Part 188: Mission 47 (Rand) - Our Path - Part 3
: How could I have been face to face with Edel Bernal and not realized?
: Because her love for this world pervades her heart from the outside to the core!: All she wants is to guide the world in the right direction as its ruler!: If she has to lie, manipulate, and usurp power, then she doesn't have the right!
: Tch! I can't believe that broad had me fooled!
: If you're against Dewey Novak, then I'll take care of you, Gekkostate!: She's working with Dewey too?!
: That's just what I needed! You’re 100% our enemy and I ain’t holding back! 
: Amuro Ray, we still have use for you!: Join me in Chimera and we'll let you live!
: I can feel his confidence and malice as pressure...: Edel Bernal… For her to make this man worship her so…she's too dangerous.
: Come, Nirvash brat! I'll show you how powerless you are!
: No you won't! I have to get past you to protect Eureka!: Enough about Eureka! My loyalty to BrigGen. Edel beats yours a thousand times over!
: We made great use of ZAFT! You have our thanks!
: Why you... are you using Chairman Durandal too?: Our arrangement is mutually beneficial! Or don't you think he's using BrigGen. Edel in return?
: Dammit! We're not letting you have the Earth or the Plants!
: We put our faith in you and BrigGen. Edel... pledged to fight alongside you...: And let me extend my sincere gratitude, both on her behalf and my own...: But we don't need you anymore! I'll be the one to bring her dreams to reality!
You’re lucky this is pretty-boy Ryouma, Löwen.
: We fought together all this time, Cpt. Löwen! We believed in you and BrigGen. Edel!: Then bow to her! She is the only one worthy to rule this world!: She makes your beloved Diana Soreil look like a mewling child!
: Lady Diana's never manipulated anyone! If your General has to do that, she doesn't deserve to lead anything!
: How underhanded can you possibly be?! You lied to us and turned us on each other! : And you played right along with my comrade Schlan's plan!: But this isn't a lie! I will defeat you in open combat and bring your heads to BrigGen. Edel!
: You may be the Champion, but this is no mere game!
: You're the ones using people like pawns!
: The world won't just hand you the ante, especially not us!
: I appreciate you putting your life on the line for our world, alien!
: Step off, traitor! Marin's one of us!
: We won't let someone like you say a word against him!: A bond of friendship that crosses time and space? Spare me the act!
: You can think that's what it is if you want, but we've looked death in the face together!
: A coward who put up an act of friendship would never understand what we have!
: Dammit! How could you lie to us like that?!: This world is built on lies and those who fall for them, boy!: The only things I believe in are BrigGen. Edel and my loyalty to her!
: It always seemed like everything we did was playing into someone's hands...now it’s clear why: we had a spy in our midst!: You should have connected the dots faster! But now that I'm out in the open, that's where I'll crush you!
: Dammit! I can't believe I ever thought of you as a friend!
: Come on, you dirty spy! We'll show you exactly what we think of you now!
: Cpt. Löwen... so you were the proverbial thorn in the lion's paw!: Banjou Haran, Schlan's plan would have worked if it weren't for you!: That's enough out of you! We have nothing to say to each other!
: We'll shatter Edel Bernal's ambitions to pieces!
: Cpt. Lowen! How could you lie to us this whole time?: Don't be stupid, Kouji Kabuto! In this world, the deceived and the weak are in the wrong!
: Damn it, fine! Then you'd better not complain when we kick your ass!
: What are you doing here, Garrod Ran? Your beloved Tiffa Adil is on the moon by now!
: Bite me! I don't need you to tell me to go save her!: But don't rush too fast... we have a job for her to finish!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITXOh69JNm0
You know the memetic “WRYYYYYY” video of Dio’s voice clips from that Jojo game (if not, welcome to the internet)? Well, Löwen/Isshin Chiba shifts into that if you fail to pop his barrier.
Also, this would’ve been perfect if we had New Getter’s Benkei around…
: It's quite a feat for Chimera to manipulate both us and the public.: What Edel and Schlan have done is at a level far beyond your base rhetoric!: The evil speak only evil, I see. I have nothing to say to cowards and criminals of your ilk.
