Code Realize: Part 5 (Chapters 7 and 8)
Dec. 29th, 2018 10:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alias_sqbrMasterlist of Code Realize posts
The end of the Common Route!
It is. QUITE. INTENSE. There's more discussion of genocide and some other stuff that made me cry.
Haa Sisi drags Delly to eat with everyone else. Delly initially rants about disobedient minions, then grumpily submits, saying a good ruler listens to a subservient's advice. He even says something nice to Impey about the food.
I'm glad he's happier but still feel a bit weird about the "genocide victim raised by his people's murderer" thing, and keep thinking about him moving to Japan to be raised by, like, Amagiri (this is set 11 years before Hakuoki so Sen etc would be too young)
Anyway, Cardia notices Victor staring at her during breakfast, and that night as she's practicing her self defence moves ponders what he was thinking. Is he hiding something?? Normally I'd think "No, he likes you!" but with this game WHO KNOWS.
haha so I was just thinking that there's been basically no romance in this game and I'm fine with that cos it's a good story. And then Cardia started thinking melancholy thoughts about being a monster and Victor saw her and asked if she was ok.
My id: KISSS. KISSSSSS
My brain: His face would melt off!
My id: Fine. SCIENCE. THEN KISSSSSSS
Victor, unable to meet her eye: So, I have something important to say. Something I've been thinking about for a long time.
My id: :D ?????
Victor: It's about your father's secret research lab.
My id: >:(
My brain: Shut up, this is interesting.
Queen Victoria poured huge amounts of money into trying to find the philosopher's stone, but all they managed was an imitation, "zicterium". Victor once saw Isaac working with it's solid form...and it looked a lot like the boobgem. Victor thinks the boobgem is in fact the working philosopher's stone, created by Isaac.
Cardia feels happy knowing that her father made the gem that keeps her alive. (Which I assumed from the start?) She feels certain Isaac did it because he had to, but Victor seems less sure. ME TOO, VICTOR.
Oh hey, I never mentioned! "Cardia", the default name, is voiced in dialogue, and I have to say it sounds a lot prettier in Japanese (Karrdeeah, with a trilled r) than it does in my accent (Kahdyuh, with no r at all, because Australia)
Apparently to find out the location of Isaac's lab, they need...the grand prize from the mobster run airship race, "The Black Gathering"?? That's a pretty shoehorned in excuse for an Impey chapter.
Ah, the prize is a collection of Isaac's papers.
Lupin: I'll just steal it!
Victor: It's guarded by Herlock Sholmes.
Lupin: ...we'll just enter the race and win fair and square!
How is working for mobsters upholding the law, Sholmes...
Lupin steals an airship from "someone who deserved it" and Cardia helps Impey start modifying it. She brings him a late night sandwich, embarrassed at how bad it looks compared to his cooking. Her gloves made it hard so she got help from Saint-Germain, aw. Anyway, Impey is delighted and says it's the best sandwich he's ever eaten. (Have I mentioned his happy sprite has little pointy teeth like a vampire...)
She asks him why he became an engineer. He look up at the stars and says he grew up in a country villageof vampires that freaked out when train tracks were laid nearby because the humans would find them, but he snuck out and the moment he saw the train it was all he could think about.
I should probably not be getting Cardia to say she liked the story, but it was too cute. Impey gets blushy and says she should probably go to bed, but maybe they could work together a little longer.
The next morning Cardia and Impey are very quiet. Then Impey protrates himself on the floor.
Impey: This is the ultimate form of apology, created by the finest minds in all of Asia. DO! GE! ZA!
Otomate, you're the ones who taught me how low the odds are of an 1850s Englishman speaking a single word of Japanese. But I guess compared to "American girl dates the Shinsengumi" Hakuoki fanfic etc they've been pretty restrained.
Impey: I thought the race was tomorrooooow
Me, out loud: OH NO
Everyone believes in Impey (though Van Helsing pretends he doesn't), and waits for him to arrive at the race. Just as they're losing hope...he arrives!
...and the ship is recognised by the air pirates Lupin stole it from.
They are approached by a dark skinned man looking like some sort of steampunk raver with gold teeth and lip piercings.
Me: Otomate is your first brown skinned character a sky pirate >:(
Me: ...huh.
Nemo praises Impey's ship and the two of them squee over it together. His over the top appearance and behaviour still feels...unfortunate. At least they didn't white/pale-wash him? Sigh.
