Rune Factory 3 Part #25 - Your Bath Needs You

Part 25: Your Bath Needs You

Your Bath Needs You

Music: Monster Village

It appears that our comrades in the glorious Univir settlement wish to show us the glory of the also glorious desert. Let's see it for ourselves!

That's right. You need to see the beauty of the desert.

Uh, okay. I'm not sure there's much to see, but it might be nice to check out.

Ah. You have seen, but you have not observed. I'll show you the majesty of Sol Terrano:Star Dunes. The skies are clear in the afternoon, and it's a perfect place to go stargazing.

We were there literally last update!

That's too bad. I was hoping to show you something new.

Uh, but it might be, like, different with you there!

Do you really think so?

Sure! There's always something new to discover!

Hmmm...well, if you say so, comrade. Besides, you've come all the way to the settlement, so we should head out there anyway.

Sounds good. Uh, which way do we go?

We can get to Sol Terrano:Star Dunes directly west from the Sol Terrano Desert entrance.

Thankfully I don't have to wait until the sun sets this time.

It's...not quite as impressive this way.

It's so beautiful. And it's surprisingly cool for the desert!

Since we're near the ocean, the heat doesn't get too stifling.

No, I don't even notice the heat at all! I never really appreciated how magnificent the desert scenery actually is! I could get to really like this place.

Isn't it amazing? The Hornless can't appreciate beauty like this. Only we can.

I'm not sure about--

An earthquake?!

I don't think so. That felt more like a rockslide.

Do you get those often around here?

Yeah. The rocks around here tend to become unstable, especially after we get rain.

So I guess the desert's beautiful...but also awfully dangerous.

Nevermind all the things trying to murder us out here. It's the rockslides that make it dangerous!

Do you head out here often, Kuruna?

I've come here all my life! I used to sneak out here a lot with Ondorus when we were children.

That doesn't sound like.appropriate behavior for an elder!

Well, even elders used.to be kids, you know.

Sorry! I didn't mean.to insult you!

Heh. You didn't insult me. I know it's hard to imagine me as a kid.

It sure is...

Time just flew by back then. It felt like our own secret hideout.

It sounds like this place means a lot to you. I wish I could get my memories back...

Oh, I didn't mean to offend you!

I'm not offended at all! I want to get them back because I want to tell you about my childhood, too!

I'd like to hear those memories, comrade.

Well, you have to start with the part where a human and a wooly committed crimes against the natural order, and then had to teach their kid how to switch between the forms, and...

Well, should we head back to the settlement?

Yeah, I have some work to take care of back there.

You know, I always kind of wondered where the rock spawns on the farm came from. The sticks make sense because it's below a giant tree, but the rocks? Are gnomes smuggling them under cover of night? Is Shara putting them there so we have something to do?

At least it's not a mystery for the desert fields, because rocks apparently just fall from the sky at random. Hopefully Link's little acorn hat doubles as a hard hat.

And then everything goes black.

Sorry about the partial portraits/dialogue boxes, but the timing for some of these animations is a bitch.

Comrade! You've come to! Oh, I was so worried!

What...happened?

Oh no, we've lost our memory again! I guess it's time for Kuruna to give us a conveniently empty farm in town and

You don't remember? You knocked me out of the way of a falling rock! Such valorous instincts, comrade!

I apologize profusely. It seems I was...distracted.

You aren't hurt at all?

No, I'm fine. If not for your bravery, though, I'm not sure what might have happened? How about you? Are you in pain?

A mild headache, but I'm doing fine other than that.

That's good to hear. It looks like my healing arts worked.

You have healing powers? I guess that's what this glowing light is.

Indeed. All Univir elders are skilled in the healing arts.

You must be pretty powerful! Even my headache's going away now! You're amazing, Kuruna!

No, comrade. You're the one who's amazing. You sacrificed yourself for the Univir elder today. That means so much to me and my people! I will not forget your selflessness, comrade.

I'm just glad you're safe. That's all I wanted. Anyway, we should probably get out of here before we run into any more rockslides!

Definitely!

You're sure you'll be okay?

Oh, I'm more than okay. And it's all thanks to you! What about you, comrade? How are you doing?

Your healing arts are amazing! I think I feel even better than before that rock flattened me!

I know my healing powers are potent...but not that potent! Take care of yourself out there, comrade. I want to see you come back in one piece!

I will!

Here's a token of my appreciation. It's the least I can do. Use it when you run low on health.

Thanks a lot! I'll keep that in mind.

I hope I can show you some more of the desert sometime.

I can shit these out en masse, but I guess it's the thought that counts.

