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Stabbey_the_Clown posted:The power level of Oroborus is so high that it seems like they might as well just have showed up in the prologue of FC in the Glorious and their hundreds of troops and just captured all of Liberl at the same time. I mean, what could have stopped them? Cassius? Yes? I mean, that's kind of the whole running theme in both these games. Weissmann has had to go all cloak and dagger throughout this entire story specifically to avoid Cassius mucking things up. And even then that has only just barely worked so far.
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Apr 6, 2016 21:10
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Also, the first phase of his plan had the side effect of forcing Cassius back into the military, which means that Cassius can't operate with nearly as much autonomy as he could as a bracer.
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Apr 6, 2016 21:13
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Stabbey_the_Clown posted:At the point where Walter breaks down the massive doors to Grancel castle literally with just his loving bare hands, I have to say that I was indeed really pissed off at how the bad guys kept getting even more and more absurdly unstoppable. Obviously now that they've revealed the Glorious and actually has their Jaeger divisions attack Liberl outposts, they're less unknown, but that was true at the time he said it. Stabbey_the_Clown posted:It's absurd to call them a criminal organization, let alone one which is virtually unknown. But hell, Weissmann alone could explain the resource access. Keep in mind that the coup in FC was carried out by manipulating the mind of one man, and granted then access to the Royal Treasury. They have assassins to remove those who disagree. And not to mention they've crushed other organizations to absorb both their members and resources. They even have brainwashing as part of their Jaeger program, likely to cut costs. After all that, is it any wonder that they have that much in terms of resources? Even with that, had they stormed Grancel to try and get access to the Aureole sealed area, you can bet that at least Calvard and Erebonia would have hit them with their legions of troops, not to mention the other unnamed countries that came to Liberl's aid during the Hundred Days War. Really Pants posted:There are a few other weird inconsistencies between FC and SC, and between Sky and the later Trails series, although nothing that major. The Jaegers were originally a single, elite mercenary company. Cassius' title of Divine Blade was presented as an honor he earned from the Bracer Guild. Now any sufficiently successful merc is a jaeger, and anybody who masters Cassius' old sword style gets to be Divine Blade. There was a blog post that covered the changes. When I'm off my phone I'll edit this to add it in if someone else hasn't already. Edit: This should be the post I'm referring to. Cyouni fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Apr 6, 2016 |
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Apr 6, 2016 21:24
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Some Numbers posted:Think about that. They have all the Enforcers, all the Anguis and all this poo poo and they still needed to get Cassius out of the country because they're that scared of him. But what was it that Cassius said at the end of FC? What was it that Estelle told Col. Richard at the end of FC? That Cassius is just one person and he didn't win the Hundred Days war all on his own. I guess he wasn't really trying very hard at all if he's so powerful alone that Oroboros had to do all that stuff just to get him sidelined. So which is it? #WhichCassius
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Apr 6, 2016 21:47
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Cassius being the one to tell you about Ouroboros when they were keen on keeping him in the dark can partially explain the discrepancy. That's all they were to him at the time. Another part can be that they were moving forces into place and doing tests with the Gospels to ensure their advantage while utilizing the Orbal blackout. The only reason that they're so strong here is because they've brought everything to bear during a moment of weakness that they engineered. It's the classic strategy of 'hitting them when they're weak.' Stabbey_the_Clown posted:But what was it that Cassius said at the end of FC? What was it that Estelle told Col. Richard at the end of FC? That Cassius is just one person and he didn't win the Hundred Days war all on his own. I guess he wasn't really trying very hard at all if he's so powerful alone that Oroboros had to do all that stuff just to get him sidelined. So which is it? #WhichCassius To use a super hero analogy, Cassius is Batman to Weissman's Lex Luthor. The key to Weissman's success is partially dependent on knowing what the Aureole actually does and how to go about utilizing it to the fullest. Weissman knows Cassius knows, plus with his personal ability and reputation he also has the greatest ability to counter Weissman's moves. Cassius' personal ability means that he's really hard to assassinate and would require elite forces to deal with (who could be doing a whole lot more elsewhere) and Cassius' reputation means he can get people who normally don't work together to do so with minimal effort which throws wrenches into even the best laid plans (and means Weissman needs even more manpower to deal with those alliances.)
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Apr 6, 2016 22:13
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Stabbey_the_Clown posted:But what was it that Cassius said at the end of FC? What was it that Estelle told Col. Richard at the end of FC? That Cassius is just one person and he didn't win the Hundred Days war all on his own. I guess he wasn't really trying very hard at all if he's so powerful alone that Oroboros had to do all that stuff just to get him sidelined. So which is it? #WhichCassius Keep in mind that a big reason Ouroboros wants Cassius out of the picture is his ability to predict and counter his opponents moves. Much earlier in the game (I think around when you first see Campanella?) Campanella mentions that when he was keeping Cassius occupied out of Liberl, Cassius countered everything Campanella tried without even knowing who he was up against. It's not so much that they are afraid that Cassius will stop them personally; after all, he can only be in one place at a time. They are much more worried that his strategic genius will allow him to effectively organize Liberl's actions and mess up their plans. When you combine that with the fact that he's strong enough that they can't just send an Enforcer to kill him, he becomes a problem that they want no part of. Thus, they get him out of the country for a bit and then keep him tied down with trying to rebuild Liberl's military after the coup attempt.
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Apr 7, 2016 00:11
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JTDistortion posted:They are much more worried that his strategic genius will allow him to effectively organize Liberl's actions and mess up their plans. ... Thus, they get him out of the country for a bit and then keep him tied down with trying to rebuild Liberl's military after the coup attempt. Yes, what an excellent plan. Keep him from being able to effectively organize Liberl's actions by putting him in charge of the Liberlian military, rather than just leaving him in his retirement.  I mean, come on, it's a really, really good game but you don't have to try and spackle over every single flaw. Yes, the stupid plan is stupid. Yes, the constant narrative flow of "We did it! Oh wait, that's just what the bad guys wanted..." repeated a billion times is grating as gently caress. That doesn't make it a bad game, they're just minor flaws on the masterpiece.
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Apr 7, 2016 02:13
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I like how the ancient floating fortress of unknown power and capabilities is currently playing the vital role of an off switch.
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Apr 7, 2016 02:18
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Captain Bravo posted:Yes, what an excellent plan. Keep him from being able to effectively organize Liberl's actions by putting him in charge of the Liberlian military, rather than just leaving him in his retirement. He wasn't retired - in fact, putting him in charge of Liberl's military limits his actions. Sure, he technically gets access to more power, but he can't move freely and is forced to rely on other people to carry out his orders and gather information. See Chapter 2's earthquake and Chapter 7's towers for examples, and I'm pretty sure he even describes exactly how it limits him at one point. Compare that to when he was the S-ranked Bracer, Cassius Bright, where he had literally no constraints - he could just head anywhere he wanted at any time and do what he needed to do.
