Chrono Trigger

North Wood Burning; Crono and his friends find themselves in Prehistoric times. They rest from their battle only to find themselves being beckoned to another…

He could feel the soft and gentle touch of an affectionate woman. It was strange, because his first reaction was to jump to his feet and open his eyes. However, that was not what happened. In fact, he didn't seem to have any control over himself. That was because this was a dream, and like most dreams we experience, he had no control over it. Therefore, he contented himself to observe as if he were a ghost in the machine.

"Crono…we have to get up…" This sleepy statement was followed by a giggle that Crono knew well.

"Just a few more minutes…" Came his own voice.

It was a strange sensation, but even as he stood in darkness he could feel what was happening to him in the dream. Unknown fingers trailed along his temple, brushing hair from his face. His eyes finally opened, but they were blurry from what he imagined to be a night's respite. He could make out a few things. He could see that he lay in a large bed, he could see a curtain fluttering in the breeze, and he could see…

"Marle…"

"Crono…"

The rejoinder was soft and full of admiration. He could feel a kiss on his lips and he heard his name being called again. Only, for some reason, the voice sounded slightly different. He could see her rise from the bed and beckoned him to follow. The voice called his name again and this time it was nothing like the voice from his dream. Next, the voice actually sounded demanding and he no longer felt any soft touch, but an annoying prod.

"Crono! Get up already!"

His eyes opened and he had no trouble adjusting his vision unlike he did in his dream. He rubbed his forehead and felt an oily, sweaty film that can only come from humid air. In a jolt all the memory came back and he sat upright to look about the hut he was in.

Yes, he was back in the jungle of a prehistoric time period. He looked and saw that his friends had raised, save for Glenn and Marle who were bandaged by animal skins and wrapped in leaves covered in ointment. He looked to his front and saw a scantily clad figure standing before him. His eyes darted nervously as she knelt forward in front of him, her voluptuous frame filling his view. For reasons obvious to himself, remnants of the dream returned to him bringing guilt and he forced himself to look down to the floor. He waited for her to have a seat in front of him before he looked up again, being eye level with her this time. Equally thankful as he was relieved, she noticed nothing of it.

"Ayla, what happened? How did we get here?"

"In truth, that is what we wanted to ask you…there was a great storm…and we saw a large blue fire in the sky."

"'Blue fire?'" ("Maybe she means the time gate" is what he thought to himself). "So, you came and found us?"

"Yes…we found you with strange stone that we never see before. What happened, Crono?"

"It's a long story," he said, trying to stand. He failed miserably, feeling instantly dizzy and falling back into a sitting position.

A second person knelt beside him now and she said, "Take it easy Crono. You aren't as strong as me, you know."

"Lucca? Do you know what happened?" Crono asked, noting that Robo had been outside gathering extra leaves for medicine. Once he saw the medicine and the prostrate forms of his companions a grip of fear struck him. "Are they okay?"

"Relax," Lucca said, gently pushing Crono to the ground by his shoulder, "we fell from the sky, but thankfully not from so far up. It was a rough landing, but Ayla came along and helped carry us back. Good thing too. Robo was the only one conscious and he didn't want to leave any of us alone. We were out for at least a day."

"Did they find Magus?" asked Crono.

"No," Lucca said with a dismayed shake of her head, "me and Robo had been thinking on that. It is possible that he had been absorbed by Lavos."

"How ironic," Crono said with a half-smile. "he wanted to kill Lavos yet he ended up killing himself."

Lucca said while dipping a bandage in water, "that's what happens when you are a crazy dictator. Your own demons destroy you." She gave him an amused smirk this time and pushed him a bit harder to the ground, "Now get some sleep! You earned it."

"What about you?" Crono asked. "Aren't you exhausted? Don't you need a break?"

Lucca, touched that he even took the time to ask about her, shook her head and said with her trademark smirk, "It's like I said, 'you aren't as strong as me.'"

