Code Realize: Part 4 (Chapters 5 and 6)
Dec. 28th, 2018 09:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alias_sqbrMasterlist of Code Realize posts
This section covers some heavy stuff to do with war crimes. I had a lot of feels!
There is a silly scene where Victor, who is in charge of finances, explains just how poor they are after everyone went over budget for the heist (...especially him)
Impey: Saint-G, why don't we sell off some of your antiques?
Saint-Germain: I trust you'll be prepared to endure a suitable punishment ^_^
Impey: D:
Saint-Germain, in English: If man will not work, he shall not eat.
It's so weird when they use English, somehow it makes me more aware of them as Japanese speakers playing English speakers.
...ok so I looked up the real Saint-Germain and HMM. A legendary figure based on someone who'd be around 150 at this point. Also, he claimed to be from Transylvania before it was cool. With all the clocks and numbers in the character's design I wonder if he's immortal, or a time traveller...
Van Helsing: Lupin can just steal from those who obtain money illegally.
Lupin: But that would be a crime!
Van Helsing: You're...a theif...
Lupin: A gentleman theif. I punish bad guys and return the money to the original owner...minus a handling fee. But I never do it for personal gain.
A "London Firm" (mafia) auction is offering a bounty on a theif targeting "Nosferatu's Saber", a necklace that belonged to vampire royalty. Van Helsing looks at the photo broodingly.
Another "Do you agree with this dangerous job" choice, looks like the bold to cautious spectrum is Van Helsing, Impey, Saint-Germain, Victor. It feels like there's probably a boldness stat being tracked, if only in effect. And I've almost certainly been playing too bold for Victor oops.
When they meet the other bounty hunters Van Helsing tells Cardia they're insignificant and she could easily handle any of them.
OOOH ROYAL GUARD LEONHARDT IS HERE (the guy who first kidnapped Cardia for Twilight way back) but he's busy being hassled for looking like a cop haha.
Bounty hunter: Wait is that Van Helsing? I heard he and his partner brought down a whole vampire lair during the war!
Oooh, partner, huh?
Cardia feels bad knowing the thief will be tortured and killed. Saint-Germain agrees and offers a one time loan instead...if they catch the theif and give him to Leonhardt to be sent to jail. He plays it off as an eccentric whim but quietly tells Cardia her looking sad may have had something to do with it.
"This priceless antique was worn by Delacroix, leader of the vampires in the infamous Vampire War. It's said that items owned by vampires imbue special powers!"
Oooh, I noticed a Delacroix in the character list for this game. I once named a vampire Delacroix before realising how many other writers have also gone "fancy French name meaning 'of the cross'" = vampire lol.
Androgynous voice: Filthy humans! As promised, I am gracing you with my presence to take back what is mine!
Oooh, a vampire theif!
A TINY ADORABLE LITTLE BOY VAMPIRE THEIF
WITH TINY ADORABLE LITTLE VAMPIRE FANGS
haha aw. Cardia, lacking genre awareness, goes to save this poor innocent child from the bounty hunter about to slap him, but Van Helsing stops her, and the bounty hunter goes flying.
Delacroix: I am the King of the Night, Leader of the Nosferatu, and heir to the Delcroix name. I am Delacroix II!!
*realises who his haircut reminds me of* Omg he's a tiny baby Kazama.
Delacroix: The suffering endured by our people will be equally shared by all of you!
The crowd runs, terrified of reprisals for the "Vampire War", which from Saint-Germain's description was more of a genocide D: I'm cautiously optimistic that the writers won't take this to an awful place since they did ok with similar (and to them, more personally fraught) themes in Hakuoki.
Victor: Obviously it would be wrong to give you to the mafia, but just turn yourself in to the police.
Victor, that was only the nice option before we found out his entire species are considered vermin.
Van Helsing: It's been a while, 'son of the dragon'.
Ok I am quite sure he used the word "Dracul" there. Which does mean dragon but...Oop yeah and then Van Helsing straight up just calls him Dracula. You know, reading the novel Dracula, I did ponder how one might translate it into the Hakuoki universe, and this...is not what I was imagining. MORE FOOL ME.
Delacroix: I've left that name behind and taken the name of my father!
Van Helsing: Keep going this way and you will fall to the darkness...just like me.
