Unsurprisingly, Magus stole the scene here (and chewed up a bit of the
scenery in the bargain, but that's okay--most of it was just an illusion
anyway...) Oh, and I raided that Aussie slang page several times in the
course of writing Kid's dialogue, so any odd expressions she uses probably
come from there...
26. Chrono Cross - The point where destinies meet... Part II,a. (with Magus) [P]
Max recruits: Serge, Magus, Sprigg, Radius, Norris, Skelly,
Guile, Karsh, ZOAH, Marcy, Fargo, Starky, Grobyc,
Luccia, Dario, Leena, Kid.
==============================================
False Library, Terra Tower (Another)
==============================================
[When the party enters the library, the ghost
children are scattered around the upper level,
while Belthasar waits at the base of the stairs.
Upon entering, Magus knocks Belthasar down
with some sort of spell (ball of light? lightning?),
and then charges over to hold the Guru down. Pulling
out his scythe, he puts one foot on Belthasar's chest
and the scythe blade at his throat.]
Magus:
I have some questions for you,
old man. Depending on the
answers you give me, I might
even let you live afterwards.
Serge:
Magus...
Kid:
You're wastin' yer breath, mate.
He ain't got time for any of us
right now. We'd have to grab him
and haul him off the geezer...
and I don't know about you, but
I ain't gonna try!
Magus:
Well?
Belthasar:
Prince Janus...
Yes, I will answer your
questions. We are long past
the point at which you could
have derailed my plan.
Magus:
And that is exactly what I
want to know: What plan? Lavos
flung you to the far future,
so why return to this time and
meddle? What are you trying to
accomplish?
Belthasar:
I only wished to rescue someone.
Magus:
WHO? Who could be so important
that you would destroy your
power base in the future and
risk tearing the world apart?
Belthasar:
...Schala.
[Magus drops his scythe--which somehow miraculously falls
to one side without giving his victim more than a shallow
cut--and staggers away from Belthasar, clutching his head
with both hands. The music changes to Prisoners of Fate.]
Magus:
...No. No! Even if my strength
is not enough, I won't... There
must be a way... Schala... I
won't abandon...
Guile: | Serge:
Magus... Are you well? | Hey, are you okay?
[Magus shakes his head and visibly returns to himself.]
Magus:
Heh. What bitter irony: that we
had the same goal all along, you
and I, old man.
[He turns to face the rest of the party. As Magus speaks his next line,
Belthasar, now behind him, touches his throat, then shakes his head and
gets to his feet.]
Magus:
I remember everything now. My
sister, Schala... During the
events surrounding the Fall of
Zeal, Lavos tore her out of the
world and sent her to the
Darkness Beyond Time, the final
home of discarded timelines.
Serge:
Like what we saw inside the
Dead Sea? Then...she's dead,
isn't she?
[Magus shakes his head]
Magus:
No. Death would have been a
mercy by comparison to what
actually happened to her.
Lavos... I still don't understand
how we could have been so wrong,
but that THING, that monstrosity,
didn't die when we killed it.
It, too, was banished to the
Darkness, and somehow, Schala
became...entangled with it.
Serge:
I don't understand.
Magus:
It took me years to find a way
to enter the Darkness, and when
I finally located Schala, I
discovered that she had been...
partially absorbed by Lavos.
[The other members of the party kind of flinch back.]
Magus:
Naturally, I tried to free her,
but nothing I could do seemed to
have any effect, and I could feel
Lavos trying to reach out to me
as well... In the end, Schala
told me that my strength could
never be enough to free her, and
used Lavos' power to force me
from that place.
Despairing, believing that I
truly was helpless, I attempted
to destroy myself, but I only
succeeded in erasing my memory--
and burying most deeply those
portions that caused me the most
pain.
