Lights, Camera, Action! Let's Debut in Tokyo Mirage Sessions

[Artix]

We’re gonna be double updating until we get through the intermission, which will take us through next week, then we’ll go back to normal scheduling for Chapter 3.

And so we find ourselves back in sunny Shibuya for another intermission. Let’s see what Maiko has for us today.

[quote] You’ve been doing great these days Itsuki! Well, here’s mission number two!
And this time the coach will be…! Ooh, curious? Do you want to know?
But… I’m afraid it’s a secret. <3 It’s at the same place as last time: Uzume Lesson Studio!

By the way, have you heard about Anzu? The apparel store in Harajuku?
Apparently they have outfits that were used in TV shows and movies too. If you have time, you should take a look.

The lesson can start anytime, so just come by whenever you feel you’re ready!
[/quote]

Well, with an invitation like that, how can we not? Off to Harajuku!

Unlike Shibuya, Harajuku is 100% optional, although the structure is largely the same. Like the cafe in Shibuya, food is strictly inferior to drinks on account of costing twice as much for the same benefit, but if you’re dying to hear more of Itsuki’s food critiques, it’s here for you.

Anzu, on the other hand, sells a bunch of optional costumes. Basically anything that you see get used in a music video or sidequest will eventually end up here, although as you can see, they do get quite expensive! By the end of the game, you can expect to be regularly dropping 100k+ on costumes, if you’re so inclined.

And at the far end of the street, there’s an idolasphere entrance. Don’t worry about it! We’ll come back to that later.

So hey, now that we’ve seen what the new place has to offer, let’s get cracking on those sidequ-

[quote] itsuik are you busy
i need you to come hhelp its an emergency[/quote]

…

…Well, I guess we should probably start at the office.

sigh I mean, if we’re being honest, I’m surprised this hasn’t come up earlier. Let’s see what she’s been up to.

I’m A-Okay!

How much did you drink to get like this…!?

About…two big bottles of shochu…

Are you going to be alright?

As you can see, I’m A-Okay! Ahahahaha- Urp!

…I understand. You want me to go buy some hangover medicine, right? Is there anything in particular you’d like?

…A vodka. Lemon, please.

Do you want me to leave?

W-Wait! Wait! I had Tiki make me hangover medicine before… Try asking her. She’ll know what to- Oh, god.

You had the spirit girl make you hangover medicine? What the fuck kind of medicine is that and how goddamn drunk did you get that you needed that?

Okay, I’m heading out now.

I-I owe you one…

So yeah, we need to go to the spirit world to get medicine for a hangover. Let’s see what the hell Tiki has been cooking up for Maiko.

Not Again…

Ugh. Not again.

Tharja?

Relax. It’s nothing we haven’t dealt with before.

Is there something that will help?

There’s a medicine we had her take when this happened last time!

Could I have some of that, then?

Oh good, she has to think about it when we ask if we can have some. This is a good sign.

Um… It looks like the amount we gave her last time was the last of it…

We’ll have to go to the Idolasphere to get the ingredients for it…

I’ll go. I can’t leave Ms. Maiko like this.

You’re so nice, big brother.

…Who knows what she’ll do if we leave her like that.

Ahaha, that’s true. Well then, be careful! I’ll send you the details of the ingredients later.

Anyway, since we’re here, let’s go ahead and make a new sword for Itsuki before we head out.

[quote] Let’s see here… The ingredients for the medicine are…
Illusory Fungus, Illusory Clams, Illusory Dirt.
That’s all! You can get them in the Idolasphere at Daitama!
[/quote]

…Clams? Fungus? Dirt? What the fuck is this medicine?

Kiria’s hanging out at Daitama too. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near the office right now, either.

Anyway, while we’re here beating up on L1 enemies, we can grab Bow-Thunder from the sword we just made for Itsuki. Now, I’m not suggesting that you do this before Chapter 3 proper starts, but it might not be the worst idea in the world to grab a Bow session skill. Just saying.

The actual items are just lying around the path through Illusory Daitama. With Estoma up, there is literally nothing to this other than holding forward and grabbing the shinies. And holy shit, is that rusted nails in that dirt? The stuff we’re using as part of some medicine?

Woo!

Leave it to me! Let’s make this medicine!

Hrah!

She even does that pose she practiced for taking a Carnage form when she makes it. Tiki is still the best.

Phew, I’m tired… The medicine’s ready though!

What was that pose just now?

Geez, that doesn’t matter! Come on, hurry and take the medicine to Maiko!

Alright, let’s get this over with.

Itsuki made Maiko take the medicine…

gulp Ewww… It’s so bitter…

sigh Thank goodness…

That worked like a charm… What the hell was actually in it?

Ahaha… I’m sorry, everyone. Looks like I caused a lot of trouble for you. I’d better thank Tiki too.

Seriously… What kind of hangover takes a trip to the Idolasphere to cure? Please don’t make us go through that again. We’re not your parents, Ms. Maiko.

Huh!? M-Me!?

Th-That’s a bad boy, Touma! Bad boy! You have to be nice!

Hahaha… The lady sure is irresponsible…

Well, we know she likes her booze, but there’s probably a reason that she came in that hung over. So uh, little of column A, little of column B?

I wouldn’t go that far…

There’s no need to sugarcoat it. Maiko went drinking with industry execs last night to promote Fortuna’s talent. Her conduct was impressive, I hear.

So that’s why…

That’s not all. She’s even negotiated with police officials all night in order to cover up the incidents involving Mirages…

So we’re able to fight because Ms. Maiko supports us in the background… Is that what you mean?

She tries not to let anyone notice that kind of thing… But I thought you should know about it, Itsuki.

We should be thankful then.

Let’s work hard today, as always! Woo!

Woo!

Woo!

C’mon, you too, Itsuki!

Woo.

Maiko Shimazaki has become “Tipsy President” thanks to Itsuki’s influence!

Did… Did we really cause that? I don’t think that one was due to Itsuki’s influence…

Maiko acquired the backup skill Drinking Connections!

Like Tiki, all of Maiko’s sidequests unlock new passive skills. This one increases the amount of money we get from selling stuff, from 60 to 63%. Hooray?

Last thing for today, Anzu also has a Melmark lottery, which you can use to unlock artwork and other promotional stuff. It’s pretty good stuff, and I’ll be posting them here and there as I unlock them.

Feel
The Hee-Ho Mart
Hero FES
Labyrinth of Love
One of Millennium Audition

The merchant herself is harder to pin down than Anna and Aimee. Visually, the closest design is Cath, from Fire Emblem: Binding Blade, but FE6 is otherwise never referenced in TMS, and Cath is a thief, not a merchant. So…yeah.

Anyway, next up is Tsubasa first sidequest. See you all for that!

[Artix]

Kids at work giving
me grief over coming
in hungover… #ugh

[quote] a debut CD release and a model shoot! everything’s happening so fast… my life is full of surprises now. x___x
[/quote]

Oh don’t act like you didn’t deserve it, Maiko. “Giving me grief” is underselling “I needed literal magic medicine”.

