Chrono Helix (script)

[skylark]

Wow, Karshe is channeling Joe Swanson.

BRING IT ON!!!!

 

[utunnels]

I now have somewhere between two and nine endings to do--the Magical Dreamers ending isn't
possible because I made Razzly unrecruitable, and I'm not touching the Programmers' Ending.

You'll write your own ending(s), wont you?

Serge:
   (YES!!! She really... Oh, man,
   what do I say? If I come on too
   strong, she might change her
   mind again...)

Heh, I must be too dumb to feel the same way like Serge did, so I had to re-read what Kid said.

[alfadorredux]

@skylark: Well, Karsh's original line couldn't be used under circumstances where Dario might be standing right beside him, so I had to come up with something else that fit that character. ;P

@utunnels: Yes, I will be writing at least one additional ending (or it could possibly be described as two endings--the outcome changes depending on whether Serge wins or loses a solo fight against Magus). It now looks like I'm going to be retouching five or six of the others:  the main ending, General Kid, The True Hero, New Beginnings, Onward, Dragoons!, and maybe The Darkened Fate. While A Career Change and Return of the Downtrodden would still be possible endings, I don't think there's much I can do to improve them, so, like the Programmers' Ending, I'll be leaving them alone.

[alfadorredux]

(Too much exertion these past few days--purple cat is feeling sore
and slow-witted. And probably committing typos. Bah.)

And here we have ending one of seven and a half.


Chrono Cross Ending

Max recruits: Serge, (Magus and Guile) or (Glenn and Nikki), Sprigg,
        Radius, Norris, Skelly, Karsh, ZOAH, Marcy, Fargo, Starky, Grobyc,
        Luccia, Dario, Leena, Kid.

==============================================
Darkness Beyond Time
==============================================

[As Serge plays the proper sequence with the Chrono Cross, the
crystal holding Schala to the Time Devourer's forehead shatters,
and the TD itself disappears into Twinkly Lights™ as Schala
floats down to stand in front of the party. The next few lines
are displayed against a wavery background image of the planet.]

 [Schala]
   I have been waiting an eternity...
   just for this very moment...~

   Meaninglessly hurting one another...
   The disappearing life-forms...

       The words
           that become deleted...
       The thoughts
           that become buried...
       The pool of cells
           that slowly evaporate...
       The echoes of consciousness
           that slowly fade...

   Love to hate...
   Hate to love...
   Why are we born?
   Why do we die?
    
   Evolution?
   The '"survival of the fittest?"'
   What is there to be achieved from
   harming one another...
   killing one another...

   The '"eggs"' that we call planets...
   And the innumerable '"spermatozoa"'
   which gather around these
   that we call life-forms...
    
   When one of those countless seeds
   inseminates a planet,
   a new universe is born.
   
   But until that occurs,
   hundreds of millions of years will pass,
   and innumerable life-forms will be born,
   then die...

   That is the be-all and end-all.
   Everything exists for that one moment.
   All so that the universe can evolve
   into the next dimension...

   Does that make us all just pawns?
   Are each of our short lives
   nothing but a cheap sacrifice
   just so the one chosen life-form
   can be born?

   No. That is not the case!
   Each and every one of us
   has a chance of becoming
   that one chosen life-form
   which inseminates a planet.
   Yes, it could be '"you"'...
   
   Genes and environment...
   Each of us tries to do his best
   under the limited conditions
   we are each dealt.
    
   Each life-form that attempts to
   eke out a decent life for itself
   forms a link in the golden chain
   that leads to the creation of
   a new universe.

   If one link is missing,
   there will be no future.
    
   There is no such thing as
   a useless life-form...
   No such thing as
   a pawn!

   Every single thing
   in the whole of nature
   is perhaps just dreaming
   a dream of '"life"'...
    
   All of them are also
   perhaps nothing more than
   a dream dreamt by the planet
   before it is born.

   Oh, but yes...
   Eventually all dreams
   will return to Zurvan...
   to the sea of dreams...

   Serge...!
   Don't go yet, Serge...!!!
   It's alright.
   Everything is alright now.

   Time, which has been divided,
   will be unified again now.
    
   The time for farewells has come...
   You will lose all memory of
   this whole adventure
   and return to your own time.
    
   But this time, you will be able
   to live your own life!

[The party members' lines appear in normal text
boxes, but still against the planet background.]

Guile: [if present]
   It was an interesting
   journey, Serge...
   I will set out in
   search of a new enigma.
   Let us toast, in hopes that
   our paths may cross again...!

Norris: [if present]
   You have broadened my
   horizons, Serge!
   I sincerely hope to
   see you again!

Nikki: [if present]
   Serge...
   I must say that
   was a rockin' gig.
   I hope to jam with
   you again, sometime.
   You're always welcome with us,
   the Magical Dreamers!

Zoah: [if present]
   BE WELL.
   I HOPE I CAN FIGHT
   ALONGSIDE YOU AGAIN!

Marcy: [if present]
   Bye-bye,
   Serge!
   Next time we meet,
   I'll be a lot bigger!

Luccia: [if present]
   T'ank you.
   I vas able to gat'er
   valuable data.
   And... uhhh...
   Serge...
   Grow up to be a
   fine young man!

Karsh: [if present]
   We sure went through
   a lot together, didn't we...
   It was fun.
   I may never see you again,
   but...
   take care, junior...
   I mean, Serge.
   
Radius: [if present]
   Our business is done.
   Shall we head back home?
   Kiki, Lolo, Una, Gonji, and
   all the others are waiting.
   
Fargo: [if present]
   Aye, Matey!
   It sure was a swash-
   bucklin' voyage!
   If ya ever wanna
   become a pirate, be
   sure to come see me...
   Aboard the S.S. Invincible!

Glenn: [if present]
   Yes! I will continue to follow
   in my brother's footsteps
   as a great dragoon!
   Good luck to you,
   Serge!
   I look forward to
   the next time we meet.

