Chrono Trigger Redreamt

by Corky Riviera

A classic story, faithfully restored and given a new breath of life... you're still going to hate time travel, though. Co-authored with Verilligo.

2. Comincia

Chrono Trigger: Redreamt

- I -

Comincia

An air of jollity was steeped high throughout the kingdom of Guardia; it was a bright day and even the sky, sun, and animals seemed to be rejoicing the wonderful events taking place at the square... The sun was fixed at high-noon position and everyone was bustling about energetically... well, except for one soul. Locked away in unknown dreams, a young man clung to his pillows as a cat, perched atop him, purred and snoozed. Finally, from downstairs came a sharp call, though sounding ever so cheery: "Time to wake up!"

"Jussa... little longer..." Crono snored. His mother walked upstairs and threw the curtains open, letting in the stinging, sleep-destroying light of the day. Both the cat and Crono winced viciously at the introduction.

"Come on now, rise and shine!"

"Hey, hey...!" He groaned, "Do that slowly..."

The cat blinked a few times before hopping off the bed and circling the woman's legs and purring endearingly. Mom laughed and reached down, petting the feline before continuing, "Oh, but you ought to be so excited! Don't you remember what today is?"

"Uh..."

"Remember the carnival, dear?" Mom grinned, "If you don't get out of bed, you're going to miss it!"

"Carni- ... aw CRAP!" Crono sat up and looked at her, "Don't tell me I overslept!"

"Not TOO badly this time..." She laughed weakly, "It's only a little after lunch."

Crono sighed, and popped out of his bed, not bothering to make it. He looked around with suspicious, shifty eyes to make sure the coast was clear, and then robbed his secret cash stash. Just enough funds to completely blow on games and junk food without feeling guilty! "I hope Lucca's not already done..."

He paused a moment and looked down at his clothes. "Wait a minute... aw, man! I slept in my clothes, too?"

Heading downstairs he fruitlessly tugged on his clothes to try to get rid of wrinkles. Upon reaching the floor he dashed to the door and exclaimed, "I'm headed for the carnival, Mom! See you later!"

"Wait, honey!" Mom paused and pointed down at the cat. He sat before a blue dish labeled in bold 'DOG', looking, if cats were able, to burst into tears. His little skinny frame shivered as he let out a soul-injuring, hungry, pleading MEW! "Pick up some catfood for Dog if you get a chance!"

"... yes ma'am." Crono gulped, wondering how the hell that cat knew his buttons so well.

Then she put her hands on her hips and grinned. "And where is my kiss, hm?"

Crono stifled a groan and gave her a family-smooch on the cheek. "I gotta go now, though, Mom! Or I'm gonna miss everything!"

"Alright, you have fun!" She turned around and got to work on preparing dinner from scratch. "See you later!"

"Yes'm!" With a renewed burst of energy he tore out the door, most likely leaving flames behind in his wake.

Soon before him loomed the bright colors and energetic aura of the Millennia Fair. The place was packed to bursting with villagers and stands, everything from games to shop stands filled with exotic curios and novelties. Children gasped with glee as they roamed about either attached to their parents or in big packs like dogs, and adults laughed merrily among each other with conversation. Naturally, anyone's first instinct would be to leap right into playing games, but Crono somehow held himself back. Stepping out of the main pathway, he thought long and hard.

"Now, where would Lucca set up her stuff...?" He paused, before muttering, "Of course, closest to the most important thing around."

Without any hesitance he started off in a run, curling narrowly around in front of the racers, and nearly tripping his way up the fence. About at the same time, a pretty but over-excited young lady came around from the opposite place. Since neither had seen each other, collision was inevitable: both fell to the ground with a thump, and the sound of something metallic hitting the cobblestone echoed for a moment. The girl winced a little, sitting up and holding her head. "Ooof!"

"Yow!" Crono sat up, before realizing what had happened. Oh god, he ran right into a GIRL! Most sinful of sins! "Oh. Sorry, Miss... Didn't mean to bash you around..."

"Oh, no!" She giggled merrily, blonde hair bouncing, "Totally my fault and- ..."

