Part 14: Memorial Sanctuary (First Half)

And now we get to run all the way back to Mithysmere from Laila Belle.

Music: One Day You'll Forget the Hopes and Dreams



...No... Can't impose...on her...
Energetic Boy: Pastel!! The circus lady came!!
Pastel! Are you all right?!
Calm Boy: She's been like this for a while. She doesn't respond to us, either.
Hmm... Looks like Zopt Syndrome. It's been spreadin' pretty rapidly throughout Filgaia these days. It starts with a high fever, and not too many survive...

Don't a lot of illnesses start with a high fever? It seems like you're jumping to conclusions to decide it's Zopt Syndrome with so little information.

Not too many survive?! But-! What's the cure?!
I'm afraid there isn't any. Without knowin' what causes it, there's no way to create a medicine for it. About all you can do is reduce the fever, but even that's temporary relief at best.
Even so, it's better than nothing! Don't you have any?!
Energetic Boy: We don't have any medicine here at all!!
...
By the way, I was wondering - where are your parents?
Calm Boy: My mom and dad worked too hard in Laila Belle, and they're...they're gone...
-?!
But... What can we do then...?
Energetic Boy: If only that guy Pastel talked about would come back...!!

An ellipsis followed by two exclamation marks just looks ridiculous.

Who?
Calm Boy: It was too long ago for us to remember, but Pastel told us about him often. Pastel said she thinks he was a Veruni Drifter. He arrived here just when a disease was spreading through the town.
Energetic Boy: Yeah, and then he went to Laila Belle and brought back medicine to cure everybody!!
It seems there are good people even among the Veruni.
Yeah. To go all the way to Laila Belle just for medicine-



Let's ask for medicine for Pastel!
Oh, yeah! I forgot about that! ...But...but weren't you going to use that for train tickets, Dean?
Don't be silly! This is Pastel's life we're talking about! Nothing's more important than that!
Wait, Dean. Is that truly what you want? Greg says that there is no cure for the disease. Even if you bring medicine, there's no guarantee Pastel will survive. Is that not an inefficient use of your resources?
Who cares about efficiency?! You never know until you try! Even if it doesn't work, there's always something else - as long as you don't give up!
As long as you don't give up...?
Yeah! You can do anything as long as you don't give up! Right?!
I see... Perhaps you are correct. You've taught me a lot on this journey... If you give up, that's the end. So, conversely, the end will never come if you keep on trying. Thus, you can do anything as long as you don't give up... It certainly isn't logical, but it seems strangely convincing when you say it.
W-well, it's not *that* big a deal...
First, let's head for the television studio to get medicine for Pastel. We can look for a cure afterwards.
Yeah! Let's go!

Thankfully, the game is nice enough to bring us to Laila Belle automatically, instead of making us walk all the way back again.

Music: Twilight of the Rulers



Yeah - we want medicine for Zopt Syndrome!
Zopt Syndrome...? Oh, you mean that disease that's been afflicting humans lately... There's no panacea for that, you know. I can't give you what we don't have.
Then at least give us something for the fever! There's a child in Mithysmere who's suffering from it! Anything is fine! If you've got any medicine at all that'll help, please...
Hmm... Well, I do happen to have something here that'll bring down a fever, but-
That's fine! We'll take it!
Well, in that case, take as much as you want. Here you go. It works quite well - I can guarantee you that much.
Now we can let Pastel rest more easily...
Yeah, C'mon - let's get back to Mithysmere!

Our party leaves the room.



I only gave them the medicine they asked for. What's so horrible about that? Now, granted, it's a Veruni medicine, so there's no telling whether it'll work on humans... As for "horrible", what about you? You looked positively delighted when you heard about that child falling ill.
Heh...now that's not fair at all. But I must say, that TF System is pretty impressive. Even at only 10% power, it's already affecting weaker humans.
I used to think that was only dair retribution for the death of my sister. Filgaia rejected her - so let Filgaia and its humans suffer the same fate! ...But now... *Sigh*
Hmph... What's the matter? If it's me you're worrying about, then don't. It won't be long before I get my wish - the extermination of all humanity! Once I've accomplished that, I won't have any regrets. I'll finish myself off in style! Hah hah hah!
...

Meanwhile, back at the farm...

Music: One Day You'll Forget the Hopes and Dreams



Energetic Boy: Circus lady!!
I got some medicine from the Veruni. It'll help you feel better, don't worry! Just hand in there a little longer, Pastel-
Wait! Don't give it to her!



