Part 23: The Fallen Star

Well, we managed to get our research done today.

Video- “Research Topic”

Watch the Video

Anyone have any ideas?
Me me! Let’s make a lotta medicine! Like one that turns you green and…
What do you plan to do with that “medicine”…?
So, do you know how to make it?
Nope. But it’ll be fine. We can all work on it together!
Preposterous.
Boo. Then what’s your bright idea, Roxis?
I’ve put together a few essays. I was planning to just turn those in.
Then I’ll just be all your work!
If you have a better idea, please, go on.
Huh? Uh… Why don’t we just make a robot out of cardboard or something?
…Kids don’t even make those these days.
I think we should all put on a play together.
That’s more like a talent show than independent research…
*sigh * So random…

Flay actually had a good idea on what we could do for the research.



Oh yeah!? Then what’s your brilliant plan?
Now, it won’t take very long, and depending on our results…
We may get a good grade. I think it’s time for us to excavate a ruin!
A ruin?
Deep in the Mana Ruins lie the remains of ancient alchemy. We’ll dig there!
Oh yeah, if we find anything, we’ll finish really fast…
But isn’t that place restricted to Seniors only?
What do you think you’re looking at?
Wha… I thought you flunked!
Aww, that’s too bad. I just assumed you’d never graduate.
Stop talking about my grade! Now hurry up and get ready to go!
Did we even decide on doing the excavation?
I don’t think we’ll find anything that easily…
We can try it out. If we don’t find anything, we’ll think of something else.
Okay, let’s do that.

Outside…



We headed down to the Mana Ruins to search.



Everyone: Yeah!

Professor Feinne’s Alchemy 101: The Interior Heights
This is actually a really interesting dungeon. It’s filled with chests, most of which have either a Chrome Crystal, Carbon Boulder, or Pendelook. Some of them, though have enemies inside. When you defeat the enemies, you get an X Heal, so it’s actually pretty worthwhile. The enemies here all take a decent amount of time to defeat and you can easily end up taking quite a long time to get to the event area of this. I’d suggest waiting the night out, the enemies here are really brutal then. Especially be careful of opening chests at night, you can get massacred by the time effect unleashed by one of the chest monsters then.

We found what seemed like a decent place to dig around deep inside.

Video- “The Find”

Watch Us Do Archaeology

I was just thinking… Is this really okay? I mean, it’s school property…
It should be fine. If they don’t want us here, they should do more to stop us.
Well, never mind that for now.

And in the back I found a really strange metal thing.



What? You found something?
Hold on, huy-ah… What is this? An egg?
Yeah. A metallic egg…
We need to examine it with the Flayputer!
I’ve never seen this kind of material before.
Let’s take it back. Maybe if we warm it up, something will hatch!
???: Stop! Leave that… thing right there!!

It turned out we were followed out here.



Who the hell are you calling a mook!?
Flay, who are these people?
Just some losers. It’s not even worth mentioning their names.
You—Rrrgh—Of all the things to say… Anyway! We’re taking that egg!
Sorry guys. It’s like his whole life is dedicated to annoying you.
You’re involved in this, too!
Eh… I’m not as wiling this time. We weren’t even ordered to do this.
Fine, I’ll do this myself! You can go home!
Aww, you’re all pouty. How precious.
D-don’t say that!
…Can’t you practice your couple’s comedy show somewhere else?
Wh-what couple!? Gahh, this conversation is getting us nowhere…
Anyway, we’re taking that, by force if necessary!

I really wish he’d stop hassling us.

Video- “Tony and Renee”

Watch the Hardest Battle Yet

Boss Battle: Tony and Renee
This fight is seriously quite nasty and you can easily get dropped like a rock. Let’s start on Renee. She’ll start by summoning her Azureflame Mana, just like last time. I’m not in the business of making this easier on myself but if you are having trouble with the fight Sealing her before she can summon it does make things a lot simpler. Renee uses more powerful versions of her Girl Attack, Big Orange Bomb, and Full Power Blade, and the Azureflame Mana has higher stats but the same basic moves. Tony will use the Twisted Flare and Hyphen attacks he used in the Battle Arena, and also has a powerful group attacked called Break Stomp. He’ll also eventually use a skill called Path of Evil that ‘summons’ his own Mana. Tony’s Evil Mana changes the animations of all of his attacks and adds an extra hit to everything, making his Twisted Flare a LOT more dangerous. Focus on the Azureflame Mana if it’s up, then Renee, then Tony. There is a lot of damage going around in this fight, so make sure you have a lot of healing and revival ability. It’s also helpful if you build up a full Finishing Burst meter on trash and just save it for the boss. Defeating them gets you two new recipes, one for the male-only Estevan Guard and one for the female-only Feathery Flow.

Somehow we managed to prevail, though.

Video- “The Metal Egg”

The Truth Is Out There

Why aren’t you angrier!? Damn it, you’ll pay for this!!
Ha, even his threat is idle and lackluster.
I wonder what they actually came here for…
We wasted precious time. Let’s go back to the workshop now.
Wasted time… Haha, pretty harsh words there, Anna…

We took the thing back to the workshop to try and figure out what it was.



