Part 46: Episode XLIV: Fei and Citan – Not Ticket? No Problem!
Episode XLIV: Fei and Citan – Not Ticket? No Problem!Music: Invasion – I am so frickin' sick of this track...
Welp, Rico got arrested and is almost certainly gonna get executed. That’s rough.
Let’s take the time to raid the Kaiser’s room while he’s attending to his utterly inept assassin/son. Unlike most RPGs, there are really VERY few instances in Xenogears where we can just waltz into someone’s dwelling and raid their closet for goods. So it’s nice the few times it crops up.
Also in the Kaiser’s organ room is a Metronome Piggy Bank. This is a little mini-game where the little ticker goes back and forth and if Fei can stop it precisely dead center then he’ll earn some extra pocket change. And I mean it has to be pixel perfect. So, good luck with that.
Via
Oh well. That’s all for the Government District. We can now head back to A Block to see what’s shakin’ with Hammer regarding Weltall’s location.
Back to A Block. Hey, what happened to B Block...?
"Hee-hee, I've pinpointed where your Gear is bro!"
"...Hold on a second! (Don't you think it's dangerous to talk about that stuff around here!)" "Huh? What's with you, bro? I have info on your Gea..."Fei leaps over and nearly decks Hammer in the face...
“Ietquay aboutway iantgay obotsray aroundway oldierssay!”
*shakes head* "I will explain later! Just move it, O.K.!"Fei and Citan wander off...
"Waaaaaaiiiii----t!"A bit later...
“There was nowhere else we could talk about it..." ”Well, except for my new pad over in D Block. But that is way too much of a walk.”
"No, it's okay. I haven't been able to see Hammer in a while." "Sis, you didn't forget about me. I'm so t, touched!" ”You’re a bit hard to forget... No, I do not have any morphine I can ‘misplace’. So do not ask.” “Oh, no worries, sis. The cabinet barely has anyone attending it these days. I’m stocked for a loooong time.” “...” “Ergh... Well, Fei. Shouldn’t we get started?! Yes.” "Alright, Hammer. So tell me where my Gear is." "Huh? Oh!? Yeah, the Gear. I almost forgot. As the doc predicted, bro. Your Gear has been moved to another dispatchment dock." *nods* "So, where on earth is Weltall?" "Not 'on earth', but under the earth! It's in an underground dock in D Block!”
”Ugh!” “I've checked into it and found out that there are two routes we can use to sneak inside. The first one requires us to enter via the Battling Arena grounds."
"The second way is a little dangerous as it involves the supply train tunnel. You have to get into the tunnel's ducts and follow them right through till they lead to the docks. But I couldn't find out the duct's layout... Sorry, bro." "...Oh that tunnel, huh? Well, now that we have the bomb problem off of our necks, we might be able to make a go of it!" "Yes, but we are still left with not knowing the times that the trains pass by on. Will a supply train pass by at a time that is of any use to us?" "Not all of this has to be decided now. Let's take our time and plan it carefully! Firstly Hammer, I'm sorry to put you out, but... Could you find out the days and times that the supply trains operate on for us please?" "I'll get right on it, bro. Well then, I'll be off!"Hammer runs off...
Alright. So we’re jumping onto a train to sneak into an underground Gear dock that is beneath the prison sector for...some reason. Sure, why not? Maybe we’ll find a golden shiny wire of hope along the way.
Fei and Citan immediately get stopped by some goons in D Block upon entering...
"Don't be so cruel. We've been waiting for you." "Waiting? For......us?"
"Please, come with us..." "...This isn't going to be another stupid 'Baptism Ceremony' is it?" ”Cuz I’m just saying, the last time people put me through that they all ended up dead. If you catch my drift.” “Wasn’t that a monster from the sewers’ fault?” “They’re still dead, ain’t they?”
"Hey, hey, wait a minute! We're not trying to pick a fight. Keep talking like that and there's bound to be a misunderstanding. Leave this to me..." "Right, sorry." "...Well, I assume you are not hostile..." ”Don’t be so sure, doc. She could turn into like a cave troll if we get into a fight.” "...Not here. Let's go somewhere else. Come, follow me." "It seems we have no choice. Shall we go Fei?"Everyone heads back to the Champ’s loft apartment...
Music: Pray for the People’s Joy
”Think you could turn down that music before we begin? It’s a bit distracting.” “Dunno how. Sorry.” “Oh... That’s got to get annoying. Anyway...” "The Champ...no I mean... Rico needs your help." "Help the Champion...?" "Hang on, what do you mean?" ”Guy has to be ass deep in a Kislev gulag by now. What can we do?” "Y'know what just happened... The special broadcast on the dorm's vid by the Committee!" "Yeah, y'know, the broadcast said somthin' like this... This evening, the former Champion was found guilty of attempting to assassinate the Kaiser, as well as breaking Imperial Code section B..."
