We're on top of Ni Akeria's spiritual mountain still, yet in the Original World now that Alt Mira's world is gone. Julius is favoring his left arm for some reason; he wasn't in the fight. Hmm.
The current party is relieved they've returned, but the question of 'what just happened' coming from offscreen shocks them all, since it's coming from Mira who Elle is still latched onto and what the hell is an alternate doing in the real world after her world's been destroyed. She repeats her question while getting up and asks what's happened to her sister, and everyone even including Julius is pretty much at a loss of how to tell her the news, while Ludger gets a choice: "... I destroyed your world" or "I don't know how to tell you...".
Ludger: ... I destroyed your world. Mira: I'm not getting what you mean... My sister won't go back to how she used to be? [looks down at Elle, who nods sadly, before pausing for a moment] Mira: ...Right now, there's only one thing I really understand... [she all out SOCKS Ludger in the face and to the ground] You tricked me! Elle: Stop it, Mira! [she darts between Mira and Ludger, holding her arms up to shield him] It's Ludger's job! Mira: You can't call destroying people's worlds some kind of job!
Julius steps in to say enough, and Ludger's phone goes off. Leia and Alvin are worried about how Mira will freak over Jin again, but she's actually too busy with dealing with all this to bother. It's Jude calling, to say his group arrived back in the Original World just fine too, and Alvin says it's mission completed so back to Ni Akeria with us. Elle smiles at Mira and tells her to come with them. Mira looks lost and torn at this, but eventually follows for lack of anything she can do now.
Back in the village, Elize and Rowen are happy to see us all, but Jude nearly has another heart attack at seeing Mira, who is still very withdrawn and silent, in the Original World. Before we can really get into discussing how this happened, Redou and Ivar show up because apparently Clanspia pinpointed Julius coming back to the Original World and because we have that strange shiny gear that Alt Musee left behind. Redou tells Ludger to obey the company's rules and hand over the gear and Julius, but Julius tells Ludger not to and to trust him, so we get a choice to follow Redou's orders or to believe in Julius.
I TRUST YOU NII-SAN. YOU SURELY HAD A GOOD REASON TO RUN OFF.
This triggers Redou coming in with a flying spinkick that sends Julius off to the side and then a boss battle with the former, which I'm sure they thought you'd lose since it's right after crazy hard Musee and you have no chance to restock or heal, as the events after don't change whether you win or lose. I do beat him after a try though, by controlling Elize and spamming Dark Artes since the sucker's weak to them. Sadly, Ivar's got Mira, who's just standing there still in muted shock/depression, and Elle cornered, and Redou quickly gets Ludger at knifepoint. So we naturally surrender, and go to Clanspia HQ with them orz
Mira is calmly freaking out about the Shell being gone, how she's in Elenpios, and that Jin is slowly becoming obsolete by a technology that doesn't kill Spirits the entire time we can walk around HQ. I really feel for the poor girl here, she doesn't get the growing period Orginal Milla got to accept all this.
Bisley will see us in his office, Redou and Julius are already there with the latter handcuffed, and he explains more about the Alternate Worlds and how they are a part of a trial set before humanity by Origin. Mira asks if he means the Prime Spirit who inhabits the land of Canaan; she heard a little about it from her sister.
Bisley: And just who are you, miss, to know of this? Mira: I'm Mira. Former Maxwell. Bisley: ...Is that some kind of joke? Mira: The only joke here is an organization that destroys people's worlds.
She's not bitter or anything.
Bisley says it's necessary to pass the trial, and if they all have a problem with it, they should go to Canaan to see Origin himself. However to get there, the Guideposts of Canaan are necessary; what the gold gear we have is. Vel tells us there are four of them, and they are certain Time Factors that fit a certain description: something to do with Maxwell, which was Musee; something to do with Longdau, what we learned in the last game to be a well-known tribe in the A Jule region of Rieze Maxia; and I have no idea what the last two are :(
Bisley says that he needs Ludger's power to help him with this, to either pass the trial or go to Canaan, and I choose to bring up that it's techically Elle's power since Ludger can't change on his own. Elle looks confused, and Bisley stares herominously for a moment, before her stomach rumbles. Bisley laughs and tells us to take care of the little lady before any more work is given.
