Part 5: Mirapulse

I want to apologize for the infrequent updates. I'm hoping I'll have time to update more often from now on, but I can't make any promises.



Now that we're out of the Abandoned Path, we find ourselves in Northwest Filgaia.



Our next destination, Mirapulse, is a short distance north of the Abandoned Path. When we enter, we're greeted with a cutscene.

Cutscene: Entering Mirapulse
Music: An Encounter in the Sunset



Dean: Wow...check it out! A real town! People really do live somewhere outside Capo Bronco!
Rebecca: Well, yeah, of course they do, you moron! And quit staring already! It's embarrassing! Geez, Dean, you need to get out more often!




Youth Claiming Innocence: But I told you, it wasn't me in the vault! I was following that guy who snuck in and took the mirror! I'm a Golem Hunter! It's not like I can ignore that kind of thing, you know?
Dean: Wow, listen to that! That guy's a Golem Hunter, just like Nightburn! Awesome! The real thing! I never thought I'd meet one!

I don't quite understand how Dean never expected to meet a Golem Hunter, considering his plan to go to the city and become a Golem Hunter. I imagine you're likely to run into other Golem Hunters in that situation.



Youth Claiming Innocence: Not that I don't understand how you feel, of course.
Mine Worker: You say you're a Golem Hunter, huh? Then you've got a Hunter's license to prove it, right? Let's have a look-see.
Youth Claiming Innocence: Um, yeah, o-of course! It's right...

The boy starts checking his pockets.

Youth Claiming Innocence: ...here? Where'd it go...?
Sheriff: ...
Youth Claiming Innocence: How strange... I could've sworn it was...
Mine Worker: Liar! That settles it! You must be the thief who took the Mirror of De Soto!
Youth Claiming Innocence: I didn't, honest!



Youth Claiming Innocence: and took out what looked like a mirror! I saw him! So I followed him outside the village, and- Aha, that must be where I lost my license!
Sheriff: Hah, you expect us to believe that?! cut it out! Confess already! Where'd you hide that mirror?!
Youth Claiming Innocence: Look, I-I'll go find the license and show you! Then you'll know I'm telling the truth!
Sheriff: Sure we will! Right after you make your escape, right? I don't think so!
Dean: A Hunter would never lie!

Music: Seeking the Blue Sky



Rebecca: *Sigh*... Here we go again. He was like this with stray kittens, too.
Mine Worker: Who're you?
Dean: I'm Dean! I'm on a quest to find Johnny Appleseed!
Sheriff: Johnny Appleseed? Don't you think you're a little too young for that, kid?
Dean: It doesn't matter! It's important, got it?!
Sheriff: Whatever. Anyway, this is none of your business, so stay out of it!



Dean: So I can't let anyone doubt a fellow Hunter! D'you hear me?!
Sheriff: He's not a Golem Hunter. He's a thief, and he's a liar!
Youth Claiming Innocence: Hey, you've got a point! I couldn't have said it better myself.

This is in response to Dean, of course. When transcribed, it looks kind of like he's responding to the sheriff, since he spoke last.

Youth Claiming Innocence: On that note, could you do me a favor? See, this town's got a treasure called the "Mirror of De Soto", and obviously somebody stole it yesterday. He managed to slip my tail somewhere outside the village. And unfortunately, I seem to have lost my, uh...you know, my...Hunter's license out there too.
Youth Claiming Innocence: As you can see, I'm pretty much stuck here for now. You think you could head out and look for that, uh... that license?



Youth Claiming Innocence: Y-yeah, of course it's a Hunter's license! It's just-
Dean: Okay! So we need to find your license, right? Not a problem!
Youth Claiming Innocence: Thanks, you're a lifesaver! Like I said, it's got to be just outside of town somewhere. I'm counting on you!
Rebecca: Good grief. It sure didn't take long to get sidetracked.