Anyway, today we’re going to tackle Tsubasa’s first sidequest, but first let’s take a lap around Shibuya and catch up on some other stuff.

Like Yashiro! He’s hanging out near Illusory Shibuya, if you feel like you haven’t been demeaned enough recently.

Just down the street, the maid from Cafe Seiren has a quest for us. She’s modelled off of Ilyana, a mage from Path of Radiance whose personality can best be summed up as “I like to eat.” At least she’s on brand?

Welcome… Thank you for stopping by.

I came up with a new item, so our customers here at Seiren can relax… It’s a Yakisoba Latte, but it’s wildly unpopular, it seems…

I was hoping to make something more medicinal, to soothe the mind and body. Would you mind helping?

Of course.

All right, thank you! So I’m thinking we use a…rather controversial ingredient - Maca Leaf! But I’ll need three of them, mind you. Just let me know when you get them all.

If we didn’t already have four of them, this could be remedied by walking 15 seconds down the street to the Hee-Ho Mart. They’re not even that expensive!

Thank you so much! I’m going to take these into the kitchen right now and test out my idea! Oh, and if you like, you can have a fresh cup! I’ll be waiting for you…

And sure enough, there’s a new drink in the menu. Why don’t you tell us about it, Food Critic Itsuki?

Such tart, earthy tones signal not only the pinnacle of taste but also the height of digestive and metabolic reinforcement.

It also brings Itsuki and Touma’s luck up to “Good”, if that’s something you really need.

[quote] Itsuki, I need your advice on something!
I’ll be waiting in front of the cafe. could you come by whenever you have time? please?[/quote]

Why, what a coincidence! That’s where we are right now! Let’s go see what she wants.

Sure. What’s wrong?

It’ll be awkward talking about it here, so let’s go inside the cafe.

Meet and Greet, Part 1

But… I can’t shake hands with people… I-It’s normally not a problem, but when I think about doing that at a public event, I get nervous.

Uh-huh… Well, why don’t we practice a bit?

…That’s pretty bad.

I have…social anxiety…

Man, if that’s what she does when it’s Itsuki, her problems go way past a little public anxiety. She’s going to need more than just a little practice to get over this one.

Hrgh… Hey, Itsuki. Do you have any ideas on how I can gain more confidence?

It’s…probably best if you just interact with as many people as possible. …But it’d also be weird if an idol suddenly walked up and asked, “May I practice shaking your hand?”

Oh! What do you think about freebie marketing?

Huh?

Handing out free samples might be good practice for interacting with people you don’t know.

I see! Ehehe, you sure are smart, Itsuki!

Plus, you can probably expect a better turnout since you’ll be advertising your meet-and-greet.

It’s decided then! I’m gonna go get ready at once!

I suppose that some impromptu exposure therapy isn’t the worst idea in the world, although I’d imagine this would be more likely to have her end up curling up in a ball because of her anxiety rather than helping her get over it.

[quote] I’m ready to go!
I’ll be waiting for you at the crosswalk near the station!
[/quote]

But hey, she’s ready to do this, so who are we to say no?

Meet and Greet, Part 2

You’re gonna get over this no matter what, right?

Of course! I’m gonna go do my best. Make sure you watch!

Why, there’s someone right now! Let’s see what you’ve got, Tsubasa.

Itsuki! S-Someone’s coming! H-How should I go talk to him?

Briskly and full of energy. Probably.

I’ll be holding a meet-and-greet soon! P-Please come by!

Forgive the sudden jumps in this section, this is literally how it’s presented in-game, with the constant jumping between Itsuki and handing out the invites.

Good. Keep at it. This time, try changing how you hand it over, depending on the person.

How I hand it over? …Okay, I’ll try!

You could just not think too much into it and hand it normally.

P-Please come to my meet-and-greet!

(Yes!)

You’re on a roll. …Then again, it still doesn’t feel natural yet.

Hmm… My facial expression might be too stiff… All right, I’ll focus on that next time!

Just smile a bit!

I’ll be holding a meet-and-greet soon! I’d love if you would come to it.

Yeah! I think I’m getting the hang of this! I’ll try the next one myself.

And from here it’s just a supercut of her talking a bunch of different NPCs and giving out all her invites. You overcame social anxiety in just a few minutes! Itsuki is just that good.

Looks like you’re over your social anxiety.

My what now?

Ohhhhhhhh! Th-Th-That’s right! I was handing out free samples to get over my social anxiety! I was so preoccupied doing it that I completely forgot about that part!

Come on…

But a meet-and-greet’s the same idea, isn’t it? You’re supposed to give it your all in that short period of time. I understand now!

Tsubasa Oribe’s soul as an entertainer has achieved a new awakening… Tsubasa’s inspiration has taken form as a new Performa: Hand’s Warmth!

Ehehehe… I did it!

Door of Connection unlocks a new SP Attack for Tsubasa. It’s disgustingly good! But we’ll talk about that in a second.

You’ll be fine. What’s truly terrifying is when one grows numb to that feeling. The tension you feel is a good sign. You worked hard for this, Tsubasa. Have more confidence in yourself.

Y-You’re right! Thanks, Caeda! Tsubasa Oribe is off to the greet-and-meet!

Waaaaah!

God only knows, Caeda. God only knows.

Meet and Greet, Part 3

The actual meet-and-greet is more or less glossed over. It’s basically just Tsubasa up on the stage shaking hands with all the NPCs she saw in the first bit.

…Mostly, anyway.

Welcome back. A lot more people showed up today than I imagined.

Mm-hm! Tons of people who accepted my free samples came too! It’s all thanks to you helping me! I couldn’t have done it without you, Itsuki!

So, how’d it feel doing a meet-and-greet?

Ehehehe…

What’s up?

Handshakes are like magic. I did get nervous, but I felt as though I was truly connecting with my fans through the palms of our hands. It’s not just about singing and dancing. Connecting with people is important for an idol too.

Speaking of handshakes… I’d like one too. I want to experience the results of all your effort.

H-Huh!? …Okay.

Tsubasa Oribe has grown as an entertainer and has become “Madcap Idol”! Tsubasa acquired the Special Performance Debut Smile!

So, let’s talk about Debut Smile real quick. Those of you familiar with the Persona series are probably aware of a skill called “Heat Riser” (or Luster Candy, as it’s called in Strange Journey and SMT IV). It’s universally considered to be the best buff skill in the game, due to the fact that it combines Tarukaja, Rakukaja, and Sukukaja, buffing your attack, defense, and agility all at once. This is somewhat balanced by the fact that it’s usually expensive as hell (Usually around 50 MP a pop, although SMT4: Apocalypse jacks it up to 100 because???), single-target, and can’t be obtained until very late into the game.

Debut Smile is a full-party Heat Riser, except if you traded the attack boost for a Mediarama, for 1 SP. It’s not quite as ludicrously broken as it could have been, but it’s still far and away the best defensive skill in the entire game.

