Give a man a fountain pen, and you give him the world. (Retour playthrough pt. 5)
The ball. But, first - a dream!
Olivie is speaking directly to the camera of Limoges' subconscious mind, giving what I think is meant to be encouragement: he talks about how Guardians and Queen Candidates all wish they could've just gone on leading their normal happy lives instead of being swept away to the Sanctuary, but you gotta just keep your chin up and forge ahead. Your message isn't very encouraging, though, Olivie, when it's delivered in that new monotone voice of yours. And how am I supposed to sleep with your crazy theme music blaring?
Olivie also addresses his audience as "kittens." So I guess this is being broadcast to Rosalia, too? I suppose it makes sense that the Guardian of Dream would have REM Simulcast.
Day 28:
Look at my five new hearts!
No, they're there. Really. Trust me.
Gerard above (can you see him?) is reminding me that the ball is tonight. Right now, though, Oscar is at the door for some damn reason. Oh, we all know the damn reason, but I've got urgent business tonight, Oscar; going out for the whole day on a date beforehand is a bit much. It's unusual for Oscar to drop by, though, so I let him in.
Oscar seems a bit sedate for a park date...but going for the lake seems a bit forward, even for Mr. Guardian of Fire. I choose the park, and he accepts.
- Angelique sees the squirrel again, and this time, she wants to pet it.
- Oscar asks the "are you jealous of the amorous couple over on the park bench?" question. I opt for "yes," thinking that red-blooded passion would be well-received the Guardian of Fire. This upsets Oscar, though; he says he has "no intention" of mimicking that couple, and my affinity goes down. What're you talking about, Oscar? Putting the moves on women is all you do. It's your entire character. I should've known we wouldn't be compatible. I should've gone for the lake.
- Limoges asks Oscar that "problematic woman" question, like she did with Luva. Oscar talks about how each woman's unique beauty is hidden and it's a man's duty to find it, etc., so he takes issue with the very premise of the question itself. I thought at the time, especially considering that I failed the little jealousy quiz, that this was an evasive non-answer, but seeing this is Oscar, I'm not sure. (Limoges, for her part, is impressed with his "open heart." Hmmmmmmm.)
- A situation-specific question: Oscar asks if I remember which candy I brought to the tea party. Well, of course; it's the only one for which I have a recipe. ...And it was for Lumiale. Is this a veiled complaint, Oscar? In fact...it's awfully suspicious that you're asking me on the very day that I'm due to go to the ball with Lumiale. Are you trying to throw a wedge between me and Lumi, Oscar? Is this your plan? Make Lumiale angry that I went out with his hated rival the day before the dance? You don't have any special designs on me at all, do you? This is all a scheme, isn't it?
But, no: Oscar simply laughs approvingly and says that "keeping an eye on the little details is the first step toward adulthood."
- The refreshment wagon rolls up, and Angelique gets crepes again. You've got to mix it up, Ange. Even if they do seem to be good crepes.
- Oscar asks me if my continent pop. is more than 1127. Without checking my records, I think it is, by a couple hundred. Checking my notes...ooh, whoa, it's not. In fact, it's 1129. Oscar gave me a margin of error of two. Support for the sabotage theory deepens. He claims to be pleased at my correct response (and notes that he checked up on my cultivation data specifically before coming), but we all know what your real goal is here, Oscar.
- In return, I get to ask about Oscar's home planet. He claims to come from a world of "vast prairies," which he ran about endlessly in his childhood to toughen himself up physically (he comes from a long line of military personnel and the expectations thereof). That's interesting. I didn't know about Oscar's home planet, actually.
- We come to the point in the proceedings where my date asks if I'm tired. NO. I AM NOT TIRED. I AM NEVER TIRED AT THE END OF THESE THINGS. Oscar, though, the liar, claims to be beat. Yeah, I'm sure you've built up absolutely no physical endurance tromping around every damn day in that massive leg armor your stupid chara designer foisted on you.
Anyhow: Time for the ball. I call my butler to prepare, but he doesn't come. Oh, is this the goal of Oscar's sabotage - getting me back too late to prepare? I try choosing "go to ball" instead, even though I'm not dressed...OK, that gets Gerard in here. But he freaks out when I ask for help dressing, claiming he can't do that, so he goes and gets Rosalia, who arrives ticked off, not that I can blame her.
She's happy to help us get changed, though, and we get a close-up, like you'd get with a romantic partner. Dating prospect confirmed?
Rosalia's dress is really nice, BTW. Wish I had a better pic.
Rosalia leaves us so we can choose our accessory and our fragrance. Well, we've got only one accessory - a rose quartz pendant given to commemorate our Queen Candidacy. I don't get options for specific fragrances; I can instead go for "invigorating," "gentle," or "elegant." Since my partner will be the Guardian of Gentleness, this isn't a brain-buster.
A knock at the door - Gerard announces that Lumi's here to escort us to the ball. (No, the guys don't have formal wear, though I suppose their everyday blinged-up Hachiko Hachiroku robes are elaborate enough. Zephel could have picked up a formal tube top for the occasion, though.) If Lumi's upset about our rendezvous with Oscar, he isn't betraying it so far.
