Chapter 3~
"Chrono where are you going?"
"To get the Epoch, what else?"
"This is too dangerous! You must reconsider,"
Chrono halted his quick walk up to Guardia castle, and turned around, his eyes burning. Lucca backed away, having never seen him like this.
"That A.I. robot just gave us a warning, and although I have no idea what he means by it, I'm sure it's pretty deadly, and I'm not gonna wait around to find out."
Lucca seemed taken aback, but remained silent about her suspicions of the situation. Straightening her glasses, she replied, "How do we know for sure that something bad is happening?"
Chrono seemed to steadily avoid her hard gaze and answered, "The Mother Brain is up and running, you know the one that tried to reprogram Robo to kill us? Is that evil enough for you?"
Turning abruptly he dashed off towards the woods, in a panic. Lucca sighed then went to follow.
"I know something is up I can feel it!!" Chrono yelled back as he jumped over roots and large stones, following the winding path to the castle.
"Wait Chrono!" Lucca called out, suddenly stopping. There was no answer as she realised her friend did not hear or care. Frowning, she turned back and slowly stumbled away.
Meanwhile Chrono emerged from the dark forest, huffing, and he made his way up to the front gates. The guards stiffly looked at him, but let him through. The familiar drone of instrumental music filled his ears as he debated on which way to go. Then without deciding, the wooden doors to the throne room opened slowly and a small, frail robed man stood there, with a quiet look.
"Please I need to see the king."
"He is an extremely busy man…"
"Just for a second! It's urgent!" Chrono pleaded.
"I happen to know what happened while I was missing….you were taken on trial for kidnapping, branded a thief and criminal by law…"
Chrono saw his chance to speak with the king fading away. He frowned sadly.
"But I happen to know that you did rescue me from being prisoner by Yakra. Without you I'd be dead."
Chrono looked up fearfully.
The Chancellor smiled a bit." And I also know you are close with Princess Nadia herself. You need not see the king, you may see her…"
With that, the man glided back into the throne room. Chrono sighed with relief, and tried to ignore the fact that he had a chance to see Marle. But he couldn't do it. Time seemed to be against him and in his gut crept an awful feeling. He knew he was so close to her…so close to get to her, to see her, but, there were more important things to do than to stare at a princess. She probably was busy with her studies anyway. Only time to move on.
Instead of racing up to the throne room, Chrono dashed right, smiled sweetly at the guards and ran up the stairs. Up up he went, quickly heading for the gusty battlefield that had marked the battle of the Dragon Tank where he and Lucca busted him up. The bridge had been repaired now, and the tower wing on the opposite side had served a resting place for the Epoch. He crossed the bridge with ease and jumped into the tower. It was dimly lit with candles and a low humming was heard. Frantically he looked around. A monitor was sitting at a wooden desk speaking to a heavily armed guard.
They looked up and cast him dark glares. "I'm sorry, but no admittance is allowed by people other than His highness-"
"Hold your tongue!"
Chrono slowly turned around, as he realised his heart was racing. That voice had chilled his blood.
Marle.
He breathed in deeply, not expecting her, but glad that he was near her, where he could stare into her eyes. The feeling was so intense for him, he had to look away.
"Please let me escort my friend in, we will do no harm," She commanded sharply, eyeing the guards with a snotty look. They seemed torn on what to say.
"B-but P-rincess, if your father-"
"Oh I'll be long gone by then!" Marle retorted, in a way that Chrono wished she'd not say anything more.
The guards simply nodded. They were sweating heavily.
Marle gave Chrono a familiar curt smile and walked up to him. He stuttered to say something.
"Something goin' on that I should know about?" She asked softly her eyes shining with adventure.
Chrono put his head to one side and muttered more harshly than he intended," It might be too dangerous for you."
Her mouth fell open and Chrono waited to be slapped. When she didn't move, she insisted "I was right there beside you all the way. I am going with you."
He knew she wouldn't budge. Now he knew how her father felt.
Nothing more was said, as Marle lead him past the guards and through a series of winding hallways and staircases.
"I thought this thing was over," Marle commented in disgust as she looked over her shoulder.
