[granblue fantasy] I picked this up briefly to play the Love Live event back in August(?), but I dropped it and only started playing it again due to the stars aligning of 1) FGO is just endless doors and 2) you can get a cat!!!, so this is a place to dump thoughts into as I pick at it.
I don’t know if I’ll have much to say, but I’m going through the story and:
Why are my only available responses to “a woman who flat out refuses to tell us anything but knows Lyria is wanted by the empire and monsters are acting weird around her and she’s apparently super stealthy” are variations on “it’s probably fine.”
Ex-Empire characters, looking stunned: Could you be...?
Red Knight: Oh, I should have introduced myself. I have worked with the Black Knight, who works with the Empire who is chasing you.
Rackham and Vyrn: Sounds great, come with us.
Red Knight: Oh, I should have introduced myself. I have worked with the Black Knight, who works with the Empire who is chasing you.
Rackham and Vyrn: Sounds great, come with us.
Am I the only one worried about this when we’re travelling with Lyria, a deserter, and Orchis?
????
Also with my story party, it’s “unsheathe your weapons” brandishes a harp
For a while it was a cat.
Level 15 well that takes some of the tension out of “gosh should I have brought a better team??”
Except that was before Orchis wanted to hang out a little longer and the Black Knight’s response was to say “what I do with my property is my business” and threaten to kill everyone other than Lyria.
Is calling a person property not a red flag to anyone else here?
Though it seems like it’s focusing on “what do we plan to do if we get her back?”
Could the empire not send someone less unbelievable than Furias to pretend to play nice with us?
As someone who has never read any of the story, please know Yosie that you plurking will be my only exposure to it. Anything you tell me I will assume is canon.
“Sleep on it” “think about it” Vira it was a one-directional offer.
I’ll keep this weighty duty in mind.
Oh, I know Vira hot. I know that.
That’s the one. They translated oneesama as “my dearest Katalina.”
Ah, early Granblue...
She’s ruling the floating castle/military academy town that we’re getting lured into a very obvious trap in.
I’m told it improves, and the more recent Fate episode I played suggest as much.
Though honestly despite not being one of the things I mentioned here, the thing sticking out in my head as the most ridiculous...well, most ridiculous is that the last two party members have been able to be openly shifty and come on board anyway when we’re on the run from the empire.
But what’s sticking out in my mind is how on-the-nose Orchis’s design as Lyria’s opposite is. A black frilly outfit opposite Lyria’s simple white dress, white hair opposite blue, twintails opposite loose hair....
Yeah Granblue definitely gets better the further you get into it. For a long time I just played events because I did not care that much about the main story
I think the first arc that really struck me as HOLY FUCK THIS IS GOOD?? Is right after the one you’re on actually
Oh nice. Glad to know it picks up, though with my brain as dead as it is right now, this has been fine for all my CAN I PLEASE INTERJECT feelings.
(They’ve dropped trying to translate Vira’s oneesamas and are just writing her dialogue mostly without any particular terms of endearment while I hear like four oneesamas in three sentences. It’s probably hard to get it across in English, though.)
That's hilarious.
She’s definitely living up to the promise of that one SSR I pulled when I heard about Granblue’s New Years pulls.
...........Katalina’s gotten kidnapped, hasn’t she.
I know the evil obsessed lesbian is an old and bad trope, but this part did make me smile.
What a weirdly effective threat.
I love her, even if she's a bad and cliche trope.
I do too... it does kinda help that she’s not the only lesbian in Granblue at least
That does help! And, besides, I’ll criticize the people who wrote the bad and cliche trope in, but I couldn’t even begin to count how many bad and cliche tropes I’ve loved anyway. It’s quite possible she’ll be one of them by the end of this.
School days Katalina and Vira...they’re cute.
Ah, getting to see a glimpse of pre-escape Lyria and Katalina is a treat.
The whole scene between Lyria and Katalina is something I’m really enjoying. A lot of the time, Lyria is just the cheerful, innocent girl whose every move is chosen by the writers for cute (speaking of bad and cliche tropes that I love anyway), but this flashback lets her refuse to just play nice in her despair (even if she’s hardly rude).
And in the present she’s yelling desperately and the voice actor is delivering for me. It makes her feel more like a real character and less like a calculated appeal to the players to me.
Ah, there it is. The first ascension Mash stomach hole. Her in-battle expression is fun, though.
Vira would want this picture framed on her wall.
I brought my “pile up bounties” team to this fight with the intention of getting someone to come in to finish it off, but no one came. And I was sure that I had called for backup, but that call for backup button looks unpressed.
Colossus luckily did another attack up/damage cut for the charge diamonds, and the next attack left Zooey intact, so I scraped out a win with mid-triple-digits HP thanks to luck.
So she can smile like a normal person. Though I’m glad she still has her slightly odd smiles, too.
Me: Oh hey, we’re going to have a side-adventure away from the empire because we need to fix the ship! I wonder what we’ll be fac —
Game:
Me: I don’t know what I expected.
Game:
Me: I don’t know what I expected.
Then again, they sure aren’t short on side adventures with the pile of side stories incoming.
Outside of briefly poking my head in to the festival of falling flames, I’m going to keep going with the main story until I at least 1) unlock Celeste and 2) unlock Summer Zoey’s skill Fate episode.
And also I looked up how you can get Lyria as a party member that involves episode I think 52?? And a certain selection of side stories, so I’m going to want to go for that so my “story characters only” team can be cuter most canon compliant.
Wow, friendly and inviting.
Lyria is very cute! Like your cat, she matches your element.
Yeah, hearing you mention about the matching of the element is how I learned she can be recruited! At first, I worried she was from an event, but I see the side stories are a “do it at your own pace” thing.
Does this mean the cat also has their soul bound up in ours??? (For the matching element bit.)
It was originally an event! But that's what the side stories are- events that are now permanently accessible.
Ahhh, so that’s how it is.
As a latecomer, I’m really glad about that being given as an option. I wish FGO would do that.
I’m kind of hoping they at least start doing that whenever Lostbelt ends
Fingers crossed!
Took a side trip into the Fate episodes again to continue powering up my Dark SSRs and Cagliostro is having A Day.
Like, understandably given the people who keep trying to kill her just defiled her sister’s grave, but also it was kind of a surprise when Cagliostro went and fed the lot of them to an alchemical monster, and Lyria and Vyrn apparently just shrugged and went “you know, fair.”
(It’s continue powering up because I got to visit basically Comiket with Lunalu the other day and was pleased they made fun of comic fans less than I expected. I was bracing myself for mean-spirited gags, but it didn’t really punch low.)
From what I've gleaned of the side-stories there's a lot of "you know, fair" or "that was probably bad but, uh, okay?"
(Summer Zooey needs me to go to chapter 52 of the main story, and I don’t have any other dark SSRs, so that’s done for a bit.)
I mean, I guess we are killing people in the main story, but also I’m not used to this level of “you know, fair.”
We did stop Sevilbarra from killing an unarmed bandit, but I guess I’ll be experiencing a lot of “in another story, I’d expect someone to protest” moments.
I probably ought to start working on my water team, as I’ve got 4 SSRs on there, but dark lets me pile up bounties real high so they’ve been my raid default.
Don't worry, Yosie! The great thing about casually starting Granblue is you don't "ought" to do anything!
Yeah I feel like after a certain point the crew just smiles and nods at just about everyone, which is good in some instances and 
in othwrs
in othwrs
I am aware that Granblue is all about the weapons and characters are secondary when it comes to the choice of team, but I’m much more invested if I like the characters.
slothdere: It’s true! I’m ages away from any high level content if I ever get there.
RandomProphet: Well, it’ll be an experience, that’s for sure.
Yeah I mostly love how they roll with shit
They have to keep a diverse crew together, after all.
Also one of Zooey’s skills that I was already impressed by (superior elemental damage / HP-related attack boost) just suddenly upgraded. I’m ready to be doubly impressed.
I’ve been unsure about how I feel about Rosetta. Her flirty attitude feels artificially crafted for a fanservice mature woman, though I might be mistaken.
Even in games, I recoil from being flirted at (the thing that most endeared me to DA: O’s Zevran is he stopped when I asked him to stop), so I might be mistaking the hackles raised from that for character criticism hackle-raising. Or not. The early story is not known for depth.
Also she’s at such a silly level of mysterious-untrustworthy that it’s kind of ridiculous we let her on board for no reason other than she asked. I mean, it’s possible the feeling of artificial could be that she’s using it for a cover, but I do not trust.
But I actually was kind of interested in the stuff brought up in her skill episode. Like, she wasn’t at all subtle that she has mysterious forest powers, so “I speak for the trees” was not surprising, but I didn’t expect she’s also probably immortal??
Setting aside “why is this unnamed woman dressed like this,” I had a moment where I thought they were talking to Rosetta and thought she was an ex-captain who had wanted to find that island, but then it was clarified it was probably Djeeta’s dad.
Like, mysterious woman with mysterious powers turning out to be an immortal who also journeyed with the previous generation isn’t exactly a groundbreaking twist, but I didn’t expect it and I enjoyed getting those hints.
And I’m coming to get used to Rosetta as her flirting and “I’m a mature woman” talk is less all the time after her introduction. It’s not like she’s the only member of the current main story crew to be starting as a not-very-deep standard character. Like...the female knight can’t cook and is scared of bugs. I was entirely unsurprised by both.
............Something tells me that he’s probably not just this pale because the mist-shrouded isle doesn’t get much sunlight and his shirt doesn’t have holes just because it got caught on a nail.
......Good for you??
I’m delighted by the resilience of the human spirit. Apparently this has been going on for a hundred years, so you’d get used to it, I guess.
I have to love the level of optimism and goodwill amongst these villagers in what should be a horror setting.
Thanks for being so upfront with us, my friend.
“I gladly welcome you NOW LEAVE AND NEVER RETURN” Hmm.
Oops all maintenance.
Yeah I love this part 
Lyria sure doesn’t love this part, but it certainly has had a good start!
I’ve been excited to see where it goes since you said that you enjoyed it. It might be a good thing that maintenance happened so I’ll actually get stuff done, haha.
i feel like coming back to this it's at least great that, while lyria is designed to have the cutest response possible, there's a lot of official art of lyria being a weird gremlin and that's beautiful
.......oh goodness, that is Lyria.
vyrn gets it weirder but there's some quality weird lyria content
I saw it when going through the stickers and didn’t recognize her.
What the heck. These zombie villagers are the nicest people in the world.
This makes me feel kind of bad about killing monsters willy-nilly.
i feel like a lot of the fate episodes and sidequests go out of their way to make it seem like you're trying to drive them off more than murder them at least
....even if it doesn't totally make sense
Well, I’ll hold on to that idea.
We’re non-lethally fighting them...with swords........ Yeah, that’s it......
yeah we're... dropping summon nukes on them... but it's totally non-lethal.
Regardless of my thoughts on Rosetta being ridiculously shifty for someone we just let come along and the way she initially had half of her dialogue being summarizable as “I’m a mature beauty,”
I’m glad she’s around to notice anything suspicious about “oh, there was a doctor when the mysterious happenings occurred, but they must have left this inescapable island because they haven’t been seen since.”
Look, Proto Bahamut totally looks like someone who would blast non-lethally.
I mean, Yosie, if you're using the weapons from the Aqours sidestory you are hitting them with a schoolbag and/or glowsticks.
That’s true. I’m doing okay, as I’m going through this story using harps to fight and my water team uses the glowstick. It’s the rest of them I worry about.
Clearly you need to go through the story with just you and the Aqours units.
Pffffft.
Now that’d be a thing.
As much as I keep talking about the party missing stuff, the moment Drang gave me an opportunity to look smart, I fumbled it. Oops!
Also I guess it’s hard to beat something that steals death.
The Superstar class has lights on the outfit. That’s so silly, I say while smiling.
....the Tales of collaboration event is a side story?? Neat!
I know this is a good thing, but it kind of puts a damper on the celebratory mood.
....??? Okay sure she can stick around. I’m down with having a ghost buddy. Lyria gets to go from being afraid of ghosts to having one as a friend.
They didn’t exactly make the family resemblance subtle (but it was a fun part to the story).
Just wait until you roll Drang.
That'd be fun. He seems like enjoyable company for anyone less serious than Sturm.
Yeah he’s pretty good, too. But his fate episodes were a tour de force
I’ll hope to lure him in, then!
I’ve been handing out chocolate to characters who have helped me out a lot and woah boy some of these dudes are way softer than I realized when getting chocolate.
Having not done his Fate episodes yet, I looked at the skills and portrait of this guy from the backline of all my Dark teams and assumed he was an edgelord. After this, I think he’s just really intense.
Jamil. Jamil. That’s a little mu — well, you’re happy. Maybe it makes up for you having to die in Omega raids so often because my Dark team has the best bounty-stacking.
And Sevilbarra who was a part of the wind team I had to cobble together for the cat event I had done the Fate episodes where he is a “what must be done” sort, but he’s so chipper about the chocolate.
MAYBE A LITTLE LATE (I took these screenshots a while ago, but I didn’t have the time/energy to make the commentary)
who’s this douchebag
(He’s probably a pleasant fellow, but who’s this douchebag.)
You look...a little young......
Who’s this douchebag???
...........isn’t this the equivalent of Justin Trudeau stepping in to help the Mounties capture a high-profile criminal? Who gets their prime minister to lead a capture mission?? (Answer: the Erste Empire.)
Ah, these douchebags
If...if you can capture people right in front of us and we can’t stop you, why didn’t you grab Lyria instead??
Justin Trudeau also wouldn't rock the tiddy window.
(I realize that we probably formed a protective circle around Lyria but weren’t in position to stop them in time for the guy just standing in front of us, but this was my thought process when we just stood there and made ineffectual noises.)
Sarah, I must disagree.
He is an attractive man who people love to see shirtless.
But I guess he wouldn’t fill it out as intended.
Exhibit A.
In between story missions, I stopped to play the Unite and Fight event that made me finally get around to picking a clue. Highlights include when I decided to see how far I could make it fighting on my own against the main raid:
Behold my power.
Behold my power.
On the other hand, my bounty-stacking is paying off. I got a second Revenant Weapon as a raid drop, and I have gotten at least a dozen SSR Behemoth drops.
I guess I’m supposed to reduce it??
Er, the extra Behemoths.
Anyway, I then returned to the story where Lyria is an accidental burn master.
I guess they’re out of classical video game elements for Primal Beasts by now.
I guess they’re out of classical video game elements for Primal Beasts by now.
Noa’s element is Boat
“Didn’t anyone else find that exchange strange?” but unlike previous times when I feel like the most observant member of the group, I realized that the rest of them didn’t have the benefit of seeing one of them being labelled Ruffian.
It sure is the element of Boat.
He’s on a boat, mother.....
What the crap that’s terrifying.
...I appreciate the vote of confidence that we’ll be fine while trapped on an island with the battleship of a high-ranking empire official who knows we’re here.
And now I’ve caught up to the present, though I think there was something I wanted to comment on in the story earlier (I think in the scene with the introduction of the prime minister), but since I didn’t take a screenshot I forget.
But one thing that hasn't been brought up lately but I suddenly remembered: the game really hasn't made a huge deal about how Lyria's lifeforce is linked with Djeeta's and that if one even gets knocked out, the other is as well.
Like, that's a huge thing, but I kind of forgot about it until I reread the intro to remind myself why the Pomeranian was barking at me (I know that's not his name but I don't care enough to check).
Are we talking goatee guy
Yes, it's goatee man who keeps raising his pitch.
You'd think the game would at least mention the life-link when the enemies sometimes threaten to kill all of us other than Lyria, but I guess it's not really a big thing yet.
God, why aren’t there fanarts of that guy as a Pomeranian
There must be! His name is Pommern.
I had to look it up now because I always forget POM Wonderful’s name.
Though I guess he has the advantage over Fury Kid. He was in the same cutscene and I was like “oh yeah. He existed, didn’t he?” He was the main antagonist for like five chapters.
I guess this is my strategy against the prideful members of the Erste Empire. I forget them.
I have a soft spot for Pommern because of course I do
I laughed.
You can give him chocolates and he’s really wholesome about it
He gives entertainment, that’s for sure.
....l...I have to go to the journal immediately.
He loves his wife I did not expect the Pomeranian to be this soft.
Pommern is a gift.
He's sure a guy.
I decided to look through to see if there was anyone else I wanted to give chocolate to (or I guess receive from, but receiving it is less my speed) and of COURSE Drang puts his foot firmly in his mouth.