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Apr 7, 2016 02:33
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Cyouni posted:He wasn't retired - in fact, putting him in charge of Liberl's military limits his actions. Sure, he technically gets access to more power, but he can't move freely and is forced to rely on other people to carry out his orders and gather information. See Chapter 2's earthquake and Chapter 7's towers for examples, and I'm pretty sure he even describes exactly how it limits him at one point. That doesn't gel with this, though: JTDistortion posted:It's not so much that they are afraid that Cassius will stop them personally; after all, he can only be in one place at a time. They are much more worried that his strategic genius will allow him to effectively organize Liberl's actions and mess up their plans. Cassius is a terrifying motherfucker who went toe-to-toe with a dragon, but he's just one dude. Sure, he's friends with everyone, but he had no real authority as an S-ranked bracer. He could go anywhere, do anything, and maybe convince people to go along with him, but that's a far cry from "has all the information across the country sent directly to his office, and the authority to order the entire military might of his nation to do whatever needs to be done." Remember, Cassius' true strengths are not in his battle prowess, they're in his tactical mind. Would you rather an opponent in chess have one really good queen, or an entire army of pawns and knights and poo poo? Sure, he's been turned into a King, can't move around and can't destroy opponents himself, but his strategic options have multiplied enormously. Edit: And yes, he was retired. He was an active S-Rank bracer, but he was a retired general.
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Apr 7, 2016 02:55
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the plan wasn't to make him a general, it was just to get him out of the country for the events of FC. i think him becoming general was just a thing that happened, not planned by either side.
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Apr 7, 2016 02:59
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Captain Bravo posted:Yes, what an excellent plan. Keep him from being able to effectively organize Liberl's actions by putting him in charge of the Liberlian military, rather than just leaving him in his retirement. I would actually agree with you that Ouroboros' plans are often convoluted to a silly extent; I was arguing against the idea that "Cassius did not win the Hundred Days War on his own" and "Cassius is a total badass that the society is really worried about" are somehow mutually exclusive. As for how being in charge of the military can be a downside, they do try to explain it a bit by referencing how the army is having difficulty gathering intelligence since their Intelligence Division is essentially nonexistant after the coup (and I think there were a few references to morale problems as well). I think what they were going for was implying that Cassius has so much to do between official duties in the military and responses to what Ouroboros has already done that he doesn't have much ability to try to get ahead of Ouroboros' plans. However, the military always seems a bit too competent for that to feel real. For a force that is supposedly dealing with all kinds of internal problems, they seem to be doing just fine; Cassius could probably leave most of the work to General Morgan and get more involved in the fight against Ouroboros.
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Apr 7, 2016 03:47
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Well, right now the military /is/ having trouble on account of having none of their main weaponry work --- the poor GIs in the previous update were trying to fight with their bayonets, after all; normally though Liberl military is supposed to be elite, just the coup somehow messed stuff up.
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Apr 7, 2016 03:58
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Captain Bravo posted:That doesn't gel with this, though: Morgan pointed out in Chapter 5: "The organization and hierarchy of the army is certainly useful, but there are times when the bracers' swift actions lead to better results." Yes, he gets much more in the way of options, but the sheer size of the army slows him down instead of allowing for a quick response. This is basically death against Ouroboros, who works in the shadows, and only emerges to strike at their target. He can't set a trap for them, because he doesn't know what they're after. The lack of knowledge puts him behind, and the comparatively slow response time of the army, his "pawns", prevents him from responding quickly enough to any of Ouroboros's lightning strikes. In comparison, could you imagine a Cassius that could move units from any of the Bracer Guilds to enact immediate responses to whatever Ouroboros drops on him? Sure, he gets no technical authority, but you can bet if Cassius Bright asked something of them, they'd be willing to do it.
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Apr 7, 2016 04:28
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More effectively, he could look into things themselves. Imagine how things would have gone if, for the first three chapters, Cassius had been travelling along with the party. Would Bleublanc and Walter have been able to subdue the party and escape with the upgraded gospel afterwards? Probably not. Heck, the party might have even located them faster. Would have Renne have been able to do her stuff in Grancel the way she did if Cassius had been there personally? Probably not either. All three of them probably would have been in irons by the time the Rolent chapter came along, which would have made executing the Tower phase of the plan much more difficult. Cassius may only been one man, but during the early phases, having one man with an extremely sharp tactical mind who's also strong enough to single-handedly take on an enforcer run loose in the kingdom was probably something the society couldn't afford since the enforcers needed time to do their experiments without constantly having to watch over their shoulder to see if Cassius was standing there.
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Apr 7, 2016 06:18
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Erpy posted:More effectively, he could look into things themselves. Imagine how things would have gone if, for the first three chapters, Cassius had been travelling along with the party. Would Bleublanc and Walter have been able to subdue the party and escape with the upgraded gospel afterwards? Probably not. Heck, the party might have even located them faster. Would have Renne have been able to do her stuff in Grancel the way she did if Cassius had been there personally? Probably not either. All three of them probably would have been in irons by the time the Rolent chapter came along, which would have made executing the Tower phase of the plan much more difficult. But this isn't the early phases, this is the late, late phases. Remember, this is a plan that's been in the works for years. Joshua was a spy deliberately placed to feed them information about Cassius. There was no timetable for this at all, they're on no deadline aside from the one they self-imposed by kicking off the coup.
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Apr 7, 2016 07:38
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Captain Bravo posted:But this isn't the early phases, this is the late, late phases. Remember, this is a plan that's been in the works for years. Joshua was a spy deliberately placed to feed them information about Cassius. There was no timetable for this at all, they're on no deadline aside from the one they self-imposed by kicking off the coup. Early phases of the late phases then. That doesn't really change the fact Cassius could have been a big spanner in the works during the experimentation phases had he been able to personally investigate and respond to things.
