Xenogears Part #118 - Episode CXV: Stealing Home

Part 118: Episode CXV: Stealing Home

Episode CXV: Stealing Home

*shakes head* "No. It's too dangerous..."

"Why? I've been in many dangerous situations. This isn't the first time!"

*turns around and shakes head* "I said NO! We can't take you. Please, understand!"

_{_{”Awkward...”

“Just don’t make any sudden movements or we’ll get dragged into the argument.”

“Should we back away slowly or...?”

“No! Just stay still. Don’t make eye contact.”}}

*shakes head quickly* "No, I want to go! We've been fighting together all this time! And suddenly you're telling me not to go!? I just don't get it!!"

"This isn't like any other fight! It's a battle for the wisdom created by god. It's life or death. Whoever controls it, becomes the true dominator of the world! It's obvious the Ministry will bring the strongest possible troops. There is no guarantee you'll come back alive!"

”As opposed to every other time the Ministry brought their ‘strongest troops’ and we beat them with no trouble?”

"That's exactly why I want to go..."

"What don't I understand!?"

"If the enemy were only the Ministry or just mechanical weapons it would be okay. But most of the enemies will be made up of what were once humans... Humans just like you and I!"

”...”
“...And?! We’ve all killed hundreds of Solarian, Aveh, and Kislev troops at this point. It kinda happens in wars. Besides, why aren't you telling Maria to stay behind?”
"I'm pretty much dead inside."
"Look, this is not about the Shevat child soldier. That is a conversation for another time. This is about you."

"I saw them at those facilities... Gears that were made out of humans. They were the same as Hammer... Could you now destroy them after knowing this!? In order to save ourselves, can you truly say that you could kill those who were once our friends!? So, do you still want to go now!?"

"W, well..."

"You can't even kill one person. Your presence would be a burden during the fight."

"You'd just get in the way..."

”B-But I have Aerods...”
“Aerods sucks once everyone gets Omnigears. Everyone NOT being you so far... Rico has one now Elly. RICO! You have no place on the battlefield.”

*tears up* “!!”[/i]

Elly runs off crying. Everyone in the room besides Fei stares at her until she’s fully out the door. A huge sigh of relief is breathed by all present as the party shifts to 'shit on Fei for being a dick all the sudden’ mode.

Music: Gathering Stars in the Night

*ponders* "We cannot blame her. At least we should understand her feelings."

"I know how Elly feels. I knew she wouldn't have listened to me if I had just said, 'You're not coming!'. Seeing as she has worked together with us for such a long time and all... That's why I had to explain it to her like that..."

”...Like a moody dick? Remember how we were gonna freeze you in carbonite a month ago ‘cuz of that ‘personality quirk’... Might wanna put a button on that, chief.”

"The people gathered in Nisan need Elly. She's gotta realize how much people are depending on her. I can't put her in a dangerous situation..."

"But the way you said it was a little harsh."

"You didn't have to be so cold. She was crying, you know?"

"But..."

*shakes head* "I am sure she realizes that."

*nods* "I agree. Maybe you are the one who doesn't understand?"

"Me?... I don't understand?"

"A lady's... heart...?"

"She wants to go, to be with you, Fei... Until the end."

“Yeah.”

”Fei, clearly you suck with women. I mean how many other love interests have you had?”
“Umm... Well, I sorta kinda had this thing with a girl from Lahan...”
“And how did that end?”
“I... Er... I may have... That is... vaporized...her...”
“Well, there you go! Lemme tell you what you do!”

Bart hops on the dinner table...

“'Let's go together!' ... Just like that!"

”And she’d be all ‘oh Bart...let’s go together...let’s go all the way!’ And then we’d make out. Yeah...”

"Really?"

"Um... no... I mean... errh..."

"Young master, don't overdo yourself now..."

*jumps off table* “Ah, shut up!”

"Anyhow, why don't you go ask her to come with you? Whether she'll go or not, you should express your feelings in words. If you really care about her, you have to go tell her."