Delacroix: AHHHHHHH >:( I'll kill you!
Van Helsing: Unfortunately, I can't die just yet.
Their fight is interrupted by the bounty hunters.
Delacroix: Van Helsing...I'll wait for you at the place where you murdered my father. If you don't come, I will hunt you down, and every last person who is important to you. That goes for the rest of you as well! *runs off*
That night Victor tells Cardia he looked into Delacroix's previous "crimes" and in every case he was reclaiming his family's heirlooms. Apparently Van Helsing ended the Vampire War by killing Delacroix I and "his entire clan".
Cardia: Was that necessary?
Victor: We were all told vampires were trying to wipe out humanity...but I don't know if that was true. The one thing I can say for sure is that war is formalized murder. It has no justice.
nb: in Japanese, "Delacroix" and "Dracula" sound pretty similar. This kid has the more sympathetic parts of the angrily oppressed demon dudes from Hakuoki (Kazama, Kodo, and Kaoru) but any sympathy towards him is entirely platonic rather than familial or romantic, and his actions are less villainous. Still pondering how I feel about it, it's less morally messy but also a bit heavy handed, or something.
Cardia finds a sad looking Van Helsing in the garden. She asks him if he really did kill Delacroix I and he pauses then softly says "yes".
Lying in bed, thinking, Cardia decides that everyone lives under the burden of their pasts.
The next day Van Helsing takes them to the rendezvous with Delacroix, in Scotland.
IS DRACULA SCOTTISH. I don't usually want an English dub of visual novels but this one would be amazing.
Cardia doesn't want either of them to die, but Van Helsing refuses to explain what he's planning.
They come to an abandoned mansion and Impey feels melancholybecause he is secretly a vampire. Van Helsing explains that Delacroix is so strong because he's pureblooded, while many vampires have mixed with humans.
Saint-Germain: I suppose love knows no boundaries, even species ^_^ *is secretly an alien or something*
Van Helsing tells the others not to interfere and then says Delacroix is welcome to try to kill him. He defensively avoids Delacroix's punches, which just makes the boy angrier.
Having seen how Delacroix wiped the floor with a room full of bounty hunters, Cardia wonders if Van Helsing is as superhuman as Delacroix. And then she remembers being called a monster herself.
Suddenly, Van Helsing fights back, and Delacroix ends up bleeding on the floor facing Van Helsing's shotgun.
(his sad little face ;_;)
Delacroix: Why are you being merciful now, when it's too late? Because of you, Mother and Father are dead!
He leaps at Van Helsing and is shot and falls to the ground...riddled with rock salt. He gets up again and again, crying out in pain every time he is shot.
Van Helsing: It should be clear now that you cannot defeat me. And stop stealing, humans can be more cruel than you can imagine, you're going to get hurt. Stop trying to take your revenge on the entire human race.
Delacroix: I will never forgive you for betraying my parents kindness!
Van Helsing: Yes, I'm the only one deserving your ire. You can't kill me just yet, there is something I must do. But once that's over, I'll gladly give myself over to you to be killed. I deserve that much.
Delacroix: Are you trying to atone? I could never face Mother and Father, knowing I had accepted your sympathy. SO JUST KILL ME!
And then he bursts into tears.
"I don't know the truth behind the war two years ago...But to me, Delacroix II and Van Helsing both look like victims carrying their sadness from those events."
Cardia: Can we bring him back with us?
Victor and Impey: ...no?
Delacroix: Why do you even care?
Cardia: My life has not been as difficult as yours, but I know a little about loneliness.
Delacroix: So you presume to know how I feel, and think you can 'save' me?
Cardia: I'm sorry.
Delacroix: This is the mausoleum of my people- my family. A tomb needs a keeper.
;_;
Van Helsing: Isn't your first priority revenge?
Me: Jesus, Van Helsing, have some tact
Van Helsing: For the sake of those you've lost, you need to keep an eye on me, so I don't change my mind and run away. Kill me someday. Then you can return to this place, with that act as your memorial to them.
Delacroix: Can I trust you, Van Helsing?
Van Helsing: Yes. I don't think something as small as this will atone for my crime. But it's all I can offer.
And so, in a soft voice, Delacroix agrees to come with them.
ahhhh???? Feelings???? I AM HAVING FEELINGS.