Victor: Oh. That guy. He thinks I'm his-
Nemo: MY ETERNAL RIVAL VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN. IT MUST BE FATE!
Victor: Pretty sure it's just a coincidence ^_^
Nemo invites Impey to see his ship so Cardia takes over getting everything ready for the race. I am so into everyone obeying her orders without question. They haven't had a chance for a test flight, and as Cardia sits in the pilots chair she notices an unfamiliar button saying "DANGER DO NOT TOUCH".
Impey arrives, and compliments Cardia on her great job as Captain as she goes to her actual job as Navigator. Impey names the ship "The HMS Impey, the Princess, and her Servants" but the announcer shortens it to "The HMS Princess and her Servants" heh.
The use of metric is convenient for me but does seem a little anachronistic. I guess the translator couldn't be bothered doing the conversions.
There's a thrilling race, with the heroes in the lead despite being shot at by Sky Pirates...until a bunch of the other ships decide to gang up on them. But then...those ships go down in flames- it's Nemo!
Me: Oh, does he have his canon issues with Imperialism and unfair-
Nemo shoots them too :/ All seems lost, but then...Impey presses the Big Red Button and a Secret Weapon appears. Impey goes to fix things himself and leaves Cardia to steer the ship, telling her she'll do great. The weapon (which is never described??) brings down Nemo but Impey can't fix the engine and they start crashing towards the ground...just barely making it to the finish line! They win!
(Van Helsing had to be heavily peer pressured into smiling. ALSO NOTE IMPEY'S LIL VAMPIRE TEETH)
Chapter 8: Nobody Understand Truth
There is a hiss of static and the image of Cardia's room flickers in black and white, like old film.
"This awful dream. I can only remember when I'm in the dream. In the brief moment before I fall asleep, I feel the traces of distant memory. Why did I ever decide to pursue the truth?"
More static. Flashes of her old house, a forest...and a room full of glass vats. The sort you might, say, grow clones in.
"I wish I'd remained oblivious."
Isaac: You must never know love.
The voices drown her and world crumbles away into darkness. Only in this dream can she pick up the pieces of her memory. And each dream ends with her praying "When I wake up tomorrow, please let me forget..."
Cardia wakes in the middle of the night and can't remember what she dreamed. Soon, they'll visit her father's lab. She should be happy, yet all she feels is dread. Unable to sleep, she wanders into the garden and bumps into Saint-Germain. He says she looks like the protagonist of a tragedy, mourning the end of the world.
Saint-Germain: You can tell me what's on your mind, if you don't mind sharing with this old man.
He reminds her that she won't be alone, and says he "thinks" he likes the others.
Cardia: "Think"?
Saint-Germain: I have trouble recognising my own emotions, it's hard to explain.
*suddenly and unexpectedly relates to Saint-Germain*
Cardia has a flashback and softly says "monster", wondering exactly what she's going to learn about herself. Saint-Germain asks her to explain.
Saint-Germain: Tomorrow we learn the truth, and the relationships between us will change. Before that happens, I would like to know more about you.
HMMM. This is both the Saint-Germain chapter and the Cardia's past chapter...I'm assuming he's not actually her dad, because that would be a bit cruel to anyone who got attached to him as a love interest, but it would explain some things...
Cardia describes waking up two years ago. We see her holding the letter from her father.
Isaac's letter: Be good to my back. Dear my most precious girl.
Me: ...this is the original Japanese art, isn't it.
Isaac: The outside world is filled with danger and sadness. I don't want you to know such things.
Me: ...yeah that worked out really well, dad.
She stays in the mansion, and looking back Cardia realises her feelings were dimmer then. But then one day she hears children playing outside, saying they're going to have an adventure in the haunted mansion D:
They run off when they see her, dropping a doll, so she runs after them to return it, and hear more of their voices.
But when she finds them, with some adults, everyone looks at her with fear. Someone throws a rock at her. Following their gaze she realises she lost a shoe, and there is a path of dark ooze behind her as grass and flowers dissolve at her touch.
"Monster! The drought's her fault! Grab her! Take her to the priest!"
A man reaches for her and there is "the smell of blood scented smoke". She runs in a random direction, knowing she will be easily followed, and bumps into a woman, Elaine, gathering medicinal herbs.
Elaine invites Cardia to her house, despite having noticed the ooze, and finds her lost shoe.
Priest: That creature is an accursed monster that took the form of a girl and injured a pious believer. The drought and plague are likely the work of this beast. This must be a test from God. If we can destroy it, surely everything will be set right again.
