Chrono Trigger
Trials and Tribulations; a chapter in which we see the struggles of exploring a vast wilderness…
The swirling blue vortex quickly gave way to darkness. The warmth of a familiar home vanished just as quickly and the party was left in the biting cold of a damp cave. The smooth walls were barely lit by the gate as it was before. Nothing had been touched or moved. There were no signs of any wayward visitors nor were there any beasts to contend with. The howling of a distant wind echoed throughout the cave.
"Lucca, can you give us some light?"
She obeyed and the constant flame rested upon her open palm as always. They walked forward, pleased to see that their choice in clothing seemed effective (although they admitted their faces were already getting cold). As they rounded a turn, the light from an exit greeted them. Lucca dismissed the flame and let Crono walk ahead. Soon, they stood out in the middle of an open wilderness.
The wind was not as strong as it was last time but the snow was still constant. Ayla, who had been huddling and cursing the cold before, was holding out her hands. She watched with interest as the small flurries either danced across her palms or slowly melted. She looked up at the world and smiled as if she had seen a miracle. "It is so beautiful."
Her response prompted the rest of the party to take in the scenery. The world was silent except for the wind and a feeling of peace and even reverence filled the party. The wind made the snow flurries dance in the sky as if they were dandelion petals floating in a summer breeze. The cave from whence they came was part of a mountain and its peak was visible, but obscured by a thick fog. It was the same for the mountains and the forests in the distance. However, looking out over the world made Crono realize how easy it would be to become lost.
"I don't know if it's a good idea for us to go on. If we can't find this cave then we can't go back…"
"Ha," Lucca began with her trademark smirk and confidence, "I already covered that."
Marle took her eyes away from the sky and looked at Lucca, "How?"
"Last night I put a navigational device in Robo along with an odometer!"
"What is an oh-dom-eater?" Ayla asked. "And who is Dom?"
Lucca laughed, "It's called an 'oh-dom-i-ter'. Simply put, I installed a compass and a way to measure how far we traveled!"
"'Tis a wise preparation. Well conceived, Lucca." Glenn said with a firm nod.
Lucca put her hands on her hips and said light-heartedly, "I'm a little worried that you didn't think of such a thing until after we got here, Crono."
Crono shrugged, "You know me…I live in the moment."
"Do not be so distressed, Crono." Began Robo, "Had Lucca told me what she planned to do I would have informed her that I already had a navigational system installed in my memory."
The group laughed as a stricken look came over Lucca's face. "Y-you're kidding right? You don't really have a navigational system already, do you?"
"I assure you I am not joking Lucca. Even if I were, the adrenaline levels you are emitting suggests immense frustration and that you would do me permanent injury if I…"
"What did I tell you about reading my anything…" Lucca interrupted.
"Not to do it because it makes you look…" Robo stopped as if he were thinking something over. "Not to do it." Robo put simply.
"Actually, maybe it can come in handy. Can we remove it and use it?" Crono offered. "We can split up in two groups and signal the other if we find something."
"A good idea, Crono," said Lucca, "but the odometer reads parts that match up to Robo's legs. It won't measure distance otherwise. (Man…It took me an hour and a half to put that stupid thing in there)!"
Crono looked toward the mouth of the cave and then out to the horizon. He pointed at the cave; "This will be our little base of operations, if you will. Whenever night falls we can come back here and rest up until the morning. Does that sound like a good plan to everyone here?" He noted that everyone nodded his or her head in agreement. He silently began to fulfill the plan by leading the way.
Journal entry written by Marle:
Dear Diary,
Today we traveled north in our search for a town or even any sign of life. There wasn't anything to see for miles unless you are content to look at trees or snow. Then again, you are a diary, and since you are made from paper I suppose you wouldn't mind looking at trees. Crono led the way most of the time, but he kept checking up on me to see if I was feeling okay. It was so nice of him. But then again, he's always been so sweet. I wonder how he's feeling…I should talk to him later. Lucca was pretty gung-ho about all this at first, but it seems like she became a little annoyed once we reached the ocean.