: By my own laws, I pass judgment against you and your employer!
: Come with me, Singularity! I'll let you and your friend live as insurance!
: Not happening! I'll take being fooled by a beauty, but I can’t stand being manipulated!: Guess you’re more of a misogynist than a gynophobe, Cpt. Löwen...
: But if you've sworn yourself to a lady like that, then you really don't know how to pick ‘em!: I WON’T SUFFER YOU TO INSULT BRIGGEN EDEL, YOUR CUR!!
: I can't believe he tricked us into turning on each other...: Hahahaha! What happened to Newtypes having the power to understand each other?!: You couldn't even understand me! So much for the new era of humanity!
“I will NOT be killed by the likes of you! This life belongs to her!!”
: He's lied to us this whole time...
: How could you, Cpt. Löwen?!
: But now that you're against us, we're not holding back!
: Prepare yourself!: Blah, blah, blah, BLAH, BLAH!! WILL YOU BITCHES SHUT UP?! I'll silence all of you!
: The hell? He's gone from being scared of women to full on misogyny!: The only woman this world needs is BrigGen. Edel! I'll exterminate all the rest!
: You cannot defeat me with such a selfish drive. To arms, Löwen General!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ogE-tT5STs
We still haven’t seen Sol Gravion’s new Super Gravity Sword, huh? That needs to be rectified.
Rand also had stuff to say to Schlan and Ziene, of course:
: You refuse to control your emotions for an instant…the mere sight of it makes me want to vomit.
: What, you don't get tired of putting on that act all the time?
: This is my lifestyle and I won't suffer you to criticize it.
: Looks like I hit a nerve. You're just bottling it all up, aren't you?
: At least let out a yell when you're fighting! All that pent-up stress is what makes you wanna do all that tricky stuff! 
: You're a busy little lady, ain’t ya? Must be rough being a strong woman!
: Shut up, THE HEAT. I'm doing all I can to break free of my twisted fate!: A carefree man like you has no right to criticize my decisions!: Oh, drop the victim act! You might've been through a lot, but that doesn't give you the right to lash out!
: Yeah! Whatever your reasons, if you really wanna do this, then we'll take you on!
: Are you alright, Löwen?!: Calm down, Schlan. I just played a bit too much.
: But I think this is good enough for today.: These people will keep on charging towards their own death even without our help. : What’s that supposed to mean?!: Hahaha! You’ll all meet your end amidst this fruitless battle, ZEUTH! It won’t be long before you understand just how futile everything you’re doing truly is!
: They’re running away!
: Don’t worry about going after them. We need to process what we’ve already learned.: And, besides, there’s still another problem to take care of.: Asakim…
: Hmhmhm...I’m glad I remain – I can enjoy spending more time with you. 
: What, you get your jollies out of us trying to kill each other? How messed-up can you be, man?!
: Let’s just say…I’m searching for the “key” to my freedom.: And to acquire it, I must destroy you - the Sphere’s bearer.: What’re you talking about?!: We’ll meet again, THE HEAT…and in this world. 
: The hell is up with him…?
We managed to pull through but everyone’s tired after this huge battle. Jamil suggests we get back to Talia and Bright and ponder everything that’s happened.
There’s still the matter of the Enge and Kejinan having “business” with us and Adette wonders if they actually came here to pick a fight with us by their lonesome – no, Kejinan says they actually have a request for us.
The Siberian Rail received news that Arthur Rank was with us and Kids really needs to speak with the guy. Wonder what that’s all about…
Some time later, our group finds itself aboard Kids’ personal train and he’s just told us of the events that occurred in the Agate Crystal. He also informs Jiron that the OverDevil we defeated was incomplete – like a baby when compared to what TRUE OverDevils are like.
Sara yells at him to not act so proud about that monster considering it’s captured Cynthia and is raging about the countryside as we speak.
Gainer demands to know why she was taken and Kids informs that it was because of her high Oversense – he planned on using that to control the OverDevil but the thing simply absorbed her and moved on.