Elaine reassures Cardia that none of this is her fault.
Cardia: But won't I cause you trouble?
Elaine: You help me take care of my daughter Etty!
Etty: That's right! Stay with us!
I AM. SO TENSE.
Priest: Just as I thought, the monster's lair is poorly constructed. It burns well!
Me: But the mansion wasn't...
Etty: Mama I'm scared ;_;
Me: Oh :(
Priest: Those who become corrupted by the monster's influence become monsters themselves.
Cardia steps forward to save Elaine and Etty from the villager's dogs, who bite her and die. The villagers pelt Cardia with stones and Elaine steps forward to shield her.
Elaine: Yes, she's different! What's wrong with that? But if she truly was a creature of evil, she would have killed you all on the spot!
Priest: Fine. We will leave you both in a cave for 13 days. If the monster doesn't show it's true face and kill you, we will accept it into our community.
Elaine tells Cardia all about medicine and cooking and the ups and downs of her life.
...and then she starts to cough.
fuck. The poison in the air D:
D:
D:
Aw and they drew a cute little dying Elaine sprite and everything THANKS OTOMATE.
You know if I just...stop paying now...I can pretend everything will be fine, and it was SOME OTHER little girl's mother who died.
/o\
URGHHHHHHHHHHH
Cardia figures it out. Elaine says everything will be fine with a frail smile and Cardia wonders if that's how she'll die.
Cardia calls for help but noone comes. She starts to dissolve the rocks blocking the entrance with her bare hands, but she can tell it's too late, and collapses to the ground.
Elaine: Don't cry, Cardia. We'll leave here and all live happily together, like before.
Cardia keeps trying. Elaine weakly asks her to do her a favour. Under the ruins of their house is a storeroom with a notebook Elaine's mother handed down to her, full of valuable knowledge about herbs.
Cardia punches the rock, her hands becoming covered in blood, but it's still not fast enough....
And then finally, she hits daylight.
But it's too late. Elaine is dead.
Cardia gets the notebook and waits until she can talk to Etty alone. She explains what happened.
Etty: You monster...it should have been you who died, instead of Mama!
"I don't remember much after that. I woke up back at the mansion. I'll never leave this place again, or allow myself to get involved with anyone else. I will kill off my emotions and live an empty, harmless life, like a doll. Because a monster needs to live alone..."
Saint-Germain: ...that's too much suffering for anyone to carry.
Cardia: I'm not the one who suffers. I'm the one who makes others suffer.
Saint-Germain: I believe we all carry our own Hells within ourselves. I hope that one day you will be able to escape the hell you bear.
And she feels a little bit better.
The next day they travel to an abandoned graveyard in the rain. It's from the bubonic plague in the 14th century: an underground prison was built to house those accused of spreading the "poison".
In his notes Isaac said "A tragedy caused by doubt and ignorance. In this place all of humanity's hopes will start anew."
Saint-Germain: As long as people remain people, such tragedies will occur.
A moved tombstone reveals a narrow staircase down. Lupin goes first to search for trapsbecause he's the rogue. Impey turns on the lights and he and Victor give a little lesson on the mysterious, cutting edge technology called ELECTRICITY.
Van Helsing goes off by himself, reminding them he's just a temporary ally. And so everyone splits up...and Cardia goes with Victor without me even saying anything. Sweet :D
They find a room of unpublished papers and Victor gets very excited. Cardia and I find it very endearing.
Victor: I've found it...
He's reading titles like "Facilities within London using Zicterium", "Use of Zicterium For International Terrorism"
Me: But it's an energy source, why would...IS THIS A NUCLEAR BOMB METAPHOR
Oh. Ohhh. Before, Victor said he saw Zicterium "in it's solid form". But in it's liquid and gas forms, it's a poison. One that was used in the Vampire War. But most of it went missing...and apparently, it's in London. Somewhere.
Victor: WHERE IS IT????!!!!
Cardia thinks he looks almost mad in his search. But then it's time to go. And just as everyone's back together...Twilight approaches, and turns out the lights! Turns out Victor is the only dude who can't navigate in the dark, aww.
Saint-Germain takes Cardia to look for another exit but she loses him in the dark. Cardia forces herself to remain calm, and keeps looking for an exit by herself.
She follows a dim light to a door, but then it shuts behind her.
Finis: Don't you remember? This is your most important place, sister.