Carol?! What are you doing here?
Um...I was looking for my companion who's still lost, but I got lost myself, and I ended up here... It's nice to see you again - but now's not the time for greetings! I heard you say you got that medicine from the Veruni. If that's true, you shouldn't give it to her.
Why not? We did get it from the Veruni, but I can't imagine it's poison or anything.
That's not the problem. The problem is, Veruni bodies are built differently from human ones. That medicine may work well on a Veruni, but that doesn't guarantee the same effect on a human. May I take a look at it?
Uh...sure.
Hmm...
Well...?
It seems my fears were correct. This is an effective febrifuge for the Veruni, but it can have deleterious side effects on humans. In the worst case, it could send the patient into shock, and, well...
What?!
You're awfully smart, aren't you?
Yes. My companion is a scientist, so I've learned a lot as well. Oh, I'm sorry- my name is Carol.
I'm Greg. Nice to meet ya.
Likewise! I'm just clad I got here in time. That mistake could have been fatal...
F-fatal...?!
I-I'm sorry!
You don't need to apologize. But if we can't use this medicine, then what now...?
I don't see any other possibilities...
Pastel...



... She...she's just like I used to be. The way I used to watch that circus act... Wishing I could do it... I... ...I won't let this happen to her!
Of course not! We can't give up yet!
Um... If you want something to reduce the fever, this should be effective...
Thanks, Carol!
Wait a minute... Where'd you get that medicine? It doesn't look like it was made by humans.
Th-that's right, it wasn't. One time, when I visited the Baskars' shrine, I developed a fever... The Baskars there gave this to me to treat it.
Baskars?
A group of Veruni scientists that are doing research on Filgaia at a shrine near here. They also study humans, since humans are the native inhabitants of Filgaia, and this is something they developed during their research.
-! Then maybe they'll have something to cure Pastel! Though it's a bit worrying that they're Veurni...
Yes... It's true they may have a cure, but whether they'll give it to us... To be honest, I doubt I could've even got this febrifuge without the help of the Professor.
Professor...? Is that the companion you've been looking for?
Yes. He's a big fellow with a large mustache.
I bet I know who you're talking about...
In any case, let's try going to that shrine. Even a small chance is better than no chance at all!
If you like, I'll show you the way. I was going there anyway to look for the Professor.
Thanks, Carol. We really appreciate it.
No problem. It's the least I can do.
Carol joined the party!
The shrine where the Baskars are studying is northwest of here. Let's go - before it's too late.



Now we can equip that Hustler's Dress we stole from Elebart. For now, I copied the Sea Medium for Carol, and replaced Avril with her. I won't be keeping this configuration, it's just for the next dungeon so I can get video of Carol in battle.

Before we head for the shrine, there's a new NPC in Mithysmere...



Child with Grown-Up Eyes: ...I come from a long like of artisans, craftsmen who can draw out the power within items and use it to create entirely new objects. With my abilities, I can reshape the energy sealed within any badges you have, forging them into new badges. I'm sure that will come in handy during your travels sometime.

Synthesize
Talk

Child with Grown-Up Eyes: Badge synthesis is a skill passed fown from generation to generation...within my family, and also in the place where I was born. I was told I could only employ my abilities to aid people from my own homeland... But seeing you spend so much time and effort trying to save Pastel, I couldn't help but want to join in myself.



Now we can combine badges to create new badges. A nice trick you can do here is to buy a ton of Priest Badges and Silver Suns (we can't actually buy these until we get to the next town, though.) then go to Mithysmere and synthesize Laurel Crowns, which sell for more than the cost of the materials. This is probably the best way to make money.



We won't be able to make a Sheriff Star for awhile, but it'll happen eventually. The Sheriff Star increases HP by 500, MP by 50, all other stats by 25, and has the effects of every badge used to create the Sheriff Star. (Every A-Rank badge.) It makes the main game really easy, but it's almost required to defeat some of the optional bosses.

Oh, that was Tim, by the way.



To get to the shrine, we have to follow the path to Laila Belle for a bit, then take a left into a little enclosed area.



There's not much else of interest in the area aside from a Potion Berry tree.

Music: The Place Once Called a Temple

So this is that shrine where the Baskars hide out... Pastel's in danger - we can't afford to waste any time. Let's find those Baskars quick and get the medicine from them.



We're immediately met with a locked door. The nearby console provides the solution to this problem.

*When our homeworld, Filgaia, is in danger, a hero will arise, bearing twin guns, to lead all life into a new world. Enter the name of that hero.

What the hell are guns?

Hero...? Who are they talking about? Nightburn, maybe?
Hello? Nightburn doesn't carry two guns, does he? And besides, what would he have to do with a place like this?
Well, then, do you have any bright ideas?
Well, uh... Hey, why not try putting your own name in? You've got two guns, after all.
Now *you're* being silly, Rebecca. You can't possibly think it would actually open for me!
Why not at least try it, Dean? You never know, after all!
Well, if you say so... Sure, why not?
(Don't tell me he's got a thing for Carol...!)