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Apr 7, 2016 07:48
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Hooray, with the sidequests of 8 done, we're getting back to exclusively content that I worked on! And man, I'm glad I did, because you should prepare to  . This ride's going over the hill.Firstly, as an interesting note, I did work on the Academy Rescue sidequest despite not doing a heck of a lot of "sidequest/NPC Ruan", outside of the lighthouse... because, in the files as they were organized, the Academy Rescue is actually counted as primary content! It's a little unclear why - it IS entirely optional, and there are even scenes coming up that have significant contingency lines in case you didn't do it - but it was included with the files for this section of the game. So were all "navigation" sections, such as taking the boat across the river in Ruan. If I had to guess, it's still considered more or less essential to the plot, given how it gives a whole bunch of characters one last time on-camera, even though in strict terms it's optional. Curiously, the mine sequence in Rolent is the same way, though nothing in Zeiss or Bose (IIRC) is this way. In general, the Academy Rescue is another sidequest I like a lot. It shows off how much the characters have grown and how they've learned to apply their skills, and also shows the trust E&J have continued to build for one another. And, of course, Gilbert, who pretty much constantly trolls himself. Also, "THIS IS MADNESS" is pretty much verbatim from the Japanese, I swear to god, especially in ham-per-textbox. If there's a meme there, blame Falcom. I'll grant that "time for the ultraviolence" is a little nod to Burgess & Kubrick, though it's still fairly accurate to the original, especially in tone. お仕置きと行きますか♪~ Now, to address a little something: Stabbey_the_Clown posted:At the point where Walter breaks down the massive doors to Grancel castle literally with just his loving bare hands, I have to say that I was indeed really pissed off at how the bad guys kept getting even more and more absurdly unstoppable.[...] Really Pants posted:This could be the first open deployment of the Glorious, and all the society's other crazy poo poo. So, as far as I understand, Pants' interpretation is the narrative intent. FC was, among other things, meant to show us how the Society has operated up until this point. They send a few agents in, they accomplish their objective with few people, if any, being the wiser to their presence, and then they get out. They don't engage in large operations and they use deniable assets. Only rarely do the body counts get really significant (and if they do, as Joshua noted, it's against elements that people might not particularly miss anyway - we'll have THAT elaborated on in 3rd). But Ouroboros has been planning on going "loud" for a while now - it's deliberately unclear how long, but it's definitely been before Joshua joined. They have been making plans and gaining technology and advantages. With the Gospel Plan, Ouroboros plays their hand. EVERYTHING is on the table and they are utilizing every single resource they have to secure their objective. They aren't going to be nearly as "secret" anymore - or at least, every single intelligence agency on the Zemurian continent is now going to look at them as a threat, and a lot more people end up informed about the existence of the Society - but they consider it worth it to obtain their objective and forward their larger objectives. In the next chapter, we will see why they consider the change in operational strategy worth it. That said, I'll admit that, speaking from a purely personal perspective, Ouroboros is one of the odder narrative elements of the series. I get what the intent is - especially with a long-running narrative, you want an organization that seems actually competent, and more importantly one that can seem to win, so that they don't spend huge sections of the larger narrative being toothless - but SC does have a bad habit of denying the protagonists, in turn, truly significant victories against the enemy until the very end. I still think it ultimately works, in no small part because of scenes like the Academy Rescue, because we still get to see our heroes grow in competency and professionalism, but ultimately they're still chasing Ouroboros and seeming like they can't quite catch up. Though at the same time, one does wonder if some of it, at least, isn't just preening... but we'll get to that. Ouroboros itself is a bit tricky in other ways; in terms of overall design and narrative place and structure, it owes a lot, and I mean a goddamned gently caress of a lot, to the Big Fire Organization from the Giant Robo OVA. The Enforcers are the Experts/Magnificent Ten (straight down to the superpowers, straight down to similar superpowers in a couple of cases), Weissmann is similar in ways to Komei (though far more vicious and grandstanding), the Grandmaster is Big Fire the person, the jaegers are BF's masked goons, etc. This isn't too surprising, given that a lot of the veteran Falcom staff are admitted huge giant robot fans (and oh baby, this is gonna get real obvious in Cold Steel 2  ). The thing is, in Giant Robo BF works because it's been "outed" before the show starts, and we know that they and the IPO are at odds from the start and have been for some time, and moreover they work in the retro-futuristic superscience-is-everywhere setting of the show. What's being done here would be like "BF's big reveal" as an episode, and moreover their technology feels strangely advanced compared to what most others can field, making it harder to understand how they kept it all secret. (Given that the tech level of the setting is quietly bumped up in Crossbell and beyond, I suspect this last bit is being addressed on some level.)Ultimately, I still like Ouroboros as villains if only because the game's individual characters - rather like Giant Robo, again - are so strong and so likable and ultimately so sympathetic that if anything, the Crazy Anime Stuff just meshes with everything else to make the experience more enjoyable. I do wish SC gave our heroes a few more victories, but the real emphasis is on E&J's relationship and how they influence each other - Ouroboros is almost a sideplot, at least here.(Though it is worth pointing out: Crossbell in general is a lot, a lot, better about giving our heroes real victories and letting them change their world more. So it was definitely known and addressed as a problem when SC first came out. And in terms of "Ouroboros resources", the jaegers and their place in the world and how they interact with the Society is expanded on a great deal in the Crossbell games. We do get to see, among other things, how they operate as the deniable assets they are.) Anyway, we have some royals to save, we'd better do that! 
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Apr 7, 2016 10:07
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-Those Who Guard What Matters Most-  No, no... Not even the Royal Guard can stop 'em, huh...Man's Voice: M-Miss...Estelle...   Did you try to stop them? To my shame, I could not...I suppose age has...caught up to me. I could not hold them for long... Is...the duke...? He's fine. I believe he was just knocked down. That is...a relief...Her Majesty has...retreated to the royal chambers...Please...hurry...! PHILLIP! He's just unconscious. Let's hurry...Kloe is in danger! R-Right!   Our destination, then.  The only one who didn't just fall over was the old timer! Yes, he was quite an expert. He was still silly, though. There was no way he could beat all of us. Stupid old man. Heh, come now, don't say that. He proved his worth through his loyalty. Few men can claim as much. And I must admit, Duke Dunan was a little different than rumor led me to believe. True. He did not seem like the absolute debauchee from the reports. I was still amused by how quickly he passed out, of course.Royal Guardsman: They're here!   Royal Guardsman: drat it all...If only Captain Schwarz was here! Other Royal Guardsman: Stop sniveling! We are the Royal Guard! Show them what that means!  This IS getting rather tedious. Heehee! Told you. Ooh, I know. To make it fun, let's see who can capture the queen first! Oho, an interesting sport! I'm game. Well, then...let's play.    -The Enforcers-   Estelle...Joshua... Everyone...thank you for coming. Dammit... We're too late. You sons of...What do you think you're doing?! Let go of Kloe and Her Majesty! Heehee! Sorry, but no. The professor asked us to do this as a personal favor, so no can do. The professor?! Wait, a personal...? So this has nothing to do with the Gospel Plan, then? Nope! Don't think so. He said he wanted to slow you down a little since you were doing more than we thought you could. Oh, I'm so very sorry for trying to reverse all the damage you guys are doing and being a decent human being, then. It HAS been problematic, you realize. You restored the guild phones across Liberl. The professor hadn't expected you to do it so quickly. I gather he wanted to see you suffer a little more. ...What...in...? He had you attack Grancel for THAT?! That's...very like him. You got it. I thought it was a bit lame myself. Thing is, Loewe got sent off to secure that flyin' city alone. We had nothin' better to do, so we said, sure, we'll throw you a bone. Walter...drat you! ...I believe we understand now. Given that, am I not enough of a prize by myself? Can I ask you to release Princess Klaudia? Grandmother, no! I'm the one who should... Hmmmmm. It is true that the good professor asked for one or the other...My, what a quandary we have on our hands! Weren't you looking to take the princess anyway? Heh, well. A pet bird in a cage somehow lacks charm. It may also be nice to see her elegance shining even through captivity, but... ... You, you...Don't even start... You're REALLY out of your minds if you think we'll let you do that! Ha! Don't make me laugh. Even if we didn't have hostages, are you seriously gonna take on ALL of us? Heehee! That's right, I promised to kill you all the next time we met. You know what? This is a good chance. Maybe I should just gut you all right here. Ngh... (They're right. There's no way we can fight all of them at once by ourselves. We need to wait for our chance.) (But...)But they're such total dicks! Just LOOK at them! Ah, alas, Joshua, it is fruitless. Perhaps had you been in the shadows, you could have found an opening. But as it stands... Out in the open like this, your options are limited. There's little you can do, Black Fang. ...So it seems. It also seems like I'm not the one who needs to strike that opening. What?