She stood up and felt around her neck for a moment, before muttering, "...Necklace. Necklace!"

The girl started to run about, hands over her eyes, and called, "Yoo-hoo! Necklace?!?"

"Er, you lose something, miss?"

"Blue necklace!"

Crono nodded, and like a true gentleman, started searching. A glint of light caught his eye- there lay the pendant, thankfully, looking undamaged. He picked it up and presented it to the girl, "Ah hah! Here it is."

"Oh, thank you!" The girl beamed, frantically putting it back on. "Perfect! Great! Thank you! I must not have gotten the hook completely on! Heeeeeey! Are you from around here?"

"Oh, yeah." Crono grew one of those knowing grins, "I live in the village."

"Great!!" She let off some strange, over-excited giggles, nearly falling over. "I'm not from around and, well... I'm not sure where to go! Would you kindly guide me?"

She was suddenly, startlingly, in his face with a grin. He took a sudden step back and let off an 'Uh'... But... he thought, If I don't go to Lucca's thing, she's gonna be chewing my ear off for weeks. But this girl... she's... woah, mama! Hmm, I smell compromise time! He regained some composure, but still nervously laughed, "Err, sure! I'll have to stop by an exhibit, though, so you might be stuck for awhile!"

"Oh, super!" The girl bounced several times, seemingly trying to defy gravity. "I'd be glad to see that stuff first! I've got all day, ya know? Yay! This is perfect!"

You have -no- idea. Crono hid a smirk. "Heh heh... Ah, well! We should introduce ourselves so we don't have to default on 'Hey, you!' I'm Crono!"

"Heya, Crono!" She spoke like she knew him for years, "I'm, uh, Marle, that's right! Glad to meet you. Okay, now we know each other, lead on!"

Her frantic giggles were starting to get unnerving. "Then, uh, just this way. I need to check and see if Lucca has her stuff set up."

"Sure!"

Crono led Marle up to the square behind Leene's bell, where a man stood before the steps, looking bored. Though as he saw the two approach, he raised an eyebrow. "Man, somebody actually wants to see this tri- I mean... Hello, patrons! Heh heh..."

"Hello!" Marle waved energetically.

"Heya. Is everything set up already?"

"Not quite yet, there's just apparently a few things left..." The man yawned a little.

"Guess we'll have to do some things in the meantime, huh?" Marle looked at Crono.

"Guess so. Well, not like there's a lack of things to do! So let's get a-searchin'!"

Marle suddenly grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him, shouting: "Dundaaaaduuuuun! To the games!!"

Oh dear... I hope I didn't get another escapee from the Funny Farm. Crono struggled onto his feet, "Yeah, uh, to the games!"

She came to a stop, finally, in the middle of the game section. With a furrowed brow she furiously searched the different stands for something to play. Goldfish catching... Ball tossing... strength games... Everything looked equally as promising with brightly colored gifts! But what caught her ear was the cry: "Win cats!"

"OOH! CATS!" Marle suddenly looked at Crono with begging eyes, "Crooonooo! Win me a kitty! I love kitties!"

"A... cat?" He blinked. "Well, guess I don't see any harm in it."

"Yay!"

Crono strode up happily with girl-on-arm to the man before the tent, chest puffed out to extremes. "I'd like to win a kitten, good sir!"

"Great!" The man glanced at Marle, "Ooooh! And I like your -pretty- companion there..."

Marle simply giggled. Crono let off a nervous laugh...

"Then by all means, please enter!" The man let them into the tent. Inside it was... so very much NOT a tent. No, it looked dank and dreary like a dungeon, smelled moldy, and was all around unfriendly. Crono glanced around a bit nervously at the barely-lit room, shifting a little. But Marle, unendingly excited, exclaimed, "Wow! What neat-o special effects!"

"Welcome!" Obviously employing magical tricks, a face and a pair of hands appeared floating about, "Welcome to the fabled tent of Norstein Bekkler, magician extraordinaire. Are you here to challenge me in my many games, to attempt to win a prize?"