Gainer is pissed at Kids’ blatant irresponsibility with someone who’s, in essence, his daughter but that’s precisely why he’s here: he’ll swallow his pride and ask our help to fix it.
He doesn’t seem particularly remorseful to Jiron but Adette says the fact that the guy’s bowing his head to someone is pretty much an admittance that he screwed up bad – she would’ve expected the dimensions to collapse before anything of the sort happened.
Regardless, Arthur (over a transmission) agrees that we cannot let the OverDevil run loose – if it’s as complete as Kids’ said, the entire world is at risk of being encased in ice.
From what Arthur’s heard, its OverSkill would enable it to freeze anything: not just objects, but also the very hearts of people. Kids hadn’t expected the legends to be true and Gainer knows that Cynthia’s already been victimized by this ability.
Regardless, Kids says the OverDevil is currently hiding out, building its power, and is being served by Asuham who’s been enslaved by its power: he’s hired the Breakers who were previously working for Kids and is consolidating an army around the OverDevil (Gain isn’t THAT surprised at his turn of events).
Ryouma is deep in thought nearby and, when Sirius asks, recalls how the demons were poking around the Innocents’ domes and wonders if they, too, are after relics from the Black History. It’s very possible, Jun thinks, as who knows what other kinds of amazingly powerful things could’ve been produced by that era.
All the more reason why we need to put down the OverDevil and the demons when next we see them.
Gwen wants to report the Overdevil mess to the Plants and Federation but Kids protests that the Siberian Rail would be blamed for the whole mess.
That’s why, Kejinan says, they were willing to forget the troubles we caused before and ask for our help and Jiron doesn’t appreciate the guy’s inability to realize the danger they’ve unleashed; Gwen agrees as this relic of the Black History could well destroy all of humanity, so this is hardly the time to worry about saving face.
Kids is forced to agree and tells us to go about this in any way we please: he came here precisely because he understood that the thing NEEDS to be stopped. Inwardly, Gwen ponders that the OverDevil is far too dangerous if all it does is rampage uncontrollably – there’s no choice but to destroy it.
Kids and his men will track down the OverDevil's exact whereabouts, believed to be in North Ameria, and call in the ZEUTH to finish it off (and rescue Cynthia, too, Gainer adds). Adette sighs that on top of our usual problems, we just managed to add two new headaches to the pile with the OverDevil and the Chimera Squad.
Speaking of Adette, Yassaba steps over and sees that she’s even prettier than in the last time they saw each other. She chalks it up to having found a wonderful man and Yassaba can easily tell that there’s no chance for them to start things over.
Adette remembers that that little girl, Eifa, would be waiting for her caretaker/adoptive dad to return. She guided Yassaba all the way through their Exodus but, with the world in the current state, there’s just nowhere for them to settle down.
So, Yassaba figured the best thing to do would be to join the fight and if Adette likes it here with ZEUTH, he presumes he will too. Considering his volunteering to help us, Gauli will raise no objections towards the guy’s past.
Yassaba remembers Gauli from Yapan’s Ceiling and quickly pegs him for Adette’s “wonderful man”. As both men trade handshakes, Gain tells of our recovery of his old Rushrod and says Yassaba is free to use it whenever.
He had sold its parts in order to fund his and Eifa’s Exodus and certainly didn’t expect to see it again – sounds like fate to him. Remembering the girl’s old prophecy of his path opening amidst an impasse, Yassaba’s once again ready to get to work!
And here’s our final reward for completing the Rushrod secret: Yassaba joins our team! Obviously, this is a Rand-exclusive secret. Yassaba’s got a strangely Super-esque spirit list (Strike, Iron Wall, Spirit, Fury, Valor) so you’ll want him to take a bulkier Overman like the Rushrod or Golem.
He’s another squaddie that can switch in to fight against mooks. He can’t hold a candle to Gain but he beats the Gauli Squad people and, in the end, it’s a nice extra for all the mileage you get off the Rushrod.