D:
What...am I...looking at...???? (It was less dark on the tv, so I could see the VATS OF STRANGE CREATURES WTF)
But Cardia is more focussed on Finis, which I guess is understandable.
Finis: Why do you look so scared? Aren't I a cute little brother?
Ok "kawaii otouto" isn't quite as bad as "kawaii imouto" but nnnng
oh man, the airship race was a trap. Finis still doesn't understand how they managed to hide their base from Twilight though. I think Saint-Germain's magic alien timetraveller powers but Finis thinks some organisation even Twilight can't uncover.
Finis: Who is it lurking behind you?
Me: I MIGHT ASK THE SAME THING. Like, are those angels??? Is this some Evangelion thing?? WHEN WILL SOMEONE TALK ABOUT THE CLONE VATS.
goddd, not playing with a walkthrough means I will have no idea I'm on a bad end until it's too late.
Cardia asks Finis all the questions she wants to know the answers to, but he just sighs and says "Why did Father love you more than me? My useless, powerless, ignorant sister." She steps back from his empty, emotionless gaze.
And then he turns on the lights (ah, ok) and Cardia sees the things floating in a glowing blue liquid (which is actually yellow but shh) Wings, scales, multiple arms, a body with no skin.
All of them based on the same shape, a female body with a stone embedded in it's chest.
:O
Cardia: They all have my face...
Finis: They're you! These are 665 out of the 666 created. All of them failures. It's very difficult to create a homunculous with a Horologium in it.
!!!!
(I mean I did consider this from the start but still)
Cardia: D:
Finis: You should be grateful Father worked so hard, or you would be stuck in one of these tubes too. Aren't you happy? This is the truth you were after. You aren't human, you're a monster >:D
Cardia: These things aren't me!
Finis: You disobeyed father's orders before didn't you? A woman called Elaine took pity on you and you killed her ^_^
Cardia, having flashbacks: Stop!
Finis: You're a creature, more than human. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Don't be afraid. I'll take good care of you. That's an important mission from Father.
Cardia: Father said...to take care of me?
Finis: That's right. You don't want what happened to Elaine to happen to Lupin and the others do you? Come with me. Let us fulfil the reason we were brought into the world.
Cardia: No!!
Finis: All of this is merely playing at being human. You understand, right?
Me: SPIT. ON. HIM.
(He may be a poison clone too but there's only one way to find out)
Finis pulls out a glowing red pendant. Cardia knows instinctively that it pairs with her boobgem and has a bad feeling that makes her back away.
Finis: I'm going to release you, sister ^_^
Her body fears him instinctively and she can't think. His pendant rings and glows and her chest heats up. She screams in pain.
Finis: Now show me your true shape! A monster that can't be stopped by anyone!
But then there is the sound of breaking glass and a flash of light and and Finis's grip on her weakens.
Victor: Cardia, are you hurt??
Aw the others sent him back to protect her.
Finis: I didn't think you had the courage. Is she that important?
Victor: Yes.
Finis: Or are you just trying to atone?
Victor: ...
Finis: I knew it! I mean, she isn't human. The greatest accomplishment of science, an artificial life form. Look around you at the others like her. There's no point sympathising with a monster like that!
Victor, holding test tubes: Don't come any closer to her or I'll kill you!
Finis: You know, you actually make a pretty good terrorist ^_^
Victor: What do you plan to do to her?
Finis: It's too late, Dr Frankenstein. It's all been set in motion.
Cardia's chest burns and she cries out. And then Finis cries out as...
He's stabbed by Saint-Germain???
Finis: ...who??
Saint-Germain: The agents of destiny, guides of history...we are called many names. Ah, but the Apostles of Idea...does that ring a bells?
Ooh, he opened his eyes.
Finis: The Idea?? The one organisation Father feared!!
That's...quite a CG.
Cardia watches in horror as Finis bleeds out on the floor with a look of shock on his face. Saint-Germain calmly wipes his blade and slides it back up his sleeve.
Saint-Germain: Well that should slow Twilight down for a while ^_^
Cardia is traumatised, and feels heat building up inside her chest, but says she's fine.
Victor: You look like you're in pain :(
Saint-Germain: Let's respect her judgement.
Cardia looks at the other versions of herself. For some reason they seem sad. She wonders what Finis was: like her, or something else? But it's time to go home.
