Part 179: Field Base 2

Whee, more NPC chatter updates again.



Welcome back!

Last time, we had that cliffhanger with the avian creature that's either a myna bird or a parrot, depending on which NPC you talk to.

I'm just going to assume that Rapp is an idiot and that the soldier who's actually taking care of the thing knows what it is, so it'll be a myna from here on out.

Anyway.





: So, ah, what are you gonna teach him?



: Whoops...!

: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! That's too much! He's right! You ARE a dork!

: Justin's a dork! Justin's a dork. Dork. Justin dork.

Entirely predictable, but a good reminder that the game is still willing to be silly even at a time like this. Anyway, I suppose we should get the main event underway.



: Justin...? I want to talk to my sister.

: That's a good idea. You'll be able to talk straight to Leen without this "Corporal" stuff. They said she'd be coming later to the TACOM Center.

Of course, "later" means "once you talk to Feena".



: I was waiting for you. Leave us alone, please.

: Yes Ma'am. By your leave Ma'am.

And they haul ass out of the tent.



: I have something to tell you Feena. Colonel Mullen has worked hard to prevent General Baal from obtaining the Spirit Stone. He has gone without rest or even sleep to remain in charge of the army and save the world from destruction.

: But...

: You know as well as I do, that in order to save the world from Gaia's revival, the Spirit Stone must be broken. Our powers are needed!

: Feena, please, HELP us! The Colonel needs help more than ever! We need to HELP him!

: Now WAIT a minute Leen! Mullen's ready to desert Zil Padon and let it be destroyed! How can you expect anyone to help THAT!

: Justin is right, Leen. I'm going to help save the people of Zil Padon. Together with Justin.

: According to the speed observed for Gaia's growth, Zil Padon might be overcome any time now. How can I allow you to go into such danger? No, I won't.



: I can't agree with any plan that is willing to desert the people of Zil Padon. Even if it IS supposed to save the world. WAKE UP Leen! Don't let Mullen FOOL you!

: What do YOU know about Herr Mullen!

: FOOLED by him!? Fooled by his pledge to protect our Mother Earth with his LIFE!? I have made the same pledge MYSELF! I am ready to die too if need be!

: If need be...!

: Leen, NO! It's WRONG! What sense does it make to trade LIVES to save the world?!



Before we head out, though, Leen has some semi-important dialog for us.



: I have always wished that I had been born without these wings.

: But... the Colonel once told me he thought my wings were beautiful. My two, red, glimmering wings.

: He saved me with those words. Yes, he saved me from my pain. And now I must save HIM!

: Leen...! Forgive me... my sister... but I cannot desert the people of Zil Padon.

: You said once yourself that I never go back on my word. So you know more than anyone....

: I'm going with the others to Zil Padon.



Boy, it sure would be awkward if I had forgotten something from the Tower of Temptation and had to go back through it, huh?

Yep, it sure is a good thing there wasn't a hidden passageway on the seventh floor that I missed. And that that passageway didn't hold the Spirit Staff, which casts Halvah when used as an item. It would be mighty embarrassing if I had to go all the way up that tower again just to grab an item I wouldn't be using much anyway.

Yep. Really glad I didn't have to waste any time at all doing that.



: What's up, Juss? All of a sudden, you stopped talking.



Huh.

: It's too quiet....

: It's too quiet! I don't hear a single thing!

: Hey! Maybe everybody kicked the bucket!?

: It couldn't be. The town would only be like that if Gaia had attacked.

: At any rate, I'm worried about Guido. Quick, let's check it out!

However, before we're even given a chance to move, the screen starts shaking.

: Oh, no! Are we too late!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AllSmckQONc (Polsy link)

As always, skip down to "FMV ends".



Hey, that's a nice shot of the Alqada section.



Oh. Oh dear.





This is another of those scenes that the attract mode FMV spoils. Still, the shot of the trees getting petrified is pretty neat.



Of course, if just turning everything to stone isn't enough, we also have Gaia's tentacles running through the place.





Including that one asshole that just pops up through the ground, as the FMV ends.



Yep, that's our field map music.



: How could we have known that Zil Padon would be swallowed up so quickly?

: Juss... do you think the whole town... everyone...?

: No! It CAN'T be that bad. Let's see who we can find!



Quickly popping back out to the world map... yeah. It's gotten bad.



Since Cafu and Laine are sealed off forever, you only get to see the middle part of this map in-game. Which is kind of a shame, because it means that you'll never see little details like the Rainbow Spring losing its rainbow, or that Gaia is also spreading from the Tower of Doom.

Anyway, back to what we were supposed to do.







A lot of the destruction is visible, even in the overhead map view.



: WHY!? If I had only KNOWN that this would happen when I gave Baal the Spirit Stone!

: We CAN'T allow any more people to be petrified! We MUST destroy Gaia!

Even as he's beating himself up for allowing it to happen in the first place, Justin still isn't giving up and is fighting to fix it.



Oh no, not the cafe! All right, pack your shit, people, we're heading home.

See you next time!