Part 17: Smuggler's Boat, part 2

Smuggler's Boat, part 2


While Zhuzhen prepares his seals, Yuri and company have gotten Sea Mother into the cabin. Frankly, I'd be afraid to go below deck in that tub.

Mother, did you hide on the boat to put Li Li's soul to rest? What, you KNEW this would happen?!

Yes... I didn't think Li Li would give up so easily. I would give my life to save that poor girl's soul!

Say, Sea Mother...



What happened after Li Li opened the door that night fourteen years ago?

Ah... We were interrupted. When Li Li opened the door that day... Well, it's just as you might have imagined. She saw her father, back from the dead...he was in a terrible state. He returned to let Li Li take his life. He returned to give Li Li her voice back.

We don't get to hear the end of the story in Spook-o-Vision. I feel cheated.

He came back as a drowned corpse... to be killed by his own daughter?

That's sad and yet awesome at the same time.

And did she? Did she kill her father, who had finally returned?

No. She came to return the dagger. Then, with her father's drowned corpse on her back...

She walked on towards the ocean, staggering under the weight...

That's the last time anyone ever saw them. We couldn't find their bodies, either.



No wonder her spirit isn't at peace...

I-I couldn't do anything for her...



Are you all right? I'm sorry to bring up all these bad memories. Why don't you get some rest?

Thank you...


There's nothing else to do here, and I'm getting claustrophobic. Let's go outside.



Aw shit, what now?

Wh-what IS this?!



Th-the wheelhouse? Has something happened there...?



Open, damn you!!


KICK!

Yeah! Now we're talking!


Lightning...indoors...?


We get into a scripted battle with some Ogre Flames. It isn't a boss battle, though; these things are one of the standard enemies of the area.



Tsk... They're an ELUSIVE bunch, aren't they?

Wh-what was THAT?

You said you saw them in Dalian, didn't you? Or their relatives.

I-I...never imagined they actually...!!

This is the closest Kawashima comes to blowing her cover. She's had a rough day.

Sea Mother: Foul monsters! I'm not about to lose to the likes of you!! Oryaaaaahh!!



Tsk, now Sea Mama's in on the action?! Well, isn't this fun...


Back to the cabin for another light show and another fight.


This time it's with the second monster of the area, a group of White Wolflings. (Who are neither white nor wolves: discuss.)



You...you're good, boy...

They must be after Master Zhuzhen, too! Please, boy...would you go and check?

Sheesh, Sea Mama, you sure know how to work people. Anyway, that old geezer won't be beaten so easily.

Master Zhuzhen is in the middle of a ceremony! He's extremely vulnerable right now...


That's the problem with being a hero. No matter what you do, there's always something bigger they want you to take care of for them. One day, you're rescuing kittens from trees, and before you know it, they want you to go kill the 50-foot man-eating giant that lives inside the Cavern of Really Scary Things.



Humph. I thought pops was supposed to be in danger.


I'd hoped we'd at least get a mini-boss battle at this point, but it's just another group of Ogre Flames. Yawn.







A few arcane gestures and a flash of light later...

Neat!

So this is an old-fashioned exorcism pentagram?

Whoa!! I have absolutely no clue what's going on, but it's damn impressive!



Sorry to keep you waiting, people. Everything's ready now!! Now, Sea Mother, I'll need your help. We have to keep Li Li's power in check. Give me a shout when you're ready, kid.

Master Zhuzhen, I shall assist you!

At this point, you can now get into random encounters with the monsters we've already fought. You can also start the boss battle at any time by talking to Zhuzhen, but there's a couple things we have to take care of first.




Kato runs the shop in this area, but there's no new weapons or anything else that I really need right now.


He's also the first of the easily missed Lottery Members. If you always look at his shop when you talk to him, you'll never get this dialog. Once you start the boss battle, you can't play the Lottery with him any more, either.


Piece of cake.



You've received Iron Clogs.

Whatever you do, don't tell the boss now, hear?


The other thing I have to do is pick up Yuri's fire fusion, thanks to all the Ogre Flames wandering around.


It's a hard fight, probably the hardest one of all the fusions, but it also gets you Yuri's strongest (for now) fusion monster.





You've received Soul of Inferno!


Fighting Spirit raises Attack power by 15% (18% if you hit a perfect Ring), and Fire Ball and Moxibustion do just what they say.

Before I start the boss fight, I make sure Yuri has Inferno equipped. I also put Rosewood Bracelets on everyone (the boss has a Paralysis attack) and I stick a Voodoo Doll (protects against Instant Death, one time only) on Margarete. (It turns out later that I should have put the doll on Alice)





Yes, let's! On-tei-naa... On-tei-naa...