Meanwhile, with the hornles...er, humans.

But don't you think Evelyn's outfits are a little...off?

That's crazy talk! The designs themselves are sublime, but they leave me feeling cold. I get the same feeling when I look at junk!

I guess it's a genetic defect, then.

I'd ask where the ice came from, but this is a town within shouting distance of a land of eternal winter.

Norad?

Yes, it's a small kingdom surrounded by larger ones. This is the birthplace of the dragon legend.

Really? So you must be pretty familiar with the story by now.

Well, actually...I never was very interested, so I don't remember much of it.

Oh.

The geography of the Rune Factory world is never relevant to the plot(aside from the Sechs Empire invasions in 1 and 4), but you can get more details here if you want.

More importantly, there's a

bathmergency!

Music: Home 2

It's something I heard from an old friend of hers.

...!

Sakuya...?

Suddenly I'm getting a chill.

Pfft, she's harmless.

That's why you should strike at the end of their attack. Or a heavy weapon. like an axe or hammer will work well, too.

See? Harmless.

Pia?! What happened?!

Let's just ignore the fact that Sakuya was out front two seconds ago.

Nah, that may be what it looks like, but I'm still rarin' to go! Trust me! Besides, who...else...can clean the...bath...?

No! Mom will do it. You get some rest!

The...bath...NEEDS...me!

Just do it!

I'll stop...for a little bit. Maybe.

She's been really enthusiastic lately. But maybe too much when it comes to the bath. I know work's important, but it's not important enough to work yourself to the bone.

She cares so much about the bath.

Well, it seems like she's alright. I'm sure she'll be back to work in no time. But I'm sure she'd love it if you took a Fried Squid to her.

Fried Squid? Yeah, I think I can manage that!

Although, I have a feeling she'd just be happy to see you.

Really?

I should really just start stockpiling squid.

In proper state fair fashion, fried squid is served on a stick.

And Sofia's in our house. Staring vacantly at the entrace. Possibly unaware that we're frying up a squid for the local bath-obsessed mermaid.

(Once villagers like you enough, they start going into your house at random. It'd be cute if I was ever in my house for more than two seconds at a time.)

I feel a little bad having you do all this for me. I need to get better and back to work!

You don't need to push yourself so hard...

Huh?

Sakuya was upset. You need to take better care of yourself. She gave me an earful, too. It seems like you don't think you're any good without the bath.

Yeah, that's right.

What?

If I didn't have the bath, I'd have nothing left. Then I'd feel bad for Sakuya because.she made me who I am.

...I don't think people can make you anything.

Huh?

Sakuya didn't make you who you are or anything, you changed when you met Sakuya. And so, that's what made you happy the most.

Happy...?

Let's go somewhere together when you're feeling better. I want to go somewhere with you.

...OK.

Thanks for coming. Seems like she wasn't going to be listening to me. Oh, and this is from Mom. She says to take good care of her girls.

Oh, but I didn't do anything--

She's really busy right now, but she's worried about Pia, too.

An alarmingly credible threat.

She will?!

Anyway, take good care of Pia!

Our prize is slightly underwhelming, but less underwhelming than a lot of other recent quest rewards.

Time for Collette. Maybe someone out there likes her. Maybe.

For this quest, Collette isn't in either of her usual haunts(the restaurant & the apothecary). Instead...

This bit might be more meaningful if she was feeding/petting something actually dangerous. Instead she's feeding the apple/dog thing that's only a hair more intimidating than a wooly.

Link...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit scared. But I feel like I need to distinguish myself from other cooks. Cooking is a force that brings together those who eat and those who feed. Neither of those people can say which job is more important.

I see.

But I haven't been able to do that very well lately. I keep messing up. All I've been thinking about is growing taller. Maybe I should just.give up my dreams of being a good cook...then--

It'll be okay.

What?

What you just said. "Neither can say which is important."

Yeah...?

Doesn't that include yourself? People who eat, and people who feed. And your own feelings. Collette, you're thinking about sacrificing yourself.

...

Caring for everybody leads to caring.for yourself.

You're right...

I'll take better care of everyone else! And me, too!

Yes.

Alright! I'm feeling better! And I'm getting hungry! Thank you for today! Link! I'll work harder from now on!

(Taking care...Maybe...Collette might accept my transforming powers...)

What's the matter?

Oh...no, it's nothing. (I don't have enough courage.)

They really had to reach to find something vaguely poignant for Collette, huh?

Music: Oddward Valley

Oh well. Let's go deal with a boss.

