So, despite the Satella Police officers saying that they've commandeered the Wave Liner we still can't take it from WAZA, so Geo, Sonia, and Bud have to take the Astro Wave back to Echo Edge. Though in fairness taking the Astro Wave would be much faster for the characters than the Wave Liner. Parts of the pathway are blocked by more of that clustered red Noise from the school's sprinkler but we can remove them in the same way.
Once we step into Echo Ridge's teleporter the scene shifts to ground level to show Luna and Zack surrounded by a horde of viruses. Luna's confident that Megaman will save them like he always does, so you can imagine her surprise when it's Taurus Fire who first appears to destroy the viruses. Three survival battles later and everyone drops their wave forms and explain to Luna and Zack about being Satella Police Commandos now. Geo and Bud start to apologize for skipping out on helping her with the upcoming election and I guess they still remember how she was in Star Force 2 because she has to all but outright yell at them that she isn't angry at all because she knows their Satella Police work is far more important than the election could ever be. With that out of the bag, the commando trio get an update from the Satella Police telling them to come to WBG Studios to handle another materialized virus outbreak. Apparently the only Wave Liner they have running there now is the one from Alohaha, so it's back to the Astro Wave we go.
It's really just an excuse to separate Geo from the others since as soon as he and his friends go back into space a barrier of Noise appears to cut them off. After Geo tries futilely to destroy it with buster shots he gets a hysterical call from Luna saying that the viruses have reappeared. So he tells Sonia and Bud to go on ahead while he doubles back to see what's up. There are indeed a bunch more viruses over by the condominium complex but we don't have to battle them as Geo deletes them in a cutscene. Omega grumbles that Luna was exaggerating the scope of the threat, but further investigation shows that the viruses were spawned by a visible Noise Wave tear just past the building's outdoor pool. Geo gets on the phone with Ace and Acid, who explain what Noise Waves are (I guess this is when we're supposed to learn about them) and task us with investigating the interior since we're the only ones who can.
This Noise Wave is different from all the others. Not only is its BGM the extended version of the usual Noise Wave track, but the area we're in is pretty large and labeled “Noise Wave 1” meaning that it's part of a network. What's more there's also a Merchant Hertz at the start:
- HP Memory 20 – 3000z
- HP Memory 20 – 4500z
- HP Memory 20 – 6000z
- Dyna Energy – 800z
- Search Eye – 3000z
- Unlocker – 4000z
There's another exit that's not far away as long as you don't scour the whole place for the Mystery Waves. It conveniently dumps us in WBG Studios' parking lot, where we see Sonia and Bud fighting off more viruses nearby. Since the viruses are being spawned from Noise, we have to find more Noise Holes (I'll start calling them that to differentiate them from what we just traversed) and destroy the Noise clusters inside. So there a new Noise Hole to find at the tennis court by the parking lot (inside is a Drill Arm 2) and the one that's by the pond on the opposite side of the grounds has the second cluster. After destroying both of them Sonia sends an email saying that there's a strong Noise Wave over by the event stage out back, but first we can challenge Bud now to battle Taurus Fire V2. In addition to the Astro Wave Taurus Fire V3 can be found anywhere in Echo Ridge.
So heading over to the lot behind the studio, examining a certain spot over by the tree line reveals another Noise tear. This one leads just to an ordinary Noise Hole instead of a Noise Wave. Towards the back is a fairly large clump of clustered Noise. Geo's taken aback by its size and a voice scoffs at him for being so surprised. Jack Corvus appears and says he has no idea how a chump like him was able to beat his sister. Geo tries to talk him done but gets absolutely nowhere with his opponent, who's ready for another throw-down. Unfortunately for him it's not quite time for us to fight, as another voice says that he's finally found Dealer scum and a wicked-looking scimitar is sent flying in our direction.
The familiar “Melody of Isolation” theme from Star Force 2 begins to play and a third visitor to this Noise Hole appears: Rogue. Well, you knew he was gonna show up at some point, didn't you? In a bit of a welcome respite he completely ignores Geo to start with and tells Jack Corvus to take him to King because he has an axe to grind with him. Jack Corvus retorts that he should find him himself and leaves, muttering that the mood's been ruined and that he'll fight Megaman next time. Geo tries thanking Rogue for the save but Rogue's still, well, rogue. He says that we're still on his hit list, even after all the times we trumped him in the previous game, but right now he's put Geo on hold so that he can take down Dealer. Of course he's not going to tell Geo why he's out for their blood, but naturally he takes the time to tell him that he's not going to bother working with him or the Satella Police, at most we'll just be tools for him to use. Yeah, he's the final member that Ace was looking to recruit. He happens to be Transcode 002, the last one that's revealed in the game. Mr. Anti-Social leaves, thankfully no longer gracing us with his “ur weak cuz bonds” dribble from the last game.
