Chapter 4: We're Back!
August 1, 1000
Act One
A moment later, Crono's eyes were greeted by the sight of tents and games. The overgrown grass and foliage had been replaced by cobblestone pathways, with children running through the streets.
He was home.
"We're back!" Marle exclaimed.
"Thankfully," Lucca added. "This was one thing I don't think any of us saw coming."
Marle then turned to her new friends.
"Crono, Lucca, why don't you come home with me to the castle?" she suggested. "I'd like you to come over for dinner!"
Lucca nodded.
"Sorry for putting you through all that, Marle," she apologized.
"Are you joking?" Marle insisted. "That's the most fun I've had in months! And I have some new friends, too!"
Lucca then spotted Taban. He had the Telepod on a cart, ready to be taken home.
"There you are!" he greeted. "I knew you'd be successful. You mother's going to be so proud of you."
Lucca smiled before turning to her cousin.
"Crono, be a gentleman and take her home," she commanded. "I've got some work to do."
Crono nodded.
"See you soon, Lucca!" Marle said.
"Will do!" Lucca responded.
Lucca then helped her father pull the cart out of the Fair.
Crono and Marle remained alone.
"Will you escort me home, Crono?" Marle requested with a smile.
"Of course," Crono replied.
He led her through the Fair. On the way out, they passed Leene's Bell.
Funny, Crono thought to himself. I had a feeling my life was going to change today, but I certainly didn't expect to go back four hundred years and return!
He then took a look at the smiling Marle. He now wondered how his life would keep changing.
As Crono and Marle left the Fair, Marle's smile faded. There had been something on her mind that had been bothering her. She had been trying to think of the most polite way to ask, but she was never certain. She figured that she might as well just ask; bad news early was good news.
"Crono," Marle began, with somewhat of a nervous tone in her voice. "Can I...ask you something?"
"Sure," Crono approved. "Ask away."
Marle took a deep breath.
"Are you and Lucca...married? Or planning on it."
"No way!" Crono dismissed as he quickly shook his head. "She's my cousin!"
"Your cousin?!" Marle exclaimed.
Crono nodded.
Marle felt a wave of utter relief, though she felt somewhat stupid.
"My mom and her mom are twins," he explained. "Though her mom is a minute older."
"You know," Marle said, "I should have figured. You and Lucca do look alike. More so than most pairs of cousins I know."
MEANWHILE...
Ogulus approached Chancellor Vanim.
"Your excellency," he began, "Princess Nadia has been spotted again."
"Has she now?" Vanim replied.
"I saw her with that Crono character again," Ogulus continued.
The chancellor hesitated for a moment.
"It seems to me that he hypnotized her and is trying to kidnap her."
"What shall we do?" asked Ogulus.
"When they return to the castle," Vanim replied, "we'll be ready. If he's stupid enough to come here, he'll never make it out."
Act Two
Crono and Marle entered Truce.
It was a relief for Crono to see his home town exactly as he left it. He saw all of the familiar faces as well.
Except mine, of course. At this point, I'm already rotting in the castle dungeon. But I'll save that for the next chapter.
Crono showed Marle all the places he played as a child, and where all of the interesting events happened to him. Eventually, they passed Crono's house.
"And this is where I live," he informed his companion.
"All your life?" Marle asked.
"The whole seventeen years," Crono replied. "It's been just me and my mom the whole time." He took a sniff. "I think she's making herself lunch right now."
"Wait a minute," Marle said. "You're mom's home?"
"Yeah," Crono replied. "She is."
Marle grinned.
"What's that grin about?" he asked.
"I want to meet her!" she exclaimed.
MOMENTS LATER...
Crono entered his house to he his mother by the stove in the kitchen.
"Hello, Crono!" Gina greeted as she flipped some bacon.
"Hi, mom," Crono greeted back.
"Back already?" she asked.
"Just for a little," he replied. "There wasn't anything good to eat at the Fair."
"I was planning on going there myself on the last night," Gina said. "How was Lucca's invention?"
"It was fake," he answered. "Just like the rest of them."
"Did you try the games?" Gina asked.
"Just one or two," Crono replied.
"Did you win anything?" she asked.
At that moment, Marle popped in through the doorway.
"Me!" she announced with a smile as she struck a pose, as if she did some sort of amazing trick.
"My, how nice!" Gina said. "I've only seen you with Lucca! Who's your pretty new friend?"
"Hi," Marle greeted. "I'm Marle!"
"Marle?" replied Gina. "I'm sure I've seen you before, dear! Now, where was that?"
"Maybe at the market?" Marle suggested.
"That's probably it," Gina agreed. "I was about to make lunch. Why don't you stay?"
"I'd love that!" Marle replied.
An hour later, the three of them had finished their bacon, and were seated at the table.
Gina had embarrassed Crono by telling Marle about a few of his childhood mishaps. Once he seemed too embarassed, Marle decided to save him by changing the subject.
"I also met his cousin, Lucca," she informed her.
"Isn't she a trip?" Gina laughed. "I miss her."
"Does she come over a lot?" Marle asked.
