Author Topic: What if Schala escaped the Ocean Palace incident? - Chrono What-Ifs  (Read 1827 times)

MS04

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Hey, all! Consider this the start of a little series of posts where I discuss potential what-if scenarios in the Chrono universe, basically saying "Hey, what if this happened instead of that?" Today's topic is probably one of the Chrono franchise's most important scenes, the collapse of the Ocean Palace and the disappearance of Schala. But what if she survived and escaped? Let's begin!


We start at the usual scene, right after Crono's death, when Schala is preparing to send the 2 party members (in this case, they'll be Marle and Glenn) and Magus up to the surface. Before she does so, Marle quickly points out that her pendant should have enough power to let them all escape. She immediately gives it to Schala, who has to prepare her spell quickly as the palace is literally only a few seconds before it's fully submerged. All 4 escape, leaving the Ocean Palace to crumble...


Everything is normal up until the 2 party members now wake up, now accompanied by Schala. After their talk with the elder of Algetty, Schala expresses her guilt for letting Crono die, but Glenn assures her that it was her mother's fault. At this point, Schala joins the party! In battle, she would basically be a better Marle but have terrible physical strength, as she only fights with a knife, just like Kid in Chrono Cross. To make it up for it, her healing powers are the best in the game.


Schala's optional for the Blackbird, but if you bring her along, there's a little bit of extra dialogue Dalton has. After the Blackbird falls, the trio of party members (Marle, Glenn and Schala) all head to the North Cape to confront Magus. Although Schala doesn't recognize him at first, after Magus tells of his story, she immediately knows he's Janus. Schala quickly rushes to Magus's side, distraught that her little brother went through all that he described. Magus tells the two party members to go, as he wants to speak to Schala privately. This now starts a completely new scene between the two.


"I can't believe..." Magus mumbles before Schala cuts him off. "I can't believe you suffered the way you did, Janus. You suffered for a lifetime, just to see me again." Schala says in her calm voice all too familiar to Magus. "Well, we're back together now. And those fools think I'll help them? Pathetic." Magus scoffs. "Please, Janus, they helped you bring back the one you love, why not help them do the same thing?" Schala pleads. "Hmph. Very well, Schala. I'll do this for you, and for you alone." Magus says before the two head back to the party members.


Everything is mostly the same from here, although since Schala is now a party member, she appears in several key moments and Magus also warms up to the party a bit more. In this version of the story, Crono, Magus and Schala head to the Black Omen. Once they encounter Queen Zeal on the top of the Black Omen for the final battle, there's some more unique dialogue: "Schala, why are fighting alongside them? Join me, and we shall reign over the world forever!" Zeal demands. "Don't you ever hurt her again, you pitiful woman. Your reign ends here!" Magus shouts, in pure frustration with her single-mindedness.  "Why do you care about her so much, Prophet? Unless you're who I think you are?" Zeal questions, but quickly gets back on-topic. "I'll crush you foolish children, and teach you to never interfere again!" Zeal laughs before transforming.


After the battle with Lavos, all is well until the ending scene, in which Schala also shows up at the Guardia Castle to congratulate Crono. Once everyone gets ready to leave, Schala goes alongside Magus, who actually has some parting words. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you all. You made my dream come true, and we stopped Lavos together. If trouble shows up, you know where to find us. If we ever meet again, call me Janus from now on." Magus says before he and Schala depart. The credits are the same, except now that Magus and Schala are standing on the North Cape as the Epoch flies by...


So yeah, that was it! Tell me if you guys enjoyed it, and potentially any other Chrono what-ifs that I could do!
« Last Edit: February 11, 2020, 09:09:42 am by MS04 »

Sheiken

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Re: What if Schala survived? - Chrono What-Ifs
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2020, 09:26:56 am »
I like this, well done.  My only problem is that if this happened, we would not have the wonderful game known as Chrono Cross.   :wink:
« Last Edit: February 09, 2020, 11:31:12 am by Sheiken »

MS04

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Re: What if Schala survived? - Chrono What-Ifs
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2020, 10:12:13 am »
I like this, well done.  My only problem is that if this happened, we would not have the wonderful game know  as Chrono Cross.   :wink:


True.

Schala Zeal

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Re: What if Schala survived? - Chrono What-Ifs
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2020, 04:06:57 am »

MS04

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Re: What if Schala survived? - Chrono What-Ifs
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2020, 05:46:25 am »
Something like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGoS88HzKv0


Yeah, that was a little bit of inspiration for me for that scene.

Acacia Sgt

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Re: What if Schala escaped the Ocean Palace incident? - Chrono What-Ifs
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2020, 11:31:45 am »
Oh, yeah, this what if. Always thought that using Marle's pendant was a very plausible way to save her. Don't agree on making her a party member; but other than that your scenario is quite well done.

Schala Zeal

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Re: What if Schala escaped the Ocean Palace incident? - Chrono What-Ifs
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2020, 05:02:56 pm »
I've been procrastinating too much that I haven't even played the hack that came out a whole year ago. Still sitting in my documents folder

NimmerStill

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Re: What if Schala survived? - Chrono What-Ifs
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2020, 09:02:26 pm »
I like this, well done.  My only problem is that if this happened, we would not have the wonderful game known as Chrono Cross.   :wink:

I don't know about that. Chrono Cross could be very slightly rewritten to be almost the same.  The Time Crash could still happen, but truly by accident. Therefore FATE and the Dragon God(s) would still drive events from the point of arrival of Chronopolis and Dinopolis until the present as they do in canon. The storm that sends Wazuki and Miguel off course and compromises FATE's access to the Frozen Flame could just be a storm, rather than Schala intervening. I'm not sure what causes Serge's alive vs. dead status to cause a split in worlds, but it could still happen. Kid could still exist, and just be a different person, but with the same motives as in the game. And the game could pretty much proceed as is, except much less exposition by Belthasar (if he's there at all), and no Time Devourer at the end; the fused Dragon God could simply be the final battle.
« Last Edit: February 14, 2020, 09:05:52 pm by NimmerStill »