering her, you didn't want it festering inside her heart so you didn't wait long before asking "Is everything alright?"

"Yes!" she answered, a little too quickly. Then, she looked down and continued "No. I mean... these Mutants, and the Shadows you fought. Where do they come from? Are they the city's former inhabitants?"

Of course, her gentle heart had been concerned about the large underground rats, it wasn't strange that she'd be concerned about these enemies as well. "I don't know,. But if they are, there's nothing we can do to help them." you answered truthfully and wrapped your arm around her shoulders.

"No, we can't. We can... only put an end to their suffering. If they were human once, they wouldn't want to go on living like this." she said quietly.

Marle slid down a rubble mound that was blocking your view and rejoined the group. "That's not completely true. There's one thing we can do. Stop Lavos, save the future and none of this will have happened. This city will be full of life again!" she offered some encouragement. "Also, guys, there's one of them just around the corner. It's right on our path, but we can just run past it." she added something that was a more immediate concern.

"It might hit us while we run. There are other ways. It'll cost us some time, but we can go around it." Lucca answered.

"Or we could fight and... kill it." Schala said grimly.

Chrono put his hand on the hilt of his katana. He didn't have to say which option he preferred. With something even larger than the mutants they had described coming behind you, time was not something you could spare. But what would cost you the least?

>Just run past it.
>Find a way around.
>Fight, try to kill it quickly.
>Other (Write-in)

>>5721202
>Find a way around.

>>5721202
>>Fight, try to kill it quickly.

>>5721202
>Fight, try to kill it quickly.

>>5721202
>>Find a way around.
we can use our shadow to take a look before committing anyway, no? If it seems like an easy kill, we can go for it. Although I bet that if we are too liberal with violence we may regret it later, whether it be some sort of trial equivalent or some schala-lavos shenanigans. Regardless, we've got a job of keeping princess safe, physically as well as spiritually.

>>5721202
>>Fight, try to kill it quickly.

>>5721202
>Find a way around.

>>5721202
>Find a way around.

>Find a way around.
>>5721205
>>5721289
>>5721320
>>5721901

>Fight, try to kill it quickly.
>>5721209
>>5721210
>>5721309

I'm sorry for the delay guys, and thank you for your patience. Last week was rough and then I kept trying and failing to add more meat to this update to make it less disappointing after the wait.

File: Mutant grayscale.png (2 KB, 74x132)

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Your eyes remained on Schala while you thought. She had suggested killing it, but her grim expression made it crystal clear she was not happy about it. Without wanting to, a memory came to the surface of your mind, that of the Schala in your nightmare asking you to kill her. You couldn’t…

"Let me take a look at it first. Creeping Shadow!" you declared before anyone could react. Υour spell sent your shadow slithering over the debris and across the intersection. You closed your real eyes and waited a few moments for the disorientation to pass as you adjusted to your now monochromatic, distant vision before you scanned your shadow's surroundings. The mutant was right where Marle had said it would be, past the corner, just idling in place. It was large, larger than anything you'd fought before save perhaps the Gosnel. Though did it really count as a fight when you had just blinded it and ran away with the girl you had yet to realize you loved?

You kept your shadow still as you observed. You didn't want to gamble on further movement drawing its attention. Its bulbous body stood on two clawed, digitigrade legs. Numerous long, dark tentacles emerged from under its neck, at the approximate height hands would be on a human. Shorter tentacles, the same shade of gray as its skin, crowned its head below what you could only assume was an exposed skull. Its face... was disturbingly like a human's, in a way that the faces of the oozes you'd only recently fought weren't, with large, bulging eyes and a round mouth. It reminded you a little of a newborn, particularly ugly, baby.

You dismissed your spell and opened your eyes. "We should find a way around." you said without delay.

“Alright, alright, let’s go around. This way, right Lucca?” Marle did not actually wait for a response before she headed down a side alley. You hoped she knew what she was doing!

Lucca stared blankly at you for a moment. "I was sure it'd be harder to convince you to see reason."

