Shinra Building
-Went back to the Materia Room, and new dialogue options. One of the researchers wants my mako stones. She can turn it into materia.
-LOL – we get a mini-cutscene of sorts, done super-dramatically, of them turning the mako stone into materia.
Science!
-I get the chance to convert all my Mako stones into materia and take them up on the offer. Got Esuna, Poison, Silence…
-After the third conversion, the researcher tells me somewhat ominously that she may never be able to work with me again. Hm.
-Next materia converted, and she tells Zack that Scarlet, who took over Shinra’s arms division, is pushing out the underbudgeted SOLDIER materia room out. Got Silence Blade materia.
-AHAHAHHAA – NOW I GOT THE GRAVITY MATERIA.
-Ok. I think I see what happened. I was supposed to turn in the materia to the Materia Room scientists as I completed each mission in the campaign. I’m turning them all in boom-boom-boom, one after another, but the dialogue is making it seem like weeks have passed between each turn-in.
Right after learning that Scarlet was pushing the Materia Room folks out, they said that the materia Zack’s provided has been impressive and embarrassed Scarlet at the last board meeting.
-Turned in the last stone, the LCK Mako Stone. They gave me a Regen materia, thanked me for my work, and told Zack that the plan to scrap them is done because they’re now so efficiently producing materia.
The shutdown gets shut down.
That was like watching months of corporate drama fly by in five minutes.
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Sector 8 – Loveless Avenue
-Nothing happened in the training room, but that was a long shot. The security captain in Sector 8 is more likely to bring new dialogue because I didn’t follow-up with him after thoroughly whomping him in that campaign.
-Success! He admits defeat, but Zack isn’t sure what’s behind the rivalry.
-…wow. That’s kind of poignant. He knows that SOLDIER operatives have abilities beyond the security team, and sees his infantrymen in security become complacent from that knowledge. Lose confidence in themselves. He wanted to boost their morale.
-The Captain walks off, saying he’ll remember Zack’s name. Not buddy-buddy, but at least a bit of respect going both ways.
-Got a “Craftsman Monthly,” an item that gives instructions on building a handcart. No clue what that means as yet.
-Elsewhere in Sector 8, I meet another SOLDIER fangirl. She’s part of “Study Group,” a Genesis fan club, and even has a RIVAL GENESIS FAN CLUB CALLED “RED LEATHER.” This is so weird.
-They study “LOVELESS,” the play that Genesis apparently loves (and later, Cid too). She even gives Zack the option to join. He does.
-I know this isn’t the last I’ll hear of Study Group because they send me an email, and I now have an email category set-up called “Genesis Girls.”
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Sector 8 – Fountain Plaza
-Continued my last sweep of this area, and now an Angeal fan wants me to join her Angeal Fan Club, Keepers of Honor. Uh. Sure?
-I also join Red Leather, the other Genesis fan club. Because why not. It doesn’t seem to be exclusive with Study Group, at least not yet.
-Sephiroth has many fan clubs, but I don’t have the chance yet to join one.
-Not sure what to make of these fan clubs yet. Mechanically, I have no idea what they mean. Aside from that, it’s more than a bit uncomfortable that the few women I’ve met so far in game are those in fan clubs devoted to the dudes in SOLDIER.
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Briefing Room
-Ok. Now at last it’s time to continue with the main story. I talk to Tseng.
-This job was initially assigned to Sephiroth. But he refused to go? Huh.
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Next time: Onto Banora with Tseng.
