The eight companions and the three apes trudged on.
"Are you sure you know the way?" asked Marle. It was already getting dark.
"Well, um. . .actually, I think we're lost," mumbled Donkey sheepishly.
"Lost?! You said you knew the way!"
"Sheesh, I've only been there once!"
"Now what are we going to do?"
"Come on, we can't be that lost," put in Tiger. "Why don't we spend the night somewhere, and then we'll be able to see the rest of the way in the morning."
"Spend the night? But they could ambush us!"
"Hmm, that's right. They could," mused Crono. He sat down on a large, flat stone to think. Suddenly, it fell down into a hole it had apparently been covering and he fell with it.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!" They all dashed to the hole.
"Crono! Are you okay?" Tiger called down.
"Yeah. . .oh, wow! Look at this! Come down here, you guys!" They all filed down one at a time into a large, underground cavern. It was quite dry, and there was plenty of room for all. They could easily stand up in it.
"Hey, we could spend the night in here," said Marle. Everyone agreed, and Tiger put the rock back in place from the inside.
"I brought along some blankets in case we needed them," said Dixie. The blankets were laid on the floor. It was warm in there, so they didn't need any covers.
"Good night. We'll wake up early when Kruel is least expecting an attack," Tiger told everyone. Marle and Crono lay down beside each other.
"This is the life, isn't it? Fighting bad guys by day, sleeping in comfy places like this by night," she said to him. "Well, good night."
"'Night."
Once again, Crono was in a strange, black dream. Tiger appeared, along with four other teens.
"Well, since we have more time now, I'll introduce my friends and tell you what happened. This is Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo." As Tiger was speaking, Crono got a closer look at the others. The first one, Ness, was wearing a red baseball cap, a blue and yellow striped shirt, and dark blue pants. He had dark hair. Paula was wearing a pink dress, with a red ribbon in her blond hair. Jeff wore thick glasses, and a dark green coat. He also had blond hair. The last, Poo, appeared to be a samurai kid. He had karate clothes with a black belt, and an almost completely bald head except for a black bit growing in the middle. He looked pretty weird.
"Hi," said Ness.
"Hello," said Paula. Jeff and Poo said nothing.
"They're from a different world, believe it or not. When I disappeared, I found I was on the hill that had showed up on the screen. As I climbed down the hill, something crashed at the top and rocked the area. The force knocked me off the hill and I blacked out. When I woke up, I was lying behind a small house. I looked around, and I knew I was in a different world. People in blue clothing called 'Police' started coming around, so I stayed where I was. Then Ness came to look at the meteorite, and later returned with his snobby neighbor Pokey, looking for the latter's brother. I waited awhile until dawn, then wandered around the town. I found it was called Onett. There were road blocks to the next town, Twoson, but I climbed a tree and jumped over them. I spent months there, just wandering around. Soon these four were fighting for the world against something called Giygas. Paula prayed and asked for help to defeat him, but she soon ran out of people to call to. Then, I heard the last prayer. I'm not exactly sure how, but somehow my strength was sent to them, and they used the power to destroy the evil monster.
"Well, when they returned they eventually found me, and showed me some of their powers, which are psychic instead of magic. Jeff doesn't have any of those, by the way. Anyway, I told them about double and triple techniques. They soon discovered if they combined some of their powers, they could create purple Gates that lead to other worlds. Also combined they could change into animals, but only if the need arose. For example, I couldn't change into a giant bird to give someone a fun ride. However, if I needed to do so to help someone escape from battle, then I could. I have no idea why, it's just the way it is, I guess." Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo disappeared.
"Kat. . ." Crono began, swallowing. "I. . .I never got a chance to tell you how depressed I was when we lost you." She nodded, understanding.
"I probably more than you, though. You knew where you were. But I had lost you and didn't know where I was." She paused. "By the way, what has happened since I was zapped over to there?"
"I never told you? Oh, well, first there came the fair. . ." Crono explained all that had happened. Tiger bit her lip when he told her about the trial, muffled a gasp when she heard about Lavos and his near death, and smiled at the conclusion of the story.
"Wow, you've been through a lot! Too bad I missed it all."
"Yeah, you would have been a great help. You know. . .it seems you and Marle are kind of the same. Fun, nice, understanding, always there for me." She grinned and gave him a quick hug.
"And you're always there for us." The dream ended.
The next morning was not very sunny. Crono woke up. As he tried to sit up, he accidentally bumped Marle with his arm, who was still sound asleep. Carefully he got up and walked around the other sleepers. He crawled out of the entrance and put the stone back, then sat down. Despite the weather, Crono felt really good. Nothing was going to ruin this day. The stone moved and Marle clambered out.
"Hello," she said. "Have you seen Tiger?"
"No, why?"
"She wasn't in there when I woke up."
"Oh, really? Well, I guess she'll be back, wherever she is."
"Should we wake the others?"
"Nah, let them wake up on their own." Marle sat down beside him.
"Come on, I'm bored. Let's wake them up."
"Oh, all right." Just then, something zoomed past them. It zoomed back, stopped, and they saw it was Tiger.
"Ahh, nothing like a nice run around the woods in the morning. Hello, early risers," she grinned.
"Early risers? You must have been up before dawn to run all around the woods."
"I do need exercise, you know. Is anyone else up?"
"I am." Robo came out.
"Robo, do us a favor and wake everyone else up, okay?" He nodded and went back in. Soon everyone else was up and out.
"Are we going to go now?" asked Diddy.
"Sure, why not? Kruel probably won't be expecting an early morning ambush, as I said last night." They started off, with Tiger walking behind them. She felt unusually nervous and tense. What's the matter with me? she thought. I've got nothing to worry about. . .do I?
