Chrono Trigger

The Trial; our ill-fated protagonist is accused of treason and is confined to a prison.

The next thing the poor soul knew was that he woke up on a cold, hard floor that consisted of gray blocks and cement. Crono winked a few times, his vision being extremely blurry. His arm had fallen asleep, having been laid down in an unnatural sleeping position. He sluggishly shifted his weight so that instead of lying on his arm, he was on his back and looking up at the ceiling which consisted of the same materials in the floor. He was not so distressed until he looked towards the window and realized that there were bars that were built into the concrete.

A sudden jolt of realization caused him to involuntarily jump to his feet, which caused him a great amount of pain. He groaned as he felt himself stagger and sway, rubbing his side with his good arm. His vision suddenly became blurry again, likely due to his sudden movements, and it faded back into clarity. He was in a place that was incredibly drab and gray, almost as if whoever designed it wanted to drain all color from its walls. It was a small room with a single barred window that let the afternoon light through. He looked behind him, seeing that thick metal bars blocked his way.

He was in a jail cell…

-

The king was furious at that moment. He had a long day and it didn't seem as if it would end soon. He did love his daughter, but sometimes he wondered if he should have ever had her at all. All that day she had begged and pleaded on behalf of this commoner boy. It did not sit well with him how persistently she pursued his well-being. In fact, it made him wonder what they had done together. It worried and disgusted him.

The king was not a king without there being a reason. He was a very clever and crafty person and he had devised a way to force Marle to admit what she had done. He was honestly surprised with himself, yet he failed to see how insidious his plan really was. It went like so: He announced to Marle that only her words could free him from his trial, but unless she did so, his trial would stand and most likely end in a fatal sentence. For him, it seemed as if it were a situation in which he could not lose. If she did not confess to what she had done, the boy would simply be sentenced to death under suspicions of treason and kidnapping. If she did confess, and they had indeed done what had frightened the king, the boy would still be executed for doing such a grievous thing to his daughter and he would know the truth. If he was innocent of the crime, he would give him some jail time for running off with the princess.

He was not a cold-hearted beast, yet his whole living and work consisted of him developing a shrewd nature. If you really consider it, the majesty of a kingdom, if employed in his labors, would eventually look at everything as a puzzle that he must somehow solve. He controlled whole armies that consisted of people by the thousands. He never regretted using his resources, as long as he did so wisely and conservatively. This was no different and he was not afraid to use the life of a commoner to discover the answer to the question that so frightened him.

"Father!" The voice boomed throughout the throne room.

At that moment, the king was engaged in a council with all the members of his cabinet sitting before him. They were important men who controlled world trades, taxes, and the city planning of Truce and other parts of the Guardia Kingdom. It should be noted that when she called on him, he politely asked them to excuse themselves so that he may speak to his daughter. They looked at each other, shooting odd glances, leaving the room with their agendas and reports. Although he loved his daughter enough to dismiss such an important meeting, it did not mean that he was not angry for it. In fact, he wore a stern face that caused Marle's confidence to quake and shiver.

"You have interrupted future building projects and the reports on homeland security, and I imagine it is because of this boy?"

Marle quickly stood her ground once again and said, "He is innocent father! You have to believe me!"

"Why should I believe you?" The king asked, almost sarcastically.

"Because I am your daughter!" She whined, almost pleadingly.

"Sometimes I wonder if you really are with your actions." The king said such a cruel thing with utter sincerity.

"How could you even doubt it, father?"

The king stood up at this point, his face full of annoyance and accusation. "This is not the first time you had done this: leaving without as much as a word. However, this time, you felt that you should break the record, and you did! You say you are my daughter, but are you really? I know that biologically you are my daughter, but your manner is far from it! You cannot ask for trust and have it granted! It must be earned! It is easier lost than it is gained! You have lost my trust, and how can I believe you if I have no trust?"

Now, the king truly did love his daughter, but you must remember that he had been raised to be a royal majesty, not a kind, consoling father. Therefore, his words held great wisdom, but were offensive and lacking in warmth. You could imagine how Marle must have felt at that moment, taking in such an admonition. She could not reply and stood there as if she were a stone statue, saying nothing and not moving an inch.

"Now, if you are done, I must resume my duties as a leader of the people. Trouble me no longer with that boy."