You didn’t feel like explaining to her so you shrugged. Your eyes were drawn back to your love who had tilted her head and was looking at you with a complicated expression. She was irresistible. You extended your hand and pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear with your fingers. She smiled timidly and her eyes darted down, her cheeks slowly being painted a faint red. You…

Someone dry-coughed from behind you. You froze. With the spell broken you slowly turned around, only to see Lucca grinning mischievously. “Come on Romeo, you’ll have the time for that later.” She chastised you barely suppressing a chuckle, and went after Marle. You followed sheepishly, it really wasn’t the right time for what you were about to do. Romeo though? What was that?

A soft, slender hand sought yours out barely after you began walking and you grasped it without hesitation. You wished you could have held on forever, but it quickly became impossible. The path became even more difficult, your progress slower. When you came at a dead end and had to turn back and go around the block, you began hearing something new. A soft rumble low on the ground, like a stampede of wild beasts coming at you.

Luckily enough, that was the last obstacle on your way and when you bypassed it you arrived at a wide, open road leading to a ramp that connected up to the highway. You all paused.

“The jetbike is over there.” Lucca pointed to that ramp. “But can I get it running in time…?” she added more quietly.

You swallowed hard, cold fear gripping your heart. If even the normally overconfident Lucca wasn’t sure about this… You looked around. The street was lined with buildings taller than those you’d encountered before. What should you do?

>Run to the jetbike!
>Hide in a building, wait for the source of the noise to pass.
>Stand and fight whatever’s coming.
>Other (Write-in)

>>5729272
Null sweat m8, as always this is supposed to give you pleasure, not suffering. Well, some creative suffering is part and parcel I suppose but don’t let it get better of you.

>>5729275
Thanks anon. I often am my own worst enemy.

>>5729274
Ehh I guess we might as well

>hide and watch

Rather than force Lucca to work hastily

>>5729274
>>Run to the jetbike!

>>5729274
>>Hide in a building, wait for the source of the noise to pass.

>>5729274
>Hide in a building, wait for the source of the noise to pass.

>>5729272
And I'll second what the other anon said, don't burn yourself out mate.
And thank you for the update.

>>5729274
>Run to the jetbike!

>>5729274
>Hide in a building, wait for the source of the noise to pass.

>>5729274
>Hide in a building, wait for the source of the noise to pass.

>>5729272
As advice from one QM to another, consider changing to a "releasing each post as you come up with it" style of updating. It works fairly well, helps players to know you aren't dead, and relieves a lot of that pressure and guilt you may be feeling.
And hey, it's easier to think of it as "1 post a day" in general. Just one. Limit yourself to that to avoid burnout.
literally couldn't post this until now, thank you 4chan

>>5729793
You mean releasing partial updates, or posting a full update the moment I'm finished with it? Either way it's something that my autism won't let me do. Rushing updates out will just leave me unhappy with the result. It has happened in the past and this might be the best way to kill my motivation entirely. Thanks for the advice, I know it's well meant.

I wish I could go back to writing one update a day like I used to, but my life is still unstable, and that's not gonna change anytime soon.

Update incoming, please stand by. Thank you for your patience.

>Hide in a building, wait for the source of the noise to pass.
>>5729279
>>5729398
>>5729461
>>5729538

>Run to the jetbike!
>>5729281
>>5729478

"Inside, quickly!" You began running before you’d even finished your shout. You held firmly to Schala’s hand and trusted that the others would follow. There was no argument, only the sound of hurried footsteps behind the two of you as you headed to the nearest building.

You paused briefly just inside the entrance to let your love catch her breath and the others to catch up. There was nothing remarkable about this structure. It was worn down by the elements, full of dust, debris and doorways that led to rooms that had been rendered inaccessible when their roofs collapsed long ago. What had happened to the old inhabitants? Were they really…?

“Let’s keep moving and get away from the streets.” Marle interrupted your thoughts and gestured at the staircase leading up. You saw no reason to argue, it looked sturdy enough, and you wanted to be as far away from whatever was causing that rumbling when it passed. She didn’t wait long before she began carefully ascending the stairs and you all followed her.

You breathed a little easier when you reached the first floor. You paused next to the stairs, in a large room that a crumbling wall had left open to the outside. Marle broke the silence again. “Chrono? Were you ready to use that ring?” she asked the red-haired boy. He said nothing in response and only raised his eyebrow at her. “I saw you put your hand in your pocket…” she continued. Had he? You hadn’t noticed it, but it wasn’t strange that she’d be paying more attention to him, or that he’d be ready to stand and fight.

