Crono and Marle walked down from the far northern part. When they got to the north part,
they saw that all salesmen were gone. Crono got a little bit worried.
He walked to the candy-selling lady. ”Where are the salesmen?”
”Oh, they have returned to their shops to stock up more goods.”
”Okay.” Crono nodded.
He and Marle continued to walk down.
On the stairs leading to the southern part, sat a girl. She was crying.
”What’s the matter?” Marle asked.
She looked up.
”My kitty is gone... UUUAAHHH!!!”
Crono looked at Marle.
”Just a sec...”
He ran away.
Marle sat down beside the girl.
”Do you want some candy?”
The girl nodded.
”Here.”
Marle gave her the last candy she had in her pocket.
The girl slowly ate it.
After a while, Crono came back.
He was holding a cat in his hands.
”Here you go! He said.
”You found my cat!” The girl sheared gleefully. ”Thank you!”
Marle giggled.
”You’re so sweet Crono!”
”I know.” Crono replied. ”Here.”
”What?”
Crono handed over the two silver points he had won.
”For me?”
Crono nodded.
”Right. You can probably have more fun with ‘em.”
”Thank!” Marle said and took them.
As they walked across the square, Marle asked:
”How did you find the cat?”
Crono smiled.
”Easy. I know where cats hide.”
”Yeah.” Marle said. ”I wouldn’t know. I’ve never had one.”

Crono and Marle walked out of the festival area and to Truce village.
Then Crono walked to Fritz shop.
”Anybody home?”
Then he saw a man with his back turned against them.
”Elaine’s down at the pier again? That Fritz! Where could he be?”
Then he noticed Crono and Marle.
”Oh! Sorry, I didn’t notice you. Take your time.”
Crono bought a few things for his mom, and then he walked home.
On the way, he told Marle:
”When we’re home, I would like you to call yourself Marle. No princess. Okay?”
Marle nodded. ”Sure. Besides, Marle sounds better than princess anyway.”
Once they got home, Crono put the things he had bought on the table.
His mom came down from his room.
”Oh, hello Crono!”
”Hi mom.” Crono answered.
Then she saw Marle.
”My, how nice. I’ve only seen you with Lucca. Who’s your pretty new friend?”
Marle took a step forward.
”Hi! I’m Marle.”
Crono’s mom looked at her.
”Eh?! Marle?! ...? I’m sure I’ve seen you before, dear! Now where was that...”
Then she saw the things Crono had bought.
”You have bought some food! That’s nice of you!”
Crono nodded and walked out. But then Crono’s cat came and tried to get attention.
”What a cute one!” Marle exclaimed.
”Yeah.” Crono said and then walked out. Marle followed.
”That was close!” Crono thought, as he and Marle walked out of the town, and headed for the guardia forest.

The guardia forest hadn’t changed very much in 400 years.
Crono could still walk on the same path, leading to the castle.
Marle didn’t say very much as they walked, and Crono couldn’t find any words either.
Crono took first of to the left, then followed the path a while, and finally came to the end of the forest. They both walked up the castle stairs and Marle opened the big wood door to the castle.
”Who there?” a voice said just when they entered.
”Eh... I’m home!” Marle said.
Then the guards saw her.
”Princess Nadia!”
Crono heard the door to the throne room open, and then the Chancellor of this time came down.
He was almost identical too his descendant.
He was supriced when he saw Marle.
”Are you all right? Where have you been? I heard you were abducted!
We had soldiers searching for you!”
Marle smiled.
”No need for it, ‘cause...” but she got interrupted by the Chancellor when he saw Crono.
”Scoundrel! You're the one, huh? Kidnapping Princess Nadia!”
Crono shook his head and was just going to say something, but luckily, Marle defended him.
”No! Crono’s...” she said, but got interrupted again.
”Admit it! You confused her and tried to take over the throne! Terrorist!”
Marle looked at him.
”S, stop it!”
Then, the two door guards walked closer to Crono.
Three guards came from the left corridor, and three from the right.
Marle looked around. Then she screamed.
”STOP THIS AT ONCE!”
All soldiers fell down on their knees.
The Chancellor looked angry at them.
”What are you doing!”
”But Princess Nadia said to...” One of the guards said.
The Chancellor became even more angry.
”Idiots! Detain him!”
The guards flew up, and one of them hit Crono.
The hit forced him to the ground.
The guards gathered around him.
”Crono!” Marle exclaimed.
 

