Part 29: Utopia

Last time we left Aoto and his friends with just one obstacle in the way of their entry into Clustania proper.

Video Record- “Mute”

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Didja think you could slip past my surveillance? Hmph! You've got some guts!
Lady Harvy ordered me to bring them to Her! So, leave us alone!
Oh? That means they're all done with their Purification, right?
Nyamo, nyamo! Of course we're all done, nyamo!
What...?
What's with that super cute...I mean, condescending kitty head!
Didja think I would fall for such a- ...a lame joke!?
Nyamo?

They decided to try their plan out.



Huh?
Glory to Clustania!
We've been brainwashed!
I'm brainwashed, too!
...You little runts! Are ya tryin' ta make fun of me or something?
This is going totally boo!
You don't sound genuine at all!
Oh, great...
Nyamo…

Mute wasn’t falling for it at all, because they were really quite bad at pretending to be brainwashed.



COMPLETELY SCREWED!!!
What are you talking about!?
Witness the full power of Lady Mute, the Nemesis of Vengeance! This shit's about to get real, like in the streets!

And so they had to fight Mute again.



Boss Battle: Mute Again
We’re fighting Mute. Again. It’s a lot like last time. Depending on what level you’re at you might not even get to drop a Flipsphere on her. She’s just like last time but with more health.

After fighting a while, though, Mute suddenly stopped.



Wha-!! ...This ain't good! I ran outta energyyy!?

They were shocked as her song ran out of power and her true appearance was revealed.



That Reyvateil!?
Urgh...shoot...you saw my true face.
Are you...really that Butch?
Yeah, I'm Mute! My Pops invented the Hymn that turns me into the strongest Reyvateil ever.
Pops? Is your dad an engineer?

I laughed so hard when your aunt told me who her father was.



What!? So you're Laude's...!?
...Oh!? C-Cocona, do you know Dr. Laude, too?
Umm...well, yeah, sort of...
...Did you say, "too?" Does that mean you also know him?
Of course. He's a famous former executive at the Archia Think Tank.
Oh...I didn't know that.
I heard he passed down his title to Raphael and retired... So, you're his daughter...!
Retired? Hmph, that's a load of bull. Pops was killed by Raphael!
He was killed...!?
Yeah! That's why I joined the Clustanian Army...

Then I felt kind of bad that she was focusing her life on revenge on someone who, no matter what horrible stuff he was perpetrating, had definitely not killed her father. I am quite certain of that because I was there when it happened.



What!? You've been attacking Saki all this time for a stupid reason like that...!?
It's not a stupid reason! Saki's the Archia Think Tank's best prodigy! She's the product of their research, right?
So...I thought I'd just crush her entirely!
…Mute…
Heh heh...this long game's finally gonna come to an end. If ya escape again, I'll be totally discharged from the army.
Then I ain't gonna be able to get my revenge! Aoto...this is all your fault!
...Mute, I...
Don't apologize, you moron! I hate it when people pity me, so just beat it!
…Sorry.
...May I ask you a question, Miss? Katene saved you at the Kniehar Signal Station, right?
...Katene...
Do you know where he went after that?
...Well...
If you know, please tell me! He's my friend!
...Actually...

Mute told them what happened earlier.



He was confined in the Executive District...!?
Yeah. He set off that DFP thingy in Ciela Gate, right? He was our prime suspect, so we arrested him.
I see. At least he's still alive...
I'm worried about him, too! I met up with him after that, but we wound up like this...
What...?
Hey Butch, are you his friend or something?
We're childhood buddies. But, I hadn't seen him in 10 years...
Talk about a small world...
When I saw him again, I thought it was fate. I always admired him... In truth, I always had a crush on him...
But, I didn't even get to confess it to him!
What...!? You...heh... like Katene...?
What!? No! That's bullshit, man! Forget I said anything!
You don't have to hide it! So, that's what's going on...
In that case, I'll help you work it out, Butch.
What's he up to this time...?

They added rescuing Katene to the long list of things to get done in Clustania.