The palace is lit up like Cinderella's castle at Disneyworld - wish I'd had a chance to take a bad scanline photo before the shot vanished.
We dance, which is represented by the background moving and back and forth behind Lumiale's close-up. Lumi is so taken by our choice of fragrance that he's blushing - or maybe he had too much champagne, who knows. Limoges ruins the moment (or intoxication) by stepping on Lumi's foot.
- You see the huge heart in the corner, so I guess we're on a mega-date. Lumi brushes off the toe-crunching but asks if I'm self-conscious in the crowd, given that my dance movements are rather stiff. Since this is Lumi, I suppose being overly concerned about those around me is the correct answer...but for some reason, it isn't, and my meter goes down. Oh, good Lord.
- Next, I'm asked how to change my dancing, and I can pick "elegantly," "with a light step" (as in, "in a carefree manner"), or "flamboyantly". "Elegant" was the wrong choice before with the fragrance, but I think it's more Lumi-appropriate than the other two choices, so let's try it.
OK, he likes it. Glad he hasn't been taken over by a doppleganger. Though attending the ball with Eugene would be an interesting prospect, if one in all probability hazardous to my health.
- A nearby dancer tells her partner how she much she loves the bustling dance floor...but confides that later, she wants to "spend some time at home...just the two of us!" Lumi, taking entirely the wrong nuance from this conversation, asks if I myself enjoy spending time at home. Oh, Lumi. Then again, Clavis is always in his damn office, so maybe he's fully conversant in the "come up to my apartment" euphemism.
...But Lumiale hates my answer. You know, Lumi, I think you're just being contrary after my having a date with Oscar. If Luva asks to cut in, I'm not gonna say "no."
With that, my dance with Lumiale ends. We see Randy asking for Rosalia's hand for the second dance. I meant this to be a better pic of Rosa's dress, but it turned out poorly, so...well, here's just another pic:
I'm asked to choose a dance partner. Lumi is greyed out - he has totally ditched me. Luva, get over here.
Luva's really nervous about dancing. Well, here's hoping you're yourself, at least, Luva. You don't seem nervous in the above close-up, though, which doesn't bode well for character fidelity.
- A nearby dancer complains about having to go to work tomorrow. Luva laughs and asks if I feel the same way. OK, forget trying to figure out what the other person wants; I'm answering from my heart. Yes, I completely understand the Monday blues, even though I don't really work on a 9-to-5 schedule. Luva, amazingly, agrees, understanding the need for "personal time." (I would've pegged the walking library to go the other way were I answering in a calculated manner; Luva's work is his life.) My meter goes up way more than it did with Lumiale.
- Luva then asks if it's sunken in yet that I could become Queen. I say "yes." I didn't hit you up for all that Sacrea for nothing, buddy. This proves to be good attitude to take, and his gauge fills to half.
- Limoges notes what a wonderful time she's having, and wonders if she should tell Luva how she feels - which she opts to do by staring. Well, go ahead, if that's your mien. But it doesn't get through to Luva, and the moment is ruined. I should've anticipated, given it's Luva, but I had to try.
Luva says he had a wonderful time, and affinity increases. I don't get any of the special ball stills you've seen floating around the internet, though. I can check up on Rosa & Randy, but...nah. Don't wanna be a fifth wheel. Third wheel. Whatever. (I do have to wonder what the benefit would be to checking up, though. To comfort Rosa if she's had a bad time on the dance floor? But I don't think she'd be asked to dance by a Guardian with whom she didn't get along. Then again, look at what happened to Limoges.)
Gerard greets me when I return, noting how much I must've enjoyed the ball. No, GeGe. I didn't really. He also delivers a letter. Who's it from? Is the priest whining about too much Sacrea again? Do I have hate mail from my dance partners? Ah, it's Dia, reminding me to keep tabs on my continent and noting that, after Saturday, I should have a good idea of how the Queen's reviews will go from now on.
...Or maybe not. Uh-oh. Dia goes on to note that the reviews actually have two forms - one based on cultivation progress, as with yesterday, and the other being the familiar Guardian vote-off from the SFAM game. Well, that's just wonderful news after tonight. Which criteria will be used to decide the winner isn't determined until the day of the review. Dia urges me to broaden & deepen my relationships with the Guardians. I suppose an Angelique game couldn't get away completely from petty in-fighting. (To tell the truth, I'm in a way glad that at least some of it carried over from the SFAM original, given how it was the twisted core of that game, though I was, to be honest in another way, doing fine without it and looking forward to not having to deal with it.)
Day 29, finally:
Rosalia has a lake date with Clavis, who's finally completed his journey toward being a completely uncooperative, obstructive cuss and gone over to the other side. Well, I'm gonna visit my continent.
And...holy Christ, I need NOTHING.
I could use 2 of Steel & Dream, 1 of Darkness & Green, but NOTHING of the other Sacrea. ZERO. What do I do with my time? Chat up Guardians, I guess.
Angelique does nothing on the continent but find another shard of GeGe's memories. When she gets back, Gerard takes it in hand again, but he isn't happy about it. He claims not to have remembered anything, saying simply that touching the shard makes him a little dizzy. He says we've just gotta get more shards. Uh-huh.
