Love on the Edge of Forever

by Christopher Good

A story set right after game. Crono and the gang are searching for his mother when they come upon a new enemy with a familar face. Throughout the struggle a love is created and hearts become one. PG13 for suggestive themes later on. Please RandR, if I get

17. And thus the curtain falls...

Chapter 17

And thus the curtain falls….

Marle and Crono flew through the vortex as they had countless times before, however, what they saw this time was different. As they went, images of things that had passed flashed by them. They saw times throughout their journeys and also images of things that they had never seen before. They saw that it was them, but the times looked different.

"What do you suppose these are?" Marle asked, her hand still held firmly in Crono's

"I would venture to say images of things yet to come." Crono answered as they both looked on at the images that flashed by them next. The images before were of happy times, these however seemed to be of darker times and events.

"What are these? Distant future?" Marle asked again. Crono just looked at the images as they flew through the conduit. He wondered if the images were of a distant future or just a few years from when they were. Both he and Marle still look as young as they were now, but then he thought that could be something of the eternal bond that existed between them. He looked as shocking images flared across the conduit. He never thought that these events could occur but decided what these images were and why they were being shown them.

"These are images of the future, a future we must live through. See, there is our daughter… what we are seeing is what we must do. This is forever showing us these images to show us what we must do. No matter the cost." He said as he brought Marle closer to him.

"Are you sure… we are fighting so hard now to…"

"No, we mustn't think about it, we should just remember the gifts we have been given today and focus on the task at hand." Crono said interrupting her.

"Our battle." Marle returned.

"Yep." He answered. With that they both returned their focus on the gateway before them as the images went to the back of their minds. As they passed through the threshold of the conduit, the first thing they noticed is that it didn't close behind them. The second thing to catch their attention was that this place was filled with gates just like the one they had cross through. All seemed to show different times and events, some looked exactly alike other were extremely different. Marle then looked down and noticed that they were both floating in a world that seemed to have no end.

"Is this… forever?" She asked looking around at all of the events. One that caught her attention was one that looked very familiar. It looked almost like the day she first met Crono at the fair except for one thing… everyone was a reptite. After taking a closer look she realized… it WAS the first day that she and Crono had met.

"What is going on here?" She asked backing away from the disturbing image.

"This is Forever, the junction point of every universal possibility. Here we see the results of choices we didn't make. That is a choice that… thankfully never happened. Come take a look at this one." Crono said guiding her attention to an image of Marle sitting in the end of time trying to convince everyone of something. She noticed that Crono wasn't present.

"What do you suppose this is?" He asked.

"I guess it is what would have happened had I not gone after you on Death Mountain. But, I would never have been so heartless." She answered taking his hand.

"I know you wouldn't have, that is why I am alive today." Crono said looking around. Marle focused her sights on a very strange looking image.

"Forever is supposed to show us an image of choices that we didn't make, right?" She asked looking on perplexed.

"Yeah."

"So what is this?" She said turning Crono's attention to the image she was viewing. It was an image of her and Crono walking around the end of time talking to some funny looking people. As they both calmed their minds they actually began to her what was being said. The words were strange, as well as the names. The scene shifted to the future where the both of them talked to a man that seemed to know something about what was going on.

"See you all next time in Chrono Trigger 2!" One of the men said.

"Huh?" Crono asked.

"What did he mean by Chrono Trigger 2? What is this?" Marle asked turning to Crono who just stood there dumbfounded.

"It is an image of a choice you will never get the chance to live." A harsh voice resounded throughout the infinity of the place. Both Marle and Crono snapped to attention as their date for the evening had finally arrived. However, when she appeared before them she was different. Gone was the silver purple that was always a color that was attributed with Schala. What stood, or rather floated before them, was a woman dressed in deep violet almost black robes, with hair matching the same color. Crono had seen this color once before… it was the same color that appeared in Marle's eyes when she had been turned evil. This was Tempest… but where was Schala. Almost as if on cue, Tempest made a small diamond appear in her hand. It was of pure energy and Crono could feel that this diamond of energy held the very essence of Schala inside.

"What have you done to her?" Crono asked as the blades of lance flared.