Li Li, come before me!



H-here she comes!!





How DARE you invoke that wretched chant!! DIE!!


Li Li's element is Dark, so I fuse Yuri into Inferno and have him cast Fighting Spirit on himself and have Alice cast Holy Edge on him. I also have Alice hit Li Li with Blessed Light whenever she's not healing. Li Li has two special attacks, Paralysis, which I've already prepared for, and Dark Messenger, which causes Instant Death. Of course, she uses that attack on Alice, which makes the fight a little longer, since I have to use up one of Margarete's turns to revive her.


Despite the setbacks, she's soon disposed of.



Sea...Mother...


...the Hell?


Well, well, well. Look who's finally decided to put in a personal appearance.

Who...!?

How nice to finally meet you, Alice Elliot. And Zhuzhen! Long time no see.

So you're Dehuai! You brought poor Li Li back, didn't you?! You were USING her!

That's right. Ah, Alice... You're more beautiful than I had imagined!



Well, well! We finally meet the real Tiny, eh? Except you're not nearly as cute.

Hmph. So you're the abominable Harmonixer, are you? Very well. I'm sure you and the old man will make a lovely snack for the Shanghai crabs.

"Shanghai crabs" sounds like something you'd pick up in a brothel.

Li Li, I shall unleash all of your power!! Hate everything! DEVOUR them with your hate! Hee hee hee hee!!




Poor Li Li.



Wait, Li Li!! I promise you, I WILL deliver you to your eternal rest!


Li Li got ugly.


This battle is very similar to the last. The only differences are that Li Li has a bit more HP, and she's traded Dark Messenger for Hate Storm, an AoE that hits the entire party, but doesn't cause Instant Death. So I do the same thing this fight that I did the last one.


Since no one dies, this battle is over quickly. It's actually easier than the previous one.




With that, Li Li finally moves on in a flash of light.



It's your turn next!!

Hee hee hee...


And Dehuai goes back home to sulk.


But not everything on the good ship, S.S. Rustbucket, is all sunshine and lollipops...

S-sea Mother!!



It's been a long time since I've seen such magic.

Rest in peace, good Sea Mother...





Our beloved magic user will be coming under your care.



Our wonderful, wonderful magic user...

Please be good to her...









Heh heh. A fine send off. Sea Mother will be most pleased.

I guess now she can make sure Li Li gets where she needs to go.



...Yes. Everything's all right now. Let's get this thing moving. Full speed ahead, please!

R-right.





vv


Told you he was sulking.

I must not underestimate that boy's power. And now that Zhuzhen has joined the girl...

Time to take a step back, and conjure up a plan. Hmm...


Who's this idiot?



Ah, Wugui! So glad you could make it here from Kowloon. I did not wish to tear you away from Hong Kong, but I could not afford NOT to call you...

Kowloon is a part of the city of Hong Kong. It's on the mainland, rather than the island.

Do not worry. Not much is going on in Hong Kong, and to tell the truth I was growing a little bored. Indeed, we've already made puppets of the newly-appointed French parliamentary officials.

History in this world doesn't quite mesh with actual history.

Excellent. Damn the foreign superpowers...they believe this country is theirs for the taking! Ha, I'll never let it happen... As long as I'm here, they won't lay a finger on Shanghai!!

Master, if I may be so bold...are you experiencing difficulties with the Demon's Gate Invocation?

Yes, well... As you can see, the Spirit Machine of Kuihai Tower is complete and ready to go...

The what of the who now?

But the girl...the KEY...is still running loose. An unwelcome guest blocks my way.



Unwelcome...guest?

Absolute Sage Zhuzhen!

Master Zhuzhen?! I never imagined he still lived.

Well, he does. The bastard...he's been standing in my way ever since we were in training together!

I love the way villains just randomly blurt out insights into their past.



Not to worry, Master Dehuai. I shall deliver the girl to you immediately...along with the old man's head.

Hee hee. Good, good! You've always been my best student. A word of warning, though. Do not underestimate them.

...One of them is a monster with the power of Fusion.



Fusion?! The Japanese man...he can't still be alive?

No, this one is different. He's still young, though there is no doubt he's a Harmonixer. Two Yamarajas have fallen to him thus far.

Gods...!

Heh heh heh. If what you say is true, Master, this should be interesting. I Wugui of Kowloon, shall not fail you.

Famous last words.

Then I'll wait for the good news. Show that grinning bastard Roger Bacon what we're capable of. Now, Wugui! Go!


Mmm... Fresh meat.


Next time on Shadow Hearts: sight-seeing in Shanghai!


Smuggler's Boat, part 2 on Viddler
Video 1
Video 2 (boss fight)
Video 3


NPC Scorecard