Part 37: Episode 24 - Promised Reunion
Chapter Twenty Four: Promised ReunionMusic: Intermission
Well, here we are; the final mission. Technically there’s also the epilogue chapter but that’s all text. Chapter twenty four is the final gameplay chapter. There really isn’t much to say; Cage is going after Myona no matter what, so let’s jump right in and finish this thing.
Music: Every Day
: Never better.
: Did you know what I was going to do?: Based on your behaviour thus far, it seemed the most likely possibility.
: I have said this many times before, but I am just a program. There is no reason to apologize to me. Besides…my personality is a copy of Miss Myona’s…So what you perceive of as being ‘me’ is nothing but an illusion.
: Hey, Pharsti. Do you know what a clone is?: An identical life-form made by splicing the genes of a living being and allowing an organism with the same biological makeup to proliferate from the original cell…What about it?
:…different personalities and interests, depending on their environment. So you’re you, even if you did start off as a copy of Myona. And besides…: Besides…?
: Who cares about real or fake? You’re the force that drives me. I can’t go forward without you!: Cage…
:…Fine. Be that way.: Hmm? Did you say something?: No! We do not have time. I am speeding up!
: (Ares, I’ve gotten much stronger…and I’m going to keep going forwards, just like this. I was able to become stronger thanks to meeting everyone. There will be more meetings and more goodbyes, but I won’t let it stop me ever again. Isn’t that the right thing to do, Ares?):…Cage, we can see it now.
Once again the final battlefield will be Marleblanke Dite.
: Now it is also the factory for the Ifrits, as well as the central headquarters from which the children were controlled by Miss Myona.: Yeah. But Zephyrs isn’t around anymore. Hurry, we need to find Myona!As Cage nears Marleblanke Dite he begins to feel uneasy…
: There is only one Frame that could cause Testament to react so strongly…
: The first Frame that Ares used to sink the Bonaparte…the Black OF!: It is coming from that direction. I am heading over there!: Okay. Go ahead, Pharsti!
This should read ‘Promised Reunion’.
Music: Tension
: What?! Cage, I am detecting more reactions like the first one!
Three Ifrits appear in front of Testament!
: Ifrits…
: Myona!
: Cage…it’s dangerous. Why are you here?: Cage…it’s dangerous. Why are you here?Both voices come from different Ifrits!
: I’m not reading any life signs inside those Ifrits. They must be being controlled remotely…which means Miss Myona must be close by.: Cage…this place will explode soon thanks to the UNSF. Please…get out of here. You can still…: Yeah, there’s still enough time, and you’re coming with me. Let’s go home, Myona!
:…to ashes together with this wretched laboratory. That is the only way to redeem myself…
:…:…Please don’t make me suffer any further.Music: Reunion Song Ver. B
Remember the Reunion Song from the final mission of the last playthrough? The version that plays in this route is far more sombre and depressing. You should probably listen to it.
: It is dedicated to the children who were used by Zephyrs in his experiments, and it was passed on from child to child. It’s called ‘The Reunion Song’.: Reunion…Song?
:…for our friends who would never come back. Understand? I don’t deserve to find happiness myself and leave them where they are. The day that I left you…I had already made my decision by then. Cage…I’ll force you out of here if I have to!
Four more Ifrits join the rest!
: Myona! Why do we have to fight?!:…
:…me!: Cage, none of those Ifrits are carrying Myona! We should destroy them and force her to come out herself!: Okay, Pharsti!The game gives us control here!
Mission Map:
Player Phase Music: Wetworks
Enemy Phase Music: Atrocity
The mission map is exactly the same as the final mission from the previous playthrough, although the units are vastly different. It starts off with just Testament facing down no less than seven Ifrits. Seven Ifrits who will gleefully mob you and stab you to death if you give them half a chance.
…Yeah, if we’re not careful we’ll be the ones on the receiving end of a fatal mob stabbing this time.
Contrary to what Pharsti says, the objective here is simply to survive a set number of turns, which is good because facing down seven Ifrits is an enormous pain even with IBS and Double Action. It might even be the hardest part of the entire game.
I’m going to skip ahead a handful of turns until the plot kicks in. In that time I manage to take out two of the Ifrits whilst taking two hits myself. It sounds like an even exchange, perhaps even favourable, but the Ifrits all have accuracy ratings of 50% or greater and can kill Testament in three hits.
:…my promise to Ares!:…: Cage…An alarm buzzes in Testament’s cockpit!
: No! This is…!Music: Z.O.E 2173
:…piece of my mind later on!
: You…already gave me…more than just a piece…The cavalry arrives, deploying right into the enemy ranks in a rather hilarious fashion.
