Part 40: Leon, Valhalla, Oh, and Zeri's Tsundere Waifu Too
Update 34: Leon, Valhalla, Oh, and Zeri's Tsundere Waifu TooHave another update, it's on me. I know you were looking forward to some mediocre anime high school stuff, and I'll deliver.
Right, we've got about 5-6 updates left to go. Yeah, believe it or not, this game shortens up a lot when you cut out all the combat and pointless events.
Because, really, at this point I'm only doing story relevant stuff. You get the idea regarding the other events, I'm sure.
Today, we start off with a daily event of all things, because it's actually story relevant. This is actually mixed in with "Daily Matters" and not the summer events. You'll see why that's odd later.
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~ Headmaster's Office - Daily Event? ~
Music: Conflict
: Hi.
: Juliana Everhart. Pleasure to meet you, Doctor.: Mm. This one looks promising.: I beg your pardon?
: Juliana, Lanseal has partnered with Doctor Foerster in her research.: Exceptional students such as yourself are asked to aid her in the work.: Aid her how, exactly, sir?
Twybil's Summary posted:
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Hm. Spooky. I'll admit there was one of these events I skipped over, but it was just Avan entering the headmaster's office without knocking and finding him and Brixy talking about entrance regulations.
Oh, and might I bring one thing up you probably forgot?
Keep this in mind. It's actually important regarding something.
Now that we've had that grim reminder of last update, let's forget about all of that and do more wacky high school things.
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~ Classroom - Main Story Event ~
Music: Summer in Lanseal
*Paper shuffling*
: First up, playing the part of Lieutenant Gunther!: With 19 votes... Wait, ME?!
: Uh, next is the heroine, Sergeant Melchiott. 12 votes give it to Cosette!
: Squad 7's idol, Rosie goes to... Ooh, a close one! With eight votes, Lotte!
: Next up...
: Raymond, you were the only one who volunteered. It's all you, buddy.
: Aand, finally, the right tank tread will be...: Zeri!
: There were no volunteers for that role. Why does it fall to ME?: I sense malicious intent. I demand a recound! I object to these proceeding--: What else are we gonna do, man? Nobody else wanted to do it!: You were nominated by a third party, okay?: Which party?: MY party!: I knew it! I knew it, you--
: Raymond, you really are... Ugh, fine. I admit defeat.: All right! Then that settles it.
Twybil's Summary posted:
DAMNIT I WANTED THAT PART
: Yeah, okay!
: YES!
: Hey, guys, I'm here too!
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Lotte's writing the script. Yes, it's going to make absolutely no sense.
Anyways, I interrupt your daily hijinks with some more dark stuff. Remember, this is a main story event and comes right after that one.
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~ Back Alley / Old Campus - Main Story Event ~
Music: Everyday Life of the Class
: Avan... So hot... Back to... Mama...: Your mom? What, the lady in the glasses from before?: All right, I'll take you to her. It's in the old campus, right?: Nh... Uh huh... Here... Room key...Music: Tear of Wars
: Room... My room...: Here?! How can you live in a place like this?: Oof, forget I said that. I gotta get you to bed.: Huff... hah...
*Knocks something off table*
: "Project Valhalla"?: What? This... This is a photo of Leon! And one of Juliana?!
: O-Oh, it's you. Aliasse almost passed out behind campus with a fever.: A fever? She didn't show any signs of illness.: Her physical condition is slipping. That will delay further experimentation.: (What's this lady's deal? Isn't she supposed to be Aliasse's guardian?): Was that all? I'd thought maybe you were next in line.: Well, either way. I have research to get back to. You know the way out.
It's hidden behind the text box, but she's smoking a cigarette.
: What is this... Project Valhalla this talks about?: Why do you have a picture of my brother? And of Juliana Everhart!: You thought I was next in line? For what? What goes on down here anyways?: My work involves gathering data on gifted students like you and them: There's your answer. Now leave us.[img]http://lpix.org/3566288/Blackscreen_upscale.jpg[/img
Twybil's Summary posted:
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You absolutely won't believe how long we have to wait to get an answer on what this is.
Also... you know how we just had our super serious plot development moment? Say goodbye, we're going back to hijinks.
literally no understanding of pacing or tone
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~ Classroom / Gym - Main Story Event ~
Music: Everyday Life of the Class
: You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll question your sanity! Look forward to it!One of those assumptions is likely true. The others, I'm not so sure about.
: Fierce leader and nature lover Welkin Gunther crosses the river by tank.