I say hi to Marcel at the park, then check to see if Rosa's in so I can chat with her. She's not. Time for an affinity report, then. Here are my Guardian affinities vis-a-vis Rosa:
Julious: 75/75
Clavis: 60/42
Randy: 54/55
Lumi: 83/45
Oscar: 48/68
Marcel: 51/65
Zephel: 53/72
Olivie: 50/50
Luva: 83/56
With Rosalia: 51
Priest: 163!
Hmmm. I'm leading with only three Guardians, tied for two, and losing four. Not good. Maybe I need to do some chatting up.
(BTW, bestest friends in the Sanctuary: Randy & Marcel, at a mutual affinity of 121. Worst: C&J, at a blistering 8. Well, that's up from 2 the last time.)
I talk to Lumi, who is surprisingly benign after the disastrous dance, then Randy at the park, and go to bed.
Night brings good news - Lumiale is giving me lots of free power, perhaps out of guilt - and bad news - Luva is giving Rosalia a little assistance, which gives here a new settlement. Thanks a LOT, Luva. That dance was just a boon all the way around, wasn't it.
Day 30:
I talk with Julious at the park, then hit up Olivie for a little power. Apparently, Limoges is in demonstrably poor spirits after the dance disaster, as Olivie admonishes me not to "make that face - you've got to enjoy life a little, right?" Dude, you don't even know lately. Also, I've gotta say at this juncture: Olivie having a sedate voice is all wrong for the character. I know they wanted to tone down his "effeminate" qualities for the reboot, but they went way too far - they've neutered him. It's sad. I miss the HIHIIII~~s.
While I'm in his office, I also hit up Olivie for gossip, in my first Guardian chat of the game. The only topic I can select is "other people," so I ask about Clavis. Olivie opines that he "doesn't talk much" (no kidding), but "when he does try to talk, he almost seems normal. It's a bit of a shock! I think he could a really interesting fellow - not like you'd ever guess it, though!" Olivie also notes that Clavis doesn't regard me as "anything but an ordinary Queen Candidate...does that disappoint you?" Honestly, I expect nothing but abject hatred from now on, friendo. Olivie also warns that Clavis "gets jealous easily."
(On another note: I assume, then, that this is why the room date with Clavis was such a bust? Is that to what the "he likes talking"/"he doesn't like talking" info pertains?)
I talk to Lumi, then go see Rosalia. I ask if she thinks much about Felicia (her continent), and she praises it as "her treasure," which she cultivates not only for the sake of the exam, but out of love. Not scintillating, but the only other topic was the "do you like going outside" one I'd asked about before.
I say hi to Olivie, again, at the park and Randy at the RRI. That's one of the advantages of having five hearts: more activity means more opportunities for the character positions to reset and thus more opportunities to get little boosts. Weird comment from Randy: "The little everyday greetings are the bread 'n' butter of human relationships!" I'd reword that to sound more natural, but I'm not sure it's possible.
Day 31:
Randy's at the door. I let him in.
For some reason, I can choose only from going to the lake or chatting in my room - the park is completely unavailable. Well, this isn't even a choice - Randy don't wanna stay in!
Well, the park ain't off limits due to Rosa being there, cause she's here, at the lake - with Lumi. I'm gonna run off & join the circus. Rosa & Lumi are mad, and I lose affinity with both. Y'all are jerks. You can't go somewhere else? You have an entire goddamn lakefront.
Randy yammers on about how both nature-lovers and regular ol' lovers adore the lake. And then it's evening. I don't even get to ask him anything. I hate you all.
Oh, and now Oscar is giving Rosalia free power, and she has another new settlement. Meaning, we're tied in terms of population. Priest, you're getting more Sacrea whether you need it or not. Use your 163 affinity to grant me a little leeway.
Day 32:
I intend to ask Julious for power, but he's at the RRI. Dammit. I greet Oscar at the park, then - prepare yourselves - go to see if Clavis is in to ask for power. I'm depending on Clavis. I know.
Oh, my God, he's in. Holy Christ..
He's also all pissed off when I enter ("rare to see you here"). Shove it, drama queen. I'm so done with everyone's garbage at this point.
OK, Rosa's at the Guardians' office and won't leave, so I can't talk to her. I just get an extra affinity report instead. Nothing much has changed, except that Olivie & Randy now have a slight preference for me, Lumi likes Rosa just a little more than he did before, and Julious & Clavis have plummeted from their dizzying height of 8 affinity back down to 2. I greet Olivie & Luva, then go to bed. I get a new settlement from Clavis's power. Meanwhile, Zephel gifts Rosalia some power.
Day 33:
Olivie's at the door. Yep, let's go, fashion plate. Olivie's not a park kinda guy - and, again, the option doesn't appear. I don't know what's causing that. He's all for the lake, though.
He's stunningly at peace here - closing his eyes as he listens to the roar of the waterfall, praising it as a "really beautiful place", etc. I'm actually a bit taken aback. It's unusual to see Olivie the firecracker, even in this subdued form, so quiet and awestruck.