"Yeah!" Marle shouted, "We're gonna win a kitty. Are you the Wizard of Oz?"

"Ho ho ho! Maybe so! Then let us begin with a simple game. You are aware of the old switcheroo game, yes? Where an object is placed under a cup and switched around with two others? Well. Here we take it a step further in the name of fun!"

Marle was suddenly grabbed up and shoved into a basket with a yelp. Crono jumped at the sudden action. The great face laughed, "Well! Find the pretty lady and win a cat. Ready?!?"

"Hey!" Marle coughed, "I never agreed to be in here!"

"Er...!! Sure?"

"Here we go!" Suddenly with lightning speed the baskets were mixed up hopelessly. Finally they came to a halt, Marle unable to make a noise from the sheer dizziness. Crono, startled, mentally groaned. You gotta be -kidding- me! He glanced around, and then pointed, "I, uh, pick the one on the far right."

"Is she there?" Norstein lifted the basket, indeed uncovering the slightly ill female, "Ding ding ding! We have a winner!"

"I'M GONNA BEAT YOU SILLY IF YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN, MISTER!" Marle leapt to her feet and screamed.

"Er, sorry about that, Marle." Crono patted her on the back.

"Sigh. It's okay. Now, kitties?!?"

"Please, right through this door!" The big face pointed to a wooden door. "But please avoid the cat in the rear right corner. We apologize to report it is very feral and is not suitable for adoption."

"WHEE!" Disregarding that entirely, Marle shot in. Crono nervously followed. There were two rows of cages, each filled with different colored kittens. However, most of them were generic barn-cat style felines, each peering out at the two as they walked by. It reminded Crono of the time he went to the pet store and bought Dog... Except... the one in the rear right corner was strikingly different. Marle instantly gravitated to it, gasping.

The cat had a royal air about it, with a soft, turned-down coat that looked almost purple in the darkness. It wore a velvet-and-silver collar with a nametag and calmly gazed at the two. It looked like an expensive purebred Zealian Royal Purple, which was quite a shock to see in a fair. But there were claw marks all over the cage.

"I... I think that's the one we're suppose to avoid, Marle."

"...but look at that pretty coat!"

"He's... purple?" He blinked. There was an odd aura about that cat. "That's a new one on me."

"Zealian Royal Purple!" Marle giggled. "Well he doesn't seem feral to me! So we'll take a purr test!"

"A what?" Crono looked at her.

"A purr test, silly! Like this!" Then she promptly poked the cat's nose. It purred loudly. She burst out giggling, "Yay!"

"Dog never does that to ME when his nose is poked..."

"You try it then!" She giggled and moved aside, "And you know, dogs don't purr!"

"Dog isn't a dog. He's a cat." Crono nervously poked the cat's nose. It gave off the same, deep purr.

"That's the silliest name for a cat!" Marle burst into amused giggles.

"Well, ya see, what I -really- wanted was a dog. But Mom wouldn't let me get one. So I got a cat. That I named Dog. He does tricks!"

"Ooooh! You'll have to show me!" So, Marle opened the cage and simply scooped up the cat to Crono's terror. But it didn't seem to fight or anything and sunk right into her arms. She waltzed out happily. "This is the cat we want!"

"You stayed away from the feral one, r-" The great face gasped. "E-er, you sure you want that one?"

"I think she is, yeah." Crono looked just as uneasy.

"Thank you!" As Marle waltzed out, the cat let off a violent hiss before hopping onto her shoulder. "Wow, he knows just where to sit! Now let's see, what was your name?"

She took a hold of his collar's tag and looked at it. Embossed in the silver was the name 'Alphonz'. "Al-fonz? Alphonz. That's a silly name for a kitty!"

"Miao."

"Sounds perfectly normal to me, assuming you were from another country." Crono still felt uneasy. "Well, there's your kitten."

"Yay! Now where to- ... uh oh."

"Uh oh? What uh oh?"

Marle turned red and put a hand over her mouth. "I forgot. We can't have cats at my house. Whoopsies."

"You can't have...! Please don't tell me I have to...!"

"Well he likes you!" Marle smiled.

