As the group progressed through the Camp, they encountered a few groups of Mechanaloids against which Massimo was able to demonstrate his skills. He proved to be an effective - if slow - tank, and placing him at the head of the formation with everyone else arranged behind him and to the sides allowed them to maximize damage output. The only issue - which, thankfully, didn't arise too often - was that Massimo's armor was vulnerable to various types of Elemental damage. Another issue that caught Octavia's eye was that - despite supposedly being a famous vigilante hero - Massimo seemed to have very little actual battle experience.
After dealing with a few prison guards, they were able to release several prisoners, each of which was grateful for the release. Some recognized Massimo on sight...but seemed to be under the impression that he'd been captured. Massimo made light of those with boasts that eased the troubled minds of the prisoners...but his eyes showed that his heart wasn't truly in it.
What else they learned from the prisoners was far more troubling. The 'warden' of the prison - an FM Reploid of the Rebellion named Silver Horn - had destroyed prisoners one by one, for no other reason than because he apparently enjoyed it. Octavia's eyes had narrowed angrily at that.
As they moved deeper into the prison, they encountered a maze-like area. As they explored, X paused. "So that's where it is," he murmured softly.
"Where what is?" Spider demanded curiously.
"When I first came here, I had to send my Ultimate Armor separately in order to get in safely," X explained. "The plan was to pick it up mid-mission if I needed it, or to track it down afterwards otherwise. It's near here."
"In that case, maybe we should go get it?" Massimo suggested nervously. "I mean, we really can't take chances with lives on the line...and you wouldn't want the Rebellion Army to get a hold of it, right?"
Nodding agreement, X followed his sensors...to a locked door. "Great," he muttered darkly. "Where are we supposed to find this...'Tianna Key'?"
"I have that," Octavia spoke up. "Axl and I found a few keys while we were exploring, and divided them between us when we split up. I have the Tianna and Lagrano Keys, and Axl has the Central and Gimialla Keys. I meant to divide them differently...but for some reason, Axl was pretty insistent on taking the Central Key." Shrugging, she stepped up and used the Tianna Key to open the door.
Following the scanners, they came to a final door. Octavia motioned everyone to stop. "I hear something in there...a female voice. I think I should go in first." Once that was accepted, she stepped up to the door.
Behind the door was a young woman in poofy dress-armor practicing a dance routine. The dress-armor was red, and a pink visor covered most of her face and her blonde hair. "Step! Step! And turn!" she sang to herself as she spun around, swinging a sun-topped staff. Catching sight of Octavia, she let out a startled scream. "Who are you?"
"Octavia Melody Light," Octavia introduced herself warmly. "You might have heard of me-"
The young woman's face lit up. "Ohmygosh, you're Axl's Mom!" Octavia mightily resisted the urge to facehoof. "Do you think you could introduce me? I've always wanted to meet him, but between my idol career and his vigilante work, I despaired of it ever happening!"
Octavia smiled softly. "I think I can manage that. You're Rafflesian, aren't you?"
Rafflesian gasped in shock. "You know me?"
Octavia nodded. "Indeed I do. I came across you a few times in my son's search history." She decided not to mention that said search history was for pinups, and specifically filtered out music and most of her live performances. Maybe she could get Axl to reconsider if they actually met...though she doubted it.
"Oh, oh, do you think you could give him my contact number?" Rafflesian pleaded, holding out a data disk. "It's even got my RDNA profile on it, to check for compatibility." Her cheeks turned pink. "Or if he, you know, wanted to c-c-copy me..."
Octavia raised an eyebrow. Technology allows for some odd fetishes, she mused to herself. "I think I can do that. But...can you do something for me?"
"Anything!" Raffelsian promised eagerly.
Octavia pointed to the data capsule containing the Ultimate Armor activation unit. "That belongs to my father. Can I retrieve it, please?"
"Oh, go ahead!" Rafflesian agreed eagerly. "It's just in the way of my practice, but it doesn't let me move it."
Smiling, Octavia took the data disk and capsule. "I'll leave you to your practice, then. A special performance for my son, perhaps?"