Leena: [if present]
   Well... I guess this is it.
   You're going back to your
   home world, right...?
   Thank you...
   You've given me a special
   place in my heart for the
   Serge. who passed away
   ten years ago...
   Good-bye...
   Serge from another world...
   And have fun with the other me!
   Good-bye...
   
Starky: [if present]
   Youu are gooing hoome,
   Serge?
   Starky am gooing hoome, too.
   My comrades are
   heere to pick mee up.
   Starky learned a lot
   from huumans.
   Youu are welcome,
   Serge.

Sprigg: [if present]
   Wot an adventure!
   'Twas just wot I expected.
   I think it's about time
   I retired in peace.
   So long, Serge.!

Skelly: [if present]
   Hey, Serge...
   I really owe you one.
   Thanks a lot, man...
   Be sure ta give me
   a holler if you see me
   somewhere...sometime...
   Nyak-nyak-nyak...!
   
Grobyc: [if present]
   Something-new
   Grobyc-can-do...
   That-will-be-interesting.

Dario: [if present]
   Thank you, Serge.
   Thank you for bringing me
   out of the darkness.
   You would make a good
   dragoon...although I doubt
   it's a job you would ever
   agree to take!
   Farewell, and good luck!

Magus: [if present]
   Since you succeeded, I suppose
   I'll let you live...and save
   myself a bit of sisterly
   censure. Go and live your life.
   Hopefully, our paths will never
   cross again.

Serge:
   Everyone...

   I don't care what she says--I
   won't forget. Not something as
   important as this trip. And
   especially not... Not about...
   (Kid, where are you? Why won't
   you say something?)

 [Schala]
   We alone do not have the power
   to heal the world's woes,
   or to solve all its mysteries.
    
   And yet, even then...

   It was bloody good
   knowing ya, mate!
   Thanks for being born
   '"you,"' Serge!
   
   I guess now's the time to say,
   '"see ya later, mate!"'
   But...
    
   I'll find ya...
   Sometime, somewhere...
   I'm bloody sure of it!
   
   No matter the time period,
   no matter the world ya live in,
   I'll find ya!

   I'm sure...
   I am sure I will find you...

Serge:
   Of course! Of course you will!
   Because... I'll be looking for
   you, too!

[The background stops wavering and brightens up so that we can
see the planet clearly, then fades out. If Magus was not in
the party, we skip to Opassa at this point.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[If Magus was in the party, we return to the Darkness Beyond Time,
where he and Schala are standing facing each other. It would be nice
for the music to switch to some version of "Schala's Theme", too.]

Magus:
   And I thought I was cruel.

Schala:
   I only wanted...to stop
   interfering in his life. Haven't
   I caused Serge enough pain?

Magus:
   I suspect that he
   might dispute that.

   Heh. Ironic that I would
   be having a conversation like
   this with you, of all people...
   but perhaps there are some
   things that can only be seen
   clearly by an outside observer.

Schala:
   Janus...

Magus:
   You have to decide what you will
   do, Schala. I can't choose for
   you. I've been fighting for
   years to free you from Lavos--
   taking control of your life
   myself would be the ultimate in
   hypocrisy.

   You're free of obligations.
   This one time, try to choose
   something that will make you
   happy.

Schala:
   I am glad to see that your heart
   has healed, at least a little.

Magus:
   ?

Schala:
   I don't think it would have
   occurred to the man I knew as
   the Prophet to wish for anyone's
   happiness.

Magus:
   He...was still very bitter. It
   isn't an easy thing to return
   to the one time and place where
   you can remember ever being
   happy and discover that it's
   just another version of hell.
   It took me a while to get over
   that...and you are changing the
   subject.

Schala:
   I suppose that WAS a little
   transparent, wasn't it?

   ...I will...go back to Arni.
   And if he...does not want Schala,
   but only Kid, I will...become
   her again.

   Will you come with me?

Magus:
   I can join you there later if
   you like, but I still have one
   last loose end to tie up. And
   Serge might react better if I
   am not present.

Schala:
   And now you are the one trying
   to change the subject. It's
   Belthasar, isn't it?

Magus:
   I don't dare leave the Frozen
   Flame in his hands. If I do,
   I wouldn't put it past him to
   resurrect Lavos a second time.

Schala:
   And you are going to go alone?

Magus:
   I have little choice: he may be
   the future, and even my magic
   isn't strong enough to transport
   more than one person through
   time.

Schala:
   Teach me the spell.

Magus:
   No.

Schala:
   I know my magic isn't quite as
   strong as yours, but surely I
   could--

Magus:
   You misunderstand me. You are
   the one person I would never
   bring along, even if I could.

Schala:
   Ya really do thing highly of
   yerself, don't ya, mate?

[She covers her mouth with her hand after saying this, as
though surprised at what just escaped her.]

Schala:
   I didn't mean...
   Please, Janus...
   When we were children, I failed
   to protect you from Lavos. You
   have suffered so much because I
   was weak... Please, let me try
   to redeem myself.

Magus:
   Schala...

[He takes a couple of steps forward and hugs her...although she
should have known better than to let him. A glow gathers around
one of his hands, and he touches the back of her neck with it.]

Schala:
   This is...
   N-no, don't...
   Janus...

[She slumps against him. Magus speaks his next line as he's lifting
her into his arms, with the background music fading out.]

Magus:
   Dear sister, you could never
   have kept me safe even if you
   had been able to battle Lavos
   toe to toe and win. When I was
   first thrown into the future, I
   could have chosen to forget
   everything and live out a
   normal, peaceful life, but
   instead I flung myself headlong
   into darkness. Any suffering I
   may have experienced as a result
   could be considered...at least
   partly self-inflicted, and even
   you could not have saved me from
   myself. The dark side of my
   nature is overwhelmingly
   powerful, and even though I am
   now able to control it, I do
   not always desire to do so.

