Part 30: Episode XIV: I Am a Shadow, The True Self!

Music: Ruins



The party now find themselves on a series of stone pathways suspended above an infinite void. Nobody has the least bit as to what the hell is up with that. We’re just going to wander through this place like it’s any common cave. No big deal.



Remember Snecter, the random poorly named snake critters we saw back in our last encounter with Beetle Boy? Yeah, this whole place is just lousy with ‘em for some reason. Indeed, they’re the only enemy to be found in the first half of the dungeon. They haven’t gotten any upgrades or anything since the original encounter. They’ve just grown in numbers.



So this dungeon has “puzzles” to it. Well... more like there’s switches to press in order to progress.





Mashing Endir’s face into ‘em will cause floating rectangular prisms to form into a nice orderly pathway. That is... err... that’s all there is to it.







The rest of ‘em aren’t immediately next to the critical path. It’s usually a matter of running down some side walkway, fighting some snakes, mashing the switch, and backtracking the proper direction. And that is... kind of all there is to this dungeon. The first half at least. Well... the second half too. But they do add ONE more enemy to that party.



There is one noteworthy piece of loot to be found in the first half: Blue Frost, a new sword for Endir.



Man, I don’t think you could muster a more generic fantasy hero sword short of the Master Sword in Zelda...



After a good twelve or so minutes of wandering about this area, the party eventually phases back into existence in its entirety for a new cutscene where...




Music: Faith



*looks around confused*





*breathes heavily*
Yo, what’s up?

Endir runs over to Nidr...



Hey, buddy... You’d better not be having a heart attack. I’m gonna be real pissed if you leave me with Aeterna, the cannibal kid, and the one that was lawful evil yesterday to carry this jour—





BARF!
BLARGH!
What!?
Nidr! Endir!
Does... this happen often with you lot?
No!



The remaining party rushes over to check on their fallen comrades as we fade to black...

























































New Music: Deep Reflection



BARF!
BLARGH!
Wait... what?



What the hell did you do!?
*shakes head* Where are we...?
Well... It’s snowing, so that narrows it down to about 95% of the continent...
*stands up and looks around* We were all inside the ruins, right? Where’ve the others gone?
Probably so— ...Huh?





It’s you, Nidr.
*shakes head* C’mon, give a guy a break! I ain’t that ugly lookin’!
‘kay... It’s you in blackface. Way to make it really racist, Nidr.
It’s hard to bring myself to do this... but this thing definitely seems to be a monster...
I feel like this is the wrong play. But if you are itching for a mirror match, I’ll follow your lead.

Nidr and Endir draw their swords...



So I ain’t gonna be pullin’ no punches... C’mon! Let’s go!
Stop taunting yourself, man. You know we’re just going to Blowbeat this thing like everything else. Err... that sounds wrong saying it aloud...





!



Hey, man. You’re better off not getting involved with doppelgangers. I knew this guy once... some jerk stole his body and turned him into a man-cat. Took him months to catch up to himself. And the guy who stole his body turned into a computer and also was his dad or something? It was a REALLY convoluted story... Look, point is you don’t wanna mess with doppelgangers. It’s a bad scene.
Ain’t no way that was me.
Anyway, standin’ around here ain’t gonna do us no good... Let’s head on.



Alright, then... No choice but to proceed further into the endless white field of snow...



After a brisk job, a trio of fiery orbs appear. Nidr and Endir are kind enough to spread out so the player can get a good view of whatever the heck comes next...



That palette swap is not working for Setsuna. She had a good thing going with the pink cloak on red hair. Pink hair on like a vomit green cloak? Yeesh.
Shuddup!



I told you that shadow dude was you.
Shut. UP!
Okay... yeesh.
This pilgrimage is bein’ joined by the strongest guard possible... I’m on the team, after all! We’ll be in the Last Lands in no time at all.
*nods* He’s right, there’s no need to worry. I know Nidr will protect me.
Nidr... When you get back, I have something important to talk to you about...
Wait. Is that supposed to be Setsuna’s mom. You knew her mom. And err... aunt...?
*folds arms* Somethin’ important...? If it’s about our weddin’, I already asked the chief...
Excuse me...?!
*shakes head* No, it’s not that... I think you’ll probably be quite surprised...
Well, that’s somethin’ to look forward to. All right... See ya when I get back!

