Suikoden V Part #60 - Mythical Fish

Part 60: Mythical Fish

Fully clean and freshly traumatised, Frey heads for Raftfleet to pick up his next recruit.

Pictured.

With the expansion of the castle, we're now free to ask Retso to join.

Me? I'm flattered by your offer, but honestly, I sort of have this other "mission"...

However, that doesn't mean we'll be successful.

When I was an apprentice, my master made a wonderful dish called Mythical Fish Sashimi. It was the most delectable thing ever, unlike any other dish I've seen! The food I serve here looks like cafeteria grub when compared to the wonderous flavor of that sashimi!
I'm determined to prepare the Mythical Fish Sashimi myself, to honor my former master. But very few people have ever seen -- let alone eaten -- the mysterious freshwater Mythical Fish.

Could it be because it's mythi- actually never mind just please continue.

I hoped I might find one in Falena, what with all the bountiful rivers, but no luck yet. And now with all the conflict across this land, I think I may have to move somewhere else. Right now, this is no place for my beautiful girl to be.

Everyone's trying to fill the Best Dad position recently vacated.

Normally this would be the lot of it. However,

after being turned down once and fishing up a Strange Fish, our dialogue options change.

What's this?! I-It can't be...! No, but it is!

I've spent the better part of my life searching for one of these! It's the Mythical Fish!

Wow, look how happy he is!

With this... I can finally make Mythical Fish Sashimi...

That's great, Dad!

Oh!

What?! It doesn't taste good?! THIS fish?! That's impossible! I'll fix it into sashimi right away!
Shun Min. We're closed for the rest of the day.

Okay! Whatever you say, Dad.

And so, one fade and some furious slicing later...

...I told you, dude.

Mmmmggg... I don't feel good...

Don't eat any more, Shun Min... It's making you sick...

But... I can't just let the poor fishie go to waste...

Hrg...
Y-Your Highness... Thank you for your kind efforts... But... what could I have done wrong? When my master made Mythical Fish Sashimi, it tasted so wonderful...
Your Highness! Take me to the place where you found this fish! Please, I must see where it came from!

Me, too!

The two of them tag along. The customers also return and... uh... that might not have been a good thing I guess.

All we have to do is get back to the castle.

Except... If we were caught in the crossfire...

It's all right, Dad. I know you'll become the greatest chef in the world. You'll be even better than your old master!

Oh, Shun Min...

Besides, this is the Prince's castle. He'll keep us safe from any danger. Right, Prince?

Yeah, definitely! It's not like we'll ever be attacked here once Gizel shakes off his hangover and gets his shit together.

Yes, I see... Your Highness, if your offer to become the castle chef is still available, I'd like to accept! This castle will be the place where I finally unlock the secret of my master's sashimi!

And in a two-star combo, both Retso and Shun Min join the group.

Now, there's a lot of preparation to do before we open up shop! I'm gonna get busy, so I'm counting on your help, Shun Min!

You got it, Dad!

Now then, since we've spent some time outside, perhaps the two chucklefucks in the basement will have something for us.

And so they do!

Wow! They certainly did!
Your Highness! Look! The Professor and I were able to get the gear turned! This gear is incredible! It's centuries old, but it's in magnificent condition! And there's more! Your Highness, please come this way! Hurry, hurry!

They shove us out in the hallway.

It's operated by the gear inside that room! They'll be no more need to climb the stairs! Now you can go up and down the castle whenever you want! Incredible!

He actually says "they'll be no more need." Typo, or weird accent?

There's still much to learn from this device, yes, indeed, I must stay here and continue my research, hmmm? Sorensen, let's go now, no time to dawdle, science won't research itself now, come, come, come, hmmm?

All else aside, "science won't research itself" is a pretty great line.

Yes, Professor!
Your Highness... I realize that Professor Babbage is full of demands, but I'm sure he will be a great help to your cause! So, please allow him to continue his research!

Babbage recruits himself and the two of them disappear back inside the gear room. Now we have an elevator! And also Babbage, who is one of my favourite support characters, with his high Treasure Hunt rank.

And here's a Karaya Urn, one of 12 (!) ? Pots I fished up while I was hunting for the inedible fish needed to recruit Retso. It's not too shabby. Not sure how it got here, though; Karaya is a long ass way to the north.