[The scene starts to fade, so that Magus' final line is delivered
against a black background.]

   I will take you back to El Nido,
   and hopefully you will have a
   long and peaceful life there
   with your Serge...but that sort
   of life is not for me. If
   nothing else, I would find it...
   dreadfully boring.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

==============================================
Opassa Beach, Ideal Timeline
==============================================


 [Leena]
   Serge...
   
   Serge...!
   Hey, Serge!


[As the scene fades in, we see Serge lying on the beach,
apparently unconscious, with Leena bending over him and
shaking him. Serge wakes, and rises to his knees, then
his feet.]

Leena:
   Are you alright?
   What's the matter?

Serge:
   Um...nothing. Is there supposed
   to be something wrong?

Leena:
   Don't scare me like that!
   You just passed out
   all of a sudden!

Serge:
   I...passed out? (What's going
   on?) The last thing I remember
   is...fighting FATE. No, Terra
   Tower came after that, and then--

Leena:
   Hm? What...?
   Terra Tower...?
   FATE?

Leena:
   What are you talking about?
   We just got here.
   You got some Komodo
   dragon scales for me...
   Don't you remember?

Serge:
   Komodo...dragon scales? (I do
   remember, but that was months
   ago, right before everything
   started happening!)

   (It can't...all have been
   another dream?!)

   (No, I can't believe that--I
   WON'T believe that. I just don't
   have dreams that vivid. It had to
   be real. She...had to be real.)

   (Kid...)

   (I guess Schala screwed up. She
   said I would forget, but...I
   can't. And she said something
   about unifying time...does that
   mean there's only one world now?
   How is that supposed to work? It
   isn't like the two worlds were
   the same...)

   (I'll just have to look around,
   and see which bits ended up
   where. If I want to find Kid, I
   can't stay in Arni anyway.)

   (She has to be out there
   somewhere, right? And all the
   others...)

Leena:
   You sound confused...
   Come on, Serge...
   Get with the program.
   
Leena:
   Our summer's just
   started...

[The camera pans up and left, and then the scene fades out,
and we get, in order, VIDEO: the desk and Schala "Kid" Zeal's
diary, VIDEO: Credits with Modern!Schala, and VIDEO: Schala
on the beach.]

[Diary text]
   Thus the curtain closes on another tale.
   
   An eternity has passed...
   Fleeting dreams fade into the distance...
   All that is left now
   Is me and my memories...
   
   But I'm sure we'll meet again,
   Someday, you and I...
   Another place, another time.
   
   It's just that we might not realize
   That you are you and I am me...
   
   Let us open the door to the great unknown,
   Come across another reality,
   And live another today...
   Even when the story has been told,
   Life goes on...
   
   Until we meet again,
   Take care of yourself, my friend...
   
   Forever yours,
   
   Schala "Kid" Zeal
 
[Schala--post-credits text]
   I will find you...
   Even if I have to search the world over...
   
   Sometime, somewhere...
   
   I'm sure...

[We see a brief scene with Serge standing at the tip of Cape Howl
at sunset and Schala/Kid-in-a-white-dress just entering the right
edge of the picture.]

[If Magus was recruited, we also see a very brief scene with him
standing outside the door to Project Kid in Chronopolis, looking
up at the sign, and then stepping forward and entering the room.]

 ~Fin

Yes, that's a more definite ending than was present in the original,
but still not too definite, if y'know what I mean.

Next is the alternative bad ending with Magus.

[utunnels]

Ah, so Magus has a score to settle with Belthasar?

 

XD Your solution to Serge's memory isn't out of my imagination, actually I like your idea, just plain and neat. It would be boring if he became Magus the second (WTH, I can't remember a thing...but I know I have something that I must find).

I'm really curious about Leena's fate, could the fortune teller be right after all?

[skylark]

Wait, you merged them? At least tell me Schala has her blue hair again...

Dammit...

Good thing there are more endings, but...

..........

..................

Aww crap...

Good stuff otherwise.

[Mr Bekkler]

Fanboy^.

It's awesome seeing this come to a close. Now I can print the whole thing out and read it while playing through Cross!

[alfadorredux]

@utunnels: Well, if Serge had completely lost his memory, even in the original, he wouldn't have been asking Leena about Terra Tower, so I've always figured he had to retain something--the question was just how much, and whether he believed it was a dream or not. And since having him forget always felt to me like it would be trivializing everything he had done up until then, well...

I'm damned if I know where Leena ends up--despite the scene I wrote, I don't really think she would have gone after Zoah in earnest. Maybe she found herself a girlfriend? That would satisfy the prophecy while still letting her live happily ever after (and providing some fanboys with endless fantasy material, no doubt).

Magus...doesn't strike me as the sort of person who would be able to let Belthasar go--not only is the latter carrying the Frozen Flame around, thanks to how I tweaked Terra Tower, but he tried to manipulate Magus, and Magus is too proud to let him get away with that.

@skylark: I had to pick one or the other, and the merger always seemed more plausible to me than the two of them remaining separate, given the evidence available. Sorry, 'cause I do realize that it probably makes you feel a bit like I did when I heard how the added-for-DS ending treated Magus, but either way I would have ended up disappointing someone. ;P

(I though about having Magus slip in a question about the hair thing, but when I tried it, it felt out-of-character for him...)

@Mr Bekkler: I'm glad you enjoyed it. 

[utunnels]

Then that leaves some questions.

 Serge's memory again. In your ending, it sounds like Schala just tried to wipe Serge's memory like she did to Magus. The unification of the timelines didn't cause that effect. So the question is what happened to other characters. For example, Leena, Zappa, Radius, etc.  Unfortunately, Leena is the only one who in the canon ending.

  You sound confused...
   Come on, Serge...
   Get with the program.
   Our summer's just
   started...