At the court...
There weren’t very much people at the court. Mostly friends and relatives to the royal family.
The courtroom was formed like a U. In the middle was a big construction, with the judge sitting in.
On his left, the Chancellor stood. On his right, there was a man.
First, the Chancellor took a step forward.
”I'm the Chancellor, the prosecutor!”
Then he walked back.
After that, the man took a step forward.
”I'm the lawyer, Pierre.”
He walked back.
The Chancellor looked around on the audience.
”Members of the Court.
We now bring forth the defendant, Crono, who is charged with abducting Princess Nadia.”
He walked out of the room, and came back with Crono.
Crono had to stand alone in front of the judge construction.
The Chancellor looked at him.
”What shall we do with him? Fire, perhaps? Hang him upside down for a few years?”
He started to walk around.
”Or... shall we employ the guillotine? You the jury,  shall decide his fate. Now, let us begin.”
A big silence laid over the room.
The judge cleared his throat.
”Crono, you are hereby ordered to tell the truth!”
Crono nodded.
”I will.”
First, Pierre walked forward.
”Crono is charged with "Premeditated Abduction of Royalty".
The question is, did he kidnap Princess Nadia? The answer?
No, he did not.”
Pierre walked around in the room.
”In fact, no "abduction' took place. The two met completely by accident.
In fact, the Princess ASKED Crono if SHE could join HIM!”
Pierre walked back.
The Chancellor walked forward to Crono.
”Is this true? Who actually started this whole mess?”
Crono looked at the judge.
”I guess I did. I was worried not to get late to my friend Lucca show, and I didn’t see where I walked.”
A lot of voices could be heard from the audience.
”Just as I suspected! The defendant deliberately tried to get near the Princess!
The Princess then innocently followed you to Lucca's little sideshow.
Whereupon you both disappeared!
If that wasn't criminal abduction, I don't know WHAT is!
And I have facts that throw the defendant's character into question!”
Again, a lot of voices could be heard.
”Objection!” Pierre shouted.
”This can't have any relevance whatsoever to this case.”
The judge turned to the Chancellor.
”Care to respond, Chancellor?”
The Chancellor nodded.
”Crono's character is at the very core of this case!”
Pierre took a step forward.
”We have nothing to hide.”
Even more voices came.
”Order in the court!” commanded the judge.
”And we have a witness. A little girl who will vouch for the character of the defendant.”
Pierre left the room and came in again with a familiar little girl.
”This nice man...” she said.
”He brought me my kitty!”
She walked to Crono.
”Thank you for being so kind!”
Then she left the room.
Crono saw some light in the situation.
Pierre looked at the judge.
”How about that? Doesn’t this young man deserves a medal?”
Then he turned to Crono and whispered.
”Whew... Looks like they’re buying it. But I’m not finished yet...”
He turned to the judge.
”The issue here is MOTIVE. Was there any motive for this fine citizen to kidnap Princess Nadia?
No, there was none.”
The Chancellor walked forward.
”Then, what about ransom?
Crono, her furtune DID tempt you, did it not?”
Crono shook his head.
”No.”
The Chancellor looked at him.
”Are you sure? You really weren't tempted?”
Crono replied with a bad look.
”Not at all! I didn’t even know she was the princess!”
The Chancellor looked around.
”He said he didn’t know she was the princess... Everybody knows what the princess looks like.
Or do you hate the royal family THAT much?”
Crono didn’t answer.
”And...” the Chancellor continued.
”He said he weren’t interested in her furtune. Remember that!”
The Chancellor walked out and came in with a 25-28 year old female.
She looked around.
”Oh... poor me...”
The Chancellor looked at her.
”Tell us what you saw.”
She looked at Crono, and then away.
”He can’t fool me! I saw it with my own eyes! When he rose from the ground, after walking right into the princess, he was holding her pendant.”
She looked around.
”That’s it? May I go now?”
The Chancellor nodded.
”What have you to say about that? It didn’t land in your hand, did it?”
Crono knew it would sound stupid, but...
”Well, actually it did.”
”Ha!” the Chancellor said. ”And you think we believe it?”
He turned to the judge.
”That's enough. I have no more questions.”
Pierre looked at the judge.
”It is evident that my client is a fine noble young man! Your honor, the defense rests.”
Many voices came up again.
”Order in the court!” commanded the judge.
”Members of the jury... If he is guilty, stand to the left. If innocent, stand to the right.”
Nine men walked in.
The first one walked to the judge and then said:
”Guilty!” and walked to the left.
The second one repeated it.
”Guilty!”
The third man walked forward.
”Not guilty!” and stepped to the right.
The fourth walked forward.
”Guilty!”
Then number five.
”Not guilty!”
And number six.
”Not guilty!”
And number seven.
”Guilty!”
One more guilty and he was doomed.
The eight stepped forward.
”Not guilty!”
The last one...
Number nine came in.
Once he came to the judge, he was quiet.
Crono took a deep breath.
Then...
”Not... Guilty.”
 Crono could breath out.
Many voices and negative shoutings could be heard.
”Order in the court!” the judge said.
”A verdict has been reached! The verdict is... not guilty!
But the fact remains, that even if he did not kidnap her, he ran off with her.
3 days solitary confinement as punishment.”
The Chancellor stepped forward.
”Take him away!” he shouted.
Two guards came in and grabbed Crono.
But then Marle came running in.
”Now just a darn minute...”
The Chancellor looked supriced at her.
”Princess!”
Suddenly...
”That's enough, my dear!”
The king walked in.
He looked a little bit older that the 600 AD king, but was mainly wearing the same type of clothes.
”But Father... !” Marle started.
”All I asked was for you to behave like a princess.
Even royalty must obey rules!
Leave the rest up to the Chancellor and forget about the events in town.”
The king turned around.
”We’re leaving!”
He walked out, and guards led Crono out. Then all other court people left.
Alone, sitting on the floor, was Marle.
”Crono...”
 

