The Shifters Part 5
By MeuShell
Marle listened to see who it was. Lucca, Ayla, and Robo, the one that can figure out anything using science and logic, the one who has hunted before, and the one who has senses a beyond humans. But this didn't help them see a Shifter when it was right in front of them. Ok, Ayla's talent had nothing with recognizing Shifters.
Marle pointed to Glenn then to bushes in front of them. Then she pointed to herself and pointed to bushes near the other ones. Glenn nodded. They both hid in their places.
Marle held her breath when Lucca, Ayla, and Robo went by. She watched them stop in front of Glenn's bush. They spoke quietly and watched it closely. Marle started planning what she'd do if they found him. But it was necessary, they moved on. They climbed the rope that led to the higher land. Soon they disappeared into the cave.
Glenn got out and quickly went where Marle was.
He pointed to the water fall.
Marle shook her head.
"Come on," he whispered, "Going down the waterfall will be quicker, we'll be way ahead of them, and I've done it before."
Marle gave him a strange look, "If we just leave they won't see us."
"But they'll leave eventually and this way we'll be way ahead of them."
Marle sighed but finally nodded.
Glenn ran towards the waterfall he crept quietly when passing the cave. Marle followed. Glenn hesitated a second before jumping. Marle grabbed the edge then climbed down. If she was going to jump she was going to make it so the ground was as close as possible. She couldn't let go by herself so she let the water push her.
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Robo heard a noise outside. He ran out, but he saw nothing. Lucca and Ayla had followed him. Lucca shook her head, "No one is here. Lets go." She started walking.
"Either the Shifters are home or they have found a place we had not thought of looking."
Lucca shook her head, "The others still might find them at the Magic Cave or Magus's Lair. But the Shifters most likely went home."
Robo looked at her, he knew they were both thinking the same thing (he didn't know about Ayla) and he was going to say it, "That is if, they are Shifters."
"You've thought of that too. Marle has acted strange lately." Lucca said.
"We talk to others about it?" Ayla asked.
"No," Lucca said, "We may be wrong. Also we are looking for what seems to be two Shifters."
"Then we must figure out who can't be replaced and tell them." Robo said.
Lucca suggested, "I think we should try to do this ourselves. Then there is no risk."
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Marle and Glenn were on their way to the Magic Cave. They turned to be in front of the cave. But they stopped quickly when they saw themselves and Crono. They back up quickly, but now didn't know what to do.
Marle thought going back to Denadoro Mountains but they would just chase them. Besides that she saw Lucca, Ayla, and Robo were coming from there.
Ayla was the first to speak, "Fight," as she put her fist up.
"Always comes down to fighting." said the Glenn just on Marle's side (Glenn 1) as he grabbed his sword with his left hand.
"Afraid to loose?" asked the other Glenn (Glenn 2) grabbing his sword with the same hand.
Ayla went to attack them.
"Wait-wait-wait!" Marle said quickly as she blocked herself.
"What?" Ayla asked.
"Six against two, don't you think that's a little unfair."
"No." Ayla went to attack again.
"Wait-wait-wait!"
"Now what?" Ayla asked.
"Well," Marle said, "You know, we didn't really plan on fighting. So don't you think it would be fair if you would let us plan a little."
Ayla didn't respond, but Marle-Shifter did. "No. You shouldn't be able to plan."
Marle had one last plan, she threw a temper tantrum, "IT'S NOT FAIR!! NOT FAIR-NOT FAIR-NOT FAIR-NOT FAIR-NOT FAIR-NOT FAIR-NOT FAIR-NOT FA-"
"Alright!!" Lucca yelled. If she could say it she would have said, maybe this is the real Marle, but because of the Marle on their side she couldn't. "The two of you can discuss your plans with each other. But don't take too long."
"What!" said Marle-Shifter.
"It would be," Glenn 2 said, "Without honor if we won. The fight is unfair to them."
Marle-Shifter wanted to respond but if she did it would be un-Marle like. Instead she glanced back and forth between the two Glenns. She felt ashamed that she couldn't tell which was the real one and which was the fake. It was one of the first talents that all Shifters learned and it was something she was never good at.
Marle said her thanks and went a few meters away from them. When Glenn 1 joined her she spoke, "What do we do, we can't fight them."
"We'll probably have to alternate between attacks and healing. You heal or give a Ether to who needs it, I attack, then we do Double Cure."
"Right, and the first thing I do is Haste."
"At times we will both be able to attack, we use Glacier. If you do attack only one person it'll be Marle-Shifter so she is the most likely person to loose all HP. Then she'll return to her natural form."
Marle nodded. They came back.
"Ready fight?" Ayla asked.
No, Marle thought, but she said, "Ready as can be." Then in her head added, considering it's six against two.