"I had no more use for this corporeal form now that I have reached my target. It is time to return her from whence I borrowed her from." With this, Tempest waved her hand and a black portal opened. Crono and Marle looked on helplessly as the diamond was tossed to a creature that they could feel was filled with unspeakable evil… however, there was something very familiar about the power.

"What was that?" Marle asked.

"That, was a creature known as the Time Devourer. It has yet to be created, but I believe you knew it as Lavos." Tempest said with a chuckle.

"Your evil will be undone here. We shall everything you have made wrong." Crono said approaching.

"Oh please, do you honestly think that I am solely to blame for this? Do you think that you are absolved of responsibility?" Tempest said as she inspected some of the portals.

"What do you mean?" Crono asked.

"Your inventor friend creates a gateway through time and you begin to change events that didn't even concern you. You changed a past that had already happened and a future that was meant to happen. You began tinkering with the fabric of time and attempting to change something that only her mind could understand. Miss Ashtear really is quite something, isn't she? It is too bad that I shall soon erase the damage you have caused by whipping you from existence… just as I did your little blue haired friend… what was his name." Tempest said taking up a false thinking position.

"Magus?" Crono asked taken aback.

"Ah yes, Magus; that girl's dear brother. He was so easily manipulated by her it was almost funny. But then one day he got smart and as you well know, a smart minion is a useless one. So, I destroyed him. Of course, I removed his soul and sent the evil shadow that was inside to do my bidding… for all the good that did." Tempest said shaking her head.

"So Magus…."

"Magus wasn't evil afterall, in fact he tried to stop you." Crono interrupted her.

"Oh yes, that spoiled little brat decided he would take it upon himself to spoil my fun. It almost worked too. He blocked my conciseness away in that miserable girl. The last though she had was of you saving her sir Crono. So when we first met, I was obsessed with you. Luckily, your prism energy broke the shadow hold over my mind and I was freed once more. Not before having to endure being almost put away forever. Luckily again you didn't take the only opportunity you had to destroy me. Too bad, now you shall die." Tempest said looking down on the both of them. Crono couldn't believe what he had just been told. All this time he had hated Magus for what he had done, when once again it was the evil of Tempest that was behind it all along. He knew also that Schala was gone forever… or at least put out of their reach. He wondered what would have happened had he done what he should of done and destroyed her all that time ago. Then he remembered what was shown to him during his trip through the conduit. He realized that everything that had happened to him over the time was meant to happen. All loss that they had to endure and all the fighting that they both had done was all meant to make them strong enough for this final battle. It was now that they would prove if the power of people hearts truly does shape their future or if it merely left to destiny like Tempest wanted them to believe.

"No Tempest, it is you who shall fall. We fight for the future we believe in because we know in our hearts that we can see it happen. As long as we believe in ourselves." Crono said as he lunged towards her. Tempest merely grabbed the Twinlance and blasted Crono away. When Crono recovered he realized that he was still holding onto the lower half of the Twinlance, which had since reverted to his crystal saber. Tempest studied the part of the weapon she held as it reverted back to the Masamune.

"Blasted sword, you have other duties to attend to in the time stream. Right now you belong in the hand of a man who will kill his best friend over nothing more then simple jealousy… or at least the jealousy you shall bring out in him.. Now, fill with the evil you were meant to have." Tempest said as Crono felt the spirits of Masa and Mune cry out in pain as they were washed away by the evil force the seeped into the blade. What was left was a blood red hellish thing that didn't even look like the honor blade Masamune. With her spell complete, Tempest lunged the blade into another gate and it disappeared.

"Let it be known from this time forth that the masamune is a cursed blade until the hands of one that has known both good and evil shall touch its spirit once more." Crono said taking the Crystal Saber in his hand and getting to his feet. He didn't know what he meant by saying this, but he knew it was what had to be said. Marle just looked at him and then back at Tempest who floated over them uncaring as ever. The fire returned to Crono's eyes, he knew what he had come here to do. He cast a look over at Marle who was just waiting for him to give word. The both lunged forward, however, they were beaten away with mere a wave of Tempest's hand.

