Part 41: Shots Fired and Laser Lady Talk

Update 35: Shots Fired and Laser Lady Talk

Welcome back to animeland, where things are starting to happen. This'll be another long update, the last long one until the finale, probably.



It's September now, so I'm basically obligated to ask:

Do you remember the 21st night of September?

...Disco references out of the way, let's get this over with. I've got golf to get back to.

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~ Main Story Event ~

Music: Desert Battle
















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~ Randgriz Throne Room - Main Story Event ~

Music: Theme of the Rebels







: Ambassador Townshend! I've been awaiting you. How go the negotiations?
: Quite smoothly! You'll sit upon the Federation Council before long, sir.
: Though I must insist the Darcsen purges end. No public support, sir.
: Federation Council? End the purges? Father, what's all this about?
: Keeping Gallia alive. Clinging to independence will drive it to collapse.
: Now's the time to join the Federation and build our arsenal under their aegis.

Won't the Empire just attack again, then?



: Father, please! I beg you to reconsider!
: I won't. Old thinking like yours is likely to leave Gallia in ashes.
: Leave Gallia in ashes?
: You propose to dissolve it entirely. To feed it to the Federation whole!
: And you would call that keeping Gallia alive?! Ridiculous!
: You fool! Have you been ambling about blind these last years?
: Does the sight of a nation ground down by the giants at its borders escape you?
: Gallia does not need a champion to fight for it.
: What it needs now is political power!



*Gunshot*

Music: None



: My eyes are wide open, Father.
: I've seen Gallia sullied by Darcsen filth and slavering foreign curs.
: And I will see Gallia restored to purity and strength!
: The means are ours. We hold the flames of the Valkyrur!
: But I see no use for those who would cast their pride as Gallians to the gutter!

*Shoots him again*




: To weaken it to the point where Federal annexation would seem a mercy.
: Well, I am not my father. And the Federation will not have Gallia.
: Your life is mine. I trust you'll make it worth keeping by cooperating.



: Surely you understand, Audrey.
: We are the only ones who can build a Gallia forged in the Valkyrian flame.
: Hm...
: The Valkyrur have seen fit to bestow that flame upon me. Join me, my sister!
: Very well. As ever, I will fight for sacred Gallia.
: It cost me a father, but I will continue this righteous war.
: You are a credit to the Gassenarl name.









----

Welp, there goes Eggman. Defeated by his own kid, and not that blue red spiky headed rodent dumbass kid Avan.

Also, that was wordy as fuck.

Anyways, I really don't have anything else to say about this event. Honestly, Gilbert was the more compelling villain of the three. Baldren's a laser lady obsessed racist, and Audrey seems like she'll do anything to see stuff get blown up with lasers. Gilbert at least had a plan that made at least some sense.

After that we do another mission and get an immediate status update on these dinguses.

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~ Randgriz Throne Room - Main Story Event ~

Music: Theme of the Rebels



: They've engaged the north branch of the Gallian Army in full-scale combat.
: The Army is strong in the North. A prolonged engagement will--



: The manmade Valkyrur?
: But for such sustained use, the energy cost would be astronomical!
: Calm yourself. I had Townshend secure us a supply from the Federation.
: I would have you head to the Roendahl Canyon in the south, Audrey.
: Secure the supply line coming in from the border.







----

So, yeah, this is the story event that tells us what we'll be doing at the end of the month.

In the meantime, we've got annoying missions that are difficult to do and we've only just now unlocked the capability of getting second level promoted units.



Oh, and these fucking things are in play now. They've got a nasty range, high damage, and a really tiny radiator on the back, way up in the air. We don't see much of them, but they're annoying as all get out when they do show up.

We have to do like 5 damn generic missions this month to get to the end of it. I was cheating massively and it was still a slog.

With that said, let's just move on to the next story event. It actually doesn't have anything to do with the rebels...which means we have to deal with Avan.

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~ Back Alley - Main Story Event ~

Music: Everyday Life of the Class



: (That's the same name I saw on the papers that creepy doctor lady had.)
: (She and the headmaster were connected somehow.)




: Oh, hey. What are you two up to?



Music: Days With Classmates

: The campus is in shambles, but the lion's paw's still going strong.
: It's because you cared for it day, Ali.
: Because of me?
: That's right. You didn't just plant the seeds. You raised these flowers.
: I raised them... Raising flowers is fun!




*She crushes them with her foot*

Music: Conflict

: Ah!
: That's just cruel!
: Any organism that serves only as an ornament has no right to live.

So you're saying being an oxygen producer and base member of the food chain is ornamental? Listen, you don't know jack about science, lady.

But what do I care? She's just the strawman evil scientist + abusive parent wrapped into one.



: Those flowers were Ali's first! At least have some respect for her feelings!
: A test subject has no need to grow anything. No need for feelings.
: Test subject?
: Aliasse is a Valkyria. She serves as a tool to advance my research.