I wonder what this is…
A pot, I guess… Though it seems to be metal.
I think we should prepare a normal research paper…
Don’t worry. No matter how you cut the pie, this is a super ancient artifact.
I guess it kinda looks like one but… Mehh.
Yeah… Even if we turn it in like this, it’s still only a pot of some kind.
You guys are too picky. Here, give it to me.
Wh-what are you doing!?
These things always start up after you give them a little shock! Tah, rah!
St-stop it. If it breaks, then we’ll really have nothing to turn in.
If it breaks, we’ll go get another one.
No way! That’s too much work.
Huh? I thought I just saw it move…
Ooh, really?
Yeah, it shook a bit… Wha—aaahhhh!



???: …2000 Space Years since I landed on this planet, trapped, unable to move…
…But finally… Finally the time has come…

The thing let out the strangest noise…



And something came out!



Wah!
Mu?
Wh-what is this…?
It’s… cuuuuute!
Moo!
It ran away! Catch it!
Y-yes, sir!

We cornered it in the back of the workshop.



Don’t bully it!
I don’t think this is the time to say that…
This? Is cute? Jess, you’re really strange.
Just hurry up and catch it!
Mu mu!
(What’s going on!? This isn’t a rescue party from the mother ship!?)
(And I’ve interacted with these aliens… I’m bound for capital punishment.)
(If I must… I’ll just have to destroy these things…)
Intent to kill!
I knew it, he’s dangerous!
(Heh heh, panic, inferior organisms… But it’s too late. Take this!)
(…Huh? I-it’s broken!? N-no it can’t be. Most of my weapons are…)
If it’s an enemy, don’t go easy. Even if it is our independent research!
(I’m in trouble… O-oh, right, the translator… Language pack… Here!)

And then it talked!



!?
It spoke…?
You understand us?
I know. I, Muppy. You, my friend.
Geez… Such cheesiness.
What now?
Step 1: Observation… Vayne, try to make contact with it.
Huh? Uh okay… Um… Hello?
Bonjour?
Bon…!? Umm… Muppy, right? …Who are you?
(What should I say? I must play this off…)
…Foreign student.
Wow, really!? Then you get to study with us from now on!
Jess! Don’t be fooled! It’s obviously not even human!
…Look like my mother.
What a unique mother!
I’d wish to see her one day…

I’m not really sure what Nikki’s problem was.



(Alchemy, they said… Let’s see, according to the database…)
(Ah hah, this is… If I learn alchemy, I can fix my spaceship… Right…)
Um… Are you really a student? You don’t look…
Blast, look. I had some congenital birth defects, but I’m 17 years old.
Oh, then we’re the same age.
Don’t fall for this stupid story!
Oh come on, Nikki. Let’s hear him out.
Wha… I’m the bad one? Roxis, Pamela, say something!
It’s not cute, so I don’t care.
Sorry, but I won’t partake in possible discrimination against the disabled…
B-but…someone be on my side!
Alright! Then you shall become a member of this workshop starting today!
Yaaaay!
Aww, the conversations moved on!
Oh, have you completed all the enrollment papers?
Papers?
I didn’t think so…
We’ll just threaten the supreme ruler and it’ll be over with.
Threaten…?
Okay, let’s go!

Nikki didn’t come with us to the Principal’s office, no idea why.





!?
Even I know this can’t be good…

He was kind of iffy about actually letting Muppy in, though.



That’s right. Give us the approval, now.
Well, you see. There’s a strict entry exam and interviews and…
Aww, Muppy can’t join us? That’s horrible!
Well uh… If he has some sort of identification…
It’s on my head.
Head?
A red ball is proof of royalty. Only we are allowed to wear it.
R-royalty!? Is that so? Where do you come from?
Th-that’s…
(I need a random place…)
…Waii’ha.
Waii’ha? Is there such a kingdom by that name…?
You don’t know! And you call yourself a principal?
No, no. I just forgot… Yes, Waiiha. I went there a lot when I was young.

Things got sorta weird here.



Shh! How should I know? Just play along!
O-okay…
Is that right? Then I don’t have to tell you how beautiful it is there.
Y-yeah. The summers are cool and the winters are warm…
Yeah, uh huh. And the food there is so good.
Ah, you guys have been there, too? It’s a nice place, Waiiha.
(It worked…?)
If you’re royalty of Waiiha, it’s no problem. Alright, you’re admitted.
Yay! That’s wonderful, isn’t it Muppy?
Mu! Now I don’t have to kill you.
Heh heh heh, such an easy man to handle.
Was that really okay? For him to enroll like that…
All’s well that ends well.
System Message: Muppy has joined your party.

I guess that turned out well overall.



Even though, he was supposed to be turned in as our research project…
There are many kinds of people in my workshop, but, how can I say this…
I think he is beyond unique in my mind.
Who is he, and where did he come from?
At that time, we had no idea…