Part 24: Cur...io

Albrook is all hippie nice-nice peaceful these days.

...except that they Empire has soldiers in Magitek armour around, but that's really just a minor detail.



The villagers are taking their revenge...



...on the hapless soldiers.


...Oops, better watch what I say. Wouldn't want anyone questioning my loyalties!

But in Soviet Russia, party finds you.

Or something.



There's also a nice little hint here that we don't need because I already knew about that from previous playthroughs.



We can also reach the port without getting punched so that's a plus.

Another Imperial general and a man I hired back in town will be accompanying us as well.

Two familiar characters walk on board...



BATMAN!

oh and Meryl too I suppose



*polite greeting*

*freaks the fuck out*

Is something the matter?

No, it's nothing...

We depart tomorrow. In the meantime, I've arranged lodging for you at the inn.
Please, try to get some rest.



...

Indy walks up, and Meryl walks off because she is a clever lady.



Indy angsts. Laugh at him.



We're getting to a point where even Batman would have trouble with that, but it's nice to know... regardless.



Also, free inn stay! Anyone familiar with JRPGs knows what's coming, and sure enough...



...Indy gets up in the middle of the night.



Oh, look, it's that girl you insulted. Go up and talk to her, maybe she'll be your friend again!

Meryl...



Look at all the fucks Meryl does not give. Can you see them? There's a lot of fucks.

Please... Why won't you talk to me?

oh I don't know could it have something to do with how you accused her of being an imperial spy conspiring to kill you all



And at the same time, he's staring at her tits while he thinks she's not looking.



Meryl has clearly had it with this shit.



"God, go away already. Take your rejection like a man!"

"Ugh. Fine, fine, I'll just..."

"And I mean a proper man, not the kind that stalks women who reject him on facebook."

(damn it!)



...all drama aside, I think this is a pretty good shot.

If it were a painting, I'd call it Miserable Fuckwit On Bridge.



Fast forward to the next day and Indy feels a little better after eating a whole pack of cookies while crying in the shower. Unfortunately, he also woke Aeris up and she threw a toaster at him.

AUDIO: On a boat




We should arrive tomorrow morning. Why don't you rest until then?

It's like we don't do anything but rest, but the game is not finished with the dramatic nighttime scenes yet.



Aeris and Indy walk off screen, and we fade to... Aeris on the deck again.

Having trouble sleeping?

She nods.

I hear your emotions have returned...


The Empire used me, controlled my very thoughts... and now here I am, cooperating with the same people.

People are people. Not everyone in the Empire is like Kefka.

So... what about you?


...Yet I did nothing. I'm no better than Kefka.

If a human and an esper can love one another...
Do you think a human and I could love each other?

Of course!



You're still young. ...Someday you'll know. I'm sure of it.



...she says, after Leo fucks off and leaves her alone.

There is a click.

Who's there...?



Did you... hear what we were talking about?

I didn't mean to listen in.

So...

I can't help you. Those are answers you'll have to find for yourself.



There are people in this world who have chosen to kill their own emotions.
Remember that.

Aeris walks off. Batman finally has some peace and quiet...

AUDIO: What


...or so he thought.







Batman... wisely takes his leave.



And not a moment too soon.



"are we there yet"



"thank god"

I'll go with Meryl. Aeris, you go with Indy and Batman.
If you find any clues as to where the espers may be hiding, report back at once!

Let's go.
Batman!



And here is where it gets awkward.



You can't spell JRPG without awkward.



But I wish they'd spread it a little thinner. For fuck's sake, we already had two night scenes. TWO. That's more than some entire games get.



Everybody basically tells Meryl she's a bitch for being upset about the whole "We'll believe the insane clown over you" episode.

The cast of FF6 is full of assholes.



We're almost there.



We've been able to visit this place ever since we gained control of the Blackjack, and it's really nothing special. Hell, Batman is doing pretty well for having been out of the party for who even remembers how long. And being naked.

"and we're going to keep him that way because I think I'm learning a lot about love this way"

AUDIO: Strago


We arrive just south of Thamasa. Suddenly, the people here are willing to talk to us! It's almost as if they were waiting for us to flip a plot flag or something!



...they're still not very helpful, though.



The stores are open and I buy new gear for Indy because I am dumb.

There's also some headgear that Aeris could use, but it has a smaller magic boost than the Magus hat, so she's keeping that.


If they're some kind of beast, you should ask the old man who lives on the edge of town.



It's true.



I don't know or care how he manages to keep an inn running like that. Damn it, I had free healing on my flyboat. My luck has clearly taken a turn for the worse.



They may be talking, but they're not much nicer than they were before.



"how about now"



...you saw nothing.



As we walk around the village, which is nice and rural and completely unravaged by fire of any sort I don't know what you're talking about, we notice a few things that seem out of place.




Like this guy setting fire to a bush.



Until he sees us and runs off before Aeris can summon Matt to lecture him on how he's the only one who can prevent forest fires.



He's far from the only one acting suspicious, though!





Suspense!





...nah, actually we just wave.



Like this.







Curio-ser and curio-ser!



But enough of this. I've got to see a man about a dragon.

Not this one, though. I need someone with unique competence. Someone with... a unique sprite.



Someone like this.



Shocking, I know! It's almost as if we don't meet anyone who's not a palette swap who isn't also a major character of some sort!



...wait, what.

So, you know about espers?



Nope, can't say I do! Don't know a thing.

Not

one

thing!



I like how Interceptor is part of their little meeting.

Actually he's probably the second or third smartest individual in the room.



Suddenly!

AUDIO: Relm


<tangent>
I really don't like this theme - it is far too sugary-sweet for the character it's supposed to represent. The old man's theme (playing through this entire town) is quirky and somewhat fitting, but "Relm" is like pouring hfc in my ears. "Celes" suffers from much the same problem, although it's to a lesser degree and in that case it's actually a good melody. "Terra" at least has some percussion going to give it a bit more oomph, and if that's not good enough I can at least pretend I'm listening to this.

Or maybe this.

</tangent>



Anyway, she clearly finds our motley crew very suspicious, though I can't imagine why. She starts kicking the old man in the shins. I like her already!

What do you think you're doing, young missy?



Let me tell you how fucking useless that is.

Let me tell you how irrelevant the previous paragraph is.



Their names are not Geezer and Jailbait.

Give me something to work with here, people.