Alphonz leapt over onto Crono's shoulder and sat there like he always belonged there. Marle giggled, "Perfect match!"

"Mom's going to have my heeeead!" Crono whined.

"But everyone loves kittens!"

"Miao."

"He's only a wittle bitty tiny guy!" Marle scratched under his chin.

"But he's a little guy that grows up to be a very hungry CAT... Oh well..." Crono sighed. "Too late to complain now."

"Where to next?!?"

"Well... this reminds me that Mom asked for me to get some catfood..."

Marle blinked. "Catfood? At a carnival?"

Alphonz leapt off Crono's shoulder and started walking. He paused and looked back at them with a refined 'miao', begging them to follow. The two shrugged and obliged, wondering exactly where the cat was going. Surprisingly, the kitten lead them to a stand offering cat supplies, probably having helped sponsor the prizes over at the tent.

"Ah hah!" Marle scooped him up, "Good kitty!"

"Leave it to the cat to find the Alpo..." Crono picked up the ungodly expensive can of food and brought it to the merchant. "I'd like to purchase this..."

"Ah, good choice, sir! And what a fine cat you have there!" The woman rung it up for a mind-aching high price, then gave back the correct change. "Thank-you Come again!"

"Should we run to your place and deliver it?" Marle grinned, "Maybe when we get back the show will be ready then!"

"I guess. Might as well be beheaded by Mom before Lucca tries to chew it off with technobabble."

They hurried off to Crono's house, which Marle paused and looked at before entering. She giggled and muttered, "How quaint..."

Having not heard her, Crono let her inside. Mom glanced back and smiled, "Ah! I knew I'd see you again! Oh, who's your pretty friend dear? All I ever see you with is Lucca!"

"Aww!" Marle blushed, "Your mom is cool!"

"MEW!" Dog shook with excitement by his bowl, spotting the can of food.

"Eh heh..." Crono sweated, "This is Marle, mom. I'm just showing her around the fair... but I got food for Dog!"

"How nice of you! And -" Mom stopped, staring at Alphonz. "That cat."

"..." Alphonz silently turned his emerald eyes onto her.

"Honey!" The woman groaned, "What did I say about more pets?"

"But, but, Missus Crono's Mom, it's just a little kitty!"

"One that grows up into a hungry cat." She sighed...

"Sorry, Mom... I won it for Marle, but she can't have cats at her house." Crono looked very apologetic. "So... sorry. On the bright side, he can find things!"

"Find things? Like what?"

Marle smiled, "Who knows! Try anything!"

"I was missing that sock from my favorite pair, but..."

Alphonz instantly leapt to the floor and took off. Everyone watched and waited, until he came sprinting along with the missing sock in tow. He laid it carefully at Mom's feet and mewed. She looked stunned. "B... bu..."

"See! We'll never have to worry about losing things again!" Crono laughed weakly, "Don't question how he could possibly understand the English language though, heh..."

"That's a pretty amazing cat, dear! You sure he isn't some mage's pet?" Mom giggled.

"Er... no, not really."

"I was kidding, you silly! Well, leave the can here and I can feed Dog. You two enjoy the fair." She hid an annoyed sigh.

"Yes ma'am!" Marle bounced

"Thanks, Mom!" He put the can on the table, but Alphonz instantly jumped back up onto his shoulder. Mom looked at the kitten curiously.

"Kitty kitty, aren't you staying?"

"FFTTT!" Alphonz bristled from head to tail.

Mom recoiled in surprise. Crono spoke firmly, "Hey! No hissing at Mom!"

"..."

"Well!" Marle giggled, "She never DID take the purr test."

"The what, dear?"

"Nevermind. C'mon, Crono!"

"I'll explain later." Crono laughed nervously as he was dragged to the door, "I'll explain later, Mom!"

They ran back to the fair, where it looked as if the show was ready! Marle and Crono both looked excited. With a melodic tone, Marle spun around on one foot, shouting, "Hurray! The show is ready! I'm so excited!"

"Yeah, hurray. Some new plot of Lucca's to get us all killed." Crono sighed, "The last show of hers exploded."

