Well, let's head off to Baron. The boat is ready for us, and there's not much of a point staying here.
Sheila: Take care of yourself, Ursula! Give it your all out there!
Ursula: Yes, Mother!
Sheila: ...Listen, honey. If anything happens to Ursula, I'll make sure YOU pay for it. And it won't just be the frying pan this time!
Yang: Y-yes! Yes, my dear!
Ursula: ...Mother?
Duke Consort: Leave the kingdom's affairs to us.
Yang: I shall.
Chancellor: Master Yang Princess Ursula... Please come home safely!
We get on the boat, along with a few generics.
Captain: Make yourselves at home. It'll be a long journey. We'll take the roundabout path for safety. Raise anchor, men!
Sailors: Aye-aye, sir!
We take off. It's gonna be a long trip.
Ursula: So what will we do once we reach Baron?
Yang: Attain an audience with Cecil and determine the truth behind these affairs.
Ursula: What if Cecil's already in enemy hands?
Yang: Ridiculous! That could never happen... not to Cecil.
Ursula: How lucky he is...
Yang: ?
Ursula: You give him absolute, unwavering trust.
Sailor: Aaagh!!!
Yang: What is it?
Sailor: M-monsters!
Ursula: Father!
Yang: Ready yourself, Ursula!
The monsters are really pathetic. Moving on...
Ursula: I've never heard of monsters storming the deck of a ship before.
Yang: The moon must be affecting the world's creatures in strange and unpredictable ways.
Shot of the moons, because why not? The boat enters the island chain between Fabul and Mysidia, and we're joined by another boat.
Sailor: That's a Damcyan craft starboard, Captain!
Captain: Hah hah! We're racing 'er to the docks, ye dogs!
Soldier: Aye-aye, sir!
Yang: Damcyan?
Meanwhile, on the other ship...
Edward: Is that... Yang!?
Harley: The king of Fabul?
We'll learn who Harley is later, but I may as well point out now that she is probably the worst player character in the game.
Edward: Yes. You could not find a stronger or gentler monarch... nor one half so brave.
We decide to settle for the old fashioned diplomatic technique of yelling very loudly.
Yang: Edward! Are you sailing for Baron as well!?
Edward: Yes, that's right!
Harley: Their destination is the same as ours?
Edward: Indeed. Fabul has picked up the same signs we have, no doubt. Ah, what a shot of confidence, knowing that he's on our side!
His boat overtakes ours, and we start lagging behind.
Yang: Mmm?
Ursula: We're losing speed.
Captain: Looks like those monsters did more damage than I thought. Don't just sit there! This ship needs repairs, men! Get to it!
Sailors: Aye-aye, sir!
We've pretty much stopped now.
Yang: Well?
Captain: Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like our fuel tank's out of action.
This is a sail boat, it doesn't even have a fuel tank.
Yang: What?
Captain: We've got just enough fuel to reach the closest shore, but not much more than that, I'm afraid.
We didn't have any fuel to begin with!
Ursula: The closest shore?
Captain: Yep. The Adamant Isles.
The Adamant Isles have multiple shores, considering it's a long island chain. I'm starting to think this captain is a moron. We land somewhere.
Captain: Whew! We made it.
Yang: Where will we find fuel, though?
Captain: Some palm oil should work. It's not the best fuel in the world, but it'll do for now...
Hey, you know what is the best fuel? Wind! Do you know why? BECAUSE THIS IS A SAIL BOAT, DAMN IT!
Yang: I apologize for being blunt, Captain, but we are on urgent business.
Captain: Let's just get what we need and get moving again. Remember that this is an unexplored island, so there's no telling what's out there.
Yang: Then I'll go.
Ursula: Father. I'm coming too...
Yang: You will wait here.
Monk: Let us go with you, Master!
Yang: Enough worrying about me. I will be back in a short time.
Captain: Be careful!
Yang leaves. That night, Ursula starts to head off the boat.
Ursula: Father...
