Part 59: Metal Gears

Without any further fuckery, let's continue our recruiting spree.


Nuoh, I wonder if Mor knows...

"Mor," huh?



It's time we picked up our last, and best, beaver.

Maroon... Hmph! I see! You still haven't learned that humans can't be trusted!

What? No! Hear me out!

Shut your trap! I've heard enough! The humans who had the stupid fortress built, and the beavers who helped them build it... They've both one and the same! Worthless! Now, get outta here!





X3M BVR is stone cold.


Hmph! I've never heard such a stupid lie in all my life! I bet the lousy humans are spreading it!

Well, he's obviously not going to listen to us.



The boat is the quickest way back. Obviously they had to move the dock, so we get to see a little more of the castle while we're heading back up.



Seriously, this door is the best door in the entire castle.



One Viki thing later...

Nuoh?! You know Mor?! Take me! Take me! Take me to himmmmm!!!

I'm not sure I shou-



...well okay then.



He's



right here.

Meroon?

Our home is burned to a crisp! Nuooooh! We're in trouble!

Hmph! What's wrong with you? You're going along with the human lies, too, Meroon?!

Moroon! Stop it!

What?!

Moroon, you will come! Come with me! Come... with... meeee!

Okay, already! Fine! I'll go! Just to prove you wrong and expose the human liars!

Frey thinks this situation feels strangely familiar somehow.



So now we have to go back.

Again.



And finally...



...goddammit Moron.

Nuoh?! No, no!

???: She's right. It wasn't the Prince.



I booted him from the party before. Guessing there's some slight variety depending on how many of them are in the group at the time. Don't care to find out. Beavers.

Young and old, together again!

Moroon, it was Lord Godwin's men who carried out this attack on Beaver Lodge.

And when he did, the Prince came to defend us.

That's the only reason the Elder was saved. The only reason any beavers are still alive at all...

Hmph! It's like I thought! We let ourselves get caught in a stupid human war! The Prince came to defend us? You've gotta be kidding! Maroon, Muroon, if you two love the stupid humans so much, I don't even consider you guys beavers anymore! If this is what the beavers have sunk to, then count me out of the pack! I've had enough!

You've had enough?! All YOU did was run away!

Maroon... Run away?! Me?!

That's right!

You better watch what you say!

Nuoh?! Moroon! Stop, stooooooooop!

Moroon, calm down!

Hmph...

...Moroon isn't the only one who has run. We beavers have all been running scared. That's why this happened. We, along with the elder, realized this. We've determined that we must fight with the Prince. We believe that siding with the Prince will be beneficial for all beaverkind.

Moroon.... What're you going to do?

...What am I gonna do?!

I want Mor to be with us! Nuoooh!

Meroon... Okay, I get it... Well, actually, no! I don't get it at all, and I don't wanna get it! But I know one thing! I'm not the kind of beaver that runs scared!
You! Human! I don't get half of what's going down, but I'll lend you a hand! You better be grateful!

Uuuuh what you little furry freaks were saying something about gratitude I think?



Whatever, just get your ass in the party.

....Er...
Hmph! You better be grateful for my help, filthy human!

Moroon! Don't talk to the Prince like that!
Prince! We know he can be... intense, but he's a good beaver at heart! Please, let him help!

Meroon, do you have any objections?

I think we already know the answer!

No objections! Nuooooooooh! We'll all be together!



Well that was unnecessarily long and stupid, but believe it or not Moroon is the only beaver worth using.

More on that later.

And once again, the siblings are reunited, with love and harmony!

Yup!

Prince, if it's okay, we're going back to the castle!



...

Well, let's look at it from the positive side. I'll never have to recruit another beaver for as long as I live.


"The bath is ready now! Come on down and give it a try. It feels great!"
Miroon asked me to write that.
- From Muroon

So naturally, they're going to stink up the comment box now instead.


My father sent this letter from the Sun Palace:
"Even though the whole thing was a boring farce, just seeing His Highness' sister made it worth the trip here. Such elegance, majesty and beauty at such a young age! I don't doubt she'll be a great Queen, just like her mother.
"Bern, you have to do everything you can to help the Prince, so she'll be a true Queen, someday soon, not just a puppet."
Not bad for my father, I guess, although most of it goes without saying.

Your dad is the best dad (still alive) and you should be nice to him otherwise you'll regret it when he gets assassinated.


Our Miroon has constructed quite a wonderful bath. There's even enough room for Boss.

wow that's interesting


Is my armor really all that strange? It's just easy to move in, that's all. People ask if it even protects me, but the truth is that Mathias is all the armor I need.

Standard "some guy who knows nothing about how armour works trying to come up with any excuse to show off more tits in a fantasy setting" excuse


The bath is one of the few pleasures we old folks can really enjoy. The bath is wonderful. Your Highness has our thanks for building it.

Go tell that to the beavers. Maybe you'll be able to distract them from writing me any more pointless letters.


It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I'm really attracted to Island Nations women. Not that I'm asking you to introduce us or anything...

You're from Falena all right!

All right, enough stalling, we have more people to pick up. Who are not beavers.



Beaver beaver beaver beaver mushroom, mushroom, oh no, it's a snake! Wait, I don't think that's how it goes.



...I also don't think snakes work that way. (music)



What's that, you want some of this?!



Come get it!



Your CQC needs work.



Now if only we had someone who speaks Snake.

??? Now, now, now... No need to get all... worked up.

Which, fortunately, we do.



Genoh is one of two characters who can do this. We don't have the other one yet.

You have come to... tell us something, have you not? Well, then... You may tell it to... me.

Fssssss...
Sssssss...
Sfhssss...
Kreeah!
Ssssss, hhhsssss!
Skkkkkkkkkreeee! Skkkkkkkkkreeee!

