Part 20: Florence, City of Innuendo

Our next stop is Italy, but before we go there, I made a quick stop in the Graveyard to pick up the rest of Yuri's 2nd tier fusions. If you remember, we already have Darkness and Light.


Fire is first.




Next, we pick up Wind.




Then we hop over to the other side of the Graveyard and pick up Water.




And the last one is Earth.




Anyway, we can now go straight from Wales to Florence. No more of this find a ship, take a detour, go through this city to finally get where you're going bullshit.


And what is the first thing we'll see in Florence?


Boobs, that's what.


Carla's smart, I'll give her that much. The Spiritualist Movement was really at its peak back then, so how do you distinguish yourself from the throng? Have your fortune tellers be scantily-clad young women that dance with the cards, of course! But I'm not sure how accurate the readings would be if you only have 12 of the Major Arcana and none of the Minor Arcana.


While everyone else is watching the cards, Yuri is watching the dancer.



That's amazing!
Yeah...
I wonder how she's doing that...
Yeah...
She's not using any wires.
Yeah...
Awroo...
Yeah...


When the dance is over, one of the cards rises in front of the fortune teller, Lucia. The dance doesn't lend itself well to screen-shots, but, as always, the video is linked a bit further down the page.



And here comes your fortune...




Somehow, I don't think it was good news.


After the reading, Lucia waves the clients and the audience out the door.

Come back again!


Well, maybe not all the audience.


Hi!



Fortune reading is over, everyone.


Sensing trouble, the proprietor herself comes waddling out of the back.

There's a three-month waiting list here. Now give up and go on home.



Can't you bend the rules a little more?



You must be deaf, old man! Our best girl does not come that cheap!

That...that sounds dirty...

A man named Thomas told us about you. He said you would know something about a group named Sapientes Gladio.
Sapientes Gladio...! Hmph! That old business. Forget it! I haven't got the time.

Yeah, from the looks of you, you don't have much time at all.

Please, kind lady, won't you please help us on our quest?
And what do I get? I suppose you have no money.

Hey, looks like the retard managed to soften her up a little.

Well, I... uh... um...

This is like the ferry to England all over again. They'll blow money on leather vests and kite string, but God forbid they should spend one red cent on advancing the plot.


Not pictured: Karin ramming her pointy little elbow into Yuri's ribs. After she noticed that he'd been sitting there staring at Lucia the entire time.

Ah!
Don't be such a jerk!
Ow! That hurt! Why did you do that?
Why don't you just ask her already?!
What do you think you're doing? ...Uh, pretty please?
...Oh, alright.
Oh well, I suppose I'll have to help. Let's see...



You two! You're going to have to work it off on your backs!



Huh?!

Run Yuri. Run now, and don't look back.




You're waaaaay too optimistic for this game Karin.


Oh, I guess it is just a fetch quest after all.

What do you say? Should be a piece of cake for you, right? ...Or maybe you'd rather perform a sexy dance or two...?

Or...maybe not.

A sexy dance?! Wh-who, me?!
Of course, you! Do you think anybody else here would look good in a see-through outfit?

Wait for it...



S-see-through?!




Hey! Quit trying to imagine it!


Joachim likes to dance.

You keep quiet, sicko.


Joachim sad now. Broadway dreams crushed.

All right, fine! I won't do the dancing, but we can certainly go get that flower you mentioned.
*sigh* Too bad. You have such a lovely figure... Ah, well. Get me that flower, then, as fast as you can. Lucia knows where it is. Good luck, now, everybody!


Right..."fun"...




At least if Carla is going to give us the run-around, we can get our revenge by stealing this Strike Expand from her.


There are a couple chests outside. This one right by Carla's shop has a Thera Seed.


There's another chest to the right side of the square, next to the Magimel Brothers. This one has Bat's Gold, which you can use to force Joachim into his Golden Bat form.


Vepar Crest (Hail Beak, Bright Light) is hidden on the north edge of the fountain.


And the last item here is a Lottery Ticket hidden in a doorway in the upper-right corner.


There are a lot of people wandering around the square. This guy is standing in front of the boxes on the left. (Sorry about the text box covering him up.)


Carla's a bitch.




Oh, not in this war...

Al: Florence is a town with a long and distinguished history, loved by artists for centuries.





Trevor: But these days, when you say "city of flowers," I guess people think of Paris, though...

No, that's the City of Lights.



Pisa and Rome (among others) would like to have a word with you.