That's dumb, let's try to think about this instead of blindly putting in names.

Let's see... A hero with twin guns... Oh! Of course!



*Sigh* That didn't work... The name of the hero...? I have no clue... I mean, it can't be something that'd be easy to guess... Well, I suppose I could always try putting my name in...

No, that's stupid.

Wait, Memorial Sanctuary... That's kind of like Temple of Memories, so...



*Sigh* That didn't work... The name of the hero...? I have no clue... I mean, it can't be something that'd be easy to guess... Well, I suppose I could always try putting my name in...

Ugh, fine. But it's not gonna work.



*The hero's name is: Dean
Password correct.



...Huh? I-it opened...
No way... It really worked?
That's amazing, Dean. So does this make you a hero?
Well, now that you ask, heh heh... ...No, of course not! Still, I wonder why it opened...
Who knows? Maybe there really was a hero once who just happened to be named Dean.
This is just crazy...

We walk down the hallway and straight into some text.



I don't know for certain, but I think there's a good chance that they do. Their recent studies in particular have focused on the interaction between Filgaia and humans, so they've probably learned a lot about us.
These Baskars seem to be very involved in their research.
Yes, they are! They taught me a lot the last time I was here. They told me about the history of Filgaia, from its formation up until the present, and how it's changed over the ages... They also do research into meteorology, geology, even human society. But lately what they're really focused on is-



Oh... I was just, um... I was just thinking how great it is that you know all that...
You certainly have studied hard for one so young.
Yeah, I'm sorry, Carol. I had the wrong impression of you. To be honest, I thought you were just a clumsy little girl.
I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover.
So that's how you were thinking of me...




*Laughtrack*



It's that disparity that makes you so cute. I'd better try harder myself!
Huh? Try harder at what?
Uh, n-nothing! Anyway, the Baskars are Veruni, right? Why would they put so much energy into studying humans? I mean, they're all we can count on right now, so I sure hope they've got something, but...
Oh, they're most certainly interested in humans - there's no question about that. In fact, their top priority right now is investigating the connection between humans and the planet's decay.
The planet's...decay?
Yes. Filgaia had, at one point, decayed almost to the point of death. You've heard of the Age of Lost Technology, right? The civilization that flourished 12,000 years ago and left behind what we call, well... "lost technology"?
Sure, I know about that. The golems and these shrines and such are all from that time, right?
Yes, that's right. It's said to have been a lively society with a very high standard of living. But overuse of resources, along with pollution caused by the use of golems and various industrial activities, began to grain the planet's life.
Uh...what? Pollution resulted in industrial drains...?
Well, to put it simply, technology progressed too far and began to weaken the planet. It got to the point where life on Filgaia itself was threatened. Of course, this was only to be expected, given the air, water, and soil pollution that was interfering with the natural cycle of life. With today's comparatively simple level of technology, the planet has recovered considerably, though it still has a long way to go.
Hmm...so are you saying that the reason Pastel got sick is because the planet is weak?
I don't know whether that's the direct cause, but it's certainly a possibility. Apparently there have been Veruni who've died from similar symptoms as well. If anything, the disease used to be limited to the Veruni, but lately, it's humans who seem to be affected the most by it. So the Baskars are interested in the changes that are occurring to humans who contract the disease.
But why? If human and Veruni bodies are different, what good would it do them to study humans?
They're interested in the relationship between humans and Filgaia. Humans have been living here with no trouble for the past 12,000 years. Yet they've suddenly begun to fall ill and die for some reason presumably related to the planet. If there's been a change in the relationship between humans and the planet, the Baskars figure that learning about it may help them to deal with their own illnesses.
Hmm. So they're usin' humans in order to take care of their own problems, huh?
You certainly have a way with words. But yes, that's more or less what they're doing. Still, their research has led to the development of various medicines, so...
Makes no difference to me! As long as the medicines work, that's all that matters, right? ...You'd better have something for us, Baskars, or I'm going to be really mad...



This room contains a sealed door next to two unlit torches, and an open door.



There's also a side area with a massive pit in the middle, but it doesn't seem to serve any purpose.

The open door leads us to a small room with 5000 gella and...



The Fire Bullet! Now we can burn things, light torches, and turn those white crystals red.



The Fire Bullet cartridge fires a very slow fireball, but you can also charge it by holding the button, which makes the bullet travel about as fast as ordinary bullets.



Back in the previous room, we can light the torches and open the sealed door.



Unique puzzles await us on the other side!



A couple of rooms later, there's another pressure switch, but there's a problem. There's an explosive crate stacked on another explosive crate. They're too heavy to move, but if we shoot one the other will explode.