"Oh, so now this battle begins I see. Very well, I shall make you deaths quick and painful." Tempest said launching energy bolts at the both of them.

"If you want to kill us you are going to have to better then that!" Crono said dodging the blow. He launched a crystal cross at her as his power built. She batted away the powerful attack and returned one of her own.

"Destiny's Wrath!" She called the power to her hands as a giant column of energy hit Crono square in the chest. He was thrown back as Marle summoned activate her bow.

"Avalanche!" She called out combining her ice powers with the bolts from her crossbow. Icicles ripped towards Tempest but were deflected by a shield that seemed to protect her.

"Fools, I am in the center of my power. Did you honestly think that you had a chance to defeat me?" Tempest said with a chuckle as Crono flipped to his feet. He cast a look at an already preparing Marle. She knew what he had in mind and knew just what it would take. He himself charged his own power as his hair changed back to sliver color of his transformed state. Tempest felt their energy increasing a stood dumbfounded as it reached its fruition.

"Northern Cross!" They said in unison as they released their power. Marle Ice power coupled with Crono's blade as it had done with their old Ice Sword attack, however this was going to something a little more then that. With his blade charged Crono performed his Crystal Cross tech, which became a massive blizzard of icicles and snow that tore through Tempest as if she were tinfoil. She was tossed back and came down hard on the suedo-ground of the expanse. She got up slowly and both could see the rage in her eyes, as she appeared to slowly recover. They both looked at each other and began to realize the full extents of her power.

"FOOLS! That hurt, how dare you harm me!" She said as her entire body filled with energy. They could both feel all of the negative forces in the expanse be drawn to the point that she held.

"Now, face my wrath." She screamed as the energy she had been gather exploded into every direction filling the expanse. Crono and Marle just dropped to their knees as the power overtook them. When the energy had cleared both were on their knees looking up at a fully recovered Tempest.

"Now you see how truly futile your insignificant attempt at defeating me was? Now you both shall fall and I shall have what I always desired… the destruction of the universes." Tempest said with a laugh.

"Why… would you desire… such a horrible thing?" Marle asked as she felt her strength being drained from her.

"Simple my dear princess. In your universe I cannot exist without a host, much like that insipid Schala. If there were no universes, I could roam freely and enslave as many as I want. I would be a goddess again, all would worship me." Tempest said glaring at her.

"That's absurd… if there were no universe there would be no one to worship anything." Crono said pulling himself to where Marle was lying.

"I suppose you're right. Oh well, at least I live. Which is more then I can say for the two of you. Now you are virtually immortal with that connection you created before. So to destroy you, I must kill you both at the same time." She said she began to charge her attack. Crono looked deep into Marle's tired but beautiful eyes and saw both fear and love in them. He still remembered how her eyes looked when he brought her back from evil. However, this was how he wanted to remember her, the light in her eyes. She looked at him just as deeply and saw the light and the determination that was always there. This why she loved him and why she would love him no matter what happened to them. Crono just looked back and then remembered what they were fighting for. He placed his hand on her stomach, though it had only been a few weeks since she was conceived, Aurora was already causing a slight rounding in Marle's normally fit stomach. Marle looked down and then returned her gaze to his eyes.

"We can't lose here… we have to fight… for her." She said as the tears filled her eyes. Crono thought about what she had said to them what seemed like ages ago.

"You souls are now one; each will feel the pain as well as the joy of the other. Should one of you fall in battle so will the other. However, as long as you both protect each other; you shall never feel the sting of time. We shall meet again…" This is what she said, but to this day he didn't know what she meant. Now he did.

"That's it. We are one… let us bring it together. We can't fight her because we are fighting separately. Our power combined is what her hurt before. Together we can defeat her." Crono said taking hold of Marle. He picked her up and jumped as Tempest's attack bore down upon them.

"Won't you two just sit still and die and like good little children?" Tempest asked recoiling. Marle thought about what he had said and knew what he spoke was the truth.

"Are you ready to that though? We don't know if we have the strength to do so." She asked.