And that is another bitter irony:
I spent more than thirty years in
the hell that was the magicless
future to which Lavos condemned
me. During that time, I believed
Schala dead and truly lost to
me...and yet I never sought to
fling myself after her. It seems
almost bizarre that I responded
the way I did to circumstances
which offered...more hope.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
[If Guile is present, he shakes his head]
Guile:
I begin to see.
Magus:
See what?
Guile:
Self-reliance is generally
considered a positive quality...
but when taken to extremes, it
is also a flaw.
Magus:
What are you babbling about?
Guile:
When your sister told you that
your strength could not save her,
you interpreted that to mean that
she could not be saved. Even
though you had slain Lavos in the
company of others, it never
crossed your mind to ask for
help. And so, in pride and
despair, you fled from the pain
in the only way you could find.
Serge:
(...Whoa. Where did he get all
that...?)
Guile:
I have spent years now studying
the mystery that is you, Magus--
Janus Zeal. I know your heart
better than I know my own.
Magus:
I'm beginning to regret that I
didn't step back when we first
met and let those bandits finish
you off.
Guile:
I also know that you hate it
when others tell you truths
about yourself. Very well, I
will put my mirror away...for
the present.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Belthasar:
Schala hoped that you would never
remember her, I think. I could
have told her otherwise. Even
as a child, you were far too
stubborn to ever admit defeat.
Magus:
And so the pieces fall into
place at last...all but a
handful of them.
Belthasar:
You still have more questions?
Magus:
I don't believe in your altruism.
There is something in all of this
that still doesn't quite fit.
Belthasar:
...
Magus:
What did you need the
Dragonians for?
Belthasar:
Oh, that. I didn't. When I sent
Chronopolis back in time, Terra
Tower appeared out of nowhere
to oppose it. I can only assume
that the Entity, as Prometheus
called it, didn't approve of my
actions, and so decided to bring
in a counterbalance.
Magus:
And the dragons were somehow
related to or created by the
Dragonians, I presume--they have
that kind of feel to them.
Belthasar:
Indeed: the seven of them seem
to be a sort of...personification
of nature, or the Dragonians'
view of nature...
Magus:
...Seven? Then the harlequin was
a dragon too. Interesting.
It must have been a bit of a
shock when such a large random
factor dropped into the middle
of your neatly ordered plan.
Belthasar:
...
Magus:
And you have answered my other
question as well: If the Entity
disapproved of your plan, then
your actions are the ultimate
cause of the ruined future we
saw at the heart of the Dead Sea.
Without you, Lavos would have
stayed safely bottled up in the
Darkness Beyond Time, where it
could harm no one. Somehow, the
dimensional split is going to
provide a loophole that could
let it loose.
Serge:
(Then...it's his fault, and
not mine after all...?)
Magus:
It's a shame that I can't return
to the past and kill you before
you ever arrived in the future.
Belthasar:
...You do know that my plan is
your sister's only hope.
Magus:
I know that...but I also know
Schala. If my sister had known
of this plan of yours, if you
had told her that the only way
for her to be free was to risk
the lives of every creature in
this world, she would have
sabotaged your plot herself.
How many people have already
died because of your actions,
Belthasar?
Belthasar:
Given your history, I'm somewhat
surprised that you care.
Magus:
Heh. You're right: my heart
doesn't exactly bleed for that
nameless mass of pathetic fools.
But Schala's would--and will, if
we succeed in freeing her. How
dare you burden her this way? Did
you think I wouldn't care about
that, either?
For that alone, your life would
be forfeit.
[Purple lightning flashes, and the screen whites out
for a moment...but when the picture returns, Belthasar
is still standing. His hands are cupped in front of
him, palms outward, and in front of them, a fading
ball of light hangs.]
Magus:
How...?!
Belthasar:
While your magic is stronger
than mine, Prince Janus, you
left Zeal at such a young age
that you never received the
training that was your
birthright. Your spells are
ill-focused...fortunately for
me.
Magus:
I can still strangle you with
my bare hands--
[Belthasar begins to fade away]
Belthasar:
Precisely why I am not going
to remain here. Good luck with
the dragon-god...and with your
sister.