"Not really," Gina dismissed. "I'm sorry to say that Lara and I had a falling out eighteen years ago."
"Oh," Marle said sheepishly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know!"
"It's okay," Gina assured her. "But I haven't spoken to Lara in eighteen years. Not even after the accident."
Accident? Marle thought. I won't probe her for answers. I'll just let Crono tell me when he's ready.
"Funny," Gina continued. "Crono and Lucca are the closest cousins I've known. Now that Lucca's going blind, maybe I should make up with my sister."
Marle and Gina continued to get to know each other for another hour. Marle was very careful not to reveal that she was a princess. She would let her know when the time came.
"Well," said Gina at last, "I'm off to take a nap. Stay here as long as you like."
She hugged Marle and disappeared into her downstairs bedroom.
Marle then turned to Crono.
"Your mom is so sweet, Crono!" she complimented.
"Thanks," he said.
Marle then smiled, and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?" she added.
Crono began to blush.
Marle then folded her hands behind her back and continued to smile.
"You're still escorting me back home, aren't you?" she asked.
"Of course!" he replied.
LATER...
As Crono and Marle continued along their way, the latter spotted a modest house at the bottom of the tall hill that they were on. She quickly saw two people she recognized: Lucca and Taban pulling the cart that contained the infamous Telepod.
"Is that Lucca's house?" Marle asked.
"You got it," Crono answered.
Marle then spotted the woman sitting in the chair near the door.
"Is that her mom?"
Crono nodded.
"That's my aunt Lara," he replied.
"She looks exactly like your mom!" Marle observed.
At that moment, Taban approached his sitting wife.
"Here's what we earned today!" he announced.
"You're so thoughtful," Lara complimented.
And then, to Marle's surprise, Taban picked Lara up and carried her into the house, with Lucca following closely behind. She was puzzled by the situation.
"Crono," she began. "Your Aunt Lara...did something...happen to her?"
Crono nodded.
"You know how Lucca makes fake machines?" he asked.
Marle nodded.
"Taban makes real ones," he continued.
FLASHBACK...
"What is this thing?" Lara asked herself as she stood before the strange looking belt on the floor, broom in hand. "Taban says to keep away from it, but it's so dusty."
A nine-year-old Lucca stood nearby.
"Be careful, mommy," she warned.
"I'll be alright, dear," Lara assured her. "I'll just-"
Suddenly, Lara felt the belt pulling her. Looking down, she noticed that it had activated. Her heart began to race.
"Dear me!" she exclaimed. "My skirt! It's...I'm stuck!"
The belt continued to pull her toward the edge of it, where it disappeared into the ground.
Lara was unable to reach the console that stopped the machine. She was so frightened she began to cry; that belt was used to crush rocks. If human feet touched the part where it disappeared into the ground...
"Lucca! Lucca! Help!" she cried to her daughter.
The nine-year-old girl ran to her and tugged at her mother's skirt, but to no avail.
"I can't pull it out!" Lucca cried.
Lara drew closer to the edge of the belt.
"Lucca!" Lara pleaded. "Enter the password! Stop this machine!"
"But I don't know it, mommy!" Lucca cried.
And then, the edge of the belt was inches away.
It was too late.
"Oh no! Help!"
And then, as the pain arrived, Lara let out a scream that was barely human.
...END FLASHBACK
"She never walked again from that day forward," Crono said sadly.
Marle placed her hands on her heart.
"I-I never knew."
"That's why Lucca's studying machines," he said. "So no more accidents will happen."
Marle took another look at the pitiful sight of Aunt Lara sitting in her chair.
"We should go down and pay them a visit," she suggested.
Crono shook his head.
"I'm not welcome in their house," he informed her.
Marle gave him a surprised look.
"Not welcome?" she asked. "Why?
"Lucca's mother hates me," Crono replied.
"Hates you?!" Marle exclaimed. "Why? Isn't she your aunt?"
"She is," Crono said.
"Don't tell me it has to do with her falling out with your mom, does it?" she asked in shock.
"Actually, it does," Crono replied.
"But you didn't do anything, did you?"
Crono shook his head.
"It's really complicated," he said.
Marle put a supportive hand on his shoulder.
The two of them stared at the house for a few more minutes before moving on.
When they were a half a mile away, Marle felt something dawn on her.
"If Taban makes all those machines," she suddenly began, "I wonder if he's from another time?"
"That is possible," Crono agreed.
The thought had not occurred to him until then.
Act Three
Crono and Marle sat on a hilltop near the edge of the forest that led to the castle. Marle had told Crono that she had wanted to rest her feet, and Crono agreed. In reality, she wanted to spend more time with him.
"You know," Marle began, "I've never asked your full name."
"It's Crono," he replied.
"Crono what?" she inquired.
"Just Crono," he answered.
"Just Crono?" Marle asked. "No last name?"
Crono shook his head.
"What's your father's name?" she asked.
She had been curious, and his father was not seen, not mentioned.
Crono was silent at first. He wasn't sure if he was ready to tell her. On the other hand, he had told her every little tidbit about his cousin. It would only be fair if he told her everything.