There’s one more quick thing we can do, by examining the bookcase again.

First, we can grab the magazine featuring Tsubasa’s photo shoot.

More importantly, this is how we access the DLC costumes. Let’s see how Tsubasa fared at the fashion show.

Tokyo Millennium Collection: Tsubasa

It’s a…sexy Santa outfit. Yeah, sure, let’s go with that.

You must be tired, Miss Santa.

Yup, I’m pretty exhausted! Still, it went by in a flash!

So…um… Wh-what do you think of my Santa costume!?

I think you looked really good wearing it out there. It was cute.

R-R-R-Really!?

Yeah.

He said I looked cute in it…! I gotta buy these clothes at once!

Tsubasa?

O-Oh, it’s nothing! Really! Nothing at all!

[WordOnTheWind]

Tsubasa is such an adorable dork.

[Artix]

canks for thoming!
…omg I can’t type.
W/E NOT FIXING IT

[quote] my dad kiiiiinda freaked out when he heard about the model shoot stuff.

but Aya helped me convince him, and now he fully supports me on all this. I’m so lucky to have them on my side, yknow?[/quote]

Now that’s a status I can get behind, good job Tsubasa.

Before we hang out with Touma, we’ve got a few things to clean up. Katao here has another request, so let’s see what she wants.

Eeeah! D-Don’t look at me like that! …Oh, I’m so embarrassed!

sigh I guess it’s dumb getting all bent out of shape… I-I-I should just tell him. Itsuki, could you give me some advice?

Itsuki accepted the request Conveying my Feelings!

You know Moteki-senpai, right? One grade above us… We have a class on the same floor, so I see him every day. Oh… My nerves just can’t take this. Fate is so cruel! Why must you toy with my innocent heart!?

Y-You’re laughing!? You think it’s a joke!? Argh! This is so embarrassing! Just forget I said anything at all!

Well that went swimmingly. Clearly we should talk to her again and rub some more salt in the wound.

Ugh! Hey, are you hearing this? Hello? I’m being serious here…

S-So…the trend is, when you’re in love…you’re supposed to be direct and pour out a confession? You mean, a love letter! I, MOEKA KATAO, SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I SHALL EXECUTE “OPERATION HANDWRITTEN LOVE LETTER”!

…Itsuki, please help! Won’t you lend some of your big, strong courage to a poor, defenseless young girl?

(I got it… “Feel” is a great song! I bet if Moeka heard Tsubasa singing, she’d probably gain some courage…!)

…Look, Itsuki, buddy. I don’t know how the hell you got from point A to B there but I think you took a few turns that weren’t on the map.

Itsuki gave the “Feel” CD to Moeka.

H-Huh? What’s this…? Hey, is this Tsubasa? Hm! Let me see…

Moeka is staring transfixed at the lyrics on the CD insert.

These lyrics… They’re speaking to me! It’s almost like my exact situation… Hey, I’m feeling something! It’s courage! Thank you, Itsuki! I’m going to take this home and listen to it on repeat!

Request complete! Obtained Magic Incense.

Well that was dumb, but totally worth it! On to the next one - next stop, the department store!

Touma’s hanging out in the back, but we don’t need to worry about him yet. Let’s talk to this small child instead.

I have to look after my little brother… Mommy told me to stay by Sou’s side while she goes shopping.

Buuuuuut I finished my coloring book, and now I’m bored. Do you konw where I can find the coloring book my mommy always gives me? She gets it from one of those free magazines…

Hey, mister, if you bring me one, I’ll have something to color!

Sure.

You’ll get me one of those free magazines to color? Thank you, mister! Mommy always gets those magazines from some place called She-boo-ya. Come back soon!

If you were paying attention, you might remember that there’s a huge rack of magazines in the Hee-Ho Mart. In which case you’d be WRONG, IDIOT! Why would you think the magazine we need would be with the magazines? That’s just crazy, we’ll see where it actually is later. For now, let’s see what Touma needs.

[quote] sup. uh. i want to get advice from you. you free? i’m hanging out at the top of the department store like usual
[/quote]

Romantic, you say? Well, by all means, do continue.

Touma in Leopard Print, Part 1

That’s rare. I never thought I’d hear that coming from you.

Yeah… So I need you to help me out with something…

???: What’s the Genome Monster doing here?

Wh-What!?

Oh good, everyone’s favorite nihilist child is back.

Come on. I watched the show on TV. Was what you told me last time a lie? Were you just satisfied doing some lame show at a place like this? And stuck with the villain part, too.

…Urk!

Well, not like it matters. You just blurted that stuff out. It’s not like I had my hopes up to begin with…

Wh-What? Are you gonna hit a kid like me?

I mean, that would be pretty fucked up, especially for someone as nice as Touma, but this kid has been needling him pretty badly. He could do with a good scolding, if nothing else.

I just wanted to get you to smile… That’s why I couldn’t stop myself from lying to you…!

…For a reason like that? Seriously… That’s so dumb…

I will become a real hero some day! And I’ll get you to-

There’s no way I can smile anymore. I mean… My mom and dad got divorced. Mom cries every day, and I get bullied at my new school… There’s no way I can smile in a world like that…

Then… Then I’ll definitely become a real hero and make you smile!

…You’re just lying again, aren’t you?

No! This is my promise to you! That’s why I want you to believe in me one more time!

A promise…?

That’s right!

…That’s so dumb.

And then he just runs off. Still, that explains a lot. A divorce that young must be tough on a kid.

You want to go train…right? I’ll tag along.

Heh… Thanks, man. What I need to train this time is how to flirt with confidence.

Excuse me?

Let me make it clear that I’m serious about this. For the next show, I actually have a part without a mask as Hyoma Kiba, the guy who transforms into Raiga.

Does putting on some weird mask really count as “transformation”?

C’mon, that’s not the important part! Anyway, the producers wanna target the female audience to boost attendance. That’s why they decided to have an unmasked warrior appear, but the original actor couldn’t make it, so I was chosen as a substitute. Seems like the Raiga director spoke up and said, “Why not use that kid?”

That must mean he thinks highly of your acting skills. That’s great!

Still… The bar’s been set high. The actor who plays Hyoma is a young guy with a lot of buzz. He’s popular with both moms and young girls. If I’m gonna be his understudy, I need to learn how to act in a way that wins their hearts…

…And that’s why you have to be charismatic and confident, huh.

But I don’t know how to do that, and when I looked online, everyone said it’s better to have a wingman.

And that means…?

Oh. Oh no.

It’s Operation Babe Hunt.

All right… I guess we’ll just have to do our best.

Now that’s the Itsuki I know! Such encouraging words!

Now, where to do this…? Does Harajuku sound good to you?

Yeah, I expect there’d be a lot of girls there.

It’s decided then. Let’s break it up for now, come to Harajuku when you’re ready!

So Captain Oblivious and a Sentai wannabe are going to try and pick up girls. This can only end well.

