Chrono Trigger

The Dream Stone; Our protagonists wander through Ioku village and recieve a startling revelation at a celebration…

The solitude of nature quickly gave way to the sound of noisy activity that anyone familiar with a marketplace would know. As they stepped inside they found a community filled with laughing children, straw and bamboo homes, giggling women, and fit men. This was evidently a culture that prided itself on physical development, for even the children were knotted with muscles. Evidently, this culture was also surprisingly affectionate and felt no need to give people their private space.

The reason for this was because when the chieftain entered the village the crowd of people burst into a loud commotion of cheering and jubilation. She shouted something in her foreign tongue and the crowd cheered again and lifted her on their shoulders, occasionally tossing her in the air. Crono imagined she must have shouted something to the affect that the strange scourge of the jungle was defeated. The reason for this was because the woman shouted something else and pointed towards him and his friends and they immediately fell on them, giving them the same appreciation that the chieftain received.

Crono felt awkward for all the attention while Marle and Lucca shrieked in alarm. After all, they were not used to scantily clad men and woman throwing them into the air. As for Robo, he stood bewilderedly while the men and women tried desperately to raise him. After a few efforts they managed to get him off the ground. When they threw him and caught him, they howled in pain and refrained from trying to lift Robo again. While Crono was being carried he found himself being carried towards the chieftain again, who gave him a kiss on the cheek which earned a triumphantly robust cheer from the crowd. Crono smiled sheepishly but saw something out of the corner of his eye.

He saw a man with light hair and he was covered with gray animal pelts. He leaned against the trunk of a tree, watching the commotion with folded arms and a hateful glare towards Crono. He saw this man clench his teeth in disgust and he stormed away into a hut, a curtain fluttering behind him as he pulled it shut ferociously. As he saw his reaction, Crono could not help but think about whom that was and why he gave him such a look. Was it even directed at him? Yes, it must have been, because their eyes meet and the detestation intensified upon contact. He could feel it. His mind ceased its pondering on the spot, because he felt himself being set down.

Everyone was set down save for the chieftain. They gathered together as the chieftain shouted out a short speech in her native language which ended in excited murmuring. After that, the crowd dispersed and the woman walked towards them. She smiled brightly again, "You may not have understood, but we are holding a celebration tonight in your honor. All of the Ioku will celebrate the defeat of those that oppress us! It is because of you," she said this softly as she looked at Crono with a little too much appreciation, and then she gave a quick glance to his companions, "and to all of you. Please, will you stay?"

Marle and Lucca were so quick to respond they were talking over each other, "Well, you see, we are very busy and we have a place to go."

"Yeah, we are still looking for the stone that's supposed to have made…"

"Stone, stone, stone, stone!" The chieftain interrupted, waving a hand dismissively, "There is plenty of time to talk of stones! For now, we celebrate! In the evening we shall have a party in your honor! Until then, you may wander through the village! You may look for the stone here until the day is gone!"

"I suppose we have no choice." Robo said hesitantly. That earned a kick from each of the girls while the chieftain wasn't looking.

"By the way," Crono started, extending a hand, "I don't think we have introduced ourselves. I am Crono; this is Marle, Lucca, and Robo."

"And I am Ayla," She did not accept Crono's hand, but gave him another kiss on the cheek. The girls began to stomp forward, but were stopped by Robo's hands.

"It is not wise to upset the chieftain, especially when we are looking for something as guests in her village!" Robo whispered.

"Well, tell her to stop fondling Crono! It's disgusting! It's like she's trying to have his children or something!" The both spat back just as quietly and heated.

Meanwhile, Crono was shaking like a leaf and asked, "But, how do we talk to the people in this village? We don't know the language."

Ayla smiled sweetly, "Do not worry! I have an idea!" She called for a village member and he approached her with a bow.

"Dalhon mo Kino di', beh. Sugiron mo siya nga kinahanglan magupod sa amon bagong kilala." Ayla spoke with authority.

"O-ay, ang pulong mo hay akon kasugo-an." The servant bowed again politely and ran off into the crowd of people.

They waited for a moment and Ayla tapped her foot impatiently. She did not wait too long until the servant came back, breathlessly. Ayla seemed annoyed and she talked to the servant. The servant had a certain distressed look on his face and gave Crono a quick look. He even went as far to point at Crono and say something else to Ayla that caused her to sigh exasperatedly. She asked something, and this was easily known since she raised her pitch at the end of the sentence as anyone does when asking a question. He pointed to a direction and the group surmised that she inquired to the location of an individual. She turned to Crono and his friends and said politely, "I am sorry, I will be back very soon." She stomped off someplace, visibly perturbed.