As with Lumiale, I can ask about either the time he became a Guardian or the nature of his power. Olivie's ascendancy to the Sanctuary wasn't pleasant for him, so I choose the latter. He says that as Guardian of Dream, he strives to achieve "the ideal beauty that can be found only in people's hearts. I myself work hard everyday to make myself up so I can embody the soul of beauty!"
I choose to play in the fountain. Olivie doesn't seem straight-laced. He laughs, but affinity doesn't go up. (I mean, from the fountain. I do get the usual affinity boost at the end of the date.)
I go home and get a letter from Dia. Apparently, she's congratulating me on Elysium reaching some sort of critical state? Oh - it's that my people want for nothing, and all my Sacrea needs are at 0. Uh - huh. I got power from Clavis, but my request from Olivie netted me a measly 1 point of Sacrea when I needed 2 (really, asking for "a little" Sacrea is useless; you really need to make your request "a lot" or bust). Neither Marcel nor Zephel have coughed up any freebies, nor are they likely to, so I don't know what's going on there. Anyhow, as a result, my people are forging ahead toward their frontiers with a new Manifest Destiny determination, and I can now cultivate my continent more - in fact, for a while, my continent will take all the Sacrea I can send it, no limits. (My people will also, Dia says, tend to want Sacrea from the Guardians with whom I am on the best terms - and their Sacrea will be more effective the better I'm acquainted with them.) Well, that's good. Drumming up Sacrea is my specialty, and now I can do it without worrying about complaint letters.
Not yet, though. It's the weekend.
Before that, though: Obstruction from Luva! At a whopping -5 points, but I don't lose a settlement, thankfully.
Day 34:
Continent inspection. On a whim, I decide to invite Clavis...but Clavis is with Rosalia. Heck with it; I invite Julious out of spite.
True to Dia's word, my people really want Lumi's Sacrea, at 16...followed by Clavis's at 13. Jules & Luva are lagging behind, albeit closely, at 12. I actually would think I'd be on better terms with either of them, particularly Luva, than Clavis.
For reference, asking for a lot of Sacrea usually yields 5 to 7 Sacrea points (depending on affinity, apparently), whereas asking for a little, like I said, usually yields a measly 1 or 2. The total Sacrea levels for my continent at this juncture:
Light (Julious): 22
Darkness (Clavis): 20
Wind (Randy): 13
Water (Lumiale): 25
Fire (Oscar): 13
Green (Marcel): 13
Steel (Zephel): 12
Dream (Olivie): 12
Earth (Luva): 13
Someone also sent me an offering of...sponge cake. Huh. I guess it's for Julious, but that seems a little pedestrian and plain for him. It has a strawberry on top, and that's it. I expect more pastry cream from my followers in the future.
In shopping, among the new offerings are a lapis lazuli fountain pen. Yep, we know for whom this is. Also present is an artistic silver picture frame (Lumi?) and a stained-glass lamp that casts "dream-like" rainbow light (subtle hint there). I choose the pen.
Now: I have a choice as to whether to take Julious to the plaza or the streets. The streets are more lively, and Oscar liked them...but Julious is yang in a reserved, refined way, so perhaps the plaza would be a better bet. He seems happy; amidst displays of pumpkins, he urges that we take a seat and have a bite to eat in a small corner tucked away from the crowds, whereupon he starts expounding upon the prevalence of harvest festivals among various cultures.
Dream. Lumiale & Luva are greeting each other rather staidly at the park. They join each other for tea. Zephel pops in to complain about how much like "old men" they're acting. He does something, and then Lumiale is staring in open-mouthed shock.
Luva, meanwhile, goes on smiling about the "pleasant breeze". Ummmm? Then they go back to having tea. Zephel whispers about how "you're just too thick, Luva." The only possible explanation is something I really don't want to see in an Angelique game, so I don't want even to understand this cutscene.
Day 35:
I say hi to Clavis at the park, then...well, Rosa's in her room; might as well talk to her. This time, she asks "Silvi" to bring tea.
Silvan notes that he's been practicing on tea service, and he asks for our impressions. Limoges kind of demurs, but Rosalia offers, "Your effort in your work is obvious! It's even better than it was before!" Silvan thanks her and leaves, whereupon Rosalia explains, "Silvan is such a serious child. I'll have to keep an eye on him for a long time coming."
I ask her what sort of man she has difficulty, to which she responds, "well, isn't it obvious?" Yeah, I guess it is, Rosa.
Leaving Rosalia's, I say hi to Oscar, then...well, let's invite Marcel. Why not.
Well, because he turns me down, that's why. Jerk. See if you get invited again. I drop off the pen to Julious while I ponder my next move, and, in a rare sight, he's smiling when I come in. He praises the feel & texture of the materials of which the pen is made, and he says he'll treasure it - whereupon he gives me an unprecedented THREE hearts of increased affinity. Holy moly. (For reference, a successful date yields two.)
I don't invite him out, though. Two dates in a row is too much. Better to savor this moment, Julious.
I try Lumiale. He's fish-mouthed agape, and my misguided attempt to fraternize with him leaves him disappointed in me and life.