"Yes, I know he got caught, and was arrested... But, what's this about an attempted assassination of the Kaiser!?" "Those committee members... The Champ probably got in their way somehow..." "...The Battling Committee?" "The Battling Committee is made up mostly of people from the 'Ethos'. They used to have a lot of pull in the government... But the current Kaiser, Sigmund, ousted almost all of the 'Ethos' influence from the government." ”The Gear fixing church guys? Since when were they in politics?” “Since a while. Where are you from?” "On top of that, these past few years... In order to strengthen the military or something, the Kaiser has started to interfere with the Battling operated by the 'Ethos'. The Kaiser probably got in the way of them operating the Battling smoothly. So, they used the Champ..." "Why Rico...?" ”I mean a seven foot tall green mutant Carrot Top isn’t my first pick for secret assassin.” "Rico was originally born in this town... But because Sigmund whipped up anti-demi-human sentiment, Rico was chased out of this town when he was young. So Rico hated the Kaiser, the capital Nortune, and the whole Kislev Empire." "And that's why they went after Rico..." "In the past, the Champ has had many chances to kill the Kaiser. That the earlier crash into the box seat was disguised as an accident..." "But that failed too. The committee, fearing being exposed, used Rico..." "The Champ is being manipulated by the committee. Please, Fei! Help the Champ." "Now, you are the Battling Champ, but our Champ is..." "B, b, bro-!! Are you he-re?" ”Stop saying ‘Champ’! It doesn’t even sound like a real word anymore.”Hammer dashes upstairs and starts rambling...
"...Wha? Hey bro, what are you doing talking with them?" "Hold on a minute. Hammer, tell me about those supply trains." "Huh? Is it...alright? With these outsiders...?" "It is alright, they are our friends." ”Well, we met ‘em like three minutes ago. But I’m pretty sure they aren’t armed Kislev soldiers this time. So blab away.” "Oh, really? Well, okay... The next supply train's operating date is...tonight! But...if that's too soon, then the next one is..." "Hammer, did you say that a supply train will pass by here tonight?" "What? Tonight? Well there are trains passing through... Um, but bro...we need a thorough plan. Tonight is impossible!" "The situation has changed, and so have our plans. We move tonight!!" "We move tonight...? What the...? Are you serious?" ”Seriously, I just want to be over and done with this place. Now!” "...Did you hear any interesting tidbits of information outside?" "Well...the dorms are in an uproar over that Master Rico thing..." "Do you know any details? Rico is to be executed at the arena, tonight, right?" "Master Rico's going to be executed... is this true?" "Didn't you say there was one more route?" "Huh? Oh yeah, you mean via the arena, right... Bro! You're not thinking..." "Yes I am thinking exactly that! You said it may be possible to get out through the Battling Arena, right?" "I see! Then we probably can help the Champion... Hmm. It might just work!" ”Grab my Gear, bust in and save Blanka, get the hell outta this crappy town forever. Gonna be quite the night.”
“Might just work...? You don't intend to just go bursting into the arena, do you?" "Either way, we were going to escape via the arena, so it's on our way...right!?" "Then that means...?" "No problem. It's just one more thing to do on the way to getting my Gear back..." "Leave the rest to us. And I would like you all to go to the arena tonight. We will leave Nortune, but if they think you were all involved with us, I do not know what they might do..." "We're counting on you...for the Champ's sake." "Sorry, we had to ask you to do this..." "We really appreciate what you're doing... Here... please take this."
Our half-assed plan nets us 2000G. Man, are they gonna feel silly when we just launch Weltall out of the cargo dock and skip town.
The three Battlers depart...
“When we get out into the arena, I'm just going to go wild in my Gear...” ”Now, I’m just saying that this sometimes results in my flipping out and blowing up several miles of land. So you might want to get some distance from the arena, just to be on the safe side.” “We'll play it by ear from there to escape from the Imperial capital... You got it, Hammer?" "I got you, bro! Show them your stuff for me too, bro!"Hammer runs off...
Welp, we can dick around town for a bit now. But it has become nighttime and most everywhere is closed at the moment. So, let’s just have Citan and Fei snuggle up in Rico’s bed for a few hours so the mission can begin.
Later that evening...
Music: Jaws of Ice
We need to clamber up on the roofs of D Block again to reach the train tower overlooking the train tracks. Which means running across town back to the dorms, climbing back up to where the sewer level entrance is located, running in circles and probably slipping off the roof a couple times until finally reaching the top. I hate this town...
“No matter what you say, I can't.” ”Wasn’t going to ask you, so don’t sweat it. I’ve got enough dead weight party members if I go save Rico.” “Well it's time... Tonight's train will be coming through here... I wish you success. Maybe...we can meet again."
There’s a train going past every minute or so. All we need to do is wait for one to pass by and jump on for some train surfing. Nobody better post this on Youtube!
"It's all because of those mischievous punks! When the old man's gone they always do this. Oh well." "Kind of odd hearing that from a mischievous 'you know who'." "Huh? You say something?" ”I am not even sure what we were talking about to begin with, to be honest.” "Well, anyway, we should be alright if we take this all the way. As for the mission, so far so good."
Music: Fuse
”What?! WHY?!” “Murphy’s Law of Train Ride Stealing. If a train car could come uncoupled during the course of a daring train hijacking, then it WILL come uncoupled.” “That’s dumb!” “Just jump!”The two jump to the next train car.
"What if it derails before we get to the Gear dock..."The next car coupling starts groaning...
”Had to open my big mouth.” "This car is unstable too. Let us get to the front!!"The duo jump to the lead engine...
"Pretty unreliable train." ”What the...? Nobody is even driving this stupid thing!” “I am beginning to see where your hatred of this town hails from...” "The entrance to the ventilation shaft that leads to the Gear dock should be coming up soon."
And so the two jump from a speeding, out of control train (which is speeding and out of control for absolutely no reason other than DRAMA) into a small air duct on the side of the wall. Action!
Fei Fong Wong Faces Concept Art