"Good." Ayla said, the Cat Attacked Marle.
Ow, Marle though as she Hasted herself.
Robo Rocket Punched Glenn.
Glenn used Frog Sqaush to attack the entire team.
Marle Hasted Glenn.
Crono used Lightning 2.
Lucca threw a Mega Bomb as she said, "Here."
"Here? " Marle asked as she and Glenn 1 did Double Cure, "I thought you were smart."
"I am smart!"
The battle continued, after awhile Lucca lost her HP.
Ayla looked at Marle-Shifter to do Life 2 then paid attention to the battle. Something in this battle was familiar. But she didn't know what or how.
Marle-Shifter was about to do Life 2 when she was again attack with Leap Slash by Glenn 1. So she had to put her HP back up because to her it was most important.
Soon Crono lost his HP.
Marle wanted to laughed, her imitator was not doing her job well.
Glenn 2 Revived Crono but after Glenn 1 and Marle did Glacier. Crono fell back down. Were they waiting for someone to do Revive? Glenn 2 thought, and why can't Marle do her job.
Ayla Triple Kicked Marle.
Marle Cured herself while Glenn 1 did another Frog Squash,
Ayla lost her HP.
Robo at this point was more concern getting his HP up then to fight, apparently his fighters knew this, with another Glacier he was out.
Marle-Shifter couldn't believe this, they were losing, how is this possible. Now it was her and Glenn 2 against themselves. Marle-Shifter knew if this kept going she would lose her HP and return to her original state. So she ran away.
Glenn 2 couldn't believe his eyes as he watched Marle-Shifter run, "Marle!" he called, "What are you doing?! Get over here!" He shook his head and looked towards Glenn 1 and Marle.
Glenn 1 spoke, "Looks like someone ditched you. Very un-Marle like. But now the important stuff. I don't think you can win right now."
Glenn 2 sighed, he knew the other Glenn was right, so he nodded.
"You admit you lost? Good. Then we we'll leave." He started to leave.
Marle watch as Glenn 2 took out a revive. Then she looked at her friends, she didn't want to just leave them, "Shouldn't we help?"
Glenn 1 turned around, "And do what? They'll attack us. They think we're Shifters." He turned around and left.
Marle turned to Glenn 2, "If you do Crono first, he can help with Life." Then she turned and followed Glenn 1.
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The entire team glared at Marle-Shifter when they found her in the Soldiers Quarters'.
Lucca was the first to speak, "Thank you, Marle. Now thanks to you, we lost!"
"I'm not the only one with healing powers
"No, it's just you job."
"Not only," Glenn started, "Did you not do your job, but after, you ditched us." Glenn was obviously trying to control his anger. (Where Lucca didn't even try.)
"I did my best. They kept a tacking me."
"Then why didn't you trust us to heal you, we can do some. But were not suppose to do all." With that, Glenn left.
Lucca shook her head and followed. Soon everyone but Marle-Shifter and Ayla was gone.
"Ayla?"
No answer.
"Ayla talk to me."
Ayla looked up, "Why Marle not act like Marle?"
"I'm just mad, and being yelled at or ignored by my friends don't help."
"Ayla see sad Marle, Ayla see angry Marle. But Ayla not see Marle act this." Ayla left.
Marle-Shifter shook her head with anger. They're all stupid, she thought, what do I care if they are mad at me? They're only humans. Then she saw a note on the table. The outside read "Viaat". She picked up the note and read it. It was in her language. It read:
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Dear Viaat,
It is me, Swau. I want to talk to you. Meet me the Cursed Woods tonight. I need to tell you same things. It is important. You must be there!
From Swau
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Marle-Shifter smiled. It was nice to hear from Shifters again. It was also nice to see her name. She nodded her head. She would defiantly be there. She had to find out which Glenn he was.
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That night Marle-Shifter snuck out of the castle she walked a while. Then when she was sure no one from the castle could see her, she turned into a Raven and flew to Cursed Woods. When she got there she landed and turned back into Marle-Shifter. She looked around, "Swau?"
"Here." Swau came out of the trees still having his Glenn look, "What took you so long?"
"What's so important?"
"Business first. You were always like that. About me telling you which Glenn I am. You obviously don't know."
"Which Glenn are you?"
"Castle Glenn. I thought it was really funny when I realized you thought I was the real Glenn," he said laughing.
"Then why did you yell at me?"
"I had to look mad. Why aren't you acting like Marle? I think the whole castle suspects you now."
"They do not! What else is important?"
"We need to get one of them alone with us. Another Shifter, Dsjw, is ready to switch with that person."
"Who will we switch?"
"Let's talk tomorrow."
"At the castle!"
"If we meet every night I think they'll notice."