If you're wondering why he can operate inside Noise Holes just fine when the others can't, it's because that bracelet on his right wrist visible on his art is something called the Darklight Harvester that allows him to harness “dark combat energy.” I guess the ancient Murians were aware of Noise, which I suppose makes sense if their EM technology was supposedly so much stronger than that of Geo's time. There's a possible handwave later on for how Jack Corvus can operate inside them too.
With Jack Corvus gone the Noise cluster dissipates on its own and Geo and Omega figure that all these incidents was just him trying to lure them out. They resolve to head back to WAZA and speak with the Satella Police on the matter. So one trip on the Astro Wave later and the team's giving their report to Ace. Ace reflects that without his sister around, Jack's pretty much a ticking time bomb, and they'll have to do something to defuse him next time he shows up to fight Geo. While on the subject of people who want a piece of Megaman Geo brings up what Solo said and while Ace laments him turning them down he says at least Solo doesn't see the Satella Police as his enemies. He tells everyone good work and that they're free to go.
Following that is a quick scene at Dealer HQ which reveals that Jack had stolen the organization's Noise creation program to use in the incident and King tasks Joker with eliminating him if he goes overboard.
Back at WAZA Geo, Sonia, and Bud have just exited the building when they find Solo hanging around the outside. Geo naively asks if he's changed his mind about the commando thing, and Bud asks what he's doing here if that's not the case. Two officers who have apparently been following him come onto the scene and implore Solo to join, using the usual “we must protect the world together!” shonen rhetoric. Such saccharine words do not work on the mighty Solo, but he says that he'll join the Satella Police if they manage to capture him here and now. They summon a bunch of Police Wizards, but they're all immediately repulsed by Solo's new EM being partner, Laplace.
Laplace really sticks out like a sore thumb because absolutely no information is given on him. Omega exclaims that he's not like himself, Lyra, Taurus, or most other Wizards, and that's pretty much it. His name is only mentioned like twice in the entire game. What's more, Laplace doesn't speak as he only communicates through a strange sort of static-y buzzing that only Solo seems to understand, so we can only really infer what his personality is like through how Solo interacts with him, which is very infrequently. There's a line in the instruction manual that says that he's a Murian EM being that Solo apparently came into contact with relatively recently, but it's not mentioned if he was created or woken up thanks to Mu's brief resurrection or if not where he's been since the civilization's destruction. I guess Solo's okay with him being around because he's Murian in origin, and thus exempt from his “solo” nature.
Laplace's primary role in the game is to transform into that scimitar from before, and Solo uses it/him to wreck a second wave of Police Wizards before eventually revealing to Geo why he's after Dealer: they're using Murian technology. Though this could explain how Jack Corvus wasn't bothered by the Noise, otherwise Dealer isn't doing anything particularly noteworthy with Mu tech as we'll see later on. King's just using some of their gizmos as a power source. Much like Vega and the OOPArt, ironically enough. It's just a plot device to justify Solo's presence in the game. Solo warns Geo not to get in his way and leaves.
We're free to go home now, but before we do we get an email saying that we can finally get certified to ride the Wave Liner to and from WAZA. The woman in charge however, says that it'll take a bit to issue one, so in the meantime Omega suggests doing her sidequest.
WAZA Job 2: Sugar Suet
She has a hankering for some ice cream, so we have to go to the Spica Mall candy shop and buy some for a mere 50z. Unlike some of the other “get me ice cream/candy/whatever” quests from earlier Battle Network/Star Force games, we have to get it back to the client within three minutes before it melts. There's a timer and everything. Luckily it doesn't seem to run during virus battles, and as long as you head straight back to WAZA without taking any detours you should be able to get back with a full minute to spare. She gives us the pass for the Wave Liner and 1000z.
Returning home, Hope's not very happy that Geo was off doing who-knows-what while viruses were rampaging through town. He lies that he was hiding out at school, but to his credit he feels pretty guilty about it. On that note, it's time for bed.
Virus Listing
- Bone Archer
- These skeletal archers shoot arrows high into Geo's field. Even if they don't hit him they'll briefly leave behind a small singularity that'll hold him in place if he steps on it.
- Doom Count
- These flaming ghost take up the role that Handies did, placing three-second time bombs on the field.
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