FFVII – Part 24: Summertime

Summary: Wandering around Costa del Sol, where it’s summertime and the living’s easy. We see a sunbathing Hojo, grind a bit in the overworld, and head west in pursuit of Sephiroth.



Costa del Sol

-Costa del Sol is a resort town, and a “gateway to the west.” The Gold Saucer, an amusement park and casino, is to the south.

-There’s also snowboarding and chocobo racing there? Cool!

-A vendor here sells different kinds of bangles, one of which has double material growth. It takes all of my money, but I buy it. Seems like it’ll be worthwhile.

-Beachgoer: “It’s the ocean. A creepy man was signaling us to come.” Huh?

-Barret’s in the inn, apparently sick.

-hahahahaha – he wasn’t sick, he was just in the bathroom trying on his sailor costume and posing in front of the mirror.

Don’t worry, Barret. Judgment free zone.

-Onto the beach. Tifa’s here, and Hojo is sunbathing as well.

-Cloud talks to him, trying to play the “mutual enemy in Sephiroth” card, but Hojo starts on about a weird tangent similar to what the earlier beachgoer said. About feeling called or signaled to this place.

-Aeris asks him if Jenova and Sephiroth are both ancients, but Hojo just mutters about going west. West, past Mt. Corel, and beyond.

-We’re warned to buy “Soft” before heading to Mt. Corel. I guess there are gargoyles or basilisks or some other petrifying monster up there. I sell some old armor and buy 8 Softs.

-Hey, Tifa found an old friend! Johnny.

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Overworld

-We’re on the western continent now.

-I actually decide to grind up a bit. I want more Soft, and more of those double growth bangles. One of the least fun things for me in FF games so far is being in a dungeon that puts bad status effects on me (blind, poison, etc.) and being unable to cure it.

(Come to think of it, it’s that way in life for me as well. For example, I used to fence competitively. I rarely feared losing or defeat or anything. What I brought me constant anxiety was my equipment breaking and not knowing how to repair it. Same thing.)

Can’t get enough of this summon.

-The only overworld monster I’ve seen so far is a Russian nesting doll thing called Grangalan that spawns mini versions of itself. If I kill the original, all of them die, but if I wait and kill each individual one, my gil and experience rewards are much greater.

-Ok, good grinding session. Bought a bunch of Softs (I think I have 15 now), two double growth bangles, and a Revive materia. Time to head west.

-Can’t cross the river to the south, so up the mountain westward (Mt. Corel?).

-Overworld music got more ominous as we approached the mountain, unless that’s just my imagination.

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Mt. Corel

-Dude resting in our path, who just pass a “man in a black cape.” The game’s afoot, Sephiroth!

-This music is so relaxing and peaceful.

-Some new enemies up here, including one poison-spewer. Is this magic, or does poison really not linger after combat? That’s lovely.

-I have to add how beautiful the walk through the mountain is too.

Makes me want to walk there myself.

-Over the hill, we reach the Corel Reactor.

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Next time: the Corel Reactor.