-Challenger Invited-   Whaaa...?!  Your Majesty, Your Highness. Forgive my tardiness. Cid! Thank you for coming. Ah. One of the Divine Blade's lieutenants. Heehee, that wasn't too bad! Just a bit more and you really would've had us. Yes, I'll admit I was surprised. I didn't expect you to be able to turn away such a blow so easily. All right! This is turnin' into my kinda party. So you want to play, too? I'll pass, for the moment. Really, I'm just bait, anyway. What...?! *gasp*!Falcon's Voice: SCREEE      What in...?  THAT'S unexpected. R-R-R... RICHARD?! Colonel Richard?!Colonel Richard    You shouldn't call me 'colonel,' however. I have been stripped of my rank, and am little more than a criminal performing his penal service. Boy, that explains every question I'd have about this. 'Don't call me colonel,' okay. Col...Mr. Richard. It's been some time. I am glad to see you and the princess are well, Your Majesty. I believe General Bright has already briefed you on my circumstances...so, please, allow me to shield you from these criminals.Oh Alan, I'm falling for you all over again   By all means. Thank you very much, Mr. Richard. The pleasure is mine. I sooo don't even know what's going on anymore. I think it's safe to say this story is bigger than we are, as it were. A pair of the Divine Blade's students...our wayward Black Fang, and a group of...better than average bracers. I think we may have tarried for too long. Heh. I appreciate the time, personally. Incidentally, we've already handled things in the city. Huh? Video: Battle for Grancel   When did the Special Ops guys show up?! And they're going after the society's goons, too! Maybe this is, you know, heavy penance for awwwwful deeds! And stuff! Or maybe they're trying to remind everyone how awesome they are! Who the hell would...? They're trying to clear their name, Dorothy. Ah, the hell with it! Dorothy! Make with the camera! Shoot and shoot until we can't stuff film in there anymore! Aye, aye, sir!  Very impressive! Heh...Not too bad, really. Now then, servants of Ouroboros. What do you intend? You seemed quite eager for a fight. Are we still desirous of violence? Tch... ...You think you're funny? If it's gonna be like this, I AM gonna call Pater-Ma-- Stop, Renne. Our chance has already slipped by. Trying to force the issue now would only end in an ugly fashion. The capture of the royals was ultimately an optional objective. Come, let us pull back. Hmph. Well, if we gotta. ...  It should be just about time for your next trial, however...I suggest you keep your wits about you. ...'Next trial'? What are you on about NOW?! You'll see soon enough. Good day, then, everyone.*RINGGG* -Silence-   -Dancing With The Wind-  A shame we cannot pursue them, but I suppose we can't be selfish. Yeah...Er, wait! WAY more importantly! So just what in the heck is COLONEL RICHARD doing here?! I thought you were in prison for the seriously grievous crime of being a huge jerk! I said, I'm not a...Well, regardless. Before any of that, we have to secure the city. Would you help us? Er, well...sure, of course. We'll help tend to the wounded and with firefighting.quote:And so...with great difficulty, the society's invasion of Grancel was repelled. Estelle's group ran around the city, fighting fires and helping the confused citizenry...Eventually, the rest of the team arrived, having been contacted by Elnan. quote:Received payment for [The Danger in the Capital].     He had a suspicion that Ouroboros might try something like this. However, most regular army troops aren't very well trained to fight without their orbal firearms... So he decided to use a handful of troops with experience in hand-to-hand combat. Of course, he needed an excuse to get me and my subordinates involved, seeing as we are supposed to be in prison. As a result, we were to be transported to Grancel, where we conveniently ended up caught in the chaos and repelled the attack. Oooookay... That's about as subtle as a brick to the forehead, Dad. I take it you had some idea about this, Your Majesty? Yes, Cassius and I discussed the idea earlier. We will, I suspect, face some criticism for doing this, but the safety of the citizenry must come before everything else. And I knew, from the bottom of my heart, that Mr. Richard would do what was best for the country he loves so. I do not deserve such praise, Your Majesty. I get it. So then... Oh, uh, right. Does this have to do with the reason you wanted to see us? In part, yes. What I wanted to discuss was what Klaudia has done. Huh? What Kloe's done? Yes... It was a short ceremony, but as of this morning, I've been formally invested with the inheritance. I am now, officially, the crown princess of Liberl, next in line to be queen. Whoa! Wow! Congratulations. I think you made a good decision. I...really think some of it is simply selfishness on my part. Estelle, everyone...I understand you're the ones who saved everyone at the academy? Thank you so much. Oh! Uh, yeah. We can't really take all the credit, though. Anelace's group was there, and Sieg helped out too! Screee. ♪ Haha! Yes, so I gathered. When I learned about what happened...I spent a lot of time thinking about what I could do. What role I could serve to help protect those dear to me... And that's inheriting the throne? Yes. I am an inexperienced teenager who lacks the ability or confidence to lead an entire kingdom. Still, if I can use such a position to protect those dear to me...and if that in turn helps me to protect the home I love... ...then it is all worth it. Kloe...You silly...  Well, congratulations! Looks like you finally found that path you were looking for, huh? Estelle...thank you. I really am desperately new at this, though, and I am not quite sure what I can do. Will you...lend me your aid when I need it? What kinda question is that? Duh! I mean, heck, I'm not exactly a grizzled veteran over here, you know. Just as you've lent us your aid, time and time again... Whenever you need us, we'll be there for you. Estelle, Joshua... Thank you...Thank you so much! (What a complete and utter fool I've been.) (All the things I did without realizing the potential of the young people who will carry our future...) (Alan...) (Hmhm! What's this, Alan?) (You'll be carrying a good deal of 'future' yourself, still, I think.) (Quite so!) (You jest, Your Majesty...)Man's Voice: Colonel! I have a report! -Silence-  Royal Guardsman: N-No, sir, everything is quiet here. The jaegers withdrew rapidly from the city and faded back out into the countryside. Then what is it, man? Speak up.-Hollow Light of the Sealed Land- Royal Guardsman: We, we've received a report from Haken Gate. An Erebonian army is gathering on the border! What?! So they've come at last...! How large an army are they fielding?Royal Guardsman: So far, it appears to only be a single standard division. But they...they have tanks with them!  WHAT?! Now just a drat second! How the hell are they runnin' TANKS in the middle of all this?! Are they using the same technology as the society?! I thought they might...Royal Guardsman: No, it's...strange. They don't appear to be using orbments at all. The scout reports say they run using steam engines.  Steam what now? Um, it's an engine that uses steam to move the pistons. It's even more primitive than a gasoline engine...Everyone stopped using them as soon as orbments were invented. No sane army would bother keeping such museum pieces maintained. They're a joke compared to even the most basic orbal tank. Which can only mean one thing. They prepared these in secret. Hang on. You mean... It means the Erebonian leadership knew this was going to happen. So, the next trial Ouroboros spoke of... Yes, it must be this. And now, they're effectively holding Grancel hostage. They can storm in and take the capital again whenever they please. It's one way of sending a message, I suppose. There's another problem. I suspect Dad was keeping you as an ace in the hole. A special joker card he could play, someone he could dispatch anywhere an emergency occurred where he couldn't be. But now he's played that card, and you'll have to remain here. Blast it... Ouroboros certainly plays a hard game... ...Grandmother. Allow me to go to Haken Gate. Say WHAT?! Kloe? I couldn't bear sending Uncle...He risked his life once already for our sakes.(also he's still a bit of a fuckup...just a bit) Let me go. I will negotiate with the Erebonians as your agent. ...Very well. Though we may have signed a non-aggression pact with them, remember that the scales on which Erebonia and Liberl balance are still unstable. These events could spiral into chaos that would engulf the continent. I am counting on you...to balance those scales. I will! So, uh...In that case, mind if we go with you? I'm sorry? We shall see the heiress to Haken Gate safely. And if things get really crazy and turn into a shooting war, we'll do what we can to help. Now mind, we can't actually HELP with a shooting war, as per guild protocol... ...But there's a few things we could do from a neutral position, I think. Everyone... Hmm-hmm...I couldn't ask for more. Thank you. Please, keep her safe. Yes, Your Majesty! Leave everything to us. Estelle, Joshua. On that note. I and my men will keep an eye on any movements the society may try to make. Even if they attempt to assault us with that massive puppet of theirs, we will be ready to respond. Guys... We'll be counting on you.
Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 12:12 on May 11, 2016 |
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Apr 7, 2016 11:02
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So I think we can finally, finally chalk up some actual wins for the good guys. This was no feint and withdrawal like in Chapter 7--the society's forces genuinely got their asses beat and were prevented from achieving their objective, both at the academy and at the castle. We did get the standard Sour Grape Escape from their higher-ups, but we still saw that Estelle and Joshua are indeed capable of wiping the smug off the Enforcers' faces. And we owe it all to Alan Richard
Hwurmp fucked around with this message at 11:13 on Apr 7, 2016 |
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Apr 7, 2016 11:11
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Welcome back Richard! Alan Richard suddenly appearing out of nowhere was one of the moments where I just went "Holy poo poo" and when the special ops started mowing down the society forces, I remember squeeing like a little girl. I do kinda feel sorry for the Royal Guardsmen. In the last game, especially the part where the bracers and Julia's squad assaulted the villa, the special ops and Royal Guardsmen were on somewhat equal terms in terms of ability. In this game, the special ops get to look all badass beating the enemy mooks into submission while the royal guards are put up against Kanone's tank and now against the enforcers, essentially reducing them to human bowling pins. Also, there seems to be a Falcom rule where carrying a halbert in battle automatically makes you badass. This is an awesome part. Hard to believe it gets even more awesome in the next update.
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Apr 7, 2016 11:30
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The bad guys from the first game literally being repurposed as the last line of defense suicide squad for Liberl is the loving coolest thing. That's the thought I had before seeing what will happen next update. I was wrong.
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Apr 7, 2016 11:35
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I imagine there's very confused bracer clerk over in Leman state pawing through paperwork trying to work out exactly how Estelle's gone from shiny new Junior bracer to A-rank Senior bracer in the span of a few months. Also, Olivieeeer what did you doooooooo
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Apr 7, 2016 11:35
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The Doomhammer posted:Also, Olivieeeer what did you doooooooo Something awesome. 
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Apr 7, 2016 11:47
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The Doomhammer posted:I imagine there's very confused bracer clerk over in Leman state pawing through paperwork trying to work out exactly how Estelle's gone from shiny new Junior bracer to A-rank Senior bracer in the span of a few months. Estelle isn't even the fastest to rise through the ranks, apparently. That clerk would be thinking "Ugh, not another one."
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Apr 7, 2016 12:28
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Canon-wise, Estelle never made it to A-rank though. Which is maybe why this game gave you so ridiculously little leeway in reaching max rank. (compared to FC and Cold Steel)
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Apr 7, 2016 12:31
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Really Pants posted:Estelle isn't even the fastest to rise through the ranks, apparently. That clerk would be thinking "Ugh, not another one." Aye, though I don't remember if that's a standing record or if the character in question was simply the youngest A-ranker at the time they became an A-rank, or if Cold Steel ever actually says how old they were when they achieved this (And since, as Erpy says, Estelle isn't canonically an A-rank by the end of SC so I guess it doesn't matter.)
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Apr 7, 2016 12:36
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I do love that while Renne is one of the deadliest, strongest people in the world, she's still a kid who loving HATES LOSING gently caress YOU GUYS I'M GONNA USE MY GIANT ROBOT TO BLOW YOU STRAIGHT TO GEHENNA
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Apr 7, 2016 13:03
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The Doomhammer posted:Also, Olivieeeer what did you doooooooo He did mention the next time he'd be an enemy. An incredibly handsome enemy, we can't stay mad at the lovable rogue. The Doomhammer posted:I imagine there's very confused bracer clerk over in Leman state pawing through paperwork trying to work out exactly how Estelle's gone from shiny new Junior bracer to A-rank Senior bracer in the span of a few months. She's called Bright. By her second promotion in two weeks the clerk pre-compiled all the other forms in bulk while sighing.
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Apr 7, 2016 14:22
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Alan is so loving cool.
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Apr 7, 2016 15:49
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The Doomhammer posted:Also, Olivieeeer what did you doooooooo
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Apr 7, 2016 20:58
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It's funny we had this conversation about Cassius's efficacy as a general and why Weissmann would so desperately want him out of his hair at any costs right before the update. This is why. This exactly.  And now we have the Best Scene In The Game next time
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Apr 7, 2016 22:52
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Some people might have been surprised about Richard getting personally involved here. I was not. At the end of FC, Richard realized that he'd badly, badly screwed up and he tried to sacrifice his life so Estelle and co. could escape as a form of penance. A traitor like that you don't hang all at once.  Richard, Amalthea and the Special Ops coming in the save the day is great. It's also a nice callback to the fact that the special ops mostly trained in melee weapons so the orbal shutdown doesn't affect them as much. Also, remember how we learned how some people in Erebonia were a bunch of huge dicks and started the war 10 years ago? Turns out that Erebonia's "dick contingent" is still around! SpaceDrake posted:Now, to address a little something: Well yeah obviously they're no longer hiding, BUT they still somehow had to become a massive operation consuming a huge amount of resources and cash and turning that into trained soldiers, robots, and a FLYING BATTLESHIP/CARRIER in secret. You need a drydock for something that big.
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Apr 7, 2016 22:55
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I half-suspect that Pater-Mater is actually necessary where it is right now, as some kind of counter to Bright.
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Apr 8, 2016 03:34
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Stabbey_the_Clown posted:Well yeah obviously they're no longer hiding, BUT they still somehow had to become a massive operation consuming a huge amount of resources and cash and turning that into trained soldiers, robots, and a FLYING BATTLESHIP/CARRIER in secret. You need a drydock for something that big. Do keep in mind that we don't really know the layout of the entire Zemuria continent yet. It's not impossible that Ouroboros actually controls some remote territory in a part of Zemuria that hasn't featured in the games yet, with or without using the methods they used to hide the lakeside laboratory we explored in Chapter 6.
