Part 106: Here Flies the Turnabout Fairy

Entry 98: Here Flies the Turnabout Fairy

It's our fault.



Under Airy's guidance, the barrier between the worlds weakened every time we awakened a crystal.



Once the barrier had opened a crack -- the Pillar of Light -- we traveled blissfully through, crashing into the next world near the city of Caldisla.



Each time, we brought a host of demons, as the dimensional opening we used to travel became the Great Chasm in the next world.



We can't reverse the destruction we've caused. All we can do is keep it from getting worse.

Airy's hiding in the Dark Aurora hanging above the chasm, and we're going after her.



Is Airy inside!? But, how do we...

...That's a good question.

Maybe we should've thought this through? The aurora does seem pretty uncorporeal from this side...



Oh, that's hamhandedly convenient.

Alright, if everyone's ready, let's go after Airy!



Despite what you might think, the residents of Caldisla haven't noticed the evil aurora rave going on next door.



The party steps on the explicitly designated magical platform sized just for them. Meanwhile, far above(?), Airy watches...



Still, your luck is my good fortune. You've left me to wait five thousand years while the next crystal grows... At least I will have your shrieks and lamentations to pass the time.

If Airy ever harbored anything approaching goodwill towards Agnès, Tiz, Edea, and Ringabel, she evidently burned out on them over the course of however many times she went through the worlds.

But enough about her. It's time for the final dungeon! What color of tepid hallways will we wander through now?



Purple. But it's also new and interesting, with shreds of land ripped away from who knows what world, pieces of modern machinery still clinging on. We've seen this aesthetic before with the summons.



The monsters here are the most demonic-looking yet, which makes sense given this is their source. How they got from here to the crystal temples, including the one in the active volcano, is a mystery.



These fellows are also the last non-boss bestiary entries.



They're very strong if they get the chance to attack. Luckily, the party gets by with a strategy of killing everything immediately.



If you aren't overpowered, this place is doesn't just have Nightmares, it is a nightmare!



The dungeon, which consists of islands floating in the grim post-apocalyptic cloudscape, uses glowy pads to transfer between floors.



We've raided the bonus dungeon, but there are still a few final treasures left to find. Given where this dimension's been, this stuff could be from anywhere!



One of Bravely Default's strengths is that none of the dungeons are overly long. On the contrary -- this is one of the longest dungeons, and it has a whopping six floors, none of which are more complex than this.



Of course, given the repetition, you still get sick of traveling through, say, the five screens between the world map and the fire temple -- but in any other JRPG the dungeons would be considered simple, short, and sweet.




The downside is the reuse of assets, but they do at least pull out the stops here. The designs of the final dungeon and Ancheim show the game's art team at their most inspired.



A few of the treasures here were also in Dimension's Hasp. The copies here, of course, would have been beyond Yulyana's reach.



Luckily we don't have to choose between this or a dancing moogle.



Speaking of Final Fantasy, here's another classic staple. The innocently named Ribbon is in every main numbered game except Final Fantasy 14 plus many offshoots and is usually one of the most powerful defensive accessories.



This dungeon pretends to be maze-like, teleporting from the 3rd floor to the 6th, back to the 4th and so on, but it's short enough to still be straightforward.



It includes a brief optional stop at floor 5 to pick up yet more treasure.



The aegis belonged to Athena, one of the principle gods of Greek myth and daughter of Zeus. The noted enhancement was the head of Medusa, a monster with a woman's body and snakes for hair.



Higher up in the Aurora, the party finds more failed birdfriends.



Along with other extremely deadly buddies. Good thing the toughest demons stayed at home instead of wreaking havoc on Luxendarc.



If the party had encountered these earlier, they might not have gotten so far in their journey. Bet Airy had to go through some trial and error in her first few worlds, making sure her vestal team survived demons but got strong enough to fight their way to the Pillar.


Continued: Overclocking, wchich accelerates its movement.

Evidence the demons take as well as give. Just how sophisticated is demon culture? What do they do aside from hang around in the sky and find ways to kill people?



A question for another day, because we're almost at the end.



Here in this literal apocalyptic hellscape outside the bounds of time and space, it's just us and Adventurer. Good to know it gets worse.



I mean, you know, there was a small hope it would get better.



But chances are Airy won't change her mind. The party's gotten involved in something far, far larger than their mortal friendship.




Hm. A final boss arena.



Hmmmmm. Demonic, but also strangely reminiscent of a blooming flower.



HI THERE AIRY KNOCK KNOCK



......

Is this truly you that stands before me? Can you not change back to the fairy we knew?

Agnès, how can you not see it now?

Show her no opening. She'll wield it against you.

But...Airy, did you truly intend for this to happen all along? Tell me it's not so.

