Part 49: Tree Mom (and Crystal Flowers)

Update 49: Tree Mom (and Crystal Flowers)



Music: Autumn

We resume on a sunny Autumn 14th!


-----------------------------------------------------
~"I knew it!" - $@%&~

Oh, stars in the the heavens.
I decided that what I really want to
be is a teacher after all.
If I become a teacher, I can stay
in school forever!

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

But first, a letter we somehow never read. We'll get to the bottom of this eventually.



waterin'



new soap at the bathhouse



brushin'



Up on Whale, we've got some Toy Herbs ready. These are really just here for Stella.




IRIS NOIRE: Mist has done so much to save me.


IRIS NOIRE: If I can help out Mist by growing this flower...




IRIS BLANCHE: I will grow the Crystal Flower with the same...no, with even more love than usual.


IRIS BLANCHE: I hope that Mist can return as soon as possible.


The Irises are doing good work with the crystal flowers.



More gold and platinum is farmed...



Then I set out to farm that Black Grass we need for Lara's sleep medicine.



...That was easy!

I didn't even have to mess with the timeline that much. Only once because Pony smashed both gates immediately.




Sleepy Grass made. No need to hesitate in delivering it!




But first, a long, long overdue hammer upgrade.



The Golden Hammer doesn't come with a frontflip or anything cool like that, but it does make this massive energy flare.

Too bad we don't need it for anything anymore! A little prep never hurt though, I suppose.




CINNAMON: ...I'll care for the flowers well. No problem at all.







BUSH: Lara, here's the "Sleepy Grass" that I learned from Melody.


BUSH: Try this out.


LARA: Thank you so much. I'll try it out tonight.


Hopefully this does the trick, and not so well we end up with a Sleeping Beauty situation. Bush isn't a trained pharmacist after all.

I'd also rather not have to farm more 1% black grass.



But to resolve that lack of being a trained pharmacist, Bush buys 99 of every available grass type. Aside from being more good stock for tea, we need to get our pharmacy skill up to 50 for something.



Quick bit of demonslaying until the bath opens



Oh, and because Anette has fully moved in, we can find her around town in all sorts of places. She's out sitting on the bridge in main Trampoli this afternoon.




ANETTE: Working hard on your fields? I better work just as hard.


...Nobody tell her that the ant does most of the work when it comes to actual farming.



And now it's off to grind some lab skill. The better way to raise it than all the potion nonsense is to grind Formula A until you hit 45 at which you can start spamming Formula B.




must... make... grass based fertilizer




We take a break for that bath and to stop the town square environment from dying, but it's back to work!



Music: Rhythm Heaven Megamix - Pajamas


I think Bush might've been doing this too long because this started playing in his head.




Formula B might be some strong stuff. Either that or that Sleepy Herb left something in our mixing pot.



51 Lab skill! That'll do it.



What we need to make here is an E. Drink X. It does heal 300, but all the work it takes to make it + the white grass makes it lesser to just having Pumpkin Tarts or Sandwiches in production.



Done! In the box it goes and time for us to probably never use this facility again.



Let's just get some fresh air. I don't think this is a very safe trade.



I stop by Erik's to pick up cabbage seeds so we can make that stir fry that Bianca wants.




BRODIK: Heh heh heh...


BRODIK: You stuffed your shipping box full of rocks! What a jerk!


BRODIK: The other day, I looked inside your shipping box and it was filled with nothing but rocks!


BRODIK: Ha ha ha ha!


Jig's up, mate, you can't even ship rocks in this game!




BIANCA: Growing flowers can feel quite nice.


BIANCA: I wonder what else I will grow after this flower blooms.


It looks like we introduced Bianca to a new hobby. That's good.




BIANCA: Last night, I had Flounder and Lover Snapper in a white wine sauce. Oh, that sauce coupled with the texture was wonderful.


BUSH: Oh...


For reference, Flounder is pretty rare, and Lover Snapper is one of the rarest fish in Norad.




BIANCA: Did you go all the way inside the Snow Ruins, too?


BIANCA: You're...amazing.


Actual praise!



Music: By the Ocean


No idea if I've shown it off yet, but Danny does do the little shipping box event at 5:30.




DANNY: Yuck... Tomatoes... I hate tomatoes.


He also hates Bell Peppers. There are a few lines worth mentioning...



Shipping runeys is the only way to get rid of the buggers!

No idea what the last item is supposed to be, A ring? The wedding bouquet maybe?




DANNY: All right! That's it for today... All that's left is to clean up the store...


DANNY: See you tomorrow!




DANNY: My little brother and sister sent me a painting for my birthday the other day.


DANNY: They're really annoying, but I feel kinda touched because I know they really tried.


Aw.


DANNY: By the way, my birthday is on the 6th of summer. If you're willing to give a present, I'm willing to accept.


danny, don't ruin the moment

your birthday was over a season ago



Well, that's all for this day. Time to tuck in and see what tomorrow has in store.





*Nighttime owl hooting*



Um, what's going on?



Bush, where in the world are you going?




BUSH: Where am I?



Is this out behind the church?

Oh, and Lara's here?