Meeting is adjourned, we leave Maxwell's Guidepost with Bisley for some reason, and Ludger, Elle, Jude and Mira all go to Ludger's apartment, where he makes soup for them all. Elle asks if it's going to be spicy, and I choose to make it sweeter for her so she's delighted at that and tries to be buddy with Mira, who's trying to stay sullen but can't really stand up to Elle's energy. Jude notably keeps calling Mira "Mira-san", I guess as his respectful way to distinguish between his Milla.
Later in the night, after Jude left for where the rest of the party's staying, and Milla apparently... stayed on the couch or in Julius' room? Ludger is cleaning up the kitchen and sees Elle sneak outside. He follows and finds her on the swingset in the park in front of his apartment. They talk a bit about what Ludger has to do, and he decides to hand her back her watch. She's surprised but understands that he's not giving it back, per se-- it's more like a contract of their partnership, since as Elle puts it "they can't do much without the other". She asks if he'll go to Canaan with her, and we get a choice to say yes either willingly or reluctantly. Elle is ecstatic at the former, and holds out her hand to make a pinky swear with Ludger, saying it's a real promise for the two of them to go to Canaan.
OH AND APPARENTLY CHRONOS IS HELPING ORIGIN WITH THIS TRIAL AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE A NEUTRAL JUDGE BUT ACTUALLY IS ACTIVELY SETTING UP HUMANITY TO FAIL.
There are a few skits at new day, pretty much about showing the differences between Millas, and Mira forming her opinion of the other from how the older party members talk about her. And the we have to run around to pay the debt.
Rowen Episode 1
It triggers in Maxibard, and Rowen starts to talk to Elize on the history of the town because this girl loves to be quizzed and have the chance to learn more.
Yessssss more girls in Tales that aren't caught up in only looks and prefer knowledge/intelligence \o/
We learn that it was the brain child of Elenpios' late(?) prime minister, Marcia, whose work and political view Rowen greatly respects. However, Ludger gets a call from Vel, who says they have new info on an Alt World and gives him the coordinates. Rowen glances around at us and says we three should be enough; there's no need to go trouble the others.
So we go, end up in Alternate Maxibard, and see in the center of a large crowd of people a woman that Rowen identifies as Marcia, so we wonder if she's the Time Factor. Rowen quotes a saying of hers to grab her attention and so they can chat, and so we can get close enough to if there's a reaction from her. There isn't from her, but one comes from her cat, and as they leave to hop on the train, we all feel a little bad about having to kill an innocent cat. But we follow after them onto the train anyways, wait until Marcia leaves her seat and corner the cat. IT TALKS TO US probably due to the Time Factor's infection, and knows we're here to kill it since it can sense the killing intent. We all feel really bad for it, but still. It morphs into a great honking cat monster, probably also possible due to the Time Factor, and boss battle ensues.
We kill it, rip out the Factor and crush the world, and when we're back, Rowen says that even though he's Rieze Maxia's prime minster, he will do his utmost to ensure that Marcia's vision for the common people of Elenpios comes to happen too; it's why he and Gaius were traveling about Elenpios, to understand the needs of the people there. Ludger compliments Rowen on his admirable goals, and the episode ends.
Mira's Episode is in Ni Akeria, and she's in what was her house in the Alternate World. Of course in this one, it belongs to someone else, and they come home as we're in there. The guy starts bowing and exclaiming that he never thought to see "Maxwell-sama" again after she left for the Spirit World, and Mira is naturally at a loss of what to do, as she's not this world's Milla.
Jude tries to explain, but Elle interrupts loudly to say being here reminds her of Mira's delicious soup and asks her to make more. We all stare at Elle, before Mira quietly says she can't, this isn't her home. The man tells her that Maxwell-same is free to make use of his house and cook if she likes, saying it would be his honor after she asks if it's really alright. She finally relents, and Elle tells her to make lots.
Elle finishes first, and Mira points out how much she can eat despite being a little kid. Elle tsuns and says it's just Mira's soup's fault for being so good, and asks Ludger if he thinks it's good too. We can say "It's pretty good, yeah" or "It'd been better if you put more effort into it". As much as I want to see Mira's tsundere rage, I want to raise her affection too, so first it is.