"It's not that adorable robot on the other side of the square, is it?"

"Gato? No... why?"

"They call me Gato..."

"Really?"

"I have metal joints..."

"Wow!"

"Beat me up and..."

"Yeah?!?"

"Win 15 silver points!"

"OKAY!"

"...because he, uh, he might be a little bit blown up now." Marle laughed nervously.

"No..."

"Well!" She giggled, "Sounds like fun to me!"

With that, Crono was assured she was an escapee from the nearest asylum. "E-er... I guess. Okay, let's go!"

"WAIT! HOLD YER HORSES." She screamed as she caught glimpse of a confection stand. "Candy first."

"Candy? Er, alright!"

"Now, what should I get... how about a lollypop? What flavor... Cherry or grape?" She pulled the two flavors and touched the grape to Alphonz's nose with no response. Then the cherry was 'tested' with a purr. "Great, cherry it is! Now what does Alphonz want? There's mint and blueberry and orange..."

"Marle, I don't think cats eat candy..."

She touched the mint-flavored one to Alphonz's nose and got a purr. "He says he wants mint! You want something, Crono?"

"No, I think I'll be fine." Crono tried hard to remain calm, "Candy makes my eye twitch."

"You ought to get that looked at!" Marle purchased the candies and unwrapped the both of them, popping the cherry in her mouth and holding the mint lolly for Alphonz who licked at it.

"Huh. Guess cats do eat candy. Ready for the show?"

"You know it!"

Crono nodded and they headed up to witness the spectacle that was Lucca!

Lucca scanned the crowd with narrow eyes... her oversized glasses sparkled in the sun, probably blinding a few people in the front row. When she saw Crono merge into the crowd she grew a huge smile, and then announced, "Okay! Time for the show!"

Marle found a clear spot to stand in with Crono and held Alphonz's lolly.

"Welcome ladies and gents, to a show you'll never forget!" Lucca's father, Taban, spoke loudly. The crowd looked uneasy. "Today we have a TREAT for you, a great invention created by my lovely daughter!"

"Oooh! Yay!" Marle clapped... being the only one. The silence was almost unbearable.

"Er... anyways! This, fine ladies and gents, is a TELEPORTER!" Taban stepped aside and presented with Lucca a great, large, unfriendly looking machine. It had two platforms, hundreds of wires, a control panel, and that horrible sinking feeling it was going to blow into a billion pieces as soon as it was used. "This side here will teleport someone to this side here!"

Lucca cried proudly, "Then, is anybody willing to take a ride?!?"

... Crickets chirped somewhere in the distance. A faint cough was heard from the crowd, and the fluttering of a butterfly was somehow audible. Everyone gazed at each other, unwilling to break the foreboding silence. Lucca herself nervously adjusted her glasses, before Alphonz suddenly leapt off Crono's shoulder and sat on the teleporter's first pad. Taban looked at Lucca with a shrug. She finally responded... "...hey! Looks like we have a volunteer!"

Light, bewildered applause floated about. Marle whistled and cheered, "WOO! GO ALPHONZ, YOU DA CAT!"

"KAY!" Lucca grew a fiery, wild look in her eyes. "Fire up the engines!!"

"Er, right!" Taban got to work. Everyone in the crowd prepared to duck.

"Energy transfer!" Lucca shouted with an insane tone!

"Here we go!"

There was an enormous draw of power that everyone felt, and a sudden 'Blip!' Everyone looked up and gasped to see the cat was gone! With a deafening 'BAMF' the kitten reappeared on the other side with a 'Miao!' Everyone stared in silence, until Taban exclaimed, "It... IT ACTUALLY WORKED?"

Lucca shot a deathglare at the man. He stammered, "I-I mean, of course it worked! Congratulations on your journey, kitty!"

Everyone, for once, burst out into wild applause. Lucca looked proud to bursting, while Crono could only stare with his mouth agape. Marle cheered and whistled excitedly, bouncing around. As Alphonz returned to Crono's shoulder, the young man gasped. "Alright, that WAS cool."

