The End
by Natt
Hey, guys. Well, this is my first fanfic, and also first appearance on the site. This peice of writing really isn't that good, heck, it stinks, but it was my first try at writing.
Anyway... This is dedicated to Weiila, who if it wasn't for, I would never know about this site. It's also dedicated to my cat, Kee, who has always been there to listen to my problem's and thoughts. Also, thank you Magus, for making Crono Trigger worth playing. ;>) Well, on with the real stuff before this thing get's bigger than the story...
She was beautiful. Crono watched little Marleen, his little eight year old daughter, run through the grass, laughing. "Look at me, papa, look at me!" She danced clumsily through the feilds of Gaurdia, but Crono thought the whole seen was like a godess’ mirth, so lovely was she.
"Crono! Crono! Dinner’s ready, honey. Would you get Marleen for me?"
"Mm-hmm. Sure."
Crono’s thoughts went to his happy marriage with Marle, and the times they had had together. Lucca died happily a year ago, back in 1044 AD, at the age of 61. "She died happily," he thought, "without a care in the world. Never did finish that teleporter, though..."
That night at dinner Marleene shared one of her deepest secrets with her parents.
"Mom, Dad! Guess what I can do..."
"What’s that, sweetie? What can you do?"
"I am INVINCABLE!"
"Oh, really?" Marle giggled, "And how did you find that out?"
"I went into the forest when Dad was taking his nap, and the monsters left me all alone! My head should have been ripped off by a green imp throwing some rocks at me, but they all missed!"
Marle instantly stopped chewing. Crono turned pale with a look of extreme guilt on his face.
"Marleen... NEVER DO THAT AGAIN! YOU SCARED THE WITS OUT OF ME AND YOUR FATHER! WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, CHILDREN HAD RESPECT FOR THEIR ELDERS! I HAD TO WALK THROUGH TEN FEET OF SNOW TO GET TO SCHOOL, AND..." She broke off as she realized Crono and Marleen were both giggling.
"Wasn’t it ten foot of royal carpet, your majesty?" Crono spewed his food all over the table between snorts and giggles.
"Mom, children didn't have respect for their elders, because daddy told me you skipped half your lessons and smarted off your dad when you guys dated, plus you-"
"Alright, young lady. Bed. NOW." Marle gave Crono a look of extreme disaproval as Marleen scurried off to bed.
"Ok, ok, I’ll give her a little talking to. Sorry I fell asleep. Don’t worry about it, just a little lightning in the butt won’t kill her, I’m sure she can take care of herself, I mean, sh-"
They both went to bed giggling, holding hands.
The next morning Crono was out walking with Marleen, smelling the fresh air. It did his frail bones a lot of good.
"Daddy," Marleen glanced up with a questioningful and hurt look at her father. "How come mom thinks I’m lying?"
"Oh, hun, she doesn’t think your lying. It’s just hard to believe your... uh... unstoppable... But really! I believe you! I do!"
Marleen frowned. She was so pretty... Her soft blonde hair gently blowing in the wind, her laughter like tinkling bells, her smile like -
"You don’t believe me either daddy..."
Oh boy... What do I do now? If I say she’s right, I don’t believe her, she’ll do something even MORE dangerous to prove it, and if I say she IS invincable, she’ll just wind up believing it and getting herself hurt... what to do, what to do...
"Well, did you think that maybe it was just coincidence you didn’t get killed? You may have been VERY lucky, not invincable. That was a dangerous thing you did, Marleen. I don’t want to see you get hurt. Maybe you should stay away from the forest without me, ok?"
"Alright!" Marleen replied. She’s so happy... I don’t know how I ever lived without this little piece of joy.
That night in bed Crono’s thoughts turned again to Marleen.
"Crono..." Marle bagan, "do you ever worry about Marleen’s real safety? I mean, the world isn’t the bundle of smiles it used to be... I here some bandits looted Porre Inn the other day. I’m just not sure if I want Marleen growing up in this day and age..."
"Don’t even THINK about it. This is where Marleen was born, this is where Marleen will grow up, this is where Marleen will... die."
"No no no no! That’s not what I meant. It’s just... would you go with her when she goes outside? Just to be safe, of course."
"If you want me to, I guess I can. I doubt she’s in much danger."
The next day, Marleen was playing zap-the-ball with Crono. She would toss her little ball high into the air, and it would erupt into a heap of flame and lightning. She never failed to laugh with glee as she saw Crono materialize another one and give it to her.
"Daddy" She suddenly spoke, "I really can't be hurt. I promise!"
Crono chuckled. This was NOT likely to end soon. Ah, well. He needed something to take his mind off of things...
Crono looked up from his materialize spell, and his smile instantly vanished. Marleen was laughing and racing towards the edge of Toma's ancient grave.
"MARLEEN! STOP!!"
Marle casually looked out of the window. "Oh my-!!"
As Marleen neared the edge, she turned, her tinkling laughter echoing out through the hill.
"Daddy, Daddy, look at me! I'm invincable!"
"MARLEEN!! PLEASE! DON'T JUMP!!!"
"HASTE!" cried out Marle, hobbling towards them both.
Crono's speed in running toward the edge almost doubled, increasing the panic in his frail, old, eyes.
Marleen simply smiled, and leaped off of the edge. The haste spell cast by Marle had taken it's effect on Crono, and, unable to stop in time, he stumbled off of the edge. His mind raking itself over his past life, decisions, his mother, the fair, Marle, the gate, THE GATE! Fast as lightning he screamed out a warping spell, watching soft, fluxuating, blue and black light swirl and open in front of him, enveloping him in searing light. He felt a terrific jolt, but his thoughts rested only on the safety of Marleen as he slipped into unconciousness. Suddenly, he found himself in a giant... place. How could he describe it? An indescribable vacuum filled his view in every direction he could see. Except one.
"Hey, kiddo, what's up? Bet you married that blonde chick, right?" It was Lavos. And Lavos just gave him a big wink.
Oh no... not HIM...
"Come for a little practice? Didn't expect you to just show up at the beginning of time."
Crono was standing on what felt like solid vacuum, and Lavos was calmly joking with him. This was going to be hard to explain when his daughter started asking questions...
"Oops... I forgot to mention." Lavos again..."Sorry, kiddo," He paused, a look of guilt on his face. If you could call it a face... "a gate can't take you here. You're dead." Shock filled Crono's mind, he felt like simply dying. Wait a minute... something's not quite right about that...
"Spekkio, where's Marleen?!"
"Oh, her? Haha! Good grief, kid. And I thought you were smart! Marleen's invincable!"
;>[)