Part 5: M-M-M-M-MAGIC

Here's where we left off, at the sweet, refreshing healing spring. These things aren't that common, so enjoy it while it lasts!

Also, turtle.



Welcome to the first proper dungeon. The mines of Narshe were just a simple straight corridor, but here we actually see some branching paths that we can explore, most of which lead to something resembling a reward.



Still, there are some minor nuisances to deal with before we get there. This is why Tim will rarely use that spear he got - holy shit, that's a lot of damage!



He doesn't manage to kill all of them though, but that's nothing a quick fire spell can't fix...



I think we need someone to fix Tim, too.


What made you jump like that all of a sudden?

D-d-did y-y-you just see what I saw?
You did, right?
Right?!



Yeah, this kid's really something, huh?

Really... something!?
That was magic!
MA-GIC!!!

This makes a lot less sense when it happens after the little pep talk in the last episode, rather than during the boss fight.

M-M-M-M


(Chapter title, right there.)

She used magic!?

(As opposed to all the completely non magical ways to throw fire with one's bare hands. I suppose. Funny thing is we're going to see one of those later on and it will be way more awesome than the first-level Fire spell.)


*whisper, whisper*


Your name was Aeris, right?

Yes, her name is Aeris.

Also not very smooth to forget the name of the girl you were just hitting on. Maybe you better stick to technology.

What... what exactly was that just now?



No, we should be apologizing.
I didn't mean to make such a big deal out of it...

Nor did I, it just... surprised me.
I mean, I've never actually seen magic before!

So awkward.

Where did you...?

...

It doesn't matter, does it, Tim?
Aeris can use magic, and we can't.
That's all there is to it!
The fact it... her magic could really help us right now!

So awkward.

Thank you, Indy!
Thank you, Tim!



She winks.



Tim and Indy mess their pants.



And then the battle ends.



So let's get back to exploring. The cave has a couple of semi-useless items and we're going to leave these ones behind as well. For reasons that shall become apparent and all that.



Actually, the only thing of note that we take with us is a level-up for Aeris where she learns to cure poison.

AUDIO: Terra


Here's the world map, and this is the first time it just plays the world map theme normally, as opposed to covering it with chocobotunes or something. Listen to it, because it is good.



This, somewhat southeast of the cave exit, is our real destination, but-



-we're going to pay a visit to this little house up here to the north first.



Looks pretty nice, doesn't it?



But something is off...



While most background objects in this game ore not interactable, Tim will comment...



... on various things...



...if you examine them.



(This one is just a bonus.)

We can also rest in any of the beds, to much the same effect as the healing spring before.



Try to leave, and Tim runs back inside to really drive the point home...



...and once we leave, there's an old guy standing by the well. Interrogation time!



"stop interrupting me when I'm talking"

Do you happen to know where I could find the man who lives here?

Sure do! Left a couple of days ago, soon as he heard Master Duncan had been killed. Headed up into the mountains!
They say Duncan's son Vargas is missing, too... I don't like it one bit!



The old man escapes. (Why was he even here? Apart from weird RPG logic? We'll never know.)

Mountains, he says. I like mountains. Let's get crackin'!



First, though, a brief stop at Random Encounterville. This critter has a rare steal that may become useful later on, so I'm having Indy grab it now that I have the chance.



South Figaro is the first proper town to explore, and it's decent-sized for a SNES game.

Also note the mysterious individual in black, who disappears into the pub all stealthily like. We'll be seeing more of him in a bit, but first...



Ouch! I imagine that stings a bit, huh, Tim?


These shoes double my walking speed!

There is a relic shop here, but we can't get to it without sitting through a tutorial. This guy has new shoes, and predictably...



...ends up hurting himself.

The game isn't finished with us just yet, though. No, before we can spend money, we are treated to... exposition moogle.


Spring shoes double your walking speed.
A gauntlet lets you hold a weapon with both hands to increase damage.
The Knight's Code makes you shield others in combat.
Dragoon boots allow you to perform jump attacks.
A person can equip up to two relics at the same time.

...

I still buy some sprint shoes, though; we're going to do a lot of walking, and, well



MOVING ON.

(at greater-than-average speed)



The townspeople are very helpful, even if I've never heard of those places.



The most interesting place in town is the large house in the north-western corner.


I mean, um... general-ly...
Uh, I forgot what I was going to say!

There's a curiously clever kid in here.



And a not so curiously not so clever one.


H-hey! Wh-what do you think you're doing!? Barging in here when I'm trying to write a letter! Hmph!
Oh, uh, sorry... I may be the richest man in town, but even that doesn't keep me from being startled!

"what was that about borders because you see I am the king and I like my borders very much and"

...unfortunately, there's really nothing we can do with this guy.

Except rob him blind. So.



This is a dumb hint.



Behind this bookshelf is a hole big enough for Tim's ego to pass through, which would be very obvious to anyone not stuck behind a screen with no camera rotation.

Behind it are some stairs leading into the basement, where there's a save spot, meaning we are definitely coming back here at some point.



More importantly, there is loot.

There are two chests here with money in them, for a total of 2000 gil, and an empty one.



Also, clocks, and neither has an elixir. I feel cheated!



But that's not all there is.



From here, walk down, then right, and you'll find...



...the second floor, which is a proper dungeon with iron bars and all!



Now this is what I call loot.



It all goes on Tim because he does not suck and his skills do not run on MP, each of which is a problem one of our other party members suffers from.



There is also a tiny storage area where, finally, we get another elixir.



There's also a bunch of items scattered around town, but it's mostly not worth the effort. This one might just get used, but I wouldn't count on it.



There is also a named building here.


He took his students to Mt. Kolts for some meditation and training, so he probably won't be back for a while.

I think we know something she doesn't, but... it probably shouldn't come from us. Tim might get some idea about comforting the grieving widow and ugh.

So instead, shopping spree. We haven't really bought anything interesting yet, so let's do something about that.





New clothes and hats, shields for the people who are actually useful, a new sword for Aeris and Aeris' old sword goes to Indy because no one likes him. And because there's nothing better he can use.

Just a quick pit stop before we go.



AUDIO: Shadow


The music in here is... certainly distinct. None of the NPCs seem to notice, though.




He's always grumbling about how the kid never seems to be making any progress.

Well.





The mysterious stranger doesn't want to talk! Indy makes an ass of himself as usual.

Fortunately for him, Tim still has some sense of self-preservation, and pushes him back.

Back off, Indy. That guy looks familiar... Yeah, that's him, all right...



I, on the other hand, don't have anyone to keep me from making decisions I may come to regret...



...what I mean by that is, you have some 24 hours to convince me what a horrible idea this is.