Neo-Trigger
A Chrono Trigger fanfic…
Only years later… An alternate 'Chrono Cross…'
Written and Devised by Majin Magus
Chapter One
The Wedding
The sun rose over Guardia kingdom, awakening the flowers across the grass fields of the kingdom. Now it was a spring morning, but it would not be a normal spring day. The castle Guardia was draped in white and pink flowers, and multicolored banners hung between the top towers.
Within the castle, there was an air of tension. Maids bustled about, carrying food or hanging more decorations. In the kitchens downstairs, the cooks were working full time on various things. All the tables had been covered; each one hidden by a white tablecloth and on top of the spotless cloth was plates and bowls holding great amounts of food.
In the throne room, King Guardia sat on his throne, drumming his fingertips lightly on the fine polished wood. His eyes flashed nervously at either of the staircases behind him, which circled up high into the castle. 'Soon…' he thought.
Just then a maid, walking quickly, began to climb the stairs to King Guardia's left. She had in her hands a blue hair ribbon. Climbing the stairs with anxiousness and a bit of pride. She passed the second room and within moments was in front of a bedroom door.
*
Crono sat in a cushioned chair in the king's room. A bit of nervousness was beginning to surface in his mind. He quickly willed it to vanish, but as soon as the anxiety was gone, a bit of embarrassment settled in his brain. 'Everyone will be there…' he thought. A voice in his mind answered his own thought. 'Yes, of course, why wouldn't they be? Glenn, Ayla, Magus…'
Over the course of time since their adventure, Crono had styled his hair differently. Still the same deep red, it was now spread more to the sides out of his face. He had also had his hair grow a bit taller, so as it spread down, it gave an effect that was a little like a fountain.
Odd that he should fell anything but happiness, really. But wasn't there supposed to be a bit of post-anxiety for people in his position? Well, in about an hour, this would be over, and, Crono was sure, all there would be would be bliss.
*
"Princess! You're to be downstairs in five minutes!" a maid called. Marle looked up. She was wearing a flowing white dress, with lace and beads on the lower half, creating the pattern of a beautiful flower. Her hair had been cut, and now only hung to her chin. Her eyes had grown more relaxed and gentle. The pendant hung around her neck, glowing slightly.
Marle sighed. "Is it time already? Is everyone in place?" she asked. The maid nodded. She sighed again. So much to plan, so much to worry about, and so much could go wrong. She sincerely hoped her friends would behave themselves…
*
Down in the throne room, about fifty people were assembled: Twenty guests, King Guardia, maids and soldiers, and, of course, Magus, Lucca, Glenn, and Ayla. Robo was not present, because when the Epoch had been used to hand out invitations, Robo had not been found in the whole of 2300 AD. A lot of them missed Robo, especially Lucca, since she had been there to fix him the first and second times.
Despite the visual image of a peaceful reunion of the friends, tension could be sensed, as always, between Magus and Glenn. When the question had arisen as to how Magus was going to be present without causing an uproar, he decided to use a bit of trickery. Anyone who wasn't Crono, Marle, Glenn, Lucca, or Ayla saw him as a normal villager, and they all called him Janus.
Suddenly, just as Magus was shooting a silent dare at Glenn, whose hand was on his Masamune, a slow tune began playing. A band was sitting in the corner, and it consisted of a violinist, a man with a cello, and a harp player. From the left hand stairs, Crono emerged, wearing a classy suit, and with his usual bandana gone.
As the band switched to a new song, there came sound from the right hand stairs. The sound of shoes coming closer…at this new sound, Crono gulped involuntarily. Seconds later, Marle stepped down from the stairs and walked over to Crono. A minister from the new chapel to the east began to read from a book.
A little while later, the minister turned to Crono and said, "Do you, Sir Crono, take Princess Nadia to be your lawfully wedded wife, for richer or poorer, through sickness and health, till death do you part?"
Crono turned and smiled at Marle. "I do," he replied.