:…: What are you guys all doing here?
: I told you I’d come with you!: But…
: Yes, let’s! But…will we have enough time…?
: In the soccer world, they would call this ‘injury time’.I’m not sure you quite understand how
football works, Mebius. 
:…going home alive!: Everyone…you did it just for me?
: One for all and all for one, as they say. Don’t worry about it…let’s do it!The Saoshyant retreats.
Then the dogpiling commences.
Basically; the Ifrits get their asses beat. However! It’s a good idea to leave one of them alive. The next phase of the mission won’t begin until the last Ifrit is dead, and we want to be able to set ourselves up properly to complete the mission with a minimum of fuss.
The position we want to be in is right up here, on the northern half of the Metatron mine entrance. Cheesing it a little? Perhaps, but at this point I’m not in the mood to spend six turns hard-charging it down the slope while the inevitable enemy reinforcements plink away at me.
It also backfires on me hilariously later on, so there’s that too.
When the last Ifrit falls the next cutscene is triggered.
Iblis appears in the middle of the mine. Just as an interesting aside, the flashing techno-coloured terrain around the mine is classed as ‘plains’, but the white square in the very centre is labelled ‘hole’ and ground-based units can’t move over it.
: Look!
: Cage…everyone…please leave. Even if I were to leave with all of you, all I would do is hate the people of Mars for the rest of my life.
:…how you must feel. But Zephyrs isn’t even…: That’s not all, Cage. Most of the children used in those experiments had been given up voluntarily by their parents.: I heard that from Ares too. But that’s why you have to live, and make sure that the same thing doesn’t happen again. Only you can do that!
:…unloved. I can still hear them…all of the people who have died…I can hear my brother calling me…: No! Ares…your brother wouldn’t want that for you! He told me…But then…just when you thought things couldn’t possibly get any worse…
Music: Uncontrollable Fear
:…are mine!It’s Bolozof! How the hell does he keep surviving?
:…Who are you?
: Heh heh heh…Bolozof’s Grafficane scoots over to Myona!
: What are you doing?!
Aaaaand the Self-Binder fucks everything up yet again.
: Eeeeeeeeeeeekkkk!!!: Myona?!: The Self-Binder?! He must be trying to control Miss Myona!
:…anyone. And now your precious ‘Myona’ is completely under my spell. Now, be my pawn, and help me become the King of all Mars!
: C…a…g…e…: Myona! Bolozof, stop!
:…Understood.: What?!
A bunch of Ifrits spawn.
: Command Executed. I Await My Next Command.
:…all of you, and the Ifrit troop will be mine!: Bolozof…you use Myona and hide behind her…how cowardly can you be?!: Hmph. You don’t get it. Cowardly? No, the right word is ‘clever’! I have learned to work with what I have!
That’s because it’s 75% shameless hypocrisy and 25% unwarranted smugness.
: And you have the nerve to say that I HIDE behind her? You’re wrong there too! I am the King! And the King need not sully his own hands! Heh heh heh! I will be a spectator this time around…I simply can’t be bothered to toy with you children any more. I can hardly wait until your idealistic little worlds are shattered!Bolozof retreats like the coward we all know he is.
: Myona…what am I supposed to do?: The Self-Binder’s effect is not yet complete…We should be able to help her! Let’s go!: Pharsti…Okay, I guess there’s no reason to worry! Let’s finish this!
We regain control at this point. Our objective is to destroy the Iblis, something we can do pretty easily thanks to our positioning.
Stats-wise Myona is five levels lower than Ares was in the previous playthrough and so her skills are correspondingly lower. She’s still a threat if you do this mission properly, but if you handled Ares you can handle her.
After wearing her down with nearly all of our other units, Cage moves in to deliver the final blow.
: C…age…?: Okay, good, she’s conscious. Don’t worry, you’re going to be fine!Music: Reunion Song Ver. B
: What happened? Come over here!: Cage…leave me…like this. Please…: Myona, you’re still saying that?
:…will be people like him…and…they might come after you next…: That’s not true! And…you saved me so many times!: That wasn’t the real me, Cage…now that I have my memory back, I am no longer ‘Myona’. In fact, ‘Myona’ never even existed to begin with!
: Just leave!:…I can’t do that, Myona. I came here today to take you home, and to fulfil my promise to Ares. And…to fulfil your dream, as well.: My dream? I…have no dream.
: Cage, can you hear me?: That’s…the message I left you…?: Yeah. You saved me by leaving this message, too. This…this is your dream.
:…never…see each other…again.:…What’s your point? It’s just a goodbye. Are you saying that you are going to make it come true?: This is as far as you meant me to hear. I thought this was the end when I first heard it, too.