Chrono frowned and opened his mouth, but someone else spoke first. “You are not completely insane after all!” came an unknown man’s voice from the other side of the room. You reacted on instinct and turned to face the voice, drawing your staff and pushing Schala behind you. Chrono acted similarly and drew his katana while stepping quickly to your side, putting himself between the voice and the girls.

You gripped your staff tightly and called out. “Who’s there?”

Out of the doorway stepped a middle-aged man of average height, with short blond hair and a wiry build. He wore a frayed greenish uniform with no insignia you could see and held a gun that was about as long as Chrono’s sword. He was no one you recognised, although…

“Devyn!” Marle exclaimed as Chrono relaxed at the same time. Your friends seemed to know him.

“I’ve been looking for you. And you are…” he squinted and sized you up. You met his gaze defiantly as you felt Schala place her hand on your back.

“That’s Gaius and this is Schala!” Marle answered for you. “They’re our friends.” She squeezed past you and Chrono to come closer to this Devyn, but did not elaborate more than that.

This was enough for that man, as he nodded and loosened his grip on his weapon. "It’s almost here. Stay out of sight, don’t look at it. Hide, cover your eyes and plug your ears. We’ll talk after it passes us by.”

>Ask him what ‘it’ is.
>Hide, but take a look. What could be the harm in that?
>You’ll hide and will not look, but listening can't hurt.
>Cast Creeping Shadow to watch and listen to it in safety.
>Do as you were told and nothing more. Hide, cover your eyes and plug your ears
>Other (Write-in)

>>5735393
really tempted to
>>Cast Creeping Shadow to watch and listen to it in safety.
but it kind of reeks of "what could possibly go wrong" and I'm not sure if as group's main healer we can take the risk of getting incapacitated by whatever that is..

>>5735393
>Do as you were told and nothing more. Hide, cover your eyes and plug your ears
I've seen enough shows to know what happens if we try to find a loophole.

>>5735393
>Do as you were told and nothing more. Hide, cover your eyes and plug your ears
He's the local, so better listen to him

>>5735393
>>Do as you were told and nothing more. Hide, cover your eyes and plug your ears

>>5735393
>Do as you were told and nothing more. Hide, cover your eyes and plug your ears

>>5735393
>Cast Creeping Shadow to watch and listen to it in safety.

>>5735393
>>Cast Creeping Shadow to watch and listen to it in safety.

>Cast Creeping Shadow to watch and listen to it in safety.
>>5735429
>>5735850
>>5736010

>Do as you were told and nothing more. Hide, cover your eyes and plug your ears
>>5735438
>>5735522
>>5735613
>>5735791

File: 86828415_p20.jpg (477 KB, 768x768)

477 KB JPG

The man promptly disappeared into the room he had come from. Marle took a look back before hurrying along after him. The rest of you did the same, the man had said you needed to hide and the room you were in offered little in the way of cover. The next room over was little better, being barren and full of dust with just a few crumbling pieces of furniture, but at least it put a wall between you and the streets.

As you all fanned around the room, the man spoke again. “I gotta go check with my men. Hide, don’t look at it, don’t listen to the voices. I’ll be back when it’s safe.” Then he dashed out through another doorway. You and your friends exchanged an awkward glance, but the intensifying clamor meant you had little time to spare. Your curiosity had been picked. you were really tempted to cast Creeping Shadow to watch and listen to it in safety. The man had no idea magic existed, much less that it could be used for something like this. But no, you couldn’t take that risk. The group relied on you, she relied on you. That man was the local, you had better listen to him.

You pressed your back to the wall near the door you had come from while your friends scrambled to hide. Schala hesitated in front of you. How could you be sure she would be safe if you couldn’t see or hear her? Suddenly an idea came to you. You grabbed her arm and pulled her close to you, securing her in a tight embrace. A look of understanding dawned on her when you covered her ears with your hands and she gave you a quick smile before burying her face on your chest. Her hands blindly and slowly crept upwards, sending jolts across your body wherever she touched, until she covered your ears in turn, muting all sound. You closed your eyes, trying to suppress a smile that would be incongruous with the situation you were in.