Magus:
Do you think I can't track you,
you old snake?
[As Belthasar vanishes completely, and before Magus
can actually do anything, Crono's ghost fades from
the upper level and reappears beside him.]
[Crono]
Janus, there is no time.
[Marle's ghost fades, then reappears beside Crono]
[Marle]
The events he has set in motion
can no longer be stopped.
[And Lucca's ghost completes the trio]
[Lucca]
You have to go on and challenge
the Dragon God at the top of the
tower, or humanity is doomed.
After that, you will have to
decide for yourself whether or
not you will push on into the
Darkness...and risk everything
to save her.
[The ghosts slowly fade away. When they're completely gone, Magus
shakes his head and heads for the door as the normal music resumes.
He pushes past the rest of the party, but stops in the doorway.]
Magus:
We're wasting time here.
Let's go.
Kid:
Hold yer horses!
Magus:
What do YOU want?
Kid:
I was just thinkin'... If ya
remember everything now, you
must know who I reminded ya
of, back when we first met in
Guldove...
Magus:
You...are my sister's very
image, except for your hair.
If you were to put on a wig and
one of her gowns, none could
tell you apart...except by the
fact that you have not the
slightest grasp of how a
princess should behave.
[Magus exits]
Kid:
Yeah? And you're as useful as
tits on a bull, ya bloody figjam!
[(figjam = Fuck I'm Good, Just Ask Me--in other words,
Kid is saying Magus has an obnoxiously high opinion of
himself.) She follows Magus out, with the rest of the party
following after, until Serge is alone in the pseudo-library]
Serge:
(...It feels like I'm trapped
inside Magus' story again. Or
just maybe...Schala's?)
[Serge exits back onto the bridge as well.]
==============================================
Small Room, Terra Tower (Another)
==============================================
[When they address the green light]
[Anemotor]
RETURN-OUR-TREES...
GIVE-BACK-OUR
GREEN-FORESTS...
Serge:
...We can't. I'm sorry.
Combat. The teleporter to the upper part of the
tower becomes available when the Anemotor is
defeated.]
==============================================
Beyond the Teleporter, Terra Tower (Another)
==============================================
[The party steps off the teleporter, then stops]
Serge:
(Damn, this thing is tall...
I wonder how much farther we
have to go.)
[The camera pans up to give us a brief view of the towertop]
Serge:
I guess that's the top, but
what's with those lights?
Guile/Norris: | Magus: | Luccia:
It is difficult to be | They appear to be the | Could it be dat dey
certain, but perhaps... | visual manifestation of | are holding the door
some sort of seal? | a seal created by the | shut?
---------------------------| Reptites' ridiculous |-------------------------
Kid: | imitation magic. I could | Starky:
Looks to me like it | likely break it, but it | Staarky thinks it
might be a lock for | would be more efficient | miight bee a
that door... | to open it using whatever | forcefiield...
| method they had set up. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leena: | Marcy:
Well, I doubt they're | Maybe they're, like,
just a decoration... | Dragonian flashlights?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Radius/Dario: | Zoah:
They must serve a | PERHAPS THEY HAVE
purpose... Something to | SOMETHING TO DO WITH
do with the door...? | THE DOOR?
[The beams are deactivated by the crystals guarded by
Luxator and Gravitor, who apparently have nothing to
say for themselves.]
==============================================
Inside Upper Tower, Terra Tower (Another)
==============================================
[When they address the blue light]
[Aquator]
DISRESPECTING-THE
ORIGINS-OF-LIFE...
MOTHER-SEA-SUFFERS...
YOU-MUST-PAY-THE-PRICE.
Serge:
Even if we've caused you pain,
killing off the human race won't
undo what we've done.
[When Aquator is dead, the teleport pad leading to
the summit becomes available]
==============================================
Stairs, Terra Tower (Another)
==============================================
[As the party climbs one last flight of stairs, they
hear the Dragon God shouting at nothing in particular]
[Voices of the Dragon God]
A-ARRGH...
