The Let's Play Archive

Wild Arms 3

by geri_khan

Part 10: Serpent's Coils (cont.)

This one is short and mostly cutscene. Ah well.


Update 10 - Quiet before the Storm



Oh, man... Are they the team Maya was talkin' about?
Apparently...
Geez... Why does everyone hate us?

Do you have to ask?

Well, bro... We have no social graces, just like the boss...



I just choose to work efficiently. And when others don't like it, they <<make a fuss>>...
<<Make a fuss>>
Make a fuss!? How can you say that after betraying people's trust!?
Everybody and their brother are just so blind to their own faults. It's as if everyone is blaming me, making me look like the bad guy. But the truth of the matter is, everyone's just sore they were outwitted!
Now, I get it. You feel no pain when you stomp all over people because of the way you think.
Well, of course. I'm the one doing the stomping, so why should I feel the pain?
Calling you a thug is much too flattering... You have absolutely no moral principles. You're nothing but a scumbag!
Scumbag...? That's an understatement!


BOSS BATTLE - JANUS, ROMERO AND DARIO (third time's the charm?)



Nothing new or special about these guys. No auto-heals and just one new move - Janus will switch places with Romero or Dario if you target him and they're still alive. You can use the typical tactics of shielding up and blasting them down one by one. They can still use Trinity, and Janus will use Multiblast much more frequently, but beyond doing more damage they haven't changed.
I really only mention the battle as a formality. That, and mysticing a Lucky Card gets us to level 11 after this battle.

It's a shame that you can call a Janus battle "rote" but there's not much going on here.



The two groups face off, hate in their eyes.



Meanwhile... is that a flying cat?


MUSIC - That's Just a Rumor...!

How do you say "...!" ?



Hey, Boss! A cat's got the shield and it's takin' off with it!
Idiots! What are you doing standing around!? That's no ordinary cat! It belongs to a Drifter!



We had already confirmed that there were two other teams within these ruins in search of the shield. And oh, how easily we were able to snatch away the goods from both of you. I was a little disappointed how the notorious Cascade couldn't live up to his reputation. A little anticlimactic, I must say...
Tch... Since when did women begin to lose their modesty?
Oh? Women have been living proudly for a long time now. You just need to date more.
The Eternal Sparkle is sealed by three shields. Rumor has it that a female Drifter is in possession of the Crio shield. Might that be... you?
Bingo...

For a moment it looks like everyone is going to fight, but Janus seems to back down.

Looks like the odds are against us today. But I want you to know that we're not giving up on the Eternal Sparkle. Have you been to Claiborne? Southwest of there, by the tip of the peninsula, stands an ancient tower. It's called [Ka Dingel]. It was constructed by humans long ago in an effort to reach the heavens, seeking power. That is where the Eternal Sparkle is sealed. Sealed by the power of the three shields.
Why, thank you kindly for the information.



The two groups allow each other to pass.

I choose to work efficiently, that's all. Even if I am just buying time...

He clicks his finger, and the ruin shudders.

Stop right there!



Pearl takes off after Janus' group, and Billy quickly darts ahead of her.



What the...?



That was a close thing!


Whoa...



Pearl immediately charges off after Janus again

I said, stop!



SLAP

MUSIC - You Look Defeated when Sad

You're the one who needs to stop what you're doing.
But why!? They're...



They do have a bad rep. That goes to show how good they are. That's the way it is in the wasteland.

But...



But what!? You think they're the bad guys? Then what is your definition of bad? Just now, you did something extreme and endangered your comrade. So, by being imprudent and risking the lives of others, doesn't that make you a bad guy, too? This is exactly the kind of thing that makes me think you're just pretending to be a Drifter!

Maya lets go of Pearl, and she flops to the ground.



No, wait...! You're not going to that tower, are you? It's a trap, I know it!

Of course it's a <<trap>>. It's so obvious.
<<Trap>>
You look surprised... You're wondering why I would set out for that tower? Well, if we go there and they show up, all the shields would be in one place.



What was it I wanted to accomplish as a Drifter? I have no idea... My wings are in place, yet I have nowhere to fly.
This is a hurdle people face when they wander into the wasteland with some romantic idea in mind.

