Chrono Trigger: Dare Chapter 16
Marle’s Promise
By Crono_12
Marle
"Lucca! Lucca! Where the hell did she go?" Marle frowned. First they had left Crono alone with Dalton, and now Lucca had disappeared. And of all the places, she had to be outside in a rainstorm. Marle felt as if she was about to cry, but she held it in. She looked back at the Palace and thought she saw something glittering in the moonlight a few hundred yards away from her. Her eyes focused on a Crono’s katana blade: the Rainbow Sword. It scared her to know that something could propel it through the door and through several layers of rock and then some. It scared her even more to know that Crono was in there with it.
Cid, Ecin, and Kain watched as she picked up the weapon.
"Damn. My cloaking unit is outta power," she heard Kain mutter. She ignored him as she balanced the blade in her hands. For some reason, the sword felt lighter than she remembered it. Just holding it made her think of the death Crono must have faced. Marle fought back the urge to cry.
"It’s not the first time, and I don’t think it’s going to be the last," she thought to herself.
Sensing that something wasn’t right, Cid hurried over to Marle.
"Are you ok?" he asked quietly, almost as if he were embarrassed.
Marle nodded.
"Cid, could you do me a favor? Teach me how to use this sword. I’m going to avenge him with it."
"But…." Cid started, but he was cut off by Marle's commanding voice.
"You are going to teach me how to use the Rainbow Sword so that I can make sure Crono rests in peace, understood?" Marle no longer sounded sad. She felt a strength coming from somewhere outside of her, a reassuring, calming power.
"All right. I’ll do it. For Crono," Cid paused, then said under his breath "and Lucca."
Marle clumsily held the Rainbow Sword up so that the blade was perpendicular to the ground.
"Crono…I promise I’ll get Dalton back for this," Marle spoke quietly. Blue and purple lightning flashed across the sky as if God himself agreed. Marle put the blade down and starting constructing a makeshift belt to hold the sword from the long tough reeds growing on the ground. Several thick leaves bound with reeds served as a sheath. She knew it wouldn’t prevent the sword from cutting, but at least it was something. After she finished, she slung the sword around her waist and turned to her friends. The others turned to look at Marle. Lightning flashed once more, then Marle spoke.
"We have to find a place to rest. Let’s go." Marle lead them back to Udrin but did not enter the city.
"Where was it," Marle thought out loud. She looked around nervously, then suddenly ran off to her left. Cid, Kain, and Ecin followed quickly, with Cid in the lead.
"Cid, look out for the…" Marle’s voice warned, but it was too late. Cid had tripped over the fallen tree branch and fell headfirst into the mud at the mouth of a cave Marle had found. Ecin and Kain soon followed Cid's fate, and eventually they were all deep inside the cave cleaning mud from themselves in front of a mildly amused Marle.
"I tried to tell you," Marle was barely able to restrain her giggling. She stopped laughing once she saw the mischievous look in Ecin's eye.
"Don’t you dare…" Marle warned.
"Oh, I dare. I really dare!" Ecin exclaimed as he picked up a handful of mud and tossed it at Marle.
"Eeek!" Marle screeched.
Cid and Kain exchanged grins and followed suit. Within seconds, Marle was as covered with mud as the other three were, and all four of them were laughing. Marle turned around to adjust her clothes and perhaps free some mud off of them when her giggling stopped.
"Guys…" Marle called.
Everybody looked at Marle, then the thing in front of her. They all quickly took out their weapons and backed up almost to the mouth of the cave.
"What is that thing?" Marle asked, fear and disgust in her voice.
"This is a borneru, one of the most ferocious land animals in Aire. And we have just woken it up," Cid muttered grimly.
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