"Thank you, thank you!" Lucca bowed, holding her glasses on. "Have we any other volunteers?!?"

"Oh! Me! Pick me!" Marle ran over. "I wanna try!"

"Heh... you sure about that, little lady?"

"DAD!"

"I mean, we'd LOVE to!"

"..." Crono stared. This does not fill me with feelings of confidence.

"Alright, step over here!" Lucca directed her onto the teleporter. "Hold very still now!"

"Yeah. See you real soon, people!" Marle waved good-bye.

"FIRE UP THE ENGINES!" Lucca roared.

"Engines fired!"

A faint glint caught Marle's eye as she glanced down. Her pendant started to gleam and shimmer as if the light within it were alive. At the same time, Alphonz grew bitterly tense on Crono's shoulder. He glanced over, "What's up, Alphonz?"

"Energy transfer!" Lucca nearly sung out the words!

"En- WOAH!"

Everyone was forced away as the teleporter went -nuts-. It shot out sparks, causing Marle to temporarily disappear. The space between the teleporters warped before seemingly being pulled apart into a dark portal, above which Marle appeared. Everyone stared, and all the girl was able to utter before disappearing was, "Oh, SHIT."

The portal snapped shut and everything went deathly silent.

"... L...Lucca... W-where did she go?" Taban stammered.

"I... ah... er..."

Everyone stared, wide-eyed.

"Okay, okay, show's over!" Taban cleared the crowd out as Crono ran over to Lucca.

"Lucca!" He shouted, "What have you done now?!?"

"Goodness, you act like this is MY fault!"

"Miao!" Alphonz walked over to the portal and picked up Marle's pendant, left behind. Crono continued to yell, "It's YOUR contraption! You built the thing!"

"Rowr!"

"What IS it, Alphonz??" He glanced down, "Hey! Marle's necklace!"

"Th... that thing!" Lucca pointed at it, "That had something to do with it!"

"She's still not here, Lucca!" Taban came back, sweating, "What are we going to do?!?"

Lucca looked down in thought. Funny, I swear I've seen that girl before...

"Listen," Crono grumbled, "Do you know how to bring her back?"

"Not really, because, oh," Lucca screamed back, "I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE WENT?"

"Woah, easy on the kill speak! Calm down!"

Lucca growled and rubbed her forehead,

"Alright... if we can't bring her back, can we send something to where she is?"

"Maybe, I don't know..."

Alphonz left the pendant and skipped over between the teleporters. With what could only be described as a wink, the distortion suddenly tore open behind him and he disappeared with a loud boom. Everyone jumped about thirty feet in the air, with Taban yelling, "Great! Now the CAT is gone!!"

"Sweet mother of HECKRAN!" Crono shouted immediately afterwards. "That's it, I'm following after her!"

"Are you sure?" Lucca was taken back, "We don't know where it'll send you!"

"Better than sitting on my butt here and wondering where both my new cat AND my acquaintance went!"

"I suppose... okay!" Lucca spoke with a renewed sense of vigor, "I'll follow as soon as I figure out what happened!"

"What a man!" Taban shed a tear, "Almost makes me wish I had a son!"

"DAD!"

"Deal." Crono hurried onto the teleporter, putting on the necklace. "Alright, light 'er up!"

"Fire it up." Lucca growled.

"Sweetie, I said almost."

"Energy transfer."

"Please forgive me!!"

With that, Crono was suddenly drawn into the portal with a snap. Colors whipped past in a blur with the sensation of complete free-falling, before passing into slightly chilled air and landing in a heap. Leaves flew about and slowly settled as the young man lay on his face, groaning. He felt rather ill and the world seemed to be spinning, and he slowly sat up. "The colors, Dog, the colors...!"

"Miao!"

"Alphonz!" Crono looked over the cat, which now sported a fancy Persian coat. "...What the carp happened to YOU? Okay, right... My cat has turned into a different breed and I've been dumped in the woods somewhere... Nice..."

Alphonz suddenly whipped around and took a defensive stance, growling at some moving bushes. Crono instinctively drew out his rather wooden training sword and watched carefully...