Elle's papa's soup is still #1 though, she says, and Mira asks if her's is second. Elle goes nope, that Ludger's-- Mira is third best! I end up getting tsundere rage anyways, as Mira asks how she can be behind someone like Ludger, and Elle says she'd understand if she'd ate Ludger's soup before. Mira still protests that hers is better, BECAUSE MAXWELL CAN'T LOSE TO SOME ORDINARY HUMANS and that she's going to work extra hard to come up with the most amazing soup ever, even better than Elle's papa.
And to do that, she's going to need the cooperation of "Mr. #2 Ludger".
....Yes this episode was all about soup and arguing with an eight year old. I love this Milla so much.
Jude Episode 2 is in Ha Mill, and starts out with... more cooking! What is this, I don't recall cooking having such importance in other Tales games, save for Rebirth and memetic peach pie. Maybe it's to make up for not having... an actual cooking function.
Jude asks Ludger, since he's into cooking and all that, if he knows anything particular for a special occasion. We get a choice of "...Well, peach pieOH NAMCO IT WILL NEVER DIE" or "I know lots of recipes with tomatoes...". As fun as Ludger's seeming addiction to tomatoes is, I can't pass up peach pie, so I choose that and oddly raise Jude's affection. Hey, whatever.
Jude notes that he's heard that's a specialty among the people of Elempios for occasions, and says the biggest stock in the Ha Mill area are parenges, and says that parenge pie is pretty close to peach pie. Mira says both sound good, but Vel calls then to let us know about another Alt World, located near Tatar Caves which is/or was a little side dungeon in Elenpios with no plot relevance.
Jude: Agent's work again, huh. I'll help out; we can't leave the Alternate Worlds as they are. Mira: Hm... You're an awfully nosy person.
Jude admits it and that he can't help it, and Mira mumbles exasperatedly before saying she's not a nosy person but she'll help too, since more people is better.
So we go to Alternate World #F4218 and start to search for the Time Factor in the caves. It looks like there was some sort of cave-in or monster attack or something, since a lot of npcs are on the ground or helping others, some of them ClansCorp Agents.
--OH MY LORD victory pose where Elle runs up and gives a hesitant Mira a high five before they peace sign each other hnnnngh they are too cute
We go down a level and find A LOT more injured people, and most importantly the Alternate of Jude's father, Derek Mathis, and he's surprised when Jude uses Spirit Artes to heal the injured. Seems this Derek never got trapped in Rieze Maxia with Arc Noah, met Ellen and had Jude. A man from the lower levels of the caves runs up and tells Derek that they have to go before "it" gets back, but Derek is a doctor and refuses to leave the injured behind. Jude offers us to get rid of whatever "it" is, and we get a choice: "Let's go beat the monster" or "Jude, you stay here and help". I choose the latter so Jude can have time with his not dad, and he leaves the party.
Down on the next level, we find the Time Factor; it's aggravated its monster host to the point of extreme violence, and since we have to kill it anyways... It's boss battle time o9
Jude comes up after us, along with Derek who thanks us, and Jude especially, and generally is warmer to Jude than his own father. Jude nods to Ludger to destroy the Time Factor, and when Derek asks Jude's name, he hesitates, so Derek takes it as being rude since he hasn't introduced himself yet. He does so, and as Ludger rips out the Factor and the world starts to crumble, Jude gives his full name which shocks Derek before everything is destroyed, and Jude takes half a step towards where Derk was before black out.
We're back in Ha Mill, as Elle cheerfully informs us, but Jude is a little down. We get a choice of "What's wrong; are you hurt?" or "His name was Mathis. Could he be...". Taking the second since we're not stupid here, and Jude nods, saying it was strange yet nice to see his father in a nicer light, since they've never really gotten along. Ludger tells Jude to visit his parents every once in a while.
