Part 40: Bush Becomes a Debt Collector

Update 40: Bush Becomes a Debt Collector



We resume the adventures of Bush, master chef, as we approach the end of the season. I've got a good deal to cover, so let's waste no time in getting to the good stuff.



Music: Summer

Morning, Anette! Hello, Summer theme!

This'll be the last time we hear it, pretty much forever. Give it a good listen!


-----------------------------------------------------
~"Pumpkin Festival" - Stella~

Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival.
To participate, you simply have to wear a pumpkin on your head.
I hope you'll join me!

-----------------------------------------------------


This'll be why today is the final day for the seasonal theme, tomorrow's festival theme will override it.

It's also good that I bought that Pumpkin Mask forever ago even if I could make one now. Gotta save all my pumpkins for Anette.


-----------------------------------------------------
~"All prepared for autumn?" - Erik~

Did you know it'll be autumn starting the day after tomorrow?!
In autumn, all summer crops will wither,
so be sure to come by our shop and purchase autumn seeds.

-----------------------------------------------------


Despite him reminding me to do thhis, I'll go ahead and say I forget to anyways. It's not much of a loss, we've got plenty of money, and I'll want to wait to plant my crops anyways.




ANETTE: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival. Everyone in the village wears pumpkin masks.


ANETTE: When I first saw it, I thought the village was being attacked by monsters!


There is an enemy in the series with a pumpkin for a head, but they're not in this game as far as I know.




MELODY: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival, I hear. You have to wear a pumpkin on your head all day. That's so weird.


It's a really simple holiday, but that's fine, not every holiday has to be a minigame.

I'm not gonna deny I like them all being minigames, but still.




CINNAMON: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival where people wear pumpkins.


CINNAMON: ...Can't wait.


Evidently, Cinnamon's going to enjoy this one, unlike the boating festival.

Also get used to people telling us what tomorrow is and what we do then, that's pretty much all the dialogue for today.




CANDY: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival. It's a festival where everyone wears pumpkin masks.


amazing





To shake things up a bit, we head onto Whale Island for a short time to fight some orcs. After a short time, we get that Cheap Cloth we needed for the cape. That's the last thing we need!




LARA: I am very conscious of my health. I can't have people say that a caretaker of health is unhealthy herself.


Given that even the VA reads this out like a poem, this semi-rhyme was definitely intentional.

Also this is coming from the person who I've been giving slices of chocolate cake to most mornings.




LARA: Tomorrow is actually the Pumpkin Festival... I'm actually not too fond of it.


BUSH: Why?


LARA: Isn't it... embarassing to wear a pumpkin?


Not if everyone else is doing it!

I also buy some energy drinks while I'm here because I can't be bothered to make my own at this point.




STELLA: You came at the right time. Can I ask a favor from you?


STELLA: A priest that I know wants me to send him "Scriptures." I think Lara has it so can you go fetch it for me?


BUSH: All right. "Scriptures," was it?


STELLA: Thanks.


Hey, a little quest! Wasn't expecting this today!

Lara's literally in the next room over, but I'm not gonna turn down content.




BUSH: Lara, I'm looking for the "Scriptures" for Stella.


LARA: "Scriptures"? I think I lent it to Selphy.


LARA: You came at the right time then. Since it's on the way, can you ask Selphy to return it?


BUSH: Oh... All right...


Calling it now, she's not going to be able to find it.




Or I'm not going to be able to find her! I guess she's down at the beach, although Cinnamon's here.



Well, next on the list, to Materia!



um, cutscene?

Rosetta's just come trudging out of the store, a heavy bag on her back.




ROSETTA: Oh, Bush.


BUSH: What happened? Why are you carrying so much luggage?


ROSETTA: My father collapsed. He may be worthless, but he's still my father.


ROSETTA: I'm going to be gone for a while. I left Danny in charge of the store so it's business as usual.



And so she leaves.

Well, uh, I guess our LP went a bit faster than I thought it would. She'll be gone for a few weekends although for how long, I don't know.

This is kinda inconvenient timing, but I'll work with it.

She's also already at 9 LP somehow? Wow.




EUNICE: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival. It's fun to make your own mask.