Oops.
........okay who’s turn was it to watch Lyria in combat why did this happen in the cutscene
(I am legitimately unhappy about Lyria getting kidnapped but also I can't not joke.)
Pommern’s character arc is very good
I look forward to seeing it! Based on his first appearance, I barely expected him to return, let alone get a character arc.
unlocks class that lets me punch the kidnappers in the face
all right time to save Lyria
all right time to save Lyria
(and also because one of my strongest wind weapons is a gauntlet)
I thought that might be what a bitty Rackam might promise.
Want to share with the class, you two?
..........................wait. Rescuing her was that easy???
I guess they didn't want to take the ability to summon out from under our feet.
Just a hop, grab, hop, and run away.....
I...guess they didn't expect we'd be able to follow or for Lyria to be able to escape in mid-air, but they just left her on the deck with no supervision????
I admit to being initially suspicious of the guy, but he’s cute. What a cute Primal Beast of Boat.
Oh no someone noticed that we yanked Lyria out in a cutscene just like they did to us.
On the deck of the Grancypher sidescroll: Katalina: I’m not...lost, am I?
Lyria has been awful quiet after her “I was scared.”
See, it’s this Lawful Mysterious manner that made me suspicious of you in the first place.
Why weren’t we doing that immediately I guess that’s what happens when you put the pilot in your monster-fighting party.
Ah, I. I guess just believing in a promise wasn’t enough to get rid of the need for repairs, huh....
Oh good, Lyria’s not off in a corner freaking out after that experience.
WHEN SHE WAS SO QUIET AFTER BEING DESCRIBED AS TREMBLING I WAS WORRIED WE WERE IGNORING HER.
hands cupped around mouth HE’S. CUTE.
Wait. IS THIS WHY ROSETTA FREAKED OUT AND HID ON THE SHIP I’M LAUGHING.
Rosetta is sounding as playful as always for most of this conversation, but this conversation with Noa has got to be the first time she's occasionally shown cracks in her armour. Not that Noa can really talk about sounding like you're not taking things seriously......
YOU LEFT HER UNSUPERVISED ON THE DECK.
I mean, I'm glad you did, but still.
........ah. They did say something about capturing the Primal Beast of Scout’s Honour.
.....ah, is that where Orchis came from?
You know, while I doubt it, that’s actually a really good question to ask, Io. I’m impressed.
“How do you know this, Eugen?” “OH LOOK THERE’S A PRIMAL BEAST INCOMING LET’S PREPARE FOR BATTLE.”
(Except we already know that Eugen is keeping some secret about his relation to the Black Knight.)
Wow, that’s basically what happened, huh.
.........wow, Mithra's regular attacks even are kind of creepy.
Thank you, Katarina, for debuff immunity. Too bad it's not going to be back up in time. Where's Tamamo when you need her? (In another mobage.)
........hum. That was the wrong turn to use all my charge bars, huh?
.........did it always have only one charge diamond
I don't think it did.
Me: Oh no! I can't heal them in time because my healer is paralyzed --
Vyrn: Gotta restore their spirits! Use a potion.
Me: .......oh yeah. They have those outside of raids.
Vyrn: Gotta restore their spirits! Use a potion.
Me: .......oh yeah. They have those outside of raids.
Sorry for discounting you in my head by thinking I'd rather have the slight boost to charge bar.....
Mithra does one total HP reset per fight
“You gained Tiamat Omega Gauntlets!”
looks down at my hands wearing the maxed pair that the devs gave me
looks down at my hands wearing the maxed pair that the devs gave me
Oh no. I was already sad about Orchis without her losing her voice again.
And then scene immediately following has the most upbeat music possible.
RandomProphet: I was glad it wasn’t repeating.
Katalina: Why don’t we relax for a bit?
Djeeta, probably: OH COME ON
Djeeta, probably: OH COME ON
We’re done of the mysterious new characters for this chapter! I guess you must be the next chapter hook.
Oh, there’s two of you —
IMMEDIATELY ON GUARD ALL RIGHT WHAT KIND OF ERSTE EMPIRE PERSON IS THE BLUE KNIGHT
IMMEDIATELY ON GUARD ALL RIGHT WHAT KIND OF ERSTE EMPIRE PERSON IS THE BLUE KNIGHT
......that’s not what I expected to be the next thing out of your mouth.
I really didn’t expect that to be the next thing out of your mouth.
I failed to make up the difference when I noticed my crew fell out of the people who will get promoted to the finals because the round ended shortly after and it takes me a long time to get 600k honours because I am little baby, so back to story.
I didn’t take a picture of the second woman when we were being detained to give testimony about the Black Knight, because she looked stern and said nothing, but now that it’s just the two of them off-duty, she’s smiling and chatting.
That makes me smile. It’s an unexpectedly realistic depiction of on the job vs off the job, or at least I’m not used to seeing it on display so casually. I’m used to serious professional characters serious off the job and bright and friendly sorts being relaxed on the job.
Oh no, they’re so cute together when they’re alone. I love them.
Ah, the distinction is less clear in later interactions when things go off-script for Lecia, but that’s not unreasonable.
It’s a what?
Subtlety may not be the empire’s strong suit.
This plan seems more irrational than evil. I can’t imagine this is worth making as many enemies as this is liable to do.
But hey, I’m not a political scientist.
.....................then why did the empire hire them in the first place
........okay I think I see where this confidence is coming from this time.
I got him down to 97% with a full burst! But no one is coming to reinforce this raid.
Granted since I’m in a defensive class (I wanted to look trustworthy for the trial...yes, I decide classes partially based on story relevance, what of it?) so neither of us are making much headway, really.
Oh, his defence is going down over time! What a good day to have a stall team.
She sounds so pissed. I mean, obviously, but it made me smile.
Vyrn, buddy, are you really one to talk about size?
..........why is she in a leotard
(I know why. I just don’t want to.)
We just really believe in the right to privacy aboard the Grancypher.
...Ah. Okay, I should have seen this coming, but I guess I overestimated the Black Knight’s age and underestimated Eugen’s age and I assumed they were old army buddies.
(Also this level of hostility happens sometimes in families, Lecia.)
Rackam: He won’t tell us any particulars about his connection to the Black Knight.
Lecia: Well, someone has to, or this plot thread isn’t going to go anywhere.
Most of the party: What???
Rosetta: lmao
Rosetta: lmao
“Also we can’t have misunderstandings cleared up until we have at least another chapter of not communicating.”
Why does the Black Knight, who is also a woman in the military, think this is a good insult? If I really trusted the writers, I might theorize about internalized misogyny, but I bet they didn’t think about this. Or maybe I’m the one overthinking it. It’s possible.
After the Black Knight tries to convince us all to leave her to die, Monika continues to refuse to put up with anyone’s shit. I really like her.
Ah. You can unlock her by clearing a series of missions unlocked after chapter 44. I’m real happy, even if it will be a long time until I’m strong enough to do the hard missions, presumably.
Maybe you shouldn’t have called her property in front of her friends. Like, with what’s going on, we’d still be fighting her, and we weren’t the ones to bring her down, but did she really need to be adding to her list of enemies? (Answer: probably, because her alignment seems to be Chaotic Stubborn.)
This is my third Blood-Thirsty Death Camel in, like, five battles? Why are there so many death camels after my precious blood?
Welp, I sometimes give the game a hard time, but this is yet another moment of “well, I wasn’t expecting that one.”
OKAY THAT WAS JUST WORDED AWKWARDLY he was instructed to take Lyria and Orchis.
The longer the Black Knight continues to refuse to allow anyone to even think she might be innocent, the more I feel like she goes through life with both middle fingers raised to anyone who isn’t Orchis.
Which in general I can respect, even if in this case it feels like a silly reason to extend miscommunications.
I mean that’s a good assessment
I can’t help but notice the imperial soldiers knocked the skyfarer guard of the island unconscious while we appear to just be shanking them and stepping over the bodies.
RandomProphet: It’s so silly in this specific circumstance, but I can respect it.
“I will do anything to protect Orchis...other than even not claim guilt in a court that I am certain will execute me. I’ll just pick my head up after and head over to the empire once that inconvenience is done.”
If this truth doesn’t shake my world, I’m going to be shaking my head at you some more. Just a heads up.
“Of course!”
oh my god you drama queen
oh my god you drama queen
(I guess when I complain about her calling knights princesses escaping a castle, I should have found a better term than drama queen when drama king and drama monarch are not in as regular of use.)
The empire has been calling Orchis a doll in front of us for weeks now (unless those were all player-only cutscenes). Lyria was directly rescued from an unethical science lab. I think I’m ready.
Thanks, buddy, archduke, sir.
Would you please tell us anything at all first
(Just to be clear, it’s not that I dislike the Black Knight or this scene. But it’s fun to express my exasperation at it.)
Welp, the chapter just ends there and I desperately need to shower. Back later to learn The Truth.
Oops. I got the wrong picture after Lyria’s question. It should be:
Well, some of her playing up being suspicious makes some sense as part of trying to annoy the knights into leaving her behind so she could escape.
Are. Are we talking about different imperials???
This attack by the imperials continues to make less sense.
I know “the doll” is probably an accurate description of Orchis, but could you please use her name???
“And that’s not ideal in terms of my own plans, either.” Really not convincing me here that you’re a good guardian for Orchis.
I expect in the end it will turn out that the Black Knight cares for Orchis, but the way she talks about her wigs me out.
.........Black Knight, is the truth you don’t want us to be swallowed by “Prime Minister Freesia is bad and plans to do bad things to Lyria and Orchis”? Because, if so, you’re a few chapters too late for that to have an impact.
We’re not citizens of the empire. The empire has been after us since more than any two of the main crew had met each other. “Someone at the top of the empire’s command hierarchy is an enemy” is not very shocking.
The only particularly new information is that the plans for Lyria and Orchis involve being killed, but since Lyria got to a point of not caring about anything any more out of despair over her captivity at one point in a flashback, I don’t really appreciate the difference besides “any rescue plans are going to have to be extra fast.”
Anyway, I'm realizing I never picked up the stuff I planned to work on today, so I will reluctantly leave my apartment and pick it up.
I'll pick this back up when I return, when who knows? Maybe the Black Knight will say something legitimately shocking.
I mean. I guess Katalina is a citizen of the empire, looking back on what I said, but I also think that ship has sailed for her since chapter 1.
How about first we get you some pants? (And we’ve been over this. She has a name!!)
Black Knight continuing to show her incredible charisma in asking for assistance.
“So we’ll be serving as bait?” “What? Of course not. I wouldn’t do that to you.” “Oh, go —” “I’ll do that to you. You have the ship that is required for my plans to proceed.”
(Though the bait isn't exactly in danger if he keeps away from the imperial invaders, since we're escaping from a Lawful Neutral group led by what appear to be some Lawful Good knights.)
“Well, Pommern might.”
..........opponents of this caliber THEY BEAT YOU WHEN YOU WERE ARMED.
Holy crap, I keep underestimating just how blatantly unfriendly the Black Knight is.
Also, like...we're sending someone out to be bait. Why are we not sneaking out and not making even more of an enemy of this neutral-to-sympathetic party of international law enforcers????
cups hands around mouth ALSO IF ANY OF YOU ARE THE RIGHT HEIGHT FOR YOUR ARMOUR TO FIT THE BLACK KNIGHT PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND I’LL PAY YOU FOR IT
I bet we aren’t going to be able to talk this out as a matter of “a friend is in danger and she will be able to help us find her to rescue her,” huh.
“THAT’S WHAT A TRIAL IS FOR!!” ~ the Enforcer Knights, probably
I’m real glad we at least were able to explain ourselves far enough to get this out, as I was expecting complete misunderstandings.
Also, well done on the firm explanation, Lyria.
Ah, I’m actually invested in keeping these two safe.
You’ve surprised me with what has come out of your mouth before, but I bet I already know that it’s not “we’ll let you go until you’ve rescued Orchis.”
THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO SNEAK OUT THE BACK WAY.
...this isn’t as weird to me as the blood-thirsty camel, but I admit I didn’t expect a rare monster that is basically jogging on the spot.
This is my favourite response to this question of all time.
I, of course, knew something like what Lyria said was coming, but the answer from the Black Knight surprised me and made me reconsider how it was worded.
It’s still got the “FAMILY SHOULD LOVE EACH OTHER REGARDLESS OF ANYTHING” message that gets thrown around everywhere, but 1) it is phrased as a “this is what I was told, so I want to know why this isn’t the case with you” (though I bet they won’t take it this direction) and 2) the Black Knight’s response says a lot.
Like that the Black Knight May have at least influenced Katalina being assigned to Lyria and that, however cynical and angry she is, she appreciates that Lyria was taught the “nice” version of a world view.
Of course this could all take a sharp turn back into “this is our unconsidered message that everyone does” territory as soon as I hit the next dialogue, but for now I’m interested in seeing if it doesn’t.
Wow, my hoped-for interpretation may be right. I’m pleasantly surprised.
You have my attention, game. (Anyone looking at the 301 comments preceding this, majority my own: “it already did.”)
(But I mean it has my attention as it navigates unhappy families.)
(Though I can EASILY see it turning out the Black Knight is “wrong” and it all undoes itself, but if that happens I can just skip on ahead instead of waiting for the voice acting.)
The enforcers employ literal giants.
I wanted to ask her this before we threw our lot in with her, but fine, let’s do it now.
THAT’S NOT EVEN A LITTLE REASSURING.
Djeeta, standing behind Lyria: drags thumb along neck while making knife sounds
Djeeta, standing behind Lyria: points at eyes, points at the Black Knight, mimes shooting a gun
YOU USED HER NAME!! pom pom cheers
Was that so hard?
i think the eugen+apollonia thing is at least Complicated instead of there being clear right/wrong there
waggles the broken handcuffs from when the enforcers captured the Black Knight that she would still be in if it weren’t for us
Complicated is basically the best I knew I could hope for given Eugen is a party member, so I’ll take Complicated.
I’m going to try to hold onto hope that “well, not every family is happy” will remain for as long as I can.
i think there's a little more of that with a character in a future arc but i think it goes a little harder into "horrible fantasy anime dad" territory than regular drama
Unrelated, but Lyria’s “I don’t even know if I have a mother or father” is one of those “if I could actually choose what to say, I’d like to ask how far Lyria’s memory goes back,” because I don’t think it’s ever come up, even though it’s really pertinent to her question of who she is.
Well, for media depictions, I’ll take that we have any level of “some families are messed up” represented to counterbalance “family is good” messaging. I like my family, but I also know some people who have very good reasons not to.
At least she almost half-acknowledges that one of them was stronger than her.
turns away from incoming train wreck
...Katalina, I love you, but were you not paying attention to “my father abandoned both me and my mother”?
Okay, now this is a train wreck that has my full attention.
No please you used her name don’t backslide on me nowwwww
.......that’s a weird way to date it, unless you mean the empire is, like, 20 years old or you and Eugen are like hundreds of years old.
Since I don't know how old the empire is, I don't know how significant it is that the prime minister considers the current capital insignificant compared to the pre-empire capital.
Well, there goes my hope we at least weren’t killing the enforcers, who seem to be decent enough as far as police go.
Our body count specifically of enforcers is now officially higher than the empire.
Okay, that’s two people who the Black Knight doesn’t extend her middle finger towards. She has one to put between each child and the world.
Or maybe not. That’s real intuitive, Lyria. Well done.
Please don’t be mad at us. I like you both so much. Can’t we talk this out? (Black Knight behind me: drawing her sword across her own throat and making slicing noises, probably.)
Or maybe Monika is hiding behind one of the crenellations and is going to jump out when you’re distracted. ...I mean, I doubt it, but that’s a possible answer to “I won’t tell you where Monika is.”
Status Effect “Being Around The Black Knight”: -50 to diplomacy checks
That works less well when you say it right in front of her.
I miss the brief time I thought that Lecia being a little uncertain of her status as captain was just around Monika.
Oh boy, it’s the traditional “I will not shame my father’s name!!” of anime women in positions of power they aren’t ready for yet, though at least in this case the experienced captain guiding her is also a woman.
Everyone else in the crew: physically restraining the Black Knight, feet slipping as she pushes forward still swinging her sword
Black Knight please don’t kill these ones
It’s going to be so much harder to get back in Lecia and Monika’s good graces if you kill their people right in front of them.