: The, uh... Vass-Vessel? River? Has some...: It's the VASEL river, silly! And try to put some feeling in it!: What'm I supposed to feel? Anyway, the Vasel River has mistlereed growing in it.: Amazing work, Welkin! Mistlereed only grows in really shallow water!: And so, the Lieutenant set about crossing the river in his tank the Edelweiss.: RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE...: Ugh. Rumble rumble...: But then! Halfway across the river, Gunther spots a rare breed of fish...: And forgets about the mission to go chase it...?: Wow, it's the legendary gold-bearded loach. I want to go chase it now.: While Sergeant Melchiott is suddenly struck with an overpowering urge to bake.: So she walks straight home to the town of Bruhl?!: I... I need to bake three dozen baguettes! Right now before the battle ends!: Abandoned by her inept officers, the only one left to retake the bridge was?
: Rosie springs into action, shapely form concealing the power of an ox! Hiya!: Her elegant marksmanship makes a clean sweep of the far shore! Graaah, dudes!*Runs back and forth across the screen, then crashes into something.*
: Peace was restored to the greater Vasel area, a-all thanks to, um. To Rosie.
Yeah, and you'd do the same.
: Rraaaaagh! How DARE you?!: Girls, please! There's no need to fight about it!
Twybil's Summary posted:
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...Yeah, that happened. Felt like typing that was simply giving me a headache.
I've genuinely become humorless regarding this game, so this might be funny, but I really just find it annoying.
Anyways, let's just move on and avoid questioning our sanity further.
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~ Courtyard - Main Story Event ~
Music: Days With Classmates
: Aaand you're not listening.: Mm, this roast beefwich you bought is awesome!: Hey! Leave some of that for me, Avan!: Uh, sure. Heh. ...Mm? Hey, isn't that Juliana.
: Hardins?! Y-you can't have them!: I didn't ask for them.: But I did want to ask you about something.: It's about that special mission. Do you--
: I-It's been some time, Ze...: Z-Ze... Zehhhh...: Are you all right?: Ze!: Xenophobia in the 20th Century Gallian foreign policy model! Thoughts?!: It's certainly played a role. We've traditiondally been a melting pot...: I'd expected a thawing in the race relations after war with the Empire, but now...: Um...
*Runs off in a huff*
: Juliana!: Did I say something wrong? I was hoping to hear her take on things...: Mm, this popsicle's great! It's juicy AND chunky! Juliana's not half bad.: Both of you are hopeless.: I'm going after her. You two stay put!*Runs off*
: All right, we'll be here.: Just as soon as we perform a flanking operation on that donut stand, right?: You're STILL hungry?
Twybil's Summary posted:
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Normally, the event would cut straight into the next one, but I still had some stuff to say. Now you can see the full extent of Zeri and his waifu's relationship.
I find it rather "meh", honestly. I'm fine with jerk characters turning around to be better, but Juliana has had very little screen time to make up for her racist tirades and general jerkassery so far. Maybe it's just my disillusionment with this game speaking, but I frankly don't care about her or her arc.
It doesn't help knowing that she was designed as she was, for the express purpose of having a fanservice character instead of an actual rival.
Oh, and something really bad is about to happen just after this wacky play and tsundere relationship stuff.
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~ Lanseal - Main Story Event ~
Music: Decisive Battle
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So, er, yeah.
The Rebels decided to stop playing nice, I guess.
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~ Briefing Room - Main Story Event ~
Music: Desert Battle
*Blaring sirens*
: Right. Any word on where the rest of us are?
: Guys! I'm glad you're all okay.
: I have no idea.: But we have to get them out of here if we want Lanseal to stay standing.
Twybil's Summary posted:
: OH GOD THEY'RE ATTACKING
: We exist!
: They don't seem human!
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Player Turn Music: Liberation Battle
For some reason, it just uses this theme for the battle, not a special track. You'll see why that's strange in just a moment.
Alright, so here comes one of the few mildly interesting missions in the game. I actually saved a savestate here just to show a little bit of it off, but I can actually replay the mission.
It's a defend mission, and would arguably be far more interesting if that actually meant you could defend and not get a bad rank. Regardless, it's the only one where you actively have to be on defense and offense at the same time, because Dirk will steamroll you and the reinforcements will not stop coming. You just have to play base pinball until you've got him isolated.
The first interesting thing is that Avan is by himself in Area 3. Avan is a dumbass, and I'll show you why.
This is why. He's about a lancer's running distance from a powered Captain Anime. His shots will penetrate surprisingly well through a fencer's shield, and you can't really do much damage to him without destroying the Supply Vehicle on the map.