I didn't say anything about the ocean, did I? It was an amazing sight! I really couldn't tell the difference from the ocean and the land by how white it looked! I've never seen a beach covered in snow instead of sand, and it was crazy to see chunks of ice in the sea. Whenever the waves crashed on the beach it would make a loud crunching and clinking noise, like millions of ice cubes in a giant glass of water. We headed back after our trail came to an end and now we are here. We made the place a little more like home and I just finished my dinner. Everyone is acting like they want me to join in the conversation, so I'll just have to write in you some more later. Good night…
The first day came and went fairly fast. The winds notably became stronger and bitterer when night fell. Thus, they returned with haste to their small place of rest. Already, the cold of the cave was far more inviting than the shrill winds of the outside world. Their lips were nearly blue and their hair was covered in frost, which began to melt as they made their makeshift home a little more livable.
The problems that were addressed consisted of the puddle-ridden floor, the leaky walls of the cave, and the wind that continued to circulate in the den. Glenn, despite his exhaustion, began the process by focusing intently. He could almost see in his mind the very drops of water separating from soft dirt as he conjured it away from the ground. Lucca and Marle helped by looking for cracks in the wall and lining it with mud, which Lucca dried and hardened by fire. Robo ventured a short distance outside and brought plenty of wood for a fire while Ayla and Crono swept the ground so that it was free of large rocks. Finally, they finished their preparations by finding a flat stone that they positioned over the entrance of the cave.
They all had a seat on the ground, their sleeping bags and blankets resting on a tarp that separated them from the cold, hard dirt of the cave. Lucca began a fire after being assured by Crono that the smoke would follow the roof of the cave until the exit. Shortly after their return they were all sitting around a crackling fire, being almost as warm and comfortable as they would be if they were camping in their own time. Their winter clothes hung from a wall, being left to dry for their next trek in the morning while they ate dinner for that night.
"You know what?" Crono began, tapping his fork on his "plate" (which happened to be the bottom of an aluminum can) "I feel like an idiot. We should've just left all our supplies here. We could have traveled further if we didn't carry everything with us."
Marle put her diary into her backpack and began to rummage through the food bag, "Don't feel so bad about it, Crono. Honestly, I thought we would have found a town or a city by now."
"Aye," Glenn answered, "do not place the blame upon thyself. 'Twas not so heavy a burden."
"Speak for yourself," Lucca replied, rubbing a sore part of her back. "It feels like I just turned eighty."
"I feel just fine." Robo answered brightly.
"Of course you do," Lucca answered with sarcastic wit, "you're a powerhouse…I don't think you understand how fortunate you are that you don't have bones and muscles that get tired."
"I'm fine too." Ayla answered.
"Yeah? You are just a freak of nature." Lucca answered back.
"Maybe you're just a wimp." Crono quipped with a smirk. He earned a quick punch in the arm from Lucca who laughed in reply.
Marle produced another bag kept separate from everything else and held it almost lovingly while everyone spoke on the travels of the day. Crono was the first to switch to the topic by asking how far they had traveled that day. Robo leaned back and answered, "We have traveled fifteen miles today…that was one way. Including our hike back to this cave it was thirty miles." Crono threw himself backwards at those words and felt the blood throb through his tired legs.
"Since we headed north today, what direction should we go tomorrow?" Crono asked.
"I think it might be a good idea if we follow the coast east." Marle answered. "Who knows? Maybe we could be on some huge island."
"We could be," Lucca admitted, "but I think we would waste time if we headed north and then went east. We should just choose a new direction."
"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it tomorrow," Marle said with an eager smile, "In the meantime, look at what I brought!"
She emptied out a bag of supplies she put together for herself with her own money. Lucca's eyes glazed over in delight when she saw that the ingredients were marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. Crono, Glenn, Robo, and Ayla looked at the ravenous countenance of their peers and wondered why they were so excited. Marle held a few uncooked ingredients in the air and stated proudly, "I present to you the best dessert in existence."
"Chocolate?" Crono blinked. "Who doesn't love chocolate?"
"No," Marle said with a wag of her finger. She corrected him by saying, "Chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers together!"
Glenn's face turned into a sort of grimace as they began making small samples, "Art thou being earnest? What manner of joke is this?"
"What is chocolate?" Ayla piped in.
Everyone gave a look of disbelief to Ayla, and then shrugged as they remembered where and when she came from. "Something really delicious," Crono answered and adding pointedly, "which should not be mixed with graham crackers and marshmallows."
"Try it." Marle dared more than answered, holding out the combined mess.