The Black Knight: has never attempted to compromise even once in her life
YEAH, FUCK THE POLICE uh I mean please forgive me someday Lecia and Monika!!
I mean, we were halfway towards being anarchists anyway.
Ah, Lecia, that is such a kind interpretation of the facts. Bless you.
Me: Black Knight, please try not to kill these knights. They’re not bad people.
Also Me:
Also Me:
I go back and forth on how I feel about Rosetta, but I’m glad she’s here right now.
Oh hey, I wondered where you’d gone! I’m still not happy to be casually killing people, but at least we have some level of self-defence justification.
.......why did we even leave you behind in the first place then.
So much for spreading misinformation — though I guess stealth in any form has been out the window for like an hour.
I don’t think you’re as good of a liar as you think you are. (The next comment is basically Lecia calling out his bs and also kind of threatening his duchy?? Hold on there, one step too far.)
Wow, the archduke was so helpful the Black Knight accidentally said a kind word about someone.
.....oh, right, his soldiers did help him get away. I did actually forget.
How many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man?
Thanks Rackam you speak for the people and by people I mean me and by speak for I mean I’ve had like two dialogue options in this entire arc, I think.
“We spent a lot of time on mecha pomeranian assets and by jove we’re getting our money’s worth.”
The entire gimmick of the last fight was we did more damage to you over time.
But...but Lyria cheered for me and everything! Until I get into chapter 50-something and do a bunch of side stories, that’s as close as I get to being able to work with her! (Well she actually contributes a lot with summons.)
For a moment, I thought the Black Knight might have been talking someone down, but this seems more right.
Gosh I’m glad we never had to fight this woman head on. I keep reminding her that the enforcers caught her, but good golly do I not mean she’s even a little weak or unintimidating.
.....wait I just noticed that her leotard appears to have golden crotch armour why is this ANYONE WHO CAN GET HER REAL CLOTHES I WILL SHOWER IN RUPIES
But I bet you didn’t even stack one bounty!
Once again, happy to not be fighting her!
I really wish we could.
You know how I keep saying I’m glad to not be fighting the Black Knight? I also don’t want to fight someone who can defeat the Black Knight and I also like in the way that I’d like her in real life and not just as a character.
“I kicked his ass three ways from Sunday.”
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT WITH A STRAIGHT FACE
Thanks, Lyria. I appreciate it after the Black Knight pulled the rug out from under me on the last Lyria rooting.
I’m taking them seriously enough to bring Rackam out front since they’re weak to fire, but not enough to change from my current outfit where I don’t have a strong enough fire weapon to equip in the right weapon class.
“They defeated us in combat.” “Aren’t they cute??”
I still enjoy the ease Monika goes between good friend and professional knight.
Lecia is...learning.
BUT IT COULD DESTROY YOU WAGGLES FINGERS SPOOKILY
I don’t want to believe we came all this way and no one got the Black Knight some pants. She’s very slowly covering up over time, but it’s not enough for me.
We have a rollicking good time here on the Grandcypher.
Now don’t you start. We’re already full on people obviously keeping secrets that are probably important to tell the crew. You had your go when we visited Vira.
I know Rosetta hogs the spot, but I can’t get her to — okay, I guess we’re doing this. At least someone kicked Eugen off his biggest one and he and the Black Knight just make vague references to what happened between them. I’ll pencil you in for a dramatic reveal, Katalina.
My game reset and the home screen reminded me: I found the Black Knight’s helmet really silly. But I sure miss it now.
I’m shaking my head at myself for not asking how we expected to land on the island Justin Trudeau With A Tit Window is using as her base of operations.
I’ve become so used to just going wherever we want and dealing with the consequences later.
Well, this spiralled out of control real fast.
...........how did you become the empire’s top military advisor again?
I appreciate this choice of words to describe her.
Wait, wait, don’t tell me. “I don’t need a plan. I’ll just attack anyone in the way head on.” Am I close?
Oh, she actually is acting on previous knowledge.
This explains so much about the empire’s “throw more troops at them until they get tired” approach half the time.
Did her psychic powers level up, or is this a more figurative, intuition feel? Though I’d still accept the latter on the heels of demonstrating her ability to read the Black Knight.
This at least partially explains her allergy to telling the truth. And then she let us decide where to take our own airship, which has to be the nicest she’s ever been to someone in our presence besides Lyria, sort of.
Holy crap, an actual decision beyond just the wording. Rare in a mobage of this design, from my limited experience. For the obvious reason that we’re on rails. It’s neat.
When I finish off this chapter, probably tomorrow now that I’m physically in bed, I’m going to have to see what the other answer would give. I backed up Lyria by saying we trust her, though in my case it’s “I trust you to do exactly what you say you’re going to do.”
Once we’ve rescued Orchis and escaped, who knows, but when it comes to finishing this alliance, I know she won’t deliberately lead us into something that would stop us.
Okay, sleepy times.
.....I don’t think we’re talking about the same Black Knight.
Wait, did they take every person with them when they moved the capital??
How new is the empire? When I looked up some other Cagliostro fate episodes for context on the one I had that started with “oh yeah, she was poisoned,” I thought the point of her saying she remembered it as the Erste Kingdom was to show how old she is.
But the Black Knight keeps talking like this was a development within our lifetime.
Maybe I missed an implication earlier.
....wow okay it really is a new development. What the heck. That feels so weird to me.
The blood-thirsty death camels in the halls of the enforcers were so far from home.
Wait, I’ve been cheated. If you made the joker stand for an ace instead of a 9, that would be a royal straight flush. That’s so ridiculously rare, even with the wildcard.
Okay, so there are people here. They just probably stay inside a lot since monsters just wander around unhindered.
The history of the empire is real weird, and all the weirder that it’s happened within Tit Window Justin Trudeau’s lifetime. I wonder what these secrets are.
If I hadn’t interpreted the question of trust as “trusting you about your information on how to get to Orchis,” I’d say the “we can’t completely trust you” would be the better option.
“Except negotiate with the enforcers because fuck the police.”
It helps the trust a bit that her first inclination towards listing what she’d sacrifice is her own stuff instead of others. ...Also we’re in Shem Desert, which is funny to me as someone who played a couple of Dragon Ages as an elf.
It’s almost like we picked up an extremely aggressive, rude person whose values are often diametrically opposed to Katalina’s.
Ah, she said it.
You better hope the Black Knight didn’t hear you say that. ...well, at this point, Eugen should hope that the Black Knight doesn’t hear him say anything, but he’s not going to.
I do enjoy that Rosetta is like “no, no, I love her, she’s hilarious,” any time people talk about the Black Knight. (Well, she often says things about her being straightforward or whatever, but I can’t help but read it as “hilarious” when Rosetta says it.)
Holy crap, Rosetta coming for Eugen’s life. She usually sounds on the verge of laughing, but we got a rare serious voice in the middle there.
And then she gives helpful advice. We’re getting to see many Rosettas today.
Rosetta: the most graceful woman in the world by her definition.
I didn’t mention it at the time, but after the boat primal beast and Rosetta’s Fate episode, I’m about 90% sure she’s a primal beast of, like, forests or plants or something.
Though it’d be weird that Lyria hasn’t noticed.
Maybe it’s a bad theory for that reason.
Anyway, Why Is The Sky Blue 2 has been announced, so I have to hurry along to the side story Why Is The Sky Blue not just because I want Lyria in my party.
Not that I expect to be good enough at this game to make a character who doesn’t attack work properly. I’ll bring her along anyway.
That the Black Knight reacted to a scream rather than just dismissing it as unimportant to her goals is a good sign.
Why is Io the one echoing my thoughts this chapter?
And then we stand around talking about what this means until Vyrn kicks us in the back of the head.
I mean, the Black Knight did just save her life, but this woman is pretty relaxed about seeing travellers when there’s a blockade that has been up for...who knows how long.
......Eugen, you left her here?
I know I commented on it myself, but the party really is having trouble wrapping their heads around “the Black Knight...helping...people???” This isn’t the first time this has been said since the scream.
I’m so used to Lich’s poison not working on raids that I get confused when enemies start losing health to Rosetta’s poison.
I can her the “Apollo-chan”s and I can’t imagine that I’ll ever use that honourific with the Black Knight.
She’s in her twenties?? (This is — I was going to specify anime game, but really most media is guilty of this to some degree — of course she’s not going to be any older than that.)
(The old woman said about how much she’d grown up since those ten years ago, so I doubt that means she had reached her twenties before this.)
Uh.
Hmm.
So much for trying to keep the Black Knight’s title a secret.
.......oh good grief, the empire is like ten years old, isn’t it?
This is not what I thought was going on here.
That was...more open than I expected.
If I had expected there was such a relation, I would have assumed it would have to be dragged out or said by the woman here.
THAT COULD CONSUME THEM one day I’ll stop making fun of the Black Knight’s melodramatic declarations about the truth — no, that’s probably not true.
This description knows what I’m thinking unsettlingly well.
No one say what we’re all thinking. (She doesn’t have friends anymore.)
At least it has my motivations down here.
“Unless we keep talking about it right in front of her.”
Of all the answers I expected from the Black Knight, “sure” was near the bottom.
Hmmm. (Also oh no, the cheery one and the grouch. Princess Orchis and Apollonia were one of my favourite relationship archetypes for either platonic or romantic relationships.)
I think I begin to see an explanation, though not an excuse, why the Black Knight is calling Orchis “that doll.”
I wonder if she actually did use the Orchis we know’s name here or not.
I don’t think the empire expected a lot of people to meet our Orchis, though, so if so, that’s quite the overreaction.
GEE, FUNNY THAT. IT’S LIKE YOU WERE NEVER AROUND.
HEY ROSETTA DO YOU KNOW ANY GRANDMOTHERLY SHOPKEEPERS?? JUST ASKING.
Wow, the empire is at most ten years old. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to get over this revelation.
We mayyyy want to keep an eye on what she does with our Orchis. (Yes, we’ve already adopted her in my mind. What of it?)
I wish our company policy was less privacy-oriented.
We could have asked this when she was handcuffed and we had the airship to get her off the island, but noooooo, we had to wait until we had zero bargaining power. Don’t listen to the captain, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. (Well, I guess the latter is true.
Oh wait, it worked. Don’t listen to the captain. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. But without sarcasm this time.
This has got to be the Black Knight’s version of warming up to someone. I almost feel like she’s only raising one middle finger to us (Eugen aside). How heartwarming.
Ah. Lyria’s scared about what the answers are going to be. I want to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.
1) I can see the Black Knight really idolizes Princess Orchis.
2) I THINK YOU SKIPPED A FEW PARTS BETWEEN THOSE LAST TWO SENTENCES.
I’ve talked before about how Lyria is a very inoffensive trope to make the most people possible care about her or at least not actively dislike her as the lead non-player character, even if I am amongst those people who this works on.
who is a complete gremlin in the stickers, of course
But I want to cling to the few bits that come through that aren’t just base “naïve, optimistic female lead #22.” She showed in her flashbacks that she can fall into despair, and here she’s asking questions based on what she’s read from the Black Knight instead of just unthinking trust.
It’s not much. Certainly not enough to get rid of the criticism that she is an old trope. But when I am not attempting amateur, untrained literary criticism, I’m glad to see them, because I prefer to enjoy the stuff I’m reading.
And yes, the gremlin sticker is another helpful distinguishing factor.
So my guess was that Orchis died and her grieving parents made an artificial replacement, which is why I’ve been distinguishing between Orchises. It seems that the Black Knight believes otherwise.
She could easily be wrong, since she wasn’t there, but this is the best information I have right now. ....geez, “my property,” huh? I have no plans to give up reminding the Black Knight she keeps referring to Orchis in terms that suggest she’s an object.
A real trustworthy source of information, that.
So that a devout monarchist could claim to have found the princess alive and take down the current form of the empire while ruling through a puppet monarchy...for example.
And I call the Black Knight a cynic.
If the answer is “I can’t tell you that,” I’m going to be spending the rest of this trip standing between Lyria and the Black Knight.
throws something, sighs, prepares to have to act quickly after we rescue Orchis
A very significant “for now.”
Wait a second.
googles
Oh gosh they exist. Not specifically the monster, but penguins living in non-tundra desert environments.
Aw, we’re famous! I should have put my Superstar outfit back on.
(But I guess Eugen is right that the palace itself might have guards with the prime minister here, even after all of the insisting that there aren’t any soldiers on the island.)
Maybe we don’t kill them despite the blade sounds just before soldiers collapse in cutscenes???
This is almost a friendly interaction for these two.
But everything changed when the Astrals attacked.
“Power’s True Form” not an ominous chapter title for confronting a big bad at all
THAT’S MY PROBLEM why do you say so many things I want to comment on while dressed like that Black Knight.
Weren’t you listening, soldier?
It was ten years ago.
So much for not killing random soldiers.
Not that I expected the Black Knight ever would.
I can’t post audio, but the second part of this chapter starts with a sound I would not typically associate with sniffing. I wonder what the story is behind it? A cultural thing that doesn’t translate, or that accurate sniffing sounds aren’t moe enough?
Is this a hint about Orchis’s location, or a hint about Lyria backstory? (I could find out by clicking or I could waste time typing it out. You can see what I usually choose.)
So...sort of both? Though less a hint and more a hint of where not to look. I’m surprised by the lack of connection to Orchis’s reason for power.
Oh noooooo. My easily-swayed-by-NPCs heaaaarrrrrrttttt.....
Uh oh, the game is getting back at me for pretending like I figure things out better than the characters.
Ahhh. But if there was Astral blood mixed into the royal line, why did it take this long —
You got me there.
Based on your beliefs about the situation, the one you’re calling “that doll” is your one and only treasured friend, so can you please use her name?
(No, you’re the one stuck on a point and refusing to consider someone’s coping mechanism for dealing with ten years of all-consuming grief. 
)
)
...Okay then. I look forward to this simple logic.
Wait, you’re cheating! You have insider information!! (I am enjoying what I’m learning, but I enjoy making jokes even more.)
..........You’re an Astral, aren’t you?
I wonder what that leaves?
Where did you get the not a skylander part, then? The command of primal beasts?
Nnnnnnngh don’t leave us hanging like this!!!
DON’T DO THIS TO ME I PUT THE EFFORT INTO GETTING INVESTED IN YOUR STORY TO DO ME DIRTY LIKE THIS GIVE ME A DIALOGUE OPTION STAT
Or let the Black Knight come to the rescue. That’s cool, too.
She can’t even do a classic uplifting speech without insulting someone. Never change, Black Knight.
Where’s the group hug button
I picked the “we’re all” option for a reason, Katalina (though I would have felt cheated if she didn’t chime in with something).
I do wish, more seriously, that there was a “but it’s okay that this news is hard to process at first” addendum, though.
Because there’s always a bit of a “you shouldn’t feel upset” undertone to these sorts of “of course we’re here with you!” moments. I don’t blame her a bit for feeling upset hearing that news! We’re here to help her through that upset, not refuse to accept it could happen!
I think she’s made that pretty clear. But the first step is admitting you have a problem.
Character development! Or so I assume from what Lyria said on the enforcers’ island.
Oh no, we tripped and fell into the next angst spot. flips board over to “the therapist is [in]}
Oh no, we’re in Yu-Gi-Oh! Egypt.
....its last charge attack buffed us?
Dibs on Lyria and Katalina!
I mean, get her while she’s still in the question-answering mood.
Flashback to about half an hour ago:
Or it could consume us. Yeah, yeah, I know.
Djeeta: standing behind Katalina, nodding furiously
The Black Knight loves to end sections pointedly not saying anything this arc.
THIS IS THE REAL ISSUE FOR ME!
I know she’s avoiding the question, but the wording makes it sound almost like she just forgot.
The more you say things like that, the more I worry.
That ... is a short growl and we respond with appropriate panic in our voices.
Promising.
I made fun of the Black Knight for the “I need no strategy to force my way through the battleships,” but I went back to check what happens if you say we can’t completely trust her, and she chides the player “what, do you intend to fight them all?” I thought that’s what you were suggesting based on previous experience with you!!
And I am glad I trusted my instincts that told me “we can be alone together” almost sounds suggestive in its wording, because Lyria freaks out while Vyrn and to a lesser extent the Black Knight laughs at the player for flirting.
(My initial read, being a very platonic sort, was “you may be alone in your species, but we’ll be here to help you through that,” but my subconscious helpfully knocked on the back of my brain, handed me a note that read “that’s an odd way to phrase it,” and let me think on that.)
