Chrono Trigger

We're back; Crono and his entourage return to find that Crono has been accused of treason against the kingdom.

You could imagine how confused Crono and Marle must have been. They had expected to be thrown onto the organized brick walk of the square. Instead, they were inside a quaint house that had a hard wood floor. Books were strewn all over the floor, some of them still open and marked in certain pages with red markers. Besides that, there were maybe hundreds of strange devices set on dressers, bookshelves, or laying on the floor. Warm rays of sunlight were shining through the open window as the curtain billowed from a nearby ocean breeze. For a brief moment, Crono and Marle were horrified that they had not returned to their home until Crono quickly realized where they were.

"Oh my goodness! Lucca! Don't you ever clean up your house?"

"You know the answer to that question is 'never', so don't ask twice." Lucca said with a smug smile.

They indeed were in the inner regions of Lucca's house. Crono was able to tell, having been here countless times over the years. He was not able to tell right away because whenever he came over to visit, the mountainous pile of books would change their form while they worked on their experiments, making the interior of the house appear different with each passing. The party also noted the device that was featured in the square was now residing in the corner of the large room. That was a testament more than anything that a week had truly passed since their disappearance.

Lucca had noticed their eyes wandering over the machine, "After the accident, we brought it here and began to study it. We were lucky that nobody reported us."

"So we have been gone for a week." Crono said, almost as if he grown tired just by realizing it.

She simply nodded as she stood on her feet and dusted off the skirt of her clothes. Suddenly, she had stopped paying attention to either of them as she began to stand on her tip-toes and peer around the house. Crono knew the layout of the house very well, having been a close friend towards Lucca for as long as he could remember. There was a large entryway that served as a combination of a living room and research area. There was a door in the back that led towards a little kitchen where he ate breakfast innumerable times. A small little hallway led to the kitchen, but each side of the hallway was flanked by two staircases that went in opposite directions of each other. To the left you would find Lucca's room and her own personal library. To the right were her parents' room and a storage closet.

Obviously, Lucca had been expecting her mother to be home. She called up the stairs but there was no answer. She tried again but it was to no avail. Lucca scratched her head in confusion, not remembering the last time that her mother had left the house. This was a first as well for Crono, who knew of her mother's condition. It was a sad thing, but an accident that happened years ago mangled her mother's legs. Being such close friends with Crono, she had confided in him, and it was a secret that they kept well, rarely discussing it. Usually, the mother was ashamed of her ailment and rarely left the house. She did leave that day.

Returning to the story at hand, Lucca had become aware that her mother had gone out under unknown circumstances. It was an odd thing, seeing Lucca move with cat-like agility through the mounds of books towards a calendar. Even Marle and Crono, who were a distance away from the wall, could see that all the days had been marked off until the current day. Lucca nodded with a hum of surprise, "Correction: We have been gone for a week and a day!"

"How do you know?" Asked Crono, realizing the answer as soon as he said it.

"Because of the calendar. Honestly Crono, you can be a little simple sometimes. I had my dad keep track of how long we were gone."

It was very interesting to Lucca, seeing that she had been in that time for a little more than a week, but only a few days had passed since she entered the portal in search of Crono. It was evident that the gears in Lucca's head began to turn and squeak, causing a raging torrent of thoughts to come cascading into her head. She put her finger to her chin as she went deeper and deeper into thought. Crono knew very well what this would mean: A sudden urge to study.

"Can't you study this later, Lucca? We need to take…What do you want me to call you? Marle or Nadia?"

"Marle, please," she said, "it gets embarrassing to hear that name all the time."

"We need to take Marle home."

Lucca seemed very impatient towards outside influences, which was the normal reaction whenever she began to ponder over science. Crono stated his intentions one more time and it was enough to get a response from her. She only waved a hand in reply, saying, "Do you need me to hold your hand? Go ahead and take her home. This is very important. I want to find out how this thing can become stable. Also, there are a lot of things I need to jot down."

"I was hoping that maybe you could come and have dinner with us. You know, as a thank you for what you did." Marle said meekly.

Once again, there was an impatient wave of the hand as she replied that she would get there eventually and she began to feverishly open and read several scattered texts. Within moments she already began to gather research materials while her friends merely watched her with diminutive amusement. Crono had to explain to Marle that her reply was not meant to be offensive and that she became that way whenever science and questions were involved. She merely nodded in response and he suggested that they leave Lucca to study to her heart's content.