Marle was a little flattered at how much Crono seemed to trust her. He bit into the mess without another thought, chewing rapidly. His eyes went wide and his face melted into something that bordered on relaxation and euphoria as he slowed his chewing to savor the taste. "Oh wow." He said with a full mouth. He crammed the rest of the concoction in his mouth and smiled dreamily.
"Told you. Glenn, Ayla, now you two try."
Within minutes, the contents of the bag were emptied and everyone had chocolate smears in the corners of their mouths save for Robo who wished he had a mouth…and taste buds. Lucca and Marle regaled them with the story of their discovery and the futility of deciding on a name. That turn in topic prompted the same challenge from before as everyone offered names for the dessert. However, Crono had a brilliant idea as someone requested for some more of the delicacy with a full mouth.
"S'mores!" Crono exclaimed with enthusiasm and the reflection of the campfire burning in his wide eyes.
"Excuse me?" Glenn asked, taking his eyes away from his fifth piece.
"That's what they should be called! S'mores! I mean, as soon as you eat the last piece and you ask for 'some more'…and…it sounds like 's'more'…"
Crono trailed off as everyone looked at him and he suddenly felt very sheepish.
"No." said Marle.
"No." said Lucca.
"No." said Glenn.
"No." said Ayla.
Robo said nothing, but gave Crono a comforting pat on the back. "A valiant effort. At least you are still the master of puns, Sir Crono."
"Well, I think it's a good name…" Crono said to himself.
Journal entry written by Marle:
Dear Diary,
Good evening again! The day started out wonderfully. I woke up and Crono was sleeping right next to me all night. I watched him for a little while before everyone woke up. I fell asleep before everyone else did, so did he choose to sleep by me? I'm probably reading too much into it. However, I do know for sure that his eyelids twitched in his sleep. I wonder if he was dreaming? I wonder what it was about?
Well, I don't want to write only about mushy stuff, so…after everyone got up we decided to head toward the south. There were giant forests. The snow covered trees blended in with the distant mountains and it was hard to tell just how far the forest reached. The forest was almost dead silent when the wind stopped for a short while. It was weird, because when the wind stopped nobody felt cold at all. It was so nice that we stopped for a while and just watched the snowfall. It was then that we realized that we haven't seen any wild life anywhere. Lucca pretty much said that the ice age must have been around for a long time if there were no animals to be seen in a forest. She said that they might have adapted and were living where it was still warm.
Just how long is this ice age supposed to last?
As delicious as their previous dinner was, the party regretted it. Their dinner that night was a frugal offering to their appetites in comparison to the night before. The trek through the wide expanse of wilderness that day opened their eyes to certain things. They realized that this could be a drawn out situation and that being miserly could mean the difference between success and having to return home. They were not so inflexible with the latter option, but there was always a danger in not knowing how much time they would lose through the gate.
Crono had to admonish the party and himself for being so greedy last night, and told everyone that a can of food per person should be enough. Marle, Ayla, and Lucca took the food enthusiastically, seeing that a can of food was more than enough for women of their height and weight. The men, however, were left slightly unsatisfied due to the fact that they needed more to sustain themselves. They all turned over into their sleeping bags and went to sleep.
Journal entry written by Marle:
Dear Diary,
It has been three days since I last wrote in you. I'm sorry it took me so long, but things have been a little frustrating. We have been wandering around in circles, and we haven't found anything of note yet. Glenn suggested that we should camp away from the cave or find a new position. I feel bad about it now, because when I think on the idea it sounds reasonable. Pretty much everyone told Glenn to be quiet, except for Crono. Crono…he's just been in his own little world altogether.
I don't know why he isn't talking as much as he has been. Lately, he'll just stare into the fire and not say a word. Glenn noticed and asked Crono if he were okay. (Quietly, I add. They didn't know I could hear them). Crono still didn't say anything, but he nodded and blushed when I noticed them. I don't see why he has to be so distant all the time. Everyone can tell that something is bothering him. I just wish he'd spit it out!
Ugh! I just want to go home and take a hot bath!
The rations began to dwindle as well as their portions. Each person only received half a can that day, and they began to stay on the look out for anything to hunt or harvest. Just as expected, there was nothing around them except for snow and trees in their search. The fact that they were running out of food was very disheartening, but it was not only the lack of food that demoralized them. Each member of the party began to feel the accumulation of sweat and dirt that covered their bodies, and it was especially irritating to the women. Their hair was embarrassingly matted and they could feel the griminess of their sweaty, salty skin.