The building soon began to shake. You could still hear the noise produced by whatever was passing, even through your covered ears, but you could make out nothing more than an indistinct cacophony. With the man’s warning fresh in mind, you tried not to focus on the individual sounds. A pressure began building up between your ears, but you concentrated instead on the girl in your arms, the feel of her touch, the sound of her hurried breath, felt more than heard. It helped keep your rising anxiety well in check.

After what seemed an eternity but couldn’t have been more than a minute or two, the structure’s vibrations ended and the sound from outside passed. You opened your eyes and you relaxed your hold of the girl that you loved. She stood straight and looked up at you with a serene expression on her gorgeous emerald eyes. She blinked slowly. You had resisted the allure of lips for long enough and steadily approached for another taste, when…

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Marle began giggling and the moment was lost. Schala looked away with her cheeks reddening once again. You turned to Marle in barely disguised annoyance at the interruption, but she wasn’t looking at just you. Her wild eyes darted back and forth across the room. Suddenly, her giggling stopped, she pulled out her crossbow and she lunged at Chrono with a yell, aiming to bash him with the butt of her weapon. Chrono did not find it hard to parry with his bare hand and sidestep her furious but clumsy attack. His sword remained sheathed while Marle stumbled forward for a few steps, then resumed giggling uncontrollably. What was wrong with her? Had Chrono done something while you weren’t looking?

>Let Chrono handle her.
>Tell her to stop.
>Physically restrain her.
>Knock her out.
>Other (Write-in)

>>5736662
>restrain her
Did she accidentally get hit by a confuse effect?
I guess we could use remedy but it’s probably better to save mana if it’s just Marle and no other combat.

>>5736662
>Other (Write-in)
>Use Remedy
We don't know when it'll wear out on its own

>>5736662
>Other (Write-in)
Use Remedy
>Let Chrono handle her.

>>5736662
>Let Chrono handle her.

>>5736662
>Use Remedy 2
that's the stronger one

>>5736662
>Physically restrain her.

>>5736662
>>5736731
Support

>>5736731
+1

>Physically restrain her.
>>5736668
>>5737490

>Use Remedy 2 (merging the write-ins because Gaius would know which one is more appropriate here. Good call.)
>>5736678
>>5736697 (+Let Chrono handle her)
>>5736731
>>5737573
>>5737587

>Let Chrono handle her.
>>5736719

While you thought about how to handle Marle’s strange behavior, Schala wiggled out of your arms. “Marle? What’s wrong?”she asked the blonde princess.

Marle did not acknowledge the question. After a few a few more seconds of giggling, she abruptly turned and lunged for another attack with the butt of her crossbow, this time aiming at a startled Lucca. Chrono moved fast to catch Marle’s wrist and stop her before any damage could be done. She looked at him furiously for a moment, then resumed giggling with a vacant expression. What a confusing-

Confusion! Your eyes widened as you got a hunch on what had happened to her, and the fastest way to confirm would be to try and cure her. You gently pushed Schala aside as you stepped forward and felt your mana reserves deep lower when you cast one of your more powerful spells.

“Remedy II!”

The effect was immediately visible when the sparkles of your spell faded. It was as if a veil had lifted from Marle’s eyes. She slumped like a puppet with her strings cut and would have surely fallen to the ground if Chrono wasn’t already holding her. “Ugh… my head…” she grunted. “Chrono…? What happened?”

“Stupid girl, you didn’t block out the voices like I told you!” The man from before had returned just in time to answer her question, with four more, similarly dressed in greenish uniforms, following him into the room. You payed them no attention but hurried at Marle, whom Chrono was holding steady. You took her wrist and took her pulse - elevated but steady - and used the movement as cover to run your mana through her body and examine her health without the newcomers realizing what you were doing, grateful as always for the lessons your mother had taught you, in what now seemed so far away and so long ago.

“The voices. It was awful! They screamed, they pleaded, they threatened… Did I attack you and Lucca?!” Marle’s anxiety was rising. Chrono was frozen, unsure on what to do.