You guys'll save him?
Didn't I tell you I was going to take them to the Executive District because Lady Harvy ordered me to do so?
Don't worry. We'll definitely save Katene. I'll let him know about your feelings for him, too.
Th-thanks!
Alright, let's go, Finnel.
Okay!
Ah! Please wait a second!

Saki removed her mask, because she had something she wanted to say to Mute.



Saki!
Mute, thank you for saving the children!
Please don't worry. We will rescue Katene!
...That little runt...
...Hmph, you don't have to worry, either. I'll keep the promise I made to those kids!

And so they had finally reached the holy land of Clustania.

Video Record- “Phase III”

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They headed for the city itself, a shining jewel of the first age.



I knew its reputation, but it sure is a beautiful town.
Do you really think so?
Yes! Those buildings and shops are so cute. It’s like a paradise.
Yeah, that’s right. Well, Reyvateils are girls, too, after all.
Yeah, Reyvateils are just in a Reyvateilic state, right?
So, it’s only natural that the entire city pretty much looks girly.
It’s like an all-girl utopia!
But…Aoto seems a little nervous.
Maybe that’s because he’s a boy. He may be feeling uncomfortable with all the cutesy surroundings.
Well, he’ll acclimate himself to it soon enough.

Feinne on Qoga: Clustania:
You ‘could’ just go on to Harvestasha’s chamber right after you left the Slave District but I’d suggest coming to Clustania proper. You can Dive if you need to and the weapons in the store are better than anything you have by now.

They headed to the Inn there to clean up and get ready for whatever might await them when they met Harvestasha. Aoto thought it was strange that they even had a place for people to rest in Clustania.



By the way, I was surprised that there were hotels in Clustania.
I think all cities should have hotels or inns. Otherwise they couldn’t have any visitors.
Well, if it’s only for Reyvateils, that would be understandable.
They still let us humans stay. That was surprising.
Hmm…as long as you’re a customer, maybe they don’t care.
Or, maybe they thought you were a Reyvateil.
…I don’t know about that. First of all, I don’t look anything like a girl.
Well, there are Reyvateils like Mute…
I really think they thought you were one!
I’m not sure about that, but I can’t deny it, either.

Saki was still surprised at what Mute really looked like.



I didn’t know Mute was such a cute girl!
I still can’t believe that.
But it’s kind of shocking to know that if a cute little girl becomes muscular, she’ll look like Mute.
?
…
!? Aoto, please don’t imagine a muscular Saki!
S-sorry, I couldn’t help it…
But I’m used to the muscular Mute, so it’s kinda hard to find her cute all of a sudden.
Th-that may be true…sadly.
If she was the way she really is now, she would be really popular amongst boys. What a waste.
But I think the muscular Mute is attractive, as well, in her own way.
Well, she sure is reliable that way…
For those boys who like reliable, strong girls, she’s the ideal girl.
…I know some guys like strong women, but I’m not sure they like beefy-looking girls like her.

Finnel, knowing the truth of it, was sort of uncomfortable with their clumsy efforts to act brainwashed earlier.



You said, “Glory to Clustania!” But do you know what really happens when you get Purified?
Well, no…
I didn’t think so. What you were saying was too extreme…
But if you get Purified, you’ll be like, “Clustania is the best! I love Clustania!” Right?
…Well, sort of, but that’s a little too much.
People who are Purified love Clustania, but they aren’t expressive about their love.
…So they’re like tsunderes?
…Forget it. I don’t think you’ll ever understand…

Aoto wasn’t just bothered by the Inn, most of Clustania didn’t make sense to him.



Clustania is a Reyvateil nation, right?
That’s right. Why are you asking that now?
Reyvateils usually fight with Song Magic, don’t they?
Of course. What are you getting at?
…That weapon shop, how can they stay in business?
Aoto, you don’t want to get into that.
There are a lot of mysteries in Clustania.
But I’m curious. Aren’t you? There should be practically no demand for weapons…
I don’t think the demand is totally nil. Akane has a sword, remember?
But there should only be a few people who want swords. So I don’t know how they do earn a living…
Right? Reyvateils usually use Song Magic instead.
And then there are fist fighters like Mute.
Yeah, but I don’t think there’s any other Reyvateil who can fight with only her fists.