A few days had passed, but it was the day after Crono regained his senses that the others did as well. They spent a good amount of time wandering around the village, explaining to the villagers why they did not attend the celebration they threw from them while they were rehabilitating. It was humorous, because even after they were carried into the village unconscious the villagers still prepared a celebration for them. When they did not attend they were offended. They were quick to forgive them when Robo, who seemed to understand their quirks very well, informed the villagers that they were nearly dead and would not have been so entertaining had they gone to the party. The villagers accepted this with a solid nod, a grunt, and a quick apology.

The day they were able to walk without pain, Crono and Glenn were seen together in the commons. Interested people watched as they engaged in what would become a daily ritual. Take in mind that a study in the movement of the body is very strange to those who were not familiar with it. The villagers sniggered as they watched Crono and Glenn push arm against arm in predetermined movements. To the untrained eye it seemed as if they only moved back and forth, as if they were dancing. In reality, Crono had come to Glenn and professed that his swordsmanship against Magus was noticeably insufficient compared to Glenn.

"I hath received instruction from a warrior most wise in my youth…I shall impart that wisdom unto thee. Thy humility proves thy worth."

To the people who did not understand, they were merely moving back and forth. However, to the people who were warriors and knew how to use every muscle and sinew in their bodies, they understood that these were the basics that almost everyone did not know yet should. Crono and Glenn strengthened their root, their sensitivity to opposing force, and even hastened their ability to improvise. It wasn't until they practiced with their blades at a fast pace that the Ioku become interested and willing to experiment.

Before they began their training, Glenn looked at Crono's blade with the utmost sorrow. Glenn began to smooth out the burrs and the dents in the blade the best he could and said, "Thy blade is merely an extension of yourself. In battle, thou would do well to take a blow as softly as possible. As strong as its luster may be, even the mightiest bone or the mightiest steel will break under enough strain. Take care to receive a blow softly, and if a blow is parried be thou certain if it is in thy power that the movement is smooth so that it shall not damage the blade."

Crono began to listen to Glenn's advice, taking the lessons he continually learned from pushing hands and applying them to his sword form. He was a quick learner, and perhaps that was because the knowledge of the elements flowed through him insomuch that he could tune his senses faster than Glenn had when he was a child. Glenn would note this with a bittersweet smile, but then disarm Crono to show that there was still much to learn.

Marle and Lucca enjoyed themselves immensely, allowing themselves to enjoy the subtle flirtations of the Ioku men. They were the epitome of good conduct of course, so we shall not find fault in them for seeking compliments after such strenuous times. However, it was not all fun and games for them. The words, which Magus spoke, haunted Lucca deeply and she wondered how far back the origin of Lavos went. Therefore, in her free time she went about the village with Robo, asking the elders about Lavos and what they knew. They would only answer back that it was a language even more ancient than their own, which meant "big fire". However, they would also speak on prophecies that mentioned a falling star, which caused Lucca to think even deeper.

Robo, on the other hand, found himself to be quite useful to the villagers. It was no longer a secret that he was a favorite to them. He would keep their noisy young from interrupting their chores by allowing himself to be a statue for them to climb on. Also, by now, he had a good command of the language and was able to entertain the children with stories. Robo began to exhibit a certain fondness for being around youth and was seen with them most of the time. He would also be found practicing with Crono and Glenn when there was nobody calling on him.

Also, it is worth noting that it took a decent amount of explanation to convince Glenn where (or rather when) they were and what had transpired. Although he was not entirely clear on the concept of time travel, he took it at face value and admitted that he would learn more as they went along. He cited his trust in them, saying that he believed them when they said he would eventually understand. He had also promised that he would accompany them, saying that if there was an evil strong enough to control Magus he best extinguish it.

Understandably, Glenn tried his hardest not to be around Ayla, who first thought he was a treat that Crono brought for her to eat.

"For the last time - She's not going to eat you."

"Oh-ho! Say what you will, I have seen that desperate look in her eye!"

