Part 57: Episode LIV: Fei Fong Wong and the Treachery of the Haishao

Episode LIV: Fei Fong Wong and the Treachery of the Haishao

Music: Thames, the Men of the Sea


*munch* “Elly, I had to skip breakfast this morning! BREAKFAST! That’s like the most important meal of the day!”
"Gah ha ha ha ha... This is great, this is great. I like how you eat. You weren't drifting around for nuthin'..."








Captain of the Thames is clearly the best character. Can’t we trade him out for Rico?


"Did we just shake?"
"You're just imagining it."
"I don't think so!"

The ship shakes a bit again... One of the crew members runs down to the Captain.


"Got it. I'm on the way. Looks like something's up. Sorry, but I have to return to the bridge. But please, enjoy yourselves."
”So you’re not gonna finish that burger? Score!”

Fei turns and looks out the window whilst wolfing down more food...


"It's too far, I can't see very well. But it looks like...a battle!"
"Let's go to the bridge too."
"Okay."
”Man I ain’t fought anything in like a week.”
“We were only stranded for barely two days, Fei.”
*pockets a bag of chips* “Well, it FELT like a week.”

Fei and Elly return to the bridge...


"Hey Hans, I haven't fired the big gun in a long time. How about we take a shot or two?"
"Are you kidding? Why get the Thames involved in a fight between sides who are neither enemies nor allies? And that big gun is nothing but a useless piece of junk you tacked onto the Thames in a druken stupor!"
"You just don't understand the code of the men of the sea..."
”Captain, with all due respect I am a frakkin’ dolphin...”

Fei wanders over with Elly...


"It seems like a submarine is under attack."
"Submarine?"

The Captain motions for Fei to take a peak in the telescope...


"Hey, that's..."


"What? What's wrong?"
"That's the Yggdrasil!"
"Isn't that Bart's ship?"
”Good memory...”
<Wait...when did I ever mention Bart’s ship’s name to her...?>
"Yeah. He's still alive. Alright! We can't just sit here! Let's go!"
"Go where?"
"To help, what else?"
"Without a Gear?"
"Hmm... Yeah...that could prove difficult...”
"Hold yer horses."

The Captain wanders over to the bridge’s intercom...


“The repairs will be done shortly.”
"Two minutes."
“Huh?”
"Finish in two minutes! Then take them out through the supply entrance to the deck!"
“Y, yessir!”
*turns back to Fei and Elly* “Your Gears are being moved to the deck. Go get 'em. If you need to you can buy equipment at the supply entrance shop."
"What are you saying Captain? What if we get bombed while we're caught up in the middle of a fight?"
"Be quiet!! Our guests are fighting to save their friends. Don't get in the way! If we don't help, it'll tarnish the men of the sea's good name!!"
"......Yessir. But the Thames itself will not join in any fights."
"Thanks. That's more than enough."






And with that Weltall and Vierge zoom off to help the Yggdrasil fight...whatever it is they’re fighting... Good thing only one model of any large warship is ever constructed in fantasy settings. Fei would feel pretty silly if he flew to the rescue only to find that it was just a Yggdrasil model sub with a crew of portraitless Aveh sailors.

Music: Steel Giant


“Just when I thought we were saved, now we're gonna be turned into Swiss cheese."
"We are not particularly liked here, are we?"
”I will warn you, if you do choose to stay with this party, events like this do occur with troubling frequency...”
“Meh...like I said, it isn’t like I have anything better to do at the moment...”

Vierge and Weltall land on the Yggdrasil...


"Somehow."
”Yeah. Wegotshipwreckedonapieceofdebriswithourgearsandalmoststarvedtodeathandthenanicewalruscaptainmansavedusandgaveusabunchafoodandfi—“
“...We can catch up later, Fei. There are more pressing issues at current.”
"This is no time for tearful reunions."
”You’re still here...?”
"Yeah... Where's Bart?"
"He is fighting below. He said he was going to hold them back until the depth charges were ready. But he left without the proper hydropreps... We are busy trying to ready the depth charges. Your Gears should be able to handle underwater warfare to some extent. Go help him out."
"Got it. Elly, let's go."


Weltall and Vierge jump into the water. Since, Gears can apparently fight underwater now... Sure, why not? Citan, of course, opts to do fuck all once again to help in the battle. You’re starting to slide onto my shit list, Dr. Uzuki...

Under the sea...


"Looks like you're having a tough fight, Bart."
"Fei!? You're alive!?"
"Hey, that's my line."


”And this is...?”
“Elly. Remember from when we rescued Margie?”
“Barely. Man, Fei I thought I told you not to hook up with Gebler chicks. That’s just asking for trouble. You should just settle for someone more your speed...like that Hammer fellow you were apparently running with while I was gone...”
“...I am regretting this decision to help you already.”
“Hehehe.”
“People...Gear...attacking? Anyone going to pay attention?”