EUNICE: Did you make yours already, Bush?


Make, yes, I definitely made it. Sure did.




UZUKI: The Pumpkin Festival? I am sorry, but what is so fun about wearing a pumpkin on your head?


I'm not sure, really. Perhaps tomorrow will enlighten us.




GANESHA: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival. That's why I'm making the mask now. My job makes this a piece of cake!


Her hammer's got that big spike on the back, so I can only imagine her going at carving a pumpkin with that.




TURNER: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival. Did you get your pumpkin yet?


TURNER: Our family has been eating pumpkins since half a month ago.


That's about when they'd finish growing, so that makes sense. We're still carrying two dozen around with us.




RITA: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival.


RITA: I always grow pumpkins at home every year. I can't wait to try it this year, too!


This just made me realize how almost everyone uses the exact phrase "tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival" and now I can't stop noticing it.




KROSS: Heh...


KROSS: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival. I prepared a great pumpkin just for today.




ERIK: This day has finally come. I'm going to wear a great pumpkin in front everyone this year!


Erik is hype for the festival as usual.

...What? I did say I'd forget to buy anything from him even though he's standing behind the counter right now.

...





We then return home, have a sudden craving for tomato juice, and get to the big moment of the day.



To the workbench goes a Cheap Cloth, a Quality Cloth, Quality Fur, one Fire Crystal, and one Pink Cat...



Fire Cape Lv:1 was synthesized.



Now we stylin'


Honestly, the only elemental color that doesn't look that good on Bush is green. He's got dark blue, red, and brown in his outfit so the Water, Fire, and Earth capes all match somewhat.

These will be our threads for quite some time, as these should jump our capabilites quite a good amount.

Now back to finding people to talk to.




BUSH: Selphy, Lara wants you to return the "Scriptures" she lent you.


SELPHY: "Scriptures," right? I already finished reading it so I was about to return it anyway.


SELPHY: Just wait a sec...



*And so we're forced to wait while she searches around...*




SELPHY: Hm... Looks like it went missing.


BUSH: What? Come on...


SELPHY: It's not like I lost it or spilled something on it. Let me think...


BUSH: *sigh*...


Totally called it. I guess we'll have to get back to this quest at a later date.




SELPHY: A story about a princess and a knight is really cliche but that's what makes it good.


BUSH: Are you the kind that wishes you were a princess?


SELPHY: Me? I'm actually the kind that wishes I were the evil tyrant...




SELPHY: I'm tired of being a princess, and I know what the knights are really like...


SELPHY: *gasp* Ahaha! Forget what I just said!




Selphy, you're just the worst at hiding these things. If you hadn't already guessed it already, this little bit of dialogue should inform you of who Selphy really is.




MELODY: The bathhouse opens at 3. Just wait a little longer.


but it's already 1:00 PM and i need RP

please

where's the benefits for being bath family



Fine, I guess we'll go fish with Uzuki.




UZUKI: Bush, are you out for a walk? The town square is a nice place. It certainly is a pleasant place for everyone.


UZUKI: It is so peaceful...


Or we could just get a cutscene too, I guess. I always find it funny this is the "square" although it's a big circle.



UNKNOWN: Ahhhh!



BUSH: !!



Music: Pinch



UZUKI: This bloodcurdling scream! We have an emergency!


TSUBUTE: Let us go, milady!



And so 2 out of the 3 people in town with weapons charge to the rescue!



Music: Confusion


EUNICE: It's so cute!


FRANCOISE: *mowp* (That's about what she sounds like.)


Ah, it would seem thew were not bloodcurdling screams, merely bloodcurdling squees over the tiny pink elephant.




UZUKI: What is going on?! I shall defend the peace of Trampoli!


CINNAMON: ...What's wrong?


UZUKI: I thought I heard Eunice scream...


CANDY: We were just looking at Bianca's Francoise together.


Uzuki was about to put all that morning training to work for once, rather than being afraid of everything.




BIANCA: I normally won't allow it, but I'll let everyone pet it today.


MARCO: It's so fluffly. Try it out, Uzuki!


UZUKI: I-I am fine...


TABATHA: You don't need to act so modest. Francoise loves being petted.


