Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6

At the north docks, a pirate tells us he went to a Class 4 island on a dare. But he didn't even touch the island, as daemon monsters came onto his ship! Yikes!

The White Turtlez is in the hideout too...

After some shopping, we talk to another pirate realizing why the Abbey used Titania as a prison, mentioning "rapid sea currents" as one of the big reasons, along with storms and fog...

Eizen agrees. Rokurou believes the first time he escaped with Velvet and Magilou and made it out alive was luck.

Now for Benwick, saying "that the ship's ready to leave whenever." We head in.

The Van Eltia sails west!

Laphicet finds our first earthpulse point, in the middle of the ocean! No therions around...

Velvet: "Looks like this is a bust then."
Laphicet: "Sorry, everyone."

Except Rokurou points out there might be fish therion. Eizen pulls out something: a fishing rod!

Fujibayashi's Rod he calls it, and explains its qualities in huge detail. Yikes, Eizen...

Eizen: "It's as perfect a fishing rod as there can be."

Everyone's looking at him blankly.

Eleanor's like, "are you sure?" Eizen's insistent.

Velvet says no to the "whole fishing idea."

Rokurou's hungry, though, and doesn't mind fishing. Magilou too. Velvet's not impressed.

It's Velvet's first time fishing and she's setting up the rod...

Rokurou, Velvet doesn't come from the same place you're from. Even I'm a novice when it comes to fishing.

Velvet: "It's just been a while. I used to go fishing with my brother sometimes."

This is Laphicet's first time fishing. Velvet begins to teach him, then Eleanor steps in!

Eleanor mentions a villager named Tenny, who taught her how to fish. She gloats about catching "100 Triet loaches." N Flzcubavn ersrerapr!

Rokurou: "These two really get along. If I didn't know better, I'd think she's his sister, not his vessel."

Magilou teases Velvet that if she isn't careful, "Eleanor will steal him away."

---

Eleanor's teaching Laphicet fishing.

Velvet's trying to get his attention.

I get this flashback image of Velvet and her brother fishing...

Velvet: "Laphi!!"
Laphicet: "Huh? You mean me?"

She tells him to be careful not to fall, mentioning that her brother fell into the water...

Velvet mentions to malak!Laphicet that he reminds her of her brother Laphi...

Laphicet: "If you say so. Is that all you wanted to say to me?"

He goes back to fishing.

Magilou: "People aren't as easily swapped in and out as fishhooks, aren't they?"

Benwick comes in and goes to fix Velvet's fishing rod.

We're now in the Van Eltia, Pirate Vessel.

Bienfu's standing on top of the side of the ship. He mentions Magilou used him as bait "to catch a whale..."

I go inside the cabin.

It looks nice...

One pirate suggests using the cannons to call the therion up.

Velvet: "You guys are scarier than daemons sometimes."

---

Velvet asks Benwick for her fishing rod back. He's still fixing it. Velvet's doubting whether a therion's around...

Magilou, Rokurou, and Laphicet to talk to next.

Magilou first. She warns Velvet, in her exaggerated way, the dangers of fishing.

Laphicet's second. He's laughing about "old man Tenny," Eleanor's fishing teacher. Tenny tells Eleanor the silliest words he could in order for her to catch a fish, such as "paporo popporo pippity poppity pooh."

Velvet: "Those two look like they're having fun."

Eleanor: "There's 'Colette collates collections', and 'The butcher metes meat at the meet.' Tenny is a veritable treasure trove of wordplay."

Laphicet thinks Tenny's silly words are funnier when Eleanor says them.

I read the synopsis. Magilou and Rokurou and Velvet knew that Eleanor was a spy. She's bad at being one because she's too honest.

Rokurou challenges Eizen to a fishing battle. Eizen considers fishing a "solitary battle."

Rokurou: "Oooh-hooh, aren't you the philosophical one all of a sudden?"

Rokurou, whenever he sees "a good sword," he can't help but swing the sword...I'm reminded of Samanosuke from Onimusha. Whenever he gets a new power, he swings the powered-up sword a couple of times...

Eizen and Rokurou, ever the gory ones...

Velvet destroys the mood of any party when she's around.

But Eizen accepts the challenge.

Velvet: "At what point did the therion hunt turn into a contest?"

Rokurou: "Let's make this interesting! Whoever loses will be the winner's servant!"
Eizen: "Heh! With Fujibayashi's Rod in my hands, my chances of defeat are zero! Zilch! You're going to regret this bet!"

Back to Benwick again. He hands Velvet the fishing rod.

Laphicet's rod got a bite!

Same with Rokurou!

The crew's anticipating their catch...

Eleanor: "Now!"
Laphicet: "Heeeeave..."

Awww, look at the crew...

---

It's a treasure chest! Inside are a pair of horns!