I know! There are tons of monsters running around for me to kill! I've got no idea where they keep getting all that cash, though...

Nero: Uh... I have to be going now...


Well, la-di-da! Isn't he a fancy one?


I think this is the guy that we saw at Carla's.

Jones: Know what she told me? "You'll never marry." But why the hell not?! I've got plenty of money! Ah, here! Have this if you want it! It won't fetch much money.

You got Nibelung Scene 7

You learned Geuschbenst!

More opera, more ways to rain fiery death on our enemies!



Becky: Oh, yes... I got this to use for my paintings, but I don't need it. I think it's horrible. Here, you have it.

Could it be...?


These things just keep getting more and more ridiculous...


Now we can get another dress for Cornelia.

Someday, I'll be a top designer too, with a fashion line that'll be famous all over the world! Don't you agree?

Yeah, whatever. Get sewing already.


With Cornelia's Earth Dress, we can now use Earth Cast


This time, Gerard has new armor for everyone. Yuri, Joachim and Gepetto get the Chainmail Vest (Yuri is already wearing the one I won from Lenny). For Karin and Blanca, there's a Silk Shawl.


There are a couple quests we can advance here. The first is the Trading Quest.

Straw? You want straw? How about this?

Massimo: Ah! You've got some! And it's shriveled up just right! You've gotta let me have it!



Massimo: Are you sure?! Wow, thanks so much! It's not much, but I want to repay you. Here, have this!

You got Underground Film

Massimo: It's a movie made by a friend of mine. I haven't got a projector or anything fancy like that myself. You watch it!

You'll always get the Underground Film; Massimo is the only one you can trade the straw to. After this, there will be two or three people who will take what you have. Some trades will lead you to dead-ends. Do it right, and you end up with one of the Ultimate weapons!


The other quest here is the next Wolf Bout.

Awroo? Awroo. (Being kept by humans? You're hardly in the position to be so snooty...)
Awroo. Awroo... (Ah, a haughty one. I don't relish touching a stray, but fine...) Awroo, awroo! (Consider this an honor. Today I'll lower myself to fight you personally.)


Oh, yeah, this guy's begging for it.



And I'll show you that schooling and pedigree don't have any meaning in the real world, pal.


Ah hahaha! I can't get over his hair!


Jerome is a pushover.


Oh well. At least we get a Ring effect, Seal 1, for winning.


Wait, there's a Wolf Academy?

Hmph. Kept in a cage like a pet bird! All they want you for is show...




We now get three hits with Soul Comet. We'll also get a prize if we go back to Ernest since we have a row filled now.



Awroo, awroo. (If you can't stand admitting defeat, you shouldn't fight.)

Unless you're Blanca, 'cause Blanca never loses. He is awesome.


When we try to leave Florence, we get accosted by some strange (but healthy!) woman.

Rooney: Smells like you haven't had a bath for days. And that grubby appearance... You must be explorers!


Oh, I'm sure Gepetto does. I don't know about Joachim though. Do vampires even sweat?

You figured us out pretty quick... Who are you?

Rooney: Sorry, I'm Rooney. I don't want to brag, but I'm the president of the World Fitness Walking Society.

The World Fitness Walking Society... Not another weird club?!
I say we don't get involved!

Rooney: I just saw that you were explorers, and I wanted to ask you a favor, that's all.

You got Pedometer

What? What's this? I'm sure I've seen this kind of thing before...

Yes, Yuri, you used to have a Pedometer. Less than a year ago.

Rooney: It's a device to count how far you've walked. It's called a Pedometer. I just wanted to ask you to wear one as you go on your travels. Of course, I'll give you something in return. I've got different prizes depending on how far you go.

Prizes, eh? This all sounds a little too easy! What's in it for you?

Rooney: For me? Nothing! I'm not that type of gal! I just want you all to know how good walking can make you feel.

So...if we just clock up some distance and tell one of your club members, we'll get a prize, right?

Rooney: ...Not quite. I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to come back to me for the prizes.

What? How come? That'll make it such a pain.

Rooney: Well...um...it's a little embarrassing to admit, actually...

What is?

Rooney: I'm the only member of the World Fitness Walking Society! So you'll just have to come back to me, okay?!

Huh?! You're the only one?! And it's a society?! Ha ha ha!

Rooney: D-don't make fun of me! I'm sure I'll get more members once people realize how great walking is!


Well, at least if we have to come back to her, that means Yuri hasn't collected yet another stalker.