"Is that it? You are being this difficult because of him?"

She had touched a nerve and found out the terror in his heart. It was him that always had the knowledge of weakness, it was him that could strike fear into the heart of people with his words, and it was him who was the only one that could feel what people thought. At least, that was the way it had been until that moment. He glared at his daughter and warned her to not pursue the matter further.

"That is the reason then. You're only keeping him in jail because you want to know what we did!" Marle shouted out, almost sounding revolted.

"You overstep your bounds, Marle! You are dismissed!"

"How can you do such a thing? You cannot use your authority for such childish reasons! How could you?"

"If you do not leave, so help me that boy will hang!" The king yelled, his face turning red.

At that point, Marle had frozen in her steps. She was not certain if he father could or would do such a heartless thing as end Crono's life merely because she had found him out. She was not willing to pursue it any longer. It was strange; she had gone to her father and was about to explain the truth, but he had silenced her with his condemnation at the start. What a sad thing to see families divided asunder merely because they fail to communicate! How different would everything be if had merely said nothing and listen to her explain? How different would everything be if Marle simply admitted she was wrong and apologized? As a direct result, Marle only began to run quickly towards the eastern wing where the jail was kept.

She had to see the only one that could understand and comfort her…

-

He seemed like a very intelligent man. Granted he was wrapped in an odd turban and baggy clothes, his face seemed full of wisdom in his trade. He sat at a table while Crono sat on the opposite end. Meanwhile, two guards stood watch over the proceedings, almost hoping for the opportunity to attack the suspect. You might have guessed that Crono was not popular after his supposed treason. Each guard that he saw would treat him horribly or with great neglect. However, the lawyer did not seem to mind and bared no ill-hatred towards Crono. Instead, he only asked him numerous questions about where he had met Marle and if anyone happened to have had contact with them that day.

It was lengthy process and he had to repeat the details many times. The lawyer seemed to coax more and more information out of Crono insomuch that he began to write things that he did not remember. Whenever Crono would point that out, the lawyer only shook his head and replied that it would prove useful in the future. Then came the fated questions of where they had been after the fair. Crono had tried his best not to refer to the incident, knowing that it would be perceived as ridiculous. He tried to avoid it tactfully, but the lawyer persisted and he had no choice but to give it in a round about manner.

His watered-down story included her disappearance and how he had risked a lot to retrieve her. He pointed out that Marle admitted that he had done her no harm and that was very valuable knowledge as far as the lawyer was concerned. However, a question came about that had destroyed any hope that he had of not mentioning the ludicrous idea of time travel.

"Where did you both go for the space of a week?"

"Does it really matter? I mean, won't her testimony be enough?" Crono answered, hoping not to approach the topic that was the bane to his freedom.

The lawyer developed a skeptical and even disapproving look on his face while Crono looked at him blankly. The lawyer sighed and leaned back into the wooden chair, allowing it to tip until he was balancing the two legs with his own against the table. The pencil he had been using was now behind his ear and he looked at Crono with a look of annoyance, "Facts are facts, Crono. You two had left the boundaries of the kingdom and you will receive some sort of punishment for your mischievous activities. This will only soften the blow. It is important that we establish when, how, and where the crime had occurred, and if it doesn't match the suspicion, you could get just a slap on the wrist. I am warning you, you must be honest with me and tell me what you have done."

Crono looked the lawyer as if he had lost his mind and shook his head whist saying he did nothing. The lawyer looked at the guards and motioned for them to leave, which they had refused at first. However, the lawyer gave them a firm reminder that Crono's rights were still protected by the government, even if he were under suspicion of treason. The guards left, casting doubtful glances at the lawyer and closing the door. As soon as they did, the lawyer leaned in very closely towards Crono and said something that stunned him into bewilderment.

"Even if you did do it, it is still my job to defend you. You can tell me how you did it and we can establish a motive! Easy as that! Listen, I know something odd is going on because you explained to me so well the events before the science experiment, but you seem to have a shaky memory afterwards. I have done this for years and let me tell you this: I had to defend these people, innocent or guilty because that's my job! It will make it easier to argue for reasonable doubt if you just tell me exactly what happened and how you managed to kidnap the princess."

"I did not kidnap her!" Crono whispered between clenched teeth. "What makes you think I did such a thing?"