: Aliasse. You are not to leave the lab again. Return to your room.

*She runs off*

: Are you the one who turned my brother and Juliana into Valkyrur?!
: You've heard of Project Valhalla by now. That is my research, yes.
: Engraftment and activation of Valkyrian abilities into human subjects.
: My work caught the eye of Headmaster Kluiver. He invited me, so I came.
: So... We were all potential subjects for you to pick from?
: On admission, all students undergo aptitude screening to test their suitability.
: Those who scored highly were sent to me. That was the arrangement.



: Don't say my brother's name!
: My findings were stolen and the headmaster's dead. That is my cue to leave.



: That kind of evil could never lead to real peace.






----

So, if you hadn't noticed, they're knocking off the artificial Valkyria thing from VC1's ending. It won't be the last thing they knock off from it.

You can probably guess where this is going.

----

~ Back Alley - Main Story Event ~

Music: Tear of Wars





: I don't want to go away from Avan and Cosette!
: You would dare defy me?
: No, Mama! I love you! I do, but... But I also want to be with them!
: Mama, am I really just... Do I have to live just to destroy things?
: I want to use my power to protect you! To protect all of you!
: Protect us?

*Guns get unholstered*



: A Valkyria's meaning lies in raw, destructive power.
: Pushing that capacity for uncreation to its limit makes the perfect warrior.
: I have no use for a Valkyria who rejects destruction.
: She's not here for you to use, you psycho!
: Move. Or I will shoot.
: You go right ahead, then...and I'll be happy to return the favor!



: One subject in my previous facility fell in love with an Imperial prince.

She means Selvaria Bles and Maximillian, from the first game. They had to connect this game to it even more.

: She ignored my orders, used her power foor him, and died a fool's death.
: Squandering that power in exchange for the life of one man is... pathetic.
: You shut your mouth!



: I don't want to kill any more! I want to help keep people safe!
: You will, Ali.





: That's not true! She's a human being, same as I am!
: She has every right to happiness and acceptance, and she'll find them here!
: Hm...

*She starts walking away*



: Please, Mama... Mamaaa!
: Oh, Ali...
: Mamaaa...
: I'm sorry, Ali. What she did was wrong, but to you she was still your mom.
: We're here with you, though. And we're not going anywhere.



: Huh?
: You said you wanted to stay with us, right?
: Well, from here on out, you're part of the class!
: Really?
: Really. I may not be your mom, but I can be your big sister. Now, c'mon, sis!
: A sister? Cosette, I... Okay!



: Ali, you're our friend!
: And you've got all the time in the world to return the favor.
: Okay!




----

So, through the act of parental abandonment, we have gained Murder Child on our team. As previously discussed way back in the beginning, Ali comes as an entirely unpromoted scout while we're struggling to even get 2nd rank promoted units. It's a gigantic pain, normally.

Her potentials are kind of contrary to each other. Mysterious Body a hold over from the first game has her fully heal at random, but Valkyria gives her a boost to all stats when below half HP. Her max HP is pretty bad, so if you want to make the best of her potentials, either go glass cannon as Sniper Elite or tanky with Hvy Scout.

Her other potentials are just minor damage boosts and defense losses when near allies and away from them, respectively.

Her battle personality is entirely dissonant with her "I don't want to kill", being loud proclamations of "Buh-bye!" and other aggresive lines.

You could also just opt to not use her, which is likely what you'll do anyways. She's forced onto the team, but the cap is turned to 20 instead of 19, so you're not losing out.


Oh, and uh, story stuff happened. I don't know what you want me to say about that last event, but it was pretty expected. I didn't originally even know this would happen, but I rightly guessed it would.

We're going to be seeing a decent bit more of her, though. Like right now. It can't be that bad, right?

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~ Classroom - Main Story Event ~

Music: Days With Classmates



You'd be wrong.




Ah, yes, we're going that route to try and excuse the unfortunate clothing choices.




: Lanseal has stopped functioning as an academy.
: The headmaster's death also broke the chain of command from the army.
: But we're still here. So now it falls on us to keep the south safe.
: Exactly. More than ever, everything we can do for these people counts.
: Right. It's up to us!






: Mmm, smells amazing! Count me in!
: Um, do you mind if I ask what made you two decide to stay here on campus?



: We just couldn't leave.
: We figured we'd do what we could to help out, even if that's just being here.
: I see... Well, thank you!
: This is so yummy! I wonder if you could bake with Valkyrian fire.
: Oh man, I'd so pay money to see that!



: Oh, let me introduce you. This is the latest member of Class G, Aliasse.
: She's a Valkyria. Oh, but don't worry, she's still just a normal girl!




: What?! You're a Valkyria, Alicia?!
: Yes. We found that out in the war with the Empire two years ago.
: Aliasse, we just met, but I'd like you to do me a favor.