Jude gets an urgent call from his team, and tells us to head to Helioborg immediately and that he'll explain on the way. So away we go... and find that they've recreated the Origin Celsius what. The particular terminal connected Celsius, needed to stabilize Origin Spirits, explodes and she starts freaking out about they keep bringing her back, and turns on Jude' helpless assistant. Timed choice to get the hell out of Celsius' way, or to actually get between the two comes up and with the second, Jude and Ludger get in front of Celsius, who tells them to move. Jude tries to calm her down but she screams that as a Spirit she won't be a slave to humans anymore, grabs her busted terminal and disappears.
Balan scolds the assistant for acting on her own, even if a Greater Spirit class Origin was necessary for progressing research. And now that one of the limited terminals is gone, and Celsius will be in pain until they can find her and fix it. Ludger and co. tell Jude and his team not to get get discouraged, though, and the rather long episode ends.
Nova pops up to take my money and I can't refuse this time, so I reluctantly pay my debt. Vel comes and tells us that Julius has escaped and taken the Guidepost with him, and also that someone named Arst, aka Gaius, is asking for him at Clanspia HQ. We get a choice between " I'll find my brother!" and " I want to meet Arst, but...". My choice is obvious.
JULIUSSSS COME BACK
Vel tells us to meet up with Redou's team in Ilart to get more info, but I am doing more Characters Quests before that, screw you guys
In Callaha Sharl, Leia's found out that Drossel has been looking into and sending out teams to find a few Clanspia Agents gone missing in the area. Vel calls, saying that we're near an Alt World and Leia grabs Ludger's phone to ask if the missing Agents have anything to do with it, and Vel says that in their last transmission they reported having managed to pinpoint the identity of monster possessing the Time Factor. Alvin says that a monster that can take out a few Agents is going to be an easy one. Vel gives us the location of Alternate Bamia Canyon in World #F421C to check out the Time Factor, and tells us to be careful. Leia and Alvin go with us.
And the first person we meet in the Canyon is ShikiAgria, a girl who was one of Gaius' top soliders before she died in the last game, and who refused to get along with Leia no matter how much Leia tried-- to the point that even when Leia tried to save her, she chose to die instead. While giving Leia the finger.
Truly the best death in all of Tales.
Anyways, while Leia is shocked at Agria, Agria says she's late and kicks Leia in the knee then askes what's up with these useless guys. Choice between "Don't call us that" and "Nice to meet you". Going with the latter since Agria haet nice people she truly is Shiki...
Sure enough, Agria asks wth is up with us, then switches gears, saying that Leia finally left Jude for another guy AND LEIA DENIES. While blushing, so it's invalid. Alvin saves Leia from more verbal bashing by saying Leia press ganged them into helping with this monster she and Agria are supposed to take care of, and Agria stomps off on her own after it. Likely as not, it's the Time Factor.
God I hate this long climby dungeon forever
We catch up with Agria, and watch this massive gross sandowrm thing killing all the other monsters in the area-- like the one in Jude's episode, the Factor's driven it into a violent frenzy. Agria says with this busting around towns, those Elenpios garbage won't know what hit them. We all pause at this, and Leia asks if she plans to release it into Elenpios instead ofdestroy it. Agria says of course, it's no more than what they deserve with their Jin that kills Spirits, and wasn't this your idea to start? Leia is shocked at both Agria and her alternate self, and starts to argue that the people of Rieze Maxia and Elenpios have work together. Ludger asks why she can't believe in the people of Elenpios, and Agria reminds him of the Else-World Energy Project that the invading Elenpios army tried to use in the last game, and that were willing to completely drain Rieze Maxia in order to sustain themselves and didn't even try to negotiate or anything.
Leia suddenly hits Agria on the head, and says that rather than continue this, they should just get rid of the monster before any more damage is done. Agria hmphs and says she's good to do so on her own, jumps down and... gets knocked away. So we go down too and have ourselves a boss battle.
Afterwards we get a choice to either destroy the Time Factor immediately, or wait a bit, so Leia can help the unconscious Agria, so I take the second. Leia runs over calling Agria's name, but when she goes to kneel down, Agria leaps up and kicks Leia in the the knee again, taking her down, while saying she's too loud, did Leia think she'd die so easily? Leia retorts no, but she was worried anyways, and Agria figures since she owes Leia for that, she'll help her up. Leia's naturally shocked at Agria being nice, but quickly takes her hand when Agria asks what's up with her.