It sounds clearly like Serge just passed out for a short while. Or else they would have at least carried him back to Arni. I always thought that was the real reason why they shouldn't have their memory -- because the adventure hasn't started yet.

But this theory also has obvious problem: What happened to those who came to DBT with Serge? I guess they got their memories wiped like Serge. Or they were discarded totally! You know the Leena you recruited was from Another World, but in the ending, she acts like the Home World one.

  Good-bye...
   Serge from another world...
   And have fun with the other me!
   Good-bye...

So the ending lines sound almost like this version got discarded becasue the unified timeline doesn't need an extra copy. But...

[alfadorredux]

@utunnels: ::shrug:: I have no idea how the bits for the Ideal Timeline were selected, and I
wrote that ending the way I did in part so that I wouldn't have to try too hard to figure it
out. We cats are lazy, you know.

Ugh, I spent what seemed like forever on this, and still ended up with
a couple of lines that I didn't like...


Ending 2: But the Future Did Not Change...

   Max recruits: Serge, Magus, Sprigg, Radius, Norris, Skelly,
        Guile, Karsh, ZOAH, Marcy, Fargo, Starky, Grobyc, Luccia, Dario,
        Leena, Kid. (As this scenario requires Magus, Glenn and Nikki
        should not be present.)

[This scenario takes the place of the "bad" ending if Magus is in the
party and the party had the Chrono Cross, but didn't use it (or used
it incorrectly).]

==============================================
Opassa Beach, Night (Home)
==============================================

[The party pops back out of the gate to the Darkness Beyond Time,
and spreads across the beach.]

Kid:
   Well, that was sure a bust,
   mate. So what do we--

Magus:
   You failed.

[The music comes up at this point: Prisoners of Fate]

Serge:
   Um...

Magus:
   Give me the Chrono Cross.

Serge:
   But I thought you couldn't
   use it...

Magus:
   I will find a way. And it's
   better than leaving it in the
   hands of a useless fool like you.

Kid:
   Whoa, there!

Magus:
   Shut your mouth, you
   disgusting parody.

Serge:
   ...Take that back.

Magus:
   Stop wasting time.

[Serge shakes his head.]

Serge:
   I don't care what you say about
   me--because I really did fail--
   but Kid didn't deserve that.
   If you don't take it back, I'm
   not giving you anything.

Magus:
   Very well.

[A ball of magic lightning crackles to life between Magus' hands.]

Magus:
   I warned you about the
   consequences of failure,
   as I recall.

Serge:
   You can't be serious! (Then
   again, he doesn't have much of
   a sense of humour...)
   I thought...we were friends.

Magus:
   Friends? We were proceeding
   toward what was more or less
   the same goal, that's all.
   Now, you are nothing but an
   obstacle...and I've killed far
   better men than you in order to
   achieve my purposes.

   Thrice I have been defeated and
   forced to leave Schala in
   darkness. Next time, I will
   succeed in freeing her, even
   if it means breaking the
   world...and myself as well.

   I will not permit you--or anyone
   else--to stand in my way.

Serge:
   I...still can't give you the
   Chrono Cross. I'm sorry. (I'm
   too scared of what he'd do with
   it. I mean, I know it's supposed
   to create harmony and all that,
   but I can't help thinking that
   a really powerful magician might
   find...some other way to use it.)

Magus:
   So...you will fight me?

Serge:
   Well, you're not leaving me much
   of a choice, are you? Let's get
   this over with.

[The other party members attempt to move forward, but Magus
waves a hand and knocks them away. As a result, Serge enters
combat with Magus alone. (Battle with Magus would be the most
appropriate background music here, if it were possible to pull
it off.)]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[If Magus wins, when the combat ends, we are shown Serge lying face down
on the beach, with his swallow lying a short distance from his hand.
Magus is still holding his scythe, and the other party members are all
staring in disbelief.]

Leena: [if present]
   How... How COULD you?!

Guile: [if present]
   Prince Janus...

[Kid's hands are clenched into fists, and she is shaking.]

Kid:
   I'm gonna kill ya for that!
   Dunno when or how, but someday--

Magus:
   Feel free to try. In the
   meanwhile, I'll be taking
   this...

[He bends over Serge's body.]

[System]
   Magus took the Chrono Cross.

Magus:
   If you truly seek to bring
   about my death, be assured
   I won't be hard to find.

[Everything except Magus fades out as he teleports.]

Magus:
   Forgive me, Schala, for doing
   such a thing to the would-be
   saviour whose life you went to
   such lengths to protect. If you
   feel you must hate me for it...
   then do. I would do anything for
   your sake, save permitting Lavos
   to be freed.

[Magus also fades, and we see the remaining text
against a black background.]

   At this point, Janus Zeal
   vanishes from all historical
   records for a period of
   nearly a millennium.

   The only further information we
   have regarding him comes from a
   fragmentary video found in a
   shattered dome on the ocean bed.

   Judging from what remains, in the
   local year 1999, a male human with
   blue hair suddenly appeared in
   midair above the planet's largest
   continent and began systematically
   destroying everything around him.

   The film includes some footage
   that seems to have been filmed
   with a powerful telephoto lens,
   which shows lip movements
   suggesting that the man was
   speaking even as he rained
   destruction down upon his fellows.

   Based on a scientific analysis
   of this species' language and
   patterns of articulation, we
   have reconstructed his words
   as follows:

   "...hate me for this, I know,
   but the only remaining chance is
   to recreate the history of the
   original timeline. Schala..."

   We believe this person to have
   been Janus Zeal, but as the
   disaster which occured here in
   local year 1999 destroyed the
   inhabitants' civilization and
   killed 95% of the population,
   not enough information remains
   to provide a positive
   identification...

   (Abridged from the Preliminary
   Report of the Third Survey of
   Planet "Earth", by Starky XVI.)

