Chrono Trigger Dimensions Chapter 1
By Jerm
Crono awoke to the sound of Nadia's Bell ringing. His head inclined slightly, brief startlement to the sudden noise. It sounded much different from Leene's Bell, which had been replaced two years ago by the very bell he heard now. Nadia's Bell sounded more harmonious; Taban was indeed as much a master craftsman as he was a inventor.
The bell pealed once more and then fell silent. Crono closed his eyes and tried to get back to sleep. He laid his head back down and prepared to do so. However, one of his cats had jumped onto his bed and deemed it necessary to try and fall asleep on Crono's face.
Crono picked up his pet to see who it was. It was his newer cat, Blush. She had gotten her name from Crono's mother. Crono thought the name was stupid, but he had promised his mother that she could name it anything she had wanted to.
The name did fit, though. The cat was pink. Much different than his pale orange cat, whom Crono had named "Cyrus". Before Crono had found the time warp, he had found out about Cyrus through the history books, a famous knight. Crono had idolized Cyrus and named his cat the same name.
He also carved himself a wooden sword so he could practice and be a great swordsman; just like Cyrus. Children's fantasies, which had become all too real in his later years.
It was coincidence that in the past when he was searching for the missing Marle, he had run into Cyrus's young friend, Glenn. Glenn had gone by the name Frog then, due to his appearance. A sorcerer by the name of Magus had cast a spell on him after having killed the famous Cyrus.
However, Crono's idolization of the medieval hero had earned him a plus. If he hadn't learned to use a sword, he wouldn't have survived the adventure he had had two years ago. Crono doubted he would have lasted a day.
In fact--
Blush meowed, breaking Crono out of his thoughts. He sighed and decided to see how early it was. He got out of bed and put the cat down. Ignoring the cat's meow, Crono walked over to the window and looked outside. There were very few people out. No wonder, it was only around early dusk.
Crono bent over and pulled out a small handful of the cat food and put it on the ground. Blush immediately dived in and began eating. Cyrus came bouncing up the steps and joined his friend.
Crono closed the curtains on his window and walked over to his bed. Before he laid down, though, he looked at his calendar. It read: March 23, 1002.
Two years, he thought. Such a long time has passed since he had completed the adventure. He wondered if he could remember it. It had seemed like something that would embed itself into his mind so easily, yet not long after it had occurred, he was already pressed for memories.
However, he was tired and couldn't bother trying to surface memories at the moment. He turned from the calendar and went back to his bed for some more sleep. Stepping carefully over the eating cats, he paced to his bed.
Cyrus meowed and ran back downstairs, Blush following him. Crono collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep.
Princess Nadia had always hated formal gatherings. This particular one was no exception. They were in the dining hall; Nadia, her father, and the noblemen from all of Guardia's protectorates. They had all long since finished their meal and were now discussing politics.
Each noble presented his demands or problems and the king either accepted or declined. It sounded simple enough that way to the princess, however, many of the unlikable nobles deemed it necessary to whine continuously about why their demand should be accepted. This was going to last a long time. Nadia was tired, feeling as if she might finally snap and attack the next whiner, but the nobles were as awake as they had been when the meal had began.
Must be the drinks, she thought darkly.
"I really think we could double out lumber quality and output if we were to take a portion of Fiona's Forest. I'm not asking to take out the whole thing--heavens no!--just a piece of it. It would be useful for me to build more houses for my growing population."
"I said 'no,' Pret," the king answered, "That forest is a national icon. As for your growing population; I have been to Porre recently. There is no overpopulation problem or anything near it."
"But, Your Majesty--"
"No," the king glared at the nobleman.
Pret stared back for the briefest moment, then averted his eyes, ". . .Very well."
Pret stood, obviously unhappy, "That is the last of my proposals. With your permission, Your Majesty, I will take my leave for the night."
"You may leave, Pret." the king said dismissively, almost seeming to wave his hand toward the door.
Nadia looked at the departing form. That was close. The very forest she and the others had saved years ago was almost in danger of being lost again. She was glad that her father at least knew of the importance of that forest to her. If not that, he at least recognized its importance as a historical landmark.
Nadia broke away from thoughts of the fight to save the forest. Her mind wandered and she then wondered about Pret's excuse.
Overpopulation. But the king said that it wasn't a problem. She began to wonder what else someone would want so much wood for.
Another noble stood up to make a demand, but Nadia was too busy thinking about Pret's.
Lucca finished the last bit of tinkering on her machine. Stepping up off of her knees, she wiped the sweat off of her forehead. It had taken long enough, but surely this time the stupid thing would work. She looked up at the sky, it was almost noon. After four failed attempts, surely this time would be the right one.
Crono would have to see this, too, she thought suddenly, I'm sure he'd be just as hyped about being able to meet his old friends as I am...
Lucca bent over and brushed the grass off of her legs, giving her invention one last lookover. She thought over everything on it, what could be wrong, what she had already fixed. No matter how many times she looked over it, it looked ready to work. It had to work this time. She certainly had enough free time to work on it.
Her parents had left for a vacation a week ago, and they wouldn't be back until the end of the month. They had gone south to Denadoro to do some hiking. Lucca smiled at that thought, for some reason her mom loved hiking.
With those thoughts in mind, she turned from the machine and went off to tell Crono the good news. The gatekeeper was officially in business.
.