Chapter 11: Tata and the Frog

Act One

August 10, 600

Early the next day, Crono, Marle, Lucca, and Robo found themselves in the Cursed Woods, due south of Porre.

The name was certainly less than appealing, and there was a sign warning them not to trespass; none of them paid any heed to it.

Eventually, they happened upon a hole in the ground with a latter. Common sense would denote that something awful would likely live there. But Crono and his friends went right in.

It was a small abode, with a few beds and cabinets.

"Who's there!?" called a sudden voice that everyone but Robo recognized.

Moments later, Frog hopped down from the ceiling.

"'Tis thee, Crono!" he greeted. "Thou art here to practice thy skill in swordplay?"

"I'm afraid the circumstances have changed," Crono replied. "King Guardia XXI is recovering from his injuries."

"What?!" exclaimed Frog. "The king hast been injured?!"

"Magus tried to invade Guardia," Marle replied. "But he was stopped at the Zenan Bridge."

"And now we're going after him," Lucca added. "Soon, he's going to cast a spell that's going to doom our world."

"I see," Frog replied. "'Tis nary a thing I canst do. Please be on thy way."

"But you're the legendary hero, aren't you?" Marle protested.

FLASHBACK...

"Harumph!" taunted Magus. "What's the matter? Aren't you going to try your luck?"

Glenn was silent.

"Cat got your tongue kid?" Ozzie added. "How about it, Magus? Can't you give him a more fitting form?"

"All right, why not?" Magus agreed. "There's always time for a little fun."

Magus then raised a glowing finger.

...END FLASHBACK

Frog shuddered at the painful memory.

"I've seen your skill," Lucca added. "You're the best swordsman I've ever seen."

"I failed to protect Queen Leene," Frog lamented. "And now I hath failed to protect the king."

"You saved me," Marle insisted. She then turned to Crono. "Does he know where we're from?"

Crono shook his head.

"I guess we better tell him," he suggested.

"Tell me what?" Frog asked.

"There's really no easy way to explain this," Crono began, "but we're from four hundred years in the future. We were sent back in time."

"Through a fault of Magus?" Frog asked.

"In a way," Crono replied. "He's about to create something that's going to destroy the world."

"That's why we need your help," Marle added.

"The hero, I am not," he sighed. "I can do naught."

Crono turned to Marle.

"Then maybe I can use the Masamune myself," he suggested. "We won't know until we try."

Act Two

The truth about the legendary hero was more or less cemented when Crono, Marle, Lucca, and Robo stood at the foot of the Denadoro Mountains.

Tata came running down the mountain path with a large ogre-like creature pursuing him with a wooden ax.

"Look out!" Lucca called as she cast a fire spell, incinerating the ax.

Marle then dispatched the creature with her crossbow.

"This is a terrible place!" cried Tata. " You'd best run away while you can!"

With that, Tata disappeared from the mountain.

"Legendary hero, my butt!" Marle exclaimed.

"I knew he was a fraud," Lucca added. "But since that's the case, where's the real legendary hero?"

"Could it be Crono?" Marle suggested.

"Highly unlikely," Lucca replied. "He's not going to be born for another 383 years."

Marle gave a sour look before placing her hands on Crono's shoulders.

"You're still my legendary hero," she said. She then kissed him.

The Denadoro Mountains were lush and green, much like the Truce Canyon. There were several brooks and waterfalls, with rope bridges over them.

Eventually, they happened upon a cave.

Inside the cave, there was, to everyone's surprise, another child. This one appeared much younger than Tata, at about six at most.

"Where are your parents?" Crono asked.

"I'm the wind!" the kid replied. "Whoosh!"

Beyond the child was a beam of light that eminated from a hole in the roof of the cave. At the bottom of the beam was a sword that appeared embedded in the ground.

"It's the Masamune," Crono said aloud before he began to approach it.

"Stop!" cried the child suddenly as he ran in front of Crono. "Are you here for the Masamune?"

"Indeed I am," Crono replied.

"Thought so," the boy said. "Wait a second, okay? Oh big brother! Where are you, Masa?!"

Another boy, who appeared identical to the first one, appeared from behind the sword.

"What is it, Mune?" he asked before spotting the intruders. "Not again!? So! You want to get a name for yourself by grabbing the Masamune? What a buffoon!"

