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Mozart's #4 Dance Tune
Okay, last time we left off on what's left of the peninsula the Water Crystal was kept on with no CLUE what to do next. This time, we figure out how to get to the Fire Crystal!
Since Mozart's not entirely clear on what to do, I stop off back in Walse to ask around.
: How the hell did he get over here then?
: He said something about a warp or something.
: Okay, that explains things a bit...
So the next thing you're supposed to do turns out to be visiting this meteor, right next to where you're dropped off after the Tower.
You'd think the impact would've started a fire or something...
: This is a bit too even to just be a hole... is this actually a DOOR?
: Wouldn't surprise me. They'd have to get inside to put a teleporter there, right?
: Why does this seem so familiar...?
: Floor's too even... this thing definitely isn't natural.
: What do you mean? Rocks can fall from the sky, and they're not unnatural.
: It's like a cave made by mining- it's LIKE something natural, but it's clearly man-made.
: It's like comparing a pile of rubble to Tycoon Castle.
: Stairs? Okay, there's no way this thing isn't artificial now.
: But then who made it?
: I dunno... that weird knight from before, maybe?
: Knights aren't exactly known for this kind of construction skill.
: Okay, got me there, but maybe they're from the same place?
: This would be the teleporter they mentioned, I assume.
: Does kinda look teleporter-y...
: Well? Try it out!
: THIS WAS NOT IN THE BLUEPRIIIIINTS!!!
The others follow shortly after...
...though Galuf pauses to talk to himself for a second.
: Ugh... I almost had something...
After everyone jumps on the panel, the view goes to the world map, which pans over...
For some reason, this not being symmetrical doesn't look right... Maybe I'm just being a perfectionist.
Here we are, in scenic Karnak! Watch your step for... well, we'll get to that in a minute.
: ...I feel sick...
: Ugh... I can't blame you for complaining- I do too...
: 
: Why am I the only one who's okay? That wasn't even very bad.
: W-well... at least we... went SOMEwhere...
: Great, we seem to have run into a pack of wolves.
: At least we've had time to let our stomachs settle...
Anyway, as other players have alluded to, these guys really aren't any trouble- even with our Daggers, we're killing them in two hits, and !Dance can one-shot them (if they get a damaging result, at least). They're worth good money, too- one of them got away and I still got about 500 gil. Too bad they only show up in forests, and Confuse makes them run away.
Here we are at the town of Karnak!
Entering gives us some ominous music (the same track from the Ship Graveyard) and reveals that EVERYTHING'S ON FIRE! 
The weapon shop's finally updated its stock, but don't be fooled by the apparent discounts.
As soon as you try to buy something you get arrested. You still get your order, though.
: Kinda paranoid, aren't they?
At this point, two guards show up...
...and cart us off to jail without even considering that we may be human. Yes, that is a fire over there. This place doesn't seen very OSHA-compliant...
Told ya you get to keep it. I'll be buying a few more as soon as I get out of here, then raiding the other stores.
After a while...
...the old man in the next cell over bombs the wall down.
Bomberman he is not.
: So what're you in for, anyway?
: I think I've heard that name somewhere...
: THAT'S it! What, did you change your mind and try to turn the thing off? And then you got jailed for it?
Lenna tries to apologize for bringing the subject up, but Cid confirms her accusation.
: The what now?
: Basically, the biggest collection of books in the entire world. Mostly references, nonfiction, and sciency stuff.
: You've been there?
: I've heard of magical songs that bestow power on the listeners, and I was hoping that they had records of how to play them. There was too much to sort through, though.
: Might be worth another look, assuming we end up there.
: If I was constantly putting power out for thousands of years I think I'd get tired, too.
: Which, obviously, ended in disaster.
: so I tried to save the one in Karnak, but...
: They caught you, and threw a fit, right?
: Yup.
: Figures. The king of Walse didn't believe us either.
: Yeah, though I'm not getting our hopes up considering our track record.