(And, besides, I also recognized it was a one-on-one thing, while the tone I’d want to set for this particular moment is “the crew as family,” even if I definitely would want Djeeta involved in the comforting and keep going “where’s the hug button?”)
(Not the time or place for flirting here.)
I've now interacted with the extended mastery for level 20 Djeeta classes for the first time, including using some CP to buy more EMP. ...To increase the debuff success rate of Hawkeye, the class that I can equip both Bounty Hunter III and Bounty Hunter II on.
I have specific priorities.
They are not to be strong. They're to have shiny things.
I’d call this something starting with f, but it wouldn’t be “flustered.” (Hint: it rhymes with curious.)
Yosie-approved dialogue options:
> We will definitely find Orchis!
> Only if you agree to use Orchis’s name.
Okay, I admit the speed at which this happened made me laugh. (There’s the sound of the Black Knight’s sword as we progress to the second panel, but there’s no break in between.)
I mean, I guess this one was too obvious for the Black Knight.
Tit Window Justin Trudeau (I remember her name but why use it unless I gotta?) might have accounted for that.
I expect the current capital would then be too obvious for anyone else going after her (like us).
...I mean, I guess at worst she’s going to have to come to us eventually.
...oh. Of course. She wouldn’t be at the palace. She’d be wherever there’s a Primal Beast here, if there is one.
Good job, Rackam.
Pictured: Vyrn, casually planning to sneak some of the most wanted criminals in the empire into its capital. We should...probably at least get Lyria a hat, or a hood. Her hair and clothes are very bright.
...Well, this came to bite us in the butt faster than I anticipated. Hi, Lecia! So nice to see you again.
Monika thinks we”re cool! I’m so happy!
I was trying to decide which panel of the Black Knight putting Lecia down would be best for noting she’s trying to shove away a team of investigators who captured the Black Knight where the empire could not at a time that we have no real leads.
But then Lecia did it for me.
Lecia: We have an information network spanning the entire skydom that has already determined the location of one of the most politically powerful people within it.
Black Knight, who has never worked with more than two other people in her life before now and just failed to find her:
Black Knight, who has never worked with more than two other people in her life before now and just failed to find her:
I know you’re angry they beat you, but please give it a rest for five minutes. (The Black Knight never gives anything a rest. She still holds an undying grudge against a kid who stole her candy when she was seven.)
Oh wow, she wasn’t even listening before when Lecia was talking. No wonder I feel the lack of dialogue options more keenly in Granblue. I think they appear less often than in FGO, but also Mash never antagonizes the people we’re trying to talk to like this.
SOMEONE WHO’S TALL ENOUGH CLAMP A HAND OVER THE BLACK KNIGHT’S MOUTH IMMEDIATELY
Oh no, Katalina, I was counting on you for the diplomatic criticism.... Rackam? Rosetta? Please?
THANK GOODNESS WE DIDN’T HAVE TO RELY ON THE BLACK KNIGHT
Thanks for not requesting the duel in the middle of imperial-held territory. Because I, uh. Forgot.
I guess that’s as close to a rest as I can hope for. I’ll take it.
It’s cool, Black Knight, we’re already very impressed by you, you don’t have to be extra 24/7.
Holy crap, this lady is sharp!
And she makes the Black Knight almost act like a nice person??
I don’t know if this is exactly what the kind old woman wants to hear.
Hey, if the Black Knight doesn’t want it, would you be my grandma?? Look, she responded by fleeing immediately, you’re probably in need of a new kid to dote on.
And she can tell which one of us she should ask to look after the Black Knight. (I think she senses the sarcasm in my thoughts.)
(I meant the Black Knight, but probably this old lady, too.)
Yikes, she sounds completely destroyed. Like, unsurprisingly, since she seems to be coping with all the crap she’s gone through in her life in part by punishing herself. (The other 80% of it is outwardly directed anger.)
It’s the sort of thing that can blow up in your face when a kind person really sees you, and that sure was the last subsection.
But it’s just such a contrast that it underlines the damage.
AH GOOD THE RIGHT PERSON SHOWED UP I was afraid it was going to be Eugen. I expect that the two will reconcile one day, but right now GOSH is he not who she needs to talk to right now.
See, Black Knight? This is how the classic “you’re not alone” speech goes. Lyria didn’t have to insult anyone at all! Take notes.
The scene isn’t particularly special. It really follows the expected beats of this kind of scene and I could have easily said “and then Lyria gives her an inspirational speech about how she has them now, no matter what might happen in the future,” and you all would have produced the scene in your mind.
Or I could have saved a lot of clicking by screencapping the text log like I probably should have.
But damn it I’ve put a lot of effort into becoming invested in this story even when the early days were clumsy, so I like these characters and I like that they’re getting along. And I like the expressions involved.
I had to remind myself this is my plurk and the people reading it can scroll past whatever they’re not interested in.
I just like the scene, so I’m not going to try to go amateur, uneducated literary critic on it.
Like I do a lot in here because IT’S ALSO MY PLURK wow that’s freeing to mostly accept.
I get it, game. You want me to feel good about my friendship with Lyria (which I do anyway, even if I’d like more chance to actually interact with her instead of just having to fill in Djeeta’s actions in my head). But that was totally the Black Knight who gave you your own speech.
Or if it’s about the actual togetherness that the Black Knight pointed out, Katalina should come first or at least be included.
I do enjoy seeing Lyria and Djeeta’s relationship grow, of course. (Almost all the time. Why was the first time Lyria more or less asked Djeeta if she thought she was pretty was immediately following Rosetta deliberately underlining how young Lyria and Io are??) But credit where credit’s due.
(On that parentheses point, Djeeta is likely not that much older than Lyria, so in-universe it’s not creepy at all, but in the context of it being a deliberate scene in a fictional story directed at what is in the end a self-insert...I question that decision.)
...oh! I’m here, too. Neat. Good job, Lyria, you handled this way better than I could have, so it’s good for Djeeta to be standing back.
Yes, absolutely, already done, don’t kill me, Lyria would die too even though the concept is really barely explored at this point.
Sweats. The second is likely the protag thing to do, but I’m a secondary character by nature, so time to answer as above.
......oh no, that actually hit me in the emotions. The Black Knight (I’ll wait to see if she wants to go by Apollonia with anyone other than Lyria) complimented me about having a good nature. I’m actually feeling touched and happy about this. Okay cool I guess I’m even more invested than I planned.
I do love getting dialogue choices. I know at best they change like three lines and no one in-game remembers them because it’s a linear story, but gosh darn it it makes me feel like I’m actually participating.
And with the sound of a swoosh of her cape, that’s probably the last I’ll ever see of the Black Knight calling me a good kid. That part I will remember.
.....Lecia, you’re standing by our only reasonable way to get off the island short of stealing whatever boat you managed to sneak in here.
........I suddenly have a really bad feeling. I don’t...think Lecia would use dark essence in order to defeat us, but the thought just came to mind and a chill ran down me.
You guys saying stuff like this is what is making ME uneasy.
Okay, Katalina seems to suggest it’s just that one’s emotional state affects their swordplay and Lecia is super determined and self-assured.
And wow, the Black Knight made it through the whole conversation with only one real insult. I’m proud of her.
It’s also a battle of numbers. Lecia, do you really mean to take all of us on alone at the same time?? I don’t think this is a good way to measure yourself against...well, honestly, it’s only the Black Knight and Katalina who are really a threat, but the rest of us have been doing our best!
It’s like eight to one if you count Lyria’s summoning.
Then again, she is twice our height. (But then again, it took me like 30 chapters to really notice the size difference that has been here all along in the style.)
......wow that’s a lot of health to still have after a four-burst, huh. (Granted, only Rackam is the right element.)
!!! Maybe I can finish unlocking the items? Or at least I’ll be able to read the story now that I have any idea who the characters on this side are.
It was eight versus one, friend.
Oh good.
Bad line or not, that’s pretty gay.
I’m not going to screencap the Black Knight not using Orchis’s name yet again, but I did sigh heavily.
Look, everyone else can do it (no one else knew her before and saw her friend largely disappear while her body remained) shhhhh I’m not letting this go no matter what logic you might throw at me
I’m interested to see how these empires compare on a scale from 1 to Fantasy Empires Are Always Lawful Evil. (Understandably. The title usually suggests they don’t even try to hide that they conquer people given half a chance.)
.......wait a second. I don’t remember anything about an empire on Rosetta’s forest island.
I guess we’ll find out...next time!!
Oh no, this is going to be a disaster (said in a delighted voice).
The Black Knight’s temper is not prepared for Rosetta’s level of “deliberately say something suspicious and refuse to even engage with the idea of clarifying.”
The rest of us have had to get used to it, since that is all Rosetta does at every moment of the day, but we let her stay anyway.
Ah, the Black Knight has calmed down again now that we’re on the trail of Tit Window Trudeau, so she’s gone to her “just don’t react” state.
BLATANT LIES
Thanks, game. Even though I’ve played the story mostly all in a row, I’ve forgotten so much about it already. The overview is coming back to me, but details are hard to come by in my brain.
Ah, so they have met.
This might be more convincing as an excuse for mysterious behaviour if our current group weren’t majority women.
I mean, I know you’ve got some plan behind what you do, but I frankly doubt you aren’t simultaneously doing this.
Lyria, no, you’re only going to make her say something about how it’s rude to pry into a woman’s secrets if you ask her for details.
takes two big steps away from Eugen and the Black Knight to not get caught in the danger zone
Wow, Lyria’s friendship powers really have relaxed her.
Please don’t tell me the Menea Empire is even younger than the Erste Empire.
Okay this actually is enough time for it to be historical rather than current events.
.......Now that’s interesting.
.........You advised the Erste Empire’s military at one point.
Okay maybe this will give us some balance.
We’re combining millennia ago “the Erste Kingdom secretly had good relations with the surviving Astrals after the war” with a marriage that’s about 30 years old at a pace that is making my head spin.
I’m sure we’ll find out shortly. (The rest of this conversation is interesting, but I’m restraining myself from commenting on literally every line of the story because I will never get anywhere.)
Hey Rosetta, can you ask a tree for us? Serious suggestion.
Yes! And I was just thinking during the sidescroll how much more I like you now that not every line out of your mouth is “I’m the sexy one.” (Just one in four.)
You’re not even a little sorry.
Vyrn that describes every single expression the Black Knight has.
Rosetta not knowing what’s going on on the island makes me more nervous than the Enforcer being nowhere in sight.
A presence I have not felt since.....
Rackam, arriving on the island: I don’t want to think how many times we’ve almost died on this journey.
Rackam, when half the party points out that things aren’t right:
Why are you so relaxed about this?
Rackam, when half the party points out that things aren’t right:
Why are you so relaxed about this?
.....oh my gosh, I missed the pun of Rooted in History being the title of a chapter on the forest island. I need to hand in my punster badge.
Always a good start.
“Sinister Plot” OH GOOD THAT WILL REALLY MAKE IT EASY TO PUT THIS DOWN TO GET THINGS DONE
Oh no, we have an enemy who thinks she’s a chessmaster! That’s bad both in and out of universe. (I’m compromising by playing while I eat.)
I was going to joke that given our usual methods, particularly with the Black Knight on board, the trap is kind of funny, because instead of finding Freesia surrounded by soldiers, we’ve found Freesia surrounded by soldiers but she planned it, but now Lyria looks uncomfortable, probably remembering being kidnapped, and that’s not allowed to stand.
DON’T LET HER GET GRABBED IN A CUTSCENE THIS TIME OH MY GOSH PLEASE
Thanks big damn hero Katalina.
She’s so gallant. What a good big sister.
That’s not mutually exclusive, Lyria!!
Thanks for being honest there, my friend, it’s a real help.
Two reactions:
1) general “what an asshole”
2, louder) NOW DON’T YOU START
This is simultaneously interesting and annoying. Well done, Freesia. You have the villain monologue down.
You can tell the Black Knight did advise them.
She sure does have that.
This is one of the moments where you wonder why she even sent in the guards.
I guess that’s my answer.
Djeeta, standing behind the Black Knight: THROWS UP HANDS IN EXASPERATION
Vyrn speaks for the people as Freesia gives a standard villain speech about an ordered world and correcting a corrupted history that only the Black Knight knows enough about to guess at.
NOT ANOTHER ONE, AGAIN.
Lucky me they both test readiness for the truth from how well we beat up soldiers. We’re good at that one. We’ve had a lot of practice.
...I REMEMBER YOU DOING EXACTLY THIS TWO ARCS AGO.
.......kind of regretting all the summons I’ve been using right now.
.........wait, okay, I guess I was making sense of someone who I’m told is obsessed with the Erste Kingdom talking about correcting history. I guess the one thing I didn’t know was exactly how she was going to do it.
Okay the stuff about Akasha the Black Knight has over me. Thanks for reminding everyone that we’re just a group of nobodies who keep stumbling into stuff like this and don’t actually know what’s going on, Io. ......I mean that in the least insulting way I can.
....well, Rosetta sure has been quiet about this primal beast contained on her island.
“Now let us beat up 3-5 soldiers while we let that sink in.”
Oh boy. Who’s ready for paradox time!!
“In order to bring back a Kingdom that was one until ten years ago, I’ll rewrite history millenia before I was born!!” The timelines for this game sometimes give me a headache.
But, like...most Primal Beasts aren’t controlled by anyone. I assumed that Erste’s weaponry became outdated was because of other advances in technology.
If it’s just the Primal Beasts and there’s like maybe a handful that can be used by people who aren’t Lyria and Orchis...why aren’t the Erste weapons the best anyone can reasonably hope to use???
I keep completely misunderstanding how the Granblue Fantasy world works.
Lyria, heck, we’re talking about removing a millennia old war! None of us are going to have any reason to expect our family tree to move in a way that we’d exist again.
She isn’t just removing the ones from ten years ago! But, then again, she did note that we don’t know what would happen.
That’s about the size of it.
My good ol’ crew. “We don’t really know what’s going on, except for Rosetta who won’t tell anyone anything, but we know what we can do.”
Rosetta continues to be very quiet.
I doubt it.
RAH RAH SIS BOOM BAH
Uh oh. Pomeranian was bad enough with this stuff and he was the ineffectual prologue boss.
Oh yeah, the ones Orchis absorbed! Ahhh, it’s fine, we’ve beaten them bef — she’s using dark essence on them fuuuuu
Ah man, I was hoping Rosetta was doing something sneaky while being quiet. There goes one deus ex machina.
...you know, I was willing to just go “dark essence bs” and be done with it, but that’s a good question.
No pressure or anything.
.....,this is the moment Katalina and Lyria gets distracted and someone snags Lytia as if we aren’t here.
Isn’t it.
No, but that’s not excellent either.
More than the Orchis thing, huh?
I mean, her plan is all about a Primal Beast. Good thinking, Lyria. Use that internal compass!
Okay, that was a weird sound. I’m not sure how to describe it. Like she was straining to do something?
..........I mean, I guess it could be the sound of smelling the air.
Another point under “Primal Beast” in the Primal Beast vs Astral thing that is doubtless making anyone who has read the story laugh.
...I’m not particularly fond of how the music just turned solemn there.
.....oh yeah that did happen (going through this story takes so LONG).
Maybe if you had listened to her instead of saying you could do whatever you like with your property, you would know anything about the current Orchis!! (puffs up cheeks)
Djeeta, standing behind Lyria: LONG POINTED LOOK AT THE BLACK KNIGHT
CONTINUED. GLARING.
Some of the way this is framed through the full conversation I could nitpick, but I find it interesting that when Rosetta thinks she’s not coming back, it’s Io that she turns to as the one to take her place afterwards despite spending most of their interactions teasing her.
And the stuff I’d nitpick are things that are a part of the framing calling back to the stuff they usually quarrel about, so I’m not going to bother picking at it.
I hope I get to see where this goes.
Oh, it’s my turn, I see.
I’d have liked more than one dialogue option, but I know full voice acting makes alternate lines more expensive. She really must think she’s about to die if she told Djeeta that she knows her father. Rosetta, let a secret out???
Wow, all the secret-keepers are opening up today!
I appreciate it, but could we not have done this when not surrounded by enemy robots??
OKAY GOOD THIS IS A LITTLE BETTER
I KNEW IT. TIME TO CONTINUE CASUALLY STANDING BETWEEN LYRIA AND THE BLACK KNIGHT.
At least it’s “potentially.” About as good as I can expect.
I’ve been wanting this point to be addressed for ages now, but I’m not sure I like it now that it’s here.
