Part 71: Chapter #12: Snowy Reunion

The Contest will still be open for a few more days

Chapter #12: Snowy Reunion

Briefing



: It's safe to say that one of these armies is from Hibernia...and their opponents are most likely from Nordilain.
But that would mean....no, not again! Haven't I suffered enough! Please, game, have mercy on me!
: Nordilain?
You know, that place is now my second-least-favorite fictional location, _{right after Florida.}

Interview

: Bastion, I'm starting to realize that listening to Andrew was the single stupidest thing I've ever done...
: I can't wait until we're sitting on that lakeshore and pan-frying all the fish we've caught!
_{Why does the city Orlando have their own basketball team? And why won't they do everyone a favor and sink under the sea? I...uh...might be a bit distracted at the moment.}
: Bastion, why is a beer better than a woman? Because a beer doesn't mind if you have another beer.
See, I'm not the only one phoning it in.

Mission



: Especially when my daddy ordered me to find you and kill you!



: If we interfere, we're choosing a side in the conflict between Nordilain and Hibernia...But if we save Alden's life, he'll be indebted to join with us in our battle against Faulkner.
: While that isn't the most heroic of reasons, Bastion, you're probably right. Besides, a little activity on the field of battle should help me to warm up!
I should have started a drinking game with the phrase "field of battle."
: And I'm sure you'd like to get me warmed up, wouldn't you? Ha, ha!
: I think Andrew's attitude is starting to rub off on Reyna!
_{Fuck Orlando!} Wait, what? Barlow, are you talking again? Am I really obligated to transcribe what you say?
: If we're going to do this, Bastion, we'd better do it quickly. Alden's in a very poor situation.
: You will retreat from here at once!
: Huh? Like, who are YOU?!



Sometimes I include screenshots to show action, some of the time, I use to break up the long periods where it's just fifty dialogue boxes with no other movement.

: Bastion! It's me!
Why, it's Milea, or, as they evidently call her in Germany, Meira!
: What?! Milea! What in the names of the gods are you doing inside Alden's ATAC?
: And what are you doing inside THAT ATAC, Bastion? Is it Ultragunner?
: No, this is the TICTAC. Can you believe Puck built it for me?
: What? But the reason I'm inside this ATAC is because I was bringing it to Araba Castle for you!
It's like the Gift of the Magi...except with robots..._{Holy Fuck, how much did refs bet on Orlando to win, anyway?}
: Like, HELLO?! Maybe you two can catch up on your gossip later on?! And whoever is inside Alden's ATAC, what were you thinking?! My daddy and Alden are at war!
_{Okay, I'll admit that doing this while I'm watching the Bulls game is kind of messing with my mind. To wit: I originally typed up that Hibernia was at war with "Orlando."}
: I was shocked when you surrounded me so quickly. I tried to tell you that you had the wrong person!
: Oh, yeah SURE you did...NOT! I don't care who you are, 'cause I'm still going to destroy that ATAC!
: She strikes me as a person with a lot of anger-management issues.
: That's no surprise, seeing how she's the daughter of Duke Logan. Now HE has anger to spare.
: Claire has a lot of pride, and she's not going to back down. We'll have to fight her to rescue Milea. I just hope that Milea knows how to use the weapons in Alden's ATAC!
: So are you gonna try to stop me, or are you gonna be smart and flee? I totally suggest the latter!



Right, so, time to actually do something. Milea starts surrounded by Claire and three other Nordilains, also, she's under AI control. As disappointing as the Altagrave is, it still has a ton of DEF, so Milea isn't in that much danger. That said, the other four Nordilains, led by Shion will immediately charge towards her. So, we'll need to get to the center sooner rather than later. _{Oh, and the Bulls won.}



In retrospect, I wish I had switched Bastion and Reyna's positions so as to even out the two different sides. Anyway, the Nordilains still have no accuracy, so you can send Andrew out as a decoy if you need to. The rest of your troops will be focused on killing as many Nordilains as you can before Milea does.



: Are you Hibernians sniffing glue or WHAT?
Glue? No, definitely not glue.
: I'm not a Hibernian soldier, and this isn't a Hibernian ATAC! This is Puck's masterpiece!



Claire, is, as usual, the biggest threat for the Nordilains.
: I can't believe I lost to these weirdos! When did I start to suck?! I'm not going to forget this! And next time, I'm bringing my daddy along!