A perfect capper to this week.
.
Olivie is speaking directly to the camera of Limoges' subconscious mind, giving what I think is meant to be encouragement: he talks about how Guardians and Queen Candidates all wish they could've just gone on leading their normal happy lives instead of being swept away to the Sanctuary, but you gotta just keep your chin up and forge ahead. Your message isn't very encouraging, though, Olivie, when it's delivered in that new monotone voice of yours. And how am I supposed to sleep with your crazy theme music blaring?
Olivie also addresses his audience as "kittens." So I guess this is being broadcast to Rosalia, too? I suppose it makes sense that the Guardian of Dream would have REM Simulcast.
Day 28:
Look at my five new hearts!
No, they're there. Really. Trust me.
Gerard above (can you see him?) is reminding me that the ball is tonight. Right now, though, Oscar is at the door for some damn reason. Oh, we all know the damn reason, but I've got urgent business tonight, Oscar; going out for the whole day on a date beforehand is a bit much. It's unusual for Oscar to drop by, though, so I let him in.
Oscar seems a bit sedate for a park date...but going for the lake seems a bit forward, even for Mr. Guardian of Fire. I choose the park, and he accepts.
- Angelique sees the squirrel again, and this time, she wants to pet it.
- Oscar asks the "are you jealous of the amorous couple over on the park bench?" question. I opt for "yes," thinking that red-blooded passion would be well-received the Guardian of Fire. This upsets Oscar, though; he says he has "no intention" of mimicking that couple, and my affinity goes down. What're you talking about, Oscar? Putting the moves on women is all you do. It's your entire character. I should've known we wouldn't be compatible. I should've gone for the lake.
- Limoges asks Oscar that "problematic woman" question, like she did with Luva. Oscar talks about how each woman's unique beauty is hidden and it's a man's duty to find it, etc., so he takes issue with the very premise of the question itself. I thought at the time, especially considering that I failed the little jealousy quiz, that this was an evasive non-answer, but seeing this is Oscar, I'm not sure. (Limoges, for her part, is impressed with his "open heart." Hmmmmmmm.)
- A situation-specific question: Oscar asks if I remember which candy I brought to the tea party. Well, of course; it's the only one for which I have a recipe. ...And it was for Lumiale. Is this a veiled complaint, Oscar? In fact...it's awfully suspicious that you're asking me on the very day that I'm due to go to the ball with Lumiale. Are you trying to throw a wedge between me and Lumi, Oscar? Is this your plan? Make Lumiale angry that I went out with his hated rival the day before the dance? You don't have any special designs on me at all, do you? This is all a scheme, isn't it?
But, no: Oscar simply laughs approvingly and says that "keeping an eye on the little details is the first step toward adulthood."
- The refreshment wagon rolls up, and Angelique gets crepes again. You've got to mix it up, Ange. Even if they do seem to be good crepes.
- Oscar asks me if my continent pop. is more than 1127. Without checking my records, I think it is, by a couple hundred. Checking my notes...ooh, whoa, it's not. In fact, it's 1129. Oscar gave me a margin of error of two. Support for the sabotage theory deepens. He claims to be pleased at my correct response (and notes that he checked up on my cultivation data specifically before coming), but we all know what your real goal is here, Oscar.
- In return, I get to ask about Oscar's home planet. He claims to come from a world of "vast prairies," which he ran about endlessly in his childhood to toughen himself up physically (he comes from a long line of military personnel and the expectations thereof). That's interesting. I didn't know about Oscar's home planet, actually.
- We come to the point in the proceedings where my date asks if I'm tired. NO. I AM NOT TIRED. I AM NEVER TIRED AT THE END OF THESE THINGS. Oscar, though, the liar, claims to be beat. Yeah, I'm sure you've built up absolutely no physical endurance tromping around every damn day in that massive leg armor your stupid chara designer foisted on you.
Anyhow: Time for the ball. I call my butler to prepare, but he doesn't come. Oh, is this the goal of Oscar's sabotage - getting me back too late to prepare? I try choosing "go to ball" instead, even though I'm not dressed...OK, that gets Gerard in here. But he freaks out when I ask for help dressing, claiming he can't do that, so he goes and gets Rosalia, who arrives ticked off, not that I can blame her.
She's happy to help us get changed, though, and we get a close-up, like you'd get with a romantic partner. Dating prospect confirmed?
Rosalia's dress is really nice, BTW. Wish I had a better pic.
Rosalia leaves us so we can choose our accessory and our fragrance. Well, we've got only one accessory - a rose quartz pendant given to commemorate our Queen Candidacy. I don't get options for specific fragrances; I can instead go for "invigorating," "gentle," or "elegant." Since my partner will be the Guardian of Gentleness, this isn't a brain-buster.
A knock at the door - Gerard announces that Lumi's here to escort us to the ball. (No, the guys don't have formal wear, though I suppose their everyday blinged-up Hachiko Hachiroku robes are elaborate enough. Zephel could have picked up a formal tube top for the occasion, though.) If Lumi's upset about our rendezvous with Oscar, he isn't betraying it so far.