UZUKI: I-I... But...


BIANCA: ...What? Are you saying you can't pet Francoise?


UZUKI: No, it's not that...


Faced with her most adorable foe yet, can Uzuki, Defender of Trampoli's Peace, overcome the challenge before her?




UZUKI: Very well, I come from a family of samurais. I shall harden my resolve to do this.


CINNAMON: It's not supposed to be that serious of a matter.


And so she steps forward...!




UZUKI: Oh! It is much more tame than I imagined. And it is warm.


BIANCA: My Francoise is the best in the world.


UZUKI: Well well. This was a wonderful experience. I thank you, Bianca.


TABATHA: I hope Uzuki's hatred of monsters will be eased a little bit with this.


UZUKI: That is a difficult thing to follow through with.



That happened!

I think, oddly enough, this is a Bianca triggered event rather than Uzuki triggered.



fishin'



bathin'



Music: Mimic Slime


bossin'

I thought that my new fire resistant gear would let Bush handle fighting Mimic Slime better but I forgot about it powering up after the first victory.



This took entirely too long in real world time, to the point I forgot that I didn't record any more beyond this.

There was many savestates involved, as I the game's not nice enough to just let you warp out once you're in.



Out of RP restoratives and with the boss's big slam capable of eating nearly 200 HP off us still, I had to devise a very safe strategy. It goes thus:

Bait out the targeted explosion, count the sound effect 4 times, use axe special, retreat.

Then repeat on loop, being ready to dodge any of the other attacks.




I even managed to tie with the boss once.



The only part of this that was worth it is the Gold Ore which I somehow simultaneously feel that I both did and didn't earn it.

Oh well.



And now we cut to one real-world month later, as in, yesterday, where I realized I didn't have enough recorded and had to play more.

This 4 week gap is probably how I forgot to buy seeds, but it's not going to be much of an issue.



I go around, do some fishing and cooking for RP food since we're bushed and still easily have 8 hours left in the day, then go ahead and craft those 30 Energy Drinks into 15 Energy Drink S. I'm aiming to get some more of these, as they're not horrible.

I'll probably mostly survive off of oatmeal in dungeons from now on, but these are nice enough.



Black Fish(57 cm) Lv:4 was caught.


Such a creatively named fish.

Either way, the rest of this day pretty much goes to fishing and cooking more supplies for the next few days. While I won't have much farming on my hands, (Erik's store will be closed for the next 2 days,) I've got leveling up to do and lumber to chop.




IRIS: I feel like I've gained more things that I hold dear after I met you, Bush...


IRIS: I had a dream about you yesteday, Bush.


IRIS: I laughed because we were even talking in the dream. It's happening right now, too.


Most of the bachelorettes are at very high LP now, so we're gonna be seeing a lot of stuff like this.




IRIS: I believe there are no bad people among flower lovers.


Well, if there are no bad people among flower lovers and bath lovers, then someone who loves both must be amazing.



Noire can also do the tarot reading every day, which is neat.




IRIS NOIRE: "You are undecided about Something, but if you must make that choice now, do it and it may go in your favor."


IRIS NOIRE: There it is. Of course, fortune telling is always a hit or miss affair.


There seems to be different ones, and they're even all voiced, so we'll see how many of these we can get.

I respect that she just does it for fun, there's no mechanical benefit as far as I can tell.



With our nightly fortune read, Bush is bushed and hits the hay but not with a sickle.

Music: Goodnight



Morning!

Music: Festival

Here's the requisite festival theme to play on loop all day and drive you mad.

Music: Rune Factory 3 - Festival

If it helps at all, here's a festival theme from the future (where it's also raining).


-----------------------------------------------------
~"Looks fun." - Tart~

I see. Festivals are so... fun.
I like them very much.
Now that the festival is over,
I am writing... to you while
reading a book on this... peaceful night.
What do you do at nights usually?

-----------------------------------------------------

1. I just sleep.
2. I sometimes read books.
3. I frequent the tavern.
---------------------------------

Wow, Tori finally got back to us! I guess this is letter mail between indistinctly distant towns, we can't expect it to go as fast as the in-town mail.

