Chapter 11
Questions of the Heart
Crono awoke to the sun reaching
into the sky. He kissed Marle on the cheek and got up to get ready for the day.
He looked around to see that Robo was nowhere to be found.
"Robo?" He called out and got no response. He
wondered where he had gone off too. This thought stuck in his mind until he saw
him coming back up to where they were.
"What were you doing?" Crono asked him.
"Doing a little reconnaissance. The Blackbird has no
real reason to be guarded here and thus isn't." Robo said looking over to where
the giant plane was docked.
"That's something I have been meaning to ask you,
how does this place still exist? It was destroyed the last time I checked."
Crono stated fastening his armor in place.
"There are some things that I cannot tell you, but I
will tell you what I can. We are in another universal possibility, due to
certain choices and events in the world; we never reached Lavos. Zeal was able
to unlock his power and now rules the world in all time. The Day of Lavos never
happened because one day before then, Zeal got greedy and drained Lavos of the
power that sustained his place in this world. The core returned to where it
came from and left the world as it was… at her mercy." Robo informed him.
"Where is Schala and better yet, where are we?"
Marle said sitting up using the sheet of the bedroll to cover herself.
"I cannot provide you with that information." Robo
said turning away.
"Why, it won't have any impact on our present, will it?"
Marle asked getting dressed.
"No, but it could affect our mission and that is
something that I cannot allow." Robo said quietly.
"We get the picture, it doesn't concern us anyway."
Crono said stopping Marle's questions.
"Alright then, what are we supposed to do now? I
still don't have a weapon." Marle said fixing the final snaps of her armor in
place.
"Perhaps I can rectify that situation…" A voice
resounded within their minds.
"Lu… Lucca?" Robo stuttered.
"Hey… how are you… doing?" She asked him. Crono and
Marle just looked at him not hearing that he was talking to her.
"Without you I…"
"Will do fine, lead them to where they need to be.
Don't worry, we will be reunited after this is over." Lucca said to him.
"But you know what is going to happen as well as I."
Robo retorted.
"And you know that it must happen, but I assure you
we will see each other again. You have a mission to complete and now it is time
to complete it." Lucca said as her image appeared before all three of them.
"Now as for you Marle. I have been working on
something for you. It is the perfect compliment to Crono's Starlight Twin
Lance, just as you are to him." Lucca informed her.
"Thank you…" Marle said blushing.
"Simply reach into the sky and you shall receive
what I have made for you." Lucca instructed her and Marle followed the
instructions as a column of light enveloped her hand.
"Forged in starlight and possessing the power of the
love between you, lower your hand and accept the Emerald Star Slayer." Lucca
said as her image faded before them. As Marle lowered her hand she took hold of
a handle between two crossbows. Both were fashioned from emerald crystal and
both were energy weapons. She turned around and let a volley of arrows fly.
White energy bolts flew towards the horizon, she had the weapon she was
seeking.
"Now, with that settled we can get on with what we
have to do." Robo said breaking in.
"What's the plan?" Marle asked looking her new
weapon over.
"As I said, the place isn't that well guarded. We
should be able to get in and steal the ship without all that much trouble.
There are the security turrets and roboguards on the inside, but they weren't
that much trouble before; with our powers as they are now those things should
be meaningless." Robo said as he armed his gunarm.
"Lead the way, we'll be right behind you." Crono
said taking Marle's free hand. Robo just shook his head; he knew that it was
going to be like this and still he found it funny. They left the safety of the
ground that had been and headed to the docks. When they reached the area Robo
was surprised to see that the amount of guards had increased.
"I thought you said the place was unguarded." Crono
said ducking behind some barrels.
"It was a few moments ago. Something is going on and
I don't like the looks of it." Robo said spinning his gun turret.
"Still, if you think about; these guys shouldn't be
anything to us now." Marle chimed in as she readied her new weapon.
"She's right, let's do this." Crono said as he
jumped from his hiding place. They charged at their enemy hand in hand until
they reach their target. They separated and easily dispatched what was waiting
for them. Meanwhile, Robo looked on wondering how in such a short time they
could have created a bond that was strong enough to fight through all of that.
The last time he saw them together, Crono was wondering why he had let Lucca
slipped through his fingers… thoughts that now troubled his own CPU. What was
this feeling that he knew was between them. He had definitions of happiness,
sadness, love, hate, as well as the whole range of human emotion; but none of
that could prepare him for his own feelings. Kain had said to him that the
feeling was loss, but what did that mean. Loss was defined as the sudden
misplacement of a possession, but Lucca didn't belong to him; what did this
mean? He shook his and head would have cried had the ability to do so. When he
looked up he saw that Crono and Marle were standing over him.
"What's wrong Robo?" Marle asked calmly.
"What is this power you both possess… how can you
not fear the danger you know you will face?" Robo said standing up away from
them.
"Wha… what do you mean?" Crono asked taken aback.
"You rushed into that battle without a thought or
care about the consequences of your actions. However, would have done if it was
just either one of you? Would have done if you were alone?" Robo screamed at
them.