Best thing to do is to just retreat Avan from where he is. Pay no attention the the bar of CP, that's just me going back with cheats.
This map pits you against a lot of V2s, and ALL reinforcements on this map are V2s. They'll destroy anyone who's not a crouched promoted trooper or a fencer.
Given the damage a max promoted lancer does is only this much, you'll want some very good fencers with damage buffs and some snipers. Supply Vehicles won't arrive on areas 1 and 2 for a while, so at least these V2s are basically killable.
Dirk himself is a pain, and takes a surprisingly large amount of damage to kill. He can also "dodge" by holding up his shield, so your best chance is to beat him up with swords until he's down.
If you want any rank higher than minimum, you have to kill him.
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~ Lanseal Ruins - Main Story Event ~
[Music: Theme of Valkyria
: Avan, I'm running out of ragnaid fast!: Bad news. Another squad incoming.: A hit from that blue beam right now, and we're all going to be--
: Move! Get the wounded to cover! Now!: Hey, over there. Is that...Juliana?: What?!
Twybil's Summary posted:
: Damn, I got hit...!
: I don't know if we're going to make this one!
Rargh!
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: *Fires beam hits Juliana, blows off half the armor*
*The shots miss each other and they tie.*
*
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~ Lanseal Ruins - Main Story Event ~
Music: Theme of the Rebels
: Leon?! Wh-why are you fighting for the rebels?!: Leon...? But I thought your brother was...
: We did find a research facility of some sort. We've taken the data, sir.
: Juliana! Look at me!: Nh?!Music: Tear of Wars
: Juliana... What happened to you?: Hardins... This is their...secret mission.: Manmade Valkyrur... Project Valhalla...: I wanted strength enough to...fight together with you all. To protect...: But... This power... Such... destructive potential...: Perhaps it's... fate that it should be destroyed... by the same... Krgh!: Juliana...: Ze...ri...: Juliana, you shouldn't--: I finally... have the... courage to say your name. Such a strong name...: I've wanted to... for so long...: I was... afraid... of you... of what you... meant to me...: Heh... I'm a fool. An elite such as myself... to fear something so...
: Zeri...: I wanted to see... the Gallia we sought to build... With you, I...: Here... Please...
: Let it... protect you... for me...: Take it with you... To your new... Gallia...
Twybil's Summary posted:
: ...Retreat.
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~ Foerster's Lab - Main Story Event ~
Music: Conflict
: I--If he puts that data to use, I... Gallia will be... Hah! Ha ha!: I've handed it to those traitorous wolves on a platter. Aha ha ha!*Door slams*
: Heh heh... Ha ha ha ha... What would a rank-and-file man like you know?
: It needs power enough to deflect the Empire and the Federation alike!
: We're here to foster a sense of duty in the youth so they may take up arms.: Not to transform them into human weapons!: War will never disappear. Yes, in order to protect our land, they must fight.: But that's just why those who take up arms must not lose their humanity!: Fighting without that mindfulness isn't war. It's slaughter!
: They would have served Gallia as model officers.: You took the only power able to defend Gallia, it's people, and crushed it!
: Avan?! When did you--: Headmaster, you took my brother, took Juliana and made them into monsters!: And i would do it again!: We just saw those mindless Valkyrur destroy Lanseal!: Can your romantic ideals hope to defeat them? Preposterous!: By all means try, Hubert. You'll concede your error with your dying breath.: Sir...
*Pushes them out the door*
*Beats on the locked door*
*Gunshot and the sound of something collapsing*
: Professor. I'm going to bring my brother back. Period.: I don't know why he's with them now.: But this war and that power are wrong. That much I know.: I can make him see that. Maybe I'm the only one who can.: I hope you're right, Avan.
Twybil's Summary posted:
*Kicks them out the door*
*Headmaster shoots himself*
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...Yep. That's that. The game doesn't really just play it's hand here, it practically throws the whole deck at you. It could be a lot more effective- a lot more.
So, the Project Valhalla mystery lasted a single in-game month. It's done with now; I told you that you wouldn't believe it. Juliana's arc has finished after 4 months, but really, did it ever start?
Leon's is obviously still going. This reveal and Juliana's death always struck me in a very underwhelming manner. The end of Leon's arc is especially underwhelming.
Next update, we see more guns get pulled, another character's death, and VC1 getting oddly getting shoved back into view. It'll also be the last long month for a while, at least story-wise.
Only 4, possibly 5, updates to go folks.