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Apr 8, 2016 06:04
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Also, it kind of makes more sense for a secret underground agency to be as advanced as they are, rather than a country. Advanced orbal technology comes from artifacts, which the church has unlimited dibs on. Any country that tried to hide artifacts from the Granritter would probably be quickly subdued by other countries to prevent them from gaining an unfair advantage. An entire organization dedicated to hiding in the shadows, however, would have the best chance of keeping any artifacts they obtain secret and in their own hands. Now imagine an organization like the CIA, untethered to any country, and with a 20-30 year head start on technology and production compared to the rest of the world. Hell, they're practically Hydra from Agents of Shield. They even have their own helicarrier!
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Apr 8, 2016 06:09
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Super Jay Mann posted:And now we have the Best Scene In The Game next time And even more importantly, someone gets a bitching new outfit.
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Apr 8, 2016 07:28
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Hoo boy this whole section of the game is just awesome to go through. There's a good amount of tension and then seeing Cid and Richard show up and pull off the rescue, while the Special Ops show up on your side this time, it's all just so drat cool.The Doomhammer posted:And even more importantly, someone gets a bitching new outfit. drat right. 
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Apr 8, 2016 09:40
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yo stabbey have you played cold steel yet, because theres a handful of answers in there about one of the methods orouboros used to shore up their resources before they made their grand entry on the world stage.
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Apr 8, 2016 09:42
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quote:And so Estelle's group took to the road toward Haken Gate, escorting Kloe. Passing through Gurune Gate, they moved through Rolent as quickly as possible...and soon arrived at Haken Gate. -A Lurking Shadow in the Wilderness-        Why is a division of the Imperial Army on our literal doorstep?! Does the Empire truly forget the pacts it signs so quickly?!  What are you-- For the past 24 hours or more, orbments all across the southern marches of His Majesty's domain have ceased function. And, at the exact same time, it appears a massive, heretofore unknown structure appeared above your Valleria Lake. Now I ask you, Morgan: what is going on? It is...just as you say. We are as confused as anyone else about the situation. So it would seem. But your 'situation' is, as I said, affecting a large swathe of Imperial territory. Given that...you know full well why I'm here, General. Hmph. Here to try and raise the Stallion above us while we're weak, then? We intend nothing of the sort. We are given to understanding that a criminal element of some sort has been taking advantage of this situation. All we wish is to see if we can be of aid to the allies whom we have signed a non-aggression pact with. Those are the orders I received from the Imperial government. Nonsense! What are those tanks doing here, then?! I've never heard of a tank that runs on steam and combustion until now! How is it that you suddenly have tanks which CONVENIENTLY require no orbal power?! That...is a military secret. I would think you would welcome us, though, Morgan. These vehicles are perfectly suited for helping to keep the peace. In Liberl, that is, while this...crisis runs its course. You understand my meaning, yes? Gh...Girl's Voice: We deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness. What...?!  (Y-Your Highness! What are you--) Zooks! Kloe was an Enforcer all along!  (Morgan, well done. Please, leave the rest of this to me.) (But, Your Highness...) (And what are THEY doing here?!) (WE are the royal bodyguards! Sorta. Temporarily.) (Should the worst happen, we'll protect Kloe...Klaudia. We swear.) (Mmmph...) (I may be inexperienced as a negotiator...) (This is, however, the proper time for me to step forward and assume my duties as heir. Morgan...please.) (...As you wish, Your Highness.) (Just...keep in mind who you are going out there to parley with, my princess. If anything happens, be ready to run for the gate.) (I understand.) I'm afraid I don't recognize you, though your bearing is quite noble. This is the first time we have met, sir. I am Klaudia von Auslese, princess of Liberl, granddaughter to the queen...and newly-invested heir to the throne. (Gah!) F-Forgive my impertinence, Your Highness! I am Zechs Vander, Your Highness. Lieutenant general of the third division of the Imperial Army. Yes, word of your accomplishments in battle has reached even us, General Vander. (Yes, that's 'One-Eyed Zechs.' He's one of the best field commanders Erebonia has.)A man with a name like 'Zechs Vander' should not be leading the armies of fantasy Not-Prussia, I feel. He should be captaining a star cruiser, punching it out with Space Commies and macking on nubile moon queens with blue skin and brass beachwear.  Have you cut your hair recently? Now that I look, your face is familiar, but... Haha, ah, this is a bit embarrassing...I, ah, cut it for the investiture ceremony. Consider it a little girl's way of showing her resolve to take up a burden too heavy for her. Hardly, Princess Klaudia. It looks very good on you--if I may be forward. Allow this servant of the Empire to congratulate you on becoming the heir to the throne. Thank you, General. Are you here to raise protest against us like my good colleague Morgan? No, that is not my intent. I am sure that our neighbors in Erebonia must be terrified at the moment. The darkness at night, the cold, the complete shutdown of communications...Believe me, I know how any one of these could inspire terror in people. ... What I ask is for you to consider your actions. Consider what would happen if your forces were to enter our country. You say that large portions of the Empire are disordered at the moment. I assure you, in every part of Liberl, it is worse. And while we no longer bear Erebonia ill will, many of our citizens are agitated and afraid. I could not bear it if the good intentions of our allies were misunderstood. Er, but... As you can see, we are investigating these strange events as quickly as we are able. Furthermore, we have managed to suppress most of the activities of the aforementioned criminal group on our own. And so I ask, for the sake of continued friendship between Erebonia and Liberl, a relationship we value highly. Give us a little more time, General. We will make this right. Mmm...Young Man's Voice: Pretty words. But they are, alas, sound and fury. Signifying nothing.   Your Highness... ZOUNDS! OLIVIER WAS AN I'll stop  I shall take the reins. You are relieved, General. As you wish, Your Highness.  He can't be... You have got to be making GBS threads me.I say this is all Agate's fault.   I am Olivert Reise Arnor, a son of His Majesty, Emperor Eugent III. WHA...?!?!... (One of the sons of...He's an IMPERIAL PRINCE?! Schera, did you know about this?!) (You're KIDDING, right?!) (I thought he was just some sort of agent for Imperial Intelligence!)   I rarely attend to public matters of state, so I am unsurprised you do not know my face. It does sting a little, though, I fear. For the lovely girl who was once to be my bride to not even know my face. An arrow, my heart. Wha...? (There are no other words.) (I see. That's what Colonel Richard had in mind a while back.) I am sorry, I was unaware. Allow me to apologize for the slight against you. Well, I do understand it was conducted without the queen's consent. That sort of slight we can overlook... But this? No, Erebonia cannot overlook this. ...Oh... My enchanting princess. Are you aware, I wonder, of a little rumor making its rounds across our great Empire? I don't believe I am... Allow me to tell you, then. Rumor has it that immense structure in the distance is Liberl's new weapon. What?! 