Schala maneuvered herself next to you and placed her hand on Marle’s arm. “It’s alright Marle. You weren’t yourself, isn’t that right?” Chrono smiled and nodded vigorously at her cue, and she continued. “These voices disrupted your thoughts, but Gaius healed you now.”

Schala’s eyes darted to the side for a glance at you, her admiration evident. Your own examination concluded, you broke your contact and stepped back. “I can sense nothing else wrong with your body. Just take it easy and you should be fine.” you reassured her.

“And I am very curious how you did that.” the man, Devyn, remarked with a frown his arms crossed in front of his chest. “Normally, we’d have to knock out those who are dumb enough to listen to it and drag them to an Enertron to be cured of this madness.”

“Nanomachines! Miraculous, aren’t they?” Lucca entered the conversation with an enthusiastic remark and a wide smile.

The man’s frown deepened. “Really? I’ve seen nanomachines in action and they weren’t-“

He was interrupted by a shorter, squatter man elbowing him to his sides. “Who cares, Devyn!” He then addressed you. “Can you give us a few of these nanomachines and teach us how to use them? They’d be a tremendous help to us!”

You nervously rubbed the back of your neck. You couldn’t tell them the truth about magic, could you? Besides, even if you did, it wouldn’t do anything to help them. You hadn’t worked on Schala’s version of the Ritual of the Revealing, and while you were sure that your friends would be able to use magic and had reason to suspect that after who knows how many aeons of intermingling between the former Enlightened and Earthbound all humans in the future were capable of magic, you couldn’t know for sure. “Err… no, I’m sorry, I don’t think it’s possible.” you tried to let him down gently.

Devyn waved him off. “No matter. This isn’t why we were looking for you. Back in Arris the water-“

Lucca did not give him the chance to finish. “We know. The water purifier is fixed now, we just came from there.”

“Yeah!” Marle added. She was recovering quickly. “We run into our friends after we left and we had to go back so they could use an Enertron.” It was close enough to the truth.

The man’s surprise at the girls’ words quickly wore off and he visibly relaxed and let his arms drop to his sides. “I’m.. glad. Thank you. Our home’s safe and we can take advantage of the opportunity that was presented to us, if you’ll help us.”

“Opportunity?” you cautiously asked.

“The area will be peaceful for a few hours after the Chilopod’s passage. Neither mutants nor the robots will dare stir for a while.” He had uttered the word robots with an unexpected vehemence. “The robots have fortified a warehouse in the northern outskirts of the city and have been moving cargo from somewhere south. It must be valuable for them to dare step into the city. We can attack them, take what they’re guarding and carry it back to Arris with the jetbike that my dad gave you the keys to.”

“I’ll need to fix it first.” Lucca told him.

Devyn thought for just a moment before he turned to the man who had interrupted him before. “Give her your radio.” he commanded and the other man hastened to remove a small, black rectangular device from his pocket and hand it to Lucca. “We can use this to talk. It’ll be faster if my team goes there first on foot to recon the target. Tell us when you’re ready to come, or if you decide not to come.” Lucca accepted the device with a glint in her eyes. You were about to object that you never agreed to help them, but his last sentence had given you the option to decide later, so you remained silent. “Do you have a map?” he asked.

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“No. Describe the directions, I’ll remember them.” Lucca said without taking her eyes off the machine in her hand. The man obliged as Schala pressed to your side and you didn’t pay attention to what he was saying. You trusted Lucca to remember as she had said.

When he finished, the man and his team left with a curt farewell. They did not take the stairs you had used and you briefly wondered how they were moving through the city, though that question was quickly pushed to the depths of your mind. You all hurried back to the streets. Marle looked like her usual upbeat self now, though she did not leave Chrono’s side to go ahead as she had when you were traveling before and Schala stayed close to them, apparently still worried even if she was doing a good job of hiding it.

You reached the intersection mere minutes later. The city was eerily quiet now. The jetbike you were looking for was lying in the middle of a clearing near the highway, obviously abandoned for a long time though not in a terrible state. It was blue and yellow, its colors faded with age, similar enough to the jetbikes you had seen the robots use, but much sleeker in its design. It looked big enough for all five of you, though it may have been a little cramped inside. Lucca wasted no time in running to it, kneeling next to it, using a tool she removed from her satchel to open a panel, her excitement visible on her features before she dived in the machines innards to take a look. While she worked, Schala tended to Marle in a hushed voice and you and Chrono looked around the area, ready for any approaching danger, but it was as peaceful as Devyn had said it would be. Nothing could be seen or heard moving anywhere near you.

