Diaries~Marle

by Lalita


Disclaimer~ I own no part of anything.


Author's Note~ Well... I'm back!!! ^^ Finally, huh? I'd like to apologize for taking so friggin long! And thank you to all

of my reviewers! You guys are the best!!! ^^ Well, here's Chapter 10, so please read and enjoy and review!!!






Chapter Ten





" The next stop is the races," Crono informed Marle. He seemed eager to get there. Maybe it's his favorite

part of the fair, Marle thought. So she matched his swift pace with a brisk walk of her own.

When they arrived, Crono stopped by an old man. He leaned on the wooden viewing stand. " Hey Old Jack,"

he said easily.

Old Jack, Marle presumed, was the old man, who leaned in closer to peer at her. " Hello, Crono," he said

distractedly. " And who is tis young lady you've found?"

There was a hint of a blush on Crono's cheecks. " Ah...Well, Old Jack, she's my friend. Marle."

" Oh... She certainly is quite different than the ones I'm used to seeing you with," Old Jack commented.

Marle bit her tongue and forced a smile on her face. It came out more like a grimace. " Well, I'm one of a

kind, Mr. Jack," she said cheerfully. Too cheerfully.

Crono wisely changed the subject. " So who do you think will win?"

" Well, I'd say the calico cat has the best chance, sonny. I've been watching him all day and..."

Marle mentally tuned out the men as they placed wagers and made boring conversation. She interested

herself, instead, with the race participants.

There was a darling calico cat, a knight, a foot soldier, and a green runner. Marle watched them

interestedly while they raced, and gathered up her courage to walk over to them while they were on a break. She

figured Crono wouldn't notice her absence, and hardly miss her if he did. She glanced over her shoulder; as she had

suspected, Old Jack and Crono were still in a engaged in what looked to be a serious conversation, but was more

likely or not a talk involving activities at the fair and the boring talk men went on and on about.

Marle stepped shyly into the small circle of racers. " Hi," she said softly, and smiled timidly.

" Hey." They all said and cleared a space for her in their small bunch.

" We were just having lunch," explained the foot soldier. " Care to join us?"

" I would love to," Marle said. This time her smile was genuine, and it dazzled the men.

" It's not often that we get to keep company of pretty ladies such as yourself," the knight said gruffly.

" Oh, I'm sure you have tons of maidens flocking to meet you all the time," Marle said, blushing. She

scooped the kitten up into her arms and proceeded to feed it food off of her plate.

" None as pretty as you," the foot soldier gushed. He was staring at her with utter adoration.

All of a sudden, a familiar voice cut off their conversation.

" There you are," Crono said, standing above Marle.

" Hello, Crono," Marle said. She patted down a spot next to her. " Care to join us?"

" No thanks. We'd better be going if you want to see more of the fair," Crono snapped and hauled Marle to

her feet.

" Wait! Let me go!" Marle instantly struggled against him, but she was no match for him as he dragged her

away into a secluded corner.

Fire flashed in her emerald green eyes. " How dare you!" she screeched. " That was rude and-"

" And you should be thanking me for it," Crono said curtly.

" Thank you? Thank you! I'll show you my thanks!" Marle crossed her arms and glared at him. She almost

spit on him, but that was below her.

" Don't you know what guys like that are after?" Crono asked, face flaming with anger and embarresment.

" I guess you wouldn't, being your a girl and all, but that one bloke looked about to pounce on you any second!"

" That's ridiculous! All I was doing was-"

" All you were doing was egging him on, smiling and giggling like you were," Crono said bitterly.

Hot tears stung Marle' eyes. " How can you say that?" she whispered.

" Ah, hell." Crono swore. His arms encircled around her. " Marle, I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm

thinking."

Marle sniffed. She pulled herself out of his embrace, and was instantly sorry. " It's alright," she assured

him. She touched his arm. " Thank you," she said, sincerity shining in here eyes.

" Right." Crono caughed. " Well then, let's get around to seeing the rest of the fair, shall we?"