Rebecca: No worries, I'm used to it. Sorry about this, Avril, Dean here does this all the time.
Avril: Oh, I don't mind. But...isn't it strange for Dean to be helping someone he's never met before?
Rebecca: Nuh-uh. Hang around with Dean long enough, you'll get used to it. Quickly.
Avril: Oh, I see...

Music: An Encounter in the Sunset



Welcome to Mirapulse, a mining town built onto the side of a mountain. Since this is an RPG, the first thing we need to do is talk to all the NPCs.




Annoyed Sheriff: Why'd you guys have to go and cause such a big fuss? Witnesses saw him do it! And besides, this blondie's an outsider! Who else could the culprit be? Everyone in this town's terrified of "them." There's no way any of the locals would dare to steal something like that!
Burly Worker: I'm keeping an eye on this guy just in case...but I'm not convinced he's really the culprit. I did catch a glimpse of him hanging out near the vault while I was out walking last night. I'm sure of that... But I saw another suspicious guy besides him, too. It was a really huge guy, just doing stretches in front of the vault. Well, at least I think that's what I saw.
Laid-Back Worker: Please try and understand our situation. If we don't do these things, the entire town'll be punished. Me, I don't really care if we lose the mirror and can't have our little Moonlight Ceremony of whatever. But a lot of "them" are really superstitious. They totally flip out if we don't hold the ceremony every single month. It's a real drag...
I'm counting on you to bring me my...uh, Hunter's license as soon as possible! It must've been when I was chasing that guy with the mustache... I stopped to rest near the station, and it probably fell out of my pocket. To reach the station, just follow the elevated tracks north. You can't miss it!



Woman-Loving Worker: I want to approach her, but I don't know what kinds of things she likes, or whether I'm even her type... But I'm fine watching her from afar. Merely gazing at her every day from morning to night would make me a happy man!





Strong-Willed Shopmistress's Husband: Hey, you look like... No, it can't be! Is that you, Dean?! What are you doin' in a place like this? How's everyone back home? Is my wife still as smokin' hot as ever? Gwah hah hah hah hah!



On the second floor of the bar is a barrel with a LVL Apple in it. LVL Apples are invaluable items which increase a party member's level by 1. I tend to use them to balance my team if someone dies during a boss fight.

That's about everything remotely interesting in this town, so it's time to head out and get that Hunter's license!

Music: The Dry Wind Blows Over You



On the other side of the mountain to the north, we find the train station the boy mentioned, Cavam Valley.



The Search System returns from previous Wild Arms games, pressing Square on the world map will make a green circle expand from Dean, revealing hidden items. In previous Wild Arms games, you used the Search System to find towns, dungeons and hidden items. In Wild Arms 5, it's only used to find hidden items.



Searching around Cavam Valley reveals the boy's Hunter's license.

This must be that Golem Hunter's license that guy was talking about! It says "Chuck Preston" on it. I guess that's his name. ...Huh? It also says "Apprentice". Weird. ...Oh well, a license is a license. We'd better bring it back before he gets into even more trouble!
Obtained Hunger's License!

Before we head back, let's check out that station. Inside, we find a character who should be familiar to those of you who played Wild Arms 2.



Yes
Crimson Warrioress: Thank you, I am in your debt. ...Do you know about the Sol Nigers, the black suns dotting the land of Filgaia? These suns were once ley points, each a fountain of great power that flows deep within our planet. But with Filgaia reduced to this wasted, weakened state, it has lost the power to purify itself...
Crimson Warrioress: Today the ley points have been corrupted, possessed by monsters taking the power for their own ends. If this continues, the blanace of power in Filgaia will collapse beyond the point of no return. You can doubtless see signs of this happening already. I ask that you go and purify the Sol Nigers by fighting the monsters that have possessed them. This would normally be my calling, but I was injured in a recent battle, and can no longer move freely on my own.
Crimson Warrioress: It pains me to involve an innocent bystander in my quest...but please. I have no choice but to rely upon you. Right now, 1 of the Sol Nigers on Filgaia have been freed. There are 24 left to purify. They say that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Now is the time for you to put that adage to the test.