Right after Finis's death, the Twilight soldiers retreated, as if they knew. As if it was part of the plan :/
AND THEN some stuff happened at the end of Chapter 8 that felt very non-Common-Route, so you'll have to wait for the next post to find out about it ^_^
So yeah, that's the Common Route, I guess! And it was a TRIP.
The end of the Common Route!
It is. QUITE. INTENSE. There's more discussion of genocide and some other stuff that made me cry.
Haa Sisi drags Delly to eat with everyone else. Delly initially rants about disobedient minions, then grumpily submits, saying a good ruler listens to a subservient's advice. He even says something nice to Impey about the food.
I'm glad he's happier but still feel a bit weird about the "genocide victim raised by his people's murderer" thing, and keep thinking about him moving to Japan to be raised by, like, Amagiri (this is set 11 years before Hakuoki so Sen etc would be too young)
Anyway, Cardia notices Victor staring at her during breakfast, and that night as she's practicing her self defence moves ponders what he was thinking. Is he hiding something?? Normally I'd think "No, he likes you!" but with this game WHO KNOWS.
haha so I was just thinking that there's been basically no romance in this game and I'm fine with that cos it's a good story. And then Cardia started thinking melancholy thoughts about being a monster and Victor saw her and asked if she was ok.
My id: KISSS. KISSSSSS
My brain: His face would melt off!
My id: Fine. SCIENCE. THEN KISSSSSSS
Victor, unable to meet her eye: So, I have something important to say. Something I've been thinking about for a long time.
My id: :D ?????
Victor: It's about your father's secret research lab.
My id: >:(
My brain: Shut up, this is interesting.
Queen Victoria poured huge amounts of money into trying to find the philosopher's stone, but all they managed was an imitation, "zicterium". Victor once saw Isaac working with it's solid form...and it looked a lot like the boobgem. Victor thinks the boobgem is in fact the working philosopher's stone, created by Isaac.
Cardia feels happy knowing that her father made the gem that keeps her alive. (Which I assumed from the start?) She feels certain Isaac did it because he had to, but Victor seems less sure. ME TOO, VICTOR.
Oh hey, I never mentioned! "Cardia", the default name, is voiced in dialogue, and I have to say it sounds a lot prettier in Japanese (Karrdeeah, with a trilled r) than it does in my accent (Kahdyuh, with no r at all, because Australia)
Apparently to find out the location of Isaac's lab, they need...the grand prize from the mobster run airship race, "The Black Gathering"?? That's a pretty shoehorned in excuse for an Impey chapter.
Ah, the prize is a collection of Isaac's papers.
Lupin: I'll just steal it!
Victor: It's guarded by Herlock Sholmes.
Lupin: ...we'll just enter the race and win fair and square!
How is working for mobsters upholding the law, Sholmes...
Lupin steals an airship from "someone who deserved it" and Cardia helps Impey start modifying it. She brings him a late night sandwich, embarrassed at how bad it looks compared to his cooking. Her gloves made it hard so she got help from Saint-Germain, aw. Anyway, Impey is delighted and says it's the best sandwich he's ever eaten. (Have I mentioned his happy sprite has little pointy teeth like a vampire...)
She asks him why he became an engineer. He look up at the stars and says he grew up in a country village
I should probably not be getting Cardia to say she liked the story, but it was too cute. Impey gets blushy and says she should probably go to bed, but maybe they could work together a little longer.
The next morning Cardia and Impey are very quiet. Then Impey protrates himself on the floor.
Impey: This is the ultimate form of apology, created by the finest minds in all of Asia. DO! GE! ZA!
Otomate, you're the ones who taught me how low the odds are of an 1850s Englishman speaking a single word of Japanese. But I guess compared to "American girl dates the Shinsengumi" Hakuoki fanfic etc they've been pretty restrained.
Impey: I thought the race was tomorrooooow
Me, out loud: OH NO
Everyone believes in Impey (though Van Helsing pretends he doesn't), and waits for him to arrive at the race. Just as they're losing hope...he arrives!
...and the ship is recognised by the air pirates Lupin stole it from.
They are approached by a dark skinned man looking like some sort of steampunk raver with gold teeth and lip piercings.
Me: Otomate is your first brown skinned character a sky pirate >:(
Me: ...huh.
Nemo praises Impey's ship and the two of them squee over it together. His over the top appearance and behaviour still feels...unfortunate. At least they didn't white/pale-wash him? Sigh.
Victor: Oh. That guy. He thinks I'm his-
Nemo: MY ETERNAL RIVAL VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN. IT MUST BE FATE!