The solution is to freeze one, and then blow up the other one. The explosion will melt the ice, but it won't damage the crate. Afterwards it's just a matter of pushing the crate onto the switch.



A couple of rooms later, we hit a boss fight.

Boss: Gigamantis, Roper x2
Music: Terrible-Monster Attacking Crew!




The Gigamantis is the main threat here, but the Ropers can seriously screw you over if you're not careful, because...



Aaah...! I-it looks like this monster's contagious! Don't worry, though - diseases can be cured with Medicine.

The Ropers like to corner your party on a single HEX and then give it Disease status.

Disease is a serious ailment, because it makes it impossible to heal anyone on the HEX, unless they're wearing a Hazel Sprig badge.



After putting Rebecca in the battle (wanna steal that ARM Part from the Gigamantis) and gathering 25 FP, I use Jump to move the party out of the problem HEX. (I only had one Medicine and I didn't want to waste it because I'm weird like that.)



Well this isn't going well.

I use a Potion Berry with Rebecca and swap Dean out for Carol.



This seems bad, but it's actually a really good thing. See, Carol was going to go next anyway, but since her HP was put into critical status, her PS Crisis Action activated, giving her two actions in a row.



This allowed me to use Revive, and then immediately use Hi-Heal.

Greg, give me a hand here!
All right, I'll time it with whatever you got!



If you want to see Corona Fall in action, check out the video. It's a magic attack that targets a single enemy HEX.



I really like this trend of exploding bosses.

Music: The Place Once Called a Temple



What's wrong, Avril? You don't look so good...
The atmosphere in this structure feels oppressive... It seems to be rejecting me, as the shrine near Gounon did.
...! Are you gonna be okay, Avril?! If it's tough on you, you can wait outside. Don't push yourself!
No, I'll be fine. It might be difficult by myself, but not with all of you along. And I feel as though I must continue into this shrine as well...
Okay...but let me know if it gets any worse!
I will. Thank you.
... Y-you know, Carol, I was thinking how amazing it is that you're taking a big trip like this all by yourself.
Oh, it's not a big deal...and besides, it's not so much a trip as it is a search. The Professor taught me a lot about fighting monsters, so I'm not worried about being alone. And in the worst case, I can always just run away!
The Professor of yours... You said he's a big guy with a mustache?
Yes. He's a bit larger than Greg.
It's gotta be that guy who stole the Mirror of De Soto...



*Sigh* This always happens... Whenever he gets caught up in his research, it's like nothing else in the world matters. I keep telling him not to cause trouble for people, but...
Heh heh, it almost sounds like you're the one who has to look after him.
I know... But even so, he's a well-respected authority on Filgaian archaeology. He's taught me a lot during our travels together. The Baskars consult with him a lot, too.
Yeah? For all his idiosyncrasies, he certainly seems to be taking good care of you. Is he your father or something?

Music: Only Because It's Important, Does It Easily Break

Well... Sometimes I wish he was, but unfortunately, he's not. I was...well...discarded by my real parents, I guess. The Professor found me, and I've been traveling with him ever since.
Huh...? Discarded...?
Well...I guess it would be more accurate to say that I ran away from them. They mistreated me all the time, so finally I just...left. Heh heh.
Mistreated?! That's nothing to laugh about! How could they?!
It's not their fault... They weren't trying to be mean to me. My parents were farmers, but most of their crops were taken by the Veruni...
Veruni and humans again, huh...
It can't be helped. The land belonged to the Veruni, after all. We were only borrowing it. But there was almost nothing left for us, and my parents were always irritable and upset.
I can understand that. I can't think of anything but food when I'm hungry!
Dean, the scale's a little different, you know...
But it's still the same thing. In tough situations like that, people just don't have room to think about others.
...



And then the Professor found me, and...
Things have been really tough for you, haven't they...
No, not at all! I was lucky enough to be found, so I can't complain. I'm really grateful to the Professor. I didn't know anything when he found me, and he taught me so much. But because of that trauma, I always find it hard to talk to people other than the Professor...
Really? You don't seem to have any problem with us.
Hey, now that you mention it... I never thought I'd be able to tell anyone else about all this. But I do remember that you reminded me of the Professory the first time I met you.
Heh, I can understand that. If your Professor really is that guy who kept flexing in the golem cave, he and Dean are two of a kind.
Hey! I'm not THAT empty-headed!
And here I was trying not to say *how* you two were alike...
Um...actually, it's not Dean that reminded me of the Professor... It's Avril.
Me?
Avril, huh? That's a surprise. But I guess she does have a similar aura of intelligence...
No, it's not really that...but it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is... But anyway, you're all such nice people, and that probably makes it easier for me to talk with you.

Christ, Carol talks a lot.

The Art of Wild Arms



Rhymeless is a dumb name.