Glenn pushed back with his sword, pleased to see that Crono did not lose his balance as he usually did. His blade never left the Masamune as well, showing that he developed the skill to stick to an opponent. Glenn took all the force in his back leg and Crono slowly came forward, his wrist twisting the sword as it slid across the Masamune. Glenn grunted, feeling the twist in his own wrist and stepped forward onto his front leg. However, he went too fast. He stammered as he came forward, his foot leaving the ground to make his body stumble. He felt Crono catch him and Glenn grunted enthusiastically, giving him a tight grip on his shoulder. "Yes! That is the way! Keep with it, Crono! Thou art improving!"

"Are you guys done with your…uh…whatever you call it?"

Without looking at the speaker, they resumed at an even slower pace. Glenn still spoke to Lucca with closed eyes, "I note thy tone of voice, Lady Lucca. Thou may not understand the nature of this practice, but those familiar with the form swear by it." She said nothing, honestly not meaning to come across as crass or demeaning. Instead she said, "This whole thing with Lavos has me stumped. Word around here is that he might be some falling star. There are no myths that suggest that he is in the earth already like he was in Frog's time."

"Mayhap between now and then is when he arrives." Glenn offered, grunting as he received a push from Crono.

"I guess. If that is true, then we have a problem."

"And what is that?" Glenn asked.

"Well," Crono began, "when we go through time we can only go to certain places so far. We can't go whenever we please."

Glenn nodded, "Aye…that is a dilemma."

Lucca sighed, "I suppose we will have to ask the old man at the end of time…"

Lucca jolted her head up to see Glenn sprawled on the ground. His eyes looked up at her, bewildered and bulbous. "Time shall end!? How horrible!"

Crono lifted him up with a laugh, "Nope. It's just some wise man's sick joke. Don't worry. Time doesn't really end."

"If thou sayest…" Glenn said, still visibly disturbed.

Another voice came, and the group saw that it was Robo and Marle walking together. "If that is true, then we should probably leave tomorrow to talk to Gasper."

"I do not know this Gasper, but I agree." Frog answered.

"Alright," Crono nodded, "we'll let Ayla know. Until then…I believe it is your turn to start the motion, Glenn."

Another thing that was prevalent in this culture was the desire that no guest should ever leave. Ayla gave them a face that seemed full of dejection, but they soothed this news by telling her that they were hunting a great evil. After telling her that it would be a bad idea for her to come (for she began bouncing on her heels, begging to assist them) she allowed them to sleep for the night. The night passed as usual, except their bodies had lost all the excess sugar that mosquitoes in such climates crave and they were not disturbed so much. However, they woke up the next morning covered in that same slimy sweat that comes from a night in humidity with no ventilation. They washed their faces with water that was kept outside the hut and only then did they notice Ayla was nowhere to be seen.

Not only that, there was a strange energy in the air. There was a sense of worry as they noticed villagers giving brief glances northward. What had caught their eye was a distant column of smoke. It was not the same thing as a campfire, but it was a large billowing fire that must have stretched for acres. They found a villager and asked Robo to find out what was going on. The villager wasted no time and said in broken tongue, "North wood burning. Laruba big trouble."

The Laruba?

They remembered hearing that name before and remembered that it was the name of a tribe. After some deliberation they were approached by Kino whom had the face of someone weighed down by a great burden. Not only that, he was shouting commands at the villagers. Robo translated what he was saying into phrases such as: "prepare our outer walls" and "call all the farmers within the gates." He said these things as he passed the villagers and walked toward Crono with a lengthened stride. He stood face to face and said, "These bad times, Crono. There is war now."

"War? Are the Reptiles moving against us?" Lucca began, edging in an elbow so that she stood in front of Crono.

Kino gave her a brief look, but ignored her and face Crono again. "They no attack the Ioku. We are strong."

"Then why so worried?" Marle asked.

His eyes darted about for a second as if he were about to share a secret, "Ayla…She left alone to help Laruba. There may be many Reptite there."

"Say no more," Crono answered with a nod. "We'll go and see what we can do."