The Chancellor and one guard led Crono around in the castle.
They had tied his bandanna around his eyes, so he couldn’t see anything.
After a while, they came outdoors, or it felt like that ‘cause he could feel the wind.
The he came into a building again.
The Chancellor led them down some stairs, and finally they stopped.
Crono could hear the Chancellor say:
”This terrorist has tried to overthrow our kingdom!
He has been found guilty, and you must now carry out his sentence.”
The guard behind Crono pushed him forward.
After a few seconds, another male voice could be heard.
”So THIS is the monster who kidnapped the princess!”
Crono was just going to protest, when he realized that the possibilities of that someone would believe him was minimum.
”The execution is 3 hours away. Do NOT let him out of your sight.”
”Execution?!” The other one said.
”Strange, but I don't seem to recall hearing anything about an execution.”
”WHAT!!!” the Chancellor shouted.
”How dare you question ME! The paperwork's probably just been held up in the system!”
A few more empty seconds.
”Understood, Sir! Guards!”
Crono could hear the sound of two armored soldier coming in.
”Take the prisoner away!”
Crono felt something hard hitting his head.
Then everything turned black.
 

When Crono opened his eyes, he felt an enormous headache.
He was lying in a cell, on a stone floor. The guards hadn’t even put him on the bed.
He quickly rose and looked around. There was nothing in the cell.
Just a bed. In the north part of the small cell was a windows.
On the south, the metal door out. Outside of it was two guards standing.
Crono ran to the door. ”Let me out of here! I haven’t done a thing!”
One of the guards looked at the other.
”Told you.”
”Let me out of here!”
One of the guards turned around.
”Pipes down!”
Crono sat down on the bed.
”What a nice hero I am. First I save the royal family and the princess, and now I’m an everyday thief.” Crono thought.
He felt he was tired, and lay down on the bed. It wasn’t very comfortable, but it was okay for the moment. And slowly he got to sleep.
 

