Let's play Star Ocean 3! Part 14

Nel starts talking to us as soon as we're up.

Nel: Well, did you get a good night's sleep?
Cliff: Yeah, not bad. This place is just about right for a man of noble birth like me.
Fayt: (...)
Nel: As you people say, very funny...
Nel: But at any rate... We must leave for Aquios at once.
Cliff: Hey, wait! You act like you don't believe me!

We can talk to the guests in the inn, but there isn't especially fancy to check out, so we might as well get ready to head for Aquios right away. As soon as we exit the inn, though:


Fayt: You're Ameena's neighbor - what's wrong?
Middle-Aged Woman: Please, you've got to help me! It's Ameena!
Fayt: Ameena? Did something happen to her?
Middle-Aged Woman: Ameena was on the Mountain of the Gods when she suddenly had an attack - she can't move! I-I'm too weak to carry her so I came back to get help!
Cliff: An attack? Then there was somethign wrong with that girl after all!
Middle-Aged Woman: I'm afraid so. Ameena has always been a frail girl... Oh, I should never have taken her up that mountain!
Fayt: Ma'am, where did Ameena collapse?
Middle-Aged Woman: In the mountains on the way to Sanmite. It's the forest to the west of the animal trail that runs alongside a pointy rock... Can you help her!?
Nel: Past a pointy rock... That'd be Duggus Forest. It's the forest that lies to the west of this town.
Fayt: To the west, got it!


Fayt: Look, Cliff and Nel, you wait in Peterny. I'll go rescue Ameena myself!
Cliff: Bah. You really think we'd let you go by yourself?
Nel: Not a chance.
Nel: Not only that, Duggus Forest is full of bandits. I think it'd be safer if we all went together.
Fayt: Bandits!?
Cliff: That ain't good. Come on, let's hurry and get over to that Dugga-whatchamacallit Forest, pronto!
Fayt: Let's go!!!



At this point I actually ignore the story and run off to hire inventors for half an hour, but I'll cover that in an extra. So let's pretend we were reasonable and ran after Ameena right away.



Duggus Forest is a pretty big dungeon, but smaller than the training facility was. It's roughly as easy to get lost in, though, especially once you go past its first part. But we're stopped from progressing fairly early on, because some paths are blocked by large trees. Thankfully, we find someone who can maybe shed some light on this.


Nel: They're rare. This is the first time I've seen one, too.
Fairy: ....


Cliff: Hey! Don't look at me! I don't eat bugs!



The fairy tumbles back down to the ground.

Fayt: Are you okay?
Fairy: If I could only feel the mountain mists on my face and drink pure water from her springs, I'd feel much better...
Fayt: Okay. We'll go get you some spring water.

There's three different types of springs in this zone: boiling springs, gushing springs, and sparkling springs. She's actually looking for sparkling spring water specifically. Giving her gushing spring water does nothing, and giving her boiling spring water is a PA that makes absolutely everyone dislike you because what the fuck, Fayt.

Fayt: Here, spring water.
Fairy: Gulp, gulp...


Fairy: Thank you! Tell you what, I'll let you in on a secret!
Fairy: Did you know that in this forest, there are trees that have turned into monsters? They block the forest paths, they do!
Fayt: I see... So what should we do?
Cliff: Burn 'em down?
Fairy: No, stupid!!!
Fairy: I'll be your guide! Those old trees can't fool my eyes! But it'll be up to you to deal with them.

So now we can get past the weird trees, because some of them are actually monsters! If so, the fairy will tell us when we approach them and it'll start a fight. Any trees we kill will stay down, so we don't have to worry about optimizing our way through the woods or anything. They're roughly mini-boss difficulty, except if you use MP damage in which case they die real real fast.

Starting with the new areas this unlocks, we also run into a fun new gimmick: falling boulders! Similar to the slopes/ice in the Aqueducts, if we get hit by one of those Fayt falls over and we reload at the start of that room. I'm going to be getting hit by rocks a lot.