HELP...
S-STOP IT...
KILL ME...
WELL COME...
Welcome...
Humans...
Those who know the torment and
joy of creation know also the
pleasure and pain of destruction.
Therefore, all that pass through
here must be prepared to share the
burden that I carry.
Serge:
H-Harle? Is that you?
Kid: | Karsh: | Dario/Glenn/Guile:
Didn't sound like | Didn't have Harle's | Why would Harle speak
it to me. | accent... | of such things?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marcy/Leena: | Norris: | Sprigg:
I don't think so. | It didn't sound like | That girl always talked
| her to me. | funny, though...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zoah: | Starky: | Luccia:
IT SEEMS UNLIKELY. | Harle...is gone. | I do not t'ink it vas her.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Magus: |
... |
Serge:
(I know it didn't SOUND like
her...and yet, somehow, I
think...)
==============================================
Summit, Terra Tower (Another)
==============================================
[The Flame is hovering above some sort of cup-like
formation in the middle of the open summit area.
As the party approaches it, we see a brief VIDEO: the
Flame opens up]
Magus: | Fargo: | Kid:
The Frozen Flame... Miserable | The Frozen Flame... | So this is the
child of Lavos. I've been | I've never seen | true Frozen Flame...
wondering when you would show | another jewel that | Struth!
yourself again. | would compare. |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starky: | Dario: | Radius:
What is this energyy? | It could indeed be | The Frozen Flame... In all
Staarky thinks the Froozen | frozen fire...or | my born years, I've never
Flaame is daangerous. | blood. | seen the like.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Luccia: | Norris:
So dat is de Frozen | If that is the Frozen Flame,
Flame... It appears | it is just as well that the
to defy all science. | High Command never obtained it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leena: | Skelly:
The Frozen Flame... I don't | So that's the Frozen
know how we ever mistook the | Flame... You know,
Dragon Tear for that thing. | for once I don't
| feel like laughing.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sprigg: | Zoah:
The magic comin' from that | SO THIS IS THE "FROZEN
thing iz enough to make me | FLAME" THAT EVERYONE HAS
'air stand on end. I guess | BEEN SEARCHING FOR.
everythin' they say about |
the Frozen Flame iz true. |
Serge:
(It feels almost like...it's
dragging me in...)
Kid:
Hold on!
Don't touch it!
Magus:
You utter fool!
[Serge, demonstrating that he sometimes has the brains of
a robomule, steps forward and lays his hand right on it,
producing a bright flash. When the screen clears, Serge
has backed off.]
Kid/Leena: | Dario/Norris: | Karsh:
Is everyone okay? | Is anyone hurt? | Everybody okay?
---------------------------------------------------------------
Luccia: | Radius/Guile: | Marcy:
Vas anyvone hurt? | Is everyone alright? | Like, is everyone okay?
---------------------------------------------------------------
Sprigg: | Fargo: | Zoah:
I'm getting too | Arr... No broken | WAS ANYONE HURT?
old for this. Iz | bones, I hope. |
everyone alright? | |
Serge:
I'm sorry, guys. I don't
know what got into me.
Guile: [if present]
Perhaps, as the Arbiter, you
are more vulnerable to the
Flame's influence than the
rest of us.
[Kid glares at the Frozen Flame.]
Kid:
Bugger you!
Us humans ain't
gonna let you have
yer way any longer!
Magus:
Something's coming.
Guile: [if present]
I feel it too.
Sprigg: [if present]
Wot's this? Not quite magic,
but it'z similar...
Kid:
C'mon!
Show yer
bloody self!
[The Dragon God shoots up over the edge of the tower,
then lands on the far side of the Flame from the party,
who have all taken up defensive stances.]
[Dragon God]
In order to survive,
all living things in this world
fight desperately and
devour those they defeat...
Must one kill other living
things in order to survive?
