Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Part #34 - Day 119-122: Work to Do

Part 34: Day 119-122: Work to Do

No story scene this time.

Music: Sacred Moon

The only new thing is the Haste we got from completing the Challenges. The Casual Gear is funny, but its stats are worthless.

A smart player knows how to adapt his game to suit the house rules. Equip a weapon with two or more units intalled init, then come see me.

See above panel configuration.

I see you've got a weapon with two or more units installed. Good. I'll get you clearance for a suitable game-a new mission. Ask Saix for the details.

Axel's whereabouts? I have no clue.

Luxord!

It lets the Organization keep tabs on how hard you're working. How about I take a little peek? Come tell me when you've filled it completely from Day 97 to 116.

We're done with that. After this set, the game skips to Day 117.

Looks like you filled the gauge for Days 97 to 116, slugger. Nice going. Here's a little something from me to you. (Obtained: Gust Shard)

Keep it up, kiddo.

See, Luxord, that's how you give a reward.

Luxord's gift is the fourth mission, the one with the Morning Star a.k.a. the Heartless that kills Level 1 CM runners in Tifa's section. But we're not going to do that today.

We're going on a recon mission! And it's our first mission with Xaldin!

Music: Waltz of the Diamond
Music: Dance of the Darling

The castle's master?

You've seen him, haven't you? Every inch a monster.

So you've done a little exploring here on your own, then.

Yes... I suspect it was some kind of spell that left him in that state.

A spell?

The data we've collected suggests he was human, originally. The exact sequence of events is unclear, but it was a spell that forced him to live as that...thing.

Wow... That can't be fun.

We're here to analyze, not symphatize. Let's begin hunting for clues.

All right.

We'll leave the beast's chambers for later. Let's search the rest of the castle first.

If you say so.

Shh... I hear voices. Somebody's in here.

...Master won't even...to Belle...

"Master"? Then it must be the servants. Come away, lest you draw any attention.

Right.

Oh look, I get to use Honest John's portrait again.

Mega-Shadows are common enemies here. This proves that Lexaeus was just being a dick when he punched Roxas months ago. The chest has Air Slide LV+.

Scratch marks...

Work of the beast's claws, no doubt. He's not what you'd call a tidy fighter. It looks as though he was fighting a losing battle.

The chest has a Hi-Potion.

Let's see what's behind Door Number Two...

Roxas! We have to keep a low profile, you fool. No more throwing doors open. I won't have it.

Aww...

After this, we investigate the Courtyard.

Tracks... The beast's footprints.

He must have battled Heartless here.

Why would he want to fight them, though? What's in it for him?

If I had the answers, I wouldn't be here listening to your questions.

Do you know that Neoshadows' shockwave can inflict Blind? It's true! That chest is the same as the one in the previous picture and it has an Elixir Recipe. Like all Recipe items, it's used for synthesis.

Bulky Vendors lately have been able to consistently escape from me

This way leads out to some kind of bridge.

The only route into the castle... Remember that, Roxas. If a giant Heartless were to attack, it would be through here.

Okay... But that's kind of a big if.

I wish we have a 'Foreshadowing!' smiley.

Ether chest.

Look at the way the stones have been kicked up. Another sign the beast fought the Heartless?

And also a sign that his power far exceeds anything I anticipated... Perfect.

For some reason I picture Xaldin saying this like Snidely Whiplash. Anyway, we go toward the Entrance Hall Upper Level.

There's these assholes and these somewhat-assholes.

There's nothing in to examine there, so we move on to the Ballroom. The Entrance Level Upper Hall has a door toward the Ballroom's balcony, which I don't think you can get to in KH2.

It's pretty here.

How would you compare it to the rest of the castle?

Hmm... It's brighter, I guess. Most of the castle's pretty dark.

This room will be too, in time. Dark with the beast's despair.

When Xaldin isn't talking about Beast like Snidely Whiplash, he's just spouting off purple proses.