"We still haven't found anything." Lucca said, hugging her knees against her chest. She peered into the fire as she rocked back and forth.
"It has been five days now…" Marle began, hoping that there would be some talk of relinquishing their journey for a short while.
"There are many places that are left unexplored." Glenn answered, solemnly eating his dinner.
Everyone collectively groaned save for Crono, Glenn, and Robo.
"Do you guys even know if there is anything out here?" Lucca began, her impatience rising.
"There must be." Robo answered, "A gate always leads us to a place of some significance."
"That gate was made by Lavos," Ayla stated, bundling up close to the fire, "how do we know that this is not a trick by him?"
"Thy only wish to return home! Do pardon me for the boldness that I have, but the importance of this journey exceeds thy desires for comfort!" Glenn answered back at Ayla, her eyes narrowing in response.
Crono, who stayed silent, looked up from the fire and said, "I know that we are all tired. Let's be careful not to say anything we'll regret. Let's just get some sleep. We'll feel better in the morning."
"Fine." Said the women heatedly.
"Fine." Answered back Robo and Glenn.
The rest of the party hunkered down for sleep while Crono took a few minutes to stare into the fire and think.
Journal entry written by Marle:
Dear Diary,
Things have been on edge for these last few days. It has been a week and half since we came here and we still haven't found anything. Robo keeps on saying that he has stored a lot of information about the surrounding area in his database…whatever that means. Everyone has been bickering all day over little things, but I'm pretty sure that it is all just because nobody wants to be here. Although they won't admit it, Crono, Glenn, and Robo know that nothing is out here. Lucca and Ayla have been driving me crazy too, saying that it's not fair that I get the same amount of food as they do. How ridiculous.
I can't believe that Crono is being so stupid. Doesn't he realize that everyone is miserable? He knows that this is pointless. No matter what I say to him he just tells me to keep on trudging and to shut my mouth. Who does he think he is? I've been talking to Lucca and she has been trying to talk Crono into heading back as well. He pretty much says the same thing to her as well. If he keeps this up, then he'll just have to go on alone. I'm sick and tired of this.
Anger and annoyance is extremely blinding. It is true that everything in hindsight is clear, because that is when anyone can reflect on what they have done with a smaller amount of prejudice. Crono never told Marle to shut her mouth, but told her that complaining would solve nothing. He knew that there would be anger over such a little comment and that is why he tried his best to say nothing. No words are safe to utter when they fall upon ears that belong to those whom are quick and eager to twist, distort, and hold those words against whoever spoke them. Crono had seen the swelling sea of anger rising within his party the first few days and tried to keep himself out of it. That is why he spoke very little, sensing with deep discernment that the smallest misplaced comment would cause the dams of reservation and self-control to break. It was done in great wisdom, and it was made evident that very evening.
Food had begun to dwindle and the party could already feel the effects of missing food: their bodies felt jittery, their stomachs growled even after they finished a meal, and they were understandably very grouchy. The events of that night had several prequels from former nights where party members began to argue about how food should be divided. All began to argue and bicker over who did the most for the group, saying that they needed the energy while Crono stared into the fire, willing to take what was given him.
Finally, there was a moment where it seemed like the party reached a breaking point…
They returned home; they were disheveled, filthy, tired, and starving. Little disputes about direction and their heading happened earlier that day, so a heavy tenseness permeated the air. On occasion, challenging stares were given to those who may have been arguing at the time. Marle could feel herself staring at Crono, and something within her seemed to feel guilt at being angry with him. However, when she acknowledged that it was him who made her feel guilty, the anger intensified until she could not stare at him without clenching her teeth.
"Where are we going tomorrow?" Lucca said toward Robo with sarcastic nastiness.
Even Robo had been acting differently. He said in his usual, calm voice, "Maybe you should lead the way, if you are so brilliant."
"Maybe I should." Lucca said matter-of-factly.
Crono sighed, seeing that an argument was coming. It became habit for him to say, "Alright. Maybe it's time we turn in." whenever a fight neared.
Glenn rose from his spot and said, "I need to excuse myself for a brief moment."