"Yeah I know,"
Further in, the guards seemed to appear less and less. No one stopped them, so the two broke out into a run.
"hey Marle…"Chrono began, feeling his determination to travel to 2300Ad drain away.
"SHHH!"
"What?"
Marle stopped him as she stood with her neck craned. She seemed to be listening to something. Chrono stopped too, listening hard.
"You hear that?" Marle asked in a shaky tone.
Before he had a chance to hear or even reply, Lucca came bounding into sight, her arms full with objects. Chrono let out a laugh and Marle wiped away the sweat on her forehead.
"You gave me one hell of a fright!" She squealed as Lucca pulled up beside them.
Lucca nodded and handed Chrono a long samurai sword.
"W-what?" he stammered, looking at it uneasily as if he was scared to use it." Surely you don't think…"
"You convinced me," Was all Lucca said. She handed Marle the shining cross bow she had last used, then pulled out her own gun, the Wondershot.
Voices were then heard, and the three looked at each other nervously.
"Come on!" Chrono ordered, leading the way down the hallway.
All three of them ran as fast as they could, now ignoring the fact they were probably heard and being followed by guards, sent there by Marle's father.
"Hurry! He might catch us, we have to get outta here!!" Marle screamed. Chrono detected a tone in her voice that seemed to make her desperate to get away.
He thought Marle would be happy, back at the castle as a princess, but them again, she never was even before he met her. He was glad to run free with her again.
They bounded into a large, damp room that smelled of machinery and various chemicals. There was a shout from many of the engineers and lab workers
As the three rushed in to behold the Epoch, sitting in the middle of the large, dark room. No one was in it, but it seemed the Epoch was being monitored and studied.
"Hey! No admittance! Not even by the Princess herself!"
Marle raised her bow and squinted with anger filled eyes as she snarled, "Now that's not a way to treat a lady!"
Many workers froze in fear, and dropped whatever they were doing to turn and look at her with pleading eyes. A large man, pressumingly a blacksmith, walked out of the shadows and grunted, "She wont shoot!"
"Oh yeah? Then you don't know Her Highness or any of us!" Lucca snapped, revealing her gun. The man froze and eyed the gun carefully.
"Chrono! Get in the Epoch, we'll hold them off!" Marle cried, still pointing her bow menacingly.
"Right!" Chrono dashed off, flashing his sharp blade around, and no one said anything.
One man wailed, "No please we need to study it!" Many protests started to ring out but nobody dared to move. Marle and Lucca remained firm.
As for Chrono, he started to move quickly throughout the room, jumping up on the silent craft and almost feeling relieved to have control over it once again. The King had ordered it to be locked away and tested, but if anyone knew it's ability to jump time, that'd be it.
He opened the latch with great difficulty, and stood up to go inside, when he heard a shuffling noise behind him. Swinging around swiftly, he used a one-handed
sword motion to turn and face his enemy.
"Ah-h-h! He's serious!!" A feeble man cried as Chrono pressed the blade gently against his throat. Muttering harshly, Chrono threatened him and the man backed down and ran against the wall. Then, Chrono stood up, a bit hunched over to crawl in the craft." Lucca! Marle! We're outta here!" He yelled, getting in from the top. With a quick motion he fell into the front seat and started the controls.
Lucca and Marle made their way to him slowly, walking back to back and lowering their weapons. One outraged scientist jumped at them but Lucca did a quick reflex and shot him with a poisoned dart from her gun. He howled in pain as Lucca growled, "Be glad I didn't shoot with my lasers!" She let out a devilish laugh but remained solemn when Marle appeared to be freaked out all the same.
Reaching the opened Epoch, the minute the two climbed up, the craft started to lurch and jolt into laugh as Chrono typed in commands. They jumped into the two back seats and almost immediately everyone against the wall and around the room rushed for the craft and the three in. Too late. Chrono had already closed the latch and sat looking out at the livid men who began to pound and kick the Epoch and try to attack them. But as Chrono gripped the controls and the ship began to float up in the air, many baffled and surprised bodies backed away, afraid of the ship and it's occupants. Bidding farewell silently to Guardia 1000AD, he and his friends magically rocketed away and disappeared.