Wh-what of our fateful meeting, our travels together? Do such things mean nothing to you? If we could go back... If you could turn back into...

Ungh...uuuuh...

What now!?

Airy's voice sounds...different. The evil larva voice is still there, but suddenly the fairy Airy's voice is coming through too. It's almost like...



Almost like Airy the fairy is trapped somewhere inside, separate from the evil larva monster.

Airy?

Aaah...help... Aaaaaah...

That was Airy's voice!

Agnès...

Don't tell me...!

Help me... It's taking...control. Can't...fight...

Airy!

Maybe we were wrong in more ways than we thought. Airy wasn't the bad guy -- she was possessed somehow by this demon!

Airy was our friend all along, and we can save her!



Or not.

...! No!

Humans? Bah! What dull, foolish creatures--lowly life forms incapable of learning. And a crystal vestal is the worst of the lot.

How easy it was to deceive you in the form of a cute little fairy. Ha ha ha ha ha!

...... *sob*

You repeat the same mistake world after world. Then, too, you trusted me to the very end, denying the truth before your eyes.

...No!

At least you're not squealing like stuck pigs this time, though that's hardly progress.

Airy, in countless worlds you've deceived us. Slain countless innocents...

And it is true, I've been a fool the whole while. I still wish for us to be friends, somehow...

But I am done playing the fool! We will break this chain--this cycle of misery across thousands and thousands of worlds!

Here's something we know by now: If you've made an enemy of Agnès, you've gotta be doing something pretty terrible.



And once you tick off Agnès, she and her friends are going to make sure you regret it.

You had your final chance, Airy.



As you might hope from the buildup, her Slaughter attack no longer insta-kills the party. In fact, she's fairly easy if you've made it this far.



Protection from status effects is a must, with the added bonus of reminding Airy of what real fairies look like. Navi may have been irritating to some, but you can't deny that she at least tried to be good and helpful.



To touch on gameplay briefly, the party's using Slow World and a BP battery to basically provide infinite turns to the party while taking away half of Airy's turns.



This is just one method. With all jobs unlocked and leveled to max, there are lots of options for how to make bosses like Airy child's play.



Once Airy's low on health she pulls out of combat.

But how will you stand up to this!?



Uh oh! Unavoidable cutscene attack?



No. Wait...



Ah right, multiple boss forms. Obviously.

Ahhh, how many worlds has it been since last I took this form? Hundreds of thousands of years have passed without the need. It feels a bit foreign, yet... But no matter, heh heh heh.

Now, you mightiest of all warriors of light, face the full extent of my power!

Despite Airy's boasting, at this point the party is less frightened and more ticked off.



This is reflected in gameplay: if you know how to handle her, this version of Airy is more showy but even easier to beat, as we'll see shortly.

My father and Master Kamiizumi warned us of you. Now, too late, I see the fool I've been.

Those who act by emotion are the easiest to master. I pity your father.



Eternia is made up of a bunch of muscleheads who would rather kill themselves than admit they made a single mistake. Edea narrowly escaped from that, and most lingering effects on her psyche will hopefully improve with time and experience.

I'll never forgive you for violating Agnès's trust!

Always the same. Always about Agnès. I hate that about you most of all!

Beneath her arrogant yet chipper surface, Airy was a typical demon. She not only had no love for the party, she hated the very concept of love. She had no patience for the party's humanity, and when the going got rough she made it clear what really mattered: their use as pawns.



With proper job use, Airy can't get a hit in and the party can act infinitely, bringing the battle to a complete standstill if they so choose.



But I don't have the patience nor lifespan to keep Airy locked in combat for 5,000 years, so the party shortly resumes fighting.

But all your efforts shall be in vain!

After bringing Airy's health down the first time, she taunts them and does a full heal on herself.



She actually has less health than a lot of the Eternian bosses we've been fighting lately. Also, note her icon lists her as Bug type, not Demon.



In Airy's second phase, she casts debuffs on the party and pulls out all the stops on her attacks.



Flare...

You mortals shall know your place!



Charm...

This isn't what happens... How... How are they different from the last?

We first met on that precipice overlooking the Great Chasm. You had come forth from the chasm's depths.

But you had only just slain us! Our blood had yet to dry!

Indeed, you have served me well. Now, die a bitter death knowing you served your enemy!

...Unacceptable!!



It's a bit of a one-sided fight.

Warriors of light, bah! Mere mortals! Pawns! You shall pay dearly for this defiance!

Then Edea stabbed the bug.



Take that, bug masquerading as a demon masquerading as a fairy! Friendship and power gained by slaughtering thousands once again saves the day!






Next: One ends, one continues.

--

Event Viewer
Main Scenario:
The Dark Aurora
Airy's Wrath
Lying Airy
Airy's Hideous Form