[quote] heeey where you at?
i’m waiting in front of anzu, so hurry up
[/quote]

Anzu, you say? Well, let’s not keep the man waiting.

Touma in Leopard Print, Part 2

That is so not you.

I know that… I’m trying to get in character. I can’t just hit on random girls as my normal self. You better give this your all too. Got it?

And so we begin Operation Babe Hunt: Tokyo Edition. Let’s see how they did today.

Why?

Wh-Why…? H-Hey, Itsuki!

We just thought that it’d be nice to have coffee with you.

Huh?

Is that not enough?

…Hmm, wouldn’t say that. It’s just, I don’t really know you guys.

Why don’t we exchange Topic IDs then? That’ll let us get to know each other, and we can grab coffee another time.

Sure.

Ooh! Here, let’s do that right now…

See ya!

That…went surprisingly well. Too well. I don’t know if I like this brave new world where Operation Babe Hunt is a success.

Huh? Did I?

Riiiiiight… You’re that kind of guy. I feel sorry for Tsubasa…

All right, let’s move on to the next one.

How about that lady next? I’ll make the move this time!

Good luck.

No.

I-Itsuki!

Then how about tea instead?

Teehee! I wasn’t expecting that response… That was pretty funny!

Does that mean…?

Sure - is what I want to say, but I’m busy right now. Mind if we just exchange Topic IDs?

Are you serious!? Aw yeah!

Guys, I don’t like watching my anime children be good at this. This isn’t how this is supposed to go at all!

But after seeing how you interact with them, I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.

Good.

H-Hey! Lemme try the next one!

Touma continued to do his best to speak with smoothness and confidence…

We talked to quite a few people. How’re you feeling?

I get it now! To be a confident guy, you need the courage to face rejection! The guts to go the distance! And! The ability to “transform” into a different person than normal!

Touma Akagi’s soul as an entertainer has achieved a new awakening… Touma’s inspiration has taken form as a new Performa: Grand Transformation!

Awww yeah! I totally got this! Just you watch… I will nail this at the next show!

Door of Transformation unlocks another SP skill for Touma. It’s not quite as busted as Tsubasa’s one last update, but it comes pretty close!

Touma in Leopard Print, Part 3

What’s up, Cain?

Why must a man who wishes to become a hero train his confidence by attempting to woo random ladies…?

T-Taking those kinds of steps are necessary for heroes in this world!

I-Is this acceptable?

Huh?

Is it truly acceptable to continue placing my faith in you? Truth be told, I am filled with naught but worry.

Did you seriously just say that out loud? There’s nothing to worry about. It might not look it, but I do feel like I’m making progress.

Very well… Then I shall continue to watch over you for a while longer… You may be a fool, but you are not the type of man who would go back on your word with that boy.

Of course not.

That child, however… He somehow reminds me of you - especially the radiance of his Performa.

Y-You think so? Well, that’s not important. I’ll be heading out now.

A sea of neon colored people…except for a certain someone up front. Don’t think we didn’t notice you, kid.

Who shall I convert into a Genome Monster today!?

Nooooooo!

???: Hold it right there!

Pffffft Touma absolutely cannot pull that look off. I don’t know if anyone could, frankly.

Wh-Who’re you!?

I am the fangs of lightning that dash through the streets! My name is Hyoma Kiba!

Is everyone okay? How about you, ladies?

Squeeeeee!

Come at me, Genome Monster! I will protect the children’s future and these beautiful ladies!

Squeeeeee!

Now, it’s time to be entranced! Lightning Systems, Full Throttle! Transmute!

Squeeeeee!

Whooooaaa!

Okay Itsuki, let’s not say anything we can’t take back.

Yeah, I improvised so many lines, I’ll probably get yelled at later… I guess hitting on those girls paid off though!

The reaction from the female audience was impressive. Some were even saying you were better than the regular actor.

I guess it was worth having you keep me company! I wonder if he was watching…

Oh, you mean that kid? I saw him at the edge of the audience. He was really engrossed in the show.

Heh… I see…

Now that you mentioned it, why’re you so concerned about him?

Oh… About that…

You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Just because we’re friends doesn’t mean I need to know everything.

…No, it’s not a secret or anything. You helped me out with a lot of stuff, so I want you to know this.

Around then, my parents ran off because they had more debt than they could handle. I was raised by my grandpa. I got bullied at school for that and lost faith in the world - as much as a kid could, anyway.

But then I saw this hero show on TV, and it’s like…it gave me courage. It saved me. Every week, some nasty villain would show up, and every single time, they’d almost take the hero down… But the hero always stood up against the villains, without ever losing hope!

A hero has to be someone who can give courage and happiness to others. I wanna be someone like that for that kid.

You’ll definitely be a hero. No doubt about it.

Yeah! Thanks, Itsuki!

Touma Akagi has grown as an entertainer and has become “Pro Understudy”! Touma acquired the special performance Gaia’s Whisper!

Gaia’s Whisper is kind of a counterpart to Tsubasa’s Debut Smile. Where her skill is an absurd, cheap defensive buff, Touma’s goes in the complete opposite direction. Gaia’s Whisper is a combination of Tarukaja, Sukukaja, and Charge for 2 SP, giving you an attack boost, agility boost, and a 2.5x damage multiplier on your next physical attack. It’s hard to beat when you need to fuck someone’s day up, but the increased cost to 2 SP means you’ll be seeing it a lot less often. It’s not bad, just more situational.

[WordOnTheWind]

Oh Touma, you poor thing. You -can’t- be a Hero.

Cavalier only promotes to Paladin or Great Knight.

[Artix]

come to toubo dept.
and get a pic with
me! #livingthedream

[quote] hey, Itsuki, there was something I just wanted to go over with you about Ellie.
like we covered before, she’s a mirage master too.
we plan on having her fight under your command as well. when we have time, I’ll formally introduce you to her mirage.[/quote]

And what an introduction it will be. But first, we’ve got a few niggling sidequests to clean up before we close out the intermission.

Like this one! Aya’s got another case of stolen Performa for us.

Itsuki accepted the request “Writer’s Block”.

Thank you, Itsuki. Have you heard of the drama “Love-Hate Cliche”? It’s an intense romance about a love-hate triangle that takes place at the Toyosu branch of the hardware store “Edomae”.

This time it’s Raita Torama, the writer of the show, who’s having problems. He’s famous for writing quickly, but he hasn’t been able to make any progress with his script. I hope it’s just writer’s block…

I hear that he always writes at a cafe in Shibuya. Can you go check on him?

Oh no! Not Love-Hate Cliche! That’s my favorite show, and it’s right before the season finale! We’d better head for Shibuya, now!

Wasn’t SIV-LIVE simply marvelous? Especially Kiria’s production! Ah, meteors falling in Shibuya, and Kiria skybound! I wanted rain, you see, so I projection-mapped raindrops onto a screen, and into the sky. It hid the wires for the stage, too!

Now then… How should I produce the next event?