Ah, yes, yes... You... couldn't be more... clear. Thank you.

...

This snake is called Byakuren. She has lived peacefully in this lake for many years... Many... many... years...
But then you noisy humans moved in, making so much noise... So, so much noise...
Not only that, but you humans have... soiled the water and... stolen her food. So... sad. So, so... sad.
She tried to scare you off, but was no match for your strength. So now, she must... leave.

Get the fuck outta here.



...no wait, the opposite of that.

That's a fine idea. I rather like the thought of having more creatures in the neighbourhood to... converse with. What say you, Byakuren? It may be... difficult for one as large as yourself to find another... home.

......Hhhssss...
Fssh... sssss... Frrssssshaw!

She said she... loathes the thought of leaving the lake she grew up in. She will stay here a while longer and lend you her... assistance.
Ho... ho... ho... So nice to have... other beasts around.



I don't know and I don't want to know. As long as she doesn't eat the beavers or anything. I mean, I wouldn't really care, but they do count as Stars of Destiny so it would be a shame.



We get another formation for having two large characters. This one's interesting - the form skill instakills all enemies, provided their average level is lower than the party's. But against anything that isn't of a lower level, the monsters don't perform anywhere near as good as two human characters. Byakuren never even gets a single rune slot, which doesn't exactly help her case either.

(The Howling Rune we got from defeating her inflicts berserk on any monsters in the party, but only a handful of people can equip it. It'll get stuffed into a corner somewhere and never taken out again.)



Around this time, I realized that I had a new window set to hand over. It's a little too bright for my liking, but it's not bad. I'll keep it for the update, at least.

Note also Oboro's sign on the wall there. He moves in here once the castle upgrades, which is nice. Right now though, he's out.



Just west of where we were in the last shot, there's a Mysterious Room.



The only thing you can do here is bring Mr. Suckup.

Wow! What a marvelous gear! A true pinnacle of scientific creation! If only I could show this to the Professor...

HINT HINT BRING SORENSEN TO ESTRISE HINT ARE WE BEING OBVIOUS ENOUGH



Yes, Sorensen, no need to yell, I'm right here, go ahead, speak up, what is it, hmmm?

Professor! It's a gear! A gear! Inside Prince Frey's castle! There's a gear from the ancient Sindar civilization! And it's an absolutely wonderous gear, at that!

...
...



What's keeping you, Sorensen, we must be on the move, come along, come, come, come, there's no time to waste, hmmm?

Yes, Professor!



Now we have him waddling after us, which is of course unacceptable. Only way to get rid of him is to return to the gear room. We'll do that pronto.



...
...


Sorensen, stop dawdling, I have a most important request for you, yes, come, come, no time to waste, hmmm?

Yes, Professor? What is it?

Sorensen, give me a hand, help me turn this gear, come, come, no time to waste, let's get it moving, hmmm?

...What? Why?

The outdoor waterwheel powers this gear, in which case, there's one thing to do, you catch my drift, hmmm? What's the point in having a gear that doesn't turn, there is no point, don't you agree, Sorensen, hmmm?

Of course, Professor! Truer words were never spoken!

Ah, you learned much due to my cerebral might, good to see, come, come, let's get going, hmmm?

Absolutely, Professor Babbage!

The two of them leave the party. We can talk to them...

I think this gear is used to operate something... If we turn it, it should activate whatever device it belongs to!

...to get the blindingly obvious spelled out for us,

Don't disturb me, I'm conversing with the Sindar race through this gear, fascinating, fascinating, hmmm?

...and get yelled at by Professor Baggage, but we need to give them some space.



As it happens, I just had this urge to go fish.



Curiously the window here doesn't change when you switch window colours. Oversight?



Since they're all too occupied bickering amongst themselves...



...it's an easy win.



But I didn't get what I wanted, so let's go another round.



That's more like it!



At least they didn't forget to fish this time.



...course, that's not good if it means I won't win.



Poo.



But this is what we're looking for.

I never seen one before, either, so I done gave it a try...

But, damn, it was all nasty! Raw, boiled, fried... don't matter! It's awful no matter whatcha do!

Trust me on this! Toss that disgustin' excuse for a fish back in the water!

Hmm. I know a guy who knows fish...



But I think I want to wash off all these fish scales before I go meet him.



...



Oh, Subala! Sorry, my mistake. You don't look like a guy! They're not THAT small!

Say it again! I dare ya! Ya think yer all special just 'cause yers're just a LITTLE bit bigger'n mine? What in the world do ya eat that makes 'em all puffy like that?!

All the same stuff as you. You've been eatin' at my place for years and years. Sorry it didn't work for you...

Grrrr... Raaahhh!

Hey! Both of you! Knock it off, sit down, and grow up!



S-Sorry, Mum...



......
Oh, hey! I git it now!

What?



You--
You... What the...? In front of m... What are you... I can't believe you just said that!

What? I'm serious! That's how it happened!

Hmm... You could drink some too, if you like, Subala.

Whaaat?!

M-Mum?!

Ah, it sure brings back memories. You know, I told him it wasn't for kids, but...
...Lun's father said it tasted so good, she had to have some.



...But, of course, it was too bitter for her, and she cried and cried until her eyelids got all puffy... So maybe you're right. Maybe drinking that stuff is exactly what gave Lun those big, round eyes. Why don't you both drink up? The Admiral's tea's just the thing to soothe frayed nerves.

......

......

You were talkin' 'bout eyes?



...



...



...



All right, that does it. Everyone get the hell out. Go on! Shoo! Scram!



Isn't the silence nice, Mr. Duckie? You know, everyone in this army keeps talking my ears off, but you're the only one who listens. I don't know what I'd do without you.