"I know that you aren't telling me the whole thing. Listen kid, I have done this before you were even born. I can read people, and I can see that you have been creating some alibi in your head ever since you talked about the science fair." Crono could not say that this was false, because he had been giving only partial truth to the story, taking some time and caution to eliminate the unbelievable parts of his account. The lawyer continued, "Remember, the princess supports you and the chancellor has no evidence from what I can tell. It is the chancellor's words against yours and the princess."

"You would defend me, even if I was a traitor?" Crono asked, stunned.

"It is my work. So, what do you say? Will you confide in me?"

"I think you should be the one on trial for treason." Crono said icily.

The kind and wise face of the lawyer suddenly twisted into an unpleasant countenance befitting that of an angry troll as his eyes were fixated on Crono. His first pounded on the table as he said, "Do not lecture me, boy! You seem to forget that you are the traitor in our midst, and it is I that can save you from the executioner's block! If you cross me, you will have no defense! How would your mother feel if she were never to see her son again? Think this through, or you will find more than you bargained for in a heartbeat!"

"But I didn't do it!" Crono said, very vexed.

"Then tell me what happened! How have you been gone over the course of a week? Explain, if you are so innocent!"

Crono sat there for a moment and realized that his options were wearing thin. He began to realize that this man could either save him or leave him to die. So, he thought for a few moments while the lawyer sat like a tiger waiting to pounce on any information that came his way. Crono sighed before he began to start his long story about the accident at the Millennial Fair. He recounted his story about how they had traveled through time and saved the queen from the Mystics. He went over with every detail so well that the lawyer could not deny that Crono believed each and every single fact that he had effortlessly spewed out. Finally, Crono finished and the lawyer had a look of astonishment on his face.

"I do believe that we have our alibi." The lawyer said after a moment of silence.

"Do you believe my story?" Crono said hopefully.

"Not at all." The lawyer said with a sincerely relieved smile.

"Then how does that help us?" Crono asked with a yell.

"Because, now you can plead insanity. That will be your alibi."

-

No one was allowed to enter this place. In fact, nobody who wanted to enter the prisons would be in their right mind. Although this time was considered a very civilized time, many ghastly things happened in the depths of these prisons. There was no tolerance for criminals in such a peaceful world, so they were forced to live in filth and squalor until their sentence was complete. However, the prisons were usually empty and lacking criminals since the only criminals that served time here were usually the ones who were to be executed. Yes, this prison was a special one, in which offenders were kept within the confines of the castle to reduce their chances of escape. It may seem ridiculous at first, but a single bridge that was high above a valley was the only thing that connected the prison tower to the pleasantness of the castle which prevented any dangerous jailbreaks.

Also, jailbreaks were not tolerated…

You could say that Marle was not in her right mind at the moment, being extremely distressed because of her father and his cruel reproach. Her eyes had been red and flustered as if they had wanted to cry for some time. However, she navigated her way across that same bridge that connected to a place of torture and despair. She shuddered as she stepped into the dull colored walls of the prison. I imagine there must have been a time for every person that they had entered a place and realized that mood had abruptly changed. The emotion that crept into her heart was dread and despair, which seemed to make up the whole of this place. She wasn't even in the deepest chambers of the prison and she was already frightened.

Even though her poor heart beat loudly in her chest, she pressed onward, determined to speak with the only person that could clear her mind. It was a sad thing to say that Marle had no friends that were her age. That was partially the reason why she ran off that day, wanting to escape the stuffy society into which she was involuntarily born. She had been lucky to meet Crono that day, and she regarded it as one of the most fortunate things that had ever happened to her. She did not forget about all the bad things that had happened, but it made her even more thankful to finally have a friend that was brave enough to go through such pain for her sake. Somewhere in her mind, she felt that the least she could do was try to comfort him in his hour of need.

However, the worst had net yet occurred…

-

It had not gone as well as he had hoped. Somewhere in his heart, Crono honestly believed that the person that represented him would believe him to be innocent. Yes, he had heard the jokes concerning the villainous nature of some lawyers, and although it is far from the truth with certain individuals, it was true with this one. Hope began to fade from his heart as he sat on the soiled bunk that hung on a railing. How could he believe that he would be cleared of these falsities when his own lawyer believed he was insane? Then again, if it had not happened to him, Crono would not believe it himself.

