Part 99: Episode XCIII: Sunset Park

Episode XCIII: Sunset Park


Music: Rising Sun ~ Japanese Town



We are now done with wrestling champion Great Gama until the ominous talk of... the festival... comes to fruition in the distant future. But that's endgame content. With gaining Artem Buster, Joachim has now fully completed his Muscle Art move list. Good for him. Let's move on.





For now, we're going to backtrack to the Nihonbashi crossroad and head to the east this time. There would have been nothing of note here originally. But now that Joachim has stepped into the squared-circle, things have changed.



Here we discover a small park with a conspicuously placed save point located just outside. Yeah, we're probably going to want to save here as we are locked into a rather lengthy sequence as soon as Joachim approaches the park proper.

Music: ENDS



So are you thinking about your father?
...Yeah.
Running into Lt. Colonel Kawashima's father as soon as we got to Japan was a lot. But he trained my dad too? That's getting to be a bit much.
True, it is a lot of coincidences.


Music: Past ~ Personal History



I can hardly remember anything from when I was a boy... The funny thing is I can still hear the sound of the ship. The one that took the three of us to China.
Your father died while fighting this wizard who planned to destroy all of Japan? Is that right?
<nods> ...Yeah. I was ten years old.
And your mother?
After my father was killed, monsters attacked us at our house.
Technically, they were zombified versions of my neighbors. It was a real dick move.
They were sent by Dehuai, that wizard. They killed my mother...
And then I unlocked my Fusion powers and ripped them all in half. It was... a real rough night...

Music: ENDS



......
......
......
......



Fate's a strange thing! My father gave his whole life to save Japan. And I'm doing everything I can to try to stop it.
...I think. Other than rescuing the old man and his daughter and beating that babyhead wizard, I'm not really clear what we're doing. I really need to ask Kawashima if he knows where Kato is hanging out, huh?
I think I understand him...
Huh?



It wasn't for Japan. Your father was actually fighting for you and he was fighting for your mother as well.
For me and my mother?



I told you my family was poor, but that we were once nobility in Munich, right? Growing up, I worked harder than anybody else to try to keep the honor of our family name. If I succeeded in the army, I thought it would reflect well on my family. I didn't do it for my country. I did it for my sick, bedridden grandmother I left at home.
......


Music: Past ~ Personal History



But you see, I don't have a home anymore. It's been destroyed by those Sapientes Gladio bastards.
Plus there is the whole army desertion and getting two entire platoons under my command killed in action. I think that career path is long gone.



That's why I really think your father did what he did for the wife and son that he loved!
<looks down> I'm sorry.



No, I don't want that. I'm fine! It doesn't help to blame fate. It just makes you sad and bitter. Live every moment to the fullest, and the future starts to look brighter!
Kicking the butts of everyone that wronged you helps too. It's not like there's a Sapientes Gladio or a foreign wizard around anymore to take the blame.
<smiles> You're a strong woman, Karin...
<gets embarrassed>



......
That's right! You better remember that!
<laugh>





Karin scoots over in the bench closer to Yuri. However, lurking in the bushes behind them...




Music: Gathering God ~ Thrill



Whoa! This is getting kind of steamy, don't you think? Hehehe.
Shhh! Quiet! They'll hear you!
This stealthy reconnaissance already feels like a breach of trust. My honor will never live it down if we're discovered.
Hush up! You know you're into this too.
I did not deny that fact.
Ugh. What are they doing?! Just grab her and plant one on her, already!



Push her head down... like this! <smooches air>
<punches the air and waves her arms enthusiastically> Geez, don't be such a wuss! Go and make your move! You can do it! GO! Kiss her! KISS HER!
If I don't see a kiss RIGHT NOW I'm going back home and having my father invade Japan and demand I see something steamy here RIG—



I think... you need help.
<glares> ...Huh?
Uh...
......
......
Umm... back to spying?
<smiles> Back to spying!

The two return to spying on Yuri and Karin.

Music: ENDS



Do you remember your mother?
Of course.
My dad is a little bit clearer in my head because a Fox Face masked version of him haunting me in my subconscious and occasionally manifested in the real world to kick my ass for a few months there, but...
......
Y-yeah, I remember her.



She met my father in Japan... and it was love at first sight for her.
Was she pretty?
I can't... remember her face that clearly.
Also... kind of a weird question to ask about someone's mom...



What was she like?
Why all these questions?
<shoulder bumps into Yuri> C'mon, I just want to know.
It's the first time we've just sat around and gotten to know each other without a big guy flexing or a nosy little girl hanging around or an old man staring at my chest.
Hmph... I guess...
<takes a deep breath and smiles> We moved around a lot... after we got to China... Finally, we settled in Mulan, but because my father was away so much, my mother and I got to spend a lot of time together. She was a strong woman, but she was lonely too.
<looks away from Karin> Is that enough? This is embarrassing!
No way. You're not stopping right now.
Please, c'mon...
<smiles>
<sighs> ......


