Suzaku Ibun: The Harbor, Pt. 1 (Or, "Sparrin' at the Dock of the Bay")

Ni-hao and I'm back from my trip with some more Ibun for y'all! It's a fairly small slice since I'm also working on proofreading a new Chihayafuru chapter for RolyBear (get excited!), but it's also accompanied by some walkthrough notes, so that should pad the post a bit, too. And so:

Walkthrough Notes!

First, once you find the second Shinzaho (whether it's the Byakko or Genbu one), the game automatically sends you away from the Hokkan/Sairou world maps on on to the next arc. So before you enter either Mount Black or the Daijiin, make sure you've visited all the other places you wanted to visit.

Second, the game will send you to a different point in the game depending on how your Shinzaho-gathering adventures went:

• If you have both Shinzaho, you go to Part 3: Suzaku Summoning Arc.
• If you have neither Shinzaho (i.e., Ashitara and Misaki stole them both from you), then you go to Part 3: Seiryuu Summoning Arc.
• If you have one Shinzaho but not the other, then you go to the last bit of Part 2, which I'm calling The Harbor Arc. This is the Arc I'll be translating for the next couple weeks.

Third (and somewhat obnoxiously), I'm not sure if the Harbor Arc is Part, 2 Chapter 3 or Part 2, Chapter 4. It popped up differently in my two run-throughs, so...  *sweat* Not sure what that's all about. I've decided to call it "Chapter 4," since it makes the most sense to me to divide Part 2 up into four pieces (Shipwreck, Hokkan, Sairou, and Harbor).

And, fourth and finally, there are a lot of variations to this arc depending on who's still alive at this point (Amiboshi, Nuriko, Chiriko, Tomo). I'll do my best to cover as many versions as possible, but there are a lot of combinations that may or may not result in dialogue differences, so if you notice a line when you're playing that is NOT in my script, please let me know.

And now that we've gotten all that out of the way, let's get into it!

==Scene: Harbor==

…..

Tamahome: We’re finally home...

You: Mm... we are.

Tasuki: Man... it feels like we’ve been out roamin’ fer about forever.

You: …We only have one… of the Shinzaho.

Mitsukake: But the Seiryuu warriors are in the same boat. I honestly can’t imagine what will happen next.

Chiriko: Oh... that may be right.

You: Got a prediction for us, Chiriko?

Chiriko: If I were one of the Seiryuu Warriors… as things stand, I wouldn't return to my unstable homeland.

Chiriko: I'd strike as soon as my enemies had let down their guard.

You: There’s no way they’d—

Chichiri: Wait, no da... That’s odd.

You: What’s wrong?

Chichiri: There's no one around no da. But even so, it’s painfully obvious that we’re being watched no da.

You: ...Now that you mention it, I do feel kind of unsettled.

???: You have keen instincts.

{Nakago appears}

Nakago: It seems you lot have matured on your journey.

You: Na...Nakago...!

Nakago: However, it’s too late for you to escape.

A bunch of soldiers surrounded us. I wondered where the heck they’d hidden so many of them.

Tamahome: Kutou soldiers...

You: And there’s a ton of them... They’ve got us surrounded.

Chiriko: So it’s an ambush, then.

Chiriko: There’s at least 100 soldiers.

Chiriko: If they attack us all at once... we’ll be in trouble.

Nakago: Bows at the ready.

Kutou Solider: Bows at the ready—!!

The soldiers raised their bows in a single motion.

There really wasn’t anywhere to run.

What... can we possibly...!!

[Dialog options]

• With Chiriko
• Without Chiriko

With Chiriko

Chiriko: Tasuki-san.

Tasuki: ...Don't bother me. I'm kinda busy right now.

Chiriko: I have a plan. Lend me your ear, please...

Tasuki: ...So then... seriously?

Chiriko: It should work. Spirit and tenacity are your strongest qualities, so please find a way to pull it off.

Tasuki: Heh. You strategy-types are real slave drivers.

Chiriko: Tasuki-san, get ready.

Instead of pointing his tessen at the archers, Tasuki turned to face us.

You: Tasuki!?

Tasuki: Don’t hate me fer this...

Nakago: ...You would turn on your comrades?

Nakago: How unsightly, to turn your back on them now.

Nakago: Fire.

Kutou Soldier: FIRE—!!

—The arrows poured down on us like rain.

Tasuki: Howl, tessen!

Tasuki: REKKA SHIN’EN! WITH EVERYTHIN’ I GOT!!

*fwoosh*

The flames spread out from Tasuki with incredible force, swallowing us!

