Sector 5 Slum Market
-YES! On walking into the slum, I found the 2nd Class in charge of the spycatching missions. I can still complete it!
-The third spy is disguised as someone who looks like he does business with Shinra. Gonna try to find him now.
-Not in the street. Not in the park. Not outside the church, and not in the market. Must be somewhere I haven’t unlocked yet, or I’m just missing them.
-Anyway.
-Found a piece of wood lying in the market, but some dude objects to my taking it.
-It’s the carpenter from before.
-HDFJKSHFDJKLSFHDS
-See, look. I don’t need much to make me happy in a sequel game. Some innovations, character development, engaging combat, engaging story, and little callbacks to the prior game.
-This guy is working on 7th Heaven! THAT’S SO COOL!
-Well, he’s building “a bar” in sector 7 and wants Zack to come up with the name for it in exchange for the wood.
-I get a number of options to pick for the name. “The Happy Turtle,” “Bar del Sol,” etc. One of them is “7th Heaven.” I’m tempted to snark it up and say “Starlet” or something, but want to make sure I get the wood.
-Aaaand they just pushed it too far. “Seventh Heaven? …Hm, I like it! Maybe there’ll be a young girl tending bar.” Like, that last sentence just pulled me out of this. Why would he think a young girl would be tending bar? Why would he mention it to Zack?
This must be a translation error. Otherwise, it just feels too in-your-face fan service. Forced and artificial. It’s a small thing, but it bothers me. Might as well say, “Seventh Heaven! Sounds like the kind of place someone with a gun on his arm and a woman who can punch really fast would like to spend time. RIGHT?” *nudge nudge elbow elbow*
-They keep pushing this line. “And underneath the bar is a secret room. An underground hideout!” YES, I GET THAT IT’S THE SAME PLACE FROM FFVII. I GET IT ALREADY.
-Moving on. We get the wood.
-Next on the list is a tire. Again, I’m pretty sure I have one, but the tire I have must be intended for something else. The kid runs off to “a car,” leaving Zack in the dust. Luckily I remember the car on LOVELESS Avenue, so heading there next.
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Sector 1
-Interesting mail from Kunsel, spinning theories about Lazard’s departure. I’m pretty curious to know what happened there, as Lazard seemed like a genuinely good dude.
-GAH. I keep forgetting. If he were a genuinely good dude, he’d turn on Shinra. That fits. But he could also just have been angry about not climbing the ladder fast enough maybe? No. He climbed fast and young. Hm.
-Got a mail from Study Group, discussing possible interpretations of that “gift of the goddess” line in LOVELESS that Genesis was/is so fond of.
I’m not sure I agree 100% with your literary criticism there, Study Group. Genesis seems at least a bit into the destructive interpretation, but we’ll see.
-Found the car guy.
Don’t make a joke, don’t make a joke…
-He hands over some Worn Tires. Woot!
-The last item is instructions. The kid had it and was carrying it in a Shinra army mask, but lost it. I’m hoping it’s back outside the church.
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Sector 5 Slums – Church Entrance
-Found the army mask from before, and it had the instruction booklet inside. Thanks, kid!
-The kid’s actually a pretty good wingman and leaves Zack to put the cart together with Aerith.
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Sector 5 Slums – Church
-Zack meets up with Aerith, and they put together the wagon.
It looks pretty cool, but Aerith wants a nicer one. “Just a little wish,” not a demand or complaint.
-They have a cute little riff on that “little wish” comment. “How many of those [little wishes] do you have?” “Twenty three.” “…write them all down, so I don’t forget.”
-I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I really like these two together.
-Zack gets called back to headquarters by cellphone for… something? It sounds urgent. He’s gotta go.
-Aerith hands him a piece of paper folded up. LOL. She wrote down her wishes. (I assume that’s what it is.)
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Next time: finding out what happened at headquarters.