...hope it wasn’t a piece you needed, Lyria, because I don’t know how to return it!
Well. That’s a creepy theory. How do you know this, anyway?
I wonder if Djeeta got any more “Lyria-like” as a result of the one that happened at the start of the game.
????? okay this is pretty creepy dude.
No wonder you’re trying so hard not to get attached to the current Orchis.
...you plan to do the personality edits first? That sounds...needlessly harmful for an already harmful plan.....
sound of breathing out suggesting “there’s a lot to unpack here”
Orrrrrrrr you could take note that Orchis was able to talk and demonstrate emotion after absorbing Leviathan and work with the current real Orchis instead of programming her to act like you want. Just a thought.
Well. So much for “I’m glad we don’t have to fight her.”
I thought you would have figured out by now that Lyria is too nice for her own good.
Character development! And Lyria’s unstoppable desire to understand.
I see that even without the advantage of seeing scenes she’s not in and knowledge that this is fictional, Io has realized Rosetta is talking like she expects to not make it out the other side of this conflict.
And of course Rosetta brushes off the concerns.
Fancy duds!!
Well, the second part, anyway.
Now here’s who I’ve been wanting to see! Too bad she’s still quit and with Tit Window Trudeau.
That’s what I keep saying! Just not to her face. Because she could destroy me at will.
I can think of a few reasons, though I’ll admit the ones that fit in this circumstance are a bit fantastical from an in-universe view.
But if you run while leaving Orchis behind, we’ll call it good until you seem less extremely confident in your weapons!!
“I’m not stuck in here with you, etc.”
Ah yes. This is what I was expecting when she used dark essence in summoning primal beasts. Dark-essence corrupted/strengthened primals.
Hum, my “only story-related characters slapped together” team seems unprepared for Yggdrasil Malice. This level of difficulty jump makes me wonder if this is supposed to be a losing battle or if I need to prepare better than this slapdash party.
It’s looking bad for our heroes.
I mean. I guess she’s seen a few Astrals more recently than most, but that was thousands of years ago and the skydwellers did win.
Completely under your control, huh.
It did of course strike me as suspicious that the Black Knight said that Freesia is who told her what happened while we were chasing Freesia as the villain, but she’s had years for it to solidify into truth from being told as a younger person.
Well, on the bright side, Lyria’s soul is intact and there aren’t the weird and creepy implications of how the Black Knight described it. Y...ay......
...oh boy, time to find out what terrible thing (for herself) Rosetta has planned!!
No? Is no an acceptable answer??
At least this time we have a reason for Katalina (or Djeeta or anyone else, but especially Katalina) to not be in a position to stop Lyria from being got.
Come ooooooonnnnn, power of friendship! Since power of Yosie is a little low on the ground right now.
...I’m not a huge fan of how Lyria cut off with a cry before going silent and expressionless with an odd sound in the background. Could be better.
This...could be better, but at least the music is rockin’.
Can someone, like, knock Djeeta out in order to put Lyria down for a spell?
.....................................................I mean, seriously, this music is excellent!
......I guess there are worse things I could cry about this evening. All right, game. Let’s see what you’ve got.
Good job, Orchis.
And you saved Lyria at the same time! You’re great, Orchis!
Could not agree any more strongly! ...hope you’re doing okay on your own, Black Knight! (I’m not entirely happy with the angry rude woman being that way due to trauma rather than her personality, especially when it leads to this kind of BSOD, but I’ll live.)
Good point. Sorry, soldiers. Like Katalina says next, don’t have time todo this gently.
Gotta get this done before Freesia stops being startled.
No, but it would have been nice!
Ah, Rosetta. I came to like you just in time. I hope you’ll be back eventually.
...put another point under “primal beast,” I should think.
Well...she’s not dead, at least.
Ah, that is a good reason. We’ll be back, Rosetta. Be safe.
Already done!
.......wait what
.....welp. Anyway, I guess we get to see the Enforcers again, at least!
.....wow, I just casually scrolled up and boy I talk a lot. If you’re still reading this, Sarah, I guess you’ll get to know basically all of the story.
Time to reorder my story party, I guess.....
Rosetta doing what she does best: being frustrating.
She...kind of is.
You and me both, Lyria.
...oh hey, you’re talking again and you’re with us! That’s a bright spot!
Aaaaaand that bright spot lasted all of five seconds. But they were a good five seconds!
That’s by far the most tactful way to put it. At least Rosetta’s there to keep her alive assuming she survived until our escape.
I appreciate the thought, Eugen, but unless the empire has stopped hanging around the island, I rather think it is.
Sadly, kind...of..... I would rather pick her up, but under the circumstances yeah, I guess she’s on her own for now.
.....Rosetta why did you put this on the head of a kid. Where are my dialogue options. I mean, Io will do a fine job, but she’s going to get enough messages about doing free emotional labour without her friends doing it, too.
This was the framing that made me go mmmmmmm could you have asked me, the captain, to do this instead? Oh well.
.....well that was fast.
Rosetta’s been gone like fifteen minutes.
I mean, you’ve done pretty well so fa — okay, I see why she asked Io instead of me,
Okay, there’s the Io I know. She tried to adopt a more Rosetta-like manner, but it only took a couple of half-hearted protests to bring out her Ioness.
Okay I’m back to Rosetta why did you put this on the kid (I guess Io would be mad to hear me say this but since she can’t hear in meta why did you put this on the kid)
New target for the “where’s the Djeeta gives them a hug option” thought.
Mostly you in my opinion, but sure, either of you.
But he did apologize properly in things I didn’t screencap, to give him credit.
I keep being hard on Eugen, but I certainly don’t dislike him. He just...leaves himself open a lot.....
Again to be fair to him, he recovers well.
oh my god rackam
I mean, he uses it as a way to distract her, but oh my god rackam
It’s kind of sad what this says about how low my expectations are, but I like that the “heart of the group, naïve, cheerful girl” character is also involved in the serious planning in a logic-based way. ...wow that’s such a low bar, but they clear it!
Thanks for saying this out loud so we can catch this trauma early.
That works. I would say that when a bad person does a bad thing, it’s the bad person’s fault, not someone farther up the chain, but this works, too, and gives her somewhere to direct the feelings.
Lyria knows her primals.
...It’s possible I should have questioned a talking small flying creature, but I sure did shrug since I had no context for normal at the time.
Game, sometimes you’re really predictable, and then sometimes I stop and think: I didn’t see that one coming.
“Chaos Abounds” I mean, with Monika in a jail cell, probably.
who’s this douchebag
(I mean, I don’t know anything about him, but he’s sneering at what may be my favourite character in the game, so who’s this douchebag)
Oh my gosh it took one correction that wasn’t even worded rudely to take the smirk off his face. His self-assuredness is tiny.
Ah, he does recognize Lecia’s about the place. Makes it a little harder for her to fix, but I believe in her. Or at least I believe that Monika believes in her and I trust her opinion.
.....okay I see this wasn’t a clean takeover. Obvious in hindsight, I guess.
Thanks for providing us with our mission briefing, imperial soldier. We had no idea what was going on or what we should do until you basically summed it up for us.
I mean, for the former, it’s not the first time we’ve seen imperials here.
They did think us being there meant they missed some. .....I hope not, but I worry our body count may not exceed the empire’s on this island anymore.....
...other than a soldier!
Or including a soldier. Whatever.
Faster, maybe, but possibly not better,
Captain! And she’s not the only free survivor!
....you know, it didn’t strike me as funny that Orchis knew who she was. I guess they introduced themselves when they “rescued” her from the “criminal.”
I was hoping this was it! Lecia is a good egg. Occasionally prone to cracking.
Oh my gosh, I felt that burn through my screen.
Perfect time for us to sneak up and clonk them on the head.
squints Are those sleeves transparent? That’s not the most wrong thing with her outfit, but I didn’t notice last time.
My crew get to make such a cool entrance. Shoot down a guard, stroll up casually.....
sucks in breath So about that.....
huffs out breath Oof. So about that..........
Today, Eugen is my voice in a game that is sparing with my ability to contribute, if not about characters addressing Djeeta.
Sometimes I forget Katalina was an imperial officer.
Oh gosh the blood-thirsty death camels are back. They survived the attack.
Hoooo-ee, you’re a big one, aren’t you?
I’m glad that, for all the characters used to talk down about her, she’s showing that she is a captain approved by a highly respected former captain.
Now this is interesting. (I guess in a way, it’s a good thing Lecia chases the crew around for a bit. Meant they were down a strong fighter, but it sounds like she’ll do better as reinforcements since things fell apart so badly.
It’s this douchebag!
Frankly, I had kind of forgotten “I” was here, as I was caught up in the story....
It made this come as a surprise like if someone actually suddenly whispered in my ear.
We’re kind of just hoping you will.
(I didn’t cap it, but right after that I was given one of the rare dialogue choices. There was the obvious hero “we will help you,” but there was also the option of “good luck with that!” I bet Lyria gets annoyed at that one, given she prompted Djeeta to speak up.)
I laughed. Given how much the crew has talked poorly of her (well, mostly the Black Knight), we earned that.
I was right. It came complete with the music for when something silly is happening.
Okay, after I went into the journal to see what happens if you pick an option that would annoy Lyria, I also earned that despite hours of playing. But I must to bed.
Wow, what a weirdo.
BIG MANLY MAN HAVE NO TIME FOR ART. MANLY MAN SMASH ART.
Ah, this is a bad time to refuse to talk about your problems. Then again, I guess it’ll be no more busy a time later.
I appreciate the underlining of the close bond, but we’re going to need to work on concentration no matter how
...okay she is certainly freaking out about Monika being captured, but I laughed at how blunt this was.
I had thought as far as Eugen, but Katalina raises a good point.
Ugh, what a heap of reasons to be flipping out, between this, and worrying about Monika, and having this be the first time she’s doing this alone, and seeing her home in ruins.... I would be catatonic, but I guess that’s why I’m not a fleet captain. We’ll just have to keep her alive long enough to learn this lesson.
And by we I mean the rest of the crew, as Djeeta stands back most of the time.
FGO has spoiled me about getting to be the heroine at every opportunity.
(I mean, Djeeta gets given credit pretty often, but I’m talking about mid-cutscene contribution rather than gameplay ones.)
Me: I guess if we get trapped by imperial soldiers, at least the crew are here to bail Lecia out from her decisions.
Game:
Me: ....Hello final boss of the arc. How you doin’.
Game:
Me: ....Hello final boss of the arc. How you doin’.
Well, that answers that.
Did you try sending him a letter?
Ah, oh boy. It’s time to toss her father issues onto the pile on her right now.
Also it occurs to me that locking up Monika was effectively taking a hostage in order to lure the hostage he actually wanted.
What a trustworthy fellow.
Thanks for stepping in while Lecia goes through her trauma.
“If you want.”
begins laughing
The next words out of Lecia’s mouth are going to be “I’ll do it,” aren’t they?
Yuuuuuup. Well, at least I can take the further demonstration of how much they care for each other, but I thought we already did a shorter version of the “Lecia gains confidence in herself” arc. Not that it’d be such a simple thing for a real person as just one decision.
Probably not, honestly.
It’s such a shame we can’t choose to not attack when he’s in a parry stance.
I probably could keep it up for a while still.
...okay, fair enough.
Oh sure, another issue for Lecia. Toss it on the pile.
She’s clearly freaking out right now, but I’m glad she’s at least got the basis for building a foundation for herself.
And it’s working!! See, we did do part of Lecia’s character arc. She just needs to finish it up. (cups hands around mouth) KICK HIS ASS LECIA!!
And she remained clearheaded enough to accept a call to retreat in the opening she provided. Good job, Lecia.
Yes, let’s talk about this!
I can think of a lot of reasons, but that’s as good an opener as any.
Ah yes, the classic question.
Ooh, am I sensing a dialogue option?? (I knew I liked these, but I didn’t realize how stuck on it I would be.
Oh right, Djeeta has a connection that actually does make her one of the better suited to have this conversation.
I would have liked an option of “a little,” but I get why not.
Two options in one scene? Be still my beating heart. (The conversation with Lecia was interesting, but I didn’t have much to say on it.)
What a good duo.
“A lot of grief” may be a bit of an exaggeration, but hey, apologies are a good idea anyway. </canadian>
Is this a Mitchell and Webb-esque evil mastermind code for oral sex?
The...scabbard’s exact specifications? I’m sure someone who knows about swords would be nodding along, but I’m like “why do you care as long as it holds the sword and doesn’t get stuck??”
......you blocked cannon fire and primal beast attacks with something that skinny??
I begin to get the idea that this man may be something of a creep.
Good gravy sweet pappy. I hope this boosts your confidence later, Lecia, even if he’s attributing it to your dad’s blood. (Please upload the right picture this time.)
Though even when people are complimenting Lecia, they’re insulting her. The poor woman.
Hmm. This could be. An issue. I guess this was the “what is he doing?” from the beginning of the chapter.
I mean. Considering that we got out of the trap that you sprung on us and even managed to lose the person you did successfully kidnap, I’m not sure how much you want to go on about failing to capture someone. I guess technically you took your soldiers legally, though.
We haven’t gotten to see Freesia speechless much, but I guess she underestimated just how battle-hungry this dude is. Someone who doesn’t want to use every mean at his disposal to win?? What is this????
...well. The emperor begins to assert himself. I wasn’t sure there was one at this point or if Freesia made him up.
I guess that theory that he doesn’t exist remains possible.
Or, you know, confirmed. That’s cool, too.
Oops, I apparently zoned out on the strategy meeting thinking what Gangrene and Freesia might talk about if they met. Can someone fill me in quickly?? I guess I’ll just follow Katalina’s lead.
Yeah, yeah! .......but in case someone else didn’t get it, why don’t we explain it one more time?
Lecia’s finally doing things that have us praising her! I’m so proud! .......I forget what it was, but I’m so proud!!
........I see the plan doesn’t involve standard stealth measures. Okay, first part of plan down. Maybe I should take notes.
Your guess is as good as mine, friendo.
Look, I don’t know either, my dude. I assume the other people are doing the sneaky bit.
That would be a little too obvious, huh.
It seems like the weight of expectations that she be a combat genius is at least a little lifted from her shoulders for now.
Also you’re his current obsession, but no one here knows that.
Bi...big sis Katalina! I’ll follow you anywhere!!
(Why isn’t she the captain of the Grandcypher? Why am I the captain of the Grandcypher? It just happened during the early days when less thought was put into the story and it stuck.)
Oops it all got turned around on her.
Now plan? Not that I don’t remember the plan at all.
Ah. He’s fight obsessed, but not a fool. Dangerous combination.
I mean, a plan like that wouldn’t count as brilliant. Here’s where the “very Lecia-like” part of the plan must come in.
And this was enough to make him divide his forces. Not bad, Lecia. Not bad one bit.
It’s that you think you can take all of us on at once, isn’t it.
It was, but Captain Lecia is not intimidated.
And this time, I brought my water weapon. ....forgot to move around the summons, but I’ve been keeping Proto Bahamut in the main slot for similar story reasons, so I probably can’t improve much on “my four highest strength summons.”
I don’t have a super impressive water summon that I can recall.
Ah, he drew his sword this time. All right.
Never even saw what his full charge bar did. Went to overload to break in moments. Is this what it’s like to have 3+ allies of the right element in a fight? (I’m overloaded on water for fire enemies.)
AND YET.
My head thanks you for saving me and Lyria towards the last.
I’m so glad not to be the leader of any forces.
Proud of you, Captain.
Okay, that’s an interesting thing to call someone otherwise acknowledged as a hero.
.......Lecia can you have that HP when I recruit you?
I thought “this is it” was going to be that this is the sort of fight he wanted, but no, he went right down (as did Lecia but like fair that was almost one-on-one).
MONIKA!!!
They’re. So. Cute.
Me: Ahhh, I wondered how they would swing her coming with us eventually as I heard she did.
Lyria:
Me: .......oh yeah, without knowledge that this is fiction it looks pretty bad in-universe.
I wondered when the lighthearted part would come in.
A known scene, but executed properly.
...honestly, that has been a lot of the current patch of Granblue’s story I’ve been enjoying: not innovative, but well-executed.
yeah that's how i feel about granblue once it gets rolling
i like basically everyone and while it's not anything original i care a lot and only have a few quibbles
I see this is a thing for these two.
RandomProphet: Yeah! I don’t need it to be groundbreaking, as long as I’m enjoying myself!