Rafflesian's cheeks darkened. "W-well, only if I can lock the door..."
Chuckling, Octavia left the room, handing the capsule over to X and waving everyone to move on as though nothing had happened.
Not long after the group left the maze, they found their way to a dark room guarded by a new type of Preon, a blue one that utilized freezing technology. It did not last long against the gathered group.
With the Preons destroyed, the group was able to approach the control console in the center of the room, which Nana was plugged into. "Are you alright, Nana?" X spoke up in concern.
"Wait a sec," Spider interrupted. "I'll let you loose."
After a quick manipulation of the circuitry, the helmet locked onto Nana's head opened, letting her look out at them with her own eyes. "Thank you," she spoke up calmly. "When I noticed your group breaking in, I managed to reprogram the security system so that the alarms wouldn't go off."
"Impressive," X murmured in awe.
"I didn't want to work for them," Nana offered apologetically. "But I was captured...and they said if I didn't, they would kill the POWs."
"Well you don't have to worry about that anymore," Octavia promised. "We'll take care of Silver Horn."
"I'll stay here and back you up," Nana offered quickly.
"Are you sure?" Spider asked in concern. "I mean, being plugged into that thing can't be pleasant-"
"I can take it," Nana interrupted. "Knowing I'm doing it for the right reasons will help a great deal."
Everyone nodded, and X and Spider turned to head forward. Massimo paused before continuing. "On, Nana...is there any record of...me being held here?" he asked nervously.
"Massimo...Steel Massimo, yes?" Nana asked as she called up the relevant file. "It says here you were captured 10 days ago, and subsequently placed in solitary confinement. But...according to the file, it says you were executed after five days of refusing to cooperate."
"E-executed?" Massimo gasped out, looking stricken.
"A case of mistaken identity, perhaps?" Octavia offered considerately.
"Y-yeah, that must be it," Massimo murmured softly.
"The body should still be in the maximum security cell up ahead, if you want to investigate," Nana offered. Nodding, Massimo immediately charged ahead. "A moment," Nana called out as Octavia moved to follow.
"I can't spare much more than that," Octavia pointed out, "but go ahead."
"I didn't want to say anything to the others," Nana explained, "but the reason I was able to prevent the alarms from going off for your group...is because the Rebellion Army protocols were already programmed to ignore you, Octavia."
"Now isn't that interesting?" Octavia murmured softly before turning to pursue the others.
SOMEBODY doesnt want octi to get hurt....(will speculate later when fully awake)
1 views again, and still meaningless.
Back on topic, the Navi with her name literally painted on her chest has been rescued, and Massimo Jr is off to find the upper torso of his foster father.
Edit: Also, isn't Central where the end game equipment vendors are? All three of which being female? I'm split between Axle wanting to do some digit hunting without mama looking over his shoulder, and simply wanting to keep Octavia away from them on general principles.
Dynamo perhaps?
On that note, I'm curious if you'll make a Frisk-designed character. Oh! They could freak out the party with how they identify as genderless! You could also have them be the pacifist version based on color scheme, and during combat adopt the colors of Chara, and open their eyes to reveal red irises and black schlera. That would be so cool...
Though techniques would probably be a bit hard to design. Maybe some kind of weapon exchange system, allowing them to swap weapons on demand to suit needs? Their weakness could be unarmed combat, since they rely on weapons.
So, if I'm not mistaken, Rafflesian the was an extra boss, right?
7882797 Yup, not needed to finish the game.
Yep even Epsilon thinks Silver Horn has gone to far. This next part is gonna hurt need need to lock up my heart for what comes next not just in this mission but, the next one as well.
7882589
No I think it's because He's there.....He has nine tails...
Huh, didn't pin Axl as the poster kind of guy.
I'd sing you some praises Rafflesian but honestly, you stink.
Not sure if fetishes are so easily copied dear but he can try (or not).
Now I'm just wondering if Axl is interested in 'borrowing' part of the base protocol. Imagine if anyone could install that protocol to ignore Octavia, she'd be miffed.
Well that is one of the optinal bosses down. And in a way that I didnt expect, but probably should have.
Hmn, seems promising.