: Cage, I…am going off to die…somewhere. Somewhere I won’t be a nuisance to anyone. But…: Why…?: Of course it had been deleted. But it was strange to have so much blank but previously recorded space at the end, so I had Pharsti recover it. I though that maybe there would be something else you wanted to say…
:…selfish?: This…this has nothing to do with me now! Because…I…I…erased it already! You can’t only go by something I never meant to say!: But…they’re still your words.
:…see different things…: Please…stop it. That wish is something that cannot be fulfilled; I’ve already given up on it…I thought about it...I agonized over it…and I was finally able to bring myself to erase it…: I didn’t say anything until now, because it’s so childish and stupid, and I was too embarrassed to say anything…I thought you’d laugh at me. But if we did do it, it would have been so much fun…it would have made me very happy…but it was enough for me to dream about it. Thank you, Cage…for everything.
:…what you are really like, and I don’t care about your past. The person who is standing in front of me right now is Myona.: Ca…ge…: Myona does exist! She’s not a lie, and she’s not an illusion! Just like this voice, she’s just hidden right now!
: Myona! There’s no wish that can’t come true! Come with me, and we’ll…But before Cage can finish…
Music: Tension
Bolozof shows up with a whole bunch of goons!
: Bolozof!: I now have complete control over this laboratory…Come, Myona!: Ugh! Cage…Myona retreats!
: Relax, I only recalled her. This time I will erase her memory…A pawn needs no free will…heh heh!:…Cage. Let us destroy his Frame. If we do not hurry, Miss Myona may be in danger!: All right!Music: Marleblanke Dite
Control is returned to us, and I’m sure you can see what the problem is.
I, uh…I forgot that Bolozof shows up at the end and you have to fight him one last time. Which means we are now surrounded by nine Ifrits, most of which are in attack range, with the majority of my own units incapable of moving and with Bolozof’s flunkies about to charge as well.
Let’s see how this goes!
Welp, that’s Warren down!
Mebius takes a nasty hit, but she manages to pull through.
Ditto Cage.
At the start of the next turn the battlefield looks like this. It looks like BIS is completely screwed, and that would probably be the case if Bolozof wasn’t a stupid moron and just sat back instead of charging into range of units that could kill him.
He’s still riding his regular Grafficane with its piddly 7,000 HP, so it really doesn’t take much to kill him.
And with that, Bolozof goes down.
Music: Reunion Song Ver. B
: Ha ha ha!! What do you think? By using this sound I can control her mind easily! It is just as he said…I don’t understand the logic behind it, but I will use it anyway!: Ca…ge…: What…what should I do now?Are you guys ready for a totally left-field save?
: Jojo! You’re awake!: What?! Who are they?
: Yup! When I was sleeping, I met lots of people!
: I don’t get it, but she said that there were lots of other kids just like us.
: It must be a sign from the Lord…: They were all talking about Myona! They said it was enough! Vale and Pharsti can be free now!
So, uh, apparently Jojo can see dead people now.
: They said they were depending on you because you were kind…they said to say bye to you for them!Music: Promise of Reunion
: They’re all…letting me go…? They can…forgive me…?: What is that voice?! Stop! Stop talking to me!!: You touched the Me-ta-tron too much. Your body can’t…
:…raise the power of the Self-Binder to maximum! See what happens when I do that!!: Don’t do it!
Bolozof’s Frame begins to explode!
: Why…why is my Frame disintegrating? How…? How is this possible?! This can’t happen to me now!!
Bolozof’s Grafficane goes up in smoke. Good fucking riddance. With his fall all of the enemy units on the map retreat.
: Vital signs obliterated…: (…Bolozof…): He…Bolozof…
:…Cage.
: Myona…: Ca…ge…: Myona, you saved my life. So even if you attack me, even if it costs me my life, I have to save you. I won’t ever let anyone like Bolozof get near you ever again!
: Of course it can be done! I’ll protect you! I’ll protect you until you tell me to stop!: Why…would you do all of that for me…: I’m not sure. I’ve never felt this way before. I…I like you, Myona, more than anyone else. So…
: And that’s why I am going to find a reason for you to want to live! I want to make your dream come true, because I care about you!: Cage…: Maybe you don’t want me to, but even so…:…
:…Cage, you really are silly. That wasn’t the end of the message.: Huh?: You missed the most important part. At the very end, I said ‘Thank you for everything, Cage…’
: So you’re saying…Myona!
: Yes. I am Myona, right?: Of course you are…welcome back, Myona!
And so the playable section of the mission ends. I kind of prefer the first route’s Myona reunion scene, which I feel has more weight in comparison to this one. Still, all’s well that ends well I guess.