The meeting had taken place in the upper quarters of the prison where a watchful eye was vigilantly guarding him. Thankfully, the guards could do no harm to him, knowing full well that he would be arraigned before the court on the following morning. Nothing would cause sympathy for the youth like a few fresh bruises that were received while he was incarcerated. The lawyer already impressed upon the judge that he would press for over excessive force in his apprehension, so it would be in their best interests to hold back their animalistic lust for torture until the trial was over. The tension had made his hands grow cold from nervousness, which he tried to warm desperately.

Crono noticed that these guards were very different from the guards he had seen in the palace. He imagined that being in such a horrible place would affect the human condition in one way or another, but he felt so much animosity and angst from the guards that he felt uncomfortable. Whenever a guard would walk by his cell he would turn to him and it would send chills up Crono's spine. The guard wore a helmet that hid his face in shadows, but something told Crono that he was smiling as if he were hinting to Crono just to wait one more day.

One more day and then the true hell would begin…

From his point, Crono could not see the door that led to the outside, but he could hear it open. There was the sound of falling footsteps as they drew nearer and nearer to his cell. It seemed as if that same guard had come by again to do what he had done every hour since Crono was thrown in here. However, he was surprised to see that it was another guard, although that same guard escorted him along with a pleasant surprise.

"Marle!"

It almost seemed as if Crono had forgotten about the bars that encaged him, for he threw himself at the gate and it bit bitterly into the palms of his hands as he ceased his momentum. He was kneeling on the floor as was Marle, so that they were staring into each others eyes. The guard looked at the two very disapprovingly, yet they made no move to distance the two friends. It almost seemed as if Marle would burst out into tears.

She did.

All self-pity that Crono felt for himself vanished in an instant as the poor girl began to weep bitterly and apologize profusely. It was all so rushed that Crono could barely understand it and she was sobbing so heavily that her shoulders rose and fell with each gasp. The tips of her long locks had become wet with her tears and her eyes began to turn red. All Crono could do was hold her hand through the bars, which made him feel uncomfortable as the guard gave him a sinister grunt. He ignored the guard and continued to look at Marle while gently asking her why she was crying so horribly.

"I tried to tell him! I couldn't! I just couldn't! You did so much for me, and all I had to do was tell the truth and I just…"

Her head leaned against the bars as her tears fell to the ground like raindrops. Crono knew one thing from when he was a child; a soothing voice and a loving caress did wonders for a troubled soul. He began to shush her gently as he rubbed the back of her hand just like his mother did when he was a child. It did exactly what Crono predicted. Slowly, her sobs grew more distanced until it happened no more, yet tears did continue to stream down her face. She smiled tremblingly and voiced a weak "thank you" as she rubbed her nose.

"Now, what happened? Who did you talk to that made you so upset?"

"My father." Before she continued, she looked up at the two guards, "I need you two to leave."

The guard that had escorted her from above shook his head and said, "I cannot do that your highness."

The guard seemed to widen his stance as if he were planting his feet into the ground. Marle was a very observant person and she noticed what subliminal message he was sending at that moment, and it caused her brow to tense as she was angered by his implication. "Yes you can, and you will! That's an order!" She shouted so loud that even the heavily armored guard recoiled under her sharp rebuke. Although the boy was a supposed kidnapper, nothing but the order of the king could control the voice of the princess. They reluctantly obeyed and closed the heavy door behind them.

"You still have it, Marle!" He smiled in spite of himself.

"What do you mean?" She asked, raising her eyes to meet his.

"I remember when you ordered those guards around in the past. You scared the hell out of them then, and you can still do it now."

They both laughed, bowing their head again so that they did not meet each others gaze. All that could be heard for a few moments was the gale that blew from the various windows in that corridor. After a few moments she began, remembering that her explanation was not clear. She spoke hesitantly as if she were deciding which details would best be shared. "I was trying to tell you that I confronted my father. I was going to tell him about what we did. He thinks that we" Marle began to blush at this point, "did something terrible."