Here’s a refresher of the path we took to get him:
- Take the Galia Route in the mission 15 split
- Gainer, Gain, Gauli, Sara, Bello and Adette’s total kill count is over 100 by the end of mission 18. Purchase the Scrap (OM) from the Bazaar afterwards.
- Purchase the OverCoat from the bazaar after mission 22.
- Yassaba joins automatically after mission 47 (mind, he’ll still show up here if you haven’t gotten the Rushrod but he’ll leave afterwards)
Now, back to the plot!
Location: Pacific Ocean – Trinity City
Bright and Talia have been briefed on the revelation that Edel was the mastermind behind the Federation coup – going by Löwen’s own words, it’s likely her goal is to set herself as the ruler of the entire world.
From everything we've gathered, the three real powers behind the Federation are now Paptimus Scirocco, Dewey Novak, and Edel Bernal. On the other side, there's the Plants/Axis/Revolutionary Army alliance, and then, also, the Sage Council remnants.
Heizaemon sees the infighting between humanity to be shifting into a three-way war.
: Alright, Bright, Talia… what’re y’all gonna do now?
: I’m not the one to decide what the Argama…or, rather, all of the AEUG will do from here on out.
: Lt. Quattro… if you would.
: Hm… I can’t well refuse General Blex’s last request.
: What do you mean?: As of today, Lt. Quattro Bajeena is the new leader of the AEUG. Such was General Blex’s will.: That it was. I’ve little experience on these matters but I’ll do everything I can. 
: Heh, that’s quite the promotion, Quattro. Now you get to order Bright around some. : And I’d comply without a second thought.
: Please. My new position notwithstanding, the Argama’s command lies with its captain. 
: Still, it’s now your duty to lead the AEUG and I’d like to hear what you’ll all do.: …: The AEUG is ending its alliance with Zaft and will act independently. 
: …!
: Th-then, you’re actually going to stand against us?: If need be, yes.
: Hmm… does that mean you’ve no such intention now?: …There are many questions surrounding the Chairman’s actions but I don’t see a clear threat right now.: The same cannot be said about Axis and the Space Revolutionary Army, though. As you saw in the Orb attack, they’re obviously hostile towards Earth.: And you cannot bring yourself to work together with the Plants now that they’ve allied with those people...: I hope you’ll understand.: It’s your turn now, Talia...what’s the Minerva gonna do?: … : …We are all soldiers and the Minerva is part of Zaft’s forces. So we’ll rendezvous with the main army and await the Chairman’s command.: Then, we…: Inform the crew, Arthur. The Minerva will depart from ZEUTH and head towards Carpentaria. 
: Yes, ma’am.: …You better not regret this later, Talia.: Holland…you might hate the military but I take pride in working with Zaft to defend my homeland. 
: I thought this through and such is the decision I made. So I will not be ashamed of it. : If you say so…well, I hope I ain’t gotta fight against ya. Don’t wanna go through that again. : I feel the same way. I want to believe we’ll be able to fight side-by-side again someday.: Cpt. Gladys…I wish you and your crew safe voyages.: Thank you, Lt. Quattro. And I look forward to you being a wise leader for the AEUG.: Well, then…Arthur and I should be going now.: What about Shinn and the others? What are they going to do?: …I don’t think raising a big fuss over this would help either them or ZEUTH. : I gave them all a bit of free time and, after that, the Minerva will depart. : Understood. We won’t meddle in your affairs in the meantime.: Thank you for all your help. Please be safe, everyone…*Talia and Arthur leave.*
: …So, that’s how it ends…: I suppose it was only a matter of time, considering all our doubts concerning the Chairman.: I just seriously hope we don’t run into them out there...
: But what about us? What are we going to do?: Logos’ movements concern me… I think we should head into space as well.
: To s-space…?!: And while we’re up there, the Freeden and Iron Gear could keep investigating the surface for the OverDevil’s hiding spot. 
: Oh, I’ll be heading into space too! Cotsett should be able to take care of the Iron Gear by himself.
: This ain’t a road trip, Elchi.: I know that, Holland. But going to space means going to the Moon, too, right?: Well, I also want to see the truth behind the Black History with my own eyes!…Wait a minute…what the frig is this bull?! Someone put in the wrong tape!