Down in the lower level, there's 3 of these somewhat-assholes with their loads of HP. Yes, I'm sore about dying to them repeatedly when collecting Hearts.

I only mentioned this because we get to see Xaldin's limit here.

What do they use such a big, open room for?

Why, it's a ballroom. And quite the lovely one, at that. No place for a creature as hideous as our host... And it seems he agrees with me.

How do you figure?

There are Heartless here, but I see no traces of a struggle. I can only take that to mean that he is avoiding this place.

There's a balcony outside the doors here.

Fascinating, Roxas. Can you see anything else?

Not really. Just the stars.

Anything else USEFUL?

Moving on to The West Hall...

Then we can return here later. The rest of the castle needs to be explored first.

As I said, moving on to The EAST Wing.

At this rate, he'll go the entire day without speaking to Belle at all... Again. This can't go on much longer... We're running out of time!

Running out of time for what?

Ah, but you see? This is one of the castle's residents. And like the beast, a human once.

You think he's under the spell, too?

If I had to venture a guess. And from the sound of it, this spell came with a time limit.

What happens when time runs out?

What indeed? Let's continue our search. And stay out of sight.

I guess we're doing this again. It's Cogsworth, though, so it's fine.

Especially since we're fighting Sergeants just a short distance from him and he didn't even notice.

Gear Component A. There's a reduced quantity of chests with Potions, which I like.

Nice sofa.

No breaks, Roxas.

No, I wasn't- I didn't mean- I was just saying...

This room...

This is the beast's room.

This should be the beast's room.

"Should be"? Your words don't inspire much confidence. Hmm, I sense the room may be occupied. Look in and see, Roxas.

This room looks just like the beast's.

This room looks just like the beast's.

Hmm, I sense someone may be inside. Whoever it is must be important enough to warrant accommodations as fine as the master's. Peer inside and see who it is, Roxas.

Both choices converge here.

I wish there were some way I could help.

Perhaps I'll ask Cogsworth and the others. I'm sure that together we can figure something out.

Spoiler: Beast is still extremely fatigued in KH2, so Belle does nothing until then. In KH2, though, she makes Xaldin look like a chump.

I don't believe it. The woman inside-she's human!

And that's what happens if you chose the This room looks just like the beast's. Both options converge during Belle's scene, but then diverge again. If we chose This is the beast's room...

......

Oops. Guess I had the wrong room.

Hmph, useless.

I just got a little turned around. Forget about that. The woman inside-she's human!

A little turned around. On a completely different wing. Anyway, the dialogue converges again.

Really? Just when I thought this castle was all freaks and furniture... Then she must be Belle.

How do you know?

All the servants speak highly of her. It's only fitting someone so well regarded would be given such fine lodgings.

She's pretty, isn't she?

You remember the way to his room, yes?

I think so.

Take me there.

We don't actually have to sneak past Cogsworth again, since we can just get caught and the game would put us back at the entrance.

(Uh-oh!) *runs*

I was certain that something was there... Lumiere! If that's you, get back to your post this instant!

Whew... He almost spotted us. I need to be more careful.

Did he mention Lumiere the previous times? Must be nothing. Now Xaldin will finally let us investigate the west side of the castle.

Wow. Didn't even last 3 images before we see who he's referring to. And you can guess where this is going.

If only there was some way we could be rid of them for good... But like this... What can I do!? I don't even have arms to hold a sword!

He must be like the others-another human under the spell.

It would seem everyone here underwent some sort of transformation.

How do you suppose they wound up under a spell?

I couldn't say. We may find some clue in the beast's room.

That's just past here.

Then let us be going. Don't get spotted, Roxas.

It's double stealth time!

And because it's Lumiere, this stealth section is much harder, with one of the examinable items right in his field of vision. Fuck Lumiere

(Uh-oh!) *runs*

Cogsworth! Is that you?