Part of me wants to read the vampires as a metaphor for English Jews and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Otomate could stand to have some actual ethnic minority characters in these stories about fantasy ethnic minorities (no, French people in England don't count, and neither do Japanese people in Japan) Like, they do these metaphors better than, say, Bioware, and Japanese writers have more excuse for being oblivious to ethnic diversity than Western ones, but if you're going to metaphorically poke at stuff like genocide and ethnic prejudice I think you need to make some effort. Compare Full Metal Alchemist, which has Actual Brown People.
And then! There is the unexpected return of our old friend THIRD PERSON OMNIPOTENT POV
Finis stares at the ceiling of Twilight's headquarters, St Paul's Cathedral. How delightfully sacrilegious. And wait, no, this is third person limited from Finis's point of view. Also I just found out he gets a platonic route which...ok then! THAT SHOULD BE FUN.
Anyway, Finis finds peace of mind in the magnificence Isaac loved. Aleister comes in and says it seems "something more" is opposing their efforts to find Cardia etc.
Finis: Well pull out all the stops, we're in the final stages of our plan. And, Aleister: why did you let Van Helsing go? Is it because he was your apprentice? It's a bit of a relief to find out you're not entirely heartless. But remember, I rarely give out second chances.
"But Finis is in a good mood. Soon he can see his sister, and become one with her. That was his father's will."
*physically recoils from the screen*
Chapter 6: Negotiated Solution
A man in a gas mask runs through a charnel field of death.
Victor: What have I done?
A child reaching out for help...and then dying on the spot. And the person responsible...is himself. He screams, feeling as if his mind will break...
...and wakes in bed. It was a dream.
Delacroix refuses to leave his room. Van Helsing is down but NOT BECAUSE HE'S WORRIED ABOUT DELACROIX OR ANYTHING.
Noticing that everyone seems down, Impey suggests a big fancy meal, and Van Helsing offers to help. Impey says they can invite "Delly" (Della-chan). Just as he's pondering how he'll pay for it, along comes Lupin with a big bag of money.
Lupin: Just a bit of my "handling fee" ;)
Delly's not in his room and Cardia sees him in the garden playing with the dog Sisi and it's ADORABLE. Seeing Delly laugh fills her with joy and hope, and she remembers how happy everyone was when they saw her laugh for the first time.
Delly: You have the honour of serving under me! You shall have the highest seat in my army of darkness!
Sisi: Woof!
Delly gets defensive when Cardia comes along but wants to know more about Sisi. And then Lupin comes along and does a magic trick to reveal a suitcase full of...the rest of the Delacroix family heirlooms.
Delly: o.O ...I'm not going to thank you!!
Lupin: I should be thanking you, going after these artefacts allowed me to earn a large amount of money in a way I view ethical ^_^
Saint Germain goes food shopping with Cardia. She's amazed at how many bags he can carry and wonders if she could carry just as many. ME TOO. SHOW CARDIA BEING STRONG DAMMIT. And then she sees a news article about "Frankenstein's terrorist attack on a train".
Saint-Germain says it may be time for "countermeasures" then tells Cardia she has a training opportunity...because they're being followed.
They're surrounded by Twilight soldiers and Cardia says she'll distract them with a smoke bomb while Saint-Germain gets help. He appreciates her intentions but steps in front of her and...a wooden box comes out of nowhere and knocks the soldiers down? And then they run away??
And the person who threw the box was...Herlock Sholmes!! He's investigating Twilight, and also these mysterious thefts of vampire artifacts...
Cardia: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT >.>
Saint-Germain: Your genuine nature is charming but I will eventually have to teach you to hide your thoughts.
Sholmes says he's not their enemy...yet. But tomorrow he starts work for Scotland Yard, hunting down Victor.
Sholmes: I will always stand by the law, even if it's unjust. That is how we maintain order in society.
...wow that's OOC even for cultural osmosis Holmes. But I guess this is Sholmes, so. He suggests they leave Britain, so he won't catch them.
Saint Germain: There is another option ^_^ *visibly considers murdering Sholmes but doesn't want to upset Cardia*
Lupin: Sholmes is coming after us? D: I mean, uh. IT'S FINE. HE'S NOT SMARTER THAN ME OR ANYTHING.