The trio fade away...



Yeah I have some questions here...
We should hurry on.
No... wait... Questions!







Yo, I’m getting like a full view of uhh... Not-Setsuna upskirt from over here.
Then don’t look!
Well, maybe if you answered some questions as to WTF is happening, we wouldn’t be in this situation.
......



*shakes head* I’m sorry... I’m sorry to do this in the middle of our journey...
At this rate, you might not even make it to the Last Lands. Let’s turn back for now...
*shakes head* No... We cannot... I want to fulfill my duty... as sacrifice... I’ll be fine soon... Don’t worry... Please... Just wait... a little longer...
Nanase...



This... This is my...
Backstory. Yeah... I take it the next scene is gonna be a real bummer, huh?
Let’s go...
*sigh* Really regretting getting roped into this...







See, this kinda thing is why I make sure everyone knows the details of my questionable past up front and center. Oooh... I tried to murder Setsuna for a sweet payday. Ancient history! Never going to come up at an awkward time like this.
*glares* Stop. Talking!
......



I’m sorry... I think this is... the end... for me...
No! You can’t give up! I promised to get you to the Last Lands no matter what!
I know my own body... better than... anyone...
*shakes head* So you knew your illness was this bad? Why didn’t you say somethin’!?
No... In truth, it is not my illness that ails me... It is my love for you...
What...?
...Awkward.
Endir, I don’t know if this is a hallucination or some kinda dream or I dunno what. If you don’t shut the HELL up, I’m gonna end you.
Yeah, yeah... Chill out.
But in your heart... there is only room for my sister, Mana. Knowing that has been so hard for me... So painful...
......
If my love is to be unrequited... then at least as sacrifice... I wanted to be able to watch over this world... I wanted to protect it... I wanted to protect you...
! Hey! Stop it! Nanase! Open your eyes! Nanase!!

They fade away...



So... umm... That’s rough, buddy...
......
You uhh... You need a minute, guy?
......
Alright. Take your ti—
Let’s go.
R-Right...







*swings sword* Is that it!? Is that all you’ve got!?



*swings sword* This guilt... This pain... It won’t go away!
*taunts Nidr*



!
I think... it can see us now... Or you, at least... Umm... I’m gonna try to get involved with this as little as possible cuz BOY does this feel like I shouldn’t be here. Just like... holler if you need me to tag in, guy...
*approaches Shadow Nidr* Stop it... Please... stop...

Shadow Nidr puts his sword away and faces standard issue Nidr...



No matter how many monsters you kill, that guilt ain’t never goin’ away...
Get ahold of yourself!
Or... accept yourself... I’ve heard this one before but I can’t remember how it goes...
*looks down* I’ve spent this whole time runnin’ away... Blockin’ out the past, and tryin’ to lose myself in battle... All because of somethin’ I can never change...
*shakes head* A pathetic, miserable swordsman with nothin’ left to live for except his own guilt... You bring unhappiness to everyone around you! Why don’t you just die!?
Don’t lose sight of yourself!
Ugh... Sorry... That was real corny!
I will protect the sacrifice... Nothin’ else. That’s all I have now. I ain’t got nothin’ else left...
*shakes head* In the end, you couldn’t make either girl happy!

Nidr collapses to his knees...



*shrugs* And now you’ve blindly agreed to serve as guard once more...
*yells* You plan on lettin’ another sacrifice die, do ya!?
Keep fighting, don’t give up!
I’m gonna tell everyone if you get owned by yourself. Assuming this place doesn’t collapse into some void and kill me if you fall into total despair. In which case, I’m just gonna be very cross with you for dragging me into this!
Yeah, I know... Fightin’ is all I’m good for now. The only way I’ll ever make up for the past is through battle... All I can do is fight... But... What am I fightin’ against now? Who am I fightin’ against?
You failed to guard the sacrifice... You brought sorrow to the world... In the end, you couldn’t even protect the people you love.
*shakes head* Your life is worthless! You don’t deserve to live!

Nidr jumps up...



