Chapter IV
We're Back!
Marle heard a crowd of voices coming all around her as if some sort of parade or festival was all around her. She rubbed her eyes and opened them, finding herself back at Lucca's sideshow, along with Crono at her side. She gawked at the surrounding, realizing that before she had taken her home for granted. She wondered how she got here, she thought maybe her pendant allowed her to come back. To be honest, she really didn't care. She was back in the village. Home was so close, she could see the castle's towers above the trees. She looked over at Crono who seemed to just be standing perfectly in her sight. She grabbed his arm, "Crono! We're back! I can finally go home!" Crono uttered, "I don't know how it happened, but everything seems so much greater than before we left." "Hey, Crono, I want you to come over to the castle for dinner. Will you come with me?" He nodded his head.
Marle and Crono spent the morning at the fair; they went to all the events they hadn't gone before the warp. They indulged in games and in gaining silver coins, which could be traded for prizes and real money. They fought Lucca's singing-robot, mastered the strength test, danced at a barbaric reenact ament, and guessed exactly how many jelly beans were in a jar that an old man carried. At the renowned "Tent of Horrors" Crono won Marle a doll that looked identical to her. The two walked over to the center fountain where they sat and ate homemade chicken.
"Crono?" Crono was stuffing his face with chicken. Marle giggled. In her mind, she felt that she had never been so free, she felt like she was a bird flying in the sky. "Hey, Crono?" "Mmmm?" "When, I was little, every time I passed a fountain I'd put a coin in and make a wish." She sat there and brought her knees up to her head and crossed her arms over them, then she leaned back slightly. She began to speak again, "I may seem a little superstitious, but I believe that if you truly believe in a wish then it will come true." Crono looked at her out of the corner of his eye as he finished his last bit of chicken. "Why don't you make a wish?", she asked as she put one leg on the ground and turned her head to stare straight at him. Crono smiled, "Why not?" He stood up and rubbed his hands together, "All right. . . so does it matter what kind of coin?" Marle giggled, "No silly, just as long as you have faith." "Okay." Crono took out one of the silver coins from the fair and held it in his palm. He thought of all things he had ever desired, but one thing came to mind. "Is it okay if I wish out loud?" "The most important thing is to believe." Crono stared at the coin in his hand, "Okay, my whole life I've lived with my mother, and there's been one question that I've constantly asked myself. Where's my father? And so I wish that one day I will finally find my father.", he tossed the coin into the fountain and there was a slight splash followed by a thud. Marle stared into the fountain, she realized how profound and deep life was outside of the castle. Her sorrows were so little compared to the rest of the world. Ever since she had met Crono, her whole life seemed to be shaken. "Marle? Are you going to make a wish?" Marle jumped off the fountain realizing she had fallen into a trance, "Of course!" She found a silver coin and then smiled to herself, she closed her eyes and then gracefully with perfection threw the coin into the fountain. "Wait, Marle, you didn't say what you wished for!" "Oh, I had to keep it to myself."
Leene's Bell rang perfectly at noon. Crono wanted to go home to check on his mother so the two went over to Crono's home. Crono's mother was busy washing dishes, the house was spotless and a cat came over to Crono's side like magic. The lovely little home was perfect to Marle. She had never seen anything so darling, she loved the beautiful blue couch, the palm tree that stood in the corner, and the bear rug under the table set for three. Crono's mother glanced over her shoulder at Crono and Marle from her dishes, "Why hello! Who's this Crono? I don't believe I've met this young lady" She turned around to greet Marle, she took off her yellow rubber gloves. The light came through the window and a rainbow spectrum reflected all around the small room. "Hi, I'm Marle." Crono's mother examined her from head to toe, "My, my! You look so familiar, I just can't place it. I wish you'd show me more of your friends Crono, all I ever see is Lucca. Will you be staying for dinner?" Marle shook her head, "No Mam, I've invited Crono over to eat dinner with my family, is that okay?" Crono's mother sighed, "Yes, just stay out of trouble Crono. And don't be home late." The sun was beginning to set, and Marle thought it would be best to leave soon so the two journeyed through Guardia Forest.
Journeying through the thick woods darkness begin to spread and Marle hoped she wouldn't be too late to get home before the moon could be seen. A furry creature ran across the woods. Birds flew from tree to tree. Night was coming quick. In the middle of the forest Marle was lost in thought, and her foot stumbled on a tiny insignificant pebble, she began to fall backwards, but almost half-way to the ground a hand caught her back. Marle felt embarrassed by her clumsiness, and then each second began to feel like hours, maybe even years. She slowly looked up and she stared straight into Crono's face and his ameliorate smile, and for the first time she noticed the color of his eyes, they were the most brilliant shade of light blue she had ever seen. For some reason she began to feel different, maybe she was sick, maybe she was hungry, she wasn't sure, all she knew was the this was the most quiet yet beautiful moment of her life, all she wanted was to. . .
Queen Leene was sleeping nearby peacefully. The bonfire they had built earlier was still ablaze, and seemed to be going strong. Last night, the three decided to sleep in the forest because they had all become so tired and Pandora was so far. So they found a place in the middle of the woods were they could build a fire and not be disturbed by the monsters. The wind was all around, and it made all the leaves rustle, and the grass sway. Crono was leaning against a tree with his sword at his hand, his eyes were wide open and he was staring out into the thicket, and Marle for a moment squinted to see if maybe she could look into them, but the night was so dark that it was impossible for her to make out any color. He began to turn his head, and Marle closed her eyes and pretended she was still sleeping. "Dreams whether they are sweet or wicked are always cruel. If only one day a dream did come true.", Marle thought to herself as she dozed off into another dream. Crono stared into the fire, he guarded the two royalties the whole night without a wink of sleep. He slid down the tree and stared across the fire straight at the sleeping beauty, knowing he had been watched.
"A dream is a wish you heart makes. . ."