"We give each other the strength, our love is our strength." He reassured her and once again she knew what she had said was true and just needed to hear him say it as she began to summon her power. Crono followed as Tempest released the power she had been collecting in favor of watching what they were doing.

"What is this power I am feeling… I don't recognize it." She stated as energy wells lifted Crono and Marle into the air.

"Our hearts as one…" Crono began

"Our souls as one…"

"May the love between us…"

"Now be released…"

"As the powers of our combined body…"

"Be unleashed…"

"Angel's hear our plea, make us one and set our true powers free!" They said in unison as they came together in a kiss that had a larger explosive power then the negative power that had set the place ablaze before. When the light cleared, Tempest could only stare in horror at what stood before her. Gone were the forms of Marle and Crono, what stood before her was a new, more powerful being. It was clad in gold and blue armor from head to toe and the sword it carried was a much larger form of the Prism Saber the Crono had carried. She knew that prism was still the one thing that she was weak too, it was the power the trapped her in the first place. The being stood and took the sword in hand and began to speak.

"Now this ends, your powers were sealed before and you still caused this. Now you shall be destroy and powers shall do no more harm to any of us." The voice of the being sound like both Crono and Marle speaking in unison, as that was exactly what it was.

"No, this is impossible!" Tempest screamed as she launched everything she had at the being to no avail. She summoned the powers of the expanse and formed them into a blade.

"Now you face my blade creature. Let's see how powerful you really are." She stated as she lunged at the being. It lifted it's sword and then began a fencing match to end all fencing matches. However, it seemed that Tempest was truly no match for the combined skill of Marle and Crono as the being the slashed the blade from Tempest's hands. Tempest feel from her floated and landed on her knees below the being.

"How can you be this powerful? I must know." She asked.

"Because there is no greater power then love. No evil force could ever understand that." The being said as it charged it's power for one final move.

"I shall admit defeat, but you have not won either. Oh yes, you have averted on possible future by coming here; but the paradox that you created still exists and soon even you shall to fall to its effects. No matter how many times you destroy evil, you will never get past the fact that you did the most damage of all. Hum, who, who, ho, ho, hahahahahahaha." She laughed as the being's blade came down on her head and silenced her forever. She exploded in a flash of light that once again filled the place. When it cleared, Crono and Marle were themselves again. Marle shook the pain from her head as she pulled herself over to where to Crono was in the process of coming too. She took him in her arms and he shook his head and picked both of them up to their feet.

"Is it over?" She asked as she stood in his arms this time. Crono looked back at the gateway they had come from and watched it go black and shut tight… they had averted yet another disastrous future. But he knew the answer, despite having succeeded in the mission they had set out to do.

"For now, but it shall never truly be over. Come, it is a time for celebration as soon we shall have our friends returned to us." He said as he kissed her forehead. She knew he spoke the truth and tears started flowing down her eyes. They both knew that she had done exactly what she had said she was going to do. She kept her tears back until they had become tears of joy. As Crono looked up he saw that a gateway had opened up before them.

"Come on, let's go home. There are a lot of people waiting for us." She said as she took his hand. With a nod, they both ran towards the gate. As the reach it, he stopped and pulled her back. She looked at him with a stupefied look on her face. She noticed though, that he seemed to be looking around at or for something.

"What's wrong?" She asked him.

"This place, if anyone was to stumble upon it again… the damage could irreversible." He said as he charged his power once more.

"What are you going to do?" She asked him again.

"I will seal this gateway and any others leading here, permanently. Come on, let's go." He said as he led her through the gate. As he did he released the power he had been hold as the gate collapsed behind him. No more, would anyone have access to Forever.

…………………………………………………………………….

The gate closed and flashed behind them, it was gone… in fact, there would be no more gates from then on, Crono had seen to that. Marle noticed that gate had led to the castle, however; it was strangely quite. She ran towards the throne room expecting to see her father. However, the chancellor sat on the stair that led to an empty throne. He looked up and an expression of light returned to his face.

"Welcome home prin… er queen Nad… er Marle." The chancellor said greeting her. This caught at a loss.

"What do you mean queen, where is my father?" She asked.

"Died of sickness a little over a year ago." He answered her.