BUSH: Lara?


LARA: Bush... Where am I? What am I doing here?


BUSH: I don't know... I was already here when I came to my senses.


LARA: I wonder what it is. So eerie...



*LEAVES RUSTLING*



LARA: Oh...?


BUSH: What's wrong?


LARA: Do you... Do you hear that?


BUSH: I don't hear anything.


LARA: I do. It's over here.





*And so Bush follows Lara up to the massive tree in the grove behind the church...*





Music: Whale Island Entrance

(*CG time!*)


BUSH: This is...


LARA: Were you calling me?


BIG TREE: Yes, I called out to you for help.



LARA: Were all of my strange dreams your doing?



BIG TREE: Yes. I had you dream those things to adapt you to the dream world.

BIG TREE: I'm sorry for any trouble I have caused you.



LARA: The dream world? This is the dream world?


BIG TREE: Yes. Ancient trees like myself can speak to humans... But only in your dreams...


BIG TREE: I had you come here to fulfill a wish of mine.



LARA: A wish?



BIG TREE: Yes. I want you to care for my child.


BIG TREE: I cannot move by my own will.


BIG TREE: As you can see, this forest is filled with trees, and there is no room for a seedling to grow. Please, plant it elsewhere.


BIG TREE: Please, raise my child and transplant it after it matures.


BIG TREE: Take it somewhere far away.



LARA: ...All right. I will accept your wish.




LARA: I will take responsibility for your child.


BIG TREE: Thank you...! I am so glad I have asked you...


BIG TREE: Thank you... Thank you...






Music: Trampoli Daily Life


Well, that sure was a weird dream. I knew the pharmacy was a bad idea.

Off to our usual schedule!




ANETTE: Um... Is this okay? Is this the flower that's supposed to grow from that seed?


ANETTE: Um...by the way... Could you tell Mist I said that I'll write her a letter?


Sure, although you'll be living in the same house when she comes back. Still a nice sentiment.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Scorpio

You got Scorpio Flower!


That little chime plays as soon as we start the conversation. Each of the bachelorettes has one for this exact moment. Hers is specifically a yellow topaz flower.

Picking up all of these will be the theme for today, but we still have to wait until the weekend to pick up Rosetta's.


-----------------------------------------------------
~"Thank you for your help!" - Ganesha~

Thanks for the Iron!
It really helped!!
I'm so glad I have a friend
that does forge work nearby.

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


Ganesha is really happy about that piece of iron. One can only wonder why she apparently needed it so badly.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Cancer



CINNAMON: ... ... ...Here you go.


CINNAMON: ...I'll be counting on you to bring back Mist...

You got Cancer Flower!


Cancer just means crab, the disease just picked that name up thanks to how the growths spread, apparently. It's a ruby flower.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Gemini



IRIS BLANCHE: Here is the Crystal Flower you requested.


IRIS BLANCHE: The magical creature in the "Era of disconnect" will definitely be quite strong.


IRIS BLANCHE: I only pray that you don't overexert yourself, and return together with Mist safely...

You got Gemini Flower!




Sound: Spirit Chime of Gemini



IRIS NOIRE: Here is the Crystal Flower you requested.


IRIS NOIRE: All this began because I was under Gelwein's control...


IRIS NOIRE: I'm sorry this is all that I can do... Please be safe and bring back Mist.



You got Gemini Flower!


...I guess they're kinda twins, so it makes sense they're Gemini. Still, we got two of the same flower. I guess as long as it's a flower from a maiden, it'll work?

These flowers are pearl, which is considered a gemstone despite it's organic creation.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Sagittarius



LARA: Is this flower...a lapis lazuli...?


LARA: I don't know what it is exactly, but it feels so strange. It's gentle...and warm...


LARA: I'll be praying for the heavens to watch over both you and Mist.

You got Sagittarius Flower!


Lara's original marriage item was a lapis lazuli, and her name in Japanese was even Lapis. She's got a bit of a history with it and it makes sense that's what her flower is.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Virgo



SELPHY: This grew from the seed you gave me. Take it


SELPHY: Bush, come back after you save Mist, okay?


SELPHY: You better not pull one of those "save someone in exchange for one's own life" tragedies!

You got Virgo Flower!


Not in this game at least. Though, given it's kinda darker edge it wouldn't be out of the question...

It's blue sapphire, by the way.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Aquarius



MELODY: My flower bloomed. It glitters so brightly... What an odd flower.


MELODY: To be honest, I want to make a bewitching herb out of this...


MELODY: But a promise is a promise, so here. It's your turn to keep your promise to bring Mist back. ♪


You got Aquarius Flower!

Aquarius is the water carrier, what else do I have to say? The flower is amethyst.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Pisces



UZUKI: About that flower you requested of me...is this favorable?


UZUKI: I must say it was rather hard, it being my first time growing flowers; and a foreign one at that!


UZUKI: Well, 'tis nothing if it will help save Mist.

You got Pisces Flower!


Uzuki likes fish, and this is the colder weather sea creature sign. As her favorite season is Winter, I'm at least guessing this is why? The flower is aquamarine, if you were wondering.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Capricorn



EUNICE: Is this...okay?