Victor points out that while Twilight is after Cardia, the government is just after him.
Cardia: Nooo don't hand yourself in ;_;
Victor: I can't do that, I have something I need to achieve. But I can negotiate with them. I'm going to get Victoria on our side.
...ok, I assume we're not actually dealing with a Victor/Victoria situation here, but that would sure be quite the twist!
Victor says he'll get her to offer them protection and stop Twilight in exchange for him not revealing Certain Information to other countries.
Cardia: But there must be a reason you haven't done this before.
Victor: ...you're very perceptive. If she says no, I'll be locked up in a research lab forever.
Cardia's having fun in her room studying gun construction when she sees Victor angsting in the garden. She thanks him for putting himself in so much danger for everyone else.
Victor: You shouldn't be thanking me. I'm a terrible person.
Cardia: What? But you're kind and clever and courageous...
Victor: Thank you *sad, insincere smile* Anyway, you should go to bed, it's late.
Cardia: If you're still sitting out here, can I sit with you?
Victor: Why?
Cardia: Just because.
And then he smiles sincerely.
Lupin: If we're going to blackmail the queen, we have to look strong. So we'll show up at a knighting ceremony and use the public as hostages!
Victor: THAT WOULD BE ACTUAL TERRORISM
Lupin: I'm helping her not lose face when she gives in!
Cardia is delighted to be considered a useful member of the team, and Delly pretends not to be delighted to be left in charge of Sisi.
They're in a hotel preparing for the heist when Lupin and Saint-Germain notice that it's too quiet: the hotel is empty except for them.
Leonhardt: Testing. Testing...YOU ARE SURROUNDED! SURRENDER!!
Victor: I'll turn myself in and negotiate after I'm captured. It'll be fine!
Cardia: NOPE
Van Helsing: What if Twilight captures and tortures you and that leads them back to us?
Aw, what a softy
Sholmes: The greatest theif of our century is still just a criminal ^_^
Lupin: >:(
Leonhardt: Arsène Lupin! WE MEET AGAIN >:D
Sorry Leonhardt but Lupin's nemesis position is occupied.
They escape in the ornithopter...and then from behind Buckhingham Palace rises a GIANT MILITARY AIRSHIP shooting MISSILES
Citizen A: What is that? Is it a plane? Is it a bird?
Citizen B: Is it just me or is it getting closer...
*ornithopter crashes to the ground in a giant explosion of dirt*
...Evil Anime Empress Burlesque Bee Queen Victoria. Sure, why not. The glossary entry says actual radio hasn't been invented yet but they use the ether. Because otherwise that anachronism would ruin the otherwise airtight historical narrative, obviously.
Victoria laughs and calls Victor a disobedient puppy who used to be so respectful. She offers to let him live if he goes back to work for her.
Victor: Never!
Victoria: I see. Then would you like to die with your companions?
Me: Mmm, this negotiation is going great, Victor.
He threatens to release That Certain Information She Seeks to the rest of Europe.
Victoria: Your friends have changed you, Victor.
That's because of all the honey (at this point I think she's not a bee alien just super committed to an Aesthetic)
Victoria: Your doll-like appearance reminds me of that little boy Finis. If you're connected to his secret I'll want to keep you ^_^
See, Otomate, I knew you had it in you to write sexy female villains.
Victoria figures out that Victor's "detonator" is fake and tells him he's a terrible liar who should stick to science. But he takes out a test tube of explosive and she realises he's not bluffing this time.
Victoria: Do it. Death is a salvation. But a coward like you would hesitate to take a saviour's hand.
As he raises the tube, Cardia breaks free of Impey and stops Victor. Just as she's wondering what will happen next...Victoria agrees to the deal and says anyone who harms Victor or his companions is an enemy of the state? I'm not sure that makes sense but ok!
Everyone is celebrating at the mansion when Victor starts to talk about a lead on Isaac...and is interrupted by the doorbell.
HA I KNEW IT, IT'S SHOLMES. He's not their enemy any more after all. He's come to tell them Victoria got very pissy at Twilight for shooting missiles over London.
Of course Lupin is just pissed Sholmes found their house when he left NO CLUES DAMMIT.
My next prediction: There's apparently two chapters left of the common route, and I expect them to be about Impey and Saint-Germain respectively.