[The credits are then displayed over the Dead Sea/Nadia's Bell
background, and I still think that the first ~2.5 minutes of
Grace: Omega from the anime Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade fit better
here than any of the music from CC or CT, but getting it into a
hack would likely mean resorting to CD audio... My second choice
would be to display the credits without any sound at all.]

   ~Fin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[If Serge wins, things go quite differently. After the combat
ends, we see Magus down on his knees, with his scythe lying some
distance away, and Serge standing over him.]

Magus:
   Heh, so I wasn't strong
   enough...after all.

Serge:
   Magus...

Magus:
   Please don't say anything trite
   about...friendship making you...
   more powerful, or some...such
   nonsense. I don't think I...
   could take it right now.

Serge:
   I...I'll rescue her for you.
   I promise. This time, I'll get
   it right. (And if he'd just let
   me say that in the first place,
   he...wouldn't be... Oh, hell, I
   am NOT going to start crying.
   Not over this bastard. It isn't
   like he ever gave a rat's ass
   for any of the rest of us.)

   (But still...this is another
   thing I'm going to have
   nightmares about. For a really,
   really long time.)

Magus:
   Fail a second time, and I'll...
   haunt you until your dying day.

Serge:
   (You're already
   going to do that.)

[Magus falls forward onto the sand.]

Magus:
   (Schala, it looks like I won't
   be able to see you again after
   all. I'm sorry...)

[The camera pans up as the scene fades out.]

[Credits play over what looks like a painted portrait of
Schala and a very young Janus (and possibly Alfador).]

   ~Fin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think Breath of Fire IV made too much of an impression on me. ;P
Anyway, Magus won't be appearing in the next couple of endings, since
they occur before he could possibly be recruited. He may cameo in one
or two of the others (most likely The Darkened Fate) but the above will
probably end up being his last major appearance...which is a shame,
because I like writing him.

Next up: General Kid.

[utunnels]

Hmm, how could he recreate the history by slaughtering 95% of the population?
-_________-

Anyway this ending is the most astonishing one I've ever seen.

[alfadorredux]

@utunnels: I was being ironic in a nasty way there. Magus means he's trying to recreate
the original original, pre-Chrono-Trigger future. However, since the one thing
he isn't willing to do is let Lavos loose, he has to play Lavos' part himself
in order to do it. Magus' personal philosophy has always been one of the end justifying
the means (otherwise, he wouldn't have been capable of most of what he did in the year
600), and this is that philosophy pursued all the way to the end, so to speak.


But anyway...

What can I say? Most of the endings are relatively short...and, in the case of this
one, I only had to add a bit of dialogue to the first scene (although I'm posting
the entire thing, just for context).


Ending 3: General Kid

Max recruits: Serge, Leena, Kid.

[This is the ending available from the point Serge enters Another World
up until the assault on Viper Manor.]

==============================================
Arni, Docks
==============================================

[Leena and a couple of kids are standing near the
end of the dock.]

Leena:
   Oh, he's back!

[A fishing boat appears. Serge and another fisherman are in it.]

Leena:
   Hi, honey!
   How'd it go?

Serge:
   Well...

 [Man]
   He almost had one!
   He hit a 10 foot lion shark,
   but it got away, just as
   he was about to hoist it up.

Leena:
   Ooooh...
   That's too bad.
   But I still can't
   believe you used to be
   a housekeeper, Serge.
   You really are something!

Serge:
   (A HOUSEKEEPER? Just because Mom
   didn't let me go out with the
   boats all that often... Oh,
   man... Still, I kind of wonder
   why she suddenly changed her
   mind.)

 [Man]
   You said it.
   I've been fishing all my life,
   and I've yet to come across
   someone so talented.
   I sure got myself a
   great apprentice.
   I give him a perfect 10!

Leena:
   Me, too!
   A perfect 10!

[Kid appears at the village end of the dock.]

 [Man]
   There's no doubt, this guy's
   going to make it big!
   
Leena:
   Oh yeah!
   A superstar!

Serge:
   (My face has got to be
   SO red right now...)

 [Man]
   He'll be all set to
   marry you, Leena,
   and settle down to a
   sweet, loving family!
   You go girl!
   
Leena:
   Oh yeah!
   Go, go!!!

Leena:
   ...I mean... Hey!

Serge:
   Yeah, aren't you getting a
   little ahead of yourself, boss?
   Leena and I aren't... I mean,
   I haven't even asked her yet!

[Man]
   Hah ha ha!
   There's nothing to be
   embarrassed of!

[Kid, who has been watching all this ever since she
appeared, turns and leaves again.]

Kiki:
   Leena, you're blushing!

Leena:
   Oh!
   Pu-lease!