He also brought up a subject she really would have rather not talked about.



By the way, you’re originally from Clustania, right?
Yeah, that’s right.
Then when we need to stay in Clustania, take us in for a night or two.
Because we need to save money for the Inns.
I can’t do that. I don’t have a house there.
…
Hey, you just imagined me sleeping in a cardboard box, didn’t you?
You mean you didn’t?
Why do you look so surprised? I was kidn of rich there, you know?
I was confined to the Executive District. The people there took care of the cooking and cleaning.
…Thinking back on it, I feel like I was kind of well off back then.
Well, you were trapped there, so what do you mean you were well off back then?

They also had a discussion on something really stupid. It seems Clustania had their own knock-off of a… certain snack food. I’m not going to mention it by name, because it might attract that guy.



This Funboon thing is obviously a Funbun knockoff, right?
Oh, really?
I thought Funbuns were fake Funboons.
Are you sure?
I remember there being Funbums, too.
Yeah, there were!
I don’t know which one’s the original.
Well, they all taste the same, so who cares?

Their rest complete, they headed for the Executive District, where they encountered some of Finnel’s… friends.

Video Record- “Finnel’s Friends”

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Uh...hi. Long time no see.
Reyvateil: Ah, so you really are back.
I'm so envious. You were outside the Tower for ages, and now you're already allowed back in the Executive District.
Well, I guess that's only because General Akane likes you for some reason.
But you should know there's no other way you'd be qualified. Don't think that you can get your way all the time.
You better keep a low profile or you'll embarrass General Akane. You don't wanna lose her protection, do you?
...!

Finnel’s real friends weren’t amused at all.



I hate such boo girls.
Surely, setting their looks aside, their minds must be ugly.
…!?
Reyvateil: What are they? Humans?
Yeah, we're humans! What's wrong with you? Self-confidence issues? Haven't you ever gotten a compliment before?
Please don't talk so ill of Filly!
Everyone...
Reyvateil: This isn't nice. What are Unpurified humans doing here?
Hey, I think we need to report them...
No, you don't need to!
Lady Harvy invited them! If you treat them rudely, you'll get yelled at later!
Reyvateil: What!? Who do you think you are...?
Whatever. Let's just go already.

Fear of angering Harvestasha seemed to overpower their desire to give Finnel a hard time, and they left.



Wow...that was kinda scary. Good job, Finnel. They won't mess with you for a while.
*sob* *sniff*
...Finnel...
Don't worry about what those morons said to you. Besides, you've got us.
...I know... I'm alright.

Feinne on Qoga: The Executive District
This is a huge dungeon. I’ve got a massive video of it that I can include if enough people want to watch a half hour of me trying to scrape every last bit of loot out. Make sure you explore every bit of it before you go on so you don’t have to do it next time you’re here. Oh, and if I’m reading them right the walls say ‘Friendship Rule Harmony’ (though the middle word is really hard to make out).

They found an odd door, more highly secured than the rest. It seemed it just led away from Harvestasha, though, and Finnel pointed them in the right direction.



She did appreciate that Aoto had helped her earlier, though.



Aoto, thank you for protecting me the other time.
The other time…?
Oh, when those Reyvateils were saying mean things to you?
You’re the one who saved me by coming up with a nice lie on the spot.
So we’re even.
But if you didn’t talk back to them, I don’t think I could’ve argued with them.
Huh? Why not?
Because what those girls were saying wasn’t wrong.
Oh Goddess… You need to have more self-confidence! You’re so frustrating!
What they were saying was total bull! It was all about when you were still in Clustania anyway.
You’ve gotten a lot stronger since then, thanks to all the Dives we’ve done together.
So…you know…?
…Uh-huh. Thank you.
If you say so, that means I’m becoming stronger, too, right?
I’ll make sure to be strong enough to argue back to them next time.
Oh, yeah. You should be.
(I was going to say, “Why don’t you pick a fight with them?” but maybe I shouldn’t say that.)

That’s where we’ll stop for tonight. The tale of what happened when they entered the very heart of darkness will have to wait for another day.