Chapter 7: Illegal race
Sounds like Impey-related car chase shenanigans to me! But the controller needs to be recharged so I'll stop here.
This section covers some heavy stuff to do with war crimes. I had a lot of feels!
There is a silly scene where Victor, who is in charge of finances, explains just how poor they are after everyone went over budget for the heist (...especially him)
Impey: Saint-G, why don't we sell off some of your antiques?
Saint-Germain: I trust you'll be prepared to endure a suitable punishment ^_^
Impey: D:
Saint-Germain, in English: If man will not work, he shall not eat.
It's so weird when they use English, somehow it makes me more aware of them as Japanese speakers playing English speakers.
...ok so I looked up the real Saint-Germain and HMM. A legendary figure based on someone who'd be around 150 at this point. Also, he claimed to be from Transylvania before it was cool. With all the clocks and numbers in the character's design I wonder if he's immortal, or a time traveller...
Van Helsing: Lupin can just steal from those who obtain money illegally.
Lupin: But that would be a crime!
Van Helsing: You're...a theif...
Lupin: A gentleman theif. I punish bad guys and return the money to the original owner...minus a handling fee. But I never do it for personal gain.
A "London Firm" (mafia) auction is offering a bounty on a theif targeting "Nosferatu's Saber", a necklace that belonged to vampire royalty. Van Helsing looks at the photo broodingly.
Another "Do you agree with this dangerous job" choice, looks like the bold to cautious spectrum is Van Helsing, Impey, Saint-Germain, Victor. It feels like there's probably a boldness stat being tracked, if only in effect. And I've almost certainly been playing too bold for Victor oops.
When they meet the other bounty hunters Van Helsing tells Cardia they're insignificant and she could easily handle any of them.
OOOH ROYAL GUARD LEONHARDT IS HERE (the guy who first kidnapped Cardia for Twilight way back) but he's busy being hassled for looking like a cop haha.
Bounty hunter: Wait is that Van Helsing? I heard he and his partner brought down a whole vampire lair during the war!
Oooh, partner, huh?
Cardia feels bad knowing the thief will be tortured and killed. Saint-Germain agrees and offers a one time loan instead...if they catch the theif and give him to Leonhardt to be sent to jail. He plays it off as an eccentric whim but quietly tells Cardia her looking sad may have had something to do with it.
"This priceless antique was worn by Delacroix, leader of the vampires in the infamous Vampire War. It's said that items owned by vampires imbue special powers!"
Oooh, I noticed a Delacroix in the character list for this game. I once named a vampire Delacroix before realising how many other writers have also gone "fancy French name meaning 'of the cross'" = vampire lol.
Androgynous voice: Filthy humans! As promised, I am gracing you with my presence to take back what is mine!
Oooh, a vampire theif!
A TINY ADORABLE LITTLE BOY VAMPIRE THEIF
WITH TINY ADORABLE LITTLE VAMPIRE FANGS
haha aw. Cardia, lacking genre awareness, goes to save this poor innocent child from the bounty hunter about to slap him, but Van Helsing stops her, and the bounty hunter goes flying.
Delacroix: I am the King of the Night, Leader of the Nosferatu, and heir to the Delcroix name. I am Delacroix II!!
*realises who his haircut reminds me of* Omg he's a tiny baby Kazama.
Delacroix: The suffering endured by our people will be equally shared by all of you!
The crowd runs, terrified of reprisals for the "Vampire War", which from Saint-Germain's description was more of a genocide D: I'm cautiously optimistic that the writers won't take this to an awful place since they did ok with similar (and to them, more personally fraught) themes in Hakuoki.
Victor: Obviously it would be wrong to give you to the mafia, but just turn yourself in to the police.
Victor, that was only the nice option before we found out his entire species are considered vermin.
Van Helsing: It's been a while, 'son of the dragon'.
Ok I am quite sure he used the word "Dracul" there. Which does mean dragon but...Oop yeah and then Van Helsing straight up just calls him Dracula. You know, reading the novel Dracula, I did ponder how one might translate it into the Hakuoki universe, and this...is not what I was imagining. MORE FOOL ME.
Delacroix: I've left that name behind and taken the name of my father!
Van Helsing: Keep going this way and you will fall to the darkness...just like me.
