Part 13: Zone 3 - Dormitories

Hi and welcome back. We've just left zone 2. As usual, let's take a moment to review our party's current stats:





The Batter is level 9. His current skills are:

Wide Angle - Analyses the enemie's characteristics.

Save First Base - Restores some HP.

Save Second Base - Restores a lot of HP.

Run with Courage - Special attack of the element Metal.

Furious Homerun - Special attack of low impact.



Add-on Alpha is also level 9. His skills are:

Saturated Chain - Special attack of low impact.

Converted Chain - Special attack of mediocre impact.

Awaited Embrace - Special attack inflicting Poison.



The Omega add-on is level 8. His current skills are:

Inverse Perspective - Cures Blindness and Muteness.

Overdone Perspective - Cures Poison and Sleep.

Optimised Blur - Attack of random impact.

But right now we've just entered zone 3.



Music - Burned Bodies

Let's go take a look around.







I already don't like the look of this place. The orange and pastel green together reminds me of vomit.





There's no one around in the first building we enter.



Oh, he's on lunch break. Let's check out the poster on the wall.



The Stamped Note has been found.

I hope he doesn't mind I stole the poster.





There's not really any evidence to support it, but I like to think this is the Elsen who is supposed to be working the front desk in the previous building.



He's just on break, no big deal.



This other building looks much larger, let's try in here.



Music - Some Rudiments Of Propriety

The Batter speaking directly to me is always a bit of a jolt. Let's press the shift key like he asks.



Oh I see! The floor here has a pattern of boxes printed on it. We're supposed to follow a specific path. Judging by the colors, there are 3 paths in this room to follow.



But first, let's just test real quick what happens when we don't follow the mapped out path.



Phantoms!





Guess what status effects these assholes can throw on us.



The fights with these guys aren't hard, just a little obnoxious. And once we win:



We're sent outside to try again.



Okay, let's follow the right path this time. First we'll try the black path, since it's the first one we can reach.





I... uh... hm.



There's the door the first path is leading us to! I'm cutting out the screen shots of me pressing shift to check the map literally every step I take.





Oh, I guess we're in the mess hall? That would make sense, with the dining tables and the serving counters and all. Let's head in that door and see who else we can find around.



............



: I've somewhat changed, anatomically speaking... But you have obviously recognized me at first glance! I'm your friend, the Judge!

: Zacharie?

: ... So my disguise is no match for your keen and unforgiving eyesight... Pablo isn't really in top-form at the moment. I'm going to replace him for some time.

: Anyway, I'll be hunting down obscure clues that I shall take pleasure in revealing to you little by little in the most destructive manner.

: Ah ah ah, I can already smell the good times!

: ...

: Are you going for a stroll near the dormitories in the meantime? I've heard that the spectres there are quite active. The dorms are on the upper left of the cafeteria. It's right next door. Go and check it out. You may find some interesting clues.

: What clues?

: ... Talk to me when you're done.

(Please be sure to check out Zacharie's special talk sound when he's in the cat mask. He alternates between his usual laugh (when his dialogue indicates he's laughing) and the special sound depending on what he's saying, so I've tried to link them correctly.)



So if you think Zacharie's new mask looks familiar, you're completely correct. Zac has removed Valerie's face and is wearing it as a mask. It seems the Judge (who he calls Pablo for reasons unknown to me) is busy grieving his dead (FACELESS) brother, and Zac will be our new guide through the world.



Let's uh... Go to the dorms then. (oh my god did he really tear off a cat's face and put it on his own face jesus christ)



I follow the path in reverse back to the entrance. Let's check out this map again.



If we head directly to the left we should hit the green path, which will take us to the upper left side for the dorms.



I don't really see how the spectres could be more active in the dorms than they are here. If we take a single step in the wrong direction they're all fucking over us.





That sounds like a really shitty strategy, man. Not gonna lie.



The door on the left is the one we're looking for.





What's that Elsen to the left doing? Is he checking for ghosts under his mattress? Man have I got a reassuring sign for you.



Oh, he's hiding something! We can't get around him right now to see what it is, though these guys don't seem to have very much. It's probably rude of us to take their things.



Oh, though I do spy something in this room that I believe is free to take!



Healing items!



Does the Batter seem fearful? This is a weird statement coming from an Elsen.



Oh no, what's happening here?



: ...



He takes a step backward, and they close in on him.

: Are you... spectres? You... You're not bad ghosts, right? O... Of course not... You're our friends.



: This... this isn't a serious injury... I'm sure...







That poor Elsen. At least we can avenge him.



The Crown of the Dead is a healer phantom. You want to kill it first to keep it from healing the other jerks.







: I should go talk to Zacharie.





I want to leave the dorms now.



Hm, but that door to the right. Maybe I can juuuust...



Almooostttt...



Shit!



Fuck!

Okay, let's try again.



On the map, the third path starts at number 6, and is directly across from the 5th step of the black path. So we follow the first path for 5 squares, then move across.



Easy.



Why do you think this??





This room is a mirrored version of the other dorms.





It's like everyone here is brainwashed to think the world is sunshine and lollipops while they're being killed left and right by evil ghosts.



The blatantly lying propaganda on the walls sure isn't helping this theory.



The director, huh?



! Oh!!!



Our third and final add-on, Epsilon! This guy is all right!



He joins us at level 8, and his skills are as follows:

Classic Drama - Increases an ally's attack lightly.

Baroque Drama - Increases an ally's defense lightly.

Surrealistic Tragedy - Special attack of multiple, low impacts.

He's our buff-based support class, and he's the only one who can hit multiple targets at once!





I can't help but wonder what he was doing back here in this awful place, but who knows. He's with us now. Our party is complete!

The walk back to Zacharie is long, so I take a shortcut.



And it ends up paying off!







The Batter's new skill, Run With Grace, is a special attack of the element Plastic.



We head back inside and follow the first path back up to Zacharie. I hardly need to check the note now.



Somehow the paths just seem easier to follow.



Salut, Zacharie.



: It seems that people here aren't afraid of the specters.

: ... Not afraid of the ectoplasms? That's very odd indeed... I must admit that I have very few customers in this zone, so I'm not very well acquainted with their local customs. Maybe you'd better go see Area 2. They call it the "Treatment Rooms".

: Okay.

: It's simple. You just have to take the underground monorail. We should have a race. If you get there first, I'll give you an item for free.



A free item might raise my spirits! Let's get to that monorail then.





Music - Yesterday Was Better

The entrance is back in this first building, marked on the floor with a giant M.





: Sensational, isn't it?

I guess so!





It was written on the stamped note, but now we have confirmation. The real name of zone 3 is Vesper.


Next time we'll be moving on to Area 2, I hope to see you then.