After some time, Lucca emerged from the machine, with black smudges all over her face and hands. “I have good news and bad news.” she paused for emphasis with a wild grin. “Good news is, I can fix this easily. Bad news is, it’s going to take me a couple hours. Though this might be more good news for certain lovebirds who can’t keep their hands away from each other. You can do what you want to your heart’s content!” She chuckled as Chrono readily approached her. “No, Chrono, thanks but I won’t need any help with something as trivial as this. Go on, shoo! Just keep it down you four while I work.” She chuckled again and dived back into the machine without waiting for anything you might have wanted to say.

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You, Schala, Chrono and Marle exchanged a look with each other. You had some time to yourselves, and you considered what you could do with it. You were a little tired and could go for a nap to restore your stamina and mana. Between your scouting, the fights you had gotten into and your earlier cure of Marle, you had spent more than half your mana today. You still had enough for a some more spells, but who knew when you’d have the chance to rest again. And maybe this was greedy of you, but perhaps you’d see that recurring dream again and mysteriously learn something as you had when you previously woke up during your adventure. Or if you didn’t want to gamble on that strange happenstance, you could use your last reserves of mana to practice your magic and learn the usual way, as you had back in Zeal.

Alternatively, you could train your melee skills with Chrono. You had worked well together, but you were not entirely familiar with the way each other fought. You felt your teamwork could be improved with some practice, though the same would come naturally as you kept fighting together.

Marle looked fine enough. She didn’t need you to tend to her, and the eyes she made at Chrono made it obvious who she wanted to spend the time Lucca had given you with.

Lastly, your eyes drifted to Schala and drank deeply of your love’s beauty. Her luscious lips were so inviting… It had been so long since you last had a taste, and you had been interrupted when you had last been close to. Something stirred inside you at the thought. No, you had to focus! There was work you could do with her. You could help her modify the ritual that could let your friends use magic. Or you could study Enchanting with her, perhaps enchant something simple with her help? Of course, there was no telling how much time Lucca would take to fix that vehicle. Perhaps there would be time left for leisure, if you were fast enough with whatever work you decided to do…

Choose one:
>Take a nap
>Practice magic by yourself (Any type in particular?)
>Train with Chrono
>Work on the element ritual with Schala
>Enchant something with Schala
>Other (Write-in)

Plus, optional
>Spend some leisure time with someone. (Who, and is there anything specific you want to do or talk about? Gaius has some ideas otherwise. Just to clarify, this will not affect the efficiency of which of the above you vote to do, it’s just a vote on whether you want to do something extra or not.)

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I’m sorry guys, but this was the last update for this thread. My vacation begins today so I’ll have to end it early. I had hoped to get more things done, but I guess this will have to do. The weeks after I return will be busy, Chrono Trigger: Frozen Moment will return in October, hopefully at a less disappointing pace. Thank you all for still being here and as always, I’d love to hear any feedback you might have.

The thread has been archived at https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=ChronoQM

>>5740150
>Work on the element ritual with Schala

>Spend some leisure time with someone.
Chrono. He doesn't speak much, so use this opportunity to talk with him a little.

>>5740150
>Work on the element ritual with Schala

>Spend some leisure time with someone.
Either the kissu kissu with the gf our we can try to talk with the silent protag.

>>5740150
>>Work on the element ritual with Schala
>Spend some leisure time with someone.
Chrono.

>>5740150
>>Practice magic by yourself (Shadow)

>>5740150
Lucca is such a treasure. But so are all our other friends for that matter.

>Work on the element ritual with Schala
Let's do this, combine the pleasure and duty.
If we get tired maybe we can take a breather with Crono and Marle if they're not occupied with each other.

>>5740151
Be safe OP!

>>5740150
>Take a nap
I want to dream
>Spend some leisure time with someone
Make out with our girl

>>5740165
>our
*or

>>5740150
>Take a nap