Part 6: Hey, We Tried the Doorbell...

First off, as requested, character stats:

Cheeto as of Level 13:
_{A bit of a peek into the future because I work off of a screenshot backlog.}
As we can see, Cheeto is a melee type. His Mind stat is also very high. It's hard to find detailed information on this game's mechanics, but from my experience Mind can be equated to Special Attack. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Fritz as of level 13:

Fritz, on the other hand, is a ranged type character. His reflexes (speed) are pretty good, but this really only serves to offset the fact that you need to really load down his suit to take advantage of his ranged skill. As you can see in the upper right, his suit only has a base speed of 4 because of all the heavy weapons he has. His Skill is also very high. Again, I can only infer on this based off of my experience, but Skill seems to have a very strong effect on support techniques. As of right now Fritz is our #1 healer.

Now, on to the update!

Chapter 5: Hey, We Tried the Doorbell...

When we last left our heroes they were hurrying back to Angelina to collect their reward...


: We cleared the Fort of enemy Mobile Suits!
: So I've heard! Thank you, both of you! You've done us a great service!
: Yes, well, speaking of that...
: Of course, your reward. Don't worry, I'm a man of my word!


I can buy, like, 20 repair kits with that kind of money. For reference, a repair kit restores 150HP, which is almost a full heal at this stage.
: 1000 credits!? You sure you can afford this?
: Of course! We want to help you the best we can.
: Thank you, Constable! We'll put it to good use!
: We're the ones who owe you our thanks! Good luck!


: We could catch up with Captain Hal and ask him about this Vladi Zarth guy!
: Hold on! Shouldn't we go check on Aeon first?
: Um... we have to keep moving forward, you know. Besides, I'd hate to have to say goodbye a second time...
: Hey, is this what I think it is? Love at first sight?
: What!? Put a sock in it Fritz, or I'm leaving you behind!
Of course, Cheeto never follows up on his threats... In any case, I decide to head back to Marie's anyway. Just because.


: A Mobile Suit!? Is it hostile?
: I don't know... but it doesn't look like it's going to attack.
: I wonder who it could be...
Gee, goons, I wonder who it could ever be.


: It's me... Aeon!
It doesn't really matter which direction from Angelina you go. I just always head back towards Marie's


: Marie let me use it. I asked her if I could go with you... She said no at first... but I persuaded her!
: No way! You can't come with us! It's way too dangerous!
: Please!
: No... I can't let you!


: I want to know who I am, and where I came from! If I could travel with you, I might find answers to those questions... Please let me go with you!
: Are you sure you want to do this?
: Yes!


: I won't!
: It isn't going to be easy. In fact, it's going to be dangerous.
: I know, and I'm ready!
: Okay, then... Just don't slow us down.
: Thank you! I'll do my best!


: You were never any good at acting! Guess what, Aeon? Cheeto here has a crush on someone we both know!
: A "crush"? What does that mean.
Damnit Fritz, don't ruin her adorable innocence!
: Heh heh heh! You see, it means that he-
: Fritz! Zip it!
: Whoa! A little touchy there, are we? Anyway, welcome to the team!





Aeon's stats as of level 13. Her Ranged score is very good, which means she's gonna rely a lot of firearms. Also, her Mind AND Skill scores are great. She's our girl for techniques.



Turning back, we continue our journey to Eisengrad. As we trek through a forest, we get smacked in the face by a random encounter.


: If you need to attack with ranged weapons, I think I can help you out. It consumes a lot of EN, but I can use my Mega-Fire Boost Attack. Please keep that in mind.
Thanks for the advice, Aeon, but I'm going to have to pass you up on that one. You see, this here is a Boost Gouf. It's one of the game's many "fuck you" enemies. It's fast, it's strong, and it's got armor out the wazoo. Picking a fight with this sucker at my current level is a deathwish.


So we run away like scared rabbits and make for Eisengrad.
: Hey, wait up! The Eisengrad Army is here. If we just waltz in, we might get attacked!


Fritz you pansy, do you really need to ask? CHARGE!
: Okay, if you say so. Don't say I didn't warn you though.


"Oh, it's okay guys. We're good friends with Hal. We'll just mosey on in then."
: Don't move, or we shoot!
: Whoa! Hold your fire! We aren't your enemy. We're here to see Captain Hal.
: You're here to see the Captain? That's a good one, kid. Now scram, before ya get a bullet in your tail!
: Listen! My name is Cheeto! Just ask Captain Hal!
: You don't listen too good, do ya? Okay, if that's the way ya want it!
So... we're here picking a fight with what might be the strongest army in the world. I don't see how this could end badly.


Well, I may as well use Aeon's Mega-Fire attack. I mean, it's probably not that big a deal. She's just far too polite and adorable to be dangerous.


JESUS CHRIST!


"Note to self: Never, EVER cross Aeon..."


: Captain Hal is inside, and he ain't exactly a pushover. You're in way over your head, kid.
: How many times do I have to tell you? We aren't the enemy!
To be fair, unless they have some sort of headset under those helmets it can't be too easy to hear anything.
: Yeah? Who are you, then?
: Just ask Captain Hal! Now let us through!
And now we invade the HQ of the strongest army in the world. I have a good feeling about this.


Jesus, they're all out to get us.
: Wait! It's me, Cheeto!
: Cheeto? You're the intruders? What's going on here?
: Look, I'm sorry. We came here to see you. There's been a mistake.
: Ha! You really are something! You crashed the city gates just so you could talk to me?