"There's a lot more to it than that," Crono insisted.

"Humans are so silly!" Mune said. "It's how you use the sword that's important not who owns it!"

"You can't even understand something as simple as that," Masa added. "That's why you're human."

"What should we do?" asked Mune.

"The usual," replied Masa. "Test them. You can entertain us for awhile."

"All right!" added Mune. "Here we go! Whooosh!"

With that, the two boys jumped into the air and began to spin. A moment later, they no longer looked like boys; they appeared to be giant yellow rodents standing six feet tall.

Moments later, they began to advance.

Crono and Lucca immediately raised their fingers.

Fire hit Masa.

Lightening hit Mune.

The two giant rodents hopped backward.

"Hey, they're pretty tough," Mune observed.

"Only Cyrus made it this far," added Masa.

"What should we do?" asked Mune.

"This time it's for real!" Masa announced.

"All right, this is it," added Mune.

"Yeah," said Masa. "We mean business! With Masa's bravery and Mune's knowledge! Two become one!"

Moments later, they had morphed into a giant yellow creature that could only be described as an anthropomorphic bull.

"These guys don't quit!" Crono exclaimed.

"Neither do we!" Marle added as she raised her finger.

Suddenly a huge block of ice encased the yellow creature. It trembled for a moment before shattering.

Masa and Mune returned to their large rodent forms.

"They beat us, big brother," Mune said.

"That was fun!" Masa said.

"Will they fix us?" asked Mune. "Will they find us an owner?"

"Yeah, it'll be all right," assured Masa.

The two creatures then vanished, leaving the four of them alone in the cave with the sword.

Crono eagerly ran to the sword and pulled it from the ground. He found it a surprisingly easy task. He then realized the reason: half of the sword was missing.

"So this is the Masamune," Lucca observed. "But it looks like it's been broken for ages."

Suddenly, the hissing sound of wind began.

"Allow me!" shouted Mass. "We'll ride the wind to the base of the mountain!"

Crono, Marle, Lucca, and Robo felt their feet suddenly rise off the ground.

"Good luck to you," Muse said.

Act Three

August 11, 600

The next morning, Crono, Marle, Lucca, and Robo stood at the front of Tata's house.

Tata stood there, holding the medal with his head down. He was caught, and beyond embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, everyone," Tata apologized through his tears. "Some frog guy dropped this in a cafe. I thought I'd sell it, but then everyone started calling me a 'hero.' I couldn't bear to get rid of it! I just can't fake it any longer. I'm no hero! I'm so ashamed! Here. Please take this!"

Tata handed out the medal, which Crono accepted.

Just then, Tata's father emerged from the house.

"Scoundrel!" his father snarled. "I knew this was all a sham!"

"Listen to you!" Tata defended. "Who was going around telling everyone that you raised a hero, huh?!"

In response, Tata's father slapped him across the face.

Tata ran into the house, crying.

"How could I have fallen for that?" his father lamented. "For my dear departed wife's sake, I vow to keep my feet on the ground!" He paused. "Maybe he needs a maternal figure to talk to him."

LATER...

Tata sat crying on his bed as Marle entered the room and sat down next to him.

"I was mistaken for Queen Leene," she began. "I know how you feel."

"I-I just wanted to feel big," Tata sobbed. "My mom died not too long ago. I wanted to show her I would be okay."

"My mom's gone, too," Marle said. "I turned out to be okay. So will you. I promise."

"But I miss her!" Tata continued. "Maybe it's because I'm young..."

"I'm sixteen," Marle replied. "I'll always miss my mom. That never changes. But, trust me, you don't need to be extraordinary to be okay. I found that out the same way you did."

Suddenly, the room began to turn blue.

"What's going on?" asked Tata.

"No," Marle muttered. "Not again."

"What?" inquired the baffled Tata.

"No! Not again!" Marle cried right before she dissipated.

SOMEWHERE ELSE...

Marle materialized right in front of the throne. This time, she knew exactly where she was.

"Greetings," Magus said. "I see you've returned."

"That's right," Marle said, trying to hide her annoyance.

"Have you learned anything?" he asked. "About your time travel?"

"Nothing new," Marle replied. She did not trust him, and was less than inclined to tell him about the key.

"I see," Magus said in disappointment.

"I know what you're planning," she continued. "About Lavos."