'Liberl has developed a groundbreaking new weapon that allows them to stop orbal energy. They intend to use it to make us pay for the war ten years ago.' It is a rumor which finds fertile ground in the ears of our citizens. And leadership. It...It can't be... That's absolutely untrue! We would NEVER-- Then you can prove it, yes? Prove that it was a misunderstanding? Erm... If you cannot, then we must act upon the evidence of our senses. Indeed, if the rumors are true, this is a monstrous betrayal of all civilization. Using the pact to hide your intentions... Heh heh...What choice would we have, then, but to be defenders of the free world? Uh oh. Liberl does have one WMD, and right now she's ready to launch. Okay. What in the HELL is this, Olivier?! Estelle! E-Estelle...! Olivier, you know drat WELL just what's going on here! Why are you being such a jerk?! Estelle, wait... Have we...met? You seem to know me, even if you did not get the name quite right. Did we meet at a party once? Huh?! Mmm. No, you lack the refinement of nobility. Yes, no matter how I look at you, you must be nothing more than a commoner. So, who are you? ...Okay. Fine then. You wanna play dumb no matter what? You aren't the only one who can bust out a surprise. Oh...? MY NAME is Estelle Bright! I am a bona fide A-rank bracer of the Bracer Guild of Liberl! In accordance with the laws of the guild...I am involving myself in this dispute as a neutral arbitrator! Estelle...! Oh! An A-rank bracer... (Haha, ah! Not a whit less than I expected.) Huh? Ah, pardon me. From what I understand, A-rank bracers are among the most capable bracers alive. You will forgive me, but I find it a little difficult to believe that a young girl such as yourself could hold that rank.This is a JRPG. The Guild's administration probably doesn't have anybody of drinking age. Zane has only escaped forced retirement because he kicks the rear end of anyone who comes for his badge. Then you're welcome to inquire with the guild headquarters in Leman to confirm it. I think you'd have to halt negotiations while you check, though, right? And with no working phones for how many selge? What a pain that'll be! Heh...Very well. So what do you intend to do about our little situation, 'neutral arbitrator'? From the evidence, I judge that Erebonia's claim is false; the floating city is NOT a Liberlian weapon! I swear it on the honor of the Bracer Guild's supporting gauntlet! Oh! On the honor of the guild's emblem itself. A bold statement. Certainly, a statement from the Bracer Guild holds enough weight that it cannot be ignored outright. However... I shall pose the same question to you, then, Miss Bright. What is your evidence of this claim? 'Evidence'? What we've seen for ourselves! The group which made the floating city appear is the criminal Society of Ouroboros, which is still operating in Liberl! We of the guild have been cooperating with the Royal Army to try and put a stop to the society's operations. Heck, if you like, we can have records of everything forwarded to the Imperial government. Hmmmm...That would certainly satisfy our need for evidence against Liberl's possible malfeasance. However... You have, I think, missed a key point, Miss Bright. Huh...? Assuming, then, that the perpetrators are this 'Society of Ouroboros'...Are Liberl and the guild capable of putting a stop to this crisis? Er, well, we... If you do not, then the Empire will not sit here wringing its hands. The weaponry we have brought, including the cannons of our tanks, all use gunpowder. Would that not be perfect for laying siege to, and destroying, this little 'rogue city' of yours? You've got to be joking! What'll cannons do against something that big?! Heh...You never know until you try, Miss Bright. Regardless...I can say one thing for sure. You do not have the ability to put a stop to our...'goodwill.' Or our need to defend ourselves. Gh... ... Well, then, Prince Olivert. Would action satisfy? Hm? If we can prove that we can, even in these circumstance, do something about that city...Would you give us the time to do so? Hmmm. Well. I suppose that for some time, at least, civility would force our hand, hmm? (Calm down, General. Consider it the bare minimum of courtesy to a minor power we have a pact with. This assumes they can even prove anything.) (...As you wish.) So, then. If you can show me you have some hope of stopping this, our forces will withdraw. On the crest of the golden stallion and my name as a member of the Arnor family, I swear it.-Silence- quote:Man's Voice: Good, that came through loud and clear.  Is that...? Yes...No doubt about it. Now you're REALLY kidding me! ...Dad.-Looking Up at the Sky-      Feel free to feast your eyes upon it. Dad! C-CASSIUS BRIGHT! It's been a while, Zechs. They finally gave you a second star, I see. That's beside the point! Why are you here? And what is that ship?! How is it capable of flying?! That, unfortunately, is a national secret. Rather like those steam tanks of yours, I would say. Gh...! Hmmm! So this is the Arseille, is it? And you must be the famed Cassius Bright. I believe this is the first time we have had an audience, Your Highness. Strange, though...I feel as if we've met somewhere before. How curious, General Bright! I was just thinking the same thing. How very curious! Isn't it, though? Hahahaha! M-My prince! I am a proud member of the Erebonian Imperial family. I will keep my word. General, have all our forces withdraw from this area immediately. Olivier... You have our gratitude...Prince Olivert. Still, though...My dear citizens will doubtlessly not be satisfied with mere possibility being presented to them. Perhaps I could board the Arseille and observe for myself? Prince Olivert?! Princess Klaudia? Shall we? Of course. I see no reason to object. I am sure this will only further strengthen the bond of friendship between Erebonia and Liberl. Welcome aboard, Prince Olivert. You finally stride onto the public stage for the first time in ages, and you engage in this...this...charade?! Hahaha...Ah, I suppose we were too transparent at the end, hm? Transparent like AIR! To think that a prince of the Empire would plan something like, like THIS, in Liberl... Mueller! How could you let this happen?! Forgive me, Uncle...but do you really think this idiot would listen even if I asked him to stop? Ergh. Well. Besides...there are elements of this which do not sit easily on my conscience. I learned all about the truth behind Hamel during this mess. Gh...! So you did know. Haha! How could he not know? Even back then, he was a critical part of the military chain of command. ...My shame is... No, Zechs. I do not blame you. It was a subsection of the war hawks. I know you had nothing to do with it. A scandal so vile that information about it had to be tightly controlled...I do not agree with the logic, but I understand it. Seal up that which stinks and bury it forever. Those who rule remain in power, unblemished. However. I cannot allow the same trick to be played twice. Prince... Zechs, you realized it yourself, I'm sure. The incredibly fortuitous addition of these steam tanks to our arsenal...The convenient orders to sortie... Every bit of it has the fingerprints of the Blood and Iron Chancellor himself, Giliath Osborne. What are-- He's in contact with Ouroboros. I no longer doubt it. And personally, I find the idea of a chancellor whose first loyalty is not to the Empire rather repugnant. Don't you? ... My prince. You can't possibly... Heh, but I do indeed. The former military man who has become the Empire's central politician after rising to prominence ten years ago...The cold-blooded yet bold reformer who laid rails throughout the Empire and has annexed many of our neighbors through force of arms... I have decided to slay the beloved monster which has made its nest in our Empire. You may call all of this my declaration of war. Unbelievable. My prince, do you even realize what you are attempting to accomplish? I like to tell myself I do, at least. He is not only politically strong, but he has de facto control of easily seven-tenths of the military. Putting aside neutral people like yourself, all who stand against him are the nation's feudal lords, and their influence weakens by the day. Worse still, my father's trust in him is nearly absolute. The very picture of a monster, I would say. Then why even-- Heh, is it not obvious? Because the way he acts is not beautiful. ...What? My eyes were opened as I traveled Liberl. People and countries are at their greatest when they are proud...of themselves. And I wish for my people, my fatherland, to feel the same pride. To be proud of accomplishments, not conquests. I hope you can understand, Zechs. ... ...My prince. You've become quite a man. Heh, as they say! Only an unwatched pot will boil! It's been seven years since you took me under your wing to teach me what you know, Zechs. I simply learned to apply what you taught when you weren't looking. Heh...Indeed. Very well. I will pull my forces back. I must remind you, however, that the 3rd division was merely the vanguard. Osborne is mustering another ten divisions in the capital. Three days...and then they march. That's your deadline. Yes...We'll act with all haste, Zechs. Mueller. You're going with Prince Olivert, I take it? If things go poorly, bring him back, even if you have to drag him by the collar. I imagine I'll have to do so, either way. We are withdrawing to Parm! There, we will await new orders!Imperial Soldiers: YES, SIR!   