: Lenna's been picking up the pieces- I think she's hoping they can be repaired somehow.
: Hmm, there's a thought... I'll have to look into it sometime.
: Just when I felt like we were getting somewhere...
: He TOLD you!
: Great, it's hit meltdown...
: Say what...? It's the FIRE crystal- of course it's at meltdown!
: No, it's a semi-technical term for when something's output increases so much it self-destructs. Sort of a "point of no return."
: The what now?
: 
: Which isn't being helped by the leakage from the crack...
: (Of course not, you're idiots who don't know enough to listen to the people who actually know what they're doing...)
: You can't expect an old man like me to do all the work, right?
: Actually, we're his assistants. We were in Walse to try to prevent the Water Crystal's destruction, and we've recently returned.
: What's this about a werewolf?
: (Nice example of the fine art of BS'ing your way to what you want.)
: (Not the first time I've done this. It IS the highest-stakes, though.)
: (The half-truth kinda helps too. If I wasn't there, I woulda believed it.)
: You're just trying to blackmail us, aren't you?
: Knowing our luck, he means that literally. We've encountered monsters in both the Wind Shrine and the Tower of Walse, and the crystals should've kept them out.
: MONSTERS?!
: I knew you could see reason.
: Right, we'll resupply and meet you there, Professor.
: I can't believe you lied to his face like that...
: Long as it gets us out of jail and into a position to do our jobs, who's counting?
: THIS IS NOT SAFE!!!
: Rumor is true.
While the rest of the party returns to shopping, Mozart has a little... encounter.
: I could be twice the dancer or bard you ever could!
: You think so, huh? Prove it.
: What do you think of THAT?!
: I'll admit you're technically proficient, but that's all.
: WHAT WAS THAT?!
: The problem with mimicry is that it's nothing but imitation.
: True performers put their hearts into ALL their performances- until you learn to do that, you'll never be anything but a charlatan.
: I AM putting my heart in!
: You're putting your heart into IMITATION, but until you start putting it into the MUSIC you're not a bard at all... and the same goes for dancing. Here, let me demonstrate...
: Well? Doesn't that sound better?
: Yeah, it does, actually...
: Umm, Mozart, why're there two of you?
: Some upstart copycat who thought they could be me better than me wanted to prove they were a better bard.
: I'm still here, you know.
: Yo, Mozart! We're out of money!
: Too bad I'm not playing for tips right now, then, isn't it?
: I think we should go hunting those wolves some more- I'm amazed at how much money they had.
So we do so. (I'm trying for minimal grinding, but I REALLY want to be up-to-date on equipment, at least. I feel sorry for Ramc's Dad Challenge run.)
: I'll be back! We can have another competition then!
: Yeah, yeah, don't bother until you can come up with something original.
: And it's insulting that you don't consider Mimicry to be true artistry!
: Where'd you get that idea? 
I'm just bad at impressions. I can admit that parodic impersonation can be entertaining sometimes in the right context, I just can't do it myself. Nothing personal.
Here's what my inventory ends up looking like. I also bought a Silver Armlet for Galuf to replace those rotten old shoes he's been wearing.
: Gotta admit, that kid has talent. Just has to learn to use it right.
: Why do you think that was a kid?
: The way the costume moved. I've seen a lot of dancers, so I know how to watch people's movements. That? That was a kid wearing a costume too big for them. Probably has some sort of framework to keep it from sagging.
I also mastered Bard for Mozart and Galuf, so I switched them to Dancers and bought them Silver Plate, too.
: Seriously? AGAIN? 
: You can't stop me! I WILL DANCE!!!
: I really wish you wouldn't...
: Yeah, it was just as traumatizing as Mozart predicted.
Now for the Fire Ship.
Which is, at least, not on fire.
: Sorry, we had minor funding trouble.
: Okay, but, um... why's he wearing THAT?! 
: We've been trying to get him out of it, but he's not cooperating.
Cid changes the subject to try to get everyone's minds off of old men in dancing outfits.