Victor: Pretty sure it's just a coincidence ^_^
Nemo invites Impey to see his ship so Cardia takes over getting everything ready for the race. I am so into everyone obeying her orders without question. They haven't had a chance for a test flight, and as Cardia sits in the pilots chair she notices an unfamiliar button saying "DANGER DO NOT TOUCH".
Impey arrives, and compliments Cardia on her great job as Captain as she goes to her actual job as Navigator. Impey names the ship "The HMS Impey, the Princess, and her Servants" but the announcer shortens it to "The HMS Princess and her Servants" heh.
The use of metric is convenient for me but does seem a little anachronistic. I guess the translator couldn't be bothered doing the conversions.
There's a thrilling race, with the heroes in the lead despite being shot at by Sky Pirates...until a bunch of the other ships decide to gang up on them. But then...those ships go down in flames- it's Nemo!
Me: Oh, does he have his canon issues with Imperialism and unfair-
Nemo shoots them too :/ All seems lost, but then...Impey presses the Big Red Button and a Secret Weapon appears. Impey goes to fix things himself and leaves Cardia to steer the ship, telling her she'll do great. The weapon (which is never described??) brings down Nemo but Impey can't fix the engine and they start crashing towards the ground...just barely making it to the finish line! They win!
(Van Helsing had to be heavily peer pressured into smiling. ALSO NOTE IMPEY'S LIL VAMPIRE TEETH)
Chapter 8: Nobody Understand Truth
There is a hiss of static and the image of Cardia's room flickers in black and white, like old film.
"This awful dream. I can only remember when I'm in the dream. In the brief moment before I fall asleep, I feel the traces of distant memory. Why did I ever decide to pursue the truth?"
More static. Flashes of her old house, a forest...and a room full of glass vats. The sort you might, say, grow clones in.
"I wish I'd remained oblivious."
Isaac: You must never know love.
The voices drown her and world crumbles away into darkness. Only in this dream can she pick up the pieces of her memory. And each dream ends with her praying "When I wake up tomorrow, please let me forget..."
Cardia wakes in the middle of the night and can't remember what she dreamed. Soon, they'll visit her father's lab. She should be happy, yet all she feels is dread. Unable to sleep, she wanders into the garden and bumps into Saint-Germain. He says she looks like the protagonist of a tragedy, mourning the end of the world.
Saint-Germain: You can tell me what's on your mind, if you don't mind sharing with this old man.
He reminds her that she won't be alone, and says he "thinks" he likes the others.
Cardia: "Think"?
Saint-Germain: I have trouble recognising my own emotions, it's hard to explain.
*suddenly and unexpectedly relates to Saint-Germain*
Cardia has a flashback and softly says "monster", wondering exactly what she's going to learn about herself. Saint-Germain asks her to explain.
Saint-Germain: Tomorrow we learn the truth, and the relationships between us will change. Before that happens, I would like to know more about you.
HMMM. This is both the Saint-Germain chapter and the Cardia's past chapter...I'm assuming he's not actually her dad, because that would be a bit cruel to anyone who got attached to him as a love interest, but it would explain some things...
Cardia describes waking up two years ago. We see her holding the letter from her father.
Isaac's letter: Be good to my back. Dear my most precious girl.
Me: ...this is the original Japanese art, isn't it.
Isaac: The outside world is filled with danger and sadness. I don't want you to know such things.
Me: ...yeah that worked out really well, dad.
She stays in the mansion, and looking back Cardia realises her feelings were dimmer then. But then one day she hears children playing outside, saying they're going to have an adventure in the haunted mansion D:
They run off when they see her, dropping a doll, so she runs after them to return it, and hear more of their voices.
But when she finds them, with some adults, everyone looks at her with fear. Someone throws a rock at her. Following their gaze she realises she lost a shoe, and there is a path of dark ooze behind her as grass and flowers dissolve at her touch.
"Monster! The drought's her fault! Grab her! Take her to the priest!"
A man reaches for her and there is "the smell of blood scented smoke". She runs in a random direction, knowing she will be easily followed, and bumps into a woman, Elaine, gathering medicinal herbs.
Elaine invites Cardia to her house, despite having noticed the ooze, and finds her lost shoe.
Priest: That creature is an accursed monster that took the form of a girl and injured a pious believer. The drought and plague are likely the work of this beast. This must be a test from God. If we can destroy it, surely everything will be set right again.