*nodes* Finally figured it out, eh? That’s right. I’m you.
...Wait, seriously? You just figured that out. Hey, guilt ghost Nidr! Tell him he’s being hella dense.
SHUT UP!
_{...Geez. Fine.}
I’m here to punish you for the mistakes in your past...
What... what should I do?
*snaps fingers* Oh... OH! Right! Hey, I remembered how you deal with your shadow self. You’ve got to accept your crappy half is part of you, past mistakes and all. You’ve got to...
Forgive yourself!
You do it right and you get a sick elemental summon type deal out of it. Mess it up and we’re going to like have to fight some abstract leather daddy fetish monster version of your personality or something. Neither of us wanna see that! Sorry, this sorta thing usually happens to high school teens. That’s why I flaked remembering.
Forgive... myself... All this time... I’ve been blamin’ myself... Everythin’ I’ve been doin’... Was it all just to satisfy my own ego? So all this time... I’ve been fightin’ against...
......
Finally... I understand now... It ain’t the past havin’ its revenge against me... It’s just me who’s clingin’ onto it, and hurtin’ myself by doin’ so. It was my own self-pity makin’ me cling to the past...
......
*nods* I need to... forgive myself...
......

Nidr steps forward...



Thanks... Thanks for bein’ with me all this time.
*nods*



And with that, Shadow Nidr fades away. Huh... That was easy...


Music: Winter Journey’s Tale



Finally, you listened to me, Nidr...



!



*nods*
Who’s that li’l girl? It’s strange... It’s like... I’ve met her somewhere before...
*nods* She’s your daughter.
Wait... what?
My daughter...?
What...?
Her name is Setsuna...
EXCUSE me?!
Yes... I know...
You DID?! DUDE!
When you set off on your journey, I said I had something to talk about, didn’t I? I had a new life inside me...



*nods* Thank you, Mana...
*looks towards child Setsuna and kneels* Thank you, Setsuna...
*nods*





She is this world’s last hope...



Music: Ends





















































Thank goodness... You’re both all right...

Nidr and Endir climb to their feet and face the concerned party...



You both passed out all of a sudden! Don’t you remember anything?
Uuuuuuuuhhhhhhh...
Setsuna...
*head tilts towards Nidr* Uuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh...
What’s wrong?
*head tilts towards Setsuna* Uhhhhhhhhhh...?
*shakes head* Oh... uh... I... No, I don’t remember anything... Sorry for worryin’ all of you.
Uhh... I also... uuuuhhh... Yeah. Nothing. Remember nothing. Weird...
*silently mouths “what the actual fuck”*
*jumps up* Forget it. Do you think that was some sort of enemy attack? Why would it only affect Endir and Nidr, though...?
*shakes head* No... that was no enemy. I was just too damn thickheaded... and I had some people really worried...
? What’s that supposed to mean? Did you knock your head, old man?



*laughs*
This is tremendously awkward.
...You have no idea.
......

Kir runs off and most of the rest of the party follows. Except for...


Music: Path of Redemption



_Frick...
Yeah, sure. What’s up, guy?



*sucks teeth* Was I in it?
...Yeah.
Yeah...
That was no dream.
Or it was and we were both a part of it... I dunno WHAT the heck that was. But I was there... I heard everything. So uhh... Yeah...
I see... So you know everything.
.....
Yeeeep. I mean, we’re talking about the same thing... right?
Setsuna is... Setsuna is my daughter...
Yeah... We’re talking about the same thing.
But for now... I want to keep this between us.
Why would you do that?
You know that is just going to blow up in your face, man. C’mon...
*looks away and shakes head* I know what you must be thinkin’... but it’s for the sake of this journey. Setsuna is better off not knowin’ about me. If she found out, she’d be real shook up, and that’d affect our journey. And anyway... I want to protect her not as her father, but as a swordsman... as her guard.
*turns back to Endir* I hope you can understand.
*nods* Look, I’m not gonna get involved. It’s up to you. Even if I was drawn into your weird guilt trip dimension for that... whole thing...
*nods*
...So did you get a Stand or a Persona out of that deal or anything?
A what?
Hmph. ...Guess not. Bummer.

The two begin walking away...



Thanks for saving me, Endir.
*shakes head* It’s fine. Don’t make it weird, dude.
......
...Weirder.

And that’s it for Chapter 8: Past Secrets. Yep, just right there in the middle of this dungeon. Hey, I don’t dictate the chapter stop points! But I do dictate the update end points.

Like right here!