Eleanor thinks of having Laphicet try out the pair of horns. Magilou agrees, saying "it'll bring out his unique personality."

Eleanor's smiling and fists waving, saying the horns look nice on him...

Laphicet blushes...

Velvet sulks away, and tells everyone to get back to business. Is the gang trying to make her laugh? But she ignores Laphicet...

Laphicet: "I have to catch the therion...maybe then Velvet will see me for who I am." Poor Laphicet..

Rokurou and Eizen got nothing too.

Eizen: "Who was it who said fishing doesn't always go how you think it will?" Rokurou: "Hah, spoken like a true heartless pirate."

Eleanor has something though! Another treasure!

Magilou too! More fashion accessories! Oh my goodness, is this the Sea of Fashion?

No fish left.

Laphicet stops his fishing and goes to the deck, boiling inside. Velvet, you should apologize to him.

Then Laphicet pulls off one of the best costume mashups in ages!

Rokurou: "You don't take half measures, do ya?"

Laphicet looks down.

He's trying to get older sister Velvet to notice him. Velvet tells him to take it off.

Laphicet finally loses it!

Laphicet: "Stop it! What do you know about me anyway? ...All you know is your 'Laphi'!"

---

Rokurou notices Velvet's rod has a bite! Pull it, Velvet!

Oh my god, it's a big pot!

Eleanor: (deadpan) "Yay."
Velvet: "But what's a pot doing out here?"
Laphicet: "There's something inside it."

Tentacles come out of the pot! They're nautiloids!

Velvet: "I wish they'd stop making those noises!"
Magilou: "Watch out! They're armed to the squeeth! And they're shouting 'Let squeedom ring!'"
Velvet: "Must you?"

At least that ended quickly!

Velvet tells Laphicet to be more careful.

Laphicet mentions her brother Laphi again, sulking.

Rokurou sees something else in the pot! Zombies crawl out of the pot! What is this pot!?

Rokurou: "Now we gotta fight the shambling dead?!"
Magilou: "A zombopot!"
Rokurou: "For a bunch of dead guys, they're awfully, uh, fleshy."
Magilou: "For the healthy support of the octopus diet!"

Velvet: "Wth is this pot!?" She's asking the same question I'm asking.

Eizen's in awe of the pot! He smiles at its quality!

Eizen: "Listen and behold! This is none other than a water jug made by the potter Grune during King Claudin's reign. It was a legendary once in a millennium masterpiece...but it was lost...two hundred years ago."

He mentions the pot's "stately curves and the subtle shimmer of its colors, which belie a hidden savagery."

Eleanor's tired of Eizen's history lectures. So's Magilou.

Gur anzr Tehar vf sebz Gnyrf bs Yrtraqvn...

He mentions the "lost glazing technique of the Oresoren..." Nabgure Yrtraqvn ersrerapr!

But the pot inside turns malevolent...

It becomes a daemon!

It's a Pandora Pot, weak against earth, but strong against fire and non- elemental artes!

Eizen tells us not to smash the pot!

Rokurou: "So can I slash it?"
Eizen: "That's even worse!" :laugh:

I change up everyone's arte strategies to focus on the pot's weakness to earth.

We eventually destroy the pot, and win a Journeyman Smith's Acerite, meaning we can upgrade our weapons even further! Finally!

---

The pot turns back to normal.

Eizen yells at Velvet not to eat the pot. How's she going to eat the pot? It's a pot!

Eleanor's disappointed. No therions and no fish.

Magilou points out Eizen's curse again. Eleanor realizes why they fished out all those treasures...

Poor Laphicet...he couldn't find any therions at all to help Velvet...

Velvet: "Nope. But I know you're not the type to give up after a little setback." She's trying to cheer him up.

Velvet: "Isn't that right, Phi?" Awww...

Velvet: "It's your nickname. Not a lot of thought put into it, but...you're you. You're Phi."

Laphicet smiles. Magilou loves the nickname, pointing out the personality.

Velvet teases him a bit. Laphicet's not giving up, though. Velvet and Phi smile...awww...

Eizen found something in the pot. Orichalcum.

This spot was where the ship carrying orichalcum sank...looks like Rokurou's going to get his new swords!

Rokurou: "Hell yeah! Kurogane might actually be able to make me an orichalcum sword! Nice find, Eizen! You too, Laphicet!"

This whole fishing episode makes for a very good filler. Magilou compliments Laphicet's costume show earlier. Phi blushes...

Velvet's smiling so warmly. It's been a long time since that's happened.

Back at Titania...we take a rest.

We got the Orichalcum, the Water Jug, and the fashion accessories! Along with a recipe for Takoyaki! That recipe might have been in the pot!

I put the Horns on Velvet and save at the docks.