Wait, so that huge Alpha Gaiden LP, with lots of pictures, was yours?
Kudos for your hard work. Take
this as a reward.
Episode 8!
Double Trouble!No, we're not in Pokemon.
Suspage: This backwater is cramping my style. Blowing up innocent towns is not fabulous if you get stopped every time!
: Don't whine, Suspage. We will open the gate to Darius world soon enough.
Suspage: Blasted Daiku-Maryu. If only I knew what they're doing right now...
Daiya: Any progress on the gates, Doc?
Sakon: We're getting there. Why don't you check the nearby town in the meantime? Zonnet is supposed to be a huge Domepolis, and I heard your friend already went there to search for the Clawed Man.
Daiya: Oh, right, mr Ban!
Puria: That's Van, you slowhead...
Gainer: Just how huge is this shopping list?
Sara: Can't help it, Exodus needs supplies. As long as we keep King Gainer outside the Domepolis limits and try to avoid attention, we'll be alright.
Gainer: Zonnet... my friend lives there. Maybe we should pay her a visit.
Sara: What did I say about avoiding attention just now?
Shizuka: Professor Sakon search team, get in position.
Kyo: There's only me. But I'm ready.
Shizuka: And... open the door!
Kyo: He's not here... I see a lot of clutter and it stinks to high heaven, but he is not in his room.
Shizuka: Whaaaaat! Sakon, you fool! Aargh, how dare you leave the ship without my permission! I'll suplex you the moment you return!
Kyo: ... Did she just bend a metal bar in half with her bare hands? That's scary...
Van: Ignore shanenigans... must find the Clawed Man... and murder him.
Wendy: Mr Van, please stop! You can't just go around driven by vengeance alone!
Van: Once again. You two kids can't handle the way I do things, get out. This place has a huge train station, use it and go home.
Joshua: Mr Van...
Van: I'm leaving you behind. From now on, I'm working solo.
Van: What do they think they know... young fools.
: I'd say, you're quite a young fool yourself.
Van: Gadved!
Gadved, Van's mentorGadved: Long time no see, kid. In good health as always, huh? Come on, let's talk.
Wendy: Idiot Van doesn't understand a thing... Joshua lost a loved one too, but he's not going around trying to kill people in revenge. Oh brother - will I ever find you? Wait... Is that? No way...
Michael Garret, Wendy's older brotherWendy: Michael!
Michael: W... Wendy! That's a surprise! What are you doing here?
Sara: I can't believe these Railroad goons recognized us on sight!
Gainer: Let's hide here and wait for them to pass!
Sara: Okay! Wait... Gainer, this is no time to play a game!
Gainer: It's suspicious to enter an arcade and not play anything. Hey, what's this? Queen of Overman Battle, an unbeaten streak of 200 wins? Don't tell me it's...!
Gainer: Excuse me. You're Cynthia, aren't you?
Cynthia: And who are you?
Gainer: It's me, Gainer! Remember, we play together?
Cynthia Lane, Gainer's online friendCynthia: The King of Gamers, in the flesh? Wow, what an exciting day! And this must be Sara, right?
Sara: Hello. So, we really met her after all, talk about coincidence...
Cynthia: What brings you here, Gainer? Looking for a challenge?
Gainer: Not exactly...
SR lackeys: I think I see them! Surround the building!
Cynthia: Aha, you're being chased! Let's sneak out - I know all the back alleys, I'll guide you. It'll be an adventure!
Everyone meets people from their past! With so many pleasant surprises around, what could go wrong?
Wendy: I'm so happy you're alright, big brother! You're not even wounded!
Michael: Yes. Wendy, there is something very important I have to tell you.
Wendy: Oh? What is it?
Michael: When I was taken... at first, I was terrified. But I understood that I stand in front of something bigger than me. Our Comrade is a man of great vision.
Wendy: C... comrade? You can't mean... the Clawed Man?
Michael: Exactly him. He wants to make the world a beautiful place, safe for all. Please understand, Wendy - this is very important. I share his mission now, so please return home, to Evergreen.
Wendy: N... no... it can't be...
Michael: I have to go now.
Van: WHAAAT! You bastard!
Punch!
Van: How dare you take sides with the sonofabitch who killed Elena!
Gadved: Punch me all you want - I have my own reasons! He was the one who killed your fiancee, who wounded both of us to the extent that I had to give you a Yoroi implant just to save your life! And yet, I have my reasons! For helping our Comrade!
Van: ... Traitor. Gadved, you disgust me.
Gadved: The Original Seven serve our Comrade's cause now. The one who betrays them is the one who wants to kill the Comrade - you, Van. But it is not too late. Join us, and together we can create a new paradise for all.
Van: I'd sooner die!
Gadved: Very well. Let's take this outside, then.
Mysterious woman!Woman: Excuse me.
Carmen: What is it?
Thwack! Schwing! Battle noises!
Woman: You're a strong one, aren't you? Now, I'll be taking the MacGuffin you hold...
Carmen: Tch... she took the Clawed Man's...
: Hey, are you alright?
Mysterious man!Carmen: Yeah, I just slipped and fall, that's all...