And he's already attracted to some of her, er, attributes!
For those of you who know what a Rafflesia is, that should be a red flag right there.
Like if you get that reference.
7883595 I think that is why her RDNA is encoded into her number
7882813 Also based on the Raffflesia Flower, which is known to smell horrendously bad.
That boss fight would have gone so differently if the game had given you the option to talk things out...heck, a lot of deaths like Aile's would have been prevented. Plus, having to fight through Rafflesian's regenerative ability was annoying though I suppose that's the point of an optional boss.
Of course with Rafflesian 'spared', I expect a concert from her in a future chapter and give Axl some 'attention' while singing. causing members of the audience to get jealous, including whoever his love interest is. Well, provided Octavia manage to hooks her grandson with someone at that point.
*Passes Axl industrial strength weed killer* You're gonna need this dude... And make sure your dash thrusters are tuned up and ready to flee the rabid fangirl popstar. I can see her attacking any girl Axl eventually falls for and if she can't fight back almost killing her. If it's someone like Marino... I can see her stealing Rafflesian's armor and staff to rob her of her defense and offensive capabilities.
7882797 Yup she just guards the Ultimate Armor, has two minions whose health regenerates that she can summon more of if needed, and hits hard.
Part of this story screams Undertale.
7885149 I'm somehow afraid of Raflessia being a Yandere in disguise.
Like how you saved raff and poor massimo
7887516 yeah but Tavi is just a little more so than the others
7877023 7877013 7876763 Looking at his Stat page, hr takes 150% from all elemental attacks.
Also, I did find a way to reliably unlock his 3rd bar (Crit chance multiplier) before Silver Horn, and the 4th (Multi-hit) before Psyche.
Both rely on Glint, and a double-Power Charge (and like I had to teach Woolie in the Best Friends LP: you can press "B" to cancel the turn, but still hold the first charge). Helps a little to slap any Power metals on him (and hoping he doesn't get hit and do something stupid like Counter to waste it).
For the 3rd bar, it's just a few hallways into the level where you can fight a Met. Double charge, and you want X to take his turn before Massimo, then before the Met. Switch X to Fire X, and love tap his Action Trigger: if you haven't been grinding, that minuscule amount of WE into the attack should NOT kill the Met. But as it is a physical attack, it should flip the Met, making it take double-damage to Shots... like Massimo's beam. I believe that 5K damage was possible at that point (you only need 3K to unlock the 3rd bar, if I remember right). Might've been a crit, too.
Obviously, you need to be stronger to break 10K for the 4th bar, and by the time you're that strong, Fire X is too strong to not kill the met.... so, as soon as you get Marino, who comes at a default level (I think), warp out at the save point just before Psyche, go find that Met again, and do the same trick! Only change is you want Marino to do her "I'll take that!" steal attack, which should do the same non-kill flipping.
Hmn.... well, since the party's got all their armor from previous chapters, game was gonna be super-broken anyways. Heh, what I had expected:
<X goes first>
"EEEK! I'M CHANGING IN HERE!!!"
"Ghk-- I'm so sorry!"
"GET OUT!!!" <goddamned fucking barrage of missiles that makes Macross look like a light spring shower>
"WHERE ARE THOSE COMING OUT OF?!?"
7888824
There's a much easier way to do it.
Grind Massimo up to the same level as your party, then go back to Lagrano Ruins via the shopping center teleporter. Wander around until you fight a group of Bat enemies (forget what they're called).
They won't attack until you do, and their shot defense is abysmal. That double Power Charge Action Trigger at 100% WE (or just max both bars) should hit for the 10,000 mark.
7888830
And they don't have access to all armors from previous games. Most of those were left behind, remember?
7889965
Ulfat Factory.
7888830 Wouldn't you like to know.
Hybrid X Heart responsibly, kids.
the mystery is uncovered, the truth will soon be revealed, is hope LOST for our brave hero's plight? only time will tell, tune in again when massimo finds the truth, in... THE STEEL CRONICLES, COMMAND MISSION,
and yes, i AM trying to make this like a comic book to be continued with massimo as the main, thought it would fit as he's sorta like a comic book hero...