NieR: Automata Part #22 - Episode XXI: Pascal

Part 22: Episode XXI: Pascal

Sorry for the delay. Had to repair my computer. We should be back on track here on out.

Episode XXI: Pascal

Looks like they really don’t want to fight.

Okay... I suppose we can shelve our intense bloodlust for machine lifeforms for just a little bit while we investigate this anomaly. Our objective marker is now pointing us to the solitary non-orb based machine. What’s the deal with the can head, dude? I thought it was agreed at the end of the 13th Machine War that machines were all going to get sphere heads and androids were all getting great butts for Round 14. You got some explaining to do...

New Music: Pascal (Vocal) (You should listen to this. It’s intensely cute.

)

Before we begin, there’s something you must understand... We are not your enemies.

2B, we can’t trust anything the machines say!

I understand that you see us as the enemy, but... Well, anyway. My name is Pascal. I’m the leader of this village. Those who reside here desire nothing more than to live a peaceful existence. Look around for yourself. You’ll see that it’s true.

Alright. I guess we can humor the friendly robot and poke around the village. Why do you guys have a Save Terminal installed here? I mean, it’s cool you’re not angrily kicking it like most machines we come across. Still...

As you can see, there’s a couple sidequests (indicated by those smaller red blips) in the village. We’re not going to take those quite yet. One of them is a HUGE goddamn mistake to take before fast travel unlocks (quite soon.) Yeah... I didn’t hoof it clear across the desert and then have to walk all the way back in a 20 minute round trip. No sir!

OK. The little dude that’s just having a fun time waving his flag around sold me. These guys seem OK. Let’s go see what this Pascal wants from us. If you’re wondering if Pascal is following the machine lifeforms’ naming scheme, yep! He’s named after Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician and philosopher from the 1600s. Unrelated, Blaze Pascal was a drug dealing neighbor I had back in high school. Good guy. Had some great product. Fairly certain he's in prison these days...

In fact, I’m hoping you can take this to Anemone in the Resistance camp.

What is it?

It’s a fuel filter that she requested. If you take it to her, it should make it clear that we’re a peaceful group.

All right.

Pascal’s Law is a principle in fluid mechanics that states that a pressure change occurring anywhere in a confined incompressible fluid is transmitted throughout the fluid such that the same change occurs everywhere. This quest only exists to make a science joke like 2% of people who play this will get. And I can respect that.

Back to the Resistance Camp, huh? That’s a bit of a hike back the way we came. But we skipped past a different path leading into the Machine Village after our hike from the Amusement Park.

Music: Rays of Light (Quiet)

After a short jog through the woods, the new path dumps us out by that rope bridge and the radio tower to the north of Resistance Camp.

There’s a big ol’ block in the way in front of a barrier we can now shove out of the way and create a shortcut back to the City Ruins. Granted, we’re like two plot beats from unlocking fast travel and shortcuts become rather moot after that. But hey, it’ll help for now.

Unlike 9S, who is just content to watch as 2B struggles with shoving this five ton block and opening the path. No, it’s fine buddy. I know you’re here for moral support. Thanks a bunch... _{_{_Idiot.}}

2B’s radio beeps with a call from 6O.

*sobs*

2B here. What’s wrong?

Oh... *sniff* there’s this operator I kind of liked, but... when I asked her out, she turned me doooooooown! *cries*

*sniff* Honestly, 2B? I don’t know how I’m supposed to go on liiiiving. *sniff*

I am definitely not the person to discuss this with.

*shakes head* Oooooh... I don’t think I can stand spending one more day in this Bunker...

.....

You leaving would be bad for me. It would affect mission efficiency.

*sniffles* A-Are you saying you need me, 2B?

All model-B combat units require assistance of an operator. So...

2BEEEEE...

That’s all. Closing this channel.

Emotions are prohibited. Please... no more emotions. I’m begging you. We have work to do. I cannot be dealing with this trifling bullshit coming from space! You had an entire horoscope to warn you about this, 6O! C'mon!

Music: Peaceful Sleep

Anyway, back to the Resistance Camp. It’s been a bit since we’ve stocked up on supplies and boy do we have a lot of vendor trash to offload after I was stuck in fishing RNG purgatory for 40 minutes.

That’s 28,000 G from Iron Pipe debacle. Another 11,000 from that quick fishing expedition last time. And finally, we randomly picked up a couple of Machine Cores. Machine Cores are the most valuable vendor trash in the game. They go for 10,000 G a pop right now. But saving them up until late game over doubles their value. It’s best to sell a Machine Core if we’re trying to specifically buy something at the moment. Otherwise, they can be saved for a rainy day.

Fun fact: The Party Tank was the first guaranteed Machine Core drop. You monsters.

We’re going to use our newfound wealth to further improve 2B’s chip storage space. Another 24 slots ain’t too shabby.

I don’t have any particularly noteworthy chips to slot in at the moment. Moving Speed makes 2B run slightly faster. Ranged Attack Up buffs Pod Program Gatling/Missile. Melee Defense just makes 2B able to take a hit like a champ.