Agria then asks if Leia really believes in the people of Elenpios, and when Leia says she does, Agria says she would like to, since Leia proved that people can be trusted when she grabbed for Agria's hand as she fell in the last game. In this world, the event ended with Agria being saved rather than dying. She then backpedals when she realizes she's being sentimental, and calls Leia an idiot for that time. She walks away while telling Leia she'll call her later with their next job, and to take care on her way home. Leia looks absolutely torn, since she knows they have to destroy this world, and sure enough Ludger takes his cue to spear out the Factor.
Back in the Original World, Lulu mrows and rubs up against Leia who is crouched down and kind of trying not to cry. She asks Ludger that destroying the alt worlds is alright, right? He says it is, and Alvin points that now she knows that even someone like Agria could be saved. Leia understands this but says it's still sad how the people of the alternate worlds, no matter how happy they might be, just vanish like that. As Alvin, Ludger and Elle all head off to get something to eat after that, Leia quietly ask Agria to watch her.
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everdistant) wrote2012-11-21 03:57 pm
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The current party is relieved they've returned, but the question of 'what just happened' coming from offscreen shocks them all, since it's coming from Mira who Elle is still latched onto and what the hell is an alternate doing in the real world after her world's been destroyed. She repeats her question while getting up and asks what's happened to her sister, and everyone even including Julius is pretty much at a loss of how to tell her the news, while Ludger gets a choice: "... I destroyed your world" or "I don't know how to tell you...".
Ludger: ... I destroyed your world.
Mira: I'm not getting what you mean... My sister won't go back to how she used to be? [looks down at Elle, who nods sadly, before pausing for a moment]
Mira: ...Right now, there's only one thing I really understand... [she all out SOCKS Ludger in the face and to the ground] You tricked me!
Elle: Stop it, Mira! [she darts between Mira and Ludger, holding her arms up to shield him] It's Ludger's job!
Mira: You can't call destroying people's worlds some kind of job!
Julius steps in to say enough, and Ludger's phone goes off. Leia and Alvin are worried about how Mira will freak over Jin again, but she's actually too busy with dealing with all this to bother. It's Jude calling, to say his group arrived back in the Original World just fine too, and Alvin says it's mission completed so back to Ni Akeria with us. Elle smiles at Mira and tells her to come with them. Mira looks lost and torn at this, but eventually follows for lack of anything she can do now.
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I TRUST YOU NII-SAN. YOU SURELY HAD A GOOD REASON TO RUN OFF.
This triggers Redou coming in with a flying spinkick that sends Julius off to the side and then a boss battle with the former, which I'm sure they thought you'd lose since it's right after crazy hard Musee and you have no chance to restock or heal, as the events after don't change whether you win or lose. I do beat him after a try though, by controlling Elize and spamming Dark Artes since the sucker's weak to them. Sadly, Ivar's got Mira, who's just standing there still in muted shock/depression, and Elle cornered, and Redou quickly gets Ludger at knifepoint. So we naturally surrender, and go to Clanspia HQ with them orz
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Bisley will see us in his office, Redou and Julius are already there with the latter handcuffed, and he explains more about the Alternate Worlds and how they are a part of a trial set before humanity by Origin. Mira asks if he means the Prime Spirit who inhabits the land of Canaan; she heard a little about it from her sister.
Bisley: And just who are you, miss, to know of this?
Mira: I'm Mira. Former Maxwell.
Bisley: ...Is that some kind of joke?
Mira: The only joke here is an organization that destroys people's worlds.
She's not bitter or anything.
