Part 22: An Apple A Day

An Apple A Day

Music: Summer


Let's see how the soil's doing.


Unfortunately we don't get any numbers just vague good/poor stuff. And even more annoying: You can plow withered grass into soil to improve it, but it only affects that one tile. Not the 9x9 grids marked off by default, but one single plowable tile. Hope you like your uphill battles!


On the bright side, the Spinach is done!


Done. Now to re-accept and finish that quest.

Along the way...



What's the right answer?!


All three options lead to the same answer.

WRONG! The correct answer is...Turnip!
That's not even a fish!



Umm...how is it?
Wonderful. It turned out better than I thought. I'm surprised.
Oh, good.
Thank you, Link. This is to show you my appreciation. Please take it. It could be that...no, never mind. Thank you again.
It was no problem.





Well, I thought it might suit you. You know, because you're like a girl.
What?!

Just roll with it.


Today Yue's selling accessory breads, so I buy a bunch. I actually buy too much, but at least now I won't have to worry about it competing with cooking bread for a while.


This lets me hammer out some new boots so I'm slightly less likely to die from a stiff breeze.



Or from Pia.




Wait! Scrubbing? That wasn't in the request!
I just knew you wanted to get on your knees and SCRUB! It must be telepathy! I feel like I can hear your inner voice!
Um, maybe you could listen to my actual voice first.
Chop chop, buddy! Get to scrubbin'!


Music: Home 2


Considering all the weird shit Link's had to do for requests, is scrubbing really that bad?

...eh, probably.



Oh, yeah. Totally.
Then just wait here. I'm almost done, too.
I could use a break. Well, guess I'll just kick back here.



All done!
Huh?!
Sorry. Keep ya waiting long, buddy?
Nah, I kept myself occupied. But you're quite...thorough.
Heh. Not exactly...It takes me longer than it should because I have to avoid turning into a mermaid! It's hard to scrub with fins!
Makes sense.
Now to put away the mop...


Hey, Pia. Isn't it hard working at a bathhouse when your fins could pop out at any second?
Yeah. It can be. But this bath is like me.
How so?
I was always alone when I lived at sea. The fish were my friends, but I couldn't talk to them. And the sea was always so dark and quiet. I only heard my own voice.
You must've been pretty lonely...
I came to this town because I wanted friends, and the first person I met was Sakuya. She handed me a mop. I didn't have to say a word.

She just handed you a mop?
Yeah! She said, "If you wanna eat, you gotta work!"
Typical Sakuya.
At first, it took me a whole day to clean the bath. But when I finally finished, Sakuya smiled. She said, "See? I knew you could do it!" Sakuya gave me a purpose that day. So I'll always have passion for cleaning the bath, no matter how long it takes me!
That's...quite inspiring.



Oops! Gotta go! Sakuya's looking for me! Nice chatting with you!
Wait, Pia! ...She's gone, I guess.
Whoopsie! Almost forgot!
Huh?
Here's your payment! Ta ta!


Something other than squid? Must have been an accident.

The rest of the day was pretty boring, so have some thoughts from Malcolm X.



Compassionate rulers are conquered rulers. History is littered with their corpses.
But don't you think that you should be a little flexible as a leader?
I'm the elder. It's my duty. I will protect this settlement with my last breath.

I wish I had more settlement quests to show off, but with only three people in town, they come pretty slow.


So let's fast forward to tomorrow and help out Sofia.


And remember Carlos' birthday at some point.



I see. Well, then I'll need to gather up some materials.
I'm counting on you.
Yeah, leave it to me!

>Eating

Well then, I can make you something homemade.
Huh...?!

>Sakuya

What?! I-I didn't mean that...well, um, that's good...
What?
H-Honestly! Never mind!

Never don't toy with people's emotions.



What?!
Ha ha! I'm kidding!

It's this town's passtime anyway.


Creep detected



Thanks! You must be in love with me as well!
I told you I like you! So come closer!
Of course!
Ahhhh!!!!



Huh? You saw the bulletin?
Well... (But I still want to go home.)
Somebody!
Oh! First I need to help Sofia.



Huh? Who are you?
A friend of Sofia's. She says the opposite of whatever she's thinking.
Ha ha ha. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! Now, off with you! My dream is untouchable! I want to work and find a wonderful girl to start a lovely family with!
That's quite realistic.
Of course. I always carry a medicine box with me on trips.
Hmmm. (A glass heart?) I think they're wealthy.
That's perfectly fine! In fact, that's better! Money is never a problem.
So honest...
How wonderful...
I knew you'd say that.
I said come closer! Didn't you hear me?!
Of course!
Ahhhh!!!!
This is too complicated...you know, I think the opposites are a bit more than usual.
When she's getting emotional, it happens more often. She really isn't happy right now.
I can tell by looking.
...
Oh, fine... (Although this is entertaining.) Then how about you go get whatever Sofia asks you to.
What's the point?
Link will too, and we can see who's really correct.
What?!
Is that OK, Sofia?
No...!
OK then.
Wait a minute, she just said that she...
Anyway...go bring me an Apple you can't pick from Privera Forest.
Did you say something?
I guess it was just my imagination. I'll go get it for you!
What a trooper.
You go too, Link.
Oh, yeah.


Yoink.