I say number 2 is the most correct answer, and it's not because I'm picking what she wants to hear. I do save in the diary most nights, more nights than I just hit the bed or go to the bar.

Oh, if you were wondering what she looks like, you can see a bit of her portrait when looking through the letter on your table, but here you go.



Ah, the grungy 2006 DS sprites and freehanded character art. She's not a candidate, but it would've been funny if she was a secret bachelorette only available after answering many, many letters.

This is our only letter today though.



After brushing the animals, we don our terrifying seasonal visage. We have become...

The Headless Horseradish Farmer



And then we head up to Whale Island immediately. Why?



Because Blanche and Noire are still awake!

...yes really

I figured this out when working on that file to show off the boss fight we skipped- apparently the Irises stay up from 6:00 PM to 9:00 AM.

This fixes my scheduling quite a lot as it means my mornings can now go Anette -> Animals -> Iris -> everyone else -> fighting and farming.

If only I'd known this sooner.




IRIS NOIRE: Don't you just feel like drinking tomato juice impulsively sometimes?


IRIS NOIRE: You don't? I guess it's just me...


Bush denies that he felt the need to down vegetable-less V8 yesterday, it's part of being in character for the festival.

They really do just share some lines- I can't tell if I was supposed to somehow get to the Irises later or sooner.

Anyways, back to the festival.



Hail, pumpkin-eered fellow!




LUTE: So today was the Pumpkin Festival.


LUTE: I get surprised every year. I thought all the villagers turned into monsters!


Hey Lute! I believe this is the first time we get to see him on a Friday as this festival isn't also on a holiday like other ones. We can't even buy from him today if we wanted.

_{sorry i ate all your chocolate fighting the confectionary slime}




LARA: If it was possible, I didn't want us to meet today...


BUSH: But, I think you look good in that, Lara.


LARA: Am I supposed to feel happy about that?


Bush has unusual tastes in aesthetics and women's fashion.

Lara does have one of the better masks though, hers is just a small face mask that doesn't cover her hair or habit.




LARA: Bush, would you please do me a favor?


BUSH: What is it?


LARA: Well, I had lent Selphy some money...


LARA: It's past the due date but she still hasn't returned it.


LARA: Would you please collect it from her?


BUSH: All right.


Oh dear, more quests from the church! At this rate, we'll sideclass into Farmer-Paladin!

It's also even more Selphy failing to return anything.



And so two pumpkins meet in a clean library.




SELPHY: Hmmm hmm hmmmm! ♪


SELPHY: Hey, Bush! Look! I bought a new book! I can't wait to see what it's about!


BUSH: Didn't you just read that book the other day?


SELPHY: Of course not! I never forget about which books I read. There are plenty of books with similar titiles so maybe you mistook it for that?


BUSH: Oh...


Hm, how weird. Well, maybe we'll figure out what these new books are about at some point. We're here on other business.




BUSH: Did you find the "Scriptures"?


SELPHY: "Scriptures"? What are you talking about?


SELPHY: I'm kidding! Don't look at me like that.


SELPHY: Scriptures... I last read it while I was in the bath.


SELPHY: I know! I left it at the bathhouse! Razor sharp detective work by me.


SELPHY: I'm sure it's still there so why don't you go get it?


selphy, what are we ever gonna do with you

Also wouldn't the humidity and steam just ruin the books?




BUSH: Uh... Isn't it in the women's bath?


SELPHY: Don't worry about that! Be a man about it!


BUSH: That's the problem here... (I guess I should talk to Melody about it.)


Yeah, she'd punch us into next week if we just waltzed in there. Conveniently, this mirrors the questline where Father Wesley loses his holy book in RF1 because Nicholas plays a prank on him by hiding it in the women's bath.

Presumably, this is also who Stella wants to send these Scriptures to anyhow, so there's just a weird precedent for holy texts getting lost in the women's bath in Norad.

Anyways, we were here on other business.




BUSH: Selphy, Lara wants you to repay the money she lent you.


SELPHY: Whoa! I didn't think she'd send a collector to come get it!


SELPHY: Not bad, Lara!


"Scarlet Sister, sending someone to do your dirty work for you- not bad..."

"In the name of St. Poli, you will repay...!"


...She's probably workshopping this story right now.