Bisley says it's necessary to pass the trial, and if they all have a problem with it, they should go to Canaan to see Origin himself. However to get there, the Guideposts of Canaan are necessary; what the gold gear we have is. Vel tells us there are four of them, and they are certain Time Factors that fit a certain description: something to do with Maxwell, which was Musee; something to do with Longdau, what we learned in the last game to be a well-known tribe in the A Jule region of Rieze Maxia; and I have no idea what the last two are :(
Bisley says that he needs Ludger's power to help him with this, to either pass the trial or go to Canaan, and I choose to bring up that it's techically Elle's power since Ludger can't change on his own. Elle looks confused, and Bisley stares her
ominouslyfor a moment, before her stomach rumbles. Bisley laughs and tells us to take care of the little lady before any more work is given.Meeting is adjourned, we leave Maxwell's Guidepost with Bisley for some reason, and Ludger, Elle, Jude and Mira all go to Ludger's apartment, where he makes soup for them all. Elle asks if it's going to be spicy, and I choose to make it sweeter for her so she's delighted at that and tries to be buddy with Mira, who's trying to stay sullen but can't really stand up to Elle's energy. Jude notably keeps calling Mira "Mira-san", I guess as his respectful way to distinguish between his Milla.
Later in the night, after Jude left for where the rest of the party's staying, and Milla apparently... stayed on the couch or in Julius' room? Ludger is cleaning up the kitchen and sees Elle sneak outside. He follows and finds her on the swingset in the park in front of his apartment. They talk a bit about what Ludger has to do, and he decides to hand her back her watch. She's surprised but understands that he's not giving it back, per se-- it's more like a contract of their partnership, since as Elle puts it "they can't do much without the other". She asks if he'll go to Canaan with her, and we get a choice to say yes either willingly or reluctantly. Elle is ecstatic at the former, and holds out her hand to make a pinky swear with Ludger, saying it's a real promise for the two of them to go to Canaan.
End Chapter 7
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He's the last boss >:|
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Rowen Episode 1
It triggers in Maxibard, and Rowen starts to talk to Elize on the history of the town because this girl loves to be quizzed and have the chance to learn more.
Yessssss more girls in Tales that aren't caught up in only looks and prefer knowledge/intelligence \o/
We learn that it was the brain child of Elenpios' late(?) prime minister, Marcia, whose work and political view Rowen greatly respects. However, Ludger gets a call from Vel, who says they have new info on an Alt World and gives him the coordinates. Rowen glances around at us and says we three should be enough; there's no need to go trouble the others.
So we go, end up in Alternate Maxibard, and see in the center of a large crowd of people a woman that Rowen identifies as Marcia, so we wonder if she's the Time Factor. Rowen quotes a saying of hers to grab her attention and so they can chat, and so we can get close enough to if there's a reaction from her. There isn't from her, but one comes from her cat, and as they leave to hop on the train, we all feel a little bad about having to kill an innocent cat. But we follow after them onto the train anyways, wait until Marcia leaves her seat and corner the cat. IT TALKS TO US probably due to the Time Factor's infection, and knows we're here to kill it since it can sense the killing intent. We all feel really bad for it, but still. It morphs into a great honking cat monster, probably also possible due to the Time Factor, and boss battle ensues.
We kill it, rip out the Factor and crush the world, and when we're back, Rowen says that even though he's Rieze Maxia's prime minster, he will do his utmost to ensure that Marcia's vision for the common people of Elenpios comes to happen too; it's why he and Gaius were traveling about Elenpios, to understand the needs of the people there. Ludger compliments Rowen on his admirable goals, and the episode ends.
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Jude tries to explain, but Elle interrupts loudly to say being here reminds her of Mira's delicious soup and asks her to make more. We all stare at Elle, before Mira quietly says she can't, this isn't her home. The man tells her that Maxwell-same is free to make use of his house and cook if she likes, saying it would be his honor after she asks if it's really alright. She finally relents, and Elle tells her to make lots.
Elle finishes first, and Mira points out how much she can eat despite being a little kid. Elle tsuns and says it's just Mira's soup's fault for being so good, and asks Ludger if he thinks it's good too. We can say "It's pretty good, yeah" or "It'd been better if you put more effort into it". As much as I want to see Mira's tsundere rage, I want to raise her affection too, so first it is.
Elle's papa's soup is still #1 though, she says, and Mira asks if her's is second. Elle goes nope, that Ludger's-- Mira is third best! I end up getting tsundere rage anyways, as Mira asks how she can be behind someone like Ludger, and Elle says she'd understand if she'd ate Ludger's soup before. Mira still protests that hers is better, BECAUSE MAXWELL CAN'T LOSE TO SOME ORDINARY HUMANS and that she's going to work extra hard to come up with the most amazing soup ever, even better than Elle's papa.