Must one destroy another world
in order to allow one's own
world to continue?
The wounded in turn wound
and torment those weaker
than they themselves are...
There are only the killers and
the killed...
The sinners, who are judged, and
the victims that do the judging...
What meaning is there
to such a world?
Kid:
Whether there's
meanin' to our
lives or not...
we still go on
livin', you know!
Kid:
You've got no right
to deny that!
Serge:
You want to know what meaning
there is in the world... Well,
what meaning is there in
destroying it? Once it's gone,
there'll just be...nothing. An
empty space. There CAN'T be
any meaning in that.
(Did that even make sense?
...I am SO tired of philosophy.)
[Dragon God]
I shall cleanse this blue planet of
you filthy humans once and for all!!
Serge:
Let's get this over with so I
can go home.
[Combat. When the party wins...]
[Dragon God]
Now I shall truly awaken again...
This too is destiny...
Magus:
I do not like the sound
of that one bit.
Serge:
Neither do I, really, but...
Anyway, what are you going to
do now? Are you going after
your sister, or--
Magus:
The Flame needs to be
dealt with first.
[Belthasar]
No need to worry--I'll
take it.
[Belthasar fades into existence near the Flame. Magus
pulls out his scythe.]
Magus:
Touch it and I'll kill you.
Belthasar:
Prince Janus--
Magus:
I don't trust you with that
thing.
Belthasar:
I only intend to keep it safe,
beyond the reach of men.
Magus:
Beyond the reach of men OTHER
THAN YOU, you mean.
Belthasar:
Well, I--
Magus:
If I hadn't thought your
judgement questionable before,
the fact that you want to spirit
the Flame away rather than
destroying it would prove it.
Belthasar:
I do intend to destroy it...
in time. But before that, it
must be studied.
Magus:
As I recall, you said that
about Lavos, too.
Belthasar:
This is different.
Magus:
Heh. You can't even
come up with a better
excuse than THAT?
[Suddenly, the tower shakes. Magus is thrown off-balance, and
Belthasar lunges for the Flame. The screen flashes white, and
when it clears, both Belthasar and the Flame are gone.]
Magus:
Damn him!
Zeral molom kathreshar--
[The tower shakes again.]
Serge:
Magus, I don't know what you're
trying to do, but there's no
time! If we don't get out of
here before this thing comes
apart under us--
Magus:
If you're worried, go on ahead.
If I leave now, I won't be able
to trace the old man's teleport.
Kid:
Are ya bloody crazy?! If you
try to stay up here, you're
gonna end up dead--and who
knows what'll happen to your
sister then?
Magus:
In the unlikely event that I
didn't make it, I had hoped Serge
would experience another mad
impulse toward heroism and go to
rescue Schala in my place, but I
suppose that isn't possible if
he fails to exit the tower in
time. Very well--I'll come.
Kid:
Bet ya made Sis as cross as a
frog in a sock. What does it
take for you to get it through
that thick head of yours that
there are people out there that
care if ya live or die...Uncle?
[The tower starts shaking again, and this time, it doesn't stop]
Serge:
We're out of time--we need to
go NOW!
[As the party flees, we are shown VIDEO: the end
of Terra Tower]
==============================================
Sea (Another)
==============================================
[When the screen fades in again, we see the party
in a boat at the foot of the tower. I'm going to
assume Kid joins them in the boat even if she didn't
climb the Tower, although the original has alternative
lines available...]
Kid:
So that's Terra Tower's
final, true form...
In the end, we're all the
same...
Everyone dreams of bein'
greater, more powerful...
Magus:
And why not? It takes power
to get anything done in this
world.
Serge:
You know, Magus, there are times
when you have all the charm of
one of those three-foot-long
purple sea slugs that wash up on
the beaches after a bad storm.
Magus:
One more word, and I'll turn
you INTO a sea slug.
Kid:
Oy, you two, don't have a blue
now! Ain't we been through
enough yet?
Magus:
...