Finally, we may as well burn through the rest of our war chest and clean out the last of the Weapon Trader’s stock. I’m sure Accord will be thrilled she’s been cleaned out in such short order. Wherever in the multi-verse she and her duplicates are hanging out.

Ancient Overlord is another Small Sword. It’s not particularly good initially. It’s really fast but its range is teeny and damage output is one of the worst available right now. However at its first upgrade, it gets Critical+ and that definitely improves its DPS since Criticals are disgusting. At max level, it gains Bullet Rupture, which makes the enemy’s plasma orbs explode, damaging them if struck by the burst. Which... OK? Optimally, you don’t wanna have orbs up in your grill around enemies. But don’t let me hold you back from living your life dangerously.

It’s worth a mention that Ancient Overlord appeared in Drakengard 1 and 2 as the Kingsblood. It was also in the original NieR. It was a gift from the King of Façade after Papa Nier helped drive the wolves to extinction! Let’s hear its tale...

Ancient Overlord posted:

One day, a young girl's village was sacked by bandits. To protect her family, she took up a dagger her father had found in the mountains and killed one of them, an act that shocked her family. But the bandits fled, never to return.

Five years passed. Then ten. Then twenty. Though the family she protected began to grow old, the girl never aged. Eventually the other villagers began to shun her.

With no one to turn to, she finally left her village and began to wander the earth, visiting many strange lands in the process. As the years passed, her skill and fame as a master swordfighter grew to legend.

Eternal life, a powerful weapon, and boundless experience - she used these talents to become queen of a nation. And yet, there was emptiness in her life, for she still desired the kindness her family denied her after that fateful day.

Good grief! Count your goddamn blessings if the worst thing that happens to you in a Weapon History is your family are frigid dicks. Some girl got a taxidermist to stuff her a few weapons ago. You are well off.

In any case, we’re done with our merchant dealings. Let’s head over to Anemone and ask what’s the deal with her consorting with machines is. That has gotta be frowned upon somewhere in the android handbook.

Music: Peaceful Sleep (Vocal)

...A fuel filter? Ah, perfect timing—we were running low. Wait, you met Pascal?

Sure did. So you’ve been consorting with machines, huh?

Just the ones in the village. They’re totally harmless, and they also have the means to construct intricate devices that we can’t. In exchange, we provide them with oil and other materials. I guess you’d call it a form of commerce.

I see...

Anyway, if you’re headed back there, please take this high-viscosity oil to Pascal.

Really? You’re sending us straight back to the Machine Village? We really should have gotten that little dude on the hovercraft to come with us and ferry this back. Oh well, let’s get on with this.

The radio rings as 2B exits the camp.

Gah! He just started transmitting to us directly...

Now do you believe we’re not a threat?

Your mouth can say anything it wants... But you still don’t have a heart.

I suppose that’s... technically accurate. Yes, well, you’re free to visit our village whenever you like.

9S, maybe cool it on the robot racism a bit. We’re androids. In case you’ve forgotten, we don’t technically have hearts either. We rip a black cube out of our chest that causes a nuclear explosion if they connect.

Anyway, let’s head back to the Machine Village and complete this FedEx quest between the robot factions. Boy I’m going to be glad when Fast Travel is available.

New Music: Pascal

Pascal’s village has now reset to a neutral state and everyone now has unique dialogue. A couple of machines have also set up shops at the town entrance. We’re gonna opt to ignore all of this and continue with the main plot threads. Don’t worry, we’re going to be back in this village for quite a few updates in the near future.

Come play with us!

Okay, but after we’re done, you have to study. Do you promise?

Okay! I’ll study later!

Yeah! We’ll study later!

*noticing the androids* Oh, you brought me some high-viscosity oil! Anemone is just so kind and understanding. If only all androids and machines could live together in peace like this...

Never gonna happen.

I guess not... I’d appreciate it if you could help out some of the other machines as well, though. After all, the only way to understand someone is to get to know them. Isn’t that right?

Fair enough.

Music ENDS

What’s that noise?

*ring-ring* 2B, this is an emergency transmission from the Bunker! We’re reading a Goliath-class enemy inside the city ruins! And it looks like there are a ton of other machines there with it! All YoRHa units should proceed and engage immediately!

A Goliath!? This WAS a trap! I knew it!

...I promise you, we were not aware of this information. I realize the odds of you believing me are strikingly low... But I hope you will nonetheless.

We’ll sort it out later. Let’s go.

It’s always something. This has been the frikkin’ longest day. Mostly because it’s eternally daytime. It recently got confirmed that North America is an eternally dark hellscape. So that’s fun. Anyway, let’s head back but ehh... let’s take the scenic route. We’ve already run back and forth the same path to the Camp two times now.

Alert: Leaving the operational area has resulted in significant allied casualties.

Yeah, yeah. We’re just going to swing past the Amusement Park. It’s like three minutes longer a trek. It’ll be just fi—