As you’ve no doubt seen, I can find quibbles everywhere, but most of them aren’t particularly serious.
And by find them everywhere, I don’t mean specifically Granblue. Just that if I spend enough time talking about a story, I’ll quibble.
Whoops, between finishing this arc of Granblue and reading the new chapter of Yamada and Kase-san, I’m not going to be able to pick up supper before group! But I enjoyed myself in this land with internet and I took out meat so I can make it at home.
My kingdom for a ctrl + f.
At least this allowed for a cute moment of Lyria asking Katalina for help with a word. I am easily sated.
Also Orchis just reading the books when Princess Orchis had to be forced to sit still long enough even with Apollonia by her side...interesting.
OH RIGHT, ONE THING I HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT WHEN I ACCIDENTALLY READ A SUMMARY BUT I FORGOT BY THE TIME I GOT THERE.
Apparently Freesia lied to the Black Knight to get her to bring Lyria to her...but when?
It can’t have been pre-game, because Lyria was in the empire’s control at the time, so the Black Knight could have had access to Lyria, probably. It probably wasn’t long pre-jailing, because I don’t recall her making a particular effort to capture Lyria. It certainly couldn’t be post-jailing.
But why try to assassinate your pawn, unless she expected it to get bungled and release her. Maybe I’m forgetting details that would make me understand it better.
Anyway, $20 says that it has a clue about Vyrn in here unexpectedly.
Oh, a longer-term mystery for Lecia to pursue. Neat.
.......who can what. Do I have a second summoner amongst my first companions.
Vyrn can what
Now I am incredibly curious.
Lecia, that’s really important information what the heck. I mean, I thought that’s what it sounded like she was doing, but I thought it would be weird for her to conceal important information like that, so I thought maybe there was something about her in there. It is her dad’s.
Is that why all the Omega fights are on there??
A series of good questions, Vyrn.
Rosetta did say you’d probably rather not remember, too.
.....oh no, I recognize that voice. I’ve missed Drang.
So happy to see you! We could use a bit of levity in these trying times.
Lecia, meet Drang. Drang, Lecia. He’s part of our friendly enemy midboss squad!
And there’s the other half.
You’d think you’d have practice at it by now.
From skypolice island, huh?
It’s kind of amazing the level to which whether this intent would have made us fast allies or uneasy enemies depending on when it happened.
*would vary. Then again, that is their whole deal.
Truly the noblest of motives of all.
This caught my attention, but I also had to check a couple of lines ahead to make sure I hadn’t just forgotten it in the early game.
This is fascinating to me.
Whatever Drang might say about how surprising the Black Knight being kind is, I’m not used to Sturm openly admitting to caring about...well, anything, let alone anyone.
I mean, maybe she’s just frustrated at failing at her job, but it seems stronger than that.
But unlike Drang, I wouldn’t say it like that even if I had the option.
Like I’d want to work with them anyway, because I enjoy them, but this seals it.
A sure sign of goodness the world over.
I had to stifle a delighted gasp.
Lyria also gets to hide behind being cute and honestly well-meaning.
You get used to it.
And then we instantly get into battle with monsters.
It does seem a little unlikely.....
I don’t know, but we’ll all work it out togeth — OH WAIT
And where you linked our lifeforces together in what I’d expect to have come up as a plot point for more than something that turned out to be a complete lie.
Don’t strain yourself trying to join in about talking about Djeeta’s home island.
Okay, fair. It was kind of interesting with everyone else, though. Lyria, Katalina, and presumably Djeeta are remembering where the journey began, while I’m reminded that no one else besides Vyrn has ever been there
I kind of know what he means, from one low population home to another. I can pick up on poor air quality in my current city before the weather reports even think it worth reporting, because it just didn’t happen.
...I mean I guess at low tide the river stinks to high heaven, but I’m so used to it that it’s a pleasant, nostalgic smell to me.
1) oh gosh, right at the end of chapter 45, Drang responded to a Sturm stabscolding with a really low, morose voice and it sounded so unexpected on Drang
2) Chapter 46: The Emperor of Erste unlocked on Djeeta and Vyrn’s hometown. Uh oh. Uh oh uh oh uh oh.
2) Chapter 46: The Emperor of Erste unlocked on Djeeta and Vyrn’s hometown. Uh oh. Uh oh uh oh uh oh.
It’s never someone’s imagination in a cutscene.
Hmmmmmmm combined with the title I’m on edge.
Do you...like getting stabbed?
Today, the part of Yosie’s spokesperson is played by Lecia. Thanks, Lecia. Welcome to the team.
And Io.
Dammit, monsters, Vyrn sounds so upset at having to wait to share.
Let’s do this quickly.
Hold that thought. Rare monster. It’s bounty-stacking time!
.......I guess from the villagers’ point of view, there was a sound of an explosion, we rushed off to the forest, and they never saw us again.....
The former is making me smile, and the latter I want a dialogue option to address.
Thanks, game.
I went back to check what the dialogue options do and I was reminded that we never got back to Vyrn’s interrupted point. Uh oh. (I picked the top one, which makes her feel better, and the bottom one makes her comment on Djeeta having a cool head. It kind of lets you pick the part that makes you a good captain the most: a warm heart or a cool head.)
(I love choices like that, even though the don’t actually affect anything.
*they
Through a wall...those are some senses.
Did I forget to lock the door before I ran out to my temporary death??
........?????????
........well that’s a lot.
Half the time I react, someone says it for me in the game. I’m exactly who the developers had in mind, I guess...
ah, This Fucking Guy
i like his dog, at least
Not...really...but I guess it’s not a bad case for yourself.
....well that was an uncomfortably light tone to say that in.
...calling a communicating person a pet, talking about training, and having those chains on her...
This was sure designed to make me SUPER UNCOMFORTABLE.
fenrir deserves better, she's a shit but she really deserves better
I mean. She’s making a case for the chains, I guess, but still uncomfortable. Doesn’t help she’s half-naked and I don’t know her well enough to know what degree that’s her preference.
Oh FUCK no.
I know the mythological reference, but this interpretation of Fenrir wigs me out.
RandomProphet: Yeah, I’m getting both of those impressions.
And if FGO has taught me anything, it’s a weakness for irredeemable shits who were set up to fail because they weren’t raised right.
Uh oh.
yeah pretty much........
Because I’d be willing to put down money Uncle Emperor made her worse by how he treats her/raised her.
Game: The villagers are in danger!
Me in one round:
Get away from them, character I am predisposed to feel bad for.
Me in one round:
Get away from them, character I am predisposed to feel bad for.
Just you try it.
oh it's not just uncle emperor
she shows up in one of my favorite events and it's Rough
(the good kind of rough. that event is just YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A FUN CUTE GOOFY EVENT BUT INSTEAD IT'S AN EVENT THAT THROWS YOUR HEART IN A WOODCHIPPER)
As though he hadn’t told her to wipe Djeeta and Vyrn’s hometown off the map.
Oh no. If it comes up again or becomes a side story I will DIE.
She’s even voiced in a way I am also weak to.
i'm hoping it becomes a side story because i want everyone to suffer with me over the goofy tutorial forest ranger character
OOOOF the amount that says about him in a casual statement was like a punch to the gut.
RandomProphet: oh no, it was that event that happened recently and I didn’t get involved until after, wasn’t it?
I remember seeing you talk about some event rerun with a ranger.
Then again, I discovered that even some of the crossovers are side stories, too.
So anything can be a side story if they want it to be.
Even without knowledge of that event I’m suffering drags hands down face
She’s an overgrown kid, like how the emperor pretends to be but actually honestly an overgrown feral kid.
This guy gives me chills and I hate him more intensely than I usually hate villains.
I wonder what he means by “of this sky.” Is it that he views it as already belonging to him?
A very Captain Lecia response.
Yeah, it happened pretty recently I think.
But that was a rerun itself, so I think it's more likely to get added to side stories whenever it comes up again.
Fingers crossed for my sake!
Oof, though, I hit that break not a moment too soon. That overdrive basic attack itself was nothing to scoff at.
I should have brought a Kaguya, but I went for damage instead, not realizing the extent to which this fight powered up.
Even going down to three characters with two near death, I knew it was too easy.
Eugen continues to speak for the people.
I have no clue and that’s concerning.
Is Djeeta a tree-worshipper? Because that would be rad.
...could we have asked a priestess to check?
I guess it’s a little late for me to worry about the sanctity of the forest now, huh.
Oh nooooooo....
(Though last section, Eugen was the one feeling uncomfortable. Eugen as the third primal beast tamer?)
Who could dislike these tw — ah, the page Lecia hid.
Nnnnngh.
Even the primal bea — suppresses the stars.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING OF DOWN TO KATALINA KEEPING THEM SAFE BLESS YOU MY FRIEND.
......please don’t steal the seal by accident.
With the way they’re leading up to this, I suspect that this power will be a sort of necessary evil and we’ll have to seal Vyrn again, but I’d like to entertain for the moment that when Lyria says it’s out of harmony, she may specifically mean out of harmony with the stars.
Which by this world’s history are the ones who are out of their place.
That is to say that it feels out of harmony with Lyria and Orchis, who are so tied to the power of the stars, but that it’s fine for regular people of the sky. That is that these two sweet, lovely girls are really the ones out of place.
I think that would be neat, since even in that case, they’d be accepted by their friends.
Oh no, I’m having feelings about this silly mascot character/way to have the player character’s viewpoints interjected in early game without dialogue options.
HOLY CRAP YOU TWO CALM DOWN HALF A SECOND AND LET VYRN WRESTLE WITH HIS FEARS FOR MAYBE TWO MINUTES.
WE WERE GETTING TO THAT YOU RIDICULOUS HENCHPEOPLE
THIS IS A SITUATION FOR A FRIENDSHIP SPEECH NOT AN INSTANT STICK-UP
That’s a little harsh, but I mean come on you two
THIS ESCALATED LIKE A ROCKET SHIP FROM A CONVERSATION ABOUT A DRAGON’S FEELINGS.
So the weirdest way to make me quit for the night? “What do you mean, a boost to Attack and HP if I try again in the next two hours? I don’t want your pity, game! I’ll do it after two hours, so there!!”
Okay this time I took it more seriously with previous knowledge of what to expect, and it worked even though I forgot to change out my summon for the new Earth summon I got from the anniversary free daily summon (an SSR summon for the one draw? not bad, not bad).
Or, rather, I equipped it, but on my regular party rather than my new “hard time” party.
I guess the previous one is also canon and we went back and forth.
Pssst. Sturm. Drang. You can do both. I also want to save the Black Knight (and Rosetta). And I know Vyrn wants to save at least one of those.
Pssst. Orchis. It’s because they didn’t think this all the way through or thought about using their words first.
Okay the subtitle doesn’t get across this, but that was a legitimately frightened scream, so I’m a little concerned.
.........oh crap. I thought that was, like...Vyrn opened the seal while we were fighting because he wanted to help out with the sealed power but if it’s coming from the village I’m worried that Djeeta is about to get the standard RPG hero “village is destroyed” just later than most.
On one hand: oh no, imperials! On the other: I’m pretty sure this soldier is about to get bowled over by our rush to get to the village.
I was not incorrect.
So like my strongest light weapons are an axe and a bow, and weaponmaster is maxxed, so I unlocked the last stage three class. Djeeta’s Valkyrie outfit looks SO BAD.
Can I finally kick this douchebag’s ass? He’s so annoying.
[monotone] Oh no I guess we have to fight him what a tragedy
Have you not been listening to soldiers screaming about side effects reaching dangerous levels? But it’s true that I was not set up for the sort of extended fight needed to wait for him to melt down.
Well, so much for my war of attrition idea.
......The ones you were rounding up for your commander who was clearly going to kill them?
This arc is really helping me sketch out Sturm’s morality system. If you do a favour for her, she will feel free to do a favour for you. It sounds like from Orchis that she can be kind in other circumstances, but she just doesn’t want to show it.
He finally gets to put his skills gained from dealing with attacks coming at him from nowhere into something productive.
See? We didn’t need to stick a sword at his throat at all! How about that? ......granted someone unrelated kind of stuck a sword his village’s throat, metaphorically, but even so!
This was my actual plan, so it all worked out in the end! ...sorta!
Why am I having feelings for my self-insert’s fictional home
I never expected to like Vyrn this much. He got a boost from being the only one to accept chocolate from me regardless of gender without turning on the option (I was unnecessarily salty, so I gave him the first chocolate in a “at least you didn’t betray me), but just in general he’s been doing good.
I wish I could be with my buddy when he opens the seal, but also I’m the only one with a light weapon here unless you count a few of Lyria’s summons, so uh. Good luck, Vyrn!!
Oh, we lured him out of the village with us. ......Sorry, sacred forest!! I’ll plant some trees to help you regrow sometime!
I’ve never even seen the stuff being referred to here and I’m having feelings.
.........THEN WHAT WAS WITH THAT GIANT DRAGON OUTLINE THAT FLASHED BY
The best of both worlds!
Thank goodness that Orchis and Lyria aren’t freaked out by the power now that it’s in Vyrn, or else the Grandcypher would become uncomfortable.
And that doesn’t concern you at all, huh.
It’s this asshole!
...gosh, I’m just going to have my heart crushed every time Fenrir shows up on the screen regardless of what she does now, huh.
So, right back into it, huh? I guess it makes sense that finishing this would be what is part of unlocking the side story to get Lyria.
Uh. Hmm. I’m lost.
Ohhhhhhhhhhh fu —
This is perhaps not the most promising start to an arc that I’ve ever seen.
Even though I guessed she was a primal beast several chapters ahead, it didn’t occur to me until now just how many things Rosetta has been through.
Wait. Is this a flashback to the end of the war? I thought Freesia’s soldiers might have found a way to set her on fire and she was thinking back really far.
What a time to come around on your opinion of skydwellers when they’re burning your forest down.
Oh sure, twist the knife a little more of Rosetta containing Yggdrasil Malice. Why not?
You’re a what on dark essence
Now you can’t deny it anymore, Drang.
.....I don’t suppose they’ll let us through if we ask politely
Wow, though. Rosetta is terrifyingly strong when she wants to be, at least on her island.
Vyrn, I defend you any time someone calls you a lizard, but if they do it now you kind of walked right into that one.
Okay, time to face my execution I mean meeting with my supervisor. Be back later, probably.
I think I might not be dead, so back to Granblue!
Thank goodness that Rackam is an amazing pilot with a primal-built ship, because I dread to think of trying to take on their arsenal instead of ducking and weaving and removing a few boarders. Please weave well.
...since they didn’t know the thorns were friendly, how did they think they were going to get inside the place the empire is shelling? I guess hope that our primal peeps could do something since Lyria’s primal detector went off.
Gosh. I forgot about that time Rosetta told Io to support the whole group.
You know, I was going to make a joke about this, but fighting these two is the first time I’ve lost in a story mission and what made me abandon always having Bounty Hunter permanently. Not much drops from the story missions anyway.
OH THANK GOODNESS I realized that I had brought two water front liners to a majority Earth level and I freaked because I can’t recall if Yggdrasil Malice is earth or dark.
Maybe I should hope for earth, because thanks to buying Anat, my story team with wind weapons equipped (not even quite the best wind weapons I’ve been given) has more damage listed under the weapons/summon tab than any team I have actually worked on.
I ended up keeping the waters out front because they have heals. If they perish, then perish.
Oh nooooooo our comic relief/semi-competent mostly-allies!!
I’d be worried in most cases splitting our party, because while the Black Knight and Rosetta are both rescue priorities, this island has a VERY DANGEROUS CORRUPTED PRIMAL.
But these two are unbelievably slippery, so I feel they’ll be fine.
(Flashback to our most recent meeting where Drang got his foot stuck in rubble and nearly got eaten by monsters)
...it’s probably fine.
(Flashback to our most recent meeting where Drang got his foot stuck in rubble and nearly got eaten by monsters)
...it’s probably fine.
I do occasionally wonder about the loose translations, like in that last panel where I definitely heard him say “toppu sekureto desu~”
I expect it gets the idea across in a more standard way for English speakers. I can see him saying [personal topic that Katalina clearly won’t ask] is top secret!!
Which is a similar feel to “I blush easily.”
Reached the point? Though she stabbed him for being silly at someone other than her, so they might be leveling up their routine.
I feel we got as good of an explanation we’re going to get out of these two, but hey, since the game is bringing it up, maybe we’ll get touching new details!!