Say what you will, but the SIV-LIVE event was pretty slickly produced. Seems like the rumors about Hatanaka have at least some basis in reality.

And there’s this guy. He’s tucked back in the far corner of Shibuya, way past Carabia and the exchange that heads to the 106. I dunno why they put him so far back there, but I guess we might as well see what he wants.

Hey, you! Give my luck back at once! I can’t win on these new machines without it…!

Oh, he’s a pachinko player. He probably deserves whatever happened, but I guess we should see what the hell he’s talking about.

Hey, don’t you pretend you don’t know what I’m talkin’ about! That item is super rare! When’d you steal it from me!? Was it when I stopped at the convience store? Or when I was eatin’ ramen? Maybe when I was smokin’ by the station!?

That’s my good luck charm! Give it back, damn you!

(Fine, I guess I’ll search the area…)

Man, it sure was nice of him to detail exactly where he’s been.

Sure enough, a handful of shinies have appeared around the area. They’re all cheap, consumable items like an umbrella (minor lance damage) or a flashlight (item version of Lightoma), and none of them seem like they’re quite what he’s looking for, so maybe we’ll come back to him in a bit.

A production team is hanging out in front of the cafe, lamenting about how they’ll have to cancel the series. Sounds like we found our man.

Polygamy suddenly becomes legalized…and Koichiro, Nanami, and Makiko get married…and live happily ever after…

You expect me to believe this man is the head writer for a show called Love-Hate Cliche? This is some weak shit, game.

Anyway, Aya tells us to hit up the 106 building to find our wayward demon friend. Sounds like a plan!

Just before the Hee-Ho Mart, there’s an inconspicuous rack that has the magazine we need for the kid at the department store. But which one could it possibly be???

Mama Toujours… A parenting magazine with toy reviews, family recipes, articles on kids’ fashion and activities… Hey, it even comes with a section of coloring pages!

After all, there’s no need to get a copy of Food Informer. Itsuki already subscribes to that one, and what else could he possibly need?

(Eh? There’s something at the man’s feet… You think that might be…?)

Huh? …Wh-Whoa! It must’ve fallen out! How dumb! It’s always where you least expect, right? Sorry 'bout that, man. Hahaha!

Say, what’s with the look? Let’s jus’ let bygones be bygones, right? Look, I’m sorry for accusin’ ya. Tell ya what, I’ll win big and make it up to you! Here I come, all you new machines!

Request complete! Obtained Glass Cateye as thanks!

The Glass Cateye is actually a really solid accessory for the moment, granting both Strength and Magic +2, along with a slight armor boost. It works best on someone like Itsuki who frequently mixes magic and physicals, but Tsubasa could also get some decent mileage out of it.

Now, back to the department store to give that girl her magazine.

Oh, that’s the magazine I was talking about! Thank you, mister! Now I have something to color!

Request complete! Obtained Colored Pencil as thanks.

The colored pencil is a lot less useful, granting Skill +10 and not a whole lot else. I suppose Touma might find it mildly useful if you feel that he’s not accurate enough for you, but this is almost certainly going to be a downgrade on everyone else.

This guy is a little harder to find, but that’s more due to the fact that Illusory 106 has a lot of nooks and crannies to search, on top of having 7 floors.

This time around, we have a pair of Skellingtons and a Bacillus, all L30. It’s a significantly easier fight than the last one for several reasons, but really, most of it comes down to “We’ve got a better selection of skills and there’s a lot less of them”.

It does let me show a combo breaker, though. The Skellingtons null ice, so there’s a red frowny face next to Kiria’s attack in the session lineup, as well as her portrait going all red and glitchy in the background.

Really, the only serious threat here is the Bacillus getting too lucky with Marin Karin and charming the team. Even using a Tier 2 spell, these guys do less than half of Tsubasa’s health per hit.

Dancer’s Gift just gives Tsubasa Endless Song, which functions identically to Kiria’s version.

And Kiria herself picks up Bufula. It’s not a massive power increase, but it’s nice to have all the same.

Shortly thereafter, Itsuki picks up this, which unlocks Great Director Itsuki. It does exactly what you think it does.

I thought she might falter, but when she thought only of meeting with her fans, she moved past it… Hah. How very Tsubasa.

Perhaps the ends justified the means, but talking to all of those women… Bah, I’m still uneasy. What if this happens again?

Well, that worked out. Maiko’s safe and sound, and no casualties involved… So, how was it? Nice to have some hexes on your side?

Since we’re hanging around in the Bloom Garden anyway, I figured it was a good opportunity to catch up with the mirages.

With the demon in I-106 taken care of, our writer friend is back to normal. Let’s see what he’s come up with for the season finale.

Nanami wavers amidst Sojiro’s love! The cash register clerk is hurt and betrayed! Koichiro wrestles with his dilemma! This’ll really spice up the final episode! Heheheh! More love! More hate!

Tch, it would be a waste to let it end here! A sequel! Yeah, I’ll write Love-Hate Cliche 2!

(It looks like everything will be okay now. Let’s head back to the office.)

Good work, Itsuki. I’m really looking forward to the finale of Cliche, so this is a huge relief.

Itsuki, make sure you don’t date more than one girl at a time, okay? Because that only leads to drama.

giggle Just kidding. If I hear any other suspicious rumors, I’ll let you know.

Aya, please. You’re assuming that Itsuki could date one girl, let alone multiple. He doesn’t even realize your sister’s feelings, I don’t think we have to worry about him on that front.

Anyway, that’s it for Intermission 2. Time to head for Chapter 3!

Strike a Pose

U-Understood!

Okay, why don’t we take a little break before we go on. Next is showing off your wardrobe and accessories!

Tsubasa managed to take a big step forward with all her modeling work… So now it’s your turn, Itsuki. Didn’t this whole experience get you thinking at all?

I had no idea so much detail went into this… You and Mr. Horinozawa are so passionate about these photo shoots.

Hm… If you can feel our passion, then you might be on the right track to becoming a true professional. Amateurs usually don’t recognize the emotion that goes into making those photos… Looks as though you’re improving as a member of the industry, too.

Hey, hey! Break time’s over! Back to training! Move, move, move!

Itsuki Aoi has grown as an entertainer and has become “New Talent”! Itsuki has acquired the special peformance Strike a Pose!

Strike a Pose is another incredibly situational, but extremely powerful skill. For 2 SP, it just literally gives the rest of your party a free turn. Its effectiveness really depends on what kind of situation you’re in and what your current status is, because 2 SP is pretty pricey to use for healing up from a rough spot when that would give you two Debut Smiles.

Next time, we’re headed to Chapter 3 and the return of Barry. See you then!

[blahmoomoo]

I think Strike a Pose also gives Itsuki a free turn, but of course the first turn is consumed by using Strike a Pose.

Apparently Skill is useful for certain moves that mention that Skill improves them in their descriptions, though I don’t know how useful +10 Skill is for that sort of thing.