Man: I overheard you two talk, and then fight. It's about the Claw, isn't it?
Carmen: Who are you, anyway? Well, no matter. The last laugh's on me anyway...
Man: Don't worry. I'm not a bad guy. If you discount a certain chief mechanic's opinion.
Gadved: I saved your life, and now you want to slay my beloved Comrade. You know this will be a fight to the death, Van. If I lose, it will be the redemption of my act. But if I win - it will be my condemnation!
Van: You talk too much now, Gadved. Hurry up.
Gadved: Wake up, Diablo!
Van: Wake up, Dann!
Gainer: Phew! We made it safely!
Sara: Thanks for everything, Cynthia. You are a really dependable person.
Cynthia: This Overman... Exodus's Overman is Gainer's? I'm really happy!
Gainer: Huh, what do you mean, Cynthia?
Cynthia: It means we can be rivals after all! Isn't it exciting?
Sara: That... sounded less dependable now.
Cynthia: Come, Dominator! Prepare yourself Gainer - let's have fun!
The duel starts! Okay, it's more like a double duel. With extra Siberian Railroad mooks to make things more fun.
Gainer: I don't want to fight you, Cynthia!
Cynthia: Come on. It's just like in Overman Battle!
Mist: Hey, that looks like trouble. So much for our guys' covert approach.
Angelica: Daiku-Maryu, can you hear us? Gainer and Van are in trouble!
Reinforcements will be here soon, but in the meantime:
IT'S TIME TO DUEL!
Cynthia: Show me your best, King of Games!
Gainer: Aah!
King Gainer's losing power!
Gadved: Condemnation, or redemption? Which one will it be, Van?! Tell me!
From a player's perspective, this is... not as exciting as it sounds. Diablo of Monday is tough, but I gave Van a barrier generator so he should be alright. As for Gainer, I must remember about two things: his chainsword goes right through Dominator's photon mat, and you can reload the game if you get shot down. Because you really can get shot down here. Just sayin'.
But, with some luck:
Cynthia: This is exciting! The real thing's even better than playing! So that's what the Game Champ can do!
Yeah. Cynthia is not the most stable person around. Or grounded in reality.
SR lackey: I'll get a commendation for shooting down this Armor!
Van:
You idiots stay out of this.
SR lackey: Aah, I'm sorry Sir!
At least the mooks are not too troublesome to deal with. Too bad they come with the usual complement of King Gainer bosses - Yassaba, the terrible trio, the usual. Asuham's not around though. Oh, and Kejinan has a new Overman, Blackmail. I forgot to say that. But now you know.
Kouji: Hey-ho! Mazinger Z is here!
Garis: Everyone, move out! Save our friends!
Cynthia: Hey, the odds are kinda bad now, aren't they? But I won't lose!
Watch out for this one, Gainer!
Gainer: Aaah!
Sara: G... Gainer! He's hurt!
Cynthia: What? Gainer... got hurt?
Gain: Quick, move King Gainer back on board!
Sara: Easy to say. Don't worry Gainer, you'll be safe soon!
Cynthia: Why did this happen...
King Gainer's out of commission for now. The fight goes to a confused and anxious Cynthia. But watch out, it's not over yet!
Asuham: GAAAAAAIN!
Anna: Watch out, Gou-chin! It's the usual rambling madman!
Gou: Don't worry a thing, Anna.
I have this one!
Cynthia: What did I do? I'm sorry, Gainer...
Well, one boss is down now. Out of
many.
Gain: Tough guy, eh?
Taste Brunnhilde's power!
Bello: That sounded like a commercial tagline.
Gadved: This kind of force is not enough to bring Diablo down!
Gadved has some sick levels of Prevail - a skill for tanky robot pilots that increases armor (and dodging, and accuracy, and crit rates...) as health goes down. It's like if the game was telling me to finish him off with Van... and that's exactly what is going on here.
Kouji (Tetsuya): Let's go, Shizuru-san!
Double Gunner action!
Puria: Hell yeah, let's show 'em!
Shizuru: These two... it's somewhat annoying, but they work well together.
Gauli: Agreed.
But enough about fighting redshirts. Back to Gadved!
Kouji: Rocket Punch!
Gadved: Fool!
Van: You bastard!
CHESTO!
Gadved's a cheater and regenerates when shot down once. That's right - I have the "pleasure" of downing the tough-as-nails Diablo twice. Thanks, game.
...
I should stop stealing lines from Deceased Crab.
Boss: What's this? Forget angsty cowboys and their stupid plots! Pay attention to the real hero -
Boss Borot!
Gadved: Van, it's over.
I'll have to split you in twain!
Kejinan: Enough, I'm the new character now! Like my Overman?
Yagyu: Is that... a frog?
Van: Elena... I can't die here... Elena!
Gadved: Soon, you will meet with her peacefully. I really wish we could have remained friends, Van!
Van: Once again, you talk too much!
Gadved: Come!
The last strike will decide the victor!
Gadved: So... that's how it is...
Tsubaki: Van won his duel! Ero-Kenji, destroy the frog thing!