The underwater Gear rushes up to Vierge and gives it a great big hug. Aww...


"Dominia!? Why are you here?"
"Why? We Gebler need no special reasons to sink an enemy ship! It is our divine duty to rule those crass land dwelling Lambs."
"But why? How are they different from us Shepherds, the -Abel-?"
"To me -Lambs- and -Abel- are the same. The only definite difference is personal ability.”
”Oh hey, you. What, I didn’t kick your ass hard enough earlier this week?”
“Silence!”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll just take a quick siesta while you wax on about how Solaris has the best tits in the show...”
“The ignorant must be led by the wise. That is our job. Look what you've gained as an Element, Elly. Why do you even question? Your superiority is obvious!"
"...So the wise harming the weak is a sign of ability? I didn't want that... That's all!!"
*charges next to Vierge* "Elly, are you alright?"


“How amusing, Elhaym. All this for a man? I guess that story was true after all. You were born of those lowly Lambs."
"Stop! Don't say another word!"
”Dominia...”
"Hmph, what are you going to do about it, mongrel!? Are you going to use the power you used in that incident on me now?”
“Dominia!”
“Go ahead. Show me. Show me your true power!"
"...I will. If you Gebler are wise...then I'd rather be a fool!!"
"Then so be it. Then you shall be dealt with as the traitor you are."
”Dominia...the ship we were targeting has been readying depth charges while you and Officer Van Houten were having your discussion. We may want to go ahead and fight them already...”

Music: Knight of Fire




Alright, time to take on the Haishao. This barely qualifies as a real boss battle. Despite looking somewhat formidable (questionable paint scheme notwithstanding), after inflicting only 5000 HP of damage the battle will end. Brigandier and Weltall can dish out 500+ with normal attacks and 800-900 with Deathblows, so reaching that figure takes no time at all.


It’s been a hell of a long time since we’ve used Brigandier in a boss battle. But Bart’s Wild Smile should still be the first move it pulls in the fight. Haishao only has two attacks, one physical and one ether based. So Wild Smile effectively neuters 50% of its fighting ability.


On the Ether front, Haishao has Nereid Cyclone which hits the entire party for around 1000+ HP of water element damage. It only uses this attack every few rounds and I only saw it once, at the very start of the fight, before the Gear’s attack was thwarted.


Haishao’s other attack is whacking a single Gear with one of its arms. Despite having Electric Element in the description, it still counts as a physical attack so Wild Smile does well in halving the damage or else causing it to miss completely.


In any case, after inflicting roughly 5000 HP, Sigurd and the Yggdrasil will have readied their depth charges and fire on the enemy Gear, ending the fight early.




Strangely, it looks an awful lot like Yggdrasil is flying through the air when dropping its “depth charges” instead of floating on the sea. That is totally not because our sand cruiser come submarine flagship will inevitably become an airship later on and they lazily recycled the animation from a regular attack later in the game. That would be silly!


 



"Enough already! Dominia! Retreat!"
"Tch! I was so close. But...don't think I'll be leaving empty-handed, now!"






Dominia proceeds to swim over and kick the shit out of Vierge before dragging off Elly kicking and screaming into the darkness of the sea. Man...that girl just does NOT want to stay in the party for any length of time...

After the battle...


"The enemy...took her."
"Heh, I doubt that..."
"Bart, what do you mean!?"
”Lay off Elly. I know you don’t like her because she was with Gebler. But, you don’t hear me saying anything about your girlfriend being your cousin...”
“Margie is NOT my girlfriend!”
“Dude...we all saw that artwork of you marrying Margie. That’s messed up, bro.”
“...That was just some stupid joke illustration. It’s not canon!”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
"Stop it!! Fei! This is no time for bickering. For now, we must find a place to finish repairing the Yggdrasil."
"......Don't worry. The ship that saved us is nearby. They call it the Thames, and it's about the size of a small city. Their Captain can help us."
"That's......the Thames...?"
“Gah! You’re still here? Hey, where were you for that fight?”
“Does this Gear honestly look like something that will function well underwater...?”
“...Yeah, alright. I’ll give you that one. But what about you, Citan?”
“Yeah, what the hell, doc?”
“I was...assisting Sigurd in aiming the depth charges.”
“You did not such thing. I was standing right here.”
“I do not believe you are technically qualified to make such an assessment...”
“...”




In any case, the Yggdrasil’s long, smooth, solid steel shaft proceeds to slowly couple with the yearning folds of the Thames’ dock. For repairs, of course...










Haisho Gear Concept Art