The exited the house and looked about themselves. Lucca lived in a very beautiful area, her father being a fairly wealthy person from his many inventions. They lived on a small island that was a few acres in size, with a good number of evergreens surrounding the house. The island itself was raised about twenty feet above sea level with a narrow path that went to the small beach below. The only path that connected their lives to the town was a very dependable bridge that had been there for years, yet it did not show its age. It seemed to please Marle, being in that place, and it seemed as if she wished to stay there longer.

They crossed the bridge and reached a small fork in the road. Crono stood for a moment and thought on what to do next: take the left to the castle, or take the right and inform his mother of what had happened. He had pondered over what to tell his mother and how to explain his week long absence. He felt sorry for her, knowing that she must have worried out of her mind for her son. After a few moments of futile wonderings, he decided that Marle would be the best way to settle the matter.

"Marle, I know that you must want to go home, but I should tell me mom where I've been. What do you think?"

Marle laughed, "What makes you think I want to go home? My dad is going to kill me! Besides, I think I would like to meet your mother."

So that was decided and they took the right path that lead to a slightly denser part of the city. They were no longer able to walk through Truce without thinking of the past and how similar everything was. In fact, that was the full brunt of their conversation as they made their way towards a pleasantly provincial part of the town. They were close to a house with a small garden that had been gleaned of its vegetables and fruits. It was beautiful in its simplicity; tan walls with dark bordering planks that served as part of the frame. A vine clung to the side of the house; a vine that began to hold aloft white lilies that gave the air a sweet scent.

"Is this your house?" Marle asked.

"Yeah. I've been living here for all my life."

"It's beautiful."

It was evident that Marle had become victim to the charming simplicity of its environment, and Crono felt complimented that the well tended garden help set that tone. It was a true compliment to hear a princess make such a giddy fuss over his home. They drew near the door, which was a heavy one with an arched top. As he pushed the door open, he half-expected his mother to be waiting on the other side, ready to give him the yelling of a lifetime but it never came. He peeked his head inside cautiously only to hear the sound of something sizzling by the stove. He stepped gingerly into the house, darting her head around the corners and looking for the faintest hint of an infuriated mother. Instead, he saw her cooking over the stove, humming to herself as if nothing had gone wrong.

"Mom?"

She put down her cooking utensil and turned about with a pleasant smile that was wholly unexpected. She inclined her head gently to acknowledge his presence and walked over to him, "So, how was staying at Lucca's house? I trust you were on your best behavior?" Crono blanked only for a moment, but it was long enough for his mother to pique her own interest. She gave him a stern look that seemed to warn him that he should answer the way she wanted him to answer. "You were on your best behavior, were you? You didn't do anything funny did you?"

Crono blushed a deep crimson and blurted out, "No! It's nothing like that! What made you think…"

He stopped abruptly and he suddenly understood. Lucca and her father were always the type that refused to have people worry. They probably told his mother that he would be staying at their house for the majority of the fair. Thankfully he had caught himself before he had told his mother where he had truly been. He only scratched the back of his head, saying that he was indeed on his best behavior and that he would never do anything of that sort towards Lucca. He was still blushing a deep crimson and that made Marle giggle to herself.

"And who is this?"

Marle removed her hands from her mouth, no longer hiding that friendly, radiant smile that graced her countenance whenever she laughed. It seemed to charm Crono's mother quite well, because she greeted her with a broad smile of her own. She offered her hand to Marle, which she took gratefully, while giving her name at the same time, "Well, I am Marle. It's very nice to meet you!"

"Where did you two meet?" Asked his mother.

"At the fair. You have a great son! He's really nice. You raised him just right."

"Ah," she said as if she were trying to dissuade her from her opinion, "you just don't know him yet. He's a real devil."

Crono rolled his eyes as the two went into a fit of giggles. She beckoned for them to sit while she talked to them over her shoulder. While they answered her questions, she added a few more ingredients to the dish that she was preparing. The succulent smell of beef and potatoes filled the air with diced carrots and spices that were thrown into the mix. The last part was a pot that was full of rice. She produced three bowls from the cabinets that hung over the sink and filled each bowl to the brim. Although the food was not as delicious as the food they had at the palace, it was strangely more fun to eat and seemed to touch a spot that the food at the castle did not. It was a bit odd, but perhaps something could be said about making food with heart after all.