After a bit more wandering around in the forest, we find a small building. This entire next part is optional. It's completely possible to miss this area of the forest and just beeline for Ameena instead. If we do, though, we permanently lose our opportunity to ever recruit Roger at any point. So, let's go meet Roger.



Nel: Yeah. Wanna check it out?
Fayt: Okay.
Nel: I'll go scout out the area. You guys take care of this.


Fayt: That's not... Ameena.
Cliff: Who the heck is this little guy?
Fayt: Some little boy the bandits captured, I guess. Don't worry. We're not here to hurt you.


Fayt: What happened? How'd you end up in there?
???: I didn't do anything wrong... Wahhh!
Fayt: Okay... Is there no one else but you here?
???: Nope... *hiccup*
Fayt: So you haven't seen a girl around here? Her name's Ameena...
???: ...


???: Just get me outta here, now!
Fayt: Huh!?
???: Oops... hehe...
Cliff: Well, well, the cat's outta the bag. He's really a little brat.
???: I blew it...
Fayt: You can say that again...
???: I'll be good, I'll be good! Oh, get me outta here, guys! Come on!
Fayt: Who are you anyway?
???: Me?


Roger: Shuddup, ya big lummox! If someone's askin' for help, shouldn't ya just lend a hand? Yeah, you should care about others. Least, that's what my Papa always said. And he was always right!!!
Roger: Come on, have you no hearts, ya big bullies!
Fayt: Unbelievable...
Nel: What's going on in here? Did something happen?
Fayt: You might say that...
Roger: Huh? Where'd that lovely voice come from?




Fayt: Looks like Ameena's not here. Let's go.
Cliff: Huh, sounds good to me. I'm sick of this brat anyhow.
Nel: You can say that again.
Fayt: Yeah.
Roger: That's just plain cold! I'm askin' for help!


Roger: Hey look, the morons are back! My boys are gonna tear ya to pieces!!! Better say yer prayers!!!
Bandit: What did you just say!?
Cliff: Hey, when he said 'my boys', did he mean...
Fayt: Yeah, I think he meant us...
Nel: I'm afraid so.


Bandit: Yer dead meat!
Roger: Too late to grovel now! There'll be no mercy this time. Get 'em, boys!!!

We have a quick and very trivial fight against the bandits.




Nel: You're a Menodix, from the Sanmite Republic, right?
Roger: Yes, that's right, Miss!
Fayt: The Sanmite Republic?
Nel: It's a country of humanoids located northwest of Aquaria.
Nel: I'm sure you noticed lots of humanoids in Peterny. Almost all of them are from Sanmite.
Fayt: Huh...
Nel: But it's strange to find a Menodix around here. Everyone knows they almost never comme down from their highlands.
Roger: Well you see, Miss, it's kind of complicated.
Cliff: Complicated... yeah right.
Fayt: Why did the bandits capture you?
Roger: That's a secret! You know, a real man has things he can't even tell his girl.
Cliff: Huh? A secret? After we just saved your... tail?
Nel: What an odd kid. Let's leave him. I really don't want to hear his story anyway.
Roger: Huh, huh...?
Nel: We're not interested.
Roger: Oh, but I'd really want you to hear about it, Miss... I really do!
Cliff: Somebody stop me before I wring this brat's neck.
Fayt: So? Why did they capture you?
Roger: It was a dare.
Fayt: A dare?
Roger: Yup, that's right. Ya see, me and my gang are enemies with this other gang back in Surferio. I challenged their leader to a dare to see who was the bigger man.
Nel: A dare, huh? What was it that you did?
Roger: A test of courage. We dared each other to slip into the legendary Moonshadow Clan's hideout in Duggus Forest and steal the treasure therein!
Roger: A test fit for real me!
Cliff: I see... So you screwed up and got caught.
Roger: ... Shaddup, moron.
Fayt: So now we know how you got here. Be more careful on your way home. Later.
Roger: ... What'd you guys come here for, anyway? Not to clear out the bandits, I guess?
Fayt: We're looking for someone.
Roger: Looking for someone? A girl?
Fayt: Huh? Yeah.
Roger: I see... Well, I'll give ya a hand then.
Cliff: Huh?
Roger: I said I'll give ya a hand, ya big lummox! Besides, I know this forest much better than you guys do.
Fayt: Thanks for the offer, but...
Roger: Huh...? You're gonna refuse an offer from someone as irresistible as me!?
Cliff: You're up to something, I can tell! You really gonna help us?
Roger: Doh!
Cliff: As I thought.