 [Kid]
   ~~~~~See ya, Serge...

Serge:
   (What the...?)

 [Man]
   Hm? What is it,
   Serge?

Serge:
   I thought I heard...someone
   telling me good-bye. A girl,
   I think. (It's really weird.
   I can't put a name to that
   voice, but... I feel like
   I've forgotten something
   important.)

 [Man]
   Huh?
   No, I didn't hear nothin'.
   You're probably just tired.
   We had it tough out there.
   
Leena:
   That's right.
   OK, then! Come on, Serge,
   I'll make you a nice lunch.

   You have to eat a lot
   of protein and build
   up those muscles!

Serge:
   Leena...!

 [Man]
   Oh man...
   You lovebirds...!

Leena:
   Come on!
   Stop teasing me!

 [Man]
   Hah ha ha!
   There's nothing to be
   embarrassed of!
   
Kiki:
   Leena, you're
   blushing again!

==============================================
Viper Manor, Top Floor
==============================================

[We see Kid enter Viper's office. The following lines
are spoken through the closed door, so we can't see
exactly what's happening.]

Kid:
   I got you now,
   LYNX!!!
   
Kid:
   Oi!
   That's the Frozen
   Flame, ain't it!?

Lynx:
   Are you one of the
   Radical Dreamers!?

Kid:
   Shut up!
   In the name of Lucca...!!!

Lynx:
   Hah...!
   What are you talking abou...

Lynx:
   Ughhhhhh!!!

[Kid walks back out of the office, carrying the Dragon
Tear (not the Frozen Flame)]

 [Kid]
   Heh-heh-heh......
   
Kid:
   HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAA!

Kid:
   Kill two birds with one stone!
   Heh-heh!

==============================================
Viper Manor, Second Floor Great Hall
==============================================

[As Kid descends from the upper floor in the chairelevator,
the dragoons are waiting.]

Karsh:
   Teeeen-huuut!

Karsh:
   I introduce to you,
   the new lord of El Nido...
   General Kid!

Karsh:
   General...
   
General Kid:
   Oi...!

[Kid gets to her feet]

General Kid:
   As of today, I stand
   before you as the new
   lord of El Nido!
   
General Kid:
   Ahahahahaha...!

[A generic dragoon runs up the carpeted aisle at the
middle of the room]
 
[Acacia Dragoon]
   General!

   I have important news!

   The Porre army is
   heading this way!!!

[Acacia Dragoon]
   HUH!?

[Acacia Dragoon]
   What!?
   
Zoah:
   ARGH!!!

[The rank-and-file dragoons start running around like beheaded chickens]

General Kid:
   Would ya all
   just calm down!!!

[Everyone stops in their tracks]

General Kid:
   Remember, we have
   the Frozen Flame!
   Plus, there's nothin'
   to worry about, with
   Kid in charge!
   
Karsh:
   Fall in line!!!

[The generic dragoons get back into neat ranks]

General Kid:
   After we defeat the
   Kingdom of Guardia,
   it's time to put these
   Porre blokes in their
   place!
 
 [Acacia Dragoons]
   Rrrargh!
   Yes, General Kid!!!
   
ZOAH:
   COME!
   FOLLOW ME!!!

[The dragoons all head for the doors of the mansion with
Kid in the lead, and the scene fades out. We then get some
text against a black background.]

 [System]
   Later...

   The Acacia Dragoons,
   led by General Kid...

   went on to conquer the
   neighboring countries with ease...
   
   It was the birth of
   a new sovereign nation...
   
   The Acacia Empire...
   
   And standing next to
   General Kid's throne...

   was the Frozen Flame...

 ~Fin

Next up:  The True Hero (I'll be amalgamating both versions into one post; they only differ in one scene out of four anyway.)

[utunnels]

However, since the one thing
he isn't willing to do is let Lavos loose, he has to play Lavos' part himself
in order to do it.

Oh, I think you mean he want to erase the presence of the Chronopolis?

Serge:
   (A HOUSEKEEPER? Just because Mom
   didn't let me go out with the
   boats all that often... Oh,
   man... Still, I kind of wonder
   why she suddenly changed her
   mind.)

 [Man]
   You said it.
   I've been fishing all my life,
   and I've yet to come across
   someone so talented.
   I sure got myself a
   great apprentice.
   I give him a perfect 10!

Ha, at first I thought you made a joke here.

[alfadorredux]

@utunnels: Pretty much, I think.

Somehow, Magus managed to slip himself a scene again. I'm starting to
wonder if I shouldn't be checking for mind control spells. ;P


Ending 4: The True Hero

Max recruits: Serge, (Magus and Guile) or (Glenn and Nikki),
        Skelly, Luccia, Leena, Kid.

This ending is available between the Viper Manor break-in and the body-swap
at Fort Dragonia (the Magical Dreamers ending isn't available because, with
Razzly unrecruited, it is impossible to fulfill the preconditions).

==============================================
Lisa's Element Shop, Termina
==============================================

[Serge and Lisa are behind the counter when Lisa's father
emerges from the back room.]

[Lisa's Dad]
   Hi, Serge.
   Looks like you're getting
   used to working here.

Serge:
   Well, yeah, kind of. Termina's...
   a lot different from Arni, but I
   kind of like it. I enjoy meeting
   new people.

   Where are you off to?

Lisa:
   Daddy, don't tell me
   you're going out to
   gather mushrooms again?

 [Lisa's Dad]
   Well, now that Serge is
   helping out, I have a lot
   of free time on my hands.

Serge:
   (Whoo, boy. I don't mind--
   even if I don't understand how
   anyone can like mushrooms so
   much--but this is the third
   time this week. Lisa's going
   to explode.)

Lisa:
   But what about doing
   the inventory!?
   You're the one who
   said there's always
   work to be done at
   Element shops!

Serge:
   (Bingo.)

 [Lisa's Dad]
   Don't worry about it.
   At my age, you have
   to live a little.
   Anyway, you two sure
   make a great couple.
   That's one worry off my mind!
   Hahahahah!!!

Lisa:
   D-Daddy...!
   Don't jump to
   conclusions so fast!

Serge:
   Yeah, we aren't even dating!
   (I mean, if I went out with
   Lisa, Leena would kill me and
   Kid would kick my corpse into
   orbit, even if she had to come
   back from the dead to do it.)