"No, that would have been insanity." Marle
responded.
"Why!? It was insanity just the same doing it
together, what was the difference?" He returned.
"Because, together… nothing can defeat us." Crono
said taking Marle's hands into his own.
"Exactly, what is this power you possess?" Robo
asked this time a little bit calmer.
"It isn't any kind of power, love just makes someone
stronger." Marle answered.
"I know there is nothing that can defeat me because
she is always there for me, no matter what I will face." Crono continued.
"Right, we don't have any powers beyond what you
know. We just are a part of one another."
"The bond we share is one the exceeds love. Our very
souls are one, there is nothing that can break that bond." Crono said placing
his hand on Robo's shoulder.
"I don't think I will ever understand what you are
talking about." Robo said turning away.
"You will, one day." Marle said kissing him on his
metal cheek.
"Thank you both. But we have more important concerns
at this moment. I shall lead, you two follow me; we have a gate to find." Robo
answered back.
"Right." They answered in unison. Robo started
towards the hatch of the Blackbird, Marle and Crono stood for a moment.
"Do you think he will understand?" Marle asked
taking Crono's hands back into hers.
"Someday… when Lucca is returned to us." Crono said
looking away from her.
"She told you didn't she… she told you that she
loved you." Marle said separating herself from Crono.
"Yes, but that doesn't change what I feel for you."
Crono said taking her into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder but she
was still distant. Crono knew that she wasn't questioning their love; she was
questioning herself and her actions. He spun her around and looked deep into
her eyes.
"What I said to Robo is true and much more. I love
you with every shred of my being. I was very close to excepting your offer back
there in Guardia… I would give the world to be with you. You make me who I am;
I wouldn't be here fighting this battle had I not had to fight those battles to
get you back. I am who I am because you love me! Nothing has ever nor will it
ever come between us. My love for you is eternal; nothing will make me give you
up. On my honor and most importantly on my heart… to this I swear!" He said as
their lips came together. Tears filled
her eyes; she had never realized that he truly felt this deeply in love with
her. She knew she had made a mistake in doubting him and pulled away from him
again.
"I… don't deserve this. I don't deserve the light of
your heart. I have committed so many crimes. I have doubted you even though
your faith in me has never wavered. I am just a scared little girl… I don't
deserve you or Lucca or Ayla, or anyone! I am just the snot nosed little
princess that no one ever wanted to talk to." She said as she dropped to her
knees crying. Crono bent down and took her into his arms once more.
"No, you have not committed crimes. What you did you
did under Tempest's control." Crono said as Marle broke the embrace once more.
"Did I? Or was I just acting on emotions that I had
deep down inside of me. I am nothing more then a monster." She said as tears
streamed down her face.
"No, you did what you did under Tempest's control.
The Marle I know would have never done anything of what that witch had done.
You are you, not her. You are the woman I will love here, now and forever… no
matter the problems or trials we shall face… neither of us shall stand alone. I
love you, I have given my heart to you and I have revealed in the light that
yours has shown me. If anyone here is inadequate it is I. I am just a lowly
peasant from a village within your kingdom. Everyday of my life spent with you
is the greatest gift I could have ever hoped for. I truly am blessed to be love
by you… now end those tears… we mustn't let their darkness cloud the light
shinning within those beautiful emerald eyes." He said he hugged her.
"Oh Crono, thank you so much." She said as she
looked into his eyes.
"I should be thanking you… for giving me the gift of
your heart." Crono said as their lips came together once more.
"We are both truly blessed." Marle said looking up
at him.
"I will always be here for you, no matter what."
Crono said as they just laid there, Marle's head on his shoulder.
"Crono, will you do something for me?" Marle asked
looking up at him.
"Anything."
"Can you… show me who you once were?" She asked him.
This struck like another one of those lightning bolts. He wondered what she meant until she saw
what she was looking at.
"Of course." He said as he looked down at the
pendent embedded into his armor. It started glowing with his thoughts and with
a flash, he had granted her request. Gone was the long silver hair that had been
given to him by his transformation. His old red spike hair had returned and
Marle squealed gleefully.
"Thank you… this is how we met, this is how I want
things to be." She said as she stood from his arms. She reached behind her and
was about to place her hair back into the ponytail that it had been in when
Crono stood and kissed her again.
"Long hair suits you milady." He said as he ran his
fingers through her hair. She just shook her head and let her hair as it was.
"Robo
must be getting worried about us." She said as they held each other. Her head
was on his chest and she could hear his heartbeat. She felt so much warmth in
her own heart when she knew that that heart beat for her. With one final look
into each other's eyes, their lips came together once more. They knew that Robo
was partially right when he said that there was some power in all of this.
Their felt each other's strength and knew each other weaknesses. There was
nothing that the other didn't know about the other and that power would give
them the ability to end the ordeal they were going through. They now both knew that even Tempest's power
was nothing compared to the power they shared… their hearts were now truly one.