: My apologies. But forcing your way in like that wasn't smart, either.
: I guess I messed up.
: Well, what's done is done. So. Why did you want to see me so badly?
: Well, it's just... We need some information.
: Information? Okay. Come see me at the Mobile Suit Corps Headquarters. Just head into the city. It isn't hard to find.
: What about our Mobile Suits?
: Don't worry, the Army will watch over them while you're visiting the city.
: Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!


"I told you guys it would work, but did you believe me? Noooooo. Well, Aeon, maybe."
: So, we finally made it inside!
: At last!
: Okay. I'm going to nose around and see what info I can pick up. You go and see Captain Hal, okay?
: I'm going to have a look around, too. It might help me remember somnething.


Well, this here is the Mobile Suit maintainance place. Almost all cities and towns have one. Here we can upgrade our suits' HP/Attack/Speed, switch around our parts, change the paint, change names, or switch characters into new suits. I'm saving our money for equipment upgrades, so I won't be upgrading our suits just yet. Names, on the other hand...


Our GM is now P'Zone. _{Zutaten named this.}


Our Zaku I is now Wendell. _{KungFuJesus named this one.}


And our Zaku II is now Shibun. _{CheeseballIV named this.}
Anyway, we move on to the wrong side of the tracks, but on our way, we find...


: What's up? What're you doing here?
: Just remembering the old days. Ever tell you I used to live here? In the city?
-->*No, never
*Yeah, you told me
I'm gonna regret this. It's all for you, goons!
: It's the first time I've told you, then. You know, when I was little, I was pretty messed up. Always stealing and pickpocketing, doing whatever I could to stay alive. The people around here used to call me and my buddies "rats." 'Cause we basically lived off of everyone's garbage.
: Wow, Fritz... I never knew.
"You used to be pretty hardcore. What the hell happened?"


: She'd get so angry with me, but she'd hug me real tight afterwards, so I knew she really loved me!
: That sounds like her, for sure.
: I left the city when she took me with her to the orphanage.
: You ran away after a couple of days, thoug, right?
: Ha ha! Yeah! I felt cooped up. Like an animal. Guess I was born free, or something.
: You know, every time you left... Miss Natalie would get really worried.
: I know. I... I wish I could tell her I'm sorry. I wish there were a way I could repay her...


: When it's all over, let's go back and rebuild the orphanage! I'm sure it'll make Miss Natalie happy!
: Yeah! That's a great idea! :Let's do it! As soon as we get through with all this!
The moral of this story? Fritz used to be awesome. I wonder what turned him into such a loser.


This here is a Mini G System. We can use it to turn the Small ECAPs we find into items. Most of the things we can create are Mobile Suit parts. I'm not gonna use this yet. We only have 3 ECAPs and there's nothing good for that price.


"How the hell do I fit into that thing...?"
This is the Mobile Suit garage. More like Mobile Suit gallery. You never need to come down here, but sometimes it's kinda cool. Alright, let's go see Cap'n Hal.


: Sorry about that. I just wanted to talk to you as quickly as I could.
: Seems like you're a man on a mission. Why don't you tell me about it?
: It's a long story. You sure you want to hear it?
: Go ahead, shoot.


I love RPG cliches. This means much less typing for me.


: So you two survived the destruction of the orphanage? And you're looking for Vladi Zarth to get your revenge?
: So you've heard of him?
: Only rumors.
: Please tell me what you know! Any information will help!
: All right. Have you ever heard of an organization known as the Dark Alliance?


: Its members operate in total secrecy, all over the world.
: And this Vladi Zarth is a part of it?
: I can't say for sure, but it's highly likely.
: The Dark Alliance... Vladi Zarth...
: The Alliance is led by four generals. It's possible the man you're looking for is one of them.
: Four generals? Where can I find them?
: Unfortunately, we don't know. We're doing our best to locate them, but we haven't had much luck.


: Acording to our sources, the Alliance may be behind the pirates' activities.
: Pirates?
: Sounds crazy, I know. But you may want to check it out. Port Marley is south of Eisengrad. Go take those pirates out!
Awright! We get to fight pirates! In Mobile Suits! It's gonna be the best day ever!


: Did he know where Vladi Zarth is?
: He didn't know exactly, but he gave us some good info. We have to go after the Dark Alliance. Find them, and we'll find Vladi Zarth.
: Hee hee! I found out some good stuff, too. There's been more and more Mobile Suit attacks on Port Marley, recently. Sounds like a lead.
God forbid Fritz finds some NEW news.
: Port Marley? Yeah, sounds like the Dark Alliance. Okay, Fritz! Let's get down there!
: Roger that, boss!
"I like the sound of that..."
: Aeon, you're coming too, aren't you?


: Hang in there Aeon! Who knows, someone in Port Marley might know something about you!
: Thank you, Fritz.
: Okay! Let's move out, everyone. We're heading south. Next stop, Port Marley!

Next time: Pirates!


BONUS CONTENT!

The G-Systems


"head of the Zarth Corporation. The G System uses condensed energy units called "ECAPs" as catalysts to create almost any object out of common, everyday materials such as dirt or water..."
So the ECAP produces energy for the device's almost Christ-like capabilities to turn common garbage into something useful. Sounds like quite the technology. Now, the question is what relation does this Rivage Zarth have to the Vladi Zarth we're seeking?