No, I ain’t gonna put up with this and neither should you.
If you’ve been collecting those BIG SEED Destiny secret points - a.k.a. ZEUTH points - throughout the game, you might have seen that Shinn’s been showing some nice (previously nonexistent) character growth and it all culminates into this: you can choose whether the Minerva will go back to Zaft (ザフトへ戻る) or keep on fighting as part of our crew(ZEUTHとして戦う)!
This choice always appears in NG+ and subsequent playthroughs but, for first timers, you gotta go collecting these points:
- Setsuko, mission 2: Choose to subdue the hijacked Gundams (強奪されたガンダムを取り押さえる): +1
- Setsuko, mission 8: Alex/Athrun shoots down Sato: +1
- Mission 16 (Pacific Route): Kira is shot down: +1
- Setsuko, mission 29: Shoot down Kira and/or the Archangel: +1 for each of them
- Rand, mission 29: Shoot down Yzak without destroying ANY Zaft units: +2 (+1 if you’ve at least 3 Zaft squads alive when he goes)
- Setsuko, mission 30: Shoot down Kira and/or the Archangel: +1 for each of them
- Rand, mission 30: Do not let Murrue, Kira, Waltfeld or Enil kill any enemies: +1
- Setsuko, complete the Gibraltar route split: +1
- Rand, mission 36: Shinn battles Stella: +1. Shinn destroys Stella: +2 (-1 if Kira does it)
- Setsuko, mission 38: Shinn is shot down while Kira’s on the map: +2 (+1 if you destroy Kira without letting Shinn fight him)
- Rand, mission 38: Clear the mission by shooting down Shinn: +1 (-1 if Kira’s shot down)
- Mission 43: Clear the stage by waiting until turn 4: +1 (-1 if Shinn destroys Athrun)
So, let’s say “fuck that” to SEED Destiny’s canon and have Talia make the objectively good decision:
: …I confess that I, too, am not sure of what’s just in this world or who I should fight against …: So, I’d like to see where things stand with my own eyes. And I’ll do so as part of ZEUTH for as long as possible. : C-Captain…! That’s—: Calm down, Arthur. I’m just acting under my FAITH authority, considering we haven’t been given any orders to return. : As such, this decision isn’t defying the Plants in any way. : Right on. So, we’re in this together. : That’s the idea. I look forward to keep working with everyone.: On that subject, what should our next move be? There are many problems we need to deal with.: …I might have an idea.
: What is it?: We oughta go with Norb to the Vodara Shrine, seat of the Vodarac religion. He says there’s a hint on how to talk with the Coralians in there. : Hm, and it’s imperative that we gather information on the Coralians ASAP in order to prevent the dimensional collapse. : Very well. Everyone seems to be in agreement. A decent bunch of things change with this secret route split (especially stuff related to SEED Destiny, of course) but the problem is that, as you just saw, those changes include shifts in the order of events and finales. This makes a side-by-side playthrough of both sides not only impractical but also terribly redundant.
So, with that in mind, we’ve decided that the best way to tackle this is as such: we’re both playing via the ZEUTH route and will make a straight shot to the end. Once the main game’s cleared, we’ll post what’s different on the other path before moving on to the Special Disk content.
This, we figured, is the best way to showcase the plot changes without having a path spoil stuff from the other or having to play through the same events twice.
Kihel comes in, having just arrived from Orb, and says she’ll be accompanying us: now that she’s delivered Diana’s will to the world, her next step is to be the Queen’s eyes and ears on what’s going on.
Corin will be coming along to protect her as he would Diana herself and Arthur recognizes him as the guy who helped them with the Lohengrin Gate. Seems like he watched Kihel’s Orb speech and that triggered him into remembering his old mission, so he and Yassaba came to Orb to find her.
When Bright asks, he says his mission is to prevent the Black History from repeating itself.
Kihel says Corin was apparently put into cryo-sleep before the end of the Black History and he still retains some, albeit vague, memories of the time: “The butterfly of destruction fluttering in a rainbow-colored sky… that’s what I remember of the Black History and what I’ll fight to prevent.”, he says.