Roger: Oh, well, Miss, ya see... I... um... uhh...
Fayt: Go on, we won't get angry.
Roger: Well, I haven't exactly gotten the treasure from that dare I made, you see.
Cliff: Treasure?
Roger: That's right, moron. It's a gold statuette...
Cliff: Well, what's stopping you? Go get it!
Roger: Well, I would if I could, but the bandits' leader has it. And all I know is he's somewhere here in the forest.
Fayt: I get it...
Cliff: So your plan is to leech on to us and hope you get lucky and we'll get that treasure for you?
Roger: Uhhh... that's one way of putting it...
Nel: Well, why not? We might need some help after all.
Cliff: Are you outta your mind!?
Nel: It's been some time sine Ameena collapsed in the forest. We need to find her soon and bring her back to town. If this little guy really knows this area as he says, he could guide us.
Cliff: Well... I suppose.
Roger: That's right!
Cliff: ... Okay. What now?



[If we choose Ask Roger to help.]
Fayt: Hmm... Rogers... was it? So, you'll help us out?
Roger: I owe it to ya guys! Heh he he, just leave it to me!
Cliff: Yeah, but what about that dare? Yer not done yet, are ya?


Roger: Heh, does it really matter?
Roger: I mean, you guys are searchin' for someone in the forest, right? So, that means we might run into the guy I'm lookin' for! I'll help you guys find that girl, and if we run into the bandit leader, you guys can help me slap him down! That way, everyone ends up happy.
Fayt: Okay. Let's hurry!
Roger: Go, go, go!

Roger joins the party.

[If we choose Turn down his offer to help.]
Fayt: Thanks, but...
Roger: What...!? You're saying I'm no help?
Fayt: That's not what I meant. We'd really like your help, but you're in the middle of a dare, aren't you? Don't you want to finish it off?


Fayt: Thought so. Look, thanks for the offer anyway.
Roger: I see... Oh well. Stop by my place if yer ever in Sanmite. Me and the gang'll take good care of ya!
Fayt: Thanks. We just might take you up on that.
Roger: Great. See ya later!

Roger walks out of the cottage without joining the party.

If we don't let Roger join at this point, we also permanently lose out on him as a party member (though at least he doesn't stay locked in his cage). He's definitely one of the more minor party members, and is magically absent from a number of story cutscenes even if he's supposed to be in the party, but he has a couple of unique cutscenes and sidequests if he's around, starting as we walk back into the forest:



Roger doesn't watch where he's running and runs right into someone.

Roger: Yowww!



Nel: Yep, no doubt about it.
Cliff: Yeah, has to be. He looks kind of evil.
Moonshadow Clan Thief: So it's you, that little brat from before. What're you doin' here? Didn't we put you in a cage or something?
Roger: How do yah think you're gonna get away with putting Roger, man among men, in a steenkin' cage!? Purdy women are the only ones who can catch this man, let me tell you!



Moonshadow Clan Thief: Shaddup and do as I say! What's this 'Real Man Contest', anyway!?
Roger: It's a contest to see who's the real man, duh!
Moonshadow Clan Thief: Wha'?
Roger: Never mind that! Just hurry up and gimme your treasure!
Cliff: Wait a minute, who said anything about that?
Roger: Huh? Didn't I mention it?
Nel: No, not a single word.
Roger: Um, er, anyway. Cough it up! Shut yer trap and gimme the goods. Stop wastin' time! Argh, just... just gimme it!
Moonshadow Clan Thief: Who do you think you're kiddin'? Why would I give you my treasure!?
Roger: You don't understand anything, do you!? What kind of fool are you? Wait, I know! You're a dumb-dumb, that's what kind! Gimme the treasure!
Moonshadow Clan Thief: Who're you callin' a dumb-dumb! I've had enough of you! I'll smash you to smithereens!
Roger: Hah! Like you could ever beat me!