I instinctively braced myself, but—

You: I-it's not hot...!?

The flames concealed us and, in seconds, had turned the incoming arrows to ash.

You: H... how did you manage that?

Tasuki: My tessen only burns th’ things I want it t’burn!

Tasuki: …C’mon, you didn’t think I’d ever actually turn on my pals, didja?

Chiriko: ...I always thought the tessen was a better defensive weapon than an offensive one.

Tamahome: Way to go, Chiriko!

Tasuki: Hey, I’m th’ one who pulled it off, ain’t I!?

Chiriko: It’s still too early to celebrate.

Chiriko: We’re not out of the woods yet.

>>Return to Standard Dialogue (scroll down)

Without Chiriko

Tamahome: Nowhere to run... guess there’s nothing for it.

Chichiri: [Your Name], you should get behind us no da.

You: What are you planning to do?

Mitsukake: Drive away all of the arrows.

Tasuki: We can manage one or two hundred of ‘em.

You: A-are you serious!?

Tamahome: Trust us!

Nakago: Fire.

Kutou Soldier: FIRE—!!

The arrows poured down on us like rain—!

And then—

—!!

Tamahome: …Well, that’s that.

Mitsukake: Was anyone hurt?

Tasuki: Heh... nothin’ worth mentionin’.

You: No way... They really blocked them...

Chichiri: [Your Name], are you okay no da?

You: Oh... y-yeah!

Tasuki: Suck on that, assholes! Don’t underestimate the Suzaku Warriors!

>>Return to Standard Dialogue

Return to Standard Dialogue

Nakago: ...Looks as if you’ve got a sliver of talent.

Nakago: However...

{Suboshi and Soi appear}

Behind Nakago stood... the other Seiryuu Warriors...

You: No way...

Soi and Suboshi.

[optional] Even Tomo was there...

Nakago:  I never go into battle without expecting certain victory.

Chichiri: Th... this is bad no da.

Chichiri: They far outrank us in terms of firepower no da!

Chiriko: ...I’m sorry. I’m not sure what to do, either...

Tamahome: Tch... This might be the end for us.

—No.

...We can’t give up.

If we give up now, then that'll be it.

That'll be the end of all the hopes and wishes so many people entrusted to me!

Nakago: ...It’s all over.

You: Stop it right now!!

…..

You: I forbid you from fighting anymore!

I faced the enemy and started walking towards them.

Tasuki: ...Stay behind us!

You: Calm down... it’ll be all right.

You: The Priestess of Suzaku, [Your Full Name], commands you.

You: Seiryuu Celestial Warrior, Nakago. Call off your soldiers this instant!

Nakago: H’oh... You’re just a little girl, yet you dare to confront me...?

Nakago: ...Unfortunately for you, I am under no obligation to heed the Priestess of Suzaku’s commands.

You: The Shinzaho is not here. I’ve hidden it.

You: If you want to know where it is, then you’ll let my friends go.

Nakago: H’oh...

Mitsukake: Wh-what are you saying, [Your Name]!?

You: I’ve made it this far because you all kept me safe.

You: So now I’m going to protect you.

Nakago: If I learn that you’ve played me false...

Nakago: ...Then the pain and humiliation waiting for you will be far worse than death. Are these terms acceptable?

You: They’re fine by me.

Nakago: You aren’t frightened… So you’re telling the truth?

Nakago: Very well. I’d intended to take you alive from the very beginning.

??? (Misaki): Wait a minute!

You: Huh...?

Misaki: ...Nakago, what in the world were you planning to do?

You: ...Misaki-chan.

Nakago: Misaki-sama...

Nakago: As you can see, I intended to steal the Shinzaho from them.

Misaki: Why was I not informed?

Nakago: I assumed that, if your friend was present, you would not wish to be at the battle.

Misaki: ...You assumed too much. Don’t do it again.

Nakago: Of course, Milady… Your servant acted thoughtlessly.

Misaki: And as for you, Priestess of Suzaku.

Misaki: [Your Name]. You’re lying, aren’t you?

You: What...?

Misaki: You have the Shinzaho with you. We’ve spent enough time together for me to know that.

You: Shoot...

Misaki: As your former best friend, I’ll give you one more chance.

Misaki: I’ll pretend I didn’t see this. So hand over the Shinzaho and get out of here.

You: Well, I...

...I wonder what I should do...

• Hold out the Shinzaho (see The Harbor, Pt. 2)
• Fight to protect the Shinzaho (see The Harbor, Pt. 3)

--------------

...And we'll stop there before the options make this scene even twistier than it already is. Fight or flight instincts coming up next week!