: Typical...
: But how'd they get in, anyway?
: That's... a good question, actually...
: I don't see what's so special about this ship...
: Guess the monsters're downstairs?
: WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!
: Incredibly jarring, for one.
This looks like it'd be useful if I could wear it. I also find a Cottage nearby, an Elixir down some stairs, and another in the rafters.
: The hell is this room?
: This switch is labelled "elevator control."
: Whoa! The floor's moving?!
Back in the rafters, we find this just outside the elevator, then head northwest.
: Going down, I guess?
: ...I have no idea what's going on anymore.
Anyway, we climb up to the vent back there...
...which goes below the floor we were just on...
...before looping back up to the bottom-left door, which is another elevator.
: I'm lost now.
Taking the third chute on the bottom takes us to that chest we saw by the first vent. This is useless to me except for sale, and now I've gotta go back around through the elevators to get back.
Going down the central elevator in the top wall leads to a path that puts us here. This goes on Mozart.
The second chute drops you here, which is where you're supposed to go. First thing after that, though, I go to those stairs you can just barely see.
Hitting this switch opens a door...
...which leads to this. Once again, this is useless to me.
That conveyer belt just leads back to the four-chute room, so don't bother unless you want to backtrack.
I use a Tent and save here, because I'm pretty sure I know what happens in the next room, and I want to be thorough.
Okay, never mind. I forgot this room even existed. I still tinker with the various switches, though. End result?
I get over here (with minimum trouble, even! I tend to be pretty bad at this kind of puzzle, to be honest) and grab this Elixir as a bonus. Off to the next room!
Okay, I was CLOSE. It was TWO rooms away, not one.
: Hello, Your Royal Queeniness.
: Mozart, that's not how you're supposed to address royalty.
: Could be worse.
: Especially with where she's standing.
: Yeah, my first impulse was to call her "Your Royal Bitchiness," and that's even worse.
: What do you mean, revival?
: Obviously something's either impersonating her or hijacking her body.
Flames begin shooting from the engine...
...before taking shape and leaping at Mozart!
Yup. Liquid Flame time. It immediately starts the battle with a Blaze, which takes off about 25% of my HP.
Mozart retaliates with some funky moves.
Who woulda thought that the Liquid Flame would be susceptible to Confusion, of all things? I toss everyone a Potion, while it punches itself in the... does it even have a face?
Now that it's awake, I dance again. He didn't like that, though, so he Blazes me again.
...then turns into a hand.
Well, guess I don't have to worry about counterattacks from this guy. Dunno about other forms though. Galuf attacks to get him out of this form.
Hand form normally casts Fira as a counter, but since I Mystery Waltzed his MP away he can't do that.
Huh. All three forms with only two attacks. That happens less than you'd think. Anyway, this form's AI only casts Fira on itself to heal- basically a free chance to heal yourself, since its MP are pathetic. And if its MP carries over between forms, it can't even do that!
Okay, so MP does NOT carry over between forms. There goes my damage, but on the bright side I have a chance to Potion myself in peace. Galuf gets three, while everyone else has two.
And now to wait for it to waste all its MP. From there, it's just whacking it down and healing when it goes tornado (which still can't do anything because each form's MP is static, at least). Nothing special.
In case you ever wondered what a confused tornado looks like, here you go.
Apparently Confuse shuts down React scripts- LF doesn't switch forms from this, or the three that follow. People trying to get Flame Bows should take note of this.
That was incredibly easy, actually. I REALLY underestimated Dancers in World 1.
Boss Deaths: 0
Total Boss Deaths: 0
Other Deaths: 0
Now that LF has ruptured it, the engine starts blowing up. Success?
The queen gets hit with some of the debris and is knocked down; the presence controlling her abandons her at this point.
: I kinda guessed the "controlled" part. You gonna be okay, though? That looked like it hit you pretty hard.
: I'm guessing it's something along the lines of "something is using the machines to break the crystals."