”We're here to take you to your place of execution. Come along.” with those words,
Crono woke up.
The two guards walked in and grabbed him.
There was also a new guard in the team. But he was wearing a blue uniform, indicating he was a royal guard. They walked through many corridors and rooms, and finally, they came to the execution room. But it was actually two room. In the first, there was a guillotine and a few other things, and in the second was only a gillotine. In the first, was a boy trapped.
But no one had activated it.
The soldiers led Crono into the second room, and they attached him to the gillotine.
”We've sharpened up the guillotine... Any last words?” the blue guard said.
Crono remained silent.
But then he said:
”I saved the princess 400 years ago... But you won’t know anything about it!”
The guards laughed, but they didn’t answer because Lucca suddenly entered the room.
”Crono! I've come to save you!”
The guards looked strange at her.
”Who the heck are YOU?”
Lucca picked up three cylinder formed objects from he bag.
”Get outta my way! Take 5 you mugs!”
She threw the at each of the guards.
Once they hit it’s target, it exploded.
Three dead guards fell down.
Lucca freed Crono.
”Let's blow this joint! By the way... Is this yours?”
She gave him the sword Crono bought from Melchior.
Crono nodded.
”Thanks.”
Together, they ran out.
”Help me...” the boy screamed from the gillotine.
Crono looked at him.
”Hey, that’s Fritz! What are you doing here? Lucca free him.”
Lucca nodded and freed Fritz from the gillotine.
”Thanks!” Fritz said. ”You’re a life saver!”
Crono nodded. ”I know... You better hurry home. Your dad is worried sick! And Elaine too...”
Fritz looked at him. ”Sh, she is? R, really? Okay! Take care!” He ran out.
Crono and Lucca walked carefully out from the room.
”This way!” Lucca said and took the lead.
She took of to the west first and then north.
They followed the corridor and it turned to the left.
From there, they took a stair up.
Once they came up from the stair, they came to a bridge who was connecting two towers.
Lucca and Crono cross it but when they got half the way, someone shouted:
”The prisoner has escaped.”
Two guards came, one from each direction.
”You’re not getting any further!”
Crono smiled.
”Yes I am. Let me pass or there will be trouble...”
”Who do you think you are? Cyrus? Ha!”
The west guard attacked.
He jumped forward and swinged his sword. Crono blocked the attack with his own sword.
Lucca fired a shoot with her gun, and it hit the second guard, but the needle, or whatever it was,
was far two small to do any damage to the Guards armor.
Now it was Crono’s turn. He leaped forward, attacked, and leaped backward.
He hit the guard on his arm.
Crono turned around, just to block the other soldiers attack.
”That armor will be your death!” Crono said, and kicked the guard off the bridge.
Crono holstered his sword. That’s this one...”
”Crono! Look out!” Lucca shouted, but it was too late.
The wounded guards sword hit Crono’s arm.
Lucca fired a second shot, and the needle hit the guard, and broke through his armor.
The guards screamed as he felled from the bridge.
Crono held his hand on the wound.
”Are you okay?” Lucca asked.
”No!” Crono shouted.
Then Lucca saw that the wound was quite deep.
”Here’s a tonic. Drink half of it, and spill out the rest on the wound.”
Crono nodded and did as she said.
The wound closed.
”Let’s go!” Lucca commanded and continued to walk.
Crono followed her.
”That’s a new gun you got, right?”
Lucca nodded.
”Yeah. I made a few improvements to the last one. Bigger arrows, more power...”
”Could be useful.” Crono said as they walked into the next tower.
After a few corridors, they came to the supervisors room. It was probably here they had taken Crono first. But the supervisor wasn’t here.
He was lying on the floor.
Crono turned to Lucca.
”Lucca?”
Lucca looked at him.
”This is what happens to fools who challenge the mighty Lucca! Hahahaha!”
Crono smiled.
”I’ll remember that.”
Lucca walked up on a stair.
”Not much left.”
Crono nodded.
”This is the last bridge.” Lucca said when they came out.
They walked out on it. Once they got half, the ground started to shake.
Lucca looked around.
”What?”
They continued forward. Just when they were about to enter the door who led back to the castle, the ground started to shake again, and out from the door came a big metal thing.
I was formed like a dragon. Behind it was the Chancellor.
”Forward, dragon tank! Crush the rebels!”
He walked in. The thing looked very unfriendly.
Crono pulled up his sword.
”Let’s see how though this piece of metal is!”
The dragon tank answered with breathing fire on him from it’s head.
Crono was forced down.
Lucca picked up another cylinder formed object and threw it on the head.
BOOOOM!!!
When all fire was gone, the only thing that remained from the tanks head was the metal skeleton.
But the rest of the body was active.
A hole from it’s body opened and fires a small object. It exploded near Lucca.
Even she was forced down.
Then the tank rushed forward and ran over both Crono and Lucca.
Once it backed of, Crono exclaimed:
”First Yakra and now a dragon tank! I wonder what’s next?”
Lucca rose.
”And I thought Gato was a heavy robot!”
Crono leaped forward and swinged his sword hard as he could.
”IIIIIIIEEEEAAAA!!!!!”
Swooch....
Crono cut of one wheel.
The wheel fell down from the bridge.
An other hole opened and counterattack with a bomb.
This time Crono was prepared, and leaped back.
Lucca picked up two cylinder objects. She threw the first one.
It bounced on the tanks metal hull and fell of the bridge.
”You’re the last one...” Lucca said as she threw the second.
It first bounced off, but then changed direction.
BOOOOOOOM!!!
But it was to far away to do any damage.
”No...” Lucca said. ”Only a crack?”
Crono looked at it.
”That’s all a need!” with those words he jumped up and thrusted the sword into the crack.
Big sparks appeared, and Crono jumped off.
Then the Chancellor came.
”They got the Dragon Tank!!! Fix it! Quickly!”
He and two more guards ran to the dragon tank and looked if they could do anything.
Then the tank exploded with a small explosion.
It made a big hole in the bridge.
The two guards and the Chancellor survived by holding in each other.
Crono smiled. ”Well, we got a new bridge!”
Lucca shook her head. ”No way!”
But Crono ran over them and so did Lucca.
”Don't fool yourselves into thinking you've gotten away with this!” the Chancellor shouted after them.
 