The pair began to talk about how they met at the fair and how he had escorted her around. He could see an obvious inflation of pride as Marle told her about how he recovered her pendent and offered his assistance to escort her about the fair. Crono did not mean for them to hit it off this well, but he was happy about it at the same time. They continued on, all three taking a seat at the table. As they exchanged pleasantries, they suddenly hit an odd bit of information that made both Crono and Marle a bit nervous.

"It was a good thing that you have someone at the fair with you, Marle; what with the kidnapping and all."

"Kidnapping?" Asked Marle, leaning forward in her chair.

"Oh yes. There was abduction!"

"How horrible!" squeaked Marle.

"Do they know who it was that was kidnapped?" asked Crono.

"What? You heard nothing about it? How could you not? I mean, it's only Princess Nadia! And you didn't know?"

There was a gasp of surprise that came from Marle at the mention of her name. She quickly covered it up by breaking out into a fake coughing attack. She took a sip of water from her glass and tried her best to hide any concern, but it would show around the edges. Thankfully, his mother was far too engaged in the current topic to notice small, subtle hints. Instead, she spewed forth rumors that she had heard from all her friends in the neighborhoods and the markets. It had seemed that the princess had been missing for more than a week, and a considerable sum of money was to be awarded to any citizen that could give information leading to the capture of the offender.

The most bizarre fact was that someone had been writing ransom notes, claiming that money should be left in a certain spot in order to assure her safety. This was a very strange thing, seeing that the only person that was with them was Crono and Lucca, who never had the opportunity to deliver such a letter. The shrugged it off, assuming that it was only a part of a rumor, but the next part had a way of gripping Crono in a sudden frenzy of horror: the offender would be executed by the guillotine.

Marle must have seen the look on his face but gave him a warm smile that seemed to say that everything would be just fine. He still had a bad premonition, but allowed himself to place his life in Marle's capable hands. After all, she was a princess and nobody would deny her testimony. The conversation eventually went on to far more pleasant things and they had talked for the space of an hour until Crono tore their attention away from each other.

"Sorry mom, but Marle has to get home now. She hasn't seen her dad for a while."

"Oh, very well," his mother replied while putting on a big show of disappointment, "come back sometime, would you?"

"Of course." Marle said with a polite curtsey.

After an endless exchange of goodbyes, they finally left the house and began their way towards the castle. Afterwards, Crono and Marle began a little conversation of their own that was a bit of a more casual and philosophical nature. Mainly, it was answering the question of why Crono failed to show his mother the sword and failing to tell her about their adventure. The answer should seem simple enough, but Marle realized that Crono had such a dreamlike look on his face that it seemed important enough to tell everyone. She realized that he must have used a lot of restraint to do so, but he replied differently.

"I love my mom, but I would think there was something wrong with her if she believed that."

"I thought you told me that you two could talk about anything." She said.

"We can, but I don't want to tell her now. I can wait for a little while. Besides, I can always show her."

"It think it would be best if Lucca took that machine apart."

"Huh? Why?"

"It's too dangerous. Suppose some wacko wants to make himself the only person in the world? It's more than possible with that machine."

"I suppose so. Then again, a lot of great things could be done with it."

"Like what?" Marle asked, almost not believing that such a thing could be accomplished.

"Example: Someone dies in an accident, but you can go back and save him! It would be perfect!"

"I don't know, sometimes I don't think it's good to mess with fate."

"You believe in fate?" Crono asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Somewhat. I don't know everything, but I think certain things happen for a reason."

"Well, I believe that some people are destined for some things, but we can still fail or be successful. I think that in the end it all depends on us." Crono said with a smile.

"Well, I suppose. But I like to think that we met for some kind of purpose, rather than by coincidence." Marle remarked.

As they walked through the city that had building on either side of the streets, there was the sound of wheels clacking against the cobblestone. After a few moments they saw that it was carriage. Now, a point should be made here that Truce was a large city in this time and it took a while to get to the castle. Therefore, the duo was slightly thankful to see that the carriage was empty. There was a company that made a good amount of money by providing easy travel to different places at an affordable price. Surely this would take them to the castle. They hailed the coach down and climbed aboard. Within moments, the team of horses began to pull towards the looming castle in the distance.

It was very interesting to see the castle so soon after the end of their adventure. When he had seen it, Crono and Marle wondered why they had not realized the truth sooner, seeing that everything was exact except for a few additions. It still gleamed in the sun as if the entire thing was made of shining white stone. Banners and flags waved from the tips of the towers that bore the crests of their kingdom. As he drew near, a sense of nervousness began to engulf Crono, for at that moment he remembered what Marle said about her father and how hesitant she was in discussing him.