BUSH: Setting that aside, would you please pay back the money?


SELPHY: Well, about that. I want to pay it back, but I just don't have the funds.


BUSH: So, you don't have the money to repay it?


SELPHY: Well, if you put it like that, I don't know how to respond!


SELPHY: That's why I need a favor from you. Can you pay it back for me?


BUSH: ...


This set of conversations is only enhanced by the fact everyone has jack-o-lantern heads today, I think.




MELODY: Hahaha! This festival is so weird! But, I like stuff like this.


Melody won't have the bath open at all today (egads!) so we're not getting anywhere on the scriptures front for now. Bush won't even dare try to sneak in.




LARA: How was it? Will Selphy pay it back?

--------------------------------------------
1. Yes, I have the money.
2. No. She said she didn't have any money.
--------------------------------------------

I didn't savestate here, although I should have. I reasoned it couldn't be that much anyways, and we're crazy rich. What's a little generosity?




LARA: Bush, you shouldn't lie.


LARA: I suppose that Selphy just had you pay in her place?


BUSH: How did you know?


LARA: It's because you're a terrible liar.


LARA: All right. I will speak with Selphy directly later. Thank you for your help.


busted and burned




KANNO: I've found out some things about Gelwein.


BUSH: Really?!


KANNO: Yes. Apparently he worked for the Imperial Magic Research Center in the Kingdom of Norad.


BUSH: Imperial Magic...? That's where you and Cinnamon used to work, right?


KANNO: No! We were at the Imperial Magic Academy! Don't you ever compare our Majesty's personal facility to those bumpkins!


BUSH: S-sorry...


you could also say those pumpkins

Okay that was an extremely bad low hanging fruit, sorry

also why is so much development happening on today of all days




KANNO: Anyways, they were researching for a way to utilize Runes effectively.


KANNO: Gelwein's reputation there was most terrible, but apparently his skill was top-notch.


(the former's not surprising)



KANNO: Of course, his skill is nowhere near mine or Cinnamon's. Hohoho.


BUSH: Okay...


KANNO: It seems as time went on, Gelwein began to devote himself to a particular area of research.


BUSH: What was he researching?


KANNO: Military use of Runes. In other words, immoral experimentation that sought to use Runes for war.


BUSH: That can't be right... Using Runes for warfare is supposed to be forbidden in the Kingdom of Norad.


Somehow, Bush knows this. I guess he remembers it from the first game.




KANNO: Yes, it still is. That's why the monarchy cut off funding the research and the facility fired him.


KANNO: Now, Gelwein is here, in Trampoli.


BUSH: Do you think he's trying to continue his research?


KANNO: I doubt it's that simple. According to his past co-workers from the facility, Gelwein apparently swore revenge on the monarchy and the research center that kicked him out.


KANNO: He's most likely trying to use his research to use Runes as weapons against the Kingdom of Norad.


BUSH: We need to stop him, now!


KANNO: We don't have much time. Hurry, Bush!


Alright, we'll get right on that

but first, pumpkin festival


You'd think Gelwein would've been arrested rather than exiled, but okay. If he wasn't blinded by ego, he'd probably have just signed up with the Sechs Empire and continued his research there. They're looking to destroy Norad, just as soon as they get the right stuff to do it.




KANNO: What do you think? Candy made it herself.


KANNO: You can't have it even if you want it! Hohoho.


Magic grandpa is a proud grandpa, even if he is a bit grumpy.




BUSH: This book... It's unbelievably hard. I can't even read it, it's so hard.


BUSH: Kanno must be even smarter than I thought...


KANNO: "Than I thought"?! I am smarter than you could ever imagine!







CINNAMON: Candy made this mask for me.


CINNAMON: Looks good.


Cinnamon's into pumpkin fashion.




GIRL: Guess who!


-------------------------
1. Candy...?
2. I don't know...
-------------------------

A mysterious figure! How could we ever guess who they are with that mask?!




BUSH: I don't know...


CANDY: It's Candy! I love how weird the Pumpkin Festival is!


If you do guess right, you get this:


CANDY: You got it! I guess it's too easy to tell it's me.




DANNY: H-hey. I'm not Danny! Honest!