EUNICE: I've never seen this flower before but it glitters. It's so pretty.


EUNICE: I'll trust you with Mist. I'll be praying for both of your safety.

You got Capricorn Flower!


It's just random speculation, but Eunice's is the first spirit chime in the order of the game's files and the final result. It makes me wonder if she was the first bachelorette designed for this game. That is assuming that the star signs weren't just assigned randomly- they don't end up in astrological order.

Eunice's flower is garnet.

That's almost all the flowers for now, so back to normal Bush things.




UZUKI: Look! My naginata has been reborn!


UZUKI: It has been much easier to use after Ganesha reforged it.


BUSH: I'm sorry... I can't tell what's different about it...


UZUKI: What? Look at the edge! Can you not you tell that its curve is slightly different?!


Bush isn't really a sword or spear kind of guy.



Music: Kross' Theme



KROSS: What do I hate about this village? Nothing. Nothing at all...


KROSS: But if I had to choose one, it is that "Seeds" can only be obtained in stores.


KROSS: Before I came to this village, I told myself that I would live on my own and to never depend on other people.


KROSS: But I couldn't do that unless I bought seeds.


KROSS: People and fields... Fields and seeds... Seeds and people... They are all connected.


Kross would be happy to know that the series started allowing you to get seeds in different ways after this game. Technically even in RF2 if you go in deep on the Discovery Waltz or whatever it was called again. But that's also 2nd gen only so...



I suppose the song about blue roses and monsters hits a bit differently when you know it's the marriage item.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Leo



BIANCA: I was so surprised when I saw a precious stone blooming.


BIANCA: But, I have plenty of pretty rocks like this already, so I'll give this one to you.


BIANCA: I personally took care of this flower, so hurry up and go save Mist with it, okay?!

You got Leo Flower!


Bianca's flower is peridot, which isn't a gem you hear a lot about. It is just a lighter shade of green than Tabatha's, so that's something.



Sound: Spirit Chime of Taurus



TABATHA: As promised, here is the flower that you asked me to grow.


TABATHA: How strange that a flower like this could grow from such a seed... I've seen nothing like it even in Elf Country.


TABATHA: With this strange flower you'll be able to save Mist. I'm sure of it.

You got Taurus Flower!


Aha! So it's called Elf Country. I just assumed it was Elf Land. You heard it here first, folks. Oh, and her flower is emerald.



That is the last of the flowers for now, and annoyingly they're not allowed to be put in the fridge I have tons of space in. The normal boxes are full to the brim, and I want to put all these in at the same time, so I guess I'm just out 11 inventory slots.



Off farming some medals for our buddy Kross...



And a quick look at our skills to follow. Lumber is second highest at 67 and our Fishing skill is just barely not our worst skill (that'd be Weapons).



Hey Lara, want to talk about this weird dream Bush had last night?




BUSH: Lara, I had a strange dream.


BUSH: When I came to my senses, I was in the middle of the forest and a huge tree told you...


LARA: ...to take care of its child.


BUSH: Yes! Huh...?


LARA: Come over here.



*And so she brings Bush to her room...*




*She has a potted plant in the corner, upon a little stool.*




LARA: I will care for its child the best I can.


LARA: Until the day it has grown enough so that I can transplant it.


Lara has reached her final form: Tree Mom.

That's all for her storyline! It's different than I expected it to be, I'll be honest. I guess she isn't a prophet, just attuned to dreamland. I guess we are too as we were there.



Yeah, she's only at 8.5 LP, but that's it for Lara's story. Earliest resolution out of all of the gals.

Well, what else is there to do today?



Yo, it's the unnamed girl!




MYSTERY GIRL: Oh, Bush!


MYSTERY GIRL: I spoke with a carpenter from another town that is willing to come.


MYSTERY GIRL: I have finally taken the first step to building the church!


BUSH: I see. Congratulations.


MYSTERY GIRL: Thank you. This is all thanks to your advice, Bush.


MYSTERY GIRL: Thank you so much.


Good for you! You know, we could've just recommended Kross to you, but this ought to work.

...Can we have your name now?




MYSTERY GIRL: That carpenter is scheduled to come tomorrow. I feel very excited!


Rats. She is truly the most powerful person here, being able to withhold such information from the external force that drives the narrative of their life...

I will have to think on this.



...While I do Runey work. Curse you, smiley goobers!



So have some bath trivia instead.

♨ BATH TRIVIA TIME ♨

...I'm running out of bath facts. I suppose there is the onsen tamago, a method of slow-poaching eggs in hot spring water. It apparently makes it kinda creamy? It's served in a variety of traditional sauces.

Never had it, couldn't tell you how it tastes.



What I do know is more demon farming! yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaa-



-aaah!

There goes the day! Yep, just a lot of demon blood and EXP grinding off demons to prepare for the big confrontation.



One more bachelorette story down, all but one crystal flower in pocket...

It's a bit shorter than usual, but I think it was a pretty eventful day. Next time, we continue Bush's final training arc!

Join us then!


Music: Goodnight