Part 30: Episode XXVIII: Fei Fong Wong and the Drive of the Gebler Goobers

Episode XXVIII: Fei Fong Wong and the Drive of the Gebler Goobers




We rejoin Fei and the Red Shirt Gear squadron as they ascend the mountain face for their diversion mission.




This translates into a really boring, but mercifully short dungeon full of platforming with absolutely nothing of note design wise. Well, other than the fact that having random battles trigger mid-jump over chasms (and completely taking control away from the player as said battle begins to load) is kind of a dick move.


The only thing of particular note here is at the peak of the inner caverns. There is a repair bot camped out right next to a save point. This repair bot has an unremarkable Gear Store. Well...other than the fact we can tune-up and refuel Weltall here for chump change, making this a fantastic spot to do a bit of grinding. We’re limited to Gear combat only, so no Deathblow skill raising. But, we can easily boost Fei several levels in no time at all. I like to boost him to a nice even Level 30 before venturing forth.


There isn’t much in the way of variety as far as random encounters go. The May Fly (horrific bug/Gear hybrids) and the giant flying jellyfish creatures return from the Stalactite Caves. The first of which still drops a cool 600-700G a pop, so this is also a nice area to mill the war chest funds. The only new creature is this flower...dinosaur hybrid, the Edelweiss. These ridiculous looking abominations aren’t much of a threat. They just kind of attempt to bite Weltall to little affect. But, they do drop around 1000 XP a pop and go down in on Strong hit followed up by a Deathblow. So hey, I’m not complaining...

After grinding, Fei heads back outside through an upper opening in the cave...


"What?"


Oh boy, it’s the Gebler Goobers and Lieutenant Elhaym. I suspect severe incompetence and melodrama, respectively.

Music: Knight of Fire


“B, but...”
"We don't have time! While we're wasting time here, Bart's team is already on their way to the castle. Hurry!"
”Besides, I already fought these guys. I could beat ‘em while piss drunk with both my arms blown off.”
“R, roger.”


"Hey, is that him? The guy from before?"
"Yep. That's him alright."
"Good. It's time for a rematch. Don't fall behind, sister."
"You're in the way. Why don't you stay over there and just watch."
"Yeah, yeah. We can take care of these guys on our own."
"Sorry about this."
"Get outta the way."


Pfft. The Gebler Goobers don’t follow any silly as “strategy” or “orders”. Rushing in head on against a vastly superior Gear and flailing about aimlessly is the Gebler credo.


Time for another boss rush against these losers. This time it’s just Fei flying solo. A lot of people have trouble with this section. But I never found it particularly difficult. It is recommended to slap on a Beam Coat accessory on Weltall beforehand to neuter many of the enemy’s attacks.




The first round is against Renk and Helmholtz’s Wandknights. These seem to have gotten no upgrades whatsoever since the previous battle. They just kind of fire the occasional beam rifle shot and that’s about it.




The easiest way to take out most of the Gebler Goobers is to just pick one of the enemies and wail on it with Strong attacks to build up the Attack Level to 2. When that is accomplished, we just pick another enemy Gear and unleash a Level 2 Deathblow on it. That will one-shot the targeted Gear. Afterwards, one more Strong attack will take out our original target.


After the Wandknights retreat, we are immediately tossed into another battle with Vance’s Clawknight (the yellow one), Stratski’s Swordknight (the purple one), and Broyer’s Aegisknight (the blue one.)




Clawknight still just uses wimpy swiping attacks and Aegisknight uses the non-wrestling Pile Driver to weaken our armor, followed up by even wimpier attacks.


The one we really need to worry about is Swordknight. It seems Stratski has realized it’s pretty silly to use just guns when his Gear is called friggin’ Swordknight, so he’ll actually utilize his whip chain shoulder accessories for some pretty brutal combos doing upward of 200 HP of damage. As such, he’s the priority for this battle.


And by “priority” I mean “wail on Clawknight a couple rounds and then perform a Level 2 Deathblow on it”. After that, we can easily mop-up the other two Gears with little difficulty. We really want to have upward of 2000 HP before round three kicks in, as that is the only real threat of this band of mid-bosses.


