Part 7: Day 12: A Closed World

Music: Sacred Moon


Hi Vexen. Can you not be creepy? Please?

Uh, all right...
Report to Saix when you're ready.





So! New kind fo controls! I completely forgot about this so disregard my comment in a previous update about Rumble Pak. I think I'll stick with the default controls. Accessing shortcuts might be too hard with this one.



Using all the ethers because why not. Scan goes equipped and will stay that way (unless when I'm reorganizing).







You mispelled a word there, Demyx.



Let's go.

Music: Lazy Afternoons
Music: Sinister Sundown


Starting from now I'm going to post both the map and battle music at the start of the mission.



Reconna-what? What about fighting Heartless and collecting hearts?
Oh, there's far more to the ORganization than that, boy. Our work wouldn't go half as smoothly if we didn't gather the needed intelligence before hand.
Fortunately, you are in good hands. I will be by your side today to help stimulate that insensate mind of yours. First take a look around the immediate area, and report anything unusual you find. And don't go wandering too far until you've carefully examined the clues closest at hand.



Welcome to the tutorial for recon missions. It's what I think the best kind of missions, but they're very rare.



What I haven't mentioned until now is that EVERY TIME you begin a mission you get this information screen for 2 seconds. During it you can't attack/examine/use magic/item. It's annoying.



Anyway, in recon missions you just have to examine things. When you're near things you can examine Roxas will have a "?" on his head.

I think they sell jewelry here.
Anyone can see that.

The reason this is my favorite is because we get banter with whoever's with us. Sadly there's not many recon missions in this game.



This spot's paved with different tiles. It's like a road...
Fascinating... And?
Uhh...
We'll never get anywhere with you simply stating the obvious.

I think there's only a grand total of 5 other recon missions in this game. 2 with Xion, 2 with Xigbar, and 1 with Xaldin.



Wow, what do they sell here?
That's your job to find out, idiot.





There are a lot of shops.

Well, there are a lot of shops.
And?

It's a big town.

It's a pretty big town.
Is that all? You should have figured out that much when you got here.

Both choices converge here.



This could be the center of town.

This could be the center of town?
Could be? Are you asking me or telling me?

Business seems to be booming.

Business seems to be booming?
What, because you saw a couple of shops?

Both choices converge here (again).



Here's what I see: This whole town was built along a mountain. That's why the roads slope. Houses have been built along the terrace. And at the top is a station. The trains there are the town's primary system of transit.



Based on its location, we know the tracks are probably elevated.



Now, what about this path you pointed out?



You figured all that out just now?
But that's just it! I only stated what I saw. There was no "figuring" involved. That's the next step: analyzing the data you find. The clothing and jewelry shops tell us how these people live. This whole town is a blueprint of their lives.

Vexen deduces that "the track is elevated" and that "this place is downtown". He's so smart that he doesn't think of it as "figuring".

......
Distressing. Very distressing. Your mind wasn't made for this, was it? Well, you're not off the hook yet, boy. If I let you quit with these results, I'll be the laughingstock of the castle. Follow this path and investigate the remainder of the area. And stay on the path, if you please! Everything you need to know about this plaza lies along it-provided you are capable of connecting the dots.



The next places to examine are all along the path. One of them MUCH further than others.



Oh, right. There's enemies on the way. There's possessors who can...possess. They attack VERY slowly, though so it's no wonder they come out pre-possessed in KH2.



Shadows are also here. Both of them are Pureblood so we don't get any Hearts from them.



That's what happened when you get possessed. As I said, they attack very slowly. If you do get possessed, you can wait for your partner to free you (shown above) or just jump out of it.



An annoying thing about this game is that when there are enemies you can't examine anything (except treasure chests). It's annoying when you want to, for example, drink a potion that will make you smaller so you can go into a small hole.



An underground tunnel system? It's shuttered.
Note the number over the door. That's this gate's designation.
It says number four.
Precisely. Four, not one. Which means there are multiple gates.



It's locked.
You don't have to open every door we pass, you know. Try to remember that we run a covert operation. The town may be quiet, but it's not empty. If you allow yourself to be seen, YOU'LL become the target of investigation.

There's only 3 people in here. Not counting the ones in the mansion, there's only Hayner, Pence, and Olette. All the FF gang is nowhere to be found in this game.



Arches, staircases... Seems like an easy town to get lost in.
Easy to get lost? Your job is to be mentally mapping this place! Think of this as a landmark. Consider it a clue.



Why would we need to mentally map the place when there's an actual map of the place down there? (Because there's a status effect that will disable it).

Oh, and the checkmarks appear for areas we examined. So that's nice.



The entrance is shuttered. It looks like the road leads right into this building.
Then you should have already pieced together what the entrance is for.



All right, then, what have you learned?
Well, umm...let's see. The town has a lot of overpasses and underpasses. And the tram seems to circle the plaza. Oh, and there was that entrance that looked like it led underground, but it was shuttered.
Anything else?
Huh? Oh, umm... Err...
Never mind. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. You're showing some improvement, at least, even if your natural talents do fall woefully short of my own.

Maybe it's because Roxas wasn't a scientist? At least he hasn't been creepy during the mission.

......
You're done, boy. Go ahead and RTC.
I could've figured it out if I had more time.
Oh? Is that so? Then take all the time you like. But don't hold yourself up to my standards. Little steps for little minds.



Of course we're going to continue investigating!



The entrance with the shutter leads into this area, and then the road stops. We know the road is for the tram... So this must be the tram yard.
At last, a modicum of intelligence. My teaching is paying off!

The nice thing about recon missions is that it gives insight to the design process of the worlds. Like this area that was/would be infested by bees.



The treasure is way up. It has a Blazing Shard.



This spot's out of the way and surrounded by buildings.
But why would they leave the space open? It's kept clean, which means what?

That the garbage minigame isn't available?

People pass through here a lot?
Precisely. Finally, a glimmer of insight?



But while I applaud your effort, you need to be able to see these things at first glance.
Oh...right.
Your goal should be to gather the maximum amount of data in the minimum amount of time. Spend too much time dallying, and you risk being seen. Sometimes the locals will be wary. You need to be warier.
I understand.
Today's mission was just an exercise. I am satisfied. Let's return.

Vexen likes us!





Umm... How often do I have to do this?
Whenever the Organization needs to know more about a world, naturally. Each world is unique, with its own terrain, values, Heartless population-any number of variables that could be turned to our advantage in the missions ahead.

Wait, so Heartless population is normal? I thought it's because of Xehanort fucking up things.

Wait, "every world"? You mean there's more than one?

Yes, Roxas. You've been to two already.

Yes, boy. You didn't think you'd be mulling about here forever, did you? You will visit many worlds for many reasons...but our ultimate goal remains the same.
Kingdom Hearts.
That's right. Now come along.

Music: Crossing the Finish Line


If you didn't finish the mission completely, you get 1 Potion, 1 Dodge Roll, and 2 Fire Recipe.

Dodge roll is an ability that works the same as in other games. Fire recipe is a synthesis material for Fire. Yes, material as in you need to collect many of them.



The walls between worlds are steep, so we create our own ways: dark corridors which lead to every place imaginable.

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