Serge:
...I guess you're right. That
tower was tough, and I think
maybe we're all a bit on edge.
[There's a brief pause--a second or two--during which no one says anything]
Kid:
So, Uncle Janus... Are ya gonna
go after your sister?
Magus:
...Stop calling me that.
Kid:
Then stop tryin' to change the
subject! Are ya goin' or not?
[Lucca's ghost]
He doesn't know what to do.
[She fades in sitting on the edge of the boat.]
Magus:
Damn you.
Serge:
(Guess he can't make threats
about sea slugs to her!)
[Lucca]
His first attempt to free Schala
failed, and he has no better
plan this time.
Magus:
I'm fairly certain that spell
to banish wandering ghosts
began with--
[Lucca]
There is a way, Janus.
Belthasar found it.
Magus:
WHAT way, damn you?! I've been
wracking my brains, and if
neither force nor persuasion
will work, then I see no hope.
[Lucca]
The Chrono Cross.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
[If they've already made the Chrono Cross]
Serge:
You mean this weird Element
that we made out of the
broken Dragon Tears?
[Lucca]
Indeed.
Magus:
Give me that!
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
[If they haven't created it yet]
Magus:
What are you talking about?
[Lucca]
It is an Element that can only
be created by fusing the power
of two separate dimensions. You
must take the shards of the two
Dragon Tears to Divine Dragon
Falls, near Arni.
Magus:
Then--
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
[Lucca]
You cannot wield it, Janus.
Magus:
WHAT?!
[Lucca]
The dark paths you have walked
have left you too bitter. The
Chrono Cross loses its power if
the one who wields it has no
harmony within himself. That's
why Belthasar chose...a
fisherman.
Serge:
You mean...me?
[The ghost nods]
[Lucca]
Exactly. Janus will just have to
swallow his pride for once and
ask for help in creating the
Cross's proper melody.
[Serge shakes his head]
Serge:
He doesn't need to. He may be
as prickly as hell, but he's
still one of us. Of course we'll
help him.
Magus:
...
[Lucca]
Well, now that that's settled...
Here, take this!
[System]
Serge received Time Egg!
[Lucca]
That will let you access the
Darkness Beyond Time, where
Princess Schala is trapped.
Use it back at the beginning.
I'll be waiting for you there.
[The ghost stands up, but before she can actually fade...]
Kid:
Sis, wait!
...Oh, bloody hell, I know it
isn't really you, but...
[Lucca]
Who fed you that line of--Oh, of
course. Miguel. He was wrong,
Kid. Because he had been reduced
to an impotent image of what he
had once been, he assumed we had
suffered the same fate. Well, he
was wrong. I'm still Lucca the
Great! ...Well, mostly, anyway.
Not being able to touch anything
kind of limits what I can do.
Kid:
Sis... (Sniff) Ah, damnit, I'm
too old to cry!
[Lucca turns to face out to sea]
[Lucca]
I guess I broke my promise to
look after you, didn't I? I'm
sorry, Kid.
Kid:
N-no biggie. I'm doin' okay
on my own.
[Lucca]
Except that I guess you're not
exactly on your own anymore...
which is a load off my mind,
really. Now, what did you want
to ask me about?
Kid:
About Princess Schala... Is she
s'posed to be anything to me?
[Lucca]
I thought you'd figured it out
when you started calling Janus
"Uncle"--
[For a moment, the ghost gets even more transparent]
[Lucca]
Oh, damn--I think I'm out of
time. Kid, I promise I'll tell
you about Schala the next time
we meet. Right now, I need to
take a rest.
Kid:
...S'okay. I can wait a little
longer. Go take a nap, or
whatever ghosts do when they
feel stuffed.
[Lucca]
One of these days, you're going
to have to tell me where you
picked up that accent, because
I certainly didn't teach you to
talk that way!
[Lucca fades away]
And tomorrow, the first half of the alternate version where Serge gets to be the one
who goes postal at Belthasar...