He took a deep breath.
"My father's name is Taban Ashtear."
Marle was about to ask of his whereabouts, until she realized whom he was referring to.
"Taban, as in your Aunt Lara's husband?!" she asked.
Crono nodded.
"He had an affair with my mom," he informed her. "And then I came along. That's why my mom and Aunt Lara aren't speaking."
Marle lowered her head in sadness; it all made perfect sense now.
"And that's why Lara feels that way about you?"
"You got it," Crono replied. "I'm a living reminder of her husband going astray."
Marle gently stroked his shoulder. Then she realized something else.
"Wait a minute!" she exclaimed. "That means Lucca's your sis-"
"She's my cousin," Crono interjected.
Marle said no more. She could understand everything; if Lucca and Crono acknowledged that they were simply cousins, perhaps Lara would eventually forgive Gina.
Then everything would be peaceful. Marle really wanted it that way. Although she had only met her hours ago, she was starting to see Lucca as a great friend. And as for Crono...
She was nervous about the possibility that Crono and Lucca might be a couple.
She realized that she should probably tell him, before he took interest in anyone else.
"There's been something on my mind," she began.
"What's that?" Crono asked.
"Never mind," Marle dismissed as she shook her head. "Why ruin a perfect day?"
"Getting sucked into the Seventh Century is a perfect day?" Crono questioned.
"True!" Marle giggled.
"So tell me," he insisted.
Marle took a deep breath.
"I don't think I fully realized it until I disappeared from the castle," she continued. "But...I like you."
Crono was silent. He was feeling the same way. He was just surprised she had said it first, though her body language throughout the day made it obvious.
"I mean, I...like you like you," she clarified. "And I want to be more than just friends."
Crono remained silent; it was a lot to take in.
Suddenly, Marle looked away.
Nice job, Marle, she thought sarcastically. You just ruined a perfectly good friendship.
Suddenly, she wanted to cry.
And then, she felt Crono's hand on her shoulder.
"I...like you, too," he said to her.
"You mean it?" she asked hopefully.
"I mean it," he replied. "But...are you sure?"
Marle nodded.
"I'm sixteen," she said. "I know what I want in my life. And...I was always hoping to meet a guy like you."
They remained seated on the hill, happily with each other for another hour. Finally, Marle stood up.
"Well," she began, "now that we know how we feel, I would like you to meet my father."
"I think I'd like that, too," Crono replied as he stood up with her.
Marle then turned her attention to the forest that led to the castle.
"Shall we?" she asked with a smile.
"Let's," he agreed.
Crono began to walk with Marle towards the forest.
And then, he felt something grab his hand.
It was Marle, taking his hand in her own.
It felt good.
"So Crono," Marle began. "One more thing I wanted to ask."
"What's that?" he asked.
"You don't think there's any more of those Gates out there, do you?"
"I kind of hope not," Crono replied. "One was enough trouble!"
MEANWHILE...
Lucca stood alone in the kitchen.
It had been an interesting day. She had gone to the Millennial Fair hoping to fool a bunch of people and make enough money to get her family by. Instead, she ended up traveling four hundred years in the past; she had been able to witness history first-hand. She had never believed that time travel was possible.
In short, her entire worldview had changed.
She then thought about her father.
He had knowledge and devices that nobody else in the eleventh century had heard of. Lucca wondered, as Marle and Crono did, whether Taban could have come from a different time where there was a lot of technology.
And then, she thought about that day. The image of her mother getting her legs destroyed was fresh in her head; she would never forget that sight.
She thought about today once more, how history was nearly changed.
She wondered if she could go back in time and save her mother.
If only she knew the password to that stupid belt.
It was then that Lucca noticed that the wall in the background was starting to blur. She put her hand in front of her face, and it still appeared normal. But the wall was blurring.
It had never blurred before.
Not much longer, she thought sadly.
SOMEWHERE ELSE...
As Crono and Marle entered the castle, they were immediately greeted by Chancellor Vanim.
"Princess Nadia!" he exclaimed as he practically charged down the stairs. "Are you all right? Where have you been?! I heard you were abducted! We had soldiers searching for you!"
"I was okay!" Marle insisted. "I know it was wrong of me to run off, but I had this fine gentleman to take care of me."
Chancellor Vanim was not impressed. In fact, he stared Crono down.
"Scoundrel!" he hissed. "You're the one, huh? Kidnapping Princess Nadia!"
"I swear I did not," Crono insisted.
"Admit it!" Vanim continued. "You confused her and tried to take over the throne! Terrorist!"
Suddenly, soldiers appeared, and began to advance on Crono.
"Stop it!" Marle exclaimed. "Stop this at once!"
The soldiers stopped on command.
Both Crono and Marle sighed in relief in unison.
"What are you doing?!" demanded the chancellor.
One of the soldiers began to reply.
"But Princess Nadia said to-"
"Idiots!" interjected Vanim. "I head the government here! Detain him!"
"Crono!" cried Marle as the soldiers quickly apprehended him.
This has not been a good day, Crono thought to himself.