A few minutes passed and she returned, clutching a man's arm. Crono felt a sickening feeling come over him as he remembered his face. It was the same man that gave Crono that look of utter contempt. His disapproving stare was no longer in the shape of a furrowed brow and tight lips, but was in the form of squinted eyes and a mechanical smile. Crono could not help but notice a few red spots (which seemed to be a prelude to bruises) on certain places of his body. The blonde man stepped forward and extended an arm with overt congeniality. Crono took it with a dubious countenance he could not hide.

The man spoke, "I am Kino…The chieftain ask me guide you!"

He did not speak their language that well, but it was enough to communicate with the visitors. However, Crono was not focused on that. He felt increasing pressure on his hand. He looked down and saw that Kino's forearm was quaking under great excursion. If Crono had never took this journey he would have whimpered under the crushing grip. Instead, he looked at Kino with a confused countenance, which seemed to infuriate him and make him try even harder. They stood there for a few seconds, or at least long enough for the rest of the party to realize that there was some strange animosity.

"Kino, that's enough." Ayla began warningly. "Now, show them around and help them find what they are looking for. If we do not have it, remember what it sounds like and tell me about it later."

"Yes, Ayla." He said towards her dejectedly.

Not much happened during the rest of the day. Lucca and Marle felt like goddesses the way the man stared at them. It pleased them to see that it set Crono ill at ease and he played the role of the jealous protector very well. "Serves him right." That is what the girls whispered to themselves unanimously while his back was turned. Crono also received stares and giggles from the women, but they seemed subdued, as if they were afraid to be forward like the men were to Lucca and Marle. The children flocked to Robo who strangely seemed right at home. He was actually more than happy to volunteer his services and distract the children. Word went throughout the village that strange people had arrived. That bit of information was enough to gather a small crowd that wanted to see what they would never see again in their lives. Whenever the group entered the separate huts, Robo would begin to play games with the children who laughed and cheered.

Matters were not as pleasant with Crono and Kino. He was still confused as to his irrational hatred. Whenever they would walk out, Kino would roughly brush up against Crono and shove him in passing. He would even occasionally stick a foot out to trip him. He never fell, but Crono was becoming enraged to the point he wanted to give a piece of his mind. Whenever that happened, Marle and Lucca warned him to be civil. He would sigh irritably and count to three before following Kino to the next store. Crono even tried to give him a piece of chocolate he had stored in his bag as an amends, but Kino only gave him a condescending scoff before turning his back on him. Eventually, even the women were angered into bafflement. Why was this man so rude? However, when that happened, Crono felt a great sense of love towards his company. Friendships have always become stronger when a sense of empathy is developed.

Thankfully, the sun was beginning to set over mountains that would serve as Guardia's scenery millions of years later. For now, the face of it was wondrous. The stone, even from miles away, seemed as if it were washed smooth and was red as the blazing sunset behind it. A few scant trees covered the face of it, only to become a fast forest in the future. It wouldn't suit their feelings well to say it was nostalgic, but it felt that way as well as mystical. It was as if looking at those mountains made them realize where (or rather "when") they were. Finally, the sun lowered and the sky turned into a myriad of brilliant hues. As the sky darkened, torches were lit and fireflies from off the path could be seen in the darkness. The sound of drumbeats filled the air as well as a jubilation that any man could understand regardless of what language he spoke.

"Akon mga kapatid! Sining gab-i, magsaot kag magkanta kita hasta sa agahon!" The crowd collectively cheered as Ayla stood, her arms outstretched as she yelled with a booming voice. Crono, Marle, Lucca, and Robo sat at the head of a table made of halved bamboo slats. There were many things that sat upon it which included fresh spring water (for the children of course), a dish called lechon manok, rice covered with garlic crumbs and wrapped in a banana leaf, a strange orange liquid that reeked of fermentation, and all kinds of fruit. It wasn't until they looked at it that the guests of honor (save Robo of course) realized how hungry they had been. There were no utensils on the table, save for crude ladles that would be used to serve drinks. However, Robo had noticed and pointed out (to ease his companions who did suffer from bacteria) all that were present washed themselves and their hands to prepare for this ritual.

However, Crono was not completely paying attention to the speech. He could not help but shake a strange sense of uneasiness as he observed the crowd, Kino in particular. He had pondered greatly on Ayla and her advances, the possible reason why Kino would dislike Crono so much, and why women seemed did not advance on him as they had on Marle and Lucca. He felt a little haughty for pondering on that last point and tried to excuse himself for being so quick to think that he deserved any attention at all, but that was when something struck him. Suddenly, a horrifyingly flattering and embarrassing impression popped into his head.

"No…That could not possibly be it!" He said to himself, his knees beginning to shake and his heart pounding.

Robo had noticed his strange increase in blood pressure first, but it was Marle who asked, "Crono, are you feeling okay?" She noted it first, seeing that he had become deathly pale.

"Uh, fine." He stated nervously, pulling on the collar of his gray undershirt. The women gave each other perplexed glances and continued to listen to Ayla.

"Great, he's getting sick from the food and he hasn't eaten it yet!" Lucca smirked, crossing her arms.