Elchi’s happy to have the last survivor from that era on our team and Bright makes several spare parts available for Corin to use in setting up a unit for his use.
As Corin happily leaves to do so, Jamil wonders if that butterfly he mentioned has any connection to the one in Tifa’s prophecy. He prays for her to hang on until ZEUTH can make it to the Moon.
: …Okay, why are you giving me a ring?
: H-Holland asked me to…!
: Hah, I’m just teasing… I can see he picked the ring just by looking at the design.: I bet he’s as red as a tomato by now. 
: You know a lot about him, huh?: We’ve been together a long time…: Still, he never forgot about Diane - your sister - after she was gone…: Huh…?! Why would Holland…: He’s just that kinda guy…
: He can’t bring himself to forget the woman who left him… he’s a lame, stupid, clumsy man who knows only how to put himself in harm’s way for others… 
: He doesn’t know here my sister is, either, huh…?: No…: Sorry, Renton… for all the things he put you through…: No, I…I’m not mad at all. Even after everything, he’s still my hero.
: Renton…: And, Talho…I think only you can support him right now.: Heh…you don’t need to state the obvious, dummy.: Well, OK then…I’m going to the hangar. Looks like we just had a new mech delivered.: Don’t forget: you’re manning the shop at 17:00!: I didn’t. It’s Eureka’s turn today!*Renton leaves.*
: Thanks, Renton…you, too, Holland…: Let’s both do everything we can for our child…as part of ZEUTH…
Our new toy’s a new LFO delivered by the Tresor folk: the Terminus 303 “Devilfish”. It’s essentially the negative legacy of the first humanoid machines of their world, totally lacking in limiters.
So great is the strain it puts on its riders that drugs are needed for the pilot and mech to reach their full, otherworldly potential. Renton doesn’t get why we brought such a unit over but Holland steps up and says he requested it, since it was just being kept in storage at Tresor.
Renton is uncertain but Holland says he’s merely doing everything he can to help win our struggles – even if it means risking his life. Mind you, he absolutely has no intention of letting some mech claim his life before he sees his child and, on top of that, he’s still got a lot of to teach Renton about Lifting.
As always, “Don’t ask, earn it. Then, it’ll be given to you” – neither of them can forget those words.
Location: North Ameria – New Earth Federation HQ, Edel’s Office
FYI: Scirocco and Dewey are speaking via transmission.
: …Then, I’ll head into space and spectate Lord Djibril’s last days. 
: Understood, Paptimus Scirocco. I leave the war with the colonists in your hands.: And Col. Dewey, what’s the status on the Ageha Project?
: We’ve completed over 75% of the Orange bombings. It won’t be long before we’ve located the core. : Once that’s done, we’ll promptly shift our tactics and exterminate the Coralians.
: And doing so will halt the dimensional collapse and stabilize this world.: Indeed and, then, the remaining humans will require a suitable leader.: Paptimus Scirocco... have you any intentions of being said leader?: Perish the thought. Dewey and I are merely helpers.
: It’s my firm belief that society should be led by a woman’s hand. And I already have a pretty good idea of who’s suited for that position. 
: I see.: Furthermore, it looks like Bloodman’s also coming to space in what I’d guess is a desperate bid to remain relevant. : I’ll let you handle him. Depending on the circumstances, an honorable death in battle can also be a powerful means to inspire the masses. : Once the Sage Council remnants are dealt with, we’ll finally have our showdown with the Plants.: And, afterwards, we’ll pool humanity’s forces together and eliminate the extraterrestrial enemies.: We’ll entrust the management of our timetable and control of the public opinion to you, Edel Bernal.: However, I ask that you exercise some prudence. There cannot be a Third Break which could destroy the very world we’re supposed to protect. : I understand...: When next we meet, it’ll be time for mankind to ascend to newer heights. I wish us all success in our battles.*Scirocco and Dewey sign off.*
: …
: Yowza, you must be tired after all that, Lady Edel! Dewey and Scirocco are always so smug!: Especially considering their lil’ coup only took off because of you and Durandal!: …: Sheesh, Dewey wouldn’t even have his Oranges without my dimensional tech and he—
: SILENCE, MAGGOT!!*SLAP!*
: YEOWCH!: You fool! Imbecile! Wretch! It was the oscillation bomb you built that caused the Second Break!