Delacroix: AHHHHHHH >:( I'll kill you!
Van Helsing: Unfortunately, I can't die just yet.
Their fight is interrupted by the bounty hunters.
Delacroix: Van Helsing...I'll wait for you at the place where you murdered my father. If you don't come, I will hunt you down, and every last person who is important to you. That goes for the rest of you as well! *runs off*
That night Victor tells Cardia he looked into Delacroix's previous "crimes" and in every case he was reclaiming his family's heirlooms. Apparently Van Helsing ended the Vampire War by killing Delacroix I and "his entire clan".
Cardia: Was that necessary?
Victor: We were all told vampires were trying to wipe out humanity...but I don't know if that was true. The one thing I can say for sure is that war is formalized murder. It has no justice.
nb: in Japanese, "Delacroix" and "Dracula" sound pretty similar. This kid has the more sympathetic parts of the angrily oppressed demon dudes from Hakuoki (Kazama, Kodo, and Kaoru) but any sympathy towards him is entirely platonic rather than familial or romantic, and his actions are less villainous. Still pondering how I feel about it, it's less morally messy but also a bit heavy handed, or something.
Cardia finds a sad looking Van Helsing in the garden. She asks him if he really did kill Delacroix I and he pauses then softly says "yes".
Lying in bed, thinking, Cardia decides that everyone lives under the burden of their pasts.
The next day Van Helsing takes them to the rendezvous with Delacroix, in Scotland.
IS DRACULA SCOTTISH. I don't usually want an English dub of visual novels but this one would be amazing.
Cardia doesn't want either of them to die, but Van Helsing refuses to explain what he's planning.
They come to an abandoned mansion and Impey feels melancholy
Saint-Germain: I suppose love knows no boundaries, even species ^_^ *is secretly an alien or something*
Van Helsing tells the others not to interfere and then says Delacroix is welcome to try to kill him. He defensively avoids Delacroix's punches, which just makes the boy angrier.
Having seen how Delacroix wiped the floor with a room full of bounty hunters, Cardia wonders if Van Helsing is as superhuman as Delacroix. And then she remembers being called a monster herself.
Suddenly, Van Helsing fights back, and Delacroix ends up bleeding on the floor facing Van Helsing's shotgun.
(his sad little face ;_;)
Delacroix: Why are you being merciful now, when it's too late? Because of you, Mother and Father are dead!
He leaps at Van Helsing and is shot and falls to the ground...riddled with rock salt. He gets up again and again, crying out in pain every time he is shot.
Van Helsing: It should be clear now that you cannot defeat me. And stop stealing, humans can be more cruel than you can imagine, you're going to get hurt. Stop trying to take your revenge on the entire human race.
Delacroix: I will never forgive you for betraying my parents kindness!
Van Helsing: Yes, I'm the only one deserving your ire. You can't kill me just yet, there is something I must do. But once that's over, I'll gladly give myself over to you to be killed. I deserve that much.
Delacroix: Are you trying to atone? I could never face Mother and Father, knowing I had accepted your sympathy. SO JUST KILL ME!
And then he bursts into tears.
"I don't know the truth behind the war two years ago...But to me, Delacroix II and Van Helsing both look like victims carrying their sadness from those events."
Cardia: Can we bring him back with us?
Victor and Impey: ...no?
Delacroix: Why do you even care?
Cardia: My life has not been as difficult as yours, but I know a little about loneliness.
Delacroix: So you presume to know how I feel, and think you can 'save' me?
Cardia: I'm sorry.
Delacroix: This is the mausoleum of my people- my family. A tomb needs a keeper.
;_;
Van Helsing: Isn't your first priority revenge?
Me: Jesus, Van Helsing, have some tact
Van Helsing: For the sake of those you've lost, you need to keep an eye on me, so I don't change my mind and run away. Kill me someday. Then you can return to this place, with that act as your memorial to them.
Delacroix: Can I trust you, Van Helsing?
Van Helsing: Yes. I don't think something as small as this will atone for my crime. But it's all I can offer.
And so, in a soft voice, Delacroix agrees to come with them.
ahhhh???? Feelings???? I AM HAVING FEELINGS.