Roy was gambling with Linfa, and ended up losing 100,000 Potch. Thing is, he had his Prince costume on at the time.
I'm going to say something to Roy. I'll make him tell Linfa the truth and give her the money.

On the one hand,

Roy.

On the other, I really like these little stories the comment box tells. It's a great way to make the place feel more alive without having you stand around and creepily watch people go about their business.

Fishing is that girl's only skill, and she lost to me! Ha!

Even things like this! Maybe we'll see more of these as we keep playing that minigame.

Speaking of fish and food and such (goddammit I was just starting to get tired of fish and then they start talking about it again) we now have a garden.

I used to grow vegetables in Lordlake. But they all withered away two years ago... Don't worry, though! I'm not mad at you anymore! I'm not even mad at the Queen anymore... Anyway, I'll fix up this place real good for you! Just bring me some seeds and saplings, and I'll be all set!

Sure thing!

Oh! You've brought a seedling for me? I'll plant it right away!

I've been collecting these off screen for the past 20 hours or so.

Not too shabby! Now we can get vegetables for Retso's cooking.

Shun Min has a little water hole that serves much the same purpose, but with fish.

Oh, Prince! You've brought a little baby fishie for me?

I could have sworn I had more of these.

Taylor has moved his business to just right of the aquarium.

The Dawn Times - Issue 7 posted:

Front Page - Coronation Ceremony Held posted:
The Godwins announced that Princess Lymsleia's "coronation" ceremony was held at the Sun Palace yesterday, celebrating the new Queen's enthronement with grandeur. They also demanded the Prince's allegiance to Queen Lymsleia and immediate cessation of rebellion, calling for unity throughout Falena.

"We will not negotiate with a tyrannical and occupying regime," a spokesman for the Prince said. "We will continue to demand the immediate halt of Princess Lymsleia's unlawful detention and an end to the illegal occupation of the Sun Palace."

Back Page - Meeting with Island Nations Delegate posted:
More than ten days before Lymsleia's "coronation" ceremony, the Prince traveled to Nirva Island for a secret meeting with the Island Nations Federation delegate, Admiral Skald Egan. The Prince was able to negotiate an alliance with Admiral Egan, sure to be a strategic ally from now on.

In the interest of full disclosure, "The Dawn Times" had received word of this meeting beforehand. However, in the interest of protecting the safety of His Royal Highness and Admiral Egan, we decided to hold off running the story until the well-being of both parties could be ensured.

Side Notes - The Dawn Times' Editorial Position posted:
The Godwin Faction has announced Princess Lymsleia's enthronement, proudly proclaiming her the new Queen of Sol-Falena. However, "The Dawn Times" entirely supports the Prince's opinion that this "coronation" was completely illegitimate, illegal, and invalid.

While we maintain the utmost respect and reverence for Her Royal Highness the Princess, we do not recognize the puppet Queen of an occupying regime. Therefore, "The Dawn Times" will continue to refer to Frey as "His Royal Highness the Prince," and to Lymsleia as "Her Royal Highness the Princess."

We hope we have the understanding and support of our esteemed readers on this matter.

Please note that, due to space limitations, the "Special Series" column will not appear in this edition.

Looks like he has been busy, but he's not around at the moment. If I'm remembering correctly, Lucretia currently has him and the ninjas trying to minimize the damage from the "coronation" by spreading pro-prince propaganda across the nation. Even when he's absent though, the paper is still hanging on the wall, and can be read by examining it.

And to the left, the restaurant itself.

I haven't given up on the Mythical Fish, but we all have... bigger fish to fry right now! Er, sorry about that!

You'll fit right in.

Ah, Prince, I see you've brought ingredients. This is a welcome challenge!

But we still don't have enough stuff. Sadly there's no cooking minigame in this one, so we'll have to let him handle all the preparation. Sad.

Our next recruit also requires Sorensen in the party. (I'm pretty sure it's the last time we're forced to use him, though.)

Lu? What's the matter?

I don't expect this comes as a big surprise to anyone who's been reading this far.

*deep moping sigh*

A gear? Oh, come on, Lu! Don't worry about that! There are thousands of gears around here, and besides--
...Wait! "The" gear?! To the revolving bridge?!

