Ragnarok
-I thought I was in Esthar, but I was in the Galbadian Kashkabald Desert.
-Back into the Ragnarok. Not much to see here – no vendors, storage spots, etc. Just a lot of halls with sad music.
-Quistis! The pod crashed nearby. When Quistis woke up, Piet was with her still but Ellone was gone. Signs of a struggle. I hope Ultimecia didn’t get her.
-Oh no!! Quistis She saw Squall’s selfless act, jumping into space for Rinoa, and wonders if anyone would do the same for her. I feel you.
-Conversation’s about to turn awkwardly to Rinoa, but then – hi, Zell! Hi, Selphie! …Irvine. (I feel like Seinfeld seeing Newman. Though not quite fair on my part since he’s improved.)
-Zell updates us on the situation. The L. Pandora stopped Edea from locking out her power as she had wanted.
-Oh… OH!!! Matron Edea gave away some of her power anyway, to “someone else.” To Rinoa.
-There’s a “Crystal Pillar” inside the Pandora that calls the moon monsters.
-This is a minor thing, but I really like that they’re exchanging all this info among each other. Squall tells them straight up that Rinoa got Matron’s power and is now a sorceress. A part of me was worried that Squall would do that “I MUST HIDE THE TRUTH TO PROTECT MY FRIENDS AND DO THIS ON MY OWN” thing that makes me want to punch my keyboard.
-Everyone starts to get angry at Squall for not stopping Rinoa from going to Esthar. This again? They did the same thing when Squall didn’t go after Rinoa in the Garden battle. He tried to think big picture at Rinoa’s expense and they yelled at him. Now it’s the same thing. Rinoa made a tough decision that she thought would help prevent her being used as Ultimecia’s tool again, a decision with no right or wrong, and they’re angry at him for not obstructing her? Fuck that.
-Quistis is going off on how Squall sacrificed so much to be with Rinoa and now he just let her go off to Esthar. YEAH, BUT SHIT’S CHANGED SINCE THEN AND THIS IS RINOA’S DECISION SO LAY OFF HIM K?
-Whatever. It’s persuasive apparently, because he decides that since he doesn’t have any leads on Ellone and can’t help with Adel and the Pandora, he’ll head to Esthar.
-It says something for Squall’s development that I’m defending him so hard given how much he pissed me off earlier in the game. Bravo.
-The ship starts to shake. Uh oh.
-They’re flying? Yay! The music gets happy and excited. The gold standard for flight music for me by a country mile is still “Searching for Friends” – jesus, just started tearing up thinking about that music now – but this is pretty great too.
-hahahaha they all imagine Selphie’s joy flying the ship and then see it confirmed.
Go Selphie!
-Next step is to head to Esthar, for the Sorceress Memorial.
-Now THIS is flying!
None of that lumbering Balamb Garden nonsense. We’re in a fucking fighter jet! It’s got speed, vertical mobility, sharp turns, the works.
-And it can land on rough terrain. Sure, the world may be ending, a pair of evil sorceresses and a stream of moon monsters may have attacked, Rinoa may be in danger, and Galbadia’s military is on the march. That all takes a back seat.
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Esthar – Cactuar Island
-DAMN RIGHT THIS IS MY FIRST STOP!
-Now, I know I’ll probably die horribly. But why not try, right? If I get to see a giant cactus, it’s all worth it.
-LOOK AT YOU
YOU BEAUTY
YOU MUSTACHIOED BEAUTY
-Jumbo Cactuar beat me up pretty bad, but I did a ton of damage to him. He must have a lot of health. Let me try again.
-This strategy is a long shot, but maybe I’ll have Zell use Doom. I doubt it’ll stick.
-Yeah, it doesn’t land. Makes sense for a big dude like this.
-He’s got some pretty hilarious abilities, like “Ker-Plunk” where he plops down and causes an earthquake that damages the party.
-His brutal attack of 10,000 Needles seems to be single-target in this game, which is nice. I can make this a war of attrition. Meltdown on the boss, Haste on us, and GF+Darkside+Heals.
-Using Squall’s Renzokuken, I think I just saw a new Limit Break: “Blasting Zone.” He does a He-Man impression and summons a laser from space to smash Jumbo Cactuar.
By the power of Balamb, I HAVE THE POWER!
-VICTORY!!! That Blasting Zone did it. Whew, long fight.
-The Cactuar GF has some interesting abilities. Gonna start working on “Kamikaze.” I worry it’ll be a self-destruct I won’t use, but interesting nonetheless.
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Next time: Maybe some world wandering before moving onto the Sorceress Memorial.
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