 [Lisa's Dad]
   Heh, heh.
   Well, I'm off to
   Shadow Forest.
   
Lisa:
   Be careful...
   And come back before dinner!
   Daddy still can't get
   enough of those mushrooms.

[Lisa's father leaves.]

Serge:
   I know, and I just don't get it.
   Are they really that good?

Lisa:
   The batch he brought home a
   couple of years ago made the
   whole house--and the store!--
   stink like old socks when he
   boiled them up. That's when I
   told him that if he wanted to
   eat them, he was going to have
   to do it in the woods.

Serge:
   I get the picture. (Ick.)

Lisa:
   Well, I guess it's
   time to get down
   to business!

[Serge nods just as Leena walks in.]

Leena:
   Ummm... Excuse me...
   You have a customer...

Lisa:
   Ohh! Leena!
   I'm sorry!
   I didn't realize
   you were here.

Serge:
   (Oh, hell, now they're going
   to start trying to kill each
   other with pointed remarks.)

Leena:
   Hmph...!
   What's so good about
   Termina anyway...?
   (I can't believe he
    decided to work here,
    even though I found him
    a job in Arni!!!)
   
Lisa:
   Hm?
   Did you say
   something, Leena?
   I can't hear you.
   What happened to your
   loud, annoying voice?

Serge:
   (I should have gone to Shadow
   Forest too, even if it is full
   of stinky-sock mushrooms.)

[Leena steps in closer and examines the merchandise on display.]

Leena:
   OHHH MY!!!
   I think this Element
   may be rotten...!?
   Is this the kind of
   merchandise you sell
   to your customers!?

Serge:
   Leena, it's an ELEMENT SHOP,
   not a grocery store. Elements
   don't rot. (Argh--why does she
   DO this?! It isn't like she was
   really going to buy anything
   in the first place!)

Lisa:
   Speaking of rotten...
   There was an awful stink
   just as you walked in...
   
Leena:
   No, I'm pretty sure the smell
   is coming from this shop...
   Coming from your ROTTEN
   personality!

Serge:
   (Maybe I should move to the
   continent...or they say Choras
   is pretty nice...)

Lisa:
   Leena...
   Isn't it time you went home?
   Alone...all by yourself,
   with no one to walk you home!!!

 [Leena]
   ......!!!

[Leena turns her back to the counter and waves a fist in the air.]

Leena:
   AHHHHHH...!!!
   Why does it have to
   turn out like this!?

Serge:
   (I wonder if she realizes that
   I'd like to do the exact same
   thing...)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[If either Serge or Magus supplied the Hydra Humour needed to
cure Kid of the poisoning she suffered during the Viper Manor
burglary, Kid enters the shop as Leena leaves.]

Kid:
   What's eatin' her?
   That girl needs to
   take it easy...

Kid:
   Oi, mate!
   How's work goin'?
   I hope you're not
   cheatin' the shop
   of all this booty!

Serge:
   Um, no, actually, I--

Lisa:
   Please... Serge would never
   do something like that!

Kid:
   Hah...
   I was just kiddin'!

Serge:
   You'd better be!

Kid:
   Let's see here...
   You got any good
   Elements?

Kid:
   You recommend
   anything, mate!?

Serge:
   Er...

Kid:
   You really don't
   talk much, do you?
   How do you expect
   to do good business?

Serge:
   (It isn't like I'm supposed to
   be a carnival barker...)

Lisa:
   It's better than
   someone I know who's
   always loud and vulgar!

[Serge facepalms]

Serge:
   (Why, why, WHY does Lisa
   pick fights with every girl
   who walks in here?!)

Kid:
   Listen you...!!!
   Get off yer high horse!
   Just because you won
   the Viper Festival
   beauty pageant...
   You only won because
   this town is filled with
   a bunch of hags!
   Just remember that!

Lisa:
   Well, I heard somewhere that a
   certain blond girl couldn't even
   make it to the preliminary round.
   
 [Kid]
   ......!!!

   (Bugger!
    How'd she know 'bout that!?)

Serge:
   (This probably isn't the best
   time to admit that I voted for
   Lisa too--I mean, Kid's cute,
   and she's more fun to be with
   than Lisa, but "beautiful" is
   a bit of a stretch, what with
   the way she dresses...)

[Kid turns away from the counter just as Korcha walks in]

Kid:
   AHHH! KORCHA!

Korcha:
   Don't ya worry, Kid.
   I voted for ya!

Serge:
   (He's probably the only one
   that did...)

Kid:
   Sheesh...!
   I'm honored!   

[Korcha walks further into the store and positions himself with
his back to Kid]

Korcha:
   Well...ummm...
   You know...
   About that agreement
   we had...
   Why don't ya tell
   me your answer?

Serge:
   (Uh-oh...)

[Kid quietly leaves the store, leaving Korcha getting
increasingly red as he speaks his next few lines...to
Macha, who arrives a moment after Kid leaves]

Korcha:
   ...Y-You don't have to
   answer immediately, but...
   How about just gettin'
   engaged for now,
   you know...!?

Korcha:
   We'll have a blast together!
   I'll treat ya right!
   We can go fishin' everyday,
   and I'll take you anywhere
   that ya wanna go in my boat!
   We'll settle down in Guldove
   and raise a happy family!

   Well?

Serge:
   (Somehow, I just can't see Kid 
   going for it...even if she were
   still here and listening to him.
   It's going to be interesting to
   see what colour he turns when he
   opens his eyes...)

Macha:
   '"Well,"' what?
   Aren't ya happy with
   the way things are, now?

Korcha:
   Ma!?
   What're ya
   doin' here?

Macha:
   Aren't I allowed to
   go shoppin'!?
   From the sounds of it,
   you just hit puberty!

Korcha:
   W-Whatever, ma!

Serge:
   (No matter how embarassing it is,
   if I ever find a girl, I'm going
   to propose with my eyes open.)

[And the camera pans up and away...]

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

==============================================
Viper Manor, General Viper's Study
==============================================

[If Magus was the one who provided the Hydra Humour
for Kid, after Korcha's flub, we see him and Guile
standing in front of Viper's desk, examining the
Dragon Tear.]

Magus:
   This is no more the Frozen Flame