The palace is lit up like Cinderella's castle at Disneyworld - wish I'd had a chance to take a bad scanline photo before the shot vanished.
We dance, which is represented by the background moving and back and forth behind Lumiale's close-up. Lumi is so taken by our choice of fragrance that he's blushing - or maybe he had too much champagne, who knows. Limoges ruins the moment (or intoxication) by stepping on Lumi's foot.
- You see the huge heart in the corner, so I guess we're on a mega-date. Lumi brushes off the toe-crunching but asks if I'm self-conscious in the crowd, given that my dance movements are rather stiff. Since this is Lumi, I suppose being overly concerned about those around me is the correct answer...but for some reason, it isn't, and my meter goes down. Oh, good Lord.
- Next, I'm asked how to change my dancing, and I can pick "elegantly," "with a light step" (as in, "in a carefree manner"), or "flamboyantly". "Elegant" was the wrong choice before with the fragrance, but I think it's more Lumi-appropriate than the other two choices, so let's try it.
OK, he likes it. Glad he hasn't been taken over by a doppleganger. Though attending the ball with Eugene would be an interesting prospect, if one in all probability hazardous to my health.
- A nearby dancer tells her partner how she much she loves the bustling dance floor...but confides that later, she wants to "spend some time at home...just the two of us!" Lumi, taking entirely the wrong nuance from this conversation, asks if I myself enjoy spending time at home. Oh, Lumi. Then again, Clavis is always in his damn office, so maybe he's fully conversant in the "come up to my apartment" euphemism.
...But Lumiale hates my answer. You know, Lumi, I think you're just being contrary after my having a date with Oscar. If Luva asks to cut in, I'm not gonna say "no."
With that, my dance with Lumiale ends. We see Randy asking for Rosalia's hand for the second dance. I meant this to be a better pic of Rosa's dress, but it turned out poorly, so...well, here's just another pic:
I'm asked to choose a dance partner. Lumi is greyed out - he has totally ditched me. Luva, get over here.
Luva's really nervous about dancing. Well, here's hoping you're yourself, at least, Luva. You don't seem nervous in the above close-up, though, which doesn't bode well for character fidelity.
- A nearby dancer complains about having to go to work tomorrow. Luva laughs and asks if I feel the same way. OK, forget trying to figure out what the other person wants; I'm answering from my heart. Yes, I completely understand the Monday blues, even though I don't really work on a 9-to-5 schedule. Luva, amazingly, agrees, understanding the need for "personal time." (I would've pegged the walking library to go the other way were I answering in a calculated manner; Luva's work is his life.) My meter goes up way more than it did with Lumiale.
- Luva then asks if it's sunken in yet that I could become Queen. I say "yes." I didn't hit you up for all that Sacrea for nothing, buddy. This proves to be good attitude to take, and his gauge fills to half.
- Limoges notes what a wonderful time she's having, and wonders if she should tell Luva how she feels - which she opts to do by staring. Well, go ahead, if that's your mien. But it doesn't get through to Luva, and the moment is ruined. I should've anticipated, given it's Luva, but I had to try.
Luva says he had a wonderful time, and affinity increases. I don't get any of the special ball stills you've seen floating around the internet, though. I can check up on Rosa & Randy, but...nah. Don't wanna be a fifth wheel. Third wheel. Whatever. (I do have to wonder what the benefit would be to checking up, though. To comfort Rosa if she's had a bad time on the dance floor? But I don't think she'd be asked to dance by a Guardian with whom she didn't get along. Then again, look at what happened to Limoges.)
Gerard greets me when I return, noting how much I must've enjoyed the ball. No, GeGe. I didn't really. He also delivers a letter. Who's it from? Is the priest whining about too much Sacrea again? Do I have hate mail from my dance partners? Ah, it's Dia, reminding me to keep tabs on my continent and noting that, after Saturday, I should have a good idea of how the Queen's reviews will go from now on.
...Or maybe not. Uh-oh. Dia goes on to note that the reviews actually have two forms - one based on cultivation progress, as with yesterday, and the other being the familiar Guardian vote-off from the SFAM game. Well, that's just wonderful news after tonight. Which criteria will be used to decide the winner isn't determined until the day of the review. Dia urges me to broaden & deepen my relationships with the Guardians. I suppose an Angelique game couldn't get away completely from petty in-fighting. (To tell the truth, I'm in a way glad that at least some of it carried over from the SFAM original, given how it was the twisted core of that game, though I was, to be honest in another way, doing fine without it and looking forward to not having to deal with it.)
Day 29, finally:
Rosalia has a lake date with Clavis, who's finally completed his journey toward being a completely uncooperative, obstructive cuss and gone over to the other side. Well, I'm gonna visit my continent.
And...holy Christ, I need NOTHING.
I could use 2 of Steel & Dream, 1 of Darkness & Green, but NOTHING of the other Sacrea. ZERO. What do I do with my time? Chat up Guardians, I guess.
Angelique does nothing on the continent but find another shard of GeGe's memories. When she gets back, Gerard takes it in hand again, but he isn't happy about it. He claims not to have remembered anything, saying simply that touching the shard makes him a little dizzy. He says we've just gotta get more shards. Uh-huh.