And to do that, she's going to need the cooperation of "Mr. #2 Ludger".
....Yes this episode was all about soup and arguing with an eight year old. I love this Milla so much.
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Jude asks Ludger, since he's into cooking and all that, if he knows anything particular for a special occasion. We get a choice of "...Well, peach pie
OH NAMCO IT WILL NEVER DIE" or "I know lots of recipes with tomatoes...". As fun as Ludger's seeming addiction to tomatoes is, I can't pass up peach pie, so I choose that and oddly raise Jude's affection. Hey, whatever.Jude notes that he's heard that's a specialty among the people of Elempios for occasions, and says the biggest stock in the Ha Mill area are parenges, and says that parenge pie is pretty close to peach pie. Mira says both sound good, but Vel calls then to let us know about another Alt World, located near Tatar Caves which is/or was a little side dungeon in Elenpios with no plot relevance.
Jude: Agent's work again, huh. I'll help out; we can't leave the Alternate Worlds as they are.
Mira: Hm... You're an awfully nosy person.
Jude admits it and that he can't help it, and Mira mumbles exasperatedly before saying she's not a nosy person but she'll help too, since more people is better.
So we go to Alternate World #F4218 and start to search for the Time Factor in the caves. It looks like there was some sort of cave-in or monster attack or something, since a lot of npcs are on the ground or helping others, some of them ClansCorp Agents.
--OH MY LORD victory pose where Elle runs up and gives a hesitant Mira a high five before they peace sign each other hnnnngh they are too cute
We go down a level and find A LOT more injured people, and most importantly the Alternate of Jude's father, Derek Mathis, and he's surprised when Jude uses Spirit Artes to heal the injured. Seems this Derek never got trapped in Rieze Maxia with Arc Noah, met Ellen and had Jude. A man from the lower levels of the caves runs up and tells Derek that they have to go before "it" gets back, but Derek is a doctor and refuses to leave the injured behind. Jude offers us to get rid of whatever "it" is, and we get a choice: "Let's go beat the monster" or "Jude, you stay here and help". I choose the latter so Jude can have time with his not dad, and he leaves the party.
Down on the next level, we find the Time Factor; it's aggravated its monster host to the point of extreme violence, and since we have to kill it anyways... It's boss battle time o9
Jude comes up after us, along with Derek who thanks us, and Jude especially, and generally is warmer to Jude than his own father. Jude nods to Ludger to destroy the Time Factor, and when Derek asks Jude's name, he hesitates, so Derek takes it as being rude since he hasn't introduced himself yet. He does so, and as Ludger rips out the Factor and the world starts to crumble, Jude gives his full name which shocks Derek before everything is destroyed, and Jude takes half a step towards where Derk was before black out.
We're back in Ha Mill, as Elle cheerfully informs us, but Jude is a little down. We get a choice of "What's wrong; are you hurt?" or "His name was Mathis. Could he be...". Taking the second since we're not stupid here, and Jude nods, saying it was strange yet nice to see his father in a nicer light, since they've never really gotten along. Ludger tells Jude to visit his parents every once in a while.
Jude gets an urgent call from his team, and tells us to head to Helioborg immediately and that he'll explain on the way. So away we go... and find that they've recreated the Origin Celsius what. The particular terminal connected Celsius, needed to stabilize Origin Spirits, explodes and she starts freaking out about they keep bringing her back, and turns on Jude' helpless assistant. Timed choice to get the hell out of Celsius' way, or to actually get between the two comes up and with the second, Jude and Ludger get in front of Celsius, who tells them to move. Jude tries to calm her down but she screams that as a Spirit she won't be a slave to humans anymore, grabs her busted terminal and disappears.
Balan scolds the assistant for acting on her own, even if a Greater Spirit class Origin was necessary for progressing research. And now that one of the limited terminals is gone, and Celsius will be in pain until they can find her and fix it. Ludger and co. tell Jude and his team not to get get discouraged, though, and the rather long episode ends.