"Alright, let's go back to the castle."
Marle-Shifter turned back into a raven. Glenn-Shifter turned into a bat. They both flew back to the castle.
"Tomorrow we'll talk?" Glenn-Shifter asked.
"Yes, good night
"Good night
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Lucca was eating Refreshed Salad for breakfast.
"Why that breakfast?" Ayla asked, "Not breakfasty."
"And soup is?"
"Ayla's people always eat soup for breakfast."
Marle-Shifter shook her head, "Why are you two arguing about breakfast."
"Like you should complain about anything." Lucca said.
"That's not nice, Lucca." Robo said.
"I said sorry," Marle-Shifter said, "What do you want me to do, Lucca?"
"I for one," said Glenn, "Am getting sick of the arguments and complaining."
Crono nodded, he was tired of the arguing too.
Lucca spoke, "In other words, Marle, shut up."
"Actually," Glenn said, "I was speaking to the person who just had two arguements."
Lucca looked at him with anger, "Me?"
"Starting another?"
"You stated it!"
Robo said something before this got out hand, "Look everyone is mad. Glenn don't talk to Lucca. Lucca stopped arguing with everyone."
"I'm not arguing with everyone."
"Oh forget it," he left.
Ayla followed.
Lucca sighed, then she turned to Crono, "Am I arguing with everyone?"
Crono nodded.
"Liar! I am not." Then she left.
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Marle got up late that day, she went out to look for Glenn. She found him cooking something. She looked at with curious, "What's that?"
"Food."
"Ew, I think I'll eat what's in my bag."
"You have been eating out of that since we got here. That's not healthy."
"It's heathy," she dug out dried vegetables, Then offered some to him, "Tomato."
"No thanks."
"You're missing out."
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Marle-Shifter was looking for Glenn. She couldn't find him anywhere. She decided to asked Queen Leene. She found her in her room.
"Excuse me, are you busy?"
Queen Leene was knitting. Because she was just starting it, Marle-Shifter couldn't tell what it was. Queen Leene didn't look up, "No."
"Don't you have people to do that for you."
Queen Leene glanced up, smiled and continued to knit, "Yes, but I like to knit. It's very relaxing. Do you know how to knit? I can teach you."
"No and no thank-you. Actully I was wondering if you knew where Glenn is."
"Yes, but he wanted to be alone."
"Oh, ok. Thank you anyway. Good-bye." Marle left quickly. She would just have to ask someone else. She knew Queen Leene was too polite to tell her.
She found a soldier in the hall that lead to the Soldiers' Quarters. She asked him, "Have you seen Glenn lately?"
"I saw him walking around in the jail."
"Why."
"How am I supposed to know. I can never figure out the guy. He leaves for ten years, then comes back like nothing. This guy is too confusing!" He shook his head as he past her.
Marle-Shifter smiled, she liked it when humans got angry over nothing. She went to the jail and walked up and down each floor until she found him on the top floor in an open cell. He seemed to be deep in thought. She smiled as she looked in, "So what did you do?"
Glenn looked up quickly at her voice, "I'm thinking of the Shifters and I didn't want to hear anymore arguments
"You know I could close this and lock you in." Marle-Shifter said jokenly.
"That would be rude."
Marle-Shifter looked to see if any guards were near, "It was a joke," she paused, then quietly added, "Swau."
"What?"
Marle-Shifter wasn't sure which what he was asking. Was is 'What's Swau mean?' or was it 'What did you say?' She decided to ask, "What what?"
"What is a Swau?"
Marle-Shifter couldn't believe it, she had tried to deny it. But it was true, this was the real Glenn. Swau had lied to her. Now she had to make-up what a Swau was. "It's a food. I've been craving it. Do you think the chef knows how to make it?"
"I don't know. He makes something called, Sawl, maybe that's it," he got up, "I am tired of sitting here. The kitchen is close by, I could ask him for you."
"Thanks, that would be nice." She said as she thought, he bought it, humans are so stupid! Glenn nodded and passed her, "You should try thinking here too. If you can ignore the fact that it's a cell, the quietness is calm and peaceful."
Marle-Shifter nodded and slowly walked in. She sat on the bed to think. Now what should I think about, how Swau betrayed her, how humans are so stupid, or what Sawl was like. She never heard of Sawl and wondered if it was good. I have to find Swau and asked why he did that.
Marle-Shifter smiled to herself and thought some more. Imagine Glenn going to the kitchen to ask the chef if Swau is Sawl. Wait a minute, how would the chef know if something from his future is the same as something he made now.
Marle stood up, trying to figure this out. And the kitchen isn't close, it all the way on the other side of the castle. The thing that is close is... She finished her thought off in words, "... the Soldiers Quarters'. "
To Be Continued...
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