Elaine reassures Cardia that none of this is her fault.
Cardia: But won't I cause you trouble?
Elaine: You help me take care of my daughter Etty!
Etty: That's right! Stay with us!
I AM. SO TENSE.
Priest: Just as I thought, the monster's lair is poorly constructed. It burns well!
Me: But the mansion wasn't...
Etty: Mama I'm scared ;_;
Me: Oh :(
Priest: Those who become corrupted by the monster's influence become monsters themselves.
Cardia steps forward to save Elaine and Etty from the villager's dogs, who bite her and die. The villagers pelt Cardia with stones and Elaine steps forward to shield her.
Elaine: Yes, she's different! What's wrong with that? But if she truly was a creature of evil, she would have killed you all on the spot!
Priest: Fine. We will leave you both in a cave for 13 days. If the monster doesn't show it's true face and kill you, we will accept it into our community.
Elaine tells Cardia all about medicine and cooking and the ups and downs of her life.
...and then she starts to cough.
fuck. The poison in the air D:
D:
D:
Aw and they drew a cute little dying Elaine sprite and everything THANKS OTOMATE.
You know if I just...stop paying now...I can pretend everything will be fine, and it was SOME OTHER little girl's mother who died.
/o\
URGHHHHHHHHHHH
Cardia figures it out. Elaine says everything will be fine with a frail smile and Cardia wonders if that's how she'll die.
Cardia calls for help but noone comes. She starts to dissolve the rocks blocking the entrance with her bare hands, but she can tell it's too late, and collapses to the ground.
Elaine: Don't cry, Cardia. We'll leave here and all live happily together, like before.
Cardia keeps trying. Elaine weakly asks her to do her a favour. Under the ruins of their house is a storeroom with a notebook Elaine's mother handed down to her, full of valuable knowledge about herbs.
Cardia punches the rock, her hands becoming covered in blood, but it's still not fast enough....
And then finally, she hits daylight.
But it's too late. Elaine is dead.
Cardia gets the notebook and waits until she can talk to Etty alone. She explains what happened.
Etty: You monster...it should have been you who died, instead of Mama!
"I don't remember much after that. I woke up back at the mansion. I'll never leave this place again, or allow myself to get involved with anyone else. I will kill off my emotions and live an empty, harmless life, like a doll. Because a monster needs to live alone..."
Saint-Germain: ...that's too much suffering for anyone to carry.
Cardia: I'm not the one who suffers. I'm the one who makes others suffer.
Saint-Germain: I believe we all carry our own Hells within ourselves. I hope that one day you will be able to escape the hell you bear.
And she feels a little bit better.
The next day they travel to an abandoned graveyard in the rain. It's from the bubonic plague in the 14th century: an underground prison was built to house those accused of spreading the "poison".
In his notes Isaac said "A tragedy caused by doubt and ignorance. In this place all of humanity's hopes will start anew."
Saint-Germain: As long as people remain people, such tragedies will occur.
A moved tombstone reveals a narrow staircase down. Lupin goes first to search for traps
Van Helsing goes off by himself, reminding them he's just a temporary ally. And so everyone splits up...and Cardia goes with Victor without me even saying anything. Sweet :D
They find a room of unpublished papers and Victor gets very excited. Cardia and I find it very endearing.
Victor: I've found it...
He's reading titles like "Facilities within London using Zicterium", "Use of Zicterium For International Terrorism"
Me: But it's an energy source, why would...IS THIS A NUCLEAR BOMB METAPHOR
Oh. Ohhh. Before, Victor said he saw Zicterium "in it's solid form". But in it's liquid and gas forms, it's a poison. One that was used in the Vampire War. But most of it went missing...and apparently, it's in London. Somewhere.
Victor: WHERE IS IT????!!!!
Cardia thinks he looks almost mad in his search. But then it's time to go. And just as everyone's back together...Twilight approaches, and turns out the lights! Turns out Victor is the only dude who can't navigate in the dark, aww.
Saint-Germain takes Cardia to look for another exit but she loses him in the dark. Cardia forces herself to remain calm, and keeps looking for an exit by herself.
She follows a dim light to a door, but then it shuts behind her.
Finis: Don't you remember? This is your most important place, sister.
D:
What...am I...looking at...???? (It was less dark on the tv, so I could see the VATS OF STRANGE CREATURES WTF)
But Cardia is more focussed on Finis, which I guess is understandable.