As they tore through the jungle the stench of ashes and smoke became stronger and thicker. They also noticed blackened leave and scorch marks covering a few dry trees. However, the trail quickly came to an end and they found themselves wading through thick foliage. It got so bad that they had Robo lead the way. He trampled thick vines and heavy trees under his body, and to the relief of the women any thick cobwebs that grew between trees stuck to only him. Crono recalled the words Ayla said concerning the fear the Laruba had of the Reptites and he felt even more urgency to reach the village. His eyes spied a dry banana tree that had fallen from old age and ran up the trunk. He leapt into the treetops, finding another limb and leaping from one to the next.

His friends followed him below as he began to lead the way. He could already see that the large column of smoke was within a mile. It was at this point that the foliage began to show small drops of blood. While only Robo noticed this, he deduced that something strange was afoot apart from the actual battle. It seemed that even though there were injuries, they were minimal. There was no thick spray of blood from a vital wound, but drops from small cuts. It almost seemed as if one side wanted as little damage as possible.

Suddenly, the forest gave way to farmland. Thankfully, the dry season hit by this time and the fields were not submerged in irrigation. They closed in on the village, but realized that there were no bodies or any signs of casualties. The homes, although they were in the process of being burnt to the ground, held no corpses in them. Instead, there was a large congregation of people watching from a distance with wide eyes. Crono had slowed his pace and looked at the people incredulously. He was not staring at them because of their lack of desire to extinguish the fires, but because their countenances held the look of someone who had lost something of great importance.

"Marle, Glenn…can you do dowse out those fires?"

They wordlessly obeyed. As they did the looks on the Laruban faces eased somewhat, as if a single burden from a pile had been lifted, but they were far from happy. They made their way through the crowd, the people watching them in stony silence so unlike the Ioku. It was as Ayla had described them: fearful, untrusting, and unsure.

Crono heard the sounds of blows landing and it brought him back to what he came to do. He followed the familiar voice that shouted short, brutish commands. He found Ayla standing in the center of the village with a few Reptites. Behind Ayla lay their weapons of war and behind the Reptites were several of the Ioku men who cracked their knuckles in preparation. Crono winced as a fist plowed into the side of a Reptite.

"Diin sila nagadto, eh?" Ayla grabbed hold of his clothing, anchoring him from another blow as she cocked her fist.

The Reptite growled and said nothing. He felt another blow crush his chin and his head whipped wildly. His eyes lulled in his sockets and focused on the strange new addition to the scene. He gave Crono an odd glance before turning to Ayla. He pointed at him with a weak hand causing Ayla to look over. A look of surprise caught her face and she looked back down at the prisoner. She said something too softly to hear, which prompted a response from the Reptite. Ayla raised her head and gestured from Crono and his friends to approach. She gave the Reptite a look of disdain and said, "I have been trying to make him talk for long time. He say nothing. He say that he will only speak to the man that his master tells him to speak too."

Crono looked at him and said, "Am I the person you need to speak to?"

The Reptite gave him an amused smile, "Well…This is a surprise…the little monkey actually sounds like us."

The other Reptites hung their heads low, knowing that if the situation was different or if they were braver, they would have laughed at the statement. The Reptite took another blow to the face and held the haughtiness of a man who paid the price for something worthwhile. His sharp teeth formed a smile as he went on, "So it seems that my master was right…you are from a more civilized era…at least more civilized for your…" He gave Ayla a sideways glance and finished his thought. "At least for your kind."

Ayla raised a hand to strike him, but Crono forbade her. He knelt down so that he was level with the Reptite and asked, "What do you need to say?"

He answered with a deep-throated chuckle that caused his head to bob. He looked at Crono with large yellow eyes and narrow pupils, in which Crono could see his own inquisitive reflection. "My master, for some reason unknown to me, is interested in an ape like yourself." Crono checked Ayla who wanted to deal another blow for the insolence. "He wanted me to tell you…" he looked at Ayla and spoke a bit softer "that there is something he would ask of you to avoid any…unfortunate bloodshed."

"And what is that?" Crono asked, fighting back a dark, growing premonition.