You almost fooled me, but the massive pec window gave it away, I'm afraid.




UZUKI: It felt a little embarassing at first, but this Pumpkin Festival can be enjoyable after one gets used to it.



Also, yes, Tsubute is also wearing one and it's also almost as big as his entire body.




SELPHY: Hey, Bush! What do you think? I made it myself.


SELPHY: I think it turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.


As it turns out, we never got her comment on her mask thanks to all the loan collecting we were doing.




EUNICE: Well? Are you enjoying the Pumpkin Festival?


EUNICE: This festival originated in the town where my father used to work.


EUNICE: When he moved here, he wore the pumpkin by himself but Stella grew to really like it.


EUNICE: That's how it became an official festival.


This does absolutely sound like something Turner would do. The guy has zero reservations.




BIANCA: I'm only wearing it because Tabatha made it!


Ssssure you are

Honestly, it's a missed opportunity that her hair drills don't come outside of the pumpkin.




TABATHA: How is my mask? I made two for Miss Bianca and myself yesterday.


Another missed opportunity is that all the masks are the same design, but missed opportunity is the name of the game with Neverland, and I'll hit the wordcount limit if go on about all the things they could have done.

Still a good festival so far, it's simple, but it's fine that way.




STELLA: Are you enjoying the Pumpkin Festival?




STELLA: Tomorrow is the Pumpkin Festival. It's a festival where you wear a pumpkn mask all day.


STELLA: It all started from when a monster with a pumpkin head helped a lost innkeeper.


w-whahuh

but today is the fest...

Does Pumpkin Festival never end?!




KROSS: ...!!


KROSS: Heh...




KROSS: D-do you want to build e-e-extensions?


Kross is probably handling the pumpkinhead anxiety the worst today





While I'm out in this direction, I go ahead and harvest the last of the oranges. All 30 take me most of my bars and nearly three hours.



Rosetta...?




ROSETTA: How do I look?


ROSETTA: I always thought that Pumpkin Festival was stupid, but it's actually fun when you take part in it.


So the deal is, she'll still show up on Holidays and festivals, but she's back to living with her dad for the moment.

I didn't know this until I looked it up, so I don't handle this as efficiently as I could.

Either way, if you were worried she was gonna vanish completely for a while, rest assured she's not.




MARCO: H-hey. What do you think of this mask?

-----------------------------
1. It looks good on you.
2. It looks weird on you.
-----------------------------

Well, time to do a bit of timeline splitting-


Alternatively...

---------------------------------


We get a different story each way! You're a sly one, Marco.

Regardless of what we answer though:




CANDY: I think that mask's pretty cute.


MARCO: R-really?! I actually think it's really nice!


oh marco

what a future you have ahead of you




RITA: Haha. It's me, Rita.


RITA: Well? Are you having fun?


Moderately!




CHEERFUL MAN: Hi! I'm the mysterious Pumpkin Mask!


BUSH: Turner...


CHEERFUL MAN: I'm not Turner! I'm Pumpkin Mask!


TURNER: Hahaha. You have to go with the flow here.




ERIK: Take a look! This pumpkin... is sure to win!


BUSH: Win what...?


Erik treats every festival as a contest, no matter what.

He desires minigames




ANETTE: How do I look, Bush?


ANETTE: When I first saw it, I was scared, but it started being fun once I joined in.


Anette's also here, although she's a bit hidden. I had to look up a schedule to find her, even.




I can't really tell how much this festival has helped our LP, but we really are in general in a way better state than where we were at the first bachelorette vote.

Heck, Iris Blanche has capped out even!



Ah, our last harvest of tomatoes and corn. I skimmed a couple off the top so that I have some for juice.in the coming days.



What seeds I do have on hand is fodder, so I just plant one half the field into fodder because why not.

I'll just use it as runey growth material I guess- if I need more space, I'll get rid of some of it. Stuff barely costs anything anyways.



Following that is a lot of prepared meals for the season ahead.



Aaand finally, sleep.

All pumpkin partied out, we now wave goodbye to Summer for good. So much money made, so many skills grinded, we pretty much cut through about half the game in this month.

What lies ahead?

Character development and new characters, actually!