"Vance! Helm! You two okay!?"
"Why am I losing to a Lamb? Something's wrong...way wrong!!"
"Vance!! Get a hold of yourself!"
”We may be insubordinate, sexist, and terrible disorganized in tactics. But I will NOT tolerate racism in this squadron.”
"Oh yeah!? I just need more! I need more 'Drive'!!"
"...I can't do it. I can't... fight Fei... but..."


I can’t fight my friend...so time to shoot-up some Space Heroin. And you wonder why nobody takes you seriously, Elly.

Introspective flashback time! Dutch angle edition!


”It’ll just turn you into a violent junkie. What are you worried about...?”


”Don’t you want to chase the dragon...for science?”


”We’ve just assigned you to a high rfanking position as a teenager and put you in the lead of your own unit as a recruit fresh out of the academy due to it. That doesn’t mean you are exempt from experimental mind-altering psychotropic narcotics.”

Music: Tears of Stars, Hearts of the People


WAH! Disc 2 Spotlight! Get the fuck out of here! It’s too soon! Too soon!


”Yeah, but it usually doesn’t cause people to disembowel others and play jump rope with their entrails...”


”Oh well...someone go get a mop...”


”Uniformed blonde guys are a dime a dozen in the glorious empire of Solaris. Don’t sweat it, Miss Van Houten.”






Yeah...so when a drugged up Elly tells you to back the fuck up...you’d best back the fuck up...

Back in the present...


"I don't care! I'm already messed up as it is!!"
”You think I mean to look this smug all the time? My face is STUCK like this!”
"Stop this now, Vance. ...I'll handle it."


This is your Gear... This is your Gear on drugs! Any questions?

Music: Knight of Fire


"...That voice!? ...Elly? Elly, is that you?!?"
*snicker* “Uhh...nice Gear... Very...uhh...yeah.”


Time to fight a doped up Elhaym and her Vierge Gear. This battle is the only actual somewhat difficult part of the whole boss rush.


And I assure you it is not due to Vierge’s punches exploding into a fountain of cartoon hearts...


”Are you like...having your period or something?”
“...”
“Guess not... Oh, wait...”
“Don't tell me you're using that personality-changing drug that Bart told us about!?"
"It has nothing to do with you. And would you quit trying to be so friendly!"
”I didn’t know accusing someone of drug use fell under friendliness points...”








Vierge demonstrates its super attack. It’s nice enough not actually to damage Weltall this time. That will not hold true further into the battle...


"Those were Aerods!"
"Aerods?"
"Animum Ether Response-Offensive Drones... Commonly known as Aerods... Within Gebler, there are only a handful of people capable of using them... From what I hear, it should only be people from the Elements Class."
"B, but isn't it like a side effect of the 'Drive'? It's no big deal, right...?"
"...No, the Drive can only draw upon the potential that already exists in her. You're looking at...the real thing boys!"
"Elly, stop it! Why must we fight!?"


“We are the chosen people, the Abel... Our purpose of existence is to subordinate the earth dwelling 'Lambs'. ...Those who stand in our way must be eliminated!"


Vierge can occasionally bust out a half-way decent combo. But it usually just sticks to one or two hits in a row for 60-100 HP of damage.


“Your emotions are being controlled by the drug!"
"This is my true nature! There is no other!"
"That's a lie! You once felt responsible, blaming yourself for causing the incident in Lahan by landing there. You were considerate of me when I was troubled... The real you would never say anything like that!!"
”Well, other than that time you snapped at me and called me a coward responsible for everything before getting mauled by a dinosaur. But hey...everyone has a bad day.”
"You talk as if you would know... Yet you know nothing!"
”The real you wouldn’t have such terrible comebacks either.”


If anything, this is pretty much a battle of attrition. Using Strong attacks followed by Level 2 Deathblows is the easiest way to make short work of Vierge. Like I said earlier, it’s best to come off the Gebler Goobers with 2000+ HP to be on the safe side.


"...Argh! Elly... Must I fight you!?"
”And must EVERYONE evil I fight be so damn scenery chewing hammy? Sheesh.”






As you can imagine, Elly’s Aerods attack is the biggest threat in this battle. We want a decent reserve of hit points primarily for this. Each time Vierge performs Aerods we can pretty much kiss 300+ HP goodbye. So, we basically have to suck it up and hope she doesn’t decide to use it too often. I was pretty lucky during this battle, as she only decided to use it a solitary time before the battle ended. I’ve had her be a total jerk before and use it three times in a row too. So, we’re pretty much at the mercy of the AI for this one. Depleting Vierge’s 2400 HP will end the battle.