: Th-that was just a teeny, tiny slip-up…: And my position worsened because of it! Only your life can atone for your incompetence!!*SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP!*
: F-forgive me, my lady Edel! Forgive meee!: Don’t you dare open your mouth, you disgusting vermin ! Because of you… because of you, I am needlessly indebted to those men!!: ME! EDEL BERNAL, SOVEREIGN OF THE NEW WORLD!!*SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP, SLAP!*
: Ooof! M-more! Hit me more! DESTROY THIS UGLY OLD MAN!!: I told you to be silent! Don’t make that face that at me, filth!
: OH, I LOVE YOU! PLEASE STOP, LADY EDEL!: …Theeh, what’s the status on Löwen and the others?: Right-o! All three of them will be arriving tomorrow!: Looks like everything went A-OK with that declaration of war! ZEUTH’ll be real worried about the Federation now!: Everything is going according to plan. My moves are all perfect.: Yes but is it really alright to call Ziene back from Asakim?: …That man provided us with the foundation for our dimensional technology and I allowed him to use our resources as compensation for that...: But buddy-boy there might turn against us someday…: That threat is precisely why we’re now distancing ourselves from him and acting separately. : Theeh, get to work and complete the Lemures immediately. It’ll be the ace up our sleeve.: And I can’t cook up any more space-time oscillation bombs…right?: I allowed you to make the one as insurance for a worst-case scenario and that resulted in the Second Break. Dimensional Power is beyond man’s ability to control.: But, but… it was just an oopsie and—!
: That “oopsie” made Mercury and Venus disappear and changed the shape of all of this world’s continents!: F-Forgive me, Lady Edel!: Leave Dewey to worry about the dimensional collapse and just focus on the Lemures.: 
Oookaaaay…: Come now, be proud, Theeh. I’ve entrusted the completion my throne as the sovereign of this world to you. : Heehee…!: Indeed, I won’t hand this world over to anyone – not Scirocco, not Dewey, Diana, Durandal, aliens or relics of the Black History…: For everything exists only to be ruled by me, Edel Bernal.
Well…let’s check the bazaar!
We find Garrod looking to sell that makeup kit he bought Tifa way back when. Sochie wonders if that means he’s given up on finding her again but, no, he’s looking to sell it in order to get something for when she returns.
As before, the makeup kit is still a bit early for her at her age, so Garrod wants something she can enjoy right away. Renton’s happy to see his positive attitude and Garrod knows staying all depressed won’t bring Tifa back any sooner, so he’ll keep her in his thoughts and keep going onwards.
Carris and Enil approve and she’s even willing to help him pick his present. Frustrating though it might be for Enil, she’s willing to do it in order to see Garrod’s smile.
Corin’s old Eagail is up for sale (he’s using a modded Kapool by default) as well as another Re-GZ. We snag them both as well as:
Secret Alert! - Rand’s secret item #1 – 5th step: Purchase the Bouquet of Flowers
Back in the Freeden, Pala is very impressed with the flowers and is sure that Tifa, like any other girl, will love this beautiful gift.
Kid asks if the flowers won’t wither away before the girl comes back but Enil tells him not to worry as these are specially preserved flowers. This means, Garrod explains, that they underwent a process to make sure they’ll stay pretty for a very long time.
“So, what’re ya gonna tell her when you meet? “My feelings are eternal, just like these flowers’ beauty” or something?”, Kid smirks but Garrod says that’d be way too embarrassing.
Still, it seems to Gainer and Renton that he will actually try to think of something romantic to say and Pala and Enil are starting to feel a bit jealous.
“Hold on, Tifa…I’m coming for you and I’ll have these flowers handy to welcome you back…”, he thinks.