I say hi to Marcel at the park, then check to see if Rosa's in so I can chat with her. She's not. Time for an affinity report, then. Here are my Guardian affinities vis-a-vis Rosa:
Julious: 75/75
Clavis: 60/42
Randy: 54/55
Lumi: 83/45
Oscar: 48/68
Marcel: 51/65
Zephel: 53/72
Olivie: 50/50
Luva: 83/56
With Rosalia: 51
Priest: 163!
Hmmm. I'm leading with only three Guardians, tied for two, and losing four. Not good. Maybe I need to do some chatting up.
(BTW, bestest friends in the Sanctuary: Randy & Marcel, at a mutual affinity of 121. Worst: C&J, at a blistering 8. Well, that's up from 2 the last time.)
I talk to Lumi, who is surprisingly benign after the disastrous dance, then Randy at the park, and go to bed.
Night brings good news - Lumiale is giving me lots of free power, perhaps out of guilt - and bad news - Luva is giving Rosalia a little assistance, which gives here a new settlement. Thanks a LOT, Luva. That dance was just a boon all the way around, wasn't it.
Day 30:
I talk with Julious at the park, then hit up Olivie for a little power. Apparently, Limoges is in demonstrably poor spirits after the dance disaster, as Olivie admonishes me not to "make that face - you've got to enjoy life a little, right?" Dude, you don't even know lately. Also, I've gotta say at this juncture: Olivie having a sedate voice is all wrong for the character. I know they wanted to tone down his "effeminate" qualities for the reboot, but they went way too far - they've neutered him. It's sad. I miss the HIHIIII~~s.
While I'm in his office, I also hit up Olivie for gossip, in my first Guardian chat of the game. The only topic I can select is "other people," so I ask about Clavis. Olivie opines that he "doesn't talk much" (no kidding), but "when he does try to talk, he almost seems normal. It's a bit of a shock! I think he could a really interesting fellow - not like you'd ever guess it, though!" Olivie also notes that Clavis doesn't regard me as "anything but an ordinary Queen Candidate...does that disappoint you?" Honestly, I expect nothing but abject hatred from now on, friendo. Olivie also warns that Clavis "gets jealous easily."
(On another note: I assume, then, that this is why the room date with Clavis was such a bust? Is that to what the "he likes talking"/"he doesn't like talking" info pertains?)
I talk to Lumi, then go see Rosalia. I ask if she thinks much about Felicia (her continent), and she praises it as "her treasure," which she cultivates not only for the sake of the exam, but out of love. Not scintillating, but the only other topic was the "do you like going outside" one I'd asked about before.
I say hi to Olivie, again, at the park and Randy at the RRI. That's one of the advantages of having five hearts: more activity means more opportunities for the character positions to reset and thus more opportunities to get little boosts. Weird comment from Randy: "The little everyday greetings are the bread 'n' butter of human relationships!" I'd reword that to sound more natural, but I'm not sure it's possible.
Day 31:
Randy's at the door. I let him in.
For some reason, I can choose only from going to the lake or chatting in my room - the park is completely unavailable. Well, this isn't even a choice - Randy don't wanna stay in!
Well, the park ain't off limits due to Rosa being there, cause she's here, at the lake - with Lumi. I'm gonna run off & join the circus. Rosa & Lumi are mad, and I lose affinity with both. Y'all are jerks. You can't go somewhere else? You have an entire goddamn lakefront.
Randy yammers on about how both nature-lovers and regular ol' lovers adore the lake. And then it's evening. I don't even get to ask him anything. I hate you all.
Oh, and now Oscar is giving Rosalia free power, and she has another new settlement. Meaning, we're tied in terms of population. Priest, you're getting more Sacrea whether you need it or not. Use your 163 affinity to grant me a little leeway.
Day 32:
I intend to ask Julious for power, but he's at the RRI. Dammit. I greet Oscar at the park, then - prepare yourselves - go to see if Clavis is in to ask for power. I'm depending on Clavis. I know.
Oh, my God, he's in. Holy Christ..
He's also all pissed off when I enter ("rare to see you here"). Shove it, drama queen. I'm so done with everyone's garbage at this point.
OK, Rosa's at the Guardians' office and won't leave, so I can't talk to her. I just get an extra affinity report instead. Nothing much has changed, except that Olivie & Randy now have a slight preference for me, Lumi likes Rosa just a little more than he did before, and Julious & Clavis have plummeted from their dizzying height of 8 affinity back down to 2. I greet Olivie & Luva, then go to bed. I get a new settlement from Clavis's power. Meanwhile, Zephel gifts Rosalia some power.
Day 33:
Olivie's at the door. Yep, let's go, fashion plate. Olivie's not a park kinda guy - and, again, the option doesn't appear. I don't know what's causing that. He's all for the lake, though.
He's stunningly at peace here - closing his eyes as he listens to the roar of the waterfall, praising it as a "really beautiful place", etc. I'm actually a bit taken aback. It's unusual to see Olivie the firecracker, even in this subdued form, so quiet and awestruck.