Someone was in the process of saying something snide, but stopped as they heard something clink. They looked down at Glenn's foot and saw a small rim sticking out from the ground. Intrigued, Glenn bent down, his gloved fingers digging around the soft dirt. After unearthing it, he held it up to the fire and saw that it was a food can. He peered inside, scrubbing his finger around the container. The residue was still wet, and mingled with dirt. Glenn's eyes narrowed, and he noted vocally that every can they used was thrown outside to keep their dwelling clean. "Who ate this?" His eyes searched around the room, and everyone else did the same.
"What do you mean, 'who ate it?' Something tells me that you took it!" Lucca answered, glowering at Glenn.
"Oh have I now?" Glenn said with a growing rage, "Or mayhap thou'rt the culprit! That would explain your haste to accuse the very man who discovered it!"
"Discovered? You stumbled on that thing on accident. You could have given yourself away and be trying to hide it!" Marle rejoined.
"Or you could have taken it." Ayla started, pointing an accusatory finger at Marle who gawked in response. "I've seen how much you can eat."
Robo would have rolled his eyes if he had any. Somehow, he no longer wanted to be diplomatic. "Will you all just shut up? Honestly, things have been difficult, but who cares if someone took a little more food than they needed?"
"How easy those words must roll off of thy tongue!" Glenn answered, the bottom of his fist pounding against the cavern wall. "If ye knew the sting of hunger than thou wouldst know what a breach of trust this is!"
And so it began. Everyone began to argue with each other, the accusations turning into insults and slander. The annoyed tones turned into furious shouting that made your ears ache as words echoed against the wall. The aggressors grew closer, inching toward each other's face as they nearly screamed to drown out their opponent. It drew near to the point where Lucca and Marle were about to reach for the gate key, but they stopped when they noticed Crono for the first time since the argument started.
"What are you doing?" Lucca asked.
Everyone stopped and turned to Crono, their eyes narrowing as they saw him leaning over the bag of provisions. Crono, who seemed almost emotionless, showed hurt for a brief moment. He rustled inside the bag and tossed a food can toward Lucca, who fumbled it to the ground. She stooped down to pick it up and then gave him a wary glare, "What is this for?"
Crono sighed, "That should cover whatever has been taken, right?"
Marle pointed and said with anger mixed with disbelief, "So it was you who took it?"
"No."
Marle's stare softened, "So what are you doing?"
"Just forget about whoever took the food. If I pass on my portion than it's like it never happened, right?" Crono forced a diminutive smile.
Robo looked at everyone and saw the expressions matched his own confusion, "You are giving away your food?"
"Sure. If that solves everything. Does it?" Crono turned away and bundled himself underneath his sleeping bag.
Lucca looked at the can and then shook her head profusely, "No, no, no. That's not fair, Crono. Whoever took the food should have to go without it, not you."
"Does it matter?"
"Of course it matters!" Marle replied. "You didn't do it! So why should you suffer for it?"
"I would rather go a day hungry if that means no fighting." Crono faced them again and leaned on his elbow. "Besides, whoever took the food and ate it must have been really hungry, right? They probably needed it, so why be so mad at whoever did it anyway?"
Nobody said anything at first, but then Robo interrupted the silence. "Alright, who took the food? Honestly, it is not fair to make Crono-"
"I said, 'don't worry about it.'" Crono restated firmly, annoyance edging into his voice. He covered himself. "Now go to sleep. We're heading east tomorrow."
Everyone gave each other a look that seemed to ask the question "Are you happy with yourself now?" However, as they all returned to their beds they could already feel the emptiness in their stomachs and reflect on how Crono would feel the next day. Some had gathered the idea of Crono's actions faster than others, but by the time morning came they all felt guilt and shame for the same thing.
It was time for breakfast. Everyone gathered by the fire while Crono went and stood outside. The party commented to each other that even though Crono said he wanted to look at conditions for the day, they believed he didn't want to smell or be tempted by the food. They all sat and looked solemnly at their breakfast. Suddenly, a bit of pleasing inspiration came to Marle.
"Lucca, can you hand me that empty can, please?"
Lucca handed it over quietly, not even questioning why Marle would want the can in the first place. Marle smiled to herself as she took a spoonful of her own food and dumped it into the empty can and placed it where Crono usually ate. Glenn had seen the gesture, which Marle tried to keep small and unnoticeable. Glenn stared at his own food and then at the almost empty can. A smile of realization came to his own face. He caught Marle's attention with a click of his tongue and motioned with his eyes toward the can. Marle smiled even brighter as she stealthily moved the can toward Glenn, who put in a spoonful of his own food. As he moved to put it back, a hand gently stopped it from going further. Ayla took the can and put in a spoonful of her own food and handed it to Lucca who asked for it next. The empty can was now full.