Soon they arrived at the forbidding place. It loomed over them, like a giant ready to crush them. Surprisingly, the gate was unlocked, and they entered.
"All right, Donkey's group, take the left passage, and we'll take the right," said Crono. "And don't forget to get rid of any enemies you find there." Crono, Marle, Magus, Lucca, Dixie, and Tiger moved silently through the hallway.
"It's just too quiet," murmured Lucca.
"As if he were actually waiting for us," replied Dixie. Even though they were speaking quietly, their voices echoed all around. Finally they reached a big, solid wooden door.
"Should we knock?"
"Are you kidding? I don't think so."
"Come in, challengers!" Kruel's voice sounded loud and harsh as it boomed around. The party backed up.
"Oh, come on, it's just the echoing!" exclaimed Tiger, pushing them forward. They opened the door and went in. Kruel was sitting on his throne, calmly watching them.
"I have your precious bananas here," he said, grinning maliciously. "If someone here doesn't fight me one-on-one. . ." He pulled a lever, and a trap door appeared. The bananas were being lowered in a net.
"The bananas will be destroyed in the lava! Mwa, ha ha haaaaah!!!" The bananas stopped in midair. He looked around.
"Now then, who will it be?. . ."
Donkey's group had met up with Kruel's fighters, but they weren't having too much difficulty. The soldiers were less than confident after their previous defeats.
"This is easier than one two three, eh, Donkey?" remarked Diddy, tossing one up into the air.
"Yep, it sure is! Wonder how the others are doing?"
Kruel looked around at everyone in the room, intently studying each face. Tiger bit her lip as a sudden thought of whom he might pick came to her. Finally, he spoke.
"Who in here is the one called Tiger?" Tiger had known it. She crossed her arms. Inwardly she could have screamed, but outside she stayed calm.
"It's me, you slimy excuse of a lizard." This made him mad.
"You're the one who's going to fight me, you little twerp! Except you can't use any special weapons, powers, or items."
Kat, you can't do it! Crono cried silently. She looked at him and sighed.
I've got no choice. Believe me, I'd rather not if I could choose. But it will be his downfall, I promise. Besides, I'm good with my hands and my feet.
"Fine, you big scaredy lizard," she said out loud, trying not to reveal her nervousness. Everyone immediately backed off to make room for the fight. Kruel laughed evilly.
"This will be easier than taking candy from a baby!"
"Not for you, but for me it will be." Kruel was getting sick of this smart-alecky talk.
"That's it, you asked for it!" he roared. He jumped at her, but she was ready for him, and ducked. He crashed against the wall, making a dent. Tiger waited for his next attack. He charged, but she jumped aside. He almost skidded right into the trap door, but he dug his feet into the floor and stopped. He charged again, but as Tiger jumped aside he turned and grabbed her by her arms. He started swinging her and banging her against the walls. She managed to hook her feet onto a windowsill, banging him several times on the floor as she did. While he was reeling, she jumped over him and onto the floor. Swiftly he slapped her with his tail. She went flying over, right into the trap door. Crono covered his eyes, but then uncovered them again when everyone cheered. Tiger had not fallen into the lava! She had grabbed onto the side, hoisting herself up. She decided to stop playing defensive. She kicked Kruel in the chest, bowling him over. Suddenly he jumped up, and before she could react, grabbed her legs, banging and swinging again.
Crono could tell she was getting more and more worn out. As Kruel was swinging her, she managed to grab on to the net with the bananas. He let go, for he almost fell in the trap door again. He banged the net on the side she was holding against the wall, and she loosened her grip, falling to the floor. Crono was very concerned now, because he knew she couldn't possibly last much longer. His worried expression must have caught her attention, for she looked at him meaningfully for a moment. Then, seeming to get a bit of her energy back, she stood up, taunting him with gestures and irritating comments. He charged angrily, but she bent down and he tripped over her. For a moment it seemed that he might have fallen in the trap door, but yet again he didn't. Tiger looked very frustrated now. She screamed angrily, leaping on top of him and pounding him madly with fists and feet. Kruel looked helpless for a moment, covering his face with his arms to protect himself. Then, with a mighty heave, he quickly shoved her off of him. She landed easily on her feet and awaited his next attack. He took both his fists and swung them at her. She ducked both, but his tail swung after them and caught her by surprise. It struck her squarely in the stomach, knocking her down and winding her.
Crono made a move to rush out to her aid, but she looked at him and shook her head fiercely. He watched in horror as, too stunned to react, she was grabbed by Kruel again. He swung her around, faster and faster; then he let go and she went sailing across the room. Her back slammed against the opposite wall where the others were standing, causing a loud BOOM to echo all around and making a larger dent than he had made before. She slid to the ground. By then she had bruises and sores all over, and could hardly move at all. Crono ran over to her, concern showing plainly on his face.
Come on, you can't give up now, you just can't! he cried silently, trying to pull her up. You promised it would be his downfall!
It. . .will be. . .you'll see. . . She collapsed. Everyone gasped, except for Kruel, who roared his triumph. Crono felt his anger boiling up inside him. Hardly knowing what he was doing, he unsheathed his sword and charged towards Kruel. Kruel, seeing the wrath and determination in his eyes, was frightened. He took a pace backwards, accidentally stepping into the trap door. Crono watched him fall into the lava, never to be seen again. Just then, the other group came in.
"Did you find the bananas? Oh, great!" Donkey got the bananas down, and then turned to Crono and his friends "Thanks a bunch! But what happened to her?" He pointed to Tiger. They all explained what had happened.
"Well, at least we know we won't be seeing Kruel again."
"Yeah. What a relief!"
"But how do we get back?" interrupted Lucca. Suddenly a purple Gate appeared, and they heard Ness' voice.
"This way, of course!" They all stepped in, with Crono carrying Tiger.