Magus' eyes widened.

"Do you, now?" he inquired.

"Please, stop," she pleaded. "We visited the year 2300. He erupted and destroyed the world. You have to stop."

"Which year did you say this was?" Magus pressed.

"2300," Marle repeated.

"And you're from when?"

"1000."

Magus shook his head.

"You won't be here," he informed her. "You'll have passed away long before then."

"But humans!" Marle protested.

"Listen," Magus began. "How would you feel if you were sent to another time, and could not return?"

Marle's eyes widened.

"Wait a minute," she began. "You weren't born in this time, weren't you?"

"Time's up," Magus suddenly said as the surroundings turned blue.

"Wait!" Marle protested. "I-"

With that, she dissipated.

Magus sat silently on his throne for a few moments.

"Ozzie!" called he.

Moments later, Ozzie appeared in the throne room.

"Prepare the castle," Magus ordered. "We're about to have visitors."

ELSEWHERE...

"- think we can get you home!" Marle finished as she rematerialized back in Tata's room.

"You're back!" Tata exclaimed joyfully as he threw his arms around Marle's waist.

"It's good to be back," she sighed.

"This means my mother could come back!" Tata announced.

"Tata, honey, listen..." Marle began.

"My mom's coming back!" Tata shouted as he ran out of his room.

Marle sighed as she placed her hand on her face.

LATER...

"Thee hath returned?" asked Frog as Crono, Marle, Lucca, and Robo returned to the dwelling.

"We have," Crono replied as he hopped off the ladder. "And we have something that belongs to you."

"The Hero Medal!" exclaimed Frog. "Aye. Then thou hast seen the lad. Yet there's nary a thing I canst do against Magus. The legendary Masamune is required to fight him. And I've no right to wield it. Please leave now."

It was then that Robo noticed the shiny object in the corner of the dwelling.

"A broken sword," he observed. He then scanned the broken piece that Crono was holding. "A part of the Masamune! Something is written in archaic script. I will translate. R-o-i-h-c-l-e-m? Roihclem?"

"Roihclem?" Crono echoed.

"System error!" Robo announced. "I reversed it! It says 'Melchior!'"

"Melchior?" exclaimed Marle. "That guy in Medina Village? What does this mean, Crono?"

"I think we should have a talk with him," Crono suggested.

Frog, meanwhile, sat down.

"Nary a soul remains to mend'eth the Masamune," he sighed.

August 11, 1000

"You're back again?" greeted Melchior as Crono, Marle, Lucca, and Robo stood at his doorway. "Come to see my collection?"

"Actually," Crono replied as he presented the Masamune fragments, "I think we found an important part of it."

"This sword," began Melchior in surprise, "it's the Masamune! How did you get it?"

"Why would your name be engraved on the sword?"

Suddenly, Melchior became silent. Slowly, he began to gaze at the ceiling.

"It's a long story," he replied. "You do want to hear this story, right?"

"Yes!" exclaimed Marle. "Tell us about the Masamune! Can you fix it somehow?"

"It might be possible if we could get our hands on some Dreamstone, which the sword is made of," Melchior suggested.

"Where can we find it?" Crono asked.

"You can't find it anymore," Melchior answered. "It was a red stone that was once used as money. Unfortunately, it hasn't been available for a very long time. I doubt that you'll ever find the red stone, but if you bring some to me, I will fix the Masamune. Keep the sword with you until then."

Crono then turned to Marle.

"I think there's someone who knows where it might be had."

LATER...

The End of Time

Crono, Marle, Lucca, and Robo emerged from the pillared platform to see the Old Man still standing by the street light.

"Welcome back," he greeted. "Have you reached a dead end?"

"Sort of," Crono replied. "Ever hear of something called Dreamstone? We need it to fix the Masamune. Without it, we can't defeat the sorcerer Magus."

"Dreamstone?" the Old Man replied. I've heard of it, of course. It's a prehistoric mineral. You might find some in the prehistoric era."

Lucca turned to Robo.

"The one you told me to avoid?"

"That's the one," Robo answered.

Crono sighed.

"It doesn't look like we have much of a choice," he said. "We'll get the Dreamstone and leave."

"I'll keep monitoring the sky," Robo assured them.

"That makes me feel worse," Lucca muttered nervously.