She throws something down to Pearl



Just bring the shield and head southwest to Ka Dingel. There, you'll find neither good nor bad - only the truth about Drifters. Once you face the truth, you'll find your answer. Okay?
Are you sure, Milady?
Yes, she'll be fine. Once she faces the truth, I'm sure she'll stop pretending to be a Drifter. All right, everyone. Let's get going.



With that they leave, and our party returns to the Horsetheft Saloon in Claiborne.



Jet and Doc are relaxing when Boone comes downstairs.


Our leader's pretty bummed out.
All we can do is lend a helping hand. If she cannot get back on her feet herself, then this is it for her...
Well, depending on how you look at it, this was kinda fun. According to them, we were just amusin' ourselves pretending to be Drifters.
Well... What now...?
That is up to the leader to decide...
... Perhaps she has already made up her mind...





(What am I lacking here? What is it that supports me, and molds me into who I am? What is it I need to traverse the wasteland as a Drifter?)

... a horsie?



(Back then, I didn't understand why you left me... or what you were thinking... But now... I think I understand a little bit... There's something out there in the wasteland, right, Daddy? That's why you became a Drifter... Daddy... What should I do? I can't consider myself a Drifter until I know, right?)



But still... I have to fly... If I don't, this will all end without my finding out anything. I'm not going out into the wasteland because I have a purpose... I'm going out into the wasteland to find a purpose!! I better go apologize to everyone... And...



MUSIC - Parting--Bonds--Setting Out

Are you feeling better?
I'm fine now... And...
I'm sorry... I became a Drifter, thinking that maybe my ARMs could help people in need... But I didn't have a purpose or goal as a Drifter... That's why she said I was pretending. How I put everyone in danger. Please forgive me...
So, did you figure out what you want to do in the wasteland?
Yep. Ah, wait...Maybe not...
Which is it!?
Well, I'm not confused anymore. I know why I need to continue traversing the wasteland.
Looks like we were spared a depressing sob story.

You were. We weren't...

Of course! I may have been depressed a little while ago, but I'm not gonna let it end like this. So, let's all...
...continue on as a team, and see this matter through.
We haven't made much money yet. I can't drop out now.
Hey, we're all invited guests. Let's do this together!
Thanks, everyone... Let's hurry to the southwest tower, Ka Dingel!

But that's a story for another update.

For now, we headed back to Serpent's coils and farmed some more gems. In the end, the money raised was enough to upgrade the ARMs quite a bit.

Just the other day, a Drifter got drunk and trashed the room he was stayin' in. And then Martina disappears, leavin' behind nothin' but a note. Talk about double trouble...

Sounds like she ran away from home. Concerned, we checked Westwood Station.



I got along with my auntie fine, but I just wanted to find my mother. Maybe I was too impulsive. But I couldn't just sit and wait for my mom to come home. I'm all right. I'm a fast walker. Besides, my mother always told me that as long as you can press on, there's nothing you can't do.
But thank you for checking up on me.

Naturally we took the only responsible option and left the little girl to wander around the wasteland by herself. We had more important things to do.

2000 gella for four sweet horses? DEAL!





YAAAAAAAAY

Horses are naturally faster than walking, and they can leap over small chasms. We can still search while riding them.

We can get into battles too.



You can't tell me this isn't fun.

Fighting from horseback is almost exactly the same as fighting on foot, except that you can't perform unarmed attacks.



Because firing a sniper rifle from horseback is SO much easier than getting close and hitting them.
It's kinda comical to see the enemies running alongside you in horseback battles though.
The downside to horses is horses can't ride trains. Once the train arrives at the station you can use a Call Whistle (Roykman sells them for 100 gella) to summon your horses to you.

Next time - Despite what I said earlier, I am a stubborn masochist.



quote:

FROM: A Day A Day (dayaday@boothill.net)
SUBJECT: Engine Day

Today is June 11, Engine Day. Once, a maid was ordered by her master to find an engine and went out in search of one. She came back with a man named Engine. The master, surprised to know that there was a man named Engine, declared that day be known as Engine Day, in honor of his loyal maid.

Seems more like a day that would remind her of her embarrassing mistake every year.