Of course, silly! Why else would I be so upset?!

This is terrible! It would take the Professor's full attention for months to recreate that gear!

It's like the gear just went "walk-walk-walk" all on its own! I've been all "look-look-look" everywhere in here!

This wouldn't have happened if you would just tidy up after yourself a bit more!

I told ya, no "dink-dink-dink" and no "bang-bang-bang" isn't my style! I can't help it!

Stupid thing could be anywhere! I expect it to take no less than a week.

Unh?! You MEAN-O! You'd force a cute little girl to do this all by herself?!

Not just any cute little girl. Just you. Because you deserve it.

You think you're all "glare-glare-glare" at me just 'cause I'm a girl who's all "dink-dink-dink," huh?!

Lu, calm down! You're hardly making any sense... even for you!

Stay outta this, Apprentice Number 1! This is between me and the noob! And I don't see YOU helping, either! So scram!

As amusing as it may be, what we're actually looking for is the other option.

What?! Really?! Really really really?! Wow, Prince, thankies!
Okay, Prince! All ya gotta do is go "look-look-look" in every nook, cranny, and nook-cranny in this room!

And... No goddammit no Sorensen get the fuck out I don't want to look at your dumb ass any more than I have to aaa

You STILL haven't found it?! Sheesh, it's just one silly little gear!

...so she says if we talk to her before finding the gear (read: running around the place mashing X like an idiot until something happens.)

Natch.

No WAY! This is it! This is the one! Aw, thankies! Thankies soooooo muchies! I love you, Prince! Love-you-love-you-love-you! I know! As thankies, I'll join ya! I'll be Captain of the Cute Girls Who Go "Dink-Dink-Dink" Brigade! You'll let me join, won't you?! Won't you?! Pretty-pretty-pretty pleeeeeease?

Did anyone understand anything of what just happened...?

Take me to your castle, Prince! Take-me-take-me-take-me!

Despite that, there's no scene when we return.

Lu can land five hits in a round, so that's potentially a lot of damage. However, she only gets one free rune slot (currently, Power Rune); the second is permanently taken up by the Mischief Rune which randomly hits all enemies for .2x to 1x damage, and the third is permanently taken up by whatever makes her able to shoot right through people without actually hurting them.

Hey, I'm really sorry. I showed up dressed like you, Prince, and she totally fell for it. It was fun, so I just went ahead and gambled with her. But I don't have 100,000 Potch... Got any ideas?

Get your ass grinding, Roy.

Lorelai keeps picking on me. I don't know why! I swear I've never met her before in my life! I swear!

Viki, you have the ability to make people stop bothering you. You don't have to put up with her shit. I'm sure she'll get the hint after the fifth time you teleport her into the middle of the lake.

...well, okay, it's Lorelai. Say tenth.

"Nuoooh, nuoooh, nu-nuoooh."
Meroon asked me to write that. She says it doesn't mean anything...
- From Muroon

BEAVERS

"How am I supposed to write a letter?"
That's what Genoh said...
- From Fuwalafuwalu

"Thanks for letting us build a bath for my little sister!"
Maroon asked me to write that. I'm grateful, too.
- From Muroon

At this point I just needed some fresh air and time away from beavers, so I made a trip around the place, picking up any vegetables and fish I hadn't bought the first time through.

There we go.

It looks like something's missing, but at the same time it looks like we have everything we have room for.

Hmm. However, Retso still refuses to cook anything for us. He's the worst chef ever.

Speaking of chefs, though.

Are you okay? You don't look so good.

Yeah, well... I just had a big ol' tussle with Lun.

Uh-oh...

*sigh* Know what? You make me real jealous sometimes. Shun Min's such a good girl. Cute, behaves herself... My kid never listens. "Idiot Pop," that's all she ever calls me.

She's very spirited. And quite lovely.

Ever since Shun Min lost her mother, she stopped being selfish... *sigh* She stopped being a kid. When I think of her trying to act all grown up just to spare me any trouble, I feel like an idiot father myself.

Hmm...

Hey, Chef, what're ya doin' after work tonight? Maybe a couple of "idiot fathers" could sit down with a beer or two.

Sure. I'd love that. I'll be waiting for you with some fine food and drink.