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JULIUSSSS COME BACK
Vel tells us to meet up with Redou's team in Ilart to get more info, but I am doing more Characters Quests before that, screw you guys
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In Callaha Sharl, Leia's found out that Drossel has been looking into and sending out teams to find a few Clanspia Agents gone missing in the area. Vel calls, saying that we're near an Alt World and Leia grabs Ludger's phone to ask if the missing Agents have anything to do with it, and Vel says that in their last transmission they reported having managed to pinpoint the identity of monster possessing the Time Factor. Alvin says that a monster that can take out a few Agents is going to be an easy one. Vel gives us the location of Alternate Bamia Canyon in World #F421C to check out the Time Factor, and tells us to be careful. Leia and Alvin go with us.
And the first person we meet in the Canyon is
ShikiAgria, a girl who was one of Gaius' top soliders before she died in the last game, and who refused to get along with Leia no matter how much Leia tried-- to the point that even when Leia tried to save her, she chose to die instead. While giving Leia the finger.Truly the best death in all of Tales.
Anyways, while Leia is shocked at Agria, Agria says she's late and kicks Leia in the knee then askes what's up with these useless guys. Choice between "Don't call us that" and "Nice to meet you". Going with the latter since Agria haet nice people
she truly is Shiki...Sure enough, Agria asks wth is up with us, then switches gears, saying that Leia finally left Jude for another guy AND LEIA DENIES. While blushing, so it's invalid. Alvin saves Leia from more verbal bashing by saying Leia press ganged them into helping with this monster she and Agria are supposed to take care of, and Agria stomps off on her own after it. Likely as not, it's the Time Factor.
God I hate this long climby dungeon forever
We catch up with Agria, and watch this massive gross sandowrm thing killing all the other monsters in the area-- like the one in Jude's episode, the Factor's driven it into a violent frenzy. Agria says with this busting around towns, those Elenpios garbage won't know what hit them. We all pause at this, and Leia asks if she plans to release it into Elenpios instead ofdestroy it. Agria says of course, it's no more than what they deserve with their Jin that kills Spirits, and wasn't this your idea to start? Leia is shocked at both Agria and her alternate self, and starts to argue that the people of Rieze Maxia and Elenpios have work together. Ludger asks why she can't believe in the people of Elenpios, and Agria reminds him of the Else-World Energy Project that the invading Elenpios army tried to use in the last game, and that were willing to completely drain Rieze Maxia in order to sustain themselves and didn't even try to negotiate or anything.
Leia suddenly hits Agria on the head, and says that rather than continue this, they should just get rid of the monster before any more damage is done. Agria hmphs and says she's good to do so on her own, jumps down and... gets knocked away. So we go down too and have ourselves a boss battle.
Afterwards we get a choice to either destroy the Time Factor immediately, or wait a bit, so Leia can help the unconscious Agria, so I take the second. Leia runs over calling Agria's name, but when she goes to kneel down, Agria leaps up and kicks Leia in the the knee again, taking her down, while saying she's too loud, did Leia think she'd die so easily? Leia retorts no, but she was worried anyways, and Agria figures since she owes Leia for that, she'll help her up. Leia's naturally shocked at Agria being nice, but quickly takes her hand when Agria asks what's up with her.
Agria then asks if Leia really believes in the people of Elenpios, and when Leia says she does, Agria says she would like to, since Leia proved that people can be trusted when she grabbed for Agria's hand as she fell in the last game. In this world, the event ended with Agria being saved rather than dying. She then backpedals when she realizes she's being sentimental, and calls Leia an idiot for that time. She walks away while telling Leia she'll call her later with their next job, and to take care on her way home. Leia looks absolutely torn, since she knows they have to destroy this world, and sure enough Ludger takes his cue to spear out the Factor.
Back in the Original World, Lulu mrows and rubs up against Leia who is crouched down and kind of trying not to cry. She asks Ludger that destroying the alt worlds is alright, right? He says it is, and Alvin points that now she knows that even someone like Agria could be saved. Leia understands this but says it's still sad how the people of the alternate worlds, no matter how happy they might be, just vanish like that. As Alvin, Ludger and Elle all head off to get something to eat after that, Leia quietly ask Agria to watch her.