Really, though! No one trusts me, it seems. My lamentations truly ARE ceaseless! Of course they don't, you nitwit. Even I didn't think you had something like THIS in you. As they say--if you're going to play your cards, throw in all your chips!And then freak out the dealer. Besides, you certainly did a good job in arranging all the pieces. You could say we are partners in crime! Confederates of love, bees of a flower who have shared of the sweetest honey! I AM armed, Olivert. Olivier!    Would you PLEASE explain what in the hell is going on?! Why, it's exactly as it looks. There was something rotten in the state of Erebonia. I simply dragged it up onto the stage. 'The stage.' And the rest of us couldn't get a peek at the script? As they truly say--if you wish to deceive your foes, deceive your friends. Having the Arseille show up after you negotiate us into a corner...That was the plan Cassius Bright and I came up with. Dad and Olivier...I shoulda known...If Cassius and Olivier had to stop trolling people, I think they might die. Once Dad showed up, I thought that might be it.Man's Voice: That was the idea, at least.   That's a little cruel, don't you think? I was listening in by phone. You handled those negotiations expertly. Thanks to you, the arrival of the Arseille had all the impact it needed. Listening in by...What? Of course! That artifact of yours! Er, ah, my dear Schera! No more of that, please! It would be a little problematic if HE heard about--Man's Voice: Little too late on that score, Prince.  Kevin's here too! And Julia, as well... Your Highness...I heard about the attack on the capital. I am very glad to see you are safe. I'm sorry, Julia. I can only imagine how worried you must have been. Wellll, part of it's my fault. If I'd finished the Arseille's upgrades we could have come by to help out ourselves. Unfortunately, Zero Field reinforcing the most advanced airship in the world took a while, if you can believe it. Still! Glad to see everyone safe. Yeah, hang on! How IS the Arseille flying? You made a Zero Field Generator big enough for the entire ship? The ones I gave you were prototypes I'd whipped up to help design a large-scale version. I've been locked up in the Arseille ever since you left, and now it's finally ready. I see. So, in other words, every last bit of this was set up by Dad. Come now, don't say it like I'm a criminal! I simply did what I could to make it easy for you to act. You did this because you wanted to, yes? Well...TECHNICALLY, I guess, but... Oh, I don't quite get why you're here, though, Kevin. Ah, right. While I was at the cathedral, word came in from the Gralsritter higher ups. They've been hittin' the books. I think I've got a good picture on what kinda thing the Aureole is, 'n how to end this mess. Aaaand once I told Cassius about this, I got hog-tied and brought out here. Whoa, what?! What the Aureole...is? Yeah. So... First of all, the Aureole isn't that floating city itself, really. We think it's an artifact within the city that provides the whole thing with orbal power and helps control the flow of it. The Gospels are basically like distribution...thingies for it. An ancient power source for a city... But then, why is it causing all our orbments to shut down? Now we're gettin' into guesswork, but...a couple of reeeally old legends talk about the Aureole 'striking down threats to the chosen.' Meaning, all our modern orbments are being seen by it as 'threats' to the 'chosen.' Disabling any possible threat in its area of influence... It's a defense mechanism, essentially. It seems extremely likely. And, really, this gives us a ray of hope. Doing something about the entire city would be difficult at best due to its sheer size...but if we can find the actual Aureole somewhere within the city, we may be able to find a way to deal with it. I see...That is an idea. That does sound like a plan, at least. Yes, it seems as though our final goal is well set for us. We should board the Arseille and make our way to the flying city with all haste. The decision to use the Arseille must come from the royal family. Princess...shall we? You don't need to ask. Captain Schwarz! Prepare the Arseille for launch. We are heading for the flying city above Valleria Lake. At once, Your Highness! And my bracer friends... Please, everyone, lend your aid to Liberl in our hour of need. This mission will likely be the last one of this crisis. Hmhm! Well. Heh. Sayin' that like it's even a question if we'll go. This is something we should leave up to our leader. Er, leader? Uh, Estelle. We mean you of course. WHAT?! Why so shocked, Estelle? We all do have our own stake in this, yes...But, one way or another, we've just been tagging along on this wild ride of yours. So in that sense, Estelle...you're definitely our leader. Er, well I, well... Hmm...Still not quite ready for it? No...she is. No matter how grim it gets, Estelle never loses hope. That light is always there to guide me--to guide us. That's why only Estelle could ever be our leader. JOSHUA! NOT HELPING! Heehee...Estelle, your face is red as a beet! Ghhhghghghhcute... OKAY, OKAY, I get it! Kloe...the guild accepts your mission! We'll find the Aureole on the flying city and save Liberl! Haha...Thank you! Good, that's finally settled. Now I can get back to headquarters. Dad...you're not coming with us? I'm afraid I can't. They may have retreated for now, and I trust Zechs to keep his word, but we can't ignore the larger Erebonian threat. It's not just Haken Gate. They could use non-orbal-powered vessels to invade by sea. I also wouldn't be surprised if the society attempts another raid on Grancel. I can't leave the Royal Army with all of this going on. Yeah...I get it. I'll do my best...with Joshua...with everyone! So, Dad...try not to kill yourself with work, okay? Heh. It will be a struggle! But don't worry. And, Joshua...let me give this to you. Hm? quote:Cassius handed a letter to Joshua. A letter? Call it a father's heart. It's between men, so it might be a little shocking for Estelle. Gentle reminder that I'm right here and still have my staff. I'll read it when I have time, Dad. Please do. For the love of...I seriously do not get 'guy stuff' like this. Don't be so harsh, Estelle. I'm taking some time off once this is over. I intend to spend a lot of time at home once I can. Estelle...make sure we can all share some omelet rice then, all right? Ah... Yeah, you bet!  Are you sure, Cassius? If you're that worried, you could have gone with them, you know. No, it's fine. Weissmann is even more dangerous than I thought he would be. If I accompanied them, I would simply be painting a target on their heads. Yes, if you were out in the open, he'd strike at you like the snake he is... The price of fame, hmm? And it is maddeningly frustrating, let me tell you. Of course, this is also what gives us a chance to strike. A game of truth and lies as the two of you try to read the other, eh? Speaking of lies, do you think the Blood and Iron Chancellor will really hold back? As powerful as he is, he can't gainsay an oath from Prince Olivert easily. As long as we don't give them any more of an opening, I think we'll be safe. Hmph. I hope so. Everything rests on the team aboard the Arseille, then. Yes... (Lena...and great, benevolent Aidios of the sky...Shine down where your children must walk...Please...) (That beneath this enormous sky...they might find the path they seek.)
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Apr 8, 2016 10:20
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