Marle gave her a light slap on the arm and admonished her lightly, "Be polite, Lucca! They went through a lot of trouble to prepare us this feast."

Ayla glanced down, hearing voices from the table, but looked back to the crowd and thought nothing of it. "Basi, nakahuringhuring kamo parte sa mga tawo diri kag sa paghimo nila! Nagaway sila sa mga yawa nga naghalin sa doktrina sang paghigugma kag paghidait! Nagbatok sila sa mga yawa nga naghalin sa mga patakaran nga ginpasad sang dios. Wala ang dios naghalin! Sila lang ang naghalin!" Whatever she said, it raised a loud cheer from the crowd. "Indi kita gusto magaway, tungod, sa tuod, sila amo ang mga kapatid naton. Pero, magtindog kita agud makapangpinan sa aton paagi sang kabuhi, kon amo na ang aton dapat himo-on!"

It was hard to pay close attention to something that someone could not understand. Therefore, it was understandable that Crono and his friends leaned toward Robo and asked if he could understand a bit of it. His response was, "Only a little bit. My mind can remember things in an instant that you cannot, but my dictionary is still incomplete. Evidently, there is some common enemy that they face."

"Ginpili ako ninyo agud puwede magin pangulo, pero, mabug-at ang akon mga katungdanan. Kinahanglan ko isang bana, agud indi ako mabudlay-an!"

The whole entire crowd went silent at those words, and suddenly Robo completely understood why Crono had turned so pasty white. However, a great feeling of anxiousness crossed Marle and Lucca as they stared at Robo perplexedly and back at Ayla. Suddenly, Ayla pointed to Crono and he recoiled as if he had been shot or electrocuted by her finger. "Amo siya! Si Crono mangin bana ko! Magpakasal kami, magupod kami kay isag isa, kag maguntat kita sa gera, madali!" That caused an enormous raucous throughout the entire village. People leapt in the air for joy and men began to stomp their feet as a great dance began. The musicians began to pound on their drums and after a moment women began to join in the festivities. However, Kino gave Crono a very murderous look before he stomped off into the darkness of the night.

"What just happened?" Crono asked. He had a good idea, but he hoped that he was completely wrong.

Robo, despite the circumstances, couldn't help but laugh, "I don't know how to say this, but I think the chieftain just proposed to you…"

"What?" Marle and Lucca gasped, jaws agape.

"Yep!" Robo said, mashing his leathered fingers together and leaning backwards romantically, "Crono, you are engaged!"

Author's note and translation: Hope you guys didn't mind all the language in there! I encourage you to read the story first before you read the translation so that you may be surprised at what happens. A strange twist, I know, but it will be explained in the next chapter:P Also, yea! I knew that if I wrote in that language, someone here would be bound to recognize it! You might know it, Mari! It's Illonggo, or Hiligaynon, but I'm afraid I'm a bit rusty. I had to practice it and use a dictionary for some of these deeper words. Chances are, you might find numerous spelling or grammatical errors. Let me know if you see any!

Dalhon mo Kino di, beh. – Please bring Kino here.

Sugiron mo siya nga kinahanglan magupod sa amon bagong kilala. – Tell him that he needs to escort our new friends.

O-ay, ang pulong mo hay akon kasugo-an. – Yes, your word is my command.

Akon mga kapatid! – My brothers and sisters!

Sining gab-i, magsaot kag magkanta kita hasta sa buas! – This night, we will dance and sing until tomorrow!

Basi, nakahuringhuring kamo parte sa mga tawo diri kag sa paghimo nila! – Maybe, there have been rumors about these people and what they have done.

Nagaway sila sa mga yawa nga naghalin sa doktrina sang paghigugma kag paghidait! – They fought against the devils who left the doctrine of love and peace!

Nagbatok sila sa mga yawa nga naghalin ang mga patakaran nga ginpasad sang dios. – They fought the devils that left the principles which god himself had built.

Wala ang dios naghalin! – God did not leave them.

Sila lang ang naghalin! – They left God!

Indi kita gusto magaway, tungod, sa tuod, sila amo ang mga kapatid naton. – We do not wish to fight, because, in truth, they are our brothers and sisters.

Pero, magtindog kita agud makapangpinan sa aton paagi sang kabuhi, kon amo na ang aton dapat himo-on! – However, we will stand and defend our way of life, if that is what we must do!

Ginpili ako ninyo agud puwede magin pangulo, pero, mabug-at ang akon mga katungdanan. – I have been chosen as your leader, but my duties are heavy and hard to bear alone.

Kinahanglan ko isang bana, agud indi ako mabudlay-an! – I need a husband by my side, to share in the burden!

Amo siya! – This is that man!

Si Crono mangin bana ko! – Crono will become my husband!

Magpakasal kami, magupod kami kay isag isa, kag maguntat kita sa gera, madali! – We shall be wed, go together, and quickly stop this war!