Fayt: Can I ask you one thing first? Did you see a girl with long hair picking flowers around here?
Moonshadow Clan Thief: I don't know! And why would I tell you guys if I did, anyway!? You come around here, cracking jokes about me! Man, do you think it's my fault I look evil!?
Cliff: Oops, he heard us.
Nel: It certainly looks that way. And I think you hurt his feelings, too. Maybe you'd better stop talking now.



We have a "mini-boss" fight against the clan chief, but he's as much of a pushover as his underlings were.


Roger: That's a win for me! Hehe, take that, Lucien!
Fayt: Congratulations.
Roger: Woohoo! This is thanks to you, m'lady!
Cliff: Hey, hang on a second, there. What're we then, window dressing?
Roger: Oh yeah. Thanks, I guess.


Cliff: ...
Roger: Thanks, kinda, in a way.
Cliff: ...
Roger: Well, it's not like I don't want to, um, thank you or something like that.
Cliff: ...
Roger: Whew. Nice work.




Roger: Wait a minute!

Our search for Ameena thus continues! Next step involves getting crushed by boulders again.



Once we're past that part, the last section of the forest starts out as what seems to be a teleporter maze, but it's actually just that every path except one is blocked off in a way that makes you walk around in circles.



Only one of the paths actually allows progress, around the north side of the map. When we get there...



Roger: Either way, there's definitely something suspicious about this place.
Cliff: Okay, what do we do next?
Nel: Something's coming.
Roger: This looks like trouble!



Boss fight! Some of his attacks can be weird to dodge but overall he's not too bad.


Fayt: Come on, we'd better hurry up and find Ameena.

At this point, the fog lifts entirely from the previous area, and the teleport effect is gone, meaning we can explore the other paths in the forest. We get a couple for loot, then head for where Ameena is.



Fayt: Ameena! Ameena!
Roger: This who yer talkin' about?
Cliff: Yeah.


Fayt: Let's get her back to town quick!
Ameena: Uhh... Ohh...
Roger: See ya guys later then. Glad we found the girl!
Fayt: Thanks, we really appreciate your help.
Roger: Don't sweat it. One good turn deserves another.
Roger: See ya!


Cliff: Let's hurry.
Fayt: Yeah.

Fayt picks Ameena up and the screen fades out.



Cliff: Aah, it was nothing.
Middle-Aged Woman: No, no, the doctor said that, had you found her much later it might have been too late.
Middle-Aged Woman: Oh, I feel so sorry for the poor girl. She lost both of her parents, and now this disease...
Fayt: Ma'am?
Middle-Aged Woman: Oh, it's all the war's fault! If it wasn't for this war, Ameena's parents wouldn't have died, and she could have lived in peace...
Nel: That's why the killing has to end.
Middle-Aged Woman: Indeed - but there's not much we can do. All we can do is make Wishing Charms and pray that Apris ends the war... If only I had the power. I'd smash those Airyglyph scum into little pieces... I... I feel so powerless!
Fayt: Power...
Ameena: Mmm...