Part of me wants to read the vampires as a metaphor for English Jews and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Otomate could stand to have some actual ethnic minority characters in these stories about fantasy ethnic minorities (no, French people in England don't count, and neither do Japanese people in Japan) Like, they do these metaphors better than, say, Bioware, and Japanese writers have more excuse for being oblivious to ethnic diversity than Western ones, but if you're going to metaphorically poke at stuff like genocide and ethnic prejudice I think you need to make some effort. Compare Full Metal Alchemist, which has Actual Brown People.
And then! There is the unexpected return of our old friend THIRD PERSON OMNIPOTENT POV
Finis stares at the ceiling of Twilight's headquarters, St Paul's Cathedral. How delightfully sacrilegious. And wait, no, this is third person limited from Finis's point of view. Also I just found out he gets a platonic route which...ok then! THAT SHOULD BE FUN.
Anyway, Finis finds peace of mind in the magnificence Isaac loved. Aleister comes in and says it seems "something more" is opposing their efforts to find Cardia etc.
Finis: Well pull out all the stops, we're in the final stages of our plan. And, Aleister: why did you let Van Helsing go? Is it because he was your apprentice? It's a bit of a relief to find out you're not entirely heartless. But remember, I rarely give out second chances.
"But Finis is in a good mood. Soon he can see his sister, and become one with her. That was his father's will."
*physically recoils from the screen*
Chapter 6: Negotiated Solution
A man in a gas mask runs through a charnel field of death.
Victor: What have I done?
A child reaching out for help...and then dying on the spot. And the person responsible...is himself. He screams, feeling as if his mind will break...
...and wakes in bed. It was a dream.
Delacroix refuses to leave his room. Van Helsing is down but NOT BECAUSE HE'S WORRIED ABOUT DELACROIX OR ANYTHING.
Noticing that everyone seems down, Impey suggests a big fancy meal, and Van Helsing offers to help. Impey says they can invite "Delly" (Della-chan). Just as he's pondering how he'll pay for it, along comes Lupin with a big bag of money.
Lupin: Just a bit of my "handling fee" ;)
Delly's not in his room and Cardia sees him in the garden playing with the dog Sisi and it's ADORABLE. Seeing Delly laugh fills her with joy and hope, and she remembers how happy everyone was when they saw her laugh for the first time.
Delly: You have the honour of serving under me! You shall have the highest seat in my army of darkness!
Sisi: Woof!
Delly gets defensive when Cardia comes along but wants to know more about Sisi. And then Lupin comes along and does a magic trick to reveal a suitcase full of...the rest of the Delacroix family heirlooms.
Delly: o.O ...I'm not going to thank you!!
Lupin: I should be thanking you, going after these artefacts allowed me to earn a large amount of money in a way I view ethical ^_^
Saint Germain goes food shopping with Cardia. She's amazed at how many bags he can carry and wonders if she could carry just as many. ME TOO. SHOW CARDIA BEING STRONG DAMMIT. And then she sees a news article about "Frankenstein's terrorist attack on a train".
Saint-Germain says it may be time for "countermeasures" then tells Cardia she has a training opportunity...because they're being followed.
They're surrounded by Twilight soldiers and Cardia says she'll distract them with a smoke bomb while Saint-Germain gets help. He appreciates her intentions but steps in front of her and...a wooden box comes out of nowhere and knocks the soldiers down? And then they run away??
And the person who threw the box was...Herlock Sholmes!! He's investigating Twilight, and also these mysterious thefts of vampire artifacts...
Cardia: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT >.>
Saint-Germain: Your genuine nature is charming but I will eventually have to teach you to hide your thoughts.
Sholmes says he's not their enemy...yet. But tomorrow he starts work for Scotland Yard, hunting down Victor.
Sholmes: I will always stand by the law, even if it's unjust. That is how we maintain order in society.
...wow that's OOC even for cultural osmosis Holmes. But I guess this is Sholmes, so. He suggests they leave Britain, so he won't catch them.
Saint Germain: There is another option ^_^ *visibly considers murdering Sholmes but doesn't want to upset Cardia*
Lupin: Sholmes is coming after us? D: I mean, uh. IT'S FINE. HE'S NOT SMARTER THAN ME OR ANYTHING.
Victor points out that while Twilight is after Cardia, the government is just after him.
