Chrono Trigger - At the Fair
I started Chrono Trigger finally. The swinging pendulum, the music, the seagulls screaming as the world comes into view. All of it was a nostalgia kick to the chest. I was in Guardia immediately. Chrono’s mother wakes him up and opens the curtains to let the light in. She announces today is the opening of the fair. Time to name our Hero. I think we will stay with the default names so he will be Chrono. He is up and ready to go. As Chrono comes downstairs, his mother reminds him that his friend Lucca will be setting up a demonstration for her latest invention. We don’t want to be late for that.
Chrono makes his way to the Fair. There are quite a few people here enjoying themselves while some festive music plays. As he walks around at the fair, Chrono quite literally runs into a girl. Both fall down and something flies off of the girl. There are few action choices available here which are not readily communicated. The way Chrono acts in the fair towards this girl (who we will introduce momentarily) will decide if Chrono is acquitted at a trial or not. Even though end verdict of trial does not change the direction of the game, it is always fun to try to get as many of these actions right as possible. First part of it is to check on the girl before rushing of to pick the pendant that flew off her. Later on, waiting when she wants to choose some candy also helps. But I did eat somebody’s lunch accidentally and didn’t find the kitten so my Chrono is probably getting hanged anyway.
I was in as soon as I heard those seagulls screaming.
I wonder who this place is named after hmmmmm!
When we get the pendant to her, the girl introduces herself as Marle. She is at the fair by herself and would very much like to hang out with Chrono to enjoy herself a bit more. Lucca is still setting up her machine, so both of us go around playing some games at the fair. I have forgotten what we could buy if Chrono earns enough points here and I didn’t try to figure it out so that mystery will be left unsolved.
Once Lucca is ready, Chrono and Marle make their way to her. Chrono volunteers to be the guinea pig in her transporter machine. When he is successfully transported from one booth to the next, Marle also wants to give it a try. Everything begins normally but Marle’s pendant reacts to the machine and opens a rift into time. Instead of being transported to the other booth she falls into the rift and disappears. Everyone starts freaking out and the audience starts filing out of the demonstration area. Chrono picks up the pendant for the second time and goes after Marle. He goes through the portal and comes out on the other end. He is still in Guardia but everything is just a little different.
Chrono makes his way through the jungle, fighting off Walmart brand Piccolos. He heads to the inn, where he finds out he has travelled back in time. What is worse, Guardia is at war. There are soldiers everywhere, nerves are frayed, and the tempers are running short. At least they found Queen Leene so they have that going for them. Chrono makes his way towards the castle.
At the castle, before he can be thrown out unceremoniously, the Queen comes out and orders the guards to treat Chrono well because he is a dear friend. Well that is odd. Chrono does not know Queen Leene. Mostly because he was born 1500 years after her rule. Not the one to look the gift horse in the mouth, he sets about exploring the castle. The ravages of war are evident here even more clearly. There are wounded soldiers filling up the beds, while the fit ones are hungry due to the head chef waging his own wars. Everything is in turmoil. The King is happy his Queen is back, but she appears to be behaving in an unusual manner. Our first clue something is not right is when the chef confides in us that Queen wants ice cream. A dessert he knows nothing about since refrigeration has not been invented yet.
The Chancellor seems oblivious to the concerns of the King and lost in his own thoughts. He is acting really shady and becomes very jumpy when Chrono sneaks up on him.
Finally, we make our way up to the Queen’s chambers. After she asks to talk to Chrono in private, she reveals herself to be Marle. For reasons that will become clear soon, Marle is a carbon copy of Queen Leene. She has been mistaken for her and now holds the title of the Queen. While we are talking, Marle begins to be ripped apart. And just like that she is gone again. This will be a good time for Chrono to exit as quietly and quickly as he can before he is blamed for rekidnapping the Queen.
On his way out, Chrono runs into Lucca. She made her way here with some urgently grave news. Marle is Princess Nadia, a descendant of Queen Leene (which is why she resembles her so much). In the Guardian history, Queen Leene was abducted but later found. When Marle showed up here, the rescue party which found her was called off, thus changing history. If real Queen Leene was never found, she would never give birth and her lineage would end with her. In short, Marle is being erased from reality because the history has been changed. Before this becomes permanent, we have to go find the real Queen Leene. With Chrono and Lucca joining forces, we will find her in short time. Hopefully.
11-21-2020