[Fefnir]

I would say I want to see Itsuki doing a Jojo pose, but honestly the closest he can get is probably a nearly-enthused thumbs up.

[thetoughestbean]

I love this game, but damn Itsuki’s a wet piece of cardboard.

[Artix]

A 3D Angel From the Heavens

Oh, yes, I have everything… but I hope you remembered to bring your phone charger this time, Uncle Barry.

Ohhh nooo! Gah, I’m so dumb! Guess I forgot to bring it today too!

Sigh Not again. I don’t need mine for the rest of the day… Here, you can borrow it.

Oh, thank you, Mamori! You truly are a real live 3D angel from the heavens!

An angel? I don’t know about that.

Mamori, isn’t it time for you to head back to the studio? Ayaha’s waiting for you.

Oh, I almost forgot!

Come on, Itsuki, send her off with a good word.

Good luck with the recording. I’ll see you later.

Thank you. I’ll do my best! Goodbye then.

You don’t have to say it like that!

Can you believe him, Itsuki? Barry keeps “forgetting” his charger on purpose so he can borrow Mamori’s.

Wh-What’s wrong about that!? I’m the founding member of the Mamori Minamoto unofficial fan club!

I’m pretty sure a fan club doesn’t really have anything to do with this…

That pure innocence, that heartwarming smile, and that cuteness that just makes you want to protect her…! Mamori is too good - too pure - for this world, and her unofficial fan club will shield her from the world’s corruption!

…

Oh, I just heard about that recently. It’s the show that Mamori’s on, right?

Mhm. It’s really doing fantastic in the ratings.

It’s all thanks to Mamori. She’s the most popular child star on the air!

As you can see, she’s getting a lot of fans like…this. What I’d LIKE to do is use her popularity to give her a chance to sing, but…

Now that you mention it… I remember Mamori saying that she wanted to work jobs in which she can sing.

She’s a good girl and a hard worker. She does like the job she has…but I’d like to get her some singing gigs.

Mamori makes a great hostess, but she really loves to sing… I can’t wait to see her shine onstage as a singer! Which is why, as the head of the unofficial fan club, I swear I’ll find something I can do to help her!

Yeah, I noticed…

You’d never believe he used to be that incredible guitarist… You know, he even used to be a Mirage Master.

Wh- Really!?

Yes. But during a battle with a powerful Mirage, he ended up sacrificing all the power he had, and he lost his Mirage…

Barry felt responsible, and he fell into an awful depression… That was about when he quit the band. And then… Well, a lot happened in between, but now he’s ended up our instructor.

I never knew Barry had a past like that… So… Since Mamori works with this company, does that mean she’s a Mirage Master too?

Mamori’s not a Master. She has the potential to be one, however.

Potential? Then does she also know about the Mirages?

No. I haven’t told her anything yet.

She does have the aptitude… but I don’t know if I want someone that young mixed into this fight. So, Itsuki… if the worst happens, I want you to be there for her. Okay?

Understood.

Oh… it’s about time I head out, too. See you later, Itsuki.

Given everything else so far, Barry being a former master isn’t much of a surprise. The obsession over Mamori is a little creepy though.

A few days later…

O-Oh no… Now I’m getting all nervous thinking about how many people actually saw me in it…

What’re you so anxious for…? You’re in show business. The whole point is to get everyone’s eyes on you.

Wha-!?

Mamori?

What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?

L-Live on TV! Special feature! I’ve been chosen to be on “Serenade”! It’s been my dream to get to perform on it!

Uh… “Serenade”?

“Soulful Serenade”! Um, most people just call it “Serenade.” It’s an hour-long show on Daitou TV for traditional Japanese ballads, but they want to do a special two-hour show.

Oh, “Serenade” is so amazing! All my favorite artists are going to be performing!

So…you’re saying you’ll get to perform in this show you really like?

…Barry did?

He said he was friends with someone on the show. Apparently his friend watches “Microwavin’ with Mamorin,” too!

That’s great that you get to be on such a big show… Congratulations, Mamori.

Thank you! Oh, I’m so excited! I have to go to rehearsal now. I’ll do my best!

Mamori left the office…

Huh. So Barry does have some connections that are worth a damn. I guess being the president of the Mamori fanclub isn’t entirely showboating.

Barry’s with her, so she should be fine. I’m sure she’s relaxed and enjoying being on the show.

Putting that aside… Itsuki.

Yes?

There’s… actually something that we were able to find out during that whole Horinozawa incident. Apparently he started acting differently when he took a job from Daiba TV to shoot some promotional photos.

Daiba TV… That’s where I had my audition…

So that network was involved in both cases: Tsubasa’s audition, and the incident with Mr. Horinozawa… That’s a little suspicious. Do you think Daiba TV is involved in some way…?

Seems plausible. I think there’s a good chance the one behind all this is someone within the company.

You think so too, huh? I don’t want to jump to conclusions… but we don’t exactly have any other leads.

Why would it be a bad thing?

People go in and out of those stations all the time.

Oh, right… That is true…

Then again, we may have our winning ticket here. I’ll just have to make sure all our numbers line up first.

[quote] Currently working hard!

I should be able to make it back before Mamori’s part starts… but just in case could you record it for me?[/quote]

So that’s our setup for Chapter 3. If “The Next Generation” wasn’t subtle enough for you, it’s mostly about Barry and his relationship to Mamori, so we’ll see how that ends up unfolding.

Anyway, we’re given control back here, but it lasts for literally five steps before the next cutscene starts. At least there’s a good reason for it this time.

Explaining Myself to the Incompetent

Well, look who decided to make a house call.

So… this is it.

Huh? Y-Yashiro!?

What exactly are you doing here…?

Hm. No sign of her.

Tiki!?

Ah - you mean…the Uta-loid Tiki…?

You know Itsuki, call me crazy but I don’t think playing dumb is going to work here.

No. Not the Uta-loid Tiki - the Mirage Tiki. I know Fortuna is hiding her here somewhere.

…What do you want with her?

It’s not your concern, and I doubt you’d understand. Explaining myself to the incompetent is a luxury I do not have.

I’m not going to take someone to see my friend if they won’t tell me their intentions.

“Friend,” is it…? Ludicrous. Hand over Tiki - that is my one demand.

Sorry, but I can’t do that.

I see… Then I hardly need waste any more time on you.

There…

I can’t believe hiding our secret spirit garden in the closet wasn’t a fool-proof plan. How did he see through our cunning security measures?

…What do you plan on doing to Tiki!?

I warn you: do not try to stop me. I can’t afford to waste any more of my time on your delusions. If you mean to stand in my way, you shall suffer the consequences!

Wait, what?

Oh. Well then. We could be here for hours dissecting this Nomura-ass outfit, but that’s kind of secondary to “Oh yeah, we have to fight Yashiro now.”

Yashiro’s a Mirage Master too!?

…You will stand down.

No… I refuse to!

So Yashiro is L35 and is a boss in all but name, including getting multiple turns and whatnot.

