Part 10: R-09 - Rhapsody in Blue (Part 1)

Today is Rhapsody in Blue, which is the music we hear on the stretch of road along the beach.





Your breakfast is ready.

I'm sure it is.

We'll be waiting for you.





Living so strong among so much sadness. Finding that glimmer of hope. I almost feel jealous of them. I'd like to watch over them. And I pray, from the bottom of my heart, for their happiness. Seiji and Yuuri... Hopefully I'll see them again soon. But... just what is a Shelter kid...? Ugh... the coffee is bitter today.

We can get to the lobby with no interruptions. Each day we are getting further to our goal!



Edo, did I make it in time for breakfast?

Mr. Mondo... Just how long do you intend to hang around here? The bomb is not to wait for you.

Hey, calm down and formulate your sentences properly.

If you don't move quickly the terrible. Will be an explosion!

OK, OK, calm down... You really don't want me to eat breakfast, do you...? I'll get going now, then.

Have a good day.


The church entrance is closed off, but the main gate is open now, so we can head on towards the airport.


Except there's a car crash. That is Peter Bocchwinkur's truck, at least, the same model. He's not involved though.



I wonder if the driver is OK... I ought to tell someone about this.


The car crash has blocked off the right exit, so we have to go left for now, onto the beach.




Here we come across a man and his bike. Looks like we've found the character of the day.



What does it look like? My bike is busted.

Tough break. That's quite a bicycle you have there, though.

It's a bike, OK. Not a bicycle. The term "bicycle" is most unsuited to a machine of this calibre.

Well, good luck fixing it!

Hey, I know who you are! You're that handyman Edo called in! I need your help, then! Fix my bike.

I am not a "handyman," OK. I only find stuff.

That works for me, too. Come on, without my machine I'm finished!

Ah, you're a bike messenger, are you?

That's right. The lifeblood of the Island. You got no idea how many people are relying on my wheels, man!

That's an important job you've got there, I'll give you that.

I'm Ken. What's your name?

Mondo. Sumio Mondo.

Mr. Mondo, is it? I'm counting on you then, pal!

I'll take a look. Not that I'm a mechanic or anything like that....

Thanks. There's something wrong with the gears. Just need to fix them...



Men who are passionate about their work shine in any place or time. I guess I'm one of them, too. But hold on... People who say that usually suck at what they do! Ah well, whatever... I'm just brimming with desire to help this kid out. I need to read up on these gears, then!



When hurtling into mystery, mysteries call up more mystery. What is a mystery without mystery when mystery proceeds? Hurtle on toward the ideal of solving all mystery! Open! Catherine! Take care of this bicycle... bike!

Page 40 of the guidebook has the details of the gears:



The article explains the gears are adjusted by a ratio. In this case, the rear gear is 15 and the front gear is 48. 48/15 = 3.2, so our answer is:







You've got some real skills.

There, then. Shouldn't you get going and take off?



She normally comes around now...

You mean Mati, the maid in the Hotel? Why would she come here?

Once she finishes her cleaning in the Hotel, she helps out at the diner. That's her daily schedule.

She's a hard working lady, isn't she?

I help out at the diner too, actually.

You do?

That's all you've got to say? How about a little praise for me, too?

Oh, of course, you're a fine young man, Ken. A real hard worker.

Yeah, I do work hard. By working hard I can become a messenger in a bigger city. That's what I'm saving all my money up for.

A fine goal. I'm quite jealous of you, Ken.

Mr. Mondo... You have a skill, that's why you've been called here to work, isn't it?

That's right.

That's a man, right there. Believing in your skills and doing a good job by using them.

You're a good messenger, though, aren't you Ken? On your bicycle?

It's a bike, OK! I guess, but sometimes I think... You know, all I do is ride this bike up and down. That doesn't really inspire confidence.



If you ride your bicycle with confidence... Then that becomes one of your skills. You have to believe in yourself, don't you? Believe in your bicycle, too! If you don't, your bicycle will never believe in you! Making deliveries on this island, or out among the skyscrapers... They are both jobs that help other people. Work you can be proud of. How can you not be confident in that?



You've given me the wake-up call I needed. I've always lived on this island... So I was too fixated on getting away from here. Thank you, Mr. Mondo. I need to repay you for this, somehow. The diner is just up ahead, so how about I treat you?



No, I won't hear of it. Go on ahead, I'll be right behind you.

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That's not the end of the day, but I decided to split this day up into two updates, as it's quite a long one (most of them from here on out will be, though there are some very short ones). I'm going to rewrite the first update soon, using new images and such. It needs to be cut down in length.. anyway, bonus content is a review by Edge magazine. Basically, every Western review thinks the game is a steaming pile of poo poo, but Japanese reviews love it. Oh yeah, the game came out in America yesterday. So... go buy it. Or don't, and continue reading this. I may check it out to see if the translation is different.