   than it's a SandSquirt--I may not
   know HOW I know that, but I am
   absolutely certain of it. The
   question is, what do they intend
   to do with the fake?

Guile:
   That...is definitely a mystery.

[The door opens. Both men step quickly away from the
desk. Their bodies fade into transparency as they 
invoke some sort of concealment spell. General Viper
and Lynx enter and go to the desk.]

Viper:
   You're certain that everything
   is in readiness.

Lynx:
   I have done my part, General.
   So long as your men have loaded
   provisions for the trip to Fort
   Dragonia, we may now proceed
   with the unlocking.

Viper:
   We must get this done before the
   Porreans arrive...

[Lynx picks up the Dragon Tear, and he and Viper
leave the room. A moment later, Guile and Magus
fade back into visibility.]

Magus:
   Fort Dragonia...?

Guile:
   A ruin on the far side of the
   island, accessible only from
   the ocean. Does the name hold
   any meaning for you?

Magus:
   No. However, something is not
   right here. While that blue
   crystal of theirs isn't the
   Frozen Flame, it does hold
   considerable power. I want to
   know what they mean to do with
   it.

Guile:
   Then...

Magus:
   I'll follow them. You keep an
   eye on the girl.

Guile:
   (Sigh) As you wish.

Magus:
   Again, I can't say why, but I
   feel as though we may be getting
   close to an answer...

[Pan up and fade out.]

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[If Serge chose Nikki as his guide to Viper Manor, and
then chose not to get the Hydra Humour for Kid, the camera
pans up and away as Leena leaves, and we get the following
scene...]

==============================================
Mess Hall Kitchen, Viper Manor
==============================================

[Kid and Norris are washing dishes...or more accurately, Norris,
wearing his goofy scullion disguise, is washing dishes while Kid
stands around tapping her foot impatiently. In the background,
Orcha is chopping something up.]

Kid:
   Why the bloody hell do
   I have to do this!?

Norris:
   Stop complaining,
   '"Bloody Rose."'
   A spy must conduct
   field investigations.
  
Kid:
   Since when did I
   become a spy!?

Kid:
   And quit it with
   that code name stuff!

Norris:
   You do not like it?
   Then how about
   '"Red Scorpion?"'

Kid:
   That's not the
   bloody point!

Orcha:
   Don't ya slack
   off, newbies!

Norris:
   Yes, sir!

Kid:
   Alright, fine...
   I'll do it.
   Ya did save me life
   by getting me the
   Hydra Humour, I'spose...

Kid:
   But none of that
   code name rubbish!
   
Kid:
   Damn!
   Now where in hell did
   Serge and them go...?

[Fade out.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

==============================================
Fort Dragonia, Elevator Room
==============================================

[This scene takes place after Korcha's flub, after
Magus and Guile, or after the Viper Manor kitchen,
whichever.]

[Pierre and the Condiment Brothers are in the
elevator, which has just reached the top. Solt
and Peppor get out first.]

Solt:
   Is something wrongly
   wrong, Monsieur Pierre?
   This is it!
   There is no
   turning back now!
   
Peppor:
   Shake it!
   Pierre!
   Solt!

Peppor:
   J-Just you wait,
   Lynx!
   We'll teach you a lesson
   about General Viper's
   spice, I mean, spite!
   Shake it and say your
   prayers!
   ...Not that it'll
   do you any good!
   
Solt:
   Monsieur Pierre!
   Let us be on our way!

Pierre:
   Actually...
   Moi seem to have an upset
   stomach from last night's
   party at Monsieur Zappa's.
   It is not a good idea
   for moi to run...

Solt:
   ...Are you seriously serious
   about being a hero?

Peppor:
   Th-That's pathetic!!!

[Pierre finally gets out of the elevator, but the
Shaker Bros. are already going on ahead.]

Pierre:
   P-Please!
   Do not run!!!

[Fade to...]

==============================================
Fort Dragonia, Double Doors
==============================================

[The would-be heroes have just ridden the transporter-thing
up to the topmost level of the fort.]

Peppor:
   H-Huh!?
   What just happened!?
   
Peppor:
   W-What are we
   doin' out here!?

[Peppor takes a quick look over the edge of the platform]

Peppor:
   W-We're so high up!
   I-Is this thing floatin'!?
   
Solt:
   Our bodies seem to
   have passed through
   the floor just now...

Peppor:
   Th-This sure is some fort...
   Huh, Pierre?

   ......!?

Peppor:
   W-What's shakin', Pierre?
   You alright?
   You don't look so well.
   W-Who knows if there'll be
   a toilet up ahead!
   Shake it and hold it in!
   
Pierre:
   Moi should be fine...
   Moi am a hero...
   I-I'll do mon best...
   
Peppor:
   W-We shook out a lot
   of cash to hire you!
   You better!!!

[They approach the doors]

Peppor:
   S-Someone shake it
   and open that door!
   
Solt:
   We shall leave this
   up to you, Peppor!

Peppor:
   W-Why me!?

Pierre:
   Tah ta-tah!
   Moi say we decide this with a
   game of rock, paper, scissors.
   That would be appropriate, non?

Peppor:
   G-Good idea!
   You're a true hero, alright!
   OK, ready...?
   Rock, paper, scissor...
   SHAKE!
   
 [Solt]
   ......

Solt:
   It is you,
   Monsieur Pierre!

Pierre:
   Ohhhhhh...
   Moi feel the squirts
   coming on...!
   Oh, the pain...
   the pain...

[Pierre collapses theatrically on the ground]

Peppor:
   ...Ohhh man...
   Alright, let's shake
   another game...

Pierre:
   Oui, oui, oui!!!
   Indeed!
 
 [Shaker Brothers]
   ......

[The screen fades out, leaving the final line displayed against a
black background...]

 [System]
   The three of them were
   never heard from again...

And there we are. Next on the list is New Beginnings...if I can rein in my temptation to do a set of illustrations based on Magus' pithier remarks (Time Egg Serge, purple sea slug Serge, Magus glaring at a SandSquirt he's holding up by the neck...)

[utunnels]

Hehe, I expected Lynx would turn his head back before he went with Viper.