: Huh. So something's siphoning off the extra power they're generating or something?
: Hopefully this isn't like the last two and there's actually something left to save...
If you talk to the queen after the scene, she tells you to ditch her and go to the crystal.
Before I do that, though, I go save. We all know what's coming up next.
: Well, at least it's still more or less intact.
A werewolf chooses this moment to bomb his way through the wall.
: Okay, seriously, what the hell?
: Agreed. What the hell?
: Amnesia.
: How'd that happen?!
: No idea. He was complaining about his head hurting, though, so he must've hit it pretty hard.
: He's probably being controlled, like the Queen was.
: Called it.
: You...!
: I kinda expected he'd try something to keep us from turning it off, but why didn't I expect this?!
: This won't end well.
: Do you really have to be so pessimistic?
: Considering our track record, can you blame me?
: I'm out. Nothing left for us here anyway.
: GAAAH! WHERE'D THE FLOOR GO?!
: Try not to let us down...
And another crystal goes boom. Shortly afterwards, the werewolf is incinerated. 
: The crystal's probably gone by now.
Everyone runs upstairs to check this.
: And did it never strike anyone that this would be a TERRIBLE DESIGN CHOICE?!
Yup. 10 minutes to loot the castle and escape... and unlike a lot of people at this point, I want just about everything!
There're three of these in the castle. I get everything, amazingly enough.
Everything interesting is guarded. Make sure you kill them fast, since the clock's ticking.
Most of the guarded chests are Elixirs. Here's the first of six.
Useless, but I'll take it anyway.
Nice.
I also grab this on the other side.
Also useless, but I want everything.
This might've been useful if I was capable of casting magic of any description.
Conveniently for this sequence, !Hide helps when you're trying to run- if all living members are Hiding, you can run instantly so long as escape is possible.
Unfortunately, I forgot to screenshot the "boss" of this section on the run I kept; it's not like I couldn't spare the time, since I got out with like two minutes to spare... Anyway, I naturally go straight for the guy in the back, since I want nothing to do with Death Claw.
This screenshot comes from me being annoyed by some missing pictures and loading an older save to run straight to what I missed for screenshots. Please ignore the timer on this one; I actually get here with about three minutes on the clock or so.
Boss Deaths: 0
Total Boss Deaths: 0
Other Deaths: 0?
After fleeing the castle premises, it, of course, explodes all over the place.
Timed Escape Attempts: 2.5 (screwed up once and timed out, missed screenshots the second time, and the third I stopped after screenshotting the boss)
Should I count that failure as a death?
Somehow the crystal's fragments survive the blast, and three of them land right in front of us. Lenna adds them to her collection.
I think Mozart's gear is looking pretty good at the moment. Faris gets that Elven Mantle I picked up but had no time to equip and Mozart's old Green Beret (yes, I am playing favorites, why do you ask?).
: Hey, it was probably gonna happen sometime. Besides, what's done is done- what you gotta focus on now is how to fix your mistakes.
: There IS no way to fix this!
And then he runs off to go be emo in a more fitting location.
: A diplomat I am not.
Well, back to town!
: On the one hand, I'm glad she made it out. On the other... that's ominous.
: And creepy.
: You mean like your outfit?
Told you Cid was going somewhere more appropriate- he's in the bar!
: Don't think I'm letting you off the hook on your piano lessons!
: Only messing up one out of three notes now. That's progress.
: Great... He's sulking. How do we wake him up?
: No idea. Maybe someone downstairs has one.
: Hmm... promising. Maybe if we can get his grandson to talk to him he'll snap out of it.
I probably should've looted the town before, but I was feeling kinda off. Yes, I know, excuses.
Since I've got so much money after the Fire Ship and the castle escape, I go ahead and max my potions and status restorers. After selling off all the crap I've picked up...
...I start stocking up on Phoenix Downs, in case I ever need them.
After shopping, I hike southwest until I reach this building, where I will be leaving off.
Next time: Get outta my books! 