That was Kanon, one of the playable characters from Wild Arms 2. In Wild Arms 2, she had many mechanical implants, but these were removed from her design for Wild Arms 5.

Next to Kanon is another familiar character.



Young Drifter with a Quiet Smile: I came here because I wanted to see the Moonlight Ceremony, which the people of Mirapulse hold every full moon... But maybe it'd be a good idea to lay low for a little while instead.

The Young Drifter with a Quiet Smile is Rudy, the main character of the original Wild Arms. His original design featured a bandage on his cheek, but they removed it in Wild Arms 5 for whatever reason.



And with that taken care of, it's back to Mirapulse!



Yeah... I wonder where he went?
Sheriff: Hey, did you hear? They're gonna hang that thief! He's already up on the gallows.
Mine Worker: Really? Sure wouldn't want to miss that!
What?! C'mon, we have to hurry!

Music: From Anxiety to Impatience




Please, listen to me! I haven't done anything wrong! Honest!
Wh-what? They're going to hang him already?!
...

Dean runs closer to the gallows.

-Dean?!



Whew... Thank goodness... Thanks a lot, man! I mean it!
See? I really am a Golem Hunter! So please believe me! I didn't steal your mirror!
Executioner: Who cares? Golem Hunter of not, that doesn't change the fact that you're a thief!

The executioner has a point. I really don't understand why anyone thought that would prove his innocence in the first place.

Executioner: We need that mirror for the Moonlight Ceremony tonight. I don't have time for these games. If you're gonna confess, it's now or never!
B-but I didn't... Please, believe me...
Executioner: ...Hmph. Well, in that case we'll just have to make do with your head as a substitute!
Wha-?!



Executioner: Huh? Who the hell are you talking to?
You! Who else?!
Executioner: Hah hah... Hah hah hah hah hah! Never thought I'd hear a puny human dare talk that way to a Veruni.
Wha-?! He's a Veruni?! Geez, it sure didn't take long for Dean to get us into trouble...
Veruni, human, whatever-it doesn't matter! If you make a mistake, you admit you made a mistake! Why is that so hard for you to grasp?!



W-wait! They have nothing to do with this! I only asked them to find my license for me, that's all...
Executioner: Hmph. Whatever. It's not often I get a chance to hang a human, so I'm in a good mood today. I'll let it slide-this time. But you'd best watch how you talk from now on, boy.
If you're gonna let it slide, then let him go, too! He said he didn't do it!
Executioner: I'm afraid not. We don't have the Mirror of De Soto, so we'll just have to use his life as a substitute!
... You really didn't steal the Mirror of De Soto, right?!
I didn't! I swear on that Hunter's license!
...All right. Then we'll go find it and bring it back! You said you saw the thief, right? What kind of a guy was he?!
He was this big, middle-aged guy with a huge mustache! When I lost sight of him, he was heading for the excavation site to the north!
Gotcha. Big guy with a mustache.
Executioner: Hey, what do you think you're doing?! We need that mirror tonight! It's too late to go looking for it now!
Then I'll bring it back by sunset! Is that good enough for you?!
Executioner: ...Really. This ought to be entertaining. In that case, I'll wait until sunset. But if you're even one second late, you can kiss your friend here goodbye.



Executioner: If you fail tonight, and the mirror's not back by the next full moon, I'll hang everyone in the village, too! You humans caused this problem-you're all responsible!
Oh, man... Things are really getting out of control... This is why I'm always so nervous around Dean...
P-please, find the mirror... It's not just my problem anymore...
Executioner: Well, good luck with that. Heh heh.
Don't worry, we'll go find that guy and have the mirror back before sundown! You can count on it!
Executioner: Heh heh heh... Next month ought to be a real doozy. Look at all the necks I'll be able to string up!
...



Come on, less talking, more moving! It's not that long until sundown! He said the thief was headed for the excavation site to the north, right?
Yeah. Let's go!



The Art of Wild Arms

With today's update, we have the profiles for Chuck, Kanon and Rudy.