"He wants the strange item you held the day you fought him and Sir Nizbel."

Crono looked to Lucca who currently held the gate key. "And what if I refuse?"

"Then, you will be the cause of much bloodshed…and believe me when I say that not a single drop of our own will fall to the ground."

Marle gave the Reptite her trademark, icy stare. "We took him easily last time. What makes him think we can't take him again?"

"We won't be fighting!" The Reptite said with an uproarious guffaw. He pointed out to the frightened Larubans and said, "Their captured comrades will!"

Ayla did not hold her silence any longer. She dug her fingers into the creature's neck and lifted him to his feet. "What do you mean?"

The captured Reptite could not speak until Ayla loosened her grip. "You forget our master has powers beyond the comprehension that you possess. Within the confines of our fortress he will work his power. He will alter the minds of your cowardly ward. We will make them strong, remove anything close to a rational thought, and we will have them attack the Ioku. We will not stain our hands with their filthy blood, but they will do the work for us." At that, Ayla's grip tightened so much that a loud pop came from his neck. She crossed her anger and quickly let him go. He fell to the ground limply, but not dead. He moved lethargically and looked up at her with a grin.

"Azala will not get what he wants…" Ayla said firmly.

"Then…you will get what you don't want…and we will be more than happy to give it to you…"

"These seem to be hard times…" Frog said this as he held his chin, holding a pondering pose as he leaned against a burnt support.

The Reptites were still alive, but hidden from view. By this time, the chieftain of the Laruba joined them. He seemed to stand as a symbol for the people that he ruled over. He was old, frail, yet there was kindness and meekness to him. Also, there was a sense of patience, wisdom and quiet dignity that did not exist among the Ioku. However, everyone would have agreed that patience and quiet dignity was not what they needed at the moment. However, wisdom was something that could be very handy indeed. Thankfully, the eldest one there had been chosen as a chieftain for a reason. However, his particular accent was thicker, which suggested that they spoke a different language than the Ioku.

"Hard times encour-age deter-me-nation which brings prosperi-tee." The old chieftain sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed in thought.

"What do we do?" Ayla asked. "Nobody can enter the Reptite fortress. The doors are never open."

"I can break through the doors." Robo offered, bowing courteously.

"The doors be made of hard t'ings. The door would break you before it be broke."

"Then I suppose that explosives are out." Lucca said to herself, a bit disappointed.

"Den go by de sky." The chieftain said with a great smile.

"What? How?" Marle asked.

"There be a mountain where flying beasts roam. When we lived brav-lee in the open, we soared on de backs of beasts. It was our right of passage, which is why we are called de Laruba…People of the sky."

"Well, I guess we could do that." Crono said with a shrug. "So, where do we go to get these beasts?"

The chieftain shook his head sorrowfully. "That is something a diff-a-rent mattah. We would hunt a beast dat hide in da trees and fight like no-ting you ever see."

"Why would we hunt this thing when we could just find the flying beasts?"

Ayla answered by saying, "The creature is elemental spirit. If we prove ourselves the flying beasts will accept us.

"Aye," said the chieftain with a nod. "She be ri-eat."

"So, where do we find these elemental spirits? What do they look like?"

"Go with coo-tion, for dese beasts may change they colors. But, when the rain falls, they be easy to see…a bright blue they be."

"So, what? We wait for a rainstorm then?" Crono said with a bit of ill temperament.

"Don't worry none." Said the chieftain. "D'ere be a place dat always be rainin'. You will see…"

"And what are they called?"

"The Nu."

Author's notes: I wasn't too fond of how this turned out. I imagine most of you might think the same thing. I read through some of my other stories and I realize that I need to read through my story again to match up any pacing or any character aspects that I might have forgotten about. Man, I really should have just wrote the whole thing and then put it up instead of bit by bit. The problem with that is a problem I created myself: IT'S TOO LONG OF A READ! I'm sorry for my lack of updating. I hope it wasn't too long of a wait.

Oh yeah. "Diin sila nagadto" means "Where did they go?"