“I'll put you out of your misery now!"
”What are you talkin’ about? I’m just getting ready to get all down, right fierce in this fight.”
"Fear not! In return for treating me so kindly, I will kill you painlessly. Farewell, Fei..."


*scream*
"Uhh! ... Aagh... Ah... M, my head..."


“I can probably stop her now!!"
”’Kay, think Fei... How do you stop a big girly Gear on the rampage?”


Weltall runs over and tackles Vierge. Oh, come on Fei. That’s just a giant robot sexual harassment suit waiting to happen.


"Ugh... Silence! Impertinent fool! I will not listen to a Lamb..."


"Are you okay!? Elly! What!? Are the effects of the drug wearing off?"
”That was a pretty damn short high.”
"Uuahh!"
"Is that it? Elly! Is that what's happening!?"


“I've no need for outward appearances of compassion... I, I...erh F... Fe...i..."


”N, No...t... good...a...t... b-being....ham...my...vill...ain...”
"Hang in there, Elly! Don't let go of your true self!"
"No---!"
*shriek*






Whoops...look like we caused Elly’s Gear to blow the fuck up. Damn...that is gonna kind of put a hamper on her being the female lead, eh?


Or it just robot faints. Sure...sure, why not? That works too...

A bit later...

Music: Shattering Egg of Dreams


"I warned you... I said the next time we met we'd be...enemies."
”Yeah, well you didn’t mention you’d be shooting up with psycho bitch drugs and running with a buncha mini-bosses.”
“We were kind of in a hurry last time we spoke. I suppose it slipped my mind.”
"But, there's no reason for you to do this to yourself just so you can fight. There's no reason for you and I to fight... None at all."
"There...was no other choice..."
”You’re on the opposite side of a war. This is kind of how these things work, Fei.”
“Yeah, well... It’s still not cool.”
"I'm a Solaris officer... I can't turn my back on my unit, the mission..."
"Why did you have to use the 'Drive'?"
"I didn't want to... When I use it, I change. I feel like I'm dominated by some unknown power that I never wanted... There's a power in me I don't want to admit. But...I want to protect my allies... So, I had no choice but to use...the 'Drive'."
”The allies that were talking you down constantly and ignoring everything you say.”
“It’s complicated, alright?”
"...Elly, you're the same as me."
”I mean, minus the narcotics abuse and affiliation with some crazy sky fascists shadow government.”


“I felt I knew you ever since I first met you... Probably because our problems were so similar."
"I'm here for you. It may not be much, but at least I can relate to how you feel, Elly."
"What? Are you saying we lick each other's wounds?"
"No, that's not...”
<Wait, the hell am I talking about? That sounds totally hot, idiot.>
“Well, I guess I am... Sorry..."
”So uhh...you wanna go first? Or should I?”
“...I was not talking in a literal sense, Fei. Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“Of course! I was just joking. Ahahaha!” *cough*
*looks down* "...I'm sorry. I'm not being fair, am I...?"
"No, I'm just pessimistic sometimes. But... even so, it's better than worrying about it by yourself."
"Fei..."
"You won't change your mind...?"
”We could REALLY use a chick in our party. It’s been a total sausage fest since you left back in the forest.”
"Please, don't look so sad. I have no choice. It is my only home..."


"If you can, get out of the army, Elly... That look doesn't suit you at all."
”Though I’m just talking about the professional soldier look. Keep the uniform... That fits juuuust fine...”
“...”
_{”Ah, crap... I said that aloud, didn’t I...?”}
*cough* “Uhh...gotta go! Take care!”


And away we go. It sure was nice for the rest of the Gebler lackeys to buzz off to allow Elly time to have a heart-to-heart with the enemy combatant.




There’s still like a minute left of dungeon crawling. But who cares about that? Tune in next time for Prince Bartholomew’s second assault on Fatima Castle this week!









Music: Shattering Egg of Dreams




Edelweiss Concept Art – Man fuck plants on this planet...


Drugged Elly Concept Art – Oh hey, Hanch. Good to see you’re still getting work.