Whew... He almost spotted us. I need to be more careful.

Now let's actually examine the mop.

Cleaning supplies...

Stop wasting time.

Thanks for that

The floor is all torn up.

He fought tooth and nail to stop the Heartless here... There must be something ahead.

Hi-Potion.

Weird statue, huh?

Art is beyond our ken, Roxas. It takes a heart to feel moved.

Did this get knocked over in an earthquake?

Use your eyes. These are claw marks. The beast destroyed this himself. It was victim to either a stray blow whilst he fought the Heartless, or else some other rage he felt compelled to vent.

Oh, yeah, something I forgot to mention: These Bully Dogs can cause Silence. Remember: The other time we fought them is when Roxas used a stick. I waited a while and it never inflict Silence on Roxas or Xion, so either I'm lucky that time or the game hard-coded that mission to prevent Silence. Not that I'm complaining.

These picture frames have been knocked all over the place.

The beast can't control his rage. It muddles the heart, poisons the mind...

Yeah. I'll take a look inside...

Huh!? Xaldin, how did you...

He came through a portal off-screen. No idea why he couldn't just go through the door.

This rose... I sense a power in it. The beast must hold it quite dear.

We made the discovery that you're the type to use portals just to look cool. And that you can talk while silenced.

the woman?

Belle, was it?

Ah, yes, Belle. Indeed, there may be meat to pick there. I sense she has some role to play in this farce.

This choice is the same as the one in the second option. I guess the game starts mixing it up with the dialogue trees? Kinda late for that, though, considering we're at the last proper recon mission.

the rose?

What do you care about some flower?

It looked fake.

No rose is going to survive long under glass. It's gotta be fake.

Ah, but then you're making an assumption: that it's just another rose.

It looked important to him.

He obviously takes really good care of it.

Precisely, Roxas. That is no ordinary rose.

Both choices converge here.

To him, at least, it seems to hold more value than anything else in the castle. You saw the room. It was in tatters-save one corner.

Maybe that's why he's been fighting the Heartless. He wants to protect the rose?

Of course. Some strange power surrounds it... The Heartless are drawn to it.

Then his fight is far from over...

Our work here is done, Roxas. The beast's weakness is clear.

It is?

To hold something dear is to let it hold you. His heart is in thrall to it, don't you see? And that, Roxas, is ample weakness.

I'm not sure I follow.

Nor should you. You have no heart to love with. Come. We return.

I still wish I have a 'Foreshadowing!' smiley.

We immediately turn back and examine Beast's room again.

I still have some questions about that rose.

Now is not the time. Leave it.

And then we go to Belle's room. Yes, we have to go through both Lumiere and Cogsworth again. We can't just take the easy way of getting caught since it will bring us to the entrance to The West Wing.

This Belle person... Why do you suppose she's here?

You think she isn't simply a prisoner?

It didn't seem that way to me. Plus, she mentioned helping him.

Help that beast? Hah, if I had a heart, I'd be laughing.

It's about Belle.

She's obviously important to the beast.

The servants seem more concerned with her than the beast does. They seem to be of the opinion she matters more to their master.

Which is weird since Beast should've been concerned with her because of the events in Hollow Bastion.

Right, but how?

It's about the rose.

Okay, so it's not an ordinary flower. Don't you think we should find out why?

I thought you'd have figured that part out by now. It probably has to do with the spell he's under.

Spell?

Both choices converge here.

Enough speculation. We have what we need. It's past time we returned.

And that's all. We can go back to the portal through the shortcut of getting caught, since Cogsworth is nice, unlike Lumiere.

Music: At Dusk, I Will Think of You...

I guess Axel's still out on that classified mission, huh?

KH 358/2=179 Days of Falling Salty Diabetes
Twilight Station Tower: 25
Sea-Salt Ice Cream: 52

I keep wondering where they keep the ice cream. Putting it in the pocket can't be sanitary since there's no packaging to be seen.