The minister turned to Marle. "And do you, Princess Nadia…"
"I do," Marle said, cutting him off.
The minister sniffed indignantly, but continued. "May I be the first to present you all to Mr. and Mrs. Crono Trigger, and King Crono and Queen Nadia! You may kiss the bride," the minister added. Crono and Marle embraced in a kiss, then let go and gazed at each other peacefully.
Crono turned to the guests. "A reception will be held downstairs, for all that wish to come," he said, a grin on his face. Marle smiled and began to walk with Crono to the downstairs staircase.
Glenn followed the others but turned around to see that Magus wasn't moving.
"Dost thou not have the decency to celebrate this union?" Glenn asked, disgusted. Magus grinned back at him.
"Are sure you want to go down there? I mean, you are an ugly toad…" he shot back.
Glenn's hand moved for the Masamune, but just hovered about the hilt. "I shall not ruin my brethren's wedding. And I shall not waste the Masamune on you," he said, trying to control his temper.
To his surprise, Magus just laughed. "Ha…I broke your sword once, I can do it again, so don't get too cocky, frog." Brushing back his blood red cape, Magus turned and walked out of the castle.
Most likely interested as to why a frogman and an ordinary villager were fighting, a guest came over and tapped Glenn on the shoulder. Glenn spun around and saw a Truce villager staring interestedly at him.
"Was there a problem? And, uh, do you feel all right?" he asked, concerned.
"Why dost thou ask that question? There be no illness within me!" Glenn answered, taken aback.
The villager didn't look like he believed Glenn. "Well," he said, "It's just that you were talking to that guy, but it looked like you weren't. I mean, you were talking to him like he was taller."
"Uh, thou must have been seeing things. Tarry me not, I must go to Sir Crono's celebration." Glenn replied hastily, leaving the villager to head down to the party.
*
As Marle walked over to the stairs, she glanced back at Crono. He smiled at her then turned back to talk with Glenn, who had just come down to the reception.
Marle walked up the stairs, and stepped into an empty corridor with a closet to her right. She quickly threw her wedding dress into the closet to reveal a dark blue body suit underneath. Marle grabbed her crossbow, the Siren, and quickly fitted it on her arm. She had modified the weapon so it didn't have to be carried, but could be strapped to the arm.
Undoing a blue ribbon holding all her hair in one place, a few long strands of hair fell over Marle's eyes. She slipped the pendant back over her head and walked silently out of the castle.
*
Magus sat in a tree, glaring across the fields of Guardia, really staring at nothing. A breeze ruffled his silvery blue hair, and shook a few leaves from the tree. A sudden sound made him turn his head. For a second, Magus could have sworn he saw a person, but no knew he was here.
"There it is again!" Magus growled, dropping from the tree. His trick appearance was gone, and whoever was there had already witnessed him. Drawing his scythe from the folds of his cape, he held the sharp blade sideways, so he could strike at a moment's notice.
Something flashed from one spot to another, and then moved again. Magus swiped seconds too late at the spots. Something tapped on his shoulder, and his Doom Sickle was at its throat before any other thought came through his head.
It was Marle.
She laughed. "So, you don't want any cake, Magus?" her eyes, relaxed and contented, met Magus's, which were fierce and calculating. He scoffed and put his Doom Sickle away. Marle stood were she was, hands on her hips.
"What's the matter?" she asked quizzically. "Why are you out here? Is something wrong?" Marle moved a bit forward, and saw that Magus was back in the tree.
Dark eyes narrowing at nothing, Magus spoke. "You forget, Marle. I am not like you and the others. Did I rejoice when Crono returned that day on the mountain? No, I simply thought, 'Yes, now Lavos will pay, our chances are improved.'" Pausing to shoot a half glance into the forest, Magus shifted slightly in the tree.