"Express your feelings... right?"

"Too late now. Everyone knows it."

*ponders* "You are not being true to yourself, are you?"

"I agree."

"Fei... say it... straight out..."

"Go ahead... Go chase after her! What are you waiting for?"

”Look, we ALL know you’ve got the hots for a certain redhead in uniform. Just go frickin’ tell her you like her already. Kinda got the fate of the world to attend to here...”

The sole piece of gameplay we get for this entire chapter is walking around the room talking to everybody. So let’s hear everyone’s thoughts on Fei and Elly finally hooking up.

”Bart, have you ever actually scored with anyone before...?”
“Tch. Yeah! Totally. Like doz—HUNDREDs of women, dude. I was a pirate, man. You know what that life is like.”
“Uh...huh...”

”Yeah, yeah... I know. I’m being a jerk. Hey, I gotta question for ya. Well, about Bart...”
“Shoot.”
“How many girlfriends has Bart had?”
“Well, you’re using a plural in that sentence. So whatever he told you is a load of crap.”
“Ha. Figured as much.”

”This coming from a guy with a fem-bot doppelganger? Whatever, Henry.”
“BILLY!”
“I’m not a bully. I’m just telling it like it is. And you really need to work on that weird accent.”
*grumbles*

”Hey, doc. I’m pretty sure you’re the only one here that has had an actual relationship. How did you and Yui get together?”
“I met her during an invasion of Shevat I lead back in my youth.”
“You...what?!”
“I was dueling her grandfather, the Sage Gaspar, in a sword fight and saw her there. It was love at first sight.”
“...”
“Plus she is also quite the accomplished swords wielder herself. I admit that was a bit...intriguing...”
“...Yui? Ergh...forget I asked...”

”Kim wait.... Old Elly ratta-tat-tat and dead... No good... Kim sad.”
“...Noted.”

”Oh god. You’re still here?!”
“If things don’t work out with Elly, don’tchu worry. Chuthulhu always be here for you.”
“...Hate. Cannot put into words my hate.”

”...On second thought, let’s not ask the thirteen year old girl.”

“...but Hammer used to tell me to 'be nice to women!'..."

*frown* “I miss Hammer.”

”No? Too busy butlering...?”
“The term is ‘buttling’, sir.”
“Yeah. That. Too busy with that to get with the ladies, huh?”
“Oh, no sir. You misunderstand me. My skills in the art of relationship cultivation are lacking. Should you need instructions on the art of love making, I consider myself a master of the craft. A well experienced master.”
“...Uh huh...”

If we try to wander off, Margie (or Bart or Citan) will bitch us out and tell Fei to go make nice with Elhaym. Of course, nobody really indicated where she ran off crying to. I figured she might have ended up... I don’t know? Margie’s room?”

But nope. She is down in Hammer and Rico’s room for...some reason... Sure, why not? Let’s get this awkward romance business over with. At this rate, maybe Fei will make it to first base by the end of the game.

Music: Shattering Egg of Dreams

“Now for the first time, people, on both earth and Solaris, are becoming one. But then, not all of them are strong like the crew of this ship, or the people in Shevat. Even we almost lose sight of our future at times... so you can imagine what regular people go through. That's why people need someone like you to depend on... As a light to guide us. You freed the hearts of the people that have been used as tools by that Ministry for hundreds of years. Elly, it was you! And now your body doesn't just belong to you alone anymore. That's why I can't let you be in any danger. And that's why I don't want you to fight anymore."

”Ah geez... That came out kind of rambling, didn’t it. Let me start over...”

“...It's funny, isn't it?”

“Huh?”

"We used to be enemies, but now we're together like this... In the beginning... I think I saw myself in you. We seemed to overlap... You being in a similar situation as I was in. When I was with you, I didn't feel alone or apprehensive. That's why I thought I liked you... But, it wasn't that. I simply didn't have the courage to look at my true self. I turned to you to run away from it all... I mistook that for love."