Drang, you’re...grabbing for a stabbing? Of course he’s the emotional information leak.
You’re in love??? I’d ship it. Not that this is a surprise, because two women have a much lower threshold for me to accept a ship than any other combination. (Well, if someone included at least one nonbinary character in a ship, it would probably catch my attention immediately, but alas, this is rare.)
The story they’re telling is really neat, but also long, so I’m gathering it up in the text log for the most part, but I felt the need to point out that the writers or translators felt the need for someone with this appearance to use this phrase.
So that’s the story of how Sturm and Drang met the Black Knight.
On the Black Knight’s side, it makes sense. She lived with the royal family a lot of her life and suddenly was thrust into the middle of the shift from kingdom to empire.
But there’s that scared part of me, especially when Eugen describes her as having been a gentle kid (pre-anything going wrong, so fair), that reacts to this with a PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON’T USE THIS AS THE START OF GENTLING THE BLACK KNIGHT. LET HER STAY BELLIGERENT AND AGGRESSIVE FOREVER.
I mean, the story clearly shows she was already angry, aggressive, and blunt even that shortly after Princess Orchis’s...death, I guess you could call it? At least if you think of Orchis and Princess Orchis as two people, like I do. But I never trust writers with writing female characters.
So, on the Black Knight’s side, I’m worried but tentatively approve.
But on Sturm and Drang’s side? I love it. Love love love it.
It really....(tries to find an alternate word than humanize through thesaurus and google)...fleshes out their characters as “good(?)” characters. They see someone who, while having the attitude, has none of the experience needed for the situation she’s in and, over time, they grow fond of her.
Fond even after she goes from being someone who needs help to being someone who, well. Is more competent in general than the two of them combined and then some.
I already liked Sturm and Drang. They’re funny and helpful. But this makes me care about them on a deeper level.
(Please please please never soften the Black Knight’s writing please please.)
...also I enjoy the image of the Black Knight having this couple of mercenaries as her advisors in the early days.
She would DESTROY YOU so yeah, lips are sealed.
I keep thinking “and NOW we’ll have to fight Yggdra — hmm.” I think I lost track of which chapter I was on.
....I thought this was chapter 52, but it was 49. I have three chapters left.
I don’t remember her actually softening up but it’s been a while... I never really shotgunned the GBF story the whole way through
...of course.
HANDS OVER MOUTH DRANG I LOVE YOU
THEY BOTH CARE ABOUT HER SO MU-UUUUCH..... (With some translation for Sturm.)
RandomProphet: I’LL HOLD ON TO THAT HOPE my other two Granblue friends never read the story.
Wow, I can’t believe that first line wasn’t followed by a stabbing.
Ah, there it is.
I feel like it’s pretty easy to get distracted by events with Granblue since there’s practically always one going on and they’re a lot better than early main story
And then the story starts charging AP for chapters with battles in them.....
This is the first time I’ve ever heard Sturm actually sound embarrassed. Orchis is a bigger emotional weakness for Sturm than her armour design is a physical weakness.
We’ve seen Sturm covering for her emotions with stabbing, but this is the first time she’s actually sounded flustered. I’m so glad it was over Orchis.
Orchis’s voice acting takes about ten years, but I’m glad to wait through it.
I was relatively neutral on Sturm during a lot of her early appearances. This is no longer the case.
Drang was always the driving force to their conversations. Sturm was mainly just there to say no to him and fill a fetish niche in her physical design. But this last arc has been so good for giving her more of an equal role, even if of course Drang talks more. That’s inevitable.
And she can sometimes even say it out loud! (In response to Eugen asking them to look after the Black Knight.)
(A family can be a belligerent soldier, the imaging body of her best friend, and two mercenaries she hired because she had no friends.)
RandomProphet: Yeah, the event list is pretty packed and there’s plenty of other grinding to do, too.
Also rude though now I get why “reduced AP for main story” is an actual thing now.
(There will be a bit of a pause here. If Fnatic fall behind quickly, it might be short.
Yeah... and i’d get stuck on story content a lot so i’d dick around with events for a while and then six months would pass
This plurk is 17 days old and I have a written record and I still forget some of the stuff that happened in these chapters.
Six months is...I mean, I guess I did about that long since I picked it up first in order to do the Love Live event, played...actually now that I think about it, even though I didn't have this plurk at that point, but I hadn't even gotten an airship then, so I've done most of the story in less than three weeks and I can't remember anything.
Anyway, Fnatic won, I did a job that needed doing but was rough, and now it's time to dive back in and try to finish those last three chapters before I move on to selected side stories (and possibly make a new plurk at the length of this).
Actually, first let’s get the last Mithra anima I need for 4-star uncapping Eugen. It’s an annoying one for me since I can’t just do a bounty stacking set up and open the raid to either randoms or beg a friend after no one comes to non-omega raids or just slowly...grind...it...out since I sometimes bring a non-elemental-advantage bounty team.
So the chapter started by recapping what happened to Rosetta in the previous flashback and said that she spent several peaceful centuries with the island’s primal beast, Yggdrasil (who we found on a different island) and then...
......that can’t be dad, can it?
......that can’t be dad, can it?
They’ve got Vyrn, but also did Rosetta not see anyone who wasn’t from that island from the War to Djeeta’s dad setting out? (How long ago was that, anyway? Pre-Djeeta’s birth? Please say that Rosetta has known sky landers before Djeeta was born. Why is everything so recent?)
OH MY GOSH, USE YOUR WORDS OTHER PEOPLE
SHE ASKED YOU WHAT YOU WANT AND YOU SAID NOTHING HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP YOUR PLAN TO HELP THE PRIMAL BEASTS I KNOW YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE A LYRIA EXPY BUT THIS ONE SPEAKS A COMMON LANGUAGE.
So she fought them to the point of nearly killing herself, but the young man was too strong. He and his winged companion were able to patch her up and then
OH MY GOD IT IS DAD
OH MY GOD IT IS DAD
DAD WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING PRIMAL BEASTS TO HELP THEM WHY ARE THEY GETTING PUT TO REST WITHIN LIVING PEOPLE’S LIFETIMES CENTURIES/MILLENNIA AFTER THE WAR
WHY DID EVERYTHING IMPORTANT AFTER THE WAR TAKE PLACE IN THE LAST 30 YEARS
And by gosh it’s a young man, a woman, and what is clearly memoried Vyrn. That woman probably is a Lyria expy, and if the game had its way I’d be the man (still grumpy about the enforced Gran for the prologue).
Lecia, I’m starting to think I know what you mean about feeling in the shadow of your father. Dad’s basically already done my journey except like thirty years earlier.
I mean have you heard anything about skylander life on this island?
Unless you don’t talk to anyone, dad, I’m going to be so disappointed in you for your lack of communication skills.
GUYS I HATE THE GRANBLUE TIMELINE RIGHT NOW THINGS EITHER HAPPEN DURING THE WAR CENTURIES AGO OR IN THE PAST FEW DECADES WITH NOTHING IN BETWEEN
LIKE I KNOW THE BLUE KNIGHT LEADS THE ENFORCERS BUT RIGHT NOW I BET HE FOUNDED THEM, TOO.
THINGS CAN HAPPEN IN THE INTERVENING TIME IT’S OKAY.
Meanwhile in less dramatic news.
Never mind, this has some drama.
There’s like a million confused little “are?”s in the voice acting.
Today the part of Yosie is played by Lyria, except she gets to have a little speech and take his claws in hand rather than the one sentence option I would get, which I used up with a decision about whether I was following along or not (Vyrn’s memories are coming back vs he’s just confused).
Oops. I didn’t think that far. I’m glad she can’t read my commentary or else the convoluted way I think of Princess Orchis vs Orchis would probably confuse her further.
Then again, it might be more comforting than how the Black Knight talks about her.
I mean, you didn’t rip that part out of his journal and hide it from us.
Gosh, though, imagine Lecia getting to hear about her teenager father and see his bumbling (with teenagers I assume bumbling as a matter of course).
Lyria’s memories are vague enough from never being quite explained if she remembers anything pre-lab days despite memory being a big plot point recently, and it feels like everything in this world is so constrained on the temporal axis that sure! Why not at this point!
FINALLY SOME CONFIRMATION OF SOMETHING ABOUT LYRIA!! I don’t think this was ever directly stated before now. I just had to piece it together from other things she’s said about what she does and doesn’t know.
Well, that definitely sounds more like her than
I had kind of imagined it must be something like that when she immediately connected it to Lyria. I assume it’s a translation error rather than an in-character memory error. There’s a lot to translate and they keep us in-time with JP, so I’m inclined to cut slack.
Even if I occasionally note when I vaguely recognize the voice actor lines when it’s not in the translation.
I’m...not really sure why Lecia is so insistent on keeping this information to herself. Maybe she thinks that if they don’t know, they’ll continue to get along.
Sidequest to Lecia’s skill Fate episode so she’s powered up for the boss fight that is probably weak to wind.
Lecia, you’re going to make me feel lazy. (Kidding.)
I feel the world would be a better place if more leaders felt willing to do menial chores when it doesn’t interfere with their own duties.
But I’m not exactly military/police material.
You and me both.
Lyria can sometimes be unexpectedly blunt.
Always a good sign after a loud crash in a shop. Police time wee oo wee oo wee oo
I should remember that phrasing.
Oh, hey, the Enforcers must serve as the police force more locally here, too.
Orrrrr maybe not.
Starting to build up more of an idea of the things enforcers do.
I look forward to hearing about this, given how often poor Lecia is just dunked on, but first:
LYRIA BEING VERY SERIOUS ABOUT FOOD. SHE SOUNDS SO DETERMINED!!!
Meanwhile, Lyria is in the background gratefully accepting more food (this sounds like a joke I’d make, but no, it’s happening in something I didn’t screenshot). SERIOUS ABOUT FOOD.
Ah, I think I might know what the enforcer meant. Anxiety as superpower to recognize incoming danger.
...how did you even see that?
There’s the (ex ) captain!
This apologizing immediately after saving the day is becoming a habit.....
Apparently it’s that while she’s a bundle of nerves in normal life, she steps up in crunch time.
I appreciate that they are often giving pretty distinct options. Some of them have to be a particular way to make the story work, but when it’s not, they give more than just different wording.
I appreciate that they are often giving pretty distinct options. Some of them have to be a particular way to make the story work, but when it’s not, they give more than just different wording.
And then we took until noon before we even left town when Lecia promised to make lunch.
Maybe we can solve the problem of too much food to carry pre-emptively.
Maybe we can solve the problem of too much food to carry pre-emptively.
I went back to check what happens if you say not really (of course gets that we have a bit of that too despite being young and a request to support Lecia’s she grows) and I burst out laughing:
Okay, back to main story.
Oh hey! This background was in her Fate episode!
So there’s Lecia-papa.
Apparently our dads clashed all the time because of their differences, but they respected each other enough that everyone put up with it. Now I want to see Djeeta and Lecia watching their fathers meet up again and quarrel like children.
Oh! It’s not a flashback anymore!
Ah...hahaha......
I’m glad I started enjoying Rosetta as the writing went on. It makes this reunion a happy one.
Her inability to give a straight answer to anything remains.
One that is, by the summon recommendations, weak to fire...like a certain wind knife user.....
Lyria’s on the ball even without my meta insider information.
I guess she has those primal senses.
She sounds ready to cry.
I don’t particularly like where this is going. It doesn’t sound like a warm up bout, though I have no clue why else we would fight right now.
This sounds more like a spar. Maybe Lyria just isn’t used to the idea.....
I hope.
Now everyone is caught up to me in understanding.
.........and she’s been containing a corrupted tree spirit for whom this forest is home base. Ohhhh no.
Ohhhhhhh no no no no.
..........LEAD WITH THAT PART. THAT WE’RE DETACHING YOU AND NOT KILLING YOU.
Thank you for telling us before the battle and not majorly trolling us.
Kaguya is SUCH A USEFUL SUPPORT SUMMON MY GOSH THAT BELOW 25% SULLEN ROSE WIPED ALL BUT ONE OF MY FRONTLINE.
Did you babysit me once? Because that sounds AMAZING.
...???
Ah, a stealth primal beast.
YAY WE CAN BUFF UP THE WIND DAMAGE AGAINST THE BOSS I mean great to have you back!
....Rosequeen Showdown (Impossible) VERY COMFORTING MA’AM.
PERKS UP IF ANYONE CAN GET AN ANSWER OUT OF SOMEONE IT’S LYRIA AND THAT’S SO RARE FOR ROSETTA!!
Oh no, that’s cute. FOUND FAMILIES!! pounds fist on table
I CAN GUESS
Oh? That’s so interesting.
.....welcome back, Rosetta. It’s like you never left.
Djeeta’s dad OP nerf pls
And we’re here this time, too, Rosetta.
The adventures of babysitter Rosetta are forever in my heart now.
THE MUSIC CUTS.
DON’T QUASH MY BABYSITTER DREAMS, GAME, YOU KNOW IT’S GOTTA BE CANON.
Hmm? That’s...extreme.....
I. Okay that’s a lot more startled than I expected.
Is this just a case of “wait, my friends are getting married and having babies?? that’s too soo — wait, how many years ago was high school??”
Practically the opposite, really.
> Lecia will remember that
GASP STORY TIME WITH COOL GARDENING AUNT??? SITS AT FEET
“And there was this little old lady who talked about how proud she was of her son Eugen....”
I know “you’re on the same journey as your father” but the extent to which it’s like...he was even fighting primal beasts to help them even though we’re doing that because of Lyria, it makes me feel like this quest has been...already done? Like why are we doing it when it was already done 20 years ago or something.
I guess I’m too much a Lecia type.
Though I guess if we!re building the same party, the estrogen levels are rising since that’s two daughters of the men on the trip.
*we’re
That’s our Rosetta! (laugh track)
And that’s the way she describes her role to Io, which seems like what she does quite quickly.
I wonder if something went wrong to cause him to not want to talk about it. Something related to the torn front pages. Hmmm.
And a page the rest of us haven’t seen. (I guess with the Black Knight not here with how she addresses Orchis, I have to continually rag on SOMEONE.)
......you know, I kind of assumed he did it himself, but that’s a BIG ASSUMPTION based on nothing.
...well, with Rosetta disconnected, I guess the thorn wall is down....
I sometimes joke that I never get to do anything and I might as well not be there, but as soon as they give me something cool, I go “that sounds more like a Katalina thing....” I can’t be satisfied.
I want to be a part of the scene, but honestly I’d rather have “gives person who is sad a hug” than “COMES TO SAVE THE DAY.”
This one is kind of funny, though, because I’m playing currently with the Oni class, which fights with gauntlets. Except when I first use it, I was entertained by the idea of being angry enough to beat up the soldiers who kidnapped Lyria with my bare hands, so I put a skin on that is a bare hand with a tattoo on the back. And I liked it so I kept it.
So I guess I reflected it with...there’s like no armour on this thing apparently I deflected it with a bare-handed punch. Ow.
CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN WOMEN!!!
It looks like there are bracers that I could use.
There’s no call to be rude....
Runs through all of the male officers from the Erste Empire I know in my head. It’s...probably not Furias but we’ve been chased by a few people. Pomerarian
It IS!!
That’s a switch for Erste.
When he says curses, it sounds to me like “shiiiiiiiiii(t).”
The ANGRIEST desu ne I’ve heard in my life. I guess we have BOTH people she needs.
Thanks mainly to cultural osmosis, when I see bub, I think Wolverine. (I watched some amount of the X-men cartoon when I was small; how much I don’t know because I was so small I remember I watched at least one and otherwise no recollection).
We’ve fought Pommern enough by this point that they didn’t even bother to do the dark essence power make up in the cutscene.
Ah, I levelled up and I missed the opportunity to show off my nice amount of AP.
We beat you.....
You tried to be distracted.....
I mean, you’re getting to be a rougher fight each time, to be fair, but we beat you.
Despite that? I’ll take it.
I had to cover my mouth to not suddenly laugh into Discord. I love it, especially with how they stomped off.
Welcome to the compass club, Rosetta!!
With how they’re talking, though, it doesn’t sound like they just got lost. ...Hope Sturm, Drang, and the Black Knight are okay!!
OH WAIT this is the wrong chapter name. I need to get to 54. Unlikely to get to it tonight, but I’ll have more time to work on it before the Why Is the Sky Blue 2 event is over.
Good grief, her sadness is so strong even one of our non-primal-sensing shorties is feeling it. That’s a lot.