It was a quite normal day for the guard who were guarding the stair leading up to the prison.
They were here to make sure no prisoners escaped, but no one ever did.
They never got this far. But suddenly they heard footsteps of someone running in the stairs.
They saw it was a boy with red spiky hair, and a girl with purple hair, a silly helm and some goofy glasses. ”Halt!” one of the guards said.
”Well...” The girl answered. ”Looks like we have to break through.”
The boy nodded and they tackled the unprepared guards out of their way.
 

Crono and Lucca continued to run. They were close now.
Not far at all. Soon they would leave the castle behind.
But once they reached the door leading out, there was four guards guarding it.
”Stop!” one of them shouted.
They surrounded Crono and Lucca. Then...
”Stop!”
The guards turned to the throne room door.
There was Marle standing, wearing a more princess looking outfit.
”Princess Nadia!”
They all fell down on their knees.
Marle looked at them.
”These are my friends! Show them your respect!”
”B, but...” the leader of the guards said.
”Can't you take orders?” Marle asked.
”Of course!” the guard quickly replied.
Then the throne room door were opened.
”Hold it right there!”
The Chancellor came walking down.
”Do as King Guardia XXXIII says!” he said.
Then the king came.
”Father...” Marle started, but got interrupted.
”Silence Princess Nadia!
The throne comes before your personal wishes!”
Marle looked at him.
”What?!
Just because I have a title doesn't mean I'm not a person!”
The king sighed.
”You pick up strange ideas venturing outside!”
Marle looked at him angrily.
”I didn't "pick up" anything! It's called "common sense!" ”
”Princess Nadia...” the king tried but...
”I despise you! I'm leaving!” She threw away her dress, and under it, she had the same cloth as she was wearing on the Fair.
”Princess Nadia!” the Chancellor said, but Marle ran down.
”Come on Crono!”
Crono and Lucca followed Marle, as she ran out.
The Chancellor looked at the soldiers, who were still kneefallen.
”Don't just stand there! After them!” Quicker then a lightning, they all rose and followed.
 
 

Crono took the lead.
”This way!” he said and ran the usual way.
But suddenly a few guards came out of nowhere and blocked their way.
”Not that way...” Crono said and turned around. He picked another way.
”Crono?” Marle shouted as they ran.
”What...” Crono said, but stopped as they came into a small open area.
”I was just going to say that this is a dead end!”
Crono looked around.
”Ooops...”
Then they guards come.
”A gate!” Lucca suddenly exclaimed.
Crono turned around.
It was true. On the ground was a blue object.
Marle looked at it.
”Come on!” she finally said.
Lucca shook her head.
”But we don’t know where it’ll take us!”
”Who cares?!” Marle answered. ”This place stinks anyway!”
Then five guards came with the Chancellor in the lead.
”Princess! Move away from those hoodlums!”
Lucca looked desperate on Crono.
”This is completely irrational.”
Marle grabbed Crono hand.
”C’mon! What are you waiting for?”
Crono nodded.
He picked up the gate key and opened the gate.
They stepped in.
The gate closed.
The Chancellor look terrified.
”They... Disappeared!”
 

.

Go To Chapter 5

Return To CT Fanfic