Cardia: Nooo don't hand yourself in ;_;
Victor: I can't do that, I have something I need to achieve. But I can negotiate with them. I'm going to get Victoria on our side.
...ok, I assume we're not actually dealing with a Victor/Victoria situation here, but that would sure be quite the twist!
Victor says he'll get her to offer them protection and stop Twilight in exchange for him not revealing Certain Information to other countries.
Cardia: But there must be a reason you haven't done this before.
Victor: ...you're very perceptive. If she says no, I'll be locked up in a research lab forever.
Cardia's having fun in her room studying gun construction when she sees Victor angsting in the garden. She thanks him for putting himself in so much danger for everyone else.
Victor: You shouldn't be thanking me. I'm a terrible person.
Cardia: What? But you're kind and clever and courageous...
Victor: Thank you *sad, insincere smile* Anyway, you should go to bed, it's late.
Cardia: If you're still sitting out here, can I sit with you?
Victor: Why?
Cardia: Just because.
And then he smiles sincerely.
Lupin: If we're going to blackmail the queen, we have to look strong. So we'll show up at a knighting ceremony and use the public as hostages!
Victor: THAT WOULD BE ACTUAL TERRORISM
Lupin: I'm helping her not lose face when she gives in!
Cardia is delighted to be considered a useful member of the team, and Delly pretends not to be delighted to be left in charge of Sisi.
They're in a hotel preparing for the heist when Lupin and Saint-Germain notice that it's too quiet: the hotel is empty except for them.
Leonhardt: Testing. Testing...YOU ARE SURROUNDED! SURRENDER!!
Victor: I'll turn myself in and negotiate after I'm captured. It'll be fine!
Cardia: NOPE
Van Helsing: What if Twilight captures and tortures you and that leads them back to us?
Aw, what a softy
Sholmes: The greatest theif of our century is still just a criminal ^_^
Lupin: >:(
Leonhardt: Arsène Lupin! WE MEET AGAIN >:D
Sorry Leonhardt but Lupin's nemesis position is occupied.
They escape in the ornithopter...and then from behind Buckhingham Palace rises a GIANT MILITARY AIRSHIP shooting MISSILES
Citizen A: What is that? Is it a plane? Is it a bird?
Citizen B: Is it just me or is it getting closer...
*ornithopter crashes to the ground in a giant explosion of dirt*
...Evil Anime Empress Burlesque Bee Queen Victoria. Sure, why not. The glossary entry says actual radio hasn't been invented yet but they use the ether. Because otherwise that anachronism would ruin the otherwise airtight historical narrative, obviously.
Victoria laughs and calls Victor a disobedient puppy who used to be so respectful. She offers to let him live if he goes back to work for her.
Victor: Never!
Victoria: I see. Then would you like to die with your companions?
Me: Mmm, this negotiation is going great, Victor.
He threatens to release That Certain Information She Seeks to the rest of Europe.
Victoria: Your friends have changed you, Victor.
That's because of all the honey (at this point I think she's not a bee alien just super committed to an Aesthetic)
Victoria: Your doll-like appearance reminds me of that little boy Finis. If you're connected to his secret I'll want to keep you ^_^
See, Otomate, I knew you had it in you to write sexy female villains.
Victoria figures out that Victor's "detonator" is fake and tells him he's a terrible liar who should stick to science. But he takes out a test tube of explosive and she realises he's not bluffing this time.
Victoria: Do it. Death is a salvation. But a coward like you would hesitate to take a saviour's hand.
As he raises the tube, Cardia breaks free of Impey and stops Victor. Just as she's wondering what will happen next...Victoria agrees to the deal and says anyone who harms Victor or his companions is an enemy of the state? I'm not sure that makes sense but ok!
Everyone is celebrating at the mansion when Victor starts to talk about a lead on Isaac...and is interrupted by the doorbell.
HA I KNEW IT, IT'S SHOLMES. He's not their enemy any more after all. He's come to tell them Victoria got very pissy at Twilight for shooting missiles over London.
Of course Lupin is just pissed Sholmes found their house when he left NO CLUES DAMMIT.
My next prediction: There's apparently two chapters left of the common route, and I expect them to be about Impey and Saint-Germain respectively.
Chapter 7: Illegal race
Sounds like Impey-related car chase shenanigans to me! But the controller needs to be recharged so I'll stop here.