Ameena: Why are you here? I...
Fayt: Don't get up, Ameena. You have to rest!
Ameena: Why are you here, Fayt? I thought you were going to leave for Aquios today...?
Fayt: Well...
Middle-Aged Woman: These people brought you back here after you collapsed.
Middle-Aged Woman: You collapsed on top of the mountain, Ameena. I couldn't carry you all the way home - so I came back to get help. Well, that's when I saw this boy...
Ameena: I see... Fayt, everyone, thank you very much. I am so sorry for the trouble I've caused you all...
Cliff: Nah, don't worry about it.
Nel: He's right. You just concentrate on resting up and getting better.
Ameena: Okay.
Nel: And, Ameena?
Ameena: Yes?
Nel: I asked that doctor to take care of you for me. If you start feeling worse, go see her right away.
Ameena: But... how will I pay her?
Nel: That's not a problem. We've already come to an agreement about the fee. It's all taken care of.
Ameena: I, I can't let you do that!
Nel: You need to learn to take favors when they're offered. Don't worry - you don't owe me anything. That doctor is an old friend of mine. I'm happy to use my connections to help.
Cliff: She's right. Liste, she says it's okay, so it's okay!
Ameena: But...
Nel: How about this? Just think of it as payment for the Maiden of Irisa? Does that sound fair?
Ameena: That was a gift.
Nel: Come on, just say 'yes'.
Fayt: You want to see your friend again, don't you? You'll need to get better as fast as possible if you want to do that, right?
Ameena: I... don't know how to thank you.
Cliff: Don't mention it. Fayt?
Fayt: Yeah. Ameena? Sorry, but we have to go.
Ameena: You do?
Fayt: I'd like to stay and help you get better, but there's something important I have to do.
Nel: ...
Fayt: It's something I've thought about a lot. At first, I was just going to run away from it all, but then I realized: sometimes, you're the only one that can make a difference. And if it's something that might help people you've got to give it a try!
Ameena: Yes...
Nel: Fayt, you don't mean-?


Nel: Uh... okay!
Cliff: You're as easy to read as always.
Fayt: I'll take that as a compliment.
Fayt: All right, we have to go now. I'm sorry, ma'am - please take good care of Ameena.
Middle-Aged Woman: I will. You folks take care of your own work, whatever that may be. Leave Ameena to me.
Fayt: Thank you.
Ameena: Fayt.
Fayt: Huh?
Ameena: I'll see you again, right?
Fayt: Yes, you will.
Ameena: I'm looking forward to it.
Fayt: I am too... Take care!
Ameena: All right.

We can chat with Ameena again before we leave, but she just apologizes again, so it's time to go.


Fayt: Yeah.
Cliff: So, whatever happened to that precious UP3 you used to worry about all the time?
Fayt: Ah yes, well... I've made up my mind. I'll do whatever it takes to end this war. That's all.
Cliff: 'There are things I can do, that no one else can do! If there's a chance I can help...' Hah! Cool, kid, very cool.
Fayt: Either way, we've interfered so much already, it's not going to make any difference, is it? And there's no guarantee we'll ever get off this planet.
Cliff: Making a virtue of necessity, huh?
Fayt: Is that wrong? I have to do something if I'm ever going to get out of here and find my dad...
Cliff: You got the right idea. And I think you could use a little gung-ho, y'know?
Fayt: You think?
Cliff: Well, that's the way I prefer to do things, anyway. All right, let's go. She's waiting.



Fayt: Lay off the teasing, all right? It's not like we're going out, geez!
Nel: Heh heh...
Fayt: Oh yeah, about the doctor... Thanks.
Nel: Don't thank me. I was just doing... what I wanted to do.
Fayt: But...
Nel: Actually... That doctor is one of my subordinates.
Cliff: You mean like Tynave?
Nel: Well... they're not all doing the same thing - but they are all agents of Aquaria, and they help me out when I need it.
Cliff: How nice.
Fayt: Just the same, please accept my gratitude.
Nel: I said don't worry about it.
Nel: ...
Fayt: What is it?


Nel: That you'll do what you can. I take that to mean you'll cooperate with us?
Fayt: Yes, I will.
Nel: Hmm... Well, I welcome your change of heart. I'll have to thank Ameena and her friend. But are you really sure about this?
Cliff: I'm just going along with what he decides.
Fayt: Right... I've made up my mind.
Nel: In that case... Thanks in advance.
Fayt: You're welcome. Now - let's get to Aquios!

Like he said he would, Roger's left our party again at this point. We could theoretically go get him at the beginning of the next part, but we'll hold off on that until a tad later so we can do a little less backtracking.

With that detour done...

Next time: We go to Aquios for real?