Crono himself turned a very bright shade of red, not realizing that such an accusation would be in the cards. She began again, "He intends to use you as a way to get a confession out of me. He thinks that you either kidnapped me or did something with me. Either way, he will want to extract some type of punishment from you. I tried to tell him, but he insulted me. He questioned if I was really his daughter." She had to pause a few moments to fight back the tears that began to return rapidly. Crono did not cease to caress the back of her hand and it still had the desired effect. "I tried to tell him, but I just couldn't! I just knew he wouldn't believe me! I was afraid he would be angry and do something horrible! He said that if I did anything else, he would…he would…"

The firm hold ever her tears instantly dissolved, but Crono had a good idea what the king wished to do if she did not comply. A deep reservoir of fear had opened up, but it seemed to be swallowed in sympathy as he watched his friend weep so bitterly on his behalf. At that moment, he felt truly honored to have met someone so kind and sincere. They sat, Crono waiting for her to finish her crying, and Marle waiting for some suggestion of action. All he could offer was his most confident assertion that everything would be alright.

"It will all work out. You will see…"

-

I wish I could say that such a thing were true, but it was only getting worse at that point. While the two were comforting each other, there was a small assembly gathered in a grandiose auditorium. There were balconies from which hung banners depicting symbols of justice. The room was a half circle shape, the back side of the room being flat. On the back wall was a gigantic stained glass window which depicted an old man, holding in his hands, the scales that symbolized fairness and equality. Although the window depicted equality and justice, it was not in that courtroom that day, nor would it be the following day. That day, the king of Guardia had committed the most single vile act of hypocrisy that the court had ever seen.

It was a rarity when the king himself would be present at such proceedings, seeing that it was not his primary duty. However, he would occasionally grace the halls with his presence and watch a trial, being so interested and intrigued by the deductive reasoning of the law. That day he was not there to observe the naming of people that would testify, but he had a rather sneaky and devious reason to attend this meeting.

An old judge that had been set apart by the people had been in his position for years. He had sentenced many to death or to fulfill life-long sentences. Over the years it became less and less troublesome to do so. His name was announced to all those that sat in the assembly hall and everyone rose to their feet (excluding the king who did not need to do so) and everyone sat once the judge had done so. He spoke with a surprisingly strong voice that seemed to bellow throughout the auditorium.

"And now we shall hear the names of witnesses or people who shall testify."

The chancellor was strangely excited and riveted to prosecute the young boy, which did not disturb the king in any way. Instead, he was enthusiastic; knowing that with the chancellor prosecuting there was virtually no way his plot could fail. To become a chancellor, one needs extensive knowledge in civil affairs and law, which he knew all too well. His opponent was a fine lawyer, but he paled in comparison to the chancellor whose knowledge of the law seemed infinite. Therefore, the chancellor had gathered a list of names in order to prosecute Crono, most of them names that will be revealed later on.

Now we reach the point where hypocrisy has struck its discord. The lawyer began to read the names aloud which tended to be friends who could vouch for Crono's character. Although they all thought positively of Crono, they would do little to help his case. The name that could be the most vital was the one that the chancellor waited for anxiously. He was like a cat, waiting to pounce on a piece of string once it was close enough to be caught. Finally the name came…

"Also, I request that Marle Nadia Guardia will be examined in this case."

"Objection!"

The chancellor smiled triumphantly as the lawyer cast him a dubious look that seemed mingled with a look of annoyed disbelief. The judge arched his eyebrows as he looked at the chancellor. "On what grounds is your objection?" The lawyer scoffed as the chancellor walked over to the king, giving him a pat on his shoulder.

"His majesty does not wish for his daughter to proceed in the trials." The chancellor said simply.

The lawyer spat, "How ludicrous! She cannot be refused the right to testify merely because her father 'does not want her to testify'!"

"He's right chancellor." The judge answered.

"With all due respect, sir, he is wrong. He has overlooked the fact that the princess is only seventeen years of age! She does not have legal consent, and therefore she is bound by law to have a parent or guardian give her consent to testify! The king does not wish to grant that consent!"

"Outrageous! Your honor! The whole matter of this boy's trial is the abduction of the princess! It is ridiculous that she is refused the chance to testify!"

The judge shook his head as he said, "I do not like how you are doing this chancellor, whatever it is, but I have no choice but to comply. Marle Nadia Guardia shall not testify on behalf of the defendant!"

"Your honor!" the lawyer began, dumbstruck.

"That is my final ruling!" The mallet pounded into the gavel, signifying the end of the session.