His primary method of attack is to toss out a pair of Cleaves. He doesn’t hit particularly hard, so this is what you want to see whenever possible. After all, he has far more damaging attacks up his sleeve.

Like this one.

Yeah, he’s an event boss you’re supposed to lose to. I don’t know what the exact trigger is, but it’s either a couple turns or knocking off about a third of his health.

Do you simply not understand the difference in our strength? Hand Tiki over. Immediately.

Guh… Everyone all right…?

S-Somehow…

H-He’s tough…

Hm. Insufficient, even with Kurono.

Guh…

Who… Who are you? How do you know who I am?

It’s me - Yashiro Tsurugi. …You don’t recognize me? We met that day… Five years ago!

I-I’m sorry… I… don’t remember… anything.

Nngh…

Big brother!

So… Tiki truly has lost all her memories?

Y-Yeah…

…I see. Then…I suppose it was all for nothing.

For nothing? What do you mean?

…

And with that, he just walks out. It’s not entirely clear what this was about or what Yashiro wants, but one thing has been made abundantly clear: Yashiro is not our friend.

How did Yashiro know about Tiki…?

He was involved in the disappearance five years ago as well. Although I’m not too clear on the details…

What?

His father, Chikaomi Tsurugi, disappeared onstage. That trauma might be why he only fights alone…

Are our strengths…really that far apart? How humiliating… I thought I’d be evenly matched against Yashiro…but I didn’t stand a chance. If I only were stronger…

We just have to do it our way. We’ll get stronger together, Kiria, and we’ll win next time.

Yeah… Guess you’re right. There’s no point getting depressed over it.

Suddenly, Ellie runs in. Sure would have been nice to have you here five minutes ago!

I finally found you guys! Something awful’s happened! The “Serenade” studio is being attacked by Mirages!

Surprise, we’re already at the Chapter 3 dungeon.

What the hell!? Itsuki, what do we do?

…Let’s head back to the office.

Punching Out the President

Is that who I think it is?

The recording studio for “Serenade” was Daitou TV…

So a Mirage incident occurred somewhere other than Daiba TV…

Yeah. Looks like we probably shouldn’t focus on them after all.

It sure is, Tsubasa. It sure is.

Yeah. There’s no mistaking it…

Barry’s not a Master anymore…so he must have not been able to stop the Mirage, and it took him over.

This isn’t good… Wait, that means that Mamori’s also-

She’s in danger… She’s still at the “Serenade” studio.

I’m worried about them. Let’s head to the TV station!

Sounds like a plan!

You too, Ellie?

I’m a Master as well. Or did you forget?

Oh, right… You are…

Wha- Don’t tell me you ACTUALLY forgot!?

Anyway, if our friend’s in danger, we save them, even if it means punching out the president - THAT’s Hollywood! And who knows? Maybe Virion and I will get to show you some flashy sharpshooting archery, too.

I’ll be counting on it.

All right, onward to Daitou TV. We’re rescuing Mamori!

[WordOnTheWind]

That pure innocence, that heartwarming smile, and that cuteness that just makes you want to protect her…! Mamori is too good - too pure - for this world, and her unofficial fan club will shield her from the world’s corruption!

By robbing her under self-righteous pretenses…?

Also: Barf. I scored a double-bogey on prediction. At least I -did- call that Virion would be the archer.

[BellaDante]

Honestly I feel Barry just comes off as creepy, like I get what they were going for its just weird. Also as someone whose played this game seeing people’s predictions is

[RadicalEddie]

At least I -did- call that Virion would be the archer.

Please, please look forward to his appearance. That’s all I ask.

[Fefnir]

Who would have thought that the bright blue door marked with the Fire Emblem would be a dead giveaway to Tiki’s location. Yashiro must be a master detective to have figured that one out.
I didn’t think Eleonora would be using Virion, but at least you’ll be getting a bow user soon. I should have figured Yashiro, the anime rival, would be Navarre. And I’m guessing that Barry is either being possessed by a generic barbarian, or Vaike reclassed.

[WordOnTheWind]

Please, please look forward to his appearance. That’s all I ask.

[Artix]

So you might notice that things have been uh…quiet. Work’s been kicking my ass and I haven’t had any real time to put together any updates. I have been doing work (I just recorded like 4 hours of the game this morning) but I don’t know when I’ll be able to put it all together, maybe later this week? We’ll see.

[Artix]

[quote] I feel something really bad…and heavy… Yeah, it feels really heavy.
I think this is all coming from that place you were all looking at on TV. I think it’s called Daitou TV Station?
It’s going to be your first time going there, right? Make sure to be careful.[/quote]

So, last time Daitou TV was under attack by a possessed Barry. That sure went south fast!

…

…Oh, and I guess we got a new party member or something? I’m sure it wasn’t that important.

[quote] All right, contact saved! This is Itsuki, right? Anyway…
Why did this have to happen now!? My first message was supposed to sound more like a Hollywood star…
[/quote]

Ellie is our resident archer, and like all pre-Fates archers, is fairly fast and accurate, passable on offense, and garbage otherwise. She doubles up on electricity (since we can’t remove Itsuki from the party), but she does get some fire skills to help with coverage and we’ve been wanting for bow damage since the first dungeon. Otherwise, there isn’t much to say about her other than the fact that she starts at Stage Rank 1. After all, she just got back from an overseas trip and stars in a TV show that gets really poor ratings. Why would anyone know who she is?

On an aesthetic note, Ellie probably has the best design of anyone in the party. The rose arrows are a great touch, and Virion is far and away the best party mirage. Look at that fucking rose pauldron. Look at it!

And here’s the man himself, just chilling in the Bloom Palace. Let’s get acquainted, shall we?

Aha! Itsuki, I presume?

Yeah, that’s me… And you are…?

I am the noble Mirage partnered with Ellie… My name is Virion, good sir, and it is my distinct pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Oh, so you’re Ellie’s Mirage. It’s a pleasure to meet you too.

As you have doubtless observed, dear Ellie is somewhat… rambunctious. As nobles, it is our duty to refine her into a lady of class!

Um, I’m not really a noble or anything…

Is that so? Strange… I could have sworn I felt a kinship! An aura of elegance, style, and fated grandeur! But no matter! Those of regal bearing and great nobility must act with all the magnanimity due of their station!

If the mood ever strikes you, please, come by again for a chat! Conversation, advice, or witticism - all I shall happily supply.

[quote]

Virion is a side character in the first generation of Awakening. He’s a deposed noble from Valm (the continent in Awakening’s second act, which you probably know better as Valentia these days) who finds himself assisting Chrom’s army after a surprise Risen attack. His main character trait is being a massive flirt, but he doesn’t fall into the same trap that someone like Sain does, where it’s his only character trait of note. Rather, each of his supports builds on that in interesting ways, such as how he teases Lissa about being a spy when he’s simply writing home to his parents, his assorted conquests give him all kinds of connections to finance the army, and he’s quite adept at reading and manipulating people (which he dresses up as “fortune telling”), just to name a few of his exploits.