As with Lumiale, I can ask about either the time he became a Guardian or the nature of his power. Olivie's ascendancy to the Sanctuary wasn't pleasant for him, so I choose the latter. He says that as Guardian of Dream, he strives to achieve "the ideal beauty that can be found only in people's hearts. I myself work hard everyday to make myself up so I can embody the soul of beauty!"
I choose to play in the fountain. Olivie doesn't seem straight-laced. He laughs, but affinity doesn't go up. (I mean, from the fountain. I do get the usual affinity boost at the end of the date.)
I go home and get a letter from Dia. Apparently, she's congratulating me on Elysium reaching some sort of critical state? Oh - it's that my people want for nothing, and all my Sacrea needs are at 0. Uh - huh. I got power from Clavis, but my request from Olivie netted me a measly 1 point of Sacrea when I needed 2 (really, asking for "a little" Sacrea is useless; you really need to make your request "a lot" or bust). Neither Marcel nor Zephel have coughed up any freebies, nor are they likely to, so I don't know what's going on there. Anyhow, as a result, my people are forging ahead toward their frontiers with a new Manifest Destiny determination, and I can now cultivate my continent more - in fact, for a while, my continent will take all the Sacrea I can send it, no limits. (My people will also, Dia says, tend to want Sacrea from the Guardians with whom I am on the best terms - and their Sacrea will be more effective the better I'm acquainted with them.) Well, that's good. Drumming up Sacrea is my specialty, and now I can do it without worrying about complaint letters.
Not yet, though. It's the weekend.
Before that, though: Obstruction from Luva! At a whopping -5 points, but I don't lose a settlement, thankfully.
Day 34:
Continent inspection. On a whim, I decide to invite Clavis...but Clavis is with Rosalia. Heck with it; I invite Julious out of spite.
True to Dia's word, my people really want Lumi's Sacrea, at 16...followed by Clavis's at 13. Jules & Luva are lagging behind, albeit closely, at 12. I actually would think I'd be on better terms with either of them, particularly Luva, than Clavis.
For reference, asking for a lot of Sacrea usually yields 5 to 7 Sacrea points (depending on affinity, apparently), whereas asking for a little, like I said, usually yields a measly 1 or 2. The total Sacrea levels for my continent at this juncture:
Light (Julious): 22
Darkness (Clavis): 20
Wind (Randy): 13
Water (Lumiale): 25
Fire (Oscar): 13
Green (Marcel): 13
Steel (Zephel): 12
Dream (Olivie): 12
Earth (Luva): 13
Someone also sent me an offering of...sponge cake. Huh. I guess it's for Julious, but that seems a little pedestrian and plain for him. It has a strawberry on top, and that's it. I expect more pastry cream from my followers in the future.
In shopping, among the new offerings are a lapis lazuli fountain pen. Yep, we know for whom this is. Also present is an artistic silver picture frame (Lumi?) and a stained-glass lamp that casts "dream-like" rainbow light (subtle hint there). I choose the pen.
Now: I have a choice as to whether to take Julious to the plaza or the streets. The streets are more lively, and Oscar liked them...but Julious is yang in a reserved, refined way, so perhaps the plaza would be a better bet. He seems happy; amidst displays of pumpkins, he urges that we take a seat and have a bite to eat in a small corner tucked away from the crowds, whereupon he starts expounding upon the prevalence of harvest festivals among various cultures.
Dream. Lumiale & Luva are greeting each other rather staidly at the park. They join each other for tea. Zephel pops in to complain about how much like "old men" they're acting. He does something, and then Lumiale is staring in open-mouthed shock.
Luva, meanwhile, goes on smiling about the "pleasant breeze". Ummmm? Then they go back to having tea. Zephel whispers about how "you're just too thick, Luva." The only possible explanation is something I really don't want to see in an Angelique game, so I don't want even to understand this cutscene.
Day 35:
I say hi to Clavis at the park, then...well, Rosa's in her room; might as well talk to her. This time, she asks "Silvi" to bring tea.
Silvan notes that he's been practicing on tea service, and he asks for our impressions. Limoges kind of demurs, but Rosalia offers, "Your effort in your work is obvious! It's even better than it was before!" Silvan thanks her and leaves, whereupon Rosalia explains, "Silvan is such a serious child. I'll have to keep an eye on him for a long time coming."
I ask her what sort of man she has difficulty, to which she responds, "well, isn't it obvious?" Yeah, I guess it is, Rosa.
Leaving Rosalia's, I say hi to Oscar, then...well, let's invite Marcel. Why not.
Well, because he turns me down, that's why. Jerk. See if you get invited again. I drop off the pen to Julious while I ponder my next move, and, in a rare sight, he's smiling when I come in. He praises the feel & texture of the materials of which the pen is made, and he says he'll treasure it - whereupon he gives me an unprecedented THREE hearts of increased affinity. Holy moly. (For reference, a successful date yields two.)
I don't invite him out, though. Two dates in a row is too much. Better to savor this moment, Julious.
I try Lumiale. He's fish-mouthed agape, and my misguided attempt to fraternize with him leaves him disappointed in me and life.
A perfect capper to this week.
.