Part 94: Post-Volcano 1

I...

I think I was out of MP? I'm just gonna say I was out of MP and make myself feel better about not showing off the rest of Sue's casting lines in that fight.

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Welcome back!

Last time, we dealt with the angry, firey dragon living in the caldera of the volcano, making Gumbo cold. Somehow.



: I don't remember that happening that way. At all.

: Maybe you've fallen on your head a few too many times?

: Low blow, Gadwin. Anyway...



: Ha ha ha! Indeed, Justin!

: Now Justin and Feena don't have to be sacrificed!



Suddenly, a sparkle appears off to the left.



Dammit, Feena's stuck in kitten mode.

: Huh? What, Feena?



: I see. These are the same things we saw at Typhoon Tower.

Hmm. Y'know, I'm surprised the volcano is still standing. Most of the rest of the bosses have been load-bear-



Dammit.

: Wow. What's happening?

: The volcano has come back to life. It will start erupting right away!

: Yikes! This is the crater here. If it erupts, we'll all be sacrificed.



: No time for word games. If we don't get out quickly, we'll all be toast.

: Besides, bad puns are supposed to be my thing.



Yyyyyep, the game makes you walk back. Any enemies you haven't yet killed are still alive, ready to get in your way and slow you down through this... non-timed, casual jaunt.

Look, the game is still being more subtle about wasting your time than most JRPGS, and I respect that.

Anyway, it only lasts until you leave the crater area.









All in all, the party seems fairly unconcerned about the shower of lava.

: Yes, Gadwin! Run, everybody!

At this point, we're automatically brought back to Gumbo. However, there's still one thing left to do at the volcano.



Which yes, you can re-enter. In fact, none of the areas on the world map get sealed off.

Typhoon Tower is still gone, though, so sucks to be you if you missed that Mana Egg.



Remember that rock I told you to remember? Of course you don't; it was just a random fucking rock.

Now it's a bridge that lets us back into the main area of the dungeon. It's not, however, our goal. That lies on the same patch of land as the entrance to the area.



Yes, there's a treasure hidden in an area that you can only access if you come back after beating the boss.

What is it that deserves to be so well-hidden?



Fuck you, Grandia, I'm sick of your shit. At least the "resistance" is 7 levels thereof, i.e. complete immunity.

Anyway, with that little adventure done, let's head back to Gumbo.





I hope you guys don't mine me bypassing the vote on this one, but there was only one choice left for it.

Spell-wise, aside from Burn(flame/flare), Justin can pick up BOOM! and Zap!, along with BOOM-POW! and a few fire/lightning/explosion spells we haven't seen yet. The real meat is in his moves.



At eight levels of Fire, Justin'll learn his first elemental cut. He's also got a lightning one that's quite a bit further away.

And what's that, second from the bottom? Why, a plot-locked explosion sword.



Yes, Rainstaffs are that ridiculously common as drops. There are two more sitting in Sue's inventory, plus the two that she and Justin have equipped. Part of the funds goes towards equipment upgrades and maintenance, and the rest goes to the rainy day fund.

And with our shopping completed, it's time for cutscenes.



: You were supposed to have been eaten by the fire dragon. Why, Brave Couple, why? We were bad! Please don't haunt us!

And, in the usual Gumbo fashion, the couple up front very quickly jaunts off.

: Waaaa! It's looking this way!

: He-hey, hey, hey! Souls of the Brave Couple! Don't lay a finger on my girlfriend!



Man, you can't punch a ghost. Everyone knows that.

: Look, we have just returned here after bravely defeating the fire dragon!

: What? Is it really you? You are really something! I am so happy that you were unscated by the sacrifice! Hey, Leana! Run and tell the Chief the good news! There'll be a festival tonight!

: Murua, I don't want to go alone. Come with me. ♥

: Oh, my spoiled princess. OK Leana, I'll go with you. ♥



Thankfully, Justin saves me the trouble of having to make up a snarky line.

: Come on, Justin. Don't be angry. Let's go, too.





Dammit, Chief, who let you read the thesaurus again?

: Ja la la. Death to the fire dragon! Lu lu lu. May Gumbo be forever warm! A sacrifice is not necessary. From now until forever we can celebrate the festival. Ah this is great! To Justin and Feena who slew the dragon! And to Gadwin and Sue!



I sure hope the chief isn't implying what it seems he's implying here...

: Now then, please don't hurry. Eat more and drink more.

: No no. We've already had enough. We are so full.

: No more. My stomach's full, and I'm tired. Have you fallen asleep, Puffy?

: Ga ha ha! I too have a full belly. I'm going back to the lodgings ahead of you.

: I'm hitting the sack, Justin, Feena. Since you're the guests of honor, you'd better enjoy it a while longer.

: Ja la la. I'm sorry you can't stay. Shall I see you to the lodgings?

: Good night, Justin. Don't stay up too late.

And with that, the three of them walk off into the night.



: Soon? It already happened.



I love this bit. Up to now, they've been changing all the alcohol to coffee. But here, where it's plot-related that Feena is drunk, rather than hyper, they completely fail to mention exactly what it is she's drinking.

: What'll we do, Justin? We have to kiss in front of everyone at the very end of the festival. ♥

: What!? Really?



I also love that Feena's been fucking with Justin like this practically since she met him.



Go outside? In the romantic moonlight with a girl? That's how you get cooties, Justin.

: No, let's stay here a bit longer.

: But we are the guests of honor for this party.

: All right. We can drink a bit more of this.

: Whoa! Wait a minute!



*sigh* Fiiiiiine. We'll do it your way, game.

Next time: The game's next extremely iconic, memorable cutscene!

^{_{That's right, Sue gets tired of everyone's shit and goes on an unstoppable rampage!}}

: Mace +3, Water +1, Wind +1

: Mace +3, Water +1, Earth +1

: Water +1, Earth +1, Dagger +5

: Show-off.