Of course, all of this is undermined by being a pre-Fates archer, so uh…yeah. Maybe next game, buddy![/quote]

Ellie’s only available radiant skill slows down enemies on the field, which isn’t much to write home about considering we’re already faster than them.

Anyway, now that we’re done with all our errands, let’s get rolling. Onward to Daitou TV!

Daitou TV

Yep, this sure is a mirage attack.

Oh, Itsuki…

Thank goodness… You’re all right.

There was a big…shadowy monster that attacked me, but Uncle Barry shielded me and-

Where is he now?

Over there…

You’re going to go save him, right…? Can I come with you…?

Wait for us back at the office. Don’t worry, we’ll get Barry back safe.

Okay…

[quote] no doubt about it, ms. maiko. looks like the station was just attacked
we found mamori! can you send someone to pick her up? we’re heading into illusory daitou tv station
[/quote]

Sounds like Touma’s got his head in the game, so we’d better follow suit. To the idolasphere!

It’s a…giant Japanese garden? Yeah, sure, let’s go with that.

I’ll be counting on you, partner! Now let’s show them how it’s done in Hollywood.

Illusory DTV is divided into two halves, with each one having the same basic structure. There’s a large central building with four exits in the cardinal directions, and a sprawling set of paths that go around to each of the doors. This time around, there’s a handful of tasks we need to do in order to set the stage and move on, but we’ll see more about that once we get inside.

New enemies! The Blackwing Knights are the big ones, because now that Ellie’s here, we finally have a good answer to enemy fliers. They’re packing the usual assortment of lance skills and are weak to bows and wind, so we can clown on them pretty effortlessly. The Phantom, aside from being dapper as fuck, is just another enemy in the ghost family - weak to electricity and bows.

This, incidentally, is the big reason we got Bow-Thunder on Itsuki. Ellie’s starting skills leave a lot to be desired, with only Lance-Snipe and Sword-Plasma as session skills, and absolutely no one can pick up from her bow skills without Itsuki as a bridge. Itsuki/Tsubasa/Ellie is probably the best possible party for getting her going, which is pretty unfortunate because that’s not a great damage-dealing party.

On our way to the west entrance, we come across an unlit lantern. Just keep it in mind for now, it’ll be important in a bit.

And if we poke around on the decks a bit, we’ll find another lantern and a new Performa (Garden Artistry) by the west door.

Red Mages crumble to basically any physical attack, but they are packing some Tier 2 spells so don’t underestimate them in large numbers. Fortunately, they mostly spawn with Phantoms, which are far less threatening.

And our last new enemy for the moment, Infernos are basically just big buckets of HP. As you can probably guess, they’re fire-elemental and hit like a truck if you let them, but they’re weak to most other elements, especially ice - Kiria especially just chews through these poor guys. Just be careful if Touma is hanging around, because I’m pretty sure this is the first instance of an enemy absorbing an element.

Inside the building, the door to the south is blocked off by an orange barrier…

…And there’s a demon just standing around here. Let’s see what he wants from us.

First job: Get the stage nice and ready! Turn on all four of the lanterns outside! Report to me when you finish, then we’ll go to the set inside and I’ll give you your next assignment.

I-I understand!

All riiiiiight. Good answer, good answer. I’m expecting good things!

(I guess he’ll lead us inside if we finish our tasks… It seems simple enough. We might as well humor him.)

As Itsuki says, it’s simple enough. Light the four lanterns, and you can move on to the second floor.

Now that we’ve spoken to the director, this menu option pops up. From here, we’ll head back into the main building and go out the north door.

Past that, there’s the instructions for all the assorted tasks we’ll be doing in the dungeon. It’s…nice, I guess? But ultimately not very useful, because you can always just talk to the director if you need a refresher.

Der Freischütz increases Ellie’s crit rate with Bow skills. She’s already fairly critty because of her high skill, and this just makes her moreso.

And Kiria trades out Lullaby Song for Zan. Really, I should have dumped Flux, but either way this gives Kiria more or less complete elemental coverage and lets her sub in for both Tsubasa and Touma as needed.

The north area is fairly small and there isn’t much to it other than the lantern. However, we can sneak down a small side path to grab a pair of Mazan stones.

The area to the east is incredibly small, literally a single path that leads out to the lantern, but it makes up for that by going down and around to connect with the southern part of the docks. That one-way wall is the other side of the one you can see from the entrance.

Ellie picks up Skill Boost and Itsuki takes a pass on Wyrmslayer. Wyvern Riders are flyers and half of them are weak to electricity anyway, so it’s not nearly as imperative as some other skills are.

Wicked Lips is a fun one, slightly cutting the cost of all offensive magic. In practice, it’s largely useless simply because Kiria already has the closest thing to a bottomless EP pool, so this just makes it even more bottomless.

Tucked away in a corner is a pair of smoke machines. They’re nice, but smoke machines are incredibly cheap to buy and they’re so useful that there’s no reason to not be walking around with 20 of them at all times.

And in the farthest corner of the first set, we find a treasure key and a Bead Chain. This one’s fairly easy to miss, and it’s probably the best treasure on the entire floor!

With that, all four lanterns are lit. We could go see what the director wants next, but we could use an EP top-off before doing another dive, so back to the office.

You know what? Sure, lay it on us Aya.

Do you know the late-night gourmet TV show “Food Heaven”? Despite being on so late, the show is very popular and usually earns a rating of 15% thanks to its charismatic host Himemaro.

Recently, however, the ratings have been falling. From what I hear, it’s due to Himemaro’s poor performance…

They’re taping Food Heaven in Shibuya right now, could you got to the Gourmet House to check on her? If something’s wrong, please let me know.

A food critic? Now this is something near and dear to Itsuki’s heart. Don’t you worry, Aya. If there was ever a time you had the right man on the case, this is it.

This is also the first point at which we have a serious prestige crunch. Between Tsubasa and Ellie, six of our ten 3-star prestiges get eaten up in Radiant Skills, and that’s before we even start talking about the six or so new weapons we could forge (each of which requires 3-5 3-stars a piece).

Ultimately, I settle on making the Lilith Rod. Not because it’s particularly better than any of the other options, just that Kiria is going to be the first one to need a new weapon, so we might as well have it ready.

Anyway, next time we’ll finish up the first set and see what’s going on with our wayward food critic. See you all then!

[XainZero]

Ellie being Stage Rank 1 is one of my favorite little touches in the game.

[Fefnir]

Virion is probably the most stand-like design in this game thus far, though it would probably be more so if he had a rose brooch instead of a heart. Gotta have that consistent thematic design.

[WordOnTheWind]

It just occurred to me that we’ll probably be getting Aya as a Peg Knight later and Mamori even later as an Est Archetype, probably with Est herself for that matter making her Peg number three. Though since Itsuki can’t be pulled from the line-up, I’m not certain how they’d squeeze in a Triangle-Attack.