Kenji: Ero-? But I only snuck a peek once... okay, whatever!
Spin Storm!
Daiya: Lemme help too! Aack, fast!
Kejinan: Ha ha ha! Blackmail cannot be defeated!
Anna: Everyone's down south! Do you expect us to take on the whole army just by the two of us?
Yassaba: Divide and conquer, that's the basics of battle! Take this!
Daiya: Gaiking! Don't go down just yet!
Punch Grinder!
Shizuru: I hate frogs, and other slimy things.
Sniper Shot!
Kejinan: My indestructible Overman!
Kouji (Tetsuya): So, Shizuru-san has a feminine side too!
Shizuru: Idiot.
Mist: Hey, it's the guy who by chance got me before.
Time for round two, jerk!
Kouji: Does this look familiar? Breast FIRE!
Yassaba: Adette, you know the drill by now!
Yagyu: Let's go, everyone! Triangle Attack!
Monko: Try to keep up with the Angels, Kanitank guys!
Yanma: A'right!
Kani-tank, go!
Enge: Six on one? What an overkill!
Puria: It's the Bunker Crab, not Kanitank, dammit!
You know what? Shanenigans aside, blowing up the same mini-bosses over and over gets boring after a while. The rest of the story will be told with pictures.
Kenji: Knuckle Bomber!
Asuham: Damn you Gain! This is not the last time - you will die soon etc etc.
Mist: Chaser!
Angelica: Combination!
Zakki: I was in this mission too!
Victory is ours! But for some reason, hardly anyone feels happy today.
Carmen: Van, the Clawed Man really was in this city. But he left already.
Van: Shit! Gadved, you bastard... you only wanted to slow me down, didn't you?
Kejinan: We're kicking you out. Get out of the Overman, old man!
Yassaba: You can't do this, Kejinan! I'm paying you!
Kejinan: Well, not anymore! Die in a ditch, I'm the leader now!
Enge: I think that Cynthia girl will try to kill you if you boss around.
Kejinan: Right, let's listen to her for a while. She's cute, too!
Enge: Yeah...
Band of lolicons, I tell you.
As for the mysterious man who helped Carmen, he turned out to be...
Daiya: Hey, it's Professor Sakon!
Sakon: In the flesh, for a change. Great news, everyone! After a night of non-stop work, and Shizuka punching me in the head...
Shizuka: Uh-huh. That happened.
Sakon: We got the Daiku-Maryu's dimensional drive to work. No gate is closed to us now! That is, if we find enough fuel. The stuff they got here is just too weak. To the west, there supposedly is a continent called Zi, where they have sources of energy just potent enough for our needs.
Shizuka: So, Daiku-Maryu's moving out just there. Thank you, mr Exposition.
Carmen: That woman who fought me must have been the Clawed Man's servant.
Van: Yeah. But you lost her.
Carmen: Ha, don't take me for an amateur, Van! I planted a tracking device on her - and wherever she went, I bet the Clawed Man is, too.
Van: Where is she then? Tell me!
Carmen: Moving over the sea as we speak. She probably went to Zi.
Van: We're going there too then!
Gainer: Ow... my whole body's hurting...
Sara: Gainer! You should stay in bed!
Gainer: I've no intention of getting up...
Sara: And good. How could Cynthia do that to us? I thought she was your friend...
Adette: Make way! I heard one of my precious students got wounded!
Gainer: S... students? How did that happen?
Adette: What, didn't you know? I am now miss Kistler, the teacher of your school. Make sure not to skip class, boy! That would be a terrible waste!
Ana: Gainer! I heard Gainer got beaten really badly! Links, Liese and Linna were really worried, too!
Links, Ana's squirrel-like pets (they dance)Links: Kii!
Sara: Well, aren't you popular, Gainer.
Gainer: What did I do now?
Bello: Who's this guy?
Gain: It's the enemy commander. They dumped him in trash for some reason. Siberian Railroad has no loyalty whatsoever, I tell you. Still, we better keep him tied up for now.
Adette: Yassaba!
Adette: I know Yassaba is here!
Yassaba: Adette! Don't look! I am a pathetic man now!
Adette: I don't care! Pathetic or not, you are still strong inside! And that's all that matters!
Yassaba: No, all that matters is that you are alive and safe!
Bello: Is this supposed to be a romantic scene?
Garis: Daiku-Maryu will seperate from the Exodus and go west. It's an honor to have you on board, Princess.
Ana: Of course, Captain! It will be a great adventure - I've never been to Zi before, I can't wait to see how it looks like.
Lioubov: But Princess! It might be dangerous!
Ana: Don't worry! The Links will protect me! Oh, and Gainer and Sara said they're tagging along, too.
So, that's that. During the intermission, I find not only no new units whatsoever, but also that I lost the King Gainer pilots - well, except Gainer and Sara as mentioned above. Time to reshuffle the teams - you know what that means, Boss!
Boss: He he he. I like this team best.
Shizuru: Please, someone kill me.
That was a long episode! And almost no new features, either - but worry not, that will change soon enough. Also, Gun X Sword over-saturation shouldn't repeat itself anymore. Hopefully.