Captain: Don't worry. Master Yang will be back before you know it.
Ursula: I'm going!
She runs off.
Monk: Princess Ursula!
The generics chase after us. We end up in the Adamant Isle Forest.
Ursula: How far in did my father go anyway?
The path is pretty straight forward at this point. We head for the second area, but when we do, we trigger a flashback.
Sheila: Well, I'd best get things going for dinner.
Yang: Thanks.
Sheila: Ngh...!
Yang: What is it?
Sheila: Oh, nothing.
Yang: You look pale, my dear.
Sheila: I'm fine. I'm not sick or anything.
Yang: Then... what?
Sheila: Hee hee! It's a child - our child.
Yang: Wh-what!?
Sheila: Aren't you happy?
Yang: O-of course I am!
You know, I don't think Ursula is having this flashback. Then the game dumps us back in the forest controlling Yang. Well, that explains it.
Yang: (Mmm... Perhaps further in?)
Yang starts at a crossroads. One path leads him to a Silver Breastplate, which we equip right away. Yang's solo for this part, but it's not like he'll have much trouble. That Fire Claw I put on Ursula would be nice at this point, though... We head out of this section, triggering another flashback.
Monk: Yah!
Looks like a training session.
Monk: Yah!
Monk: Master Yang?
Yang: ...
Monk: Master Yang!
Yang: Mmm? What?
Monk: Won't you even take a day like this off?
Yang: Training exists especially for days like this!
Duke Consort: Assuming your mind is in it, that is.
Yang: Duke...
Duke Consort: She'll be giving birth any moment now. Go now and be by her side.
Yang: But...!
???: Wah! WAAAH!
Well, a bit too late now.
Yang: !!!
Monk: Master Yang!
Monk: Go on! Hurry!
Yang: Right!
Yang heads into the castle, and we go back to the present with Ursula. Not much here, so let's move on the the next area transition + flashback, when Ursula was a little girl.
Ursula: Yah! Hah!
Yang: Oooh! Nice work, Ursula!
Ursula: Really?
Yang: Really.
Ursula: So can I be big and strong like you someday, Daddy?
Yang: Oh, of course, of course.
Ursula: Yippee!
Yang: But remember, Ursula, there's something I want you to cherish even more than that.
Ursula: Uh-uh! No way! I'm gonna be big and strong like you, Daddy!
Back to where Yang is in the forest. This part's pretty linear, except for one bit where we get a Green Beret, which we put on. Next flashback!
Sheila: Hon...
Yang: What?
Sheila: When are you going to start giving Ursula her formal training?
Yang: Not until she understands it for herself.
Sheila: Understands what for herself?
Yang: Kindness. Honor.
Sheila: She is kind! And where could you find a more honorable young lady!?
Yang: True enough, but she still yearns for strength above everything else in her life. Everything.
Sheila: This, coming from you? I say what's good for the goose is good for the gander.
Yang: She's my daughter. My one and only daughter.
We're back in control of Ursula now. And we can actually transition between screens without having a flashback. Maybe we're near the end. We find a Rune Armlet early on, which we put on Ursula. A couple screens later we find Hell Claws, which inflict Poison. Not bad.
We eventually come across a Save Point. We must be really near the end now. We follow the path and find a bunch of palm trees.
Ursula: Palm trees! This ought to be enough...
We hear a shaking sound.
Ursula: ...!?
Monk: Princess!
Monk: Stay back!
Monk: We'll handle this!
We get in a fight with an Adamantoise, and can only do one damage to it. Maybe we should try for Death of a Thousand Cuts? It eventually knocks all the generics to 1 HP.
Ursula: This is bad news!
And we trigger another flashback. Ursula is watching a training session, which involves the monks punching a huge rock.
Monk: *huff huff*
Yang: What? Is that all?
Monk: That is impossible, Master Yang! It's just too hard...
Yang: Trying to crush it through sheer force will only serve to bruise your knuckles. Every object has a weak point. Find it, concentrate upon it...