“It has all become clear to me now. I also learned that I really do need you... It's not because I need you as a sanctuary for my problems. I need you because I truly love you."

“Elly...”

"I know what you're saying, Fei. I know why you're so concerned for my safety... But you know, I'm... scared. I fear we may never see each other again... I just have this feeling."

*shakes head* "Don't worry, I won't die."

”I might end up in some jail or turn evil or stuck in some techno-S&M machine. But I’m pretty hard to kill.”

* shakes head* "No, it's not that... It's something completely different... It's as if I'm being torn apart by something I can't resist... That I'm no longer me... Even if you come back safely... It still... It just feels so uneasy... That is why I need to go with you. I can't bear to be away from you."

*nods* "I feel the same way... Ever since the time I met you in that forest... I think it's the same feeling that you've been having... I was also running to you. But I have to solve my own problems. I can't throw my problems onto you."

*raises hand* "There is another me... 'Id' is within me... I fear that at any moment Id may awaken within me. You're the only one that has been able to keep me from giving in to Id. It was because you were always by my side that I was still able to keep from losing myself."

Fei walks over to Elly...

“So... that is... Elly, I want you to be my reason to return... To be my home that I can return to... Elly, if you will wait for me to come back... even if we are in totally different places... As long as you will stay by my side... I know I'll be able to do anything..."

“Oh, Fei...”

Click to view scene

And so we fade out as Fei and Elly share their first kiss.

Well, it only took 109 updates from the male and female leads both being introduced to them finally getting to first base. I’ve seen wor—

The next morning...

...Oh. Wow... No dopey fan speculation about what happened after the scene faded out or ambiguous scenes. Fei and Elly straight up banged. Huh... I’ll give you props for that, Xenogears. Though, Elly is probably going to need to re-name her giant robot now...

"Yeah, sorry. Did I wake you?"

"It's okay. I've been awake all along..."

“All along?”

"Uh-huh. I was watching over you while you slept... And before I realized it, it was morning..."

”Also you mumble flashbacks a LOT in your dreams. So there was that...”

“...”

"W, well, I'm off."

"Alright then... Do be careful..."

*nods* "Yeah, I will... Oh! Could you hold on to this for me?"

Fei pulls out something and holds it up...

"I don't know whose it is. It seems it was on me when I was brought into Lahan. It may be mine, or it could be..."

“It could be...?”

*shakes head* "Oh, nothing... Will you just hold on to it for me?"

”Well, it has showed up like 90 times swinging around. I’m guessing it’s kinda important either way...”

"Alright. I'll hold on to it for you."

*begins walking away* "Thanks. ...Well, I guess it's goodbye!"

“Oh... Fei.”

*turns back* “Yeah?”

"Thank you..."

Fei nods, snaps his fingers and points at Elly, and struts out of the room with a huge sly grin on his face. Scene!

Later that day...

“Don't you want to be with him?"

"Yes... But, it's because I believe in him. Just being close to a person is not in itself an indication of love, is it?"

"But... men are selfish... When something big happens, they say... 'It's too dangerous... You can't come!' They treat women like we are weaklings. Although, it is true I can't help Bart and his friends much anymore..."

”Not having a giant robot has made that a bit challenging...”

"That's not true. Everyone wants someone special waiting for them. Someone who will protect a place they can return to. If you don't have that peace of mind, then you would not be able to get anything done... Men try to tough it out as much as they can, and then some... They're cute the way they do that, aren't they?"

"Yeah, you're right..."

“And, while we do them, let's pray that everyone comes back safely."

"To god?"

"No... To your own innermost feelings that everyone believes in..."

“...”

"What's wrong?"

"I knew it... Yes, that must be it!"

"What?"

"Elly, it's like everyone says! You must be a reincarnation of Sophia! You have no way of knowing the Nisan Sect's teachings, but what you say...well, it's exactly the same as what Sophia always said."

”Also the whole looking EXACTLY like the painting of Mother Sophia.”
“Yeah, I saw that. Kind of creepy, to be honest... But...”

"Yes... That might be it."