I birthday-ambush Carlos on the way back.



...



That wasn't great!

Sadly, Link's pick-up lines are left to the reader's imagination.

>But I won't try

I see. That doesn't matter.


Less flirting, more delivering apples.

Sofia. Here you go.
Wait a second!



Yes. Well...well, that's about the only place around here you can find Apples.
But Sofia said she wanted an Apple that couldn't be found in Privera Forest. And so you've failed!
No, like I said...
It seems like Link won. (Although it was obvious he would.)
Impossible! All he brought was a regular Apple!
Like we said, it's the opposite. Sofia wanted an Apple that can be "found" in Privera Forest.
B-But...it's no use. I can't keep up. I'm sorry!
He went.
Well, that's good, isn't it? (I didn't like him from the start.)
...
Are you okay, Sofia?
Yes...it's not that I care or anything.
...
Anyway, thank you for everything. This is just to show my appreciation. I'll never ask you again.
Okay...
...
Oh... (I think that was a...)
Well, I'll come by again.
...!
...I wouldn't like that...
... (She seems happy...)





You recycled that one, Sofia.


This means incredible things will start happening soon. What incredible things? You'll see.



So you realize it, too.
No.
But that's the good thing about you.
I-I'm not happy to hear you say that or anything!

B-baka!


I'm not sure the last quest had enough ellipses in it. Let's go to Raven.



Oh.....I wanted to make a brooch.
A brooch?
Gaius is always...taking care of me. I wanted to thank him.
Oh, I see..
But...
Something the matter?
...Is there something funny about giving him a brooch?
Nope. I think he'd like that.
...Really?
Yes.
...What about you?
What?


So many accessories are rings and necklaces that Link had damned well better wear jewelery.

I see...Well, I'll need some hard bone for a base. Could you help me get it? Sol Terrano:The Fossil should have the bone I'm looking for.
Yeah, okay.


Uploaded less for her stat info and more for how terrible her in-game model is up close.

Music: Sol Terrano Desert



Are you okay with the heat, Raven?
I don't really feel the heat or the cold...
Is that right...?


Out of all the weird shit in this game, not feeling temperature extremes barely even registers.

I don't think it's that big of deal. (sic)
Really? I think it's pretty cool that you're so calm and collected.
It's not cute, is it?
What?! No, I mean...
It's okay. I don't really care...


Ooookay then. Let's just get to that fossil.



...
Raven? Oh, that's right. You're scared of skulls.
...
That's why you wanted me to come. Well then, why didn't you say so from--
No...
What?



I'll be fine.
You don't need to...
I'm...fine.



I'm fine.
But you're shaking...
I'm fine...!


And then Raven murdered us. The end.

Ah!
Oh...!
I-I'm gonna fall...


Well, we had a good run. Shame there's no New Game+.



(Oh...what a pretty bird...Did it save me...? I should thank it...)



A pretty feather's on the ground. This feather...That bird did save me.
Link?!



Yes. I'm great!
I see..
...I'm sorry...
What? ...that skull was scaring you, wasn't it?
Yes...
Well, why were you being so stubborn then?
Well...
...
...I didn't want you to think that's the reason why I asked you to come.
What?
...
Oh, I see. Well, umm, well...anyway, let's get out of the desert! We'll just get sweaty talking here!
Oh...That feather...
This? Oh, it seems like it's from the monster that saved me.
Can I have it...?
What?
It looks like I can make an accessory out of it.
Oh, yeah. Well, sure!
Thank you.




Thanks...
You know, you and Gaius have a strong bond. It really seems like you're a family. I'm a bit jealous.
...I never had a family.
Huh?
I don't remember my parents. I never had that.
Oh, I see...
But...It's just a feeling.
What?
Gaius is...
...a Dad, I guess?
Not a brother?

Considering how he acts? Yes. Dad. Definitely Dad.



You've done so much for me...so I wanted to repay you...
Oh...okay. Thanks.
...It's nothing special.
Really, thank you. I'll take good care of it.
...
...Bye then...


Well that was...heartwarming?


Time to murder spiders until this drops...


...because I need it to upgrade the fishing pole.


The axe, hoe, and sickle get upgrades too. Upgrading the hoe isn't essential in the slightest, but hey, it's an excuse to grind Forging skill.


One last quest before I call it a day.



But there are humans out there...Is this settlement not enough for you?!
It's not that--
Liar!
I'm not lying. There may be humans outside, but there are things you can't find here.
For example?
Well...A vast flower field. A thundering waterfall. Or fragile ice flowers. I love walking around places like that.
...You must have a lot of time on your hands.
It's not that.
...I have never left this desert. So I'm a little jealous of a wanderer like you...
Kuruna...



I think it is pretty, too. Especially at night.

Let's see all three, with the magic of text dumps.

>You do.

What?! What are you saying?! I'm so ugly...I wish I was born a minotauros instead.

>Nothing...

Really? That's why you didn't want to stay...

And then they converge.

*sigh* I will leave the matter there. This isn't much, but I wanted you to take this home with you.
Thank you.
I'm not giving up on you.
Ha ha ha.


Please. Her hatred for the hornless burns as pure and bright as the sun. Loosening up means defeat!


Bonus Art
Behold the glory of the Univir(and a dwarf), comrade.