He breaks the rock in half.
Yang: And you no longer need to exhaust your strength.
Back to the present.
Ursula: Father... I'll try my best!
Ursula uses Tenketsu. It manages to break the turtle's defences. Then Yang jumps in anyway.
Ursula: Father!
Yang: Keep your eyes on the enemy!
So what's this Tenketsu thing? Basically, it's an attack that has a random chance of bonus damage, chance to change Ursula's attack to the elemental weakness of the enemy, and a chance to instant kill. It's pretty nice.
Strategy fo this fight fight is basically Yang attacks, Ursula uses Tenketsu. Don't bother with the generics, they die too quickly.
We also use this chance to learn the first Band of the tale, Five Star Crimson Palm. It's a strong attack used by combining Tenketsu with Yang's Attack, inflicts Slow, and has a chance to instant kill. Very nice, but the 9 MP cost combined with Yang's low MP means it can't be used much. We use it a few times to stop the Adamantoise from attacking too much.
We get the Palm Oil afterwards.
Ursula: *huff huff*
Yang: Well done.
Ursula: Father!
Yang: You always had strength... but now, it is affirmed by the heart - the heart to save your companions in need.
Ursula: I only carried out what you taught me to do, Father.
Yang: From this moment on, consider yourself my newest disciple.
Ursula: You mean...!?
Yang: Don't expect special treatment, though. Not even my own daughter is allowed that luxury.
Ursula: Father!
Yang: Spare me your tears. I am no longer your father. I am now "Master" to you.
Ursula: Yes, Master!
Yang: Off to Baron, then.
Ursula: Yes, Master!
We learn Twin Wing Frenzy. Another Band for Yang and Ursula, it's just a stronger attack. Five Star Crimson Palm is better in every way except MP cost. Ursula is now also classed as a Monk.
And now we have to walk all the way out. While leaving the generics KO'd so we can get more experience, of course.
Day has broken by the time we get back to the ship.
Captain: Master Yang! Princess! You've all come back safely!
Yang: Will this work for you?
We give him the Palm Oil.
Captain: Amazing work, my liege!
Yang: I need no thanks. My pupil did all the work.
Captain: Pupil?
Ursula: I have been accepted as Master Yang's newest disciple!
Captain: Princess...
Ursula: Please call me Ursula. Is there anything I can do to help?
Captain: Well, if you're offering... I'll need help refining this palm oil into usable fuel. Could you lend a hand?
Unless palm oil is turned into fuel by punching it, I doubt anyone here could help much. Also, as I've pointed out several times, this is a sail boat. There is no engine that this fuel could power within this ship.
Ursula: Sure!
Sailors: Aye-aye, sir!
We take off and head for Baron.
Captain: This is some high-quality oil! We'll be at the gates of Baron in the blink of an eye!
That worked? I think my brain is breaking trying to comprehend how palm tree oil can be used to make a sail boat go faster. It simply does not make sense.
Yang: ...
Ursula: Master...
Yang: What is it?
Ursula: I feel a tremendous sense of foreboding ahead of us!
Yang: So you've noticed it, too...
Ursula: Yes.
Yang: Lash yourselves to the ship.
Captain: Wha...?
Yang: Now! Do it!
Captain: Y-yes, Your Highness!
Yang: This dread I feel... I knew it!
A whirlpool is ahead of us. Tale over. So the tale ends with a Leviathan attack. Great. Next time, the Challenge Dungeon.
Stats:
Yang: Lv 23 HP:1131 MP:39 Strength:36 Speed:18 Stamina:33 Intellect:6 Spirit:8 Attack:57 (6x70% Accuracy) Defence:28 (2x37% Evasion) Magic Defence:7 (0x7% Evasion)
Ursula: Lv 22 HP:829 MP:47 Strength:32 Speed:20 Stamina:19 Intellect:10 Spirit:16 Attack:54 (6x90% Accuracy) Defence:21 (2x21% Evasion) Magic Defence:13 (0x15% Evasion)
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