Lyria, are you never sated?? I’m technically in the middle of that! My game just timed out!!
When Eugen is feeling it, you KNOW you don’t have to be psychic. (Also I’ve totally had that in summer in a city.)
I think seeing the giant monster will do that on its own.
No wonder all the ones we’ve seen tend to settle for the long haul.
Y I K E S. I’m glad Lyria’s got her finger on the pulse of primal everything so we know when we can stop and never risk, like, accidentally killing a rampaging primal and oops hope you have enough ships to evacuate an entire island because it’s going dowwwwnnnn.
Eyyyyyy it’s these guys!! I love you! Do you have Insulty McBecausetheleotardisawfulionoywanttolookatherFace with you?
“Onii-chan tachi” oh gosh Drang is onii-chan.
We’re more shabby than Sturm. We ARE on edge.
......Bad start.
DON’T SCARE ME LIKE
THat....okay the awkwardness is valid, Drang.
I guess she did get her one hope pulled out from under her and then left on an island for a while by herself.
.......Okay fair.
Rosetta, I will give you that it’s ironic, but it’s also not a particularly helpful observation right now.
Probably a good idea. The Black Knight might a lot of therapy away from being able to defend herself right now, for one.
Okay, good point.
Easiest question of my life.
You can’t tell me you’re really surprised by this point, can you?
I’m so happy.
Okay, now that I’m not mid-section, I need to sleep a million years.
Oh, sure, let’s start there when I’ve only woken up a little while ago and don’t have enough sleep. Sure, that’s fine.
And of course in between all of these we have the same response every time.
This Is Fine.
Of course, Orchis knows what it’s like to be unable to speak. I wonder if she liked it when the Black Knight spoke to her anyway.
And then she comes to in order to say SHUT UP OLD MAN and that’s how Eugen saved the day. (Note: this only happened in my heart.)
Wait, they were talking loud enough for her to hear? Guys, inside voices!!
Yeah! She’s tough! She can get through anyth —
why did you word it like that
COME ON GRANBLUE I NEED A HUG BUTTON STAT.
Made? Wait, is my old theory that she’s a homunculus in the form of Princess Orchis right??
No, but it seems she has come to my current point of view.
It is Princess Orchis’s body, but without her memories or her personality, Orchis is herself her own identity. But Orchis hasn’t come to a part of my current view: that, since she is her own person, she deserves to live and be treated as her own person. She loves the Black Knight too much to deny her what she wants, even though that means her own death.
Orchis, no, this is not a good thing!
THANK YOU IO YOU STRONG SMART FRIEND OF MINE
Group hug time? Group hug time.
You can’t hear it, but she took a breath that was almost a gasp. But you can see that her head isn’t so far down. She’s listening to this.
And she really, really needs to hear it.
AAAAAAA okay I screenshot basically every line in the second half of that cutscene, save I think one line each from Orchis, Black Knight saying nothing, and Rackam
This must be so rough on Rosetta. This is her family.
What happened to “what are you talking about, saying I’m an expert on dark essence, Sturm? I’ve just heard rumours.”?
I bet he learned about it to help in his role as one of the Black Knight’s advisors.
...Not the best sign.
.....uh.
That’s...worrying.
I appreciate the warn — uh oh. Orchis usually has a relatively flat tone, but that last part she sounds panicked.
I’m generally cool to the idea of these two reconciling (I don’t even know why Eugen abandoned her), but good job, Eugen. You did a good thing.
It would have been strange if that was the only weirdo soldier, I guess.
This has not been a good year to be a soldier in the Erste Empire. They must offer real good health coverage.
Nor a good few weeks to be Rosetta.
That’s, uh. A kind of optimism.
Please don’t have infinity healing this time.....
Speaking of people not having a good [unit of time], we have day here.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL
OH NO SHE’S CRYING
I just want you all to know I had the perfect opening for a bad joke, but I restrained myself.
Poor Orchis. She’s basically a child, but she has powers that make it easy for her to do things that she later feels bad for and takes responsibility for.
That’s possibly a no. Please someone be on the ball for this easily foreseeable outcome.
I know they explain why Eugen left in the next big storyline but I don’t know if they do beforehand
ORCHIS DON’T YOU DARE
It doesn’t look very armoured to me. (But more seriously: yay, this is what I wanted!!)
THAT’S OUR BLACK KNIGHT!
SHE’S CRYING AGAIN UWAH
LOUD KEENING WAIL
SHE CALLED HER BY NAME!!!!!!
AND EVEN AFTER THE SHOCK SHE’S STILL ANGRY AND AGGRESSIVE AND INSULTING EVEN WHEN TRYING TO BE NICE ALL MY DREAMS ARE COMING TRUE
The Black Knight has done a terrible thing by causing a child like Orchis to get to this point. Her treatment of her as “that doll” was just bad. But she’s on the right path and she’s still got her belligerence. I’m really happy.
HECK TO THE YES!!
RandomProphet: I assumed they would eventually, but he’s made no attempt to explain himself even when trying to act like a dad to her and it’s kinda awkward to watch.
THIS MUSIC ROCKS.
Yeah... I feel like there is kind of a reason for that that is also explained later
I’m not a huge fan of how she keeps resisting Miserable Mist, nor of the words DEAD END popping up when I depleted her health bar, but I did it! Thanks crew for the two green potion boost for me to cheat with.
That was a more matter-of-fact curing than I expected, but yay Vyrn!!
I’M SO WEAK TO FOUND FAMILY
Well, that’s a less worrying look.
THANK GOODNESS LYRIA IS HERE TO TRANSLATE “... /disappears” FOR US.
That’s the Black Knight’s happy noise, I guess.
Sturm does not approve of levity.
Thanks, Drang. I hustled my hardest.
I would pay to see this.
....did Sturm and Drang get there first and sabotage it? That would be just the Pomeranian’s luck.
.....well, that’s bad.
I guess not. (The embellished story actually came after the other things Drang said, so I guess that’s what he was actually talking about.) This could be an issue.
RandomProphet: One day I might be able to appreciate the Eugen and the Black Knight storyline, but until those explanations come in I’ll enjoy them separately.
Somewhere, a secretary feels a chill go down their spine.
Slowing down the meeting complaining that someone who isn’t here is slowing down the meeting.
I guess that’s direct by one definition, but it has more side commentary than the original report.
Y...yay, he likes us. Woo.....
But that’s BORING.
So basically.
.......we let this guy just wander o — oh right, Uncle Emperor.
I’m not super happy they already know this.
“Why am I here I literally have no idea who you’re talking about”
Wait, why is she calling that guy
...oh. I guess she knows who he is now.
It’s kind of true, but also what a douchebag.
WAIT MY HEART’S NOT READY
HISSES LIKE AN ANGRY CAT
PLEASE COME WITH ME I WON’T LET YOU EAT HUMANS BUT I’LL LOAD OUR SHIP DOWN WITH ALL THE BEST FOOD YOU CAN BUY AT ANY PORT JUST LET ME LOVE YOU LIKE YOU DESERVE
...he’s telling this lot they’re too ethical.
“It’s like Christmas and my birthday rolled into one!!”
Katalina, I’m glad you’re not in the empire’s military anymore.
Errrrgh if that event with Fenrir becomes a side story I will die.
The leaders are basically split down the middle with Gangrene and The Brat going ooooooh and Tit Window Trudeau and Who’s This Douchebag going ........
I’ve missed you, Black Knight (please put on some pants).
........wait, that’s it?
I’d hug you if you wouldn’t tear my arms off.
Lyria, Orchis? Will you do the honours?
On one hand, that’s true, Katalina. On the other hand, have you ever met the Black Knight?
The Black Knight: portrait in one panel.
With that last part: the same could be said of most of her relationships with people.
Today the part of Yosie is played by Vyrn.
BLACK KNIGHT YOUR CHILD IS THE BEST!!!
...what information. That there’s information??
Speaking of people who are still their old selves.....
Aw, you like them, I’m sure. But unlike Drang, I know better than to say it out loud to someone who can and would strike me down where I stand.
Thanks to the desire for gameplay, no one is ever allowed to finish their thought.
Or it could be that.
....please don’t get any bad ideas about the leftover dark essence from Yggdrasil, please, Black Knight.
Of course you’re the one to hear of this.
A...philosopher’s stone arc, maybe?? It’s a fantasy staple.
Aren’t they always? No offence to the two ex-Erste military officers in our midst.
You said we’d drop them off near Agastia, not — you remember we’re the empire’s most wanted all on one ship, right?
...this guard doesn’t take hints well. (The ??? is Who’s This Douchebag from the empire meeting.)
Get a room, you two. (You two being Freesia and the concept of the Erste Kingdom in her mind.)
The actual conversation is of course vague to the point of conveying no information. Basically:
???: That thing with dark essence is still being built.
Freesia: Good. When it’s done, we’ll do that thing.
???: But if we do that thing with that thing, so many people will die that the country will collapse.
Freesia: eh it’s cool.
???: That thing with dark essence is still being built.
Freesia: Good. When it’s done, we’ll do that thing.
???: But if we do that thing with that thing, so many people will die that the country will collapse.
Freesia: eh it’s cool.
...really. Are we really doing this. The evil woman politician is actually angry about not being chosen by someone instead of her clearly stated goals.
Is this where we’re going game.
???, you better get Pommern a fruit basket for accidentally saving your life before Freesia tore your still-beating heart out of your chest.
That conversation was not going to go anywhere pleasant.
lmao what a way to learn this.
Yup, we’re sure going here. With how tropey this game is, it was probably inevitable.
They continue to squabble until
“What have I walked into.”
“What have I walked into.”
Welp.
At least it’s not this one. That would have really made me roll my eyes.
Was it that she was upset that the queen chose an Astral over her? I’m sure I’ll find out eventually.
She doesn’t have to even do anything for my heart to squeeze at the sight of her.
“Ahhh...mmmn.” probably means “What did I just walk into?”
“Oh fuck what did I just do”
...I mean, I guess that’s one way to drop them off near Agastia. You can’t get much nearer.
....Rackam, I know you’re a great pilot. I know the Grandcypher is a great ship. BUT DO WE REALLY HAVE TO GET SURROUNDED BY BATTLESHIPS ON A WEEKLY BASIS??
I forgot to upload the part where Lecia confirms they’re battleships, but it’s not a difficult guess.
I will say I’m not really that happy with how the game handles Freesia in the main story but there’s a pretty good running gag involving her that eventually got made into a pretty good Dark element unit.
I know what he means, but I laughed because it almost sounds like “we’re not within range for them to fire on us SO LET’S FIX THAT.”
I’ll miss you, great insult knight.
...that’s not the best sign.
Ah, it’s That Thing.
...I guess it was kind of inevitable. All right. Putting on my reckless heroine cap.
Something ill-advised, probably. You’d approve.
I MEAN, PROBABLY.
I’m pretty sure most of us are massively unsuited for stealth missions. Time to see how to unlock the ninja class.
I can’t wait to see how this goes.
That seems reasonable. And there’s no way we’re convincing the Black Knight to stay behind.
!! Are we finally getting Lyria to wear something less incredibly obvious? Can I get it as a costume for her??
She makes everything look cute.
I love them. I love close relationships between women.
Given how much these two clash, this is real good.
And then she’s asking in return for — NOOOOO I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THIS BLACK KNIGHT STOP IT DON’T MAKE ME GET THE SPRAY BOTTLE.
“Well, one of them did, anyway.”
Infiltration outfit, ready!! (Well, actually, I just needed a gun or melee for wind attack and Ogre is mostly levelled.)
...I mean, I guess you’re always leading by example on this point.
(Lyria literally says “doki doki” our loud. Which might be normal, but I know it from manga sound effects.)
Incoming stab.
It took longer than I expected, but I knew it was somewhere around here. (Io: Nico.)
Sturm with the good advice!
And Io with the good counterpoint.
He never learns.
I mean, they manage to make things work...somehow....
Look, no one will ask questions of her. What I want to know is whether Drang has a second hooded cloak for her.
Oh my gosh, Lyria.
You’re going to have to accept one day that all of your allies are fools. You should be used to it with Drang and to a lesser extent Sturm.
Oops. I guess I’m the one zoning out. Sounds like me.
That level of confidence worries me.
Pictured: me talking to a therapist.
Yay, it’s one of the Black Knight’s compliments with a side of insult!!
It’s because you also love the current Orchis, you dork!
IT’S A START.
WHAT ARE TRYING TO SAY, HUH GAME??
Poor Katalina. It’s extremely rare she is deliberately placed in a position where she isn’t within reach to protect Lyria.
Well, apart from that time Katalina traded herself in to Vira to protect the rest of the crew. And that time Lyria got kidnapped. But mostly, yeah.
I’m going to have to look at this picture whenever I feel like grinding for power in Granblue is too much.
That would be cute, so we should show her.
Not the example she wants to set for the children.
THIS CHILD EXPECTS SO LITTLE IT HURTS.
If she wouldn’t destroy me and everything I hold dear for going against her, I would whip her into shape regarding treating this child with love and respect and her name.
*the Black Knight
It couldn’t just be a cute scene of how things are going with the companions waiting for us to return, huh!!
YOU THINK??
Why must you leave it at that.
Hmm, it recommends water. It seems my water power is lagging behind. Looks like I don’t have the gifted maxed weapons for that.
And yet we’re supposed to get to a point of unlocking a side story by the end of this subsection??
looks around at what our party looks like
A...circus?
Thanks, Rosetta. ......I guess we should have discussed a cover story.
An early commute, huh. Given it was dark when we arrived and we walked a long time. Were we going through the night? They probably would have said something, so...night bus, I guess.
Well, that was inevitable.
Which of course eventually leads to this.
I sure wish Djeeta had had a chance to swing that hood back up before this happened.
Hey, Lyria. Ever think about how it would be to have dyed hair? I could touch it up for you. I think black hair would look cute.
Sturm probably isn’t the most disappointed that it’s come to this.
Today the part of Yosie is played by Io.
........how did no one notice Vyrn
Maybe he was hiding under my hermit hat (I had to change to something for my water dagger something less suspicious in the village).
“We know by this point soldiers are starting to lose their intimidation factor.”
steamPUNK steamPUNK!!
So when I hear that, I hear “I’m not very experienced in using this thing but I’m too puffed up with power to be careful about it!”
It’s even listed as a prototype. Good luck, dude.
Oh my gosh, it has a skill called malfunction, I am delighted!
I was going to also say something about it being untested in real combat, but I figured surely they would have tested it extensively. Nah.
thanks Lyria, I always forget that I have potions in non-raids without sidescrolling now that I'm in a crew.
The malfunction does remove my debuffs on it, though....
...I guess getting Lyria to do multiple summons in the middle of town isn't the best idea for not attracting further attention.....
The Black Knight is ready for her big break writing action movie one-liners.
.............hi, Who’s This Douchebag.
Oh yeah. She would know Who’s This Douchebag.
........so the high military council of the Erste Empire is Gandharva, Furias, Freesia, Loki, and Adam??
Given how long they waited to give his name, Adam was not top of my guesses for his name.
I assure you I’m just as confused, soldier.
The more I think about it the more Adam makes sense as a name for him.... which i’ll elaborate on later
...................................................................................................huh?
When did that happen?
I think that translation might have been put in the wrong place, or else everyone didn’t process that.
Okay, this part I follow. What was that line?
.......Well, this took a turn.
Okay, that’s a little more polite.
Today the part of Yosie is played by both Drang and Sturm simultaneously.
Sorry, the Black Knigh kind of gave spoilers for your big reveal.
*Knight
....of course he’s wearing white and gold.
...if this is at the same time, something spooky is going on. It’s daylight here, though, so I expect it wasn’t simultaneous.
I see he and Freesia are in agreement about the problem, but they have completely opposite solutions. Though with how dangerous Freesia’s plan is, it could end up being the same.
“ALL MY COWORKERS ARE SO EMBARRASSING.”
RUDE
Anyway, I’m going to do dishes and make food while I watch Fnatic. Then I might briefly start the side stories I need...but I’ll make a new plurk. This one is getting big.
Thank you for joining me on this main quest blitz. This is Yosie, signing out.
Side stories are fun, although I think they follow the same quality arc as the main game story so the really early ones are kinda ehhh
I did like the Cowardly Hero and the Captive Princess and Blade of the Young Champion though. It’s mostly Festival of Falling Flame I don’t care for
It does look to be a fairly early one, so I'm not too surprised. If it's bad, that just means I'll get through it faster.