: I'd like for you to use your power for the people you love. To protect them.
: Is... that okay?
: Of course. The Valkyrian flame is like any other. It can burn, or nurture.
: Destruction doesn't yield anything, but defending people gives them hope.



: Inheriting the Valkyrian bloodline may make life hard for her sometimes.
: But Welkin and I made the promise that we'll keep her safe, no matter what.
: Do you have something in your life like that? Someone you want to protect?
: I do.
: They'll be very lucky to know they can count on you for help.



: Ah ha ha... Sorry. Your bread's just too good, Alicia.
: Ha ha! Same thing happens to me. Here, I'll bring in a new batch.
: Thanks, Welkin. You kids eat all you want!




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Okay, I'll admit I'm letting the summaries get highly edited, but I'm actually having a bit of fun with them. Well, trying to at least. I don't know why I find MMO slang to be funny in this context, I just do.

I can't help but think this event would've made much more impact and sense had it happened earlier. As it is now, the "protect not destroy" thing is a bit redundant.

Oh, and we're not done yet, by the way. Another mission later and we'll finally be able to get to that Roendahl place they mentioned 3 events ago.

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~ Faculty Office - Main Story Event ~



: Yes, thank you for coming.
: Avan, are you all right?
: All right with what?
: With... Leon.
: Learning about Project Valhalla, his defection... I'm worried about you.
: I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a shock.



You never really mourned him, honestly. You didn't even believe he was dead, remember?



: I see.
: But don't get me wrong, I was stoked to see he's still alive.
: It means I've still got a chance to talk to him, you know? To be like before.
: It's like I said in the beginning. I'm gonna find him and bring him back.
: I hope that you do.
: Anyway, I'll be fine. You don't have to worry about me, teach.



: Now, let's get down to business, shall we?
: The rebels have taken the fall of Randgriz as a cue to pick up the pace.
: Their attacks throughout the south are growing fiercer than ever.
: Full control of the region would give them a foothold to strike greater Gallia.
: Ugh, great.
: The Gallian Army has concentrated its forces to try to retake Randgriz.
: That means what's left of Lanseal is all the south has to defend it.
: Leave it to us, Brixy. We'll stop those rebel bastards in their tracks.









Also this. These games seem intent on never letting us actually use a Valkyria's power.

: I want to save them for protecting people, when it really matters.
: Without them, I'm not that strong. Can I... Is it still okay to go with you?
: I wouldn't go without you! Now come on, let's go!




: Audrey? The one we fought in Yuell?
: Roendahl is one of the top strategic positions in the south. We need it back.






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Why we'll never actually be able to use a Valkyria's power in combat is just baffling to me. Yeah, I know the whole "only for defense" thing, but is it so much to ask for to have something on par with the V2's?

Anyways, Roendahl is not like the Lanseal map and we will be seeing it again.



It's new, large and somewhat vertically oriented. The only notable mechanic to it is the button to open up the dam door. Yuell has these, but they're really not that important. For this map, there's always this one button, and the door it activates is always closed and required.

It's also tedious as fuck, because they intentionally focus their units to make getting to the button as difficult as possible.

Oh, and you'll end up doing like 5 more missions here at minimum. Have fun, because I cheated through all of them and they were still a slog. Don't even get me started on the impossibility of finishing a defense map in any reasonable time.

Anyways, here's the last event for the month. Audrey's the boss we have to beat, hiding in her oversized tank in an area barred off by the floodgate.

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~ Roendahl Canyon - Main Story Event ~

Music: Theme of the Rebels






: What?! Silver hair and red eyes? That girl...
: You, girl. Are you of Valkyrian blood?
: Well, yeah.
: Why does a Valkyria fight with this Lanseal rabble?!
: The sacred flame wasted upon their ilk!
: Aliasse is a Valkyria, but she's our friend first and foremost.
: Yeah! Ali's a Lanseal cadet, same as us!
: You dare call yourselves equals to the Valkyrur? This is blasphemy!

Uh, this is nice and all, guys, but would one of you shoot her already? Some handcuffs or something? I mean if you're close enough to talk-



At your command, we are prepared to fall back and regroup!

: Very well. Prepare to retreat.
: Heed me well. Next we meet, you will pay for your blasphemy!

-right... Good work, Leonard. You let them get away a second time



: Apparently it's true. At least, she seems to worship the Valkyrur.
: But they're just people! Right? Ali's just Ali...
: Right!






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Like I said, you still have to do like, 4 or 5 other missions here before the end of the game. And yes, we just let villain #2 walk away again. Good fucking job, Leonard

Anyways, next time we join our wacky squad as they rip off another part of VC1 with a Darcsen-based ragnite mine mission. No, seriously.

We've got October, November, and two updates of December and that's it. This game goes by a lot faster when you skip all the padding and get right to it.