Music: Pulse
: I’m sorry, Semmy. I’m okay now!
: Myona…I’m sorry…about your brother.: I was ready for it. I also heard about Mr. Deckson. In my life…I have been rescued by so many different people…and I’m grateful to all of them. More than words can express…
: We left it behind. The missile will destroy it.: That’s right! Forget the teary reunion, the missile is on its way! Twede, we will make it on time, won’t we?:…By the skin of our teeth.
:…incentive?: I would have to say that that is a good source of motivation.Just then, something hits the side of the Saoshyant!
Music: Danger
: Something has attached itself to the outer hull!
: What do you mean, ‘something’? From experience there’s only one person it could possibly be!
Bolozof! Seriously, is this guy immortal or something?
: Man, he should go for a part in a horror flick.
: What’s with him?! This persistence just isn’t normal…Twede, can we shake him off?: He is piloting the Iblis. If we were to try that, the ship would break before he did.
: (Bolozof on the Iblis? It’s…It’s all my fault!)
: This is bad…it’s throwing off the balance of the ship! If we don’t do something, the missile will hit us!:…Please take care of Myona!Cage runs off!
: That moron! He’s going out there to peel him off!: N-no! Even if he succeeds, he may not be able to get back in!: I’m goin’!
: Wait, you two!: Huh? But Cage is goin’ out there! Don’t you care? You finally got to see each other again…The music completely cuts out here.
: Look…at that…: Huh?!The scene shifts over to Cage in the hangar.
(…)
: Uh…Pharsti? Where…where did you go…?Music: Z.O.E 2173
: No can do, Bolozof. You and I are staying behind.: Pharsti…you…: No, Miss Myona. I am sick and tired of babysitting Cage. Now it’s your turn.
: Myona! Pharsti is gone!!: Cage…she’s outside with Bolozof.: Pharsti!
:…exactly how I feel.:…Yes, I do.: Pharsti, no! You can’t! Come back right now!
:…Pharsti.: Look at this man, Cage. If a person abuses Metatron, his entire life could turn into evil. So I am taking him down. This is one of my obligations. Thank you for everything…
: Shoot! I can’t do anything…there’s nothing that any of us can do…
: Of course! We wouldn’t let a troublemaker like him out of our sight!: Hee, hee…: The missile! The missile is coming!!
: Shush! Be quiet!: Pharsti. You have done us proud by fighting as one of us. Thank you…and see you again soon!: Yes, Ms. Robin.
: Thank you, Mr. Razma. Miss. Semyl?
: Don’t worry, I’ll take care of those two! I’m gonna…: Good luck with him…
: I wasn’t expecting that…: Pharsti…
: It was not a lie, Cage. Even after I am gone, the other me will be your missing wing. So please do not be sad. She is me.
: Pharsti…: Pharsti…you are so stupid. I can tell…you’re crying, aren’t you?
:…goodbye…I will be back soon to take Cage from you…: Selfish as usual…you’ve been lying through your teeth this whole time…: Please take care of Cage, Myona…my other self.:…Yes.
: I’m not going to say goodbye.: Hee, hee. That is fine. Well, Cage, I’m going to go outside for a little while. I may be some time…: Pharsti…see you later.
: We can’t waste the opportunity that Pharsti has given us. Now! Go full throttle!: *Gasp* The first missile has been confirmed within visual range!Music: Promise of Reunion
: Bolozof, I feel sorry for you. The only way you could relate to other people was by hurting and looking down on them. Come with me. It will all be over soon…your sadness and suffering too…: My…sadness and suffering…?: Yes…you must have been very lonely, because you were always trying to be stronger than everyone else…
: It will be all right…we are both going to disappear…: (Cage…I enjoyed my time with you…I am glad that I could be of service to you…until the very end…): Cage…The scene transitions back to the Saoshyant.
: *Sigh* There’s really no way?
: Wait, what’s that up in the sky? It looks like…a halo!
:…work! They will all melt and disappear!: They are probably aware of that…Pharsti must be controlling them to help save us.: Pharsti, did you do this?
: Phar…sti……Fade to white.
At long last, it’s all over. Well, not quite; we still have the epilogue chapter left to go. It’s fairly similar to the one we had in the last playthough, but the differences are big enough that I’m going to have to transcribe it all. After that’s done I’ll do the credits and the secret scene at the end of them, and after that is finished I’ll transcribe the character files. They’re pretty interesting to read and shed some light on why the characters act the way they do. Until then, I hope you enjoyed the conclusion to the second story path.
Oh, and don’t worry. Bolozof is dead, for real this time. He’s not going to show up in the epilogue to ruin everyone’s day or anything.
…Jojo can see ghosts.