Music: Past ~ Personal History



She had a hard time growing up, but she was happy in Japan with my dad. Of course, after we moved to China, she would sometimes complain, about how her life went.
Hmm.
Then she'd always say she'd be happy... no matter where she was as long as she had me.
Oh.
But whenever I heard that, I became furious at my father for having left us.
Naturally.
He never even told me about the fighting a wizard part. I learned about that years later. At least I would have understood he was away doing something rad.
I suppose.
It was my mother who named me Yuri.
How did she pick that name?
I guess... That was the name of her first lover!
<chuckles>
She... told you that?
I'm just spitballing.
...OK. That's an odd assumption.
Hey, you're the one that asked! Where did you get your name, then?
It was my grandmother's name.
Tch. Yeah, sure. Be all normal about name origins.



<nods head repeatedly> Uh-huh! Uh-huh!
I can't hear what they're saying.
He just said that he loved her!
<looks at Anastasia startled> He really said that?!

Music: ENDS



Quiet! You're too loud.
Oh... _Sorry.

The unlikely pair return to spying.



Yuri. Can I ask you just one more thing?
Yeah, I guess so. You might as well.
Might as well get it all on the table. I don't got any other family if that's what you're gonn—
Were you in love with Alice?

Yuri's freezes and his eyes go wide.



(FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!)



<coughs repeatedly>



<clenches stomach and groans> Ugh, my stomach! My stomach is killin' me! Ugh... UGH! I gotta go to the bathroom!

Yuri dashes off.



Heeeeey! C'mon, I'm serious, you know!
UGH!
Yuri, wait!
Cut it out! I swear I gotta go!
I'm gonna shit my pants if I don't make it. Don't follow me!!
The public restroom is the other direction!
I'll figure it out! UGH!



The pair's goofy anime romance chase is ended by the sound of an explosion in the distance and people screaming. I suppose it's time to get serious again.


Music: Rising Sun ~ Japanese Town



Masters of stealth, Joachim and Anastasia, wander over to see what the ruckus is about. They are immediately detected by Yuri and Karin wondering why the hell they're approaching from the same direction where he and Karin two were just sharing an intimate moment.



What are you up to?
What?!
I... I was out training... My muscles... in... stealth! I can... turn invisible, you know! Yes, that's right.
Mhm...
<shakes head> Huh? Ha ha ha! Nothing, nothing! We were just taking a stroll... Huh?! Did you just hear something?
Something that is not... talking about what we're doing, maybe? Hehe...

The ground shakes violently and everyone is startled.


Music: Crisis





W-what the hell?! What's that?!
Eeek! A monster!
Nicolai?!
...What about Nicolai?
You don't feel some kind of weird aura from this thing... like a lingering sense of... smug?
......
No! What are you going on about?!
I'll tell you in a minute. Less talking, more punching!




Music: Deep in Coma ~ Battle in Japan





It's a stroke of good luck, that the teleporting hellhound Dr. Hojo and Kato accidentally managed to create doing dumb science eventually decided to warp right in front of the incredibly strong wandering protagonists who were taking the day off chilling in a park. Well luckily, other than the part it did seemingly just blow up a building down the street and kill a bunch of people moments beforehand and it's apparently been doing that for a few days. But, it all worked out eventually! This creature is going by the name Shoki which is a Light elemental and it technically has 4450 HP. However, spoilers, this isn't a real boss fight. Since we have a forced mix party of Yuri, Karin, Anastasia, and Joachim this is an exhibition match that ends early at roughly ~1000 HP of damage dealt to it. So I won't get too much into details about the creature right now. It hits quite hard to the tune of 200 HP of damage to one its targets using high end Light elemental spells. But it is slower than molasses dripped from a spoon so any damage can be sorted out long before it becomes an issue.







With Yuri and the rest doing their usual thing and Joachim employing his new Artem Buster technique, this fight is over in under three minutes.


Music: Result ~ Victory





We do still get paid even if it wasn't the real version of the inevitable boss fight. So at least that's nice. Nothing worse than a fake boss encounter that just drains resources with zero rewards.


Music: Crisis



<turns toward the street> Look, the monster's blood...!





Oh, great. A teleporting, regenerating hell hound that can spontaneously birth offspring on a whim. Kato, you better show up and clean up your mess soon. You're just dipping your toes into direct villainy and this already is some clown shoe malarkey you've produced.






Video: Episode 93 Highlight Reel





Nihonbashi Park Concept Art - Ignore the part where the sky a mid-day overcast until Karin and Yuri had their bonding chat here.