Part 9: Chapter Nine: Ray's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery ft. "John Wilkes" Booth

Heading back to Moreeyes, we talk with the mysterious Kustera in the shrine.



Kustera: I wish to join with you, but I have one thing to ask first. There was a golden statue Moai. The island's treasure in this shrine.

Oh god damnit, I can see where this is going.

Kustera: But one day, pirates stole it. I want to leave this island, but I can't do without it.

Well, why the hell not? They can get their own damn statue back themselves. I have a world-threatening evil to stop.

Kustera: Will you get it back for me? [->Yes No]

Like we ever have a choice.

Kustera: Thank you. The pirates are hiding the statue in the Ghost's Cave nearby. Please get the golden Moai statue back and I can join you.

A fetch quest within a fetch quest. Great. I have to wonder exactly why he won't join us and give us the other orb until we find some lameass statue for a bunch of smelly island people. I mean hell, we could just take it from him. It's five of us and only one of him. Not like we ever use the Kustera anyway. Bah, this game.



The cave is close by, thank god.



Healing items are pretty much worthless at this point in the game. They all heal the same ~35 HP, and since we're so high leveled now, that's nothing but a waste of a turn. Cure 2 gets the job done much quicker.



Wait seriously? I'm getting beginning of the game enemies here? Just when I thought Tecmo couldn't get any lazier...



OK, this is more like it. Summoners we want to kill first, or run away if there's more than one, since they can cast Vanish, which is insta-KO. After a rather short dungeon, we come across the boss.





Undead is kind of a pain in the ass. He has a rapid attack and can use hit-all magic like Storm 2. We have Tina use Fast 3 and Slow 2 as usual and have Leona use Mirror 2 on herself to reduce damage from magic. It's kind of unfortunate that she can *only* use it on herself, because...





Yeah. That hurts. I really can't wait til Leona gets Mirror 3.



Dan just barely survives a brutal rapid attack and Ray is dazed. Not a good situation. Tina heals Dan and Ray eventually snaps out of it. After the battle, we get 5855 exp, which allows for some level gains and Ray's acquisition of Fire 3. Very nice.



After pondering the logistics of how 5 kids can carry a solid gold Moai all the way to another town (well, Ray and Tina were able to carry a solid gold lion, so I guess this isn't much of a leap), we head back to Moreeyes yet again. The mysterious Kustera formally introduces himself as Murray and joins up with us, giving us the Blue Orb in the process. With both orbs in tow, we head for a strange cove south of Bonzley.





I have a good feeling about this!





Yeah, that was actually supposed to be Kraken. I love this game. I really do. Anyway, *ahem* "Clarken" is a snap. He has a rapid attack and can blow gas on the party, but neither of these attacks are anything to worry about. He's especially weak to Leona's Bolt 2. The usual strategy of Fast and Slow and healing when necessary puts him down and we get 6588 exp and the Tacosmin as a reward.

And you didn't even know octopuses could fart.

We take the Tacosmin to Dynamite's old lab in Decatas and go down into the basement.



Scientist: Terrific...how did you get it?...

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

Scientist: I see...I understand...(I can just imagine him nodding his head with a forced smile) it makes the rocket work. Wanna ride? I can't guarantee anything though. [->Yes No] Okay. Well, wait a second.



Gentlemen, behold! The world's first octopus-powered rocket!



We go up...



And up...



And up...



And come back down...



Into someone's house...





As explosions never harm humans, we have nothing to worry about. We emerge into the house of Dr. Ash in the town of Elekees on the upper continent.



Dr. Ash: You came by rocket, didn't you? A big welcome to you...you came here to see me, but...it is I who need a favor...listen....west of here, you'll find the castle of Booth. He is one of the Four Great Followers of Homncruse. My wife and son were defeated by Booth...

Wait, you sent your wife and kid to fight him? What kind of father are you?

Yes, I know it's just a poor word choice on the translator's part, but the implications are still lol.

Dr. Ash: I replaced my wife and son with a robot, for the sake of my daughter Mimi.

OK, NOW I can say what kind of father are you. "Honey, I know your mommy and brother are dead but here's a robot!"

Dr. Ash: She has grown up to be a bright girl, but...I can never forgive Booth. Never! Please destroy Booth anyway you can. We can't have more kids ending up like Mimi...first of all...go west. Then south along the river. I recommend you get some rest at Alazina. The castle of Booth is in the south of Alazina. It is a long trip, but don't give up.



Clearly, this one was NOT programmed to speak perfectly.

We leave Ash's house and head for the weapon shop.



Oh HELL to the yes.



This is a funny looking house I wonder what's-



...How in the hell were you able to get up here?

Evelyn, another Kustera, is in another house here.





She must have been bored out of her mind or something to be so eager to join us. Kind of refreshing not to have to do another fight or fetch quest.



Old lady: Nobody knows where he went. They say he began some bad experiment and ruined himself.

My foreshadowing sense is not tingling, but wildly spasming out of control. Another guy here tells us that Gara, the third Great Follower, also lives up here with Booth. No rest for the weary. That's about everything of interest here in Elekees, so we set off for Alazina.



The ultimate location to spit on someone from.



Laser eye surgery: Aqutallion style.

Ash recommended that we go south and west, but it's actually quicker to just go east. Don't you just love video game geography? We soon come to Alazina to rest up and upgrade equipment before taking on Booth.





Yet another ravaged town. A person in the cafe explains the situation.





There's really nothing notable here. Booth's castle is close by south of Alazina.





The chests can't be gotten right away. The left chest contains a useless Red Hood (headgear which I already have a bunch of after fighting tons of eyeball monsters), while the right chest contains something invaluable...





You have to use warp tiles to get around, but it's not a very complicated dungeon.



What's that? It sounds like Nintendo's lawyers high-fiving each other.



The 2nd floor ledge drops you out of the castle, but that's exactly what we want.



Behold, the Fire Sword, one of the best weapons in the game. We'll give it to Cody.



But wait, it's actually WEAKER than his current weapon! How can it be so awesome? We shall see...

After trekking back up Booth's castle-



...and beating Undead's identical twin brothers along the way, we confront Booth up at the top.





Booth looks like a deranged maniac. And he should be treated as such. His most powerful attack, Bomb 2, can deal upwards of 80 damage to the entire party. His other attacks are no laughing matter either. We start the battle by having Ray attack, Tina use Fast 3 on everybody, Cody use Power 2 on himself, Leona use Mirror 2 on herself, and Dan use Bomb 2, while occasionally using Regain 2 to heal the party as necessary. I have to apologize to Dan, as I forgot that he actually kind of doesn't suck. He's the only one who can heal the entire party. On turn #2, we do this.





THAT is why the Fire Sword is awesome. When comboed with Ray's Fire spell, it deals huge damage. We stick to using Burn Blade for the rest of the battle while Tina buffs and heals, Leona uses Bolt 2, and Dan uses Bomb 2. Eventually, Booth goes down. We get 7410 exp which allows Tina to reach level 29.



Booth: No...no, no...Gara!

Booth disappears and Gara appears.



Gara: Now, it can be my turn, Aqutallions...if you dare challenge me, come to my castle to live no more...ho, ho, ho, ho, ha, ha, ha, ha!

2 Great Followers down, 2 more to go. Until next time...

See Ya!