That gate sure looks like a plot thing. (The monster drop is Giant Gloves, which give +1 ATK and +3 DEF when used to upgrade)

But first, mining. Never say no to a bunch of rocks on one convenient screen.

What do we get to beat up this time? A lobster? A dragon? A tank? Sherman trying to eat a tank?

But...It's too quiet. Like there never was any howling. I need to tell Sakuya, I should get back to town!

Don't forget to pick up the free gift for Sofia.

Grating blocks us from re-entry once we leave. Hmm.

I'm damned lucky Sakuya's still awake at this hour.

The diner got vandalized!

What?!

I heard it was like a giant lion. Maybe it's the same one that attacked me.

Run! Run like plot triggers depend on it!

What happened here?!

Nobody got hurt, but it snatched the Salted Char right out of my hands!

...I don't look that scary when I'm scarfing, do I?!

I'd cooked that fish to perfection, too.

A lion-like beast? I'd better head to Oddward Valley! The townspeople have a right to eat in peace!

I'm afraid to cook anything now! Who knows what vile beast the smells might attract?!

Nah, look at the time. We can kill a lion tomorrow. Or next week. Eventually.

Music: Town (Day)

Besides, now it's Sherman's birthday and that's much more important.

He likes cooked food, so he's just getting a rice ball.

Yeah. I want to get bigger. And eating good food should make me grow up fast, right?

I don't think it actually works like that. I mean, it's good to eat healthy food, but your body isn't going to grow until it's ready.

Really? Oh...

But you should enjoy being a kid now. You'll have plenty of time to be a grownup later.

I see. Well, if you say so, I guess I can wait.

Glad to see someone in this town has a healthy attitude towards growing taller.

I just told Blaise to bake nine.

Nine?! Why does he need nine cakes?!

You don't maintain a waistline like that by slacking off.

Particularly not food!

Fine, fatass, here's your birthday ric...are those statues of turnips?

I hate these! How terrible! No thank you very much.

While I'm in the giving mood, Marian gets a pumpkin. It seems vaguely appropriate.

Are you sure?

Well, I couldn't say...I just feel like it's something you'd get if you worked hard at it.

...Maybe you're right.

>Something you have

Even me...?

Aren't you happy now, Raven?

...I don't know.

>Food

......

Sorry...

Well, I think we can all agree on that!

Really? I didn't know that! Does that mean you'll join me in raiding her studio in "Operation Fish-Scale Justice"?

Uh...I don't think we find her outfits offensive for the same reasons!

It's criminal that this is never an actual quest.

Duh! Who doesn't know "Radish Rangers"? It was a really popular play in the city back when I was a kid! "Go, go Radish Rangers!" That was the theme song! All the kids used to sing it back in the day!

What was the plot?

This disembodied head recruited five teenagers with attitudes, and they fought giant monsters using various types of oils and spices!

Uh...that doesn't seem like appropriate material for kids!

Link confirmed as zero fun.

It seemed normal at the time! But looking back, that disembodied head was wack! And he was always hitting on the female team members!

I went with Gaius the other day, but I guess you help with the mining, too, don't you?

Sometimes...When our supplies are low, or when Gaius can't go outside.

I see. Then where are we going to mine today?

Oddward:Windy Hill...or something.

Or something...?

...Then Oddward:Windy Hill.

Are you just picking random spots?

...Let's just go.

Oh, okay.

Oh? And Raven, too.

Yes...

Oh. I forgot you said you were going to take the day off!

Umm. Well then the.store is...

Guess we're closed today!

Won't your customers be mad?

Ah, don't sweat it. Anyway, are you guys on a date?

N-No. I'm helping Raven gather some material.

Materials?

...!

Yes. She said you were running out.

We are?

...

Hmm...I guess we are.

What?

Well, I'll leave the gathering to Raven, and I'll get back to the store.

Yes, I think that's best. Someone should be there.

Yeah. Well, see you.

...

If Gaius was any more chill, he'd be a snowman.

Curry Udon for dinner tomorrow, OK?

Oh...

OK...

Oh, I see.

...Let's go.

Oh, wait.

Raven dies a lot on the way to the destination, but thankfully this isn't an escort mission.

Well, I should--

Is that a wooly?

...It's okay. This one looks like the one from the ice field.

I see. It likes you, Raven.

...

Well, let's go then.

Yes.

Back at the entrance to the dungeon...

...!

(What is...this light? My body is...)

(Oh no, I'm transforming!)

Thank god noted friend to monsters Raven(who blatantly shares the same secret as us) didn't find out that we're half monster!!

Nevermind that we dashed into the cave right in front of her. A+ stealth game, Link.

What was that light?