"WHAT!" She screamed as the tears filled her eyes.

"How much time has passed since we left the millennial fair?" Crono asked.

"A little under four years milord. It is 1004." He answered him as Crono and Marle both sat down on the ground. Marle's tear had now switched back to those of sorrow learning of the passing of her father.

"Four year… I cannot believe it." Crono stated.

"I couldn't believe it either, but everything holds. Four years have passed." A voice came from behind them as they both turned to see a much more mature looking Lucca standing in the doorway of the throne room.

"Lucca."

"Your alive!" Marle said as her tears stopped. They both got up and ran over to her. They all joined in a giant group hug. And talked for a few minutes about what Lucca had found about. She had returned a few days before they did and found out about what had been happening. The death of Marle's father, the separation of Porre from the Guardia Confederation and the subsequent beginnings of militerization. So many things they had missed, so many things to both worry about and celebrate. It was an up and down few minutes before a bright flash blinded everyone in the room. When the light had cleared, Robo stood in the in the center of the room… complete once more.

"Robo!" Lucca was the first to run to him. Marle and Crono stayed where they were and allowed the two of them to speak with each other. They knew that they would both have a lot to talk about.

"Lucca… I." Robo said as she jumped into his arms. He wasn't exactly sure what to say. He remembered everything that had happened and wondered why by the grace of the gods, he was allowed to live. What he didn't realize was that she remembered everything as well.

"Robo… I missed you so much. Can you ever forgive me for what I have done to you?" She asked as tears filled her eyes. It was unusual to see this from her, she was normally so in control of herself.

"What do you mean… you have done good things. Why would you say such a thing?" He asked surprised.

"Can you forgive a foolish girl for not noticing the love that was building in her heart?" She asked as she looked through her tears into his eyes. If he could cry he would, however that was one human trait he still didn't have the ability to do. However, there was something that he had wanted to do for so long that he finally could do. He leaned over and kissed her, deeply, for a few moments. When they finally broke the embrace, Lucca stood there stunned.

"Thank you." She said placing her head on his chestplate.

"Welcome home my friend." Crono said joining them.

"My home is in the future, but for now… I am happy where I am."

"Robo, please stay with us here." Lucca asked looking up at him.

"He doesn't have a choice. The Epoch is destroyed and there are no more gates; Crono saw to that." Marle said taking her place beside him.

"Then I guess, I should get used to this place." Another voice came from above them. This voice was foreign to them all. Then as they all looked around for the voice, a man dropped from the ceiling and stood before them. He was tall and built, his armor carried the royal crest of Guarida and the sword he carried looked very familiar. But the strangest thing about the man was his green hair.

"Who are you sir and what are you doing in this castle?" Crono asked placing his hand on the hilt of the crystal saber. The man just looked at him and laughed.

"Yes, I guess you don't know who I am, at least not in this form. Let me see if I can get this right… tis good to return to this place. I hope the my guise shall not incure thy wrath milord Crono." The man said as the whole group looked on.

"Fr… Frog?" Crono asked.

"Close enough, the name is Glenn actually." Glenn retunred. Crono walked over and clasped wrists with his restored friend.

"But how?" He asked.

"Simple enough, Magus's death returned me to this form; as it was always meant to." Glenn answer returning Crono's hand. They all went silent for a few moments upon this report. Though he was their enemy to start with, he became a strong and dependable ally. It was hard to know that he was gone forever.

"Why everyone quite, now time for party." A very familiar voice spouted out. They all turned their attention towards the throne where Ayla was casually perched atop the throne.

"Young lady, get down from there this instant." The chancellor stated as he tried to get her off of the throne.

"Crono, who this? Man have long hair on face, longer then on Ayla head." She said looking at him. The rest of the group exploded in laugher as the chancellor got redder and redder. Crono and Marle looked at each other and then down at Marle's stomach. The roundness was now getting more pronounce and would only be a matter of time before they would have a new daughter. They knew they had accomplished these tasks only because they believed in the love they shared on the edge of Forever.

Author's Note: Well that's it for the main part of the story. Next update, the epilogue. It will give a few more details on what's next for this story so stayed tuned.