The carriage traveled through a calm forest that surrounded the castle and then it arrived at the front gate. Marle offered to pay for the fair, but Crono, being the gentlemen that he was taught to be, still preferred to pay for the ride. She only groaned in exasperation while she wore a smile, pushing him towards the large doors that were always left open. "Well, I want you to meet my father. Be prepared though, he will be a tough one. Like I said, he's very…"

"Marle!"

They had entered the lobby which was exactly the same as it had been four centuries ago. Ahead of them was a wide stairway with solid banisters on each side. Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs was a kindly old man who seemed very much like a chancellor for this kingdom. However, despite his facial features, he had a very temperamental tone, "The audacity! You fiend! You dare bring her here to threaten us?"

Crono looked very puzzled as did Marle, "What do you mean?"

"Guards! Guards! The infidel is here! Restrain him! He has brought back the princess!"

Suddenly, a chorus of pounding footsteps echoed all about Marle and Crono. Guards who were armed and dangerous began to surround the pair with weapons drawn and pointed menacingly at the confused youth who only stammered in reply. Marle grew more and more flustered, but seeing the dangerous situation they were in she quickly overcame her confusion and shouted towards the chancellor, "What is this? Why are you attacking my friend?"

"Oh! You see? This lad must have fooled the poor girl. Rest easy, my majesty! Guards! Detain him!"

A group of men began to wrestle Crono to the ground which was very painful. In his desperation, Crono fought back which would only be an error to account for in the future. He refused to draw his sword, but his punches were powerful enough to lay out a full grown man. He began to swing wildly, not knowing if he was hitting anyone, but the amounts of black eyes and bloody noses became more and more prominent in the group. Meanwhile, Marle shouted for the guards to stop, but they did not hear her.

Suddenly, a thick arm snaked its way around Crono's neck and he began to gag under the stress of the arm. The guard leaned back, a cruel look in his eye, while Crono dangled helplessly. Thinking quickly, he swung his feet in between the guard's legs which sent him to the floor in pain. By that time, a fist followed by another began to overpower Crono and he fell to the ground, soldiers covering him and kicking him while he lay on the once-clean floor that was dirty with scuff marks..

"I SAID STOP THIS AT ONCE!"

The guards instantly stopped and stepped away from Crono. The sight that Marle saw was extremely sorrowful to her eyes. Lying on the floor was Crono who was writhing in pain. A line of blood was dribbling down his neck and the beginnings of sore bruises lined his arms and face. He groggily wiped his mouth clean while Marle glared at the Chancellor and the guards. "What is the meaning of this? Why have you attacked him? Explain yourselves!"

"Marle, control yourself!"

All heads turned to see a man that was dressed in a thick scarlet robe. His wrists, fingers, and head were adorned in all fine things that were at the hands of an upper-class person. He was large and well built, being in his middle ages. The entire group of people (save the chancellor, Marle, and Crono) bowed their heads and knelt on one knee. While the guards knelt, Marle glared at her father, resisting the urge to say what a fool he was being at the moment. Instead, she pleaded.

"Father! You don't understand! They attacked my friend!"

"I have reason to believe that this boy is the very kidnapper, your majesty!" The chancellor yelled out in an accusatory manner.

"You're crazy! What happened to you chancellor? This isn't like you at all!" Marle shouted, her fists clenched.

"I can say the same for you! Learn to control yourself!" The chancellor shouted.

It seemed as if they would have a long argument, but it was cut off by the voice of the king whose face began to turn red with rage. "Chancellor! Do not lecture my daughter! Remember, you are not her father!" The chancellor suddenly grew quiet, but a look of anger and contempt crossed his face. Meanwhile, the king turned to face his daughter, "Although I corrected the chancellor, I agree with him! Learn your place Marle! Where have you been?"

She should have expected this question. She should have prepared an answer instead of the truth which seemed so unlikely. However, she had failed to do so and only stuttered as she stood on those steps. Meanwhile, her father shook his head in annoyance and disappointment. "It seems that the chancellor may be correct in his suspicions. You can't seem to answer me, can you?"

The pressure to speak greatly intensified for her. To make matters worse, Crono had lost consciousness as the guards began to carry him in their rough hands. Marle only looked back, trying her best to think of something she could say to explain the length of time that had passed where she was not present. She could do nothing. The chancellor smirked triumphantly, "Yes. I was correct! Take him away!"

Marle still tried her hardest to speak, but no words could leave her mouth as Crono was dragged away to the jail cells…