Robo had watched the whole exchange. He could detect the slight changes in mood as everyone shared in the burden and there was a sense of happiness that filled him. It was a small thing they did; yet they all sat together, a feeling of unity engulfing them. Had he not grown in his travels, such a dramatic change from such a small act would have been baffling to him. Instead, he found himself wishing he had a portion to share, but was content to feel the lightening of the mood and the sudden reappearance of a close and familiar fellowship.
As for Crono's reaction when he returned to see that his friends come together to support him: I believe I do not have the words to accurately express the gratefulness, relief, and love that he felt.
The day had gone very well. It was almost as if they had started over from the beginning. Not an argument was heard which somehow made trekking through the snow easier. Their spirits were lifted and they found themselves joking with each other, even stopping to play in the snow whenever they rested. Not much was mentioned about last night except if it were shamed confessions about how ridiculous they felt the next day. It wasn't until they were slightly behind the group that Marle spoke to Crono.
"So," Marle began slowly and humorously, nudging Crono with the side of her hip as they walked, "did you plan for your act of selflessness to go so well?"
"To be honest, not really." Crono laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Especially since it was me who ate the food."
Marle's mouth widened in surprise and Crono tensed instantly. However, he relaxed when her lips formed an incredulous and good-natured smile. She slapped his arm lightly and giggled, "You are so bad!"
Crono chuckled and waved his hand dismissively, "I was just kidding. I didn't eat the food."
"Who do you think did?" Marle asked, giving a slight push.
Crono shrugged, "I don't know, but I'm glad to whoever did it. I certainly owe them."
They said nothing for a while and shared a comfortable silence. Finally, something urged Marle and she turned to Crono on the spot.
"You owe whoever did it? What would you give to the person responsible?" Marle asked, smiling thoughtfully at Crono.
Crono's cheeks were tinged with red and he said as matter-of-factly as he could, "I-I suppose it depends on who did it and what they wanted."
Marle hummed to herself to feign ponderence, "What if that person wanted something like…a kiss?"
Crono looked down to his feet sheepishly, "Once again, that depends on who did it…No offense to him, but if it was Glenn, absolutely not."
They shared a laugh before he looked at her again. He suggested very cautiously while edging in to whisper, "Did you do it?"
"I could have done it. If it means I get what I want…" She answered with a coy smile, edging in as well.
They leaned in closer and closer, the world suddenly becoming very quiet.
"HEY!"
They both gasped in surprise, jumping apart in an instant. A head poked over a hill, which they were evidently hidden behind. It was Robo who yelled toward them and it did not take him long to realize that he was an unwelcome guest for whatever reason. Robo stated in a softer and more controlled volume, which turned increasingly optimistic as he shared good news, "Uh…pardon me Sir Crono and Miss Guardia, but we have found something. We would like you to take a look with us. It is a distance away, but it seems like a structure!"
"That's…uh…that's good." Crono answered, cracking his knuckles absent-mindedly.
"Yeah…" Marle said, giving furtive glances toward Crono.
It was at that moment when Robo had an idea of what he interrupted. He made a noise as if he were clearing his non-existent throat and disappeared behind the hill again. Crono gave Marle a smile, which she returned. Crono stretched out his gloved hand and said with something that bordered on dissapointment and enthusiasm, "Let's go check it out!" Marle took it as soon as it was offered and they ran after the group.
Author's note: Actually, think of it more as kudos to myself this time around. :-D It feels like I must have made a lot of spelling errors in this chapter, but I liked the content. I know that the whole journal entry thing is kind of sudden, but I meant to go that direction a bit sooner. If you note my earlier chapters, Marle got a diary that I never got around to using. I liked the interaction with Marle and Crono toward the end. But enough about what I liked and what I didn't…as always, I love to hear what you guys think if you have any thoughts. If not, no problem. I feel bad that I haven't read or critiqued anything in a while anyways; so a little peaceful protest against my lack of reviews is understood. I'll get around to it, I promise. I've just been busy with family stuff and work is all. Laters!