Finis: Why do you look so scared? Aren't I a cute little brother?
Ok "kawaii otouto" isn't quite as bad as "kawaii imouto" but nnnng
oh man, the airship race was a trap. Finis still doesn't understand how they managed to hide their base from Twilight though. I think Saint-Germain's magic alien timetraveller powers but Finis thinks some organisation even Twilight can't uncover.
Finis: Who is it lurking behind you?
Me: I MIGHT ASK THE SAME THING. Like, are those angels??? Is this some Evangelion thing?? WHEN WILL SOMEONE TALK ABOUT THE CLONE VATS.
goddd, not playing with a walkthrough means I will have no idea I'm on a bad end until it's too late.
Cardia asks Finis all the questions she wants to know the answers to, but he just sighs and says "Why did Father love you more than me? My useless, powerless, ignorant sister." She steps back from his empty, emotionless gaze.
And then he turns on the lights (ah, ok) and Cardia sees the things floating in a glowing blue liquid (which is actually yellow but shh) Wings, scales, multiple arms, a body with no skin.
All of them based on the same shape, a female body with a stone embedded in it's chest.
:O
Cardia: They all have my face...
Finis: They're you! These are 665 out of the 666 created. All of them failures. It's very difficult to create a homunculous with a Horologium in it.
!!!!
(I mean I did consider this from the start but still)
Cardia: D:
Finis: You should be grateful Father worked so hard, or you would be stuck in one of these tubes too. Aren't you happy? This is the truth you were after. You aren't human, you're a monster >:D
Cardia: These things aren't me!
Finis: You disobeyed father's orders before didn't you? A woman called Elaine took pity on you and you killed her ^_^
Cardia, having flashbacks: Stop!
Finis: You're a creature, more than human. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Don't be afraid. I'll take good care of you. That's an important mission from Father.
Cardia: Father said...to take care of me?
Finis: That's right. You don't want what happened to Elaine to happen to Lupin and the others do you? Come with me. Let us fulfil the reason we were brought into the world.
Cardia: No!!
Finis: All of this is merely playing at being human. You understand, right?
Me: SPIT. ON. HIM.
(He may be a poison clone too but there's only one way to find out)
Finis pulls out a glowing red pendant. Cardia knows instinctively that it pairs with her boobgem and has a bad feeling that makes her back away.
Finis: I'm going to release you, sister ^_^
Her body fears him instinctively and she can't think. His pendant rings and glows and her chest heats up. She screams in pain.
Finis: Now show me your true shape! A monster that can't be stopped by anyone!
But then there is the sound of breaking glass and a flash of light and and Finis's grip on her weakens.
Victor: Cardia, are you hurt??
Aw the others sent him back to protect her.
Finis: I didn't think you had the courage. Is she that important?
Victor: Yes.
Finis: Or are you just trying to atone?
Victor: ...
Finis: I knew it! I mean, she isn't human. The greatest accomplishment of science, an artificial life form. Look around you at the others like her. There's no point sympathising with a monster like that!
Victor, holding test tubes: Don't come any closer to her or I'll kill you!
Finis: You know, you actually make a pretty good terrorist ^_^
Victor: What do you plan to do to her?
Finis: It's too late, Dr Frankenstein. It's all been set in motion.
Cardia's chest burns and she cries out. And then Finis cries out as...
He's stabbed by Saint-Germain???
Finis: ...who??
Saint-Germain: The agents of destiny, guides of history...we are called many names. Ah, but the Apostles of Idea...does that ring a bells?
Ooh, he opened his eyes.
Finis: The Idea?? The one organisation Father feared!!
That's...quite a CG.
Cardia watches in horror as Finis bleeds out on the floor with a look of shock on his face. Saint-Germain calmly wipes his blade and slides it back up his sleeve.
Saint-Germain: Well that should slow Twilight down for a while ^_^
Cardia is traumatised, and feels heat building up inside her chest, but says she's fine.
Victor: You look like you're in pain :(
Saint-Germain: Let's respect her judgement.
Cardia looks at the other versions of herself. For some reason they seem sad. She wonders what Finis was: like her, or something else? But it's time to go home.
Right after Finis's death, the Twilight soldiers retreated, as if they knew. As if it was part of the plan :/
AND THEN some stuff happened at the end of Chapter 8 that felt very non-Common-Route, so you'll have to wait for the next post to find out about it ^_^
So yeah, that's the Common Route, I guess! And it was a TRIP.
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