With Claire dead, it's just a matter of cleaning up the remaining Nordilains. The only wrinkle is that you have to move a bit more quickly than usual because Milea is capable of knocking out the Nordilains by herself, and she's under AI control.



Closure. It's going to be a messy battle if only because you don't have complete control of your team.
: That may well be the angriest person I've ever encountered in my life. What was fueling her rage?



The vacation must continue at all costs!
: He's right, Bastion. We can see the lake and repair our ATACs before we return to Avalon.
I...uh...think you mean Araba. And either way, you'd think ATACs need some sort of facility to do any real repairs. Five seconds later...
: And here we are!



: Well, after Faulkner released me, I was so upset with myself that I ran blindly away from the battle. There were so many tears in my eyes that the world in front of me was a blur of brown and green. I never saw the cliff, Bastion. I only felt myself fall through the air and smash into the ground.
: Were you injured?!
No, Bastion, she was....KILLED! And now she only exists to get revenge on those who wronged her...
: Most definitely, but I was found by Lord Alden and Melior as they were returning to Hibernia. They tended to my injuries...and I asked them for asylum, because I was too distraught to face you. They agreed, and brought me here to recuperate.
: That was extremely kind of Alden. The man saved your life.
: And now for the question we all want to ask you, Milea: how did you end up in Alden's ATAC?
: Well, Reyna, that's a long story. Heh, heh, heh.
: Milea! You didn't steal his ATAC, did you?!
: No, Bastion! I won it from him, fair and square!
: You WON this ATAC from Alden?! Now I'm more confused than ever!
: Because it was my fault that the Ultragunner was stolen, I wanted to find a substitute for you.
You should have tried harder, the Altagrave is terrible.
: And I realized that Alden's ATAC was a perfect choice. The Altagrave is one of the excavated ATACs! After I recuperated from my injuries, I asked Alden what it would take for him to let me borrow his ATAC. He laughed at first, but eventually realized that I was serious. and so made me an offer. Alden said that if I could defeat him at chess, I could use the Altagrave for a period of one week.
: Chess?! You've never played that game in your life, Milea!
: That's true, but he explained the rules very patiently to me, and it didn't take me long to catch on.
: So what you're saying is that...
: I beat him in our second game. It should've been the first game, but I forgot how to move the horsies.



Just to prove that no one has moved an inch throughout this entire scene.

: Please don't be offended by this question, Milea, but is Lord Alden really that awful at chess?
: Not at all, buddy. He's considered the best player on the Continent by many. The gods know I've watched Dionne lose to Alden more than a few times.
I only noticed this because going through an LP means that you get really deep into a game, but that's technically a continuity error, because, if you remember from the Kingdom Branch, Dionne claims that he's never met Alden before in person until the end of the game. Or maybe Dionne and Alden are trying to keep things on the down-low. I don't know
: You're serious.
: About as serious as I am physically capable of. He's undefeated at chess. At least, he WAS.
: So what you're telling me is that Milea is a chessmaster?! Did you have any idea of Alden's skill level, Milea?
: Not really, Bastion, although he DID seem a little surprised when I won.
: I always told you Milea was smart, Bastion! NOW do you believe me?!
: I don't know if I'd say that, Puck. After all, it was only a game.
: You don't understand, Milea! Alden has been playing chess since he was a child, and yet you defeated him!
: In any case, once I won the use of the ATAC, I left the castle and headed for Avalon to find you, Bastion.
: Yes, I've been wondering about that. How did you learn to drive an ATAC?! Not that I'm jealous. Uh, not at all. Merely curious.
: Well, I had to learn how to control the ATAC to bring it to you, Bastion! Alden and Melior taught me.
: Who ARE you?!
You will know....in time...  Not really. 
: Do you know how long it took me to move an ATAC without smashing into every tree within a mile's radius?
: Oh, Bastion, you were just a child when Kamorge started teaching you. Of course it took you a while!
: I appreciate your words, Milea, but I'm not drawing comfort from them.
: I don't mean to be rude, but someone is about to crash our little party!
: He's right! There's an ATAC headed straight for us! Does anyone recognize it?
: From the color and the sound of the hoverjets, it's Sylpheed, the ATAC of the Imperial Princess!
: How did she find us, and what does she want?

Next Time: The Terrifying Answer to that very Question!

Contribute the Contest and prove thy mettle on the field of battle!