"You all have always been good people, whereas I was once the 'Mystic King,' as you will recall. I spent… many years among the Mystics. Do you think none of their untrusting, violent nature rubbed off on me?" Magus dropped to the ground and stared at Marle. "Remember, you never were torn from your family, and grew up with violent creatures who would beat you up if they wanted to, no questions asked. I was young, as you know."
A slight smirk appeared on Magus's face, as if recalling a memory. "Ah, I shall never forget the day I emerged victorious from my first battle…the Mystics truly thought I had no magical ability…I showed them…" Magus's eyes flashed open, and he focused on Marle. "You see how different you all are from me? You recall happy memories, and I recall the times when I was the best and had no equal."
Marle moved closer to Magus, then stopped. "But still, I know you are human, like us all." A clap of thunder and lightning exploded overhead. Magus turned as tiny droplets of rain began to fall.
"You may be right, be for now I will follow my own path," Magus said, and he walked off into the forest, leaving Marle behind him.
*
Two months later…
Crono sat out on the balcony, his eyes surveying the Kingdom of Guardia. He was dressed with the usual bandana and tunic, and he wore blue gloves. His Rainbow sword was strapped to his side, it safely held within the leather sheath. Marle suddenly appeared out of the door behind him.
"You know, our friends seem to like spending time here in the present." She bowed her head silently. "All except for…for…" Crono turned and put his hand on Marle's shoulder.
"We don't know what happened to Robo, except he wasn't in any of the domes. The best we can do is stop worrying about him. Don't think any of them want you wearing a somber face today, you know?" Crono said, in an attempt to cheer Marle.
Marle looked up at him. "Yes. It seems that with the fighting tournament coming up in a few weeks all the personnel in the castle are busy," she smiled, staring at the large arena that had been built a few years back. "And since all the people in the kingdom have been asked to do a part, we have nothing to do until later tonight when we test the modified arena."
There was a great clatter that came out of one of the windows a bit below them. Marle and Crono ceased their conversation and jumped off the balcony and dropping onto the slanted roof of the castle. Running somewhat clumsily because of the uneven terrain, they moved towards the window and leapt into it. Ayla was standing there, trying to put a suit of armor back together.
"I want know if there was person inside," Ayla said, as the mismatched pieces of armor fell apart again. Marle took her arm and led her down the hall as Crono correctly assembled the knight.
Ayla glanced back. "No one inside?" she asked Marle. Marle shook her head.
"Now, come on. Everyone else should be here soon." Marle said happily. A soldier came up behind her and tapped her on her shoulder. Marle turned.
"Queen Nadia, we need you and King Crono to test the Arena." He said, bowing respectfully.
Marle let go of Ayla's arm and spun around. "What? You said you wouldn't need a test until tonight! I've got plans!" she stormed, making the soldier back up several paces.
"Uh…" he said, gulping. "The people of the kingdom have finished their tasks with amazing speed, and the date of the tournament was moved to a closer date."
Marle had a furious look on her face. "Why weren't Crono and I consulted?"
"Because you and the king are not in charge of the tournament."
"We're the rulers of the kingdom!!"
"Ah, if you forgive my saying so, this event is merely commercial. So Truce shop can earn some extra GP, you know? Advertisements and all," the soldier said nervously. "We need you there in an hour." And he turned and walked away, Marle glaring angrily at his retreating back.
Marle turned to Ayla. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to cancel our little get-together today," she apologized.
"Why? I would enjoy a good sparring match," called a voice from behind her. Marle and Ayla swiveled around.
"Magus!" Marle exclaimed.
Magus, followed by Lucca and Glenn, walked down the hallway. At the same moment, Crono jumped through the window.
"I heard every word, although I was unfortunately clinging for my life from a statue out on the roof," Crono said, a slight grin on his face.
Marle turned back to the others. "Would you really mind coming to battle test the arena with Crono and I?" she asked slowly.
"No problem," Magus said.
"Fun, practice fight with friends!" Ayla cried enthusiastically.
"I would be my pleasure, lady Marle," Glenn said respectfully.