Summary: Recovery at B-Garden, half-answers from Cid, encounter with Galbadian sailors. Ellone in the present. A web of relationships unfolds before me, though I have only a vague idea of who is connected to whom.
B-Garden
-First I’ll give Leviathan “Boost,” then I’ll work on “Recover.” Recover is a 200 point ability so probably something major. Gave him to Rinoa.
-There’s a gap now in my GFs between Leviathan and Diabolos. This makes me nervous that I missed one. I mean, it’s possible I’ll come upon another GF shortly, and if I miss a GF it’s not the end of the world, but I’ll still watch out.
Heck, there are probably super secret GFs out there like Knights of the Round that I’ll have next to no chance of finding. Won’t sweat it.
-Went back down to NORG’s pod. I feel like I should be able to do something with that orb that’s left over beyond drawing the Bio from the draw point there. Can’t do anything now though. I wouldn’t be surprised if I eventually get NORG himself as a GF.
-I dislike the Direct trading rules for Triple Triad. I like being able to break out my best cards and overwhelm the opponent, but with Direct there’s still a decent chance that I end up losing 1-2 of those cards for getting flipped.
-Heh. A kid upstairs keeps trying to open the emergency exit just for fun.
-a little “bloo-boo-bloopoo” sound came… oh no! I think I got demoted in SeeD rank for provoking the kid. XD
-Cid doesn’t seem to be in his office. Maybe if I head up to the controls at the very top and jiggle them he’ll come…. Nope. Hm. Just gotta wander the Garden some more.
-At least it’s not me doing something wrong. New dialogue options now with students around the school, asking if they’ve seen the headmaster. Answer: no.
-NOW THAT’S COOL! Summoned Leviathan. Instead of just popping up and summoning a tidal wave, they made him form like a snaky blob from pure water, then summon a rocky cliff and cause a waterfall to crash down.
His appearance reminded me of The Abyss to the point where I’d be surprise if it’s not a direct homage.
-Someone new in the Training Center. A guy in a yellow bandana and green camo jacket… oh. A vendor.
-Ran into a T-Rex. Who ATE RINOA. I ran.
-Back to the cafeteria, but nothing new. I had hoped the dialogue options with the Trepe groupie would change now that Quistis is in my party.
-Oh. He’s in the infirmary.
CID: “Yes, I believe I’m done crying.”
Oh no! Cid I’m not sure what emotionally hit him so hard. Betrayal by NORG?
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Q&A Time with Cid
NORG: A Shumi tribe member. I think I remember seeing a Shumi card. His funding helped build the Garden, and he needed to use SeeDs as mercenaries to make some return. They lost their ideals, their way. But I’m a bit confused – what was the Garden then initially, if not something intended to make money with mercenaries?
The real meaning of SeeD: Elite mercenaries. Training for a final battle against the Sorceress. Maybe that was the initial goal of the Gardens. It would also explain why Edea wants control of the Gardens.
Sorceress Edea: Cid is her husband. They were happily married for a while, and he knew from the start that she was a (note: not THE, but A) sorceress. Interesting – it sounds like Edea was the one with the idea to build the Gardens. Was she initially a good sorceress fighting against evil sorceresses who became corrupted maybe?
Squall’s report: lol. Squall doesn’t even make it; Cid already guessed what happened.
What comes next: Stop drifting. Back to business. (The business, I guess, being taking on the Sorceress.)
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B-Garden
So what now?
-We meander around the school a bit longer and Xu finds us. A ship is approaching. She runs to tell Cid, and leaves us to head up to the top deck.
-Huh. Went upstairs to the top control panel but nothing happened. Back to the infirmary maybe… oh wait, I know. She meant that balcony where the dude was napping.
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Parley
-It’s a Galbadian ship. Sorceress Edea’s SeeDs are looking for Cid.
-They’re unarmed. This is weird. Does she just want her husband back? Cid and Xu rejoin us up on deck.
GALBADIAN SEED: “Headmaster, we’ve come for Ellone. It’s too dangerous here now.”
Wait a second. Wasn’t Ellone Laguna’s niece or whatever? Yeah. Squall confirms it: “(That girl from Winhill?)” Cid agrees with the Galbadians. He sends Squall to collect Ellone, who is apparently here at the B-Garden.
-The team splits up to look for her.
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The Search for Ellone
-Not certain how this will work. I guess we’ll just go around and ask all the women “ARE YOU ELLONE?” Seems efficient. Would’ve been nice for Cid to give some description.
-Not in the infirmary. Not the quad. Not the cafeteria, or the dormitory, or the parking lot… aha! The library.
-She’s here, and she recognizes Squall. She admits to knowing “Uncle Laguna.” And the cherry on top? She’s familiar with what Squall has gone through, saying it’s tough to explain.
-Laguna was in the past as I had guessed.
-She mentions something about wanting to change the past. Oh god, what happened after we last saw her?
SQUALL: “Are you responsible? Are you the one taking us to the dream world?”
ELLONE: “I’m sorry.”
Ok, my prediction: she was taken by Galbadia, trained to be a sorceress, something horrible happened, and she’s now using her sorceress powers to somehow send Squall back to the past to try to undo the damage.
-Squall is pretty overwhelmed at finding himself used in this way, and I can’t blame him. He seems especially unhappy with the idea of being counted on.
Xu comes to collect Ellone. She whispers something to Squall, then leaves with Xu as Squall sits in the library.
“You’re my only hope.”
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Montage
-We see Ellone talking to Cid and the Galbadians without hearing her words. We see her thoughts instead. She’s on her own, and people can’t depend on each other.
-She’s the on the boat with the Galbadians, waving goodbye. She couldn’t do “this thing” as a kid. Uhhhh.
-The ship unfurls its sails (which look a whole lot like that sundial thing the Sorceress wears) and takes her away.
ELLONE: “(I’ll be the first one to admit that I’m here because of other people. I’m fine by myself now. I have all the skills I need to survive. I’m not a child anymore.)”
Actually, I’m no longer certain that these thoughts are Ellone’s. They could be Squall’s. We’ve transitioned now to see him lying on the bed.
Now I’m CERTAIN these have been Squall’s thoughts all along. He’s really in a bad place.
“(Someone tell me. Someone? So I’ll end up depending on others after all.)”
You know what he reminds me of? When I was in college, I was an Ayn Rand superfan. Right now, Squall reminds me of myself when I was exiting that phase of my life.
-HOLY FUCK ARE YOU SERIOUS
-The scene transitions to a kid standing outside a building in the rain.
“Sis? I’m all alone.” This is kid Squall. This is Squall as a kid. Kid Squall.
“I’ll be okay without you, Sis.”
-Squall had a sister. SQUALL HAD A SISTER. She’s DEFINITELY someone we’ve met. I’m certain. Like, 80% chance it’s Ellone, 19% chance someone else, and 1% chance they’re pulling a Star Wars and making Rinoa the sister. I just have no idea how they got separated, how they started together, or FRIGGING ANYTHING.
I’m as confused right now as Squall, but this section gives me so much more empathy for Squall, seeing the possibilities of where Squall’s attitude may have come from. Very easy for me to empathize with, the more I think about it. Very easy.
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Next time: searching for direction.
