Part 17

Today we'll finish our tour of Lindblum. Little of plot will happen, so if you're not interested in more NPC dialogue I suggest skipping to near the end of the update.



Meanwhile, the rest of us will delight in the holiday schedules of air cabs.



They were much slower than these air cabs. It used to take at least an hour to get to the Theater District.



The attendant here and in the next terminal are boring.



The Industrial District doesn't really have anything to offer besides the usual random loot and people to talk to, so let's go there first.



I nearly lost my arm during the construction.





There's two major screens here and a couple areas to enter. It's a bit smaller than the other districts.





Cid's father was the one who invented the idea of Mist-powered airships, making airships a pretty recent development in this world.

The real question is whether the guy's name is Hunk or if that's just a way to describe him.





If we say front:

NO! Putting it in the back is more effective! Putting the engine in the front provides more stability, but less power!

If we say back:

That's right! You're a smart guy! Nobody believes what I say! Putting the engine in the back results in more power!



You can't find architecture like this anywhere. This regency is so advanced.



And that's everything in this screen.



Only way to go from here is up the stairs.



Since then, a lot of engineers went out to get cats. I have my own, too. Her name is Gypsy.

This game has the weirdest and best details.





Hopefully not this vest.



This thing teaches Jelly, a passive that gives protection against Petrification. Not a bad thing to have since it's instant death and all.



When I grow up, I'm gonna become an airship engineer! I'm gonna build a really big airship, so I can go everywhere with all of my friends!



We can enter the house here and pay this guy a visit.



You're not gonna believe it. It's a steam engine. It's still a prototype. The house gets hot as hell while this baby's running. That's the only problem. I'm getting thin from sweating so much.







Next up, the bar we visited a couple updates ago.





Sometimes, I think she loves her pickles more than she loves me.



We're all out of dark stew.



Seems like a bar is the perfect place to announce this.



And this.



I just came up with a new dish that I want you to try.
Uhhh, no thanks. I'm full right now.
Oh yeah? That's too bad.





As I said, not much to this district. We need to go to the Theater District to advance the plot, so let's do so.



It looks so mundane, just like everything else in this town.



Just so you know, air cabs run nonstop, around the clock.





Before we check out the Theater District, coming here gives us another ATE to check out.





The town is big, the castle is big, why does everything have to be so big!?



What, you're lost? Gee... You're a soldier for cryin' out loud.



That big building in front of us houses the docks.



Wh-What is that large airship!?
Amazing, isn't it? It's the Hilda Garde 2. Since it is equipped with a steam engine, developed by the regent himself, it can fly without Mist.
Impossible. How can it fly without being powered by Mist?



The source of steam power is water. It's much safer than Mist.





Steiner's out-of-touch with the rest of the world since his mind is usually completely occupied by his duties. Then again, that's true too with Dagger, who's been sheltered her whole life, and Vivi, who apparently hasn't had a chance to get out much himself.

It's actually interesting how many of our party members are out of their element while our protagonist has the most information of the group. Then again, that's true of a lot of FF games.





Almost everyone here plays.

Everyone except me!



I tell you, she acts like a child when she talks about him. Heh, heh, heh...



<Thump-Thump, Thump-Thump...>





This area's in the middle size-wise as far as the three districts are concerned. We can go into this house.



I'm gonna use the festival as the theme for my next painting.



What a prize!



Go west from the first screen and we go here. This entrance is the Tantalus hideout, but we'll hold off on that for now since if we do we get to miss a small side thing.



What's Marissa doing!? Oh, hell!





As that lady runs off, another walks up.



If you say no:

Yeah, I don't think he'd wanna see you, either.

If you say yes:

You know, I'm not surprised. Even if I were a guy, I'd still be in his fan club. He's so great!



Down the stairs is this place.





I don't get a chance to talk to the far left woman about how much she adores Lowell. I am sorry.



Hey, who are you!?
Who am I!? I'm Sir Zidane of Tantalus, the greatest bandit in the world!





Go away! Stop bothering us!



Hahahaha



Where's Lowell?
How much longer do we have to wait!?









Thanks. I love you guys.







(Damn. I can't see a thing.)



We don't care about you and your stupid show! We came to see Lowell!



Hey...you're-





Poor guy... It's tough being popular. I should know.

I love Zidane's bravado.









These girls are too enamored to ever move from this spot.





Tantalus ain't the only theater troupe in town.





Let's follow the giant moogle, kupo.



Turns out he went to the artist's house.



Please! I'll give you this!





Geez. I can't finish my painting with you bothering me everyday!
Come on. Forget about the painting. Let's work together. You can express your artistic talents on stage, too.



If you're done with your business, get out of here.

Talk to them again...

Fine... What a waste of talent...
I wouldn't get involved with him if I were you.



We can also take a giant, probably smelly moogle suit.







We've got plans for that Moogle Suit. Actually, I don't know if you actually do anything with the Moogle Suit, but it's ours now, dammit.

FF5 and FF6 both had opportunities where you could dress as a moogle, where in FF5 you can use a costume to seduce a moogle into giving you an elven mantle, and in FF6 it was a costume that Strago and Relm could wear and appear as a moogle in-battle.



That's taken care of, so let's hang out at Tantalus HQ.



It looks like no one's been here for a while.



What to do, what to do...?







This leads into a mandatory ATE.







No, thank you. I'm thinking of going outside and having a look around.
I'm sorry, Your Highness, but we cannot grant this request. Right now, there are many people coming to Lindblum for the Festival of the Hunt. Therefore, things are quite chaotic in the town, making security rather difficult. Also, very few people know of your presence here. It's for your own safety. Please understand.
Okay, I understand...



I didn't come here to be protected... I just want to help Mother...

It must be frustrating going from exploring frozen caverns and vast plains to being stuck unable to do anything, especially when you came to work on a problem that you currently can't do anything about. It's frustrating and pretty damn boring, honestly.







Why didn't you tell us that you were back? We're in Tantalus, too, you know.
What?
Yeah. Uncle Baku said if we find some treasure, we can be in Tantalus, too.
Yeah. Check this out.



Yay!
Yipee!



...Yeah. Princess Garnet is at the castle.
Really!? Wow...



Did you ask her out yet?
No... I think she's pretty busy. Plus, she's a princess and I'm a...you know, so...I don't know.
I bet she misses you.
Yeah. You should go see her.
Good luck!





So next up is giving Dagger a visit.



But not after we steal some cash from our former gang.





And a doll because why not.



Let's finish things off by checking in on ol' Tantalus.







I can't believe we found a way out of Evil Forest before it got petrified!
...It's all thanks to our bro, who pointed out the river before he took the map to Zidane.



Yer right. But first, we'll let the guys outside drink some water from the lake. Cinna, bring them over.



I think it's better that Evil Forest stays petrified...
Are you serious!?



I ain't sayin' this out of concern for our safety.
Then...why?
I'm sure he wouldn't wanna be saved if it meant Evil Forest was gonna be restored, too...
...You're right.
We gotta start lookin'.



We gotta do what we can.
I gotcha, Boss!



Something brought up in outside materials is that Marcus and Blank are best friends, so Marcus in particular wants to bring back Blank if possible. And of course there's no way Baku's going to sacrifice someone from his team if he can help it.





This springwater might make some good coffee! I'll get the fixin's!
Do I gotta remind you what happens to members who don't listen to their boss?
N-NO! Please, not that!





Next time, we'll finally get back to the story proper and get ready for the Festival of the Hunt.