The Oxymoron Returns

Saga: Nightmare arc

Prerequisites: Completion of at least one other Saga past AotD, and the previous missions in this one.

Summary:

Some time after the previous mission (several side missions and at least one full saga later), Psi has demonstrated the Nightmare transformation repeatedly and is still wanted by and large by the public. It starts to catch Metal Coat's attention, who eventually sends for him and offers to try and find a way to stop the transformations, if only to stop him from wrecking the economy and ruining his business. After some experiments in the workshop, MC finally concludes it's the work of a body-less being taking over in brief bursts, and requires the original vessel it came in to seal it off - a Gem of Chaos. As it just so happens, it turns out to be Suzaku's, and the whole reason this happened is because Psi allowed himself to be exposed to it. Psi travels back to Suzaku's former fort to retrieve the gem, only to find that Suzaku has come back to life while he was gone. After a 1-on-1 fight as Lynness watches on, Psi defeats Suzaku once again, and after much deliberation he reluctantly parts with the gem - not for Psi's sake, but for his own. After the way it had controlled him, he only desires to see it removed from his sight, so he can finally persue his own agendas.

Script:

MC: You came.

Psi: Do we really have a choice?

MC: I suppose you could've ignored me entirely and went abroad letting your red friend wreck stuff arbitarily. But that probably wouldn't be the best for either of us.

Synn: What do you want?

MC: To fix you. In a manner of speaking.

Psi: Wow, that's... unusually generous of you.

MC: I'm not doing this for you. You're killing my customers and screwing around with the economy. I have to do this if I want to keep my business. Now come right this way. I need to give you a checkup first before we know where to go next.

[Psi walks into a scanner in the back room. MC turns it on and gets some readings from a nearby computer screen.]

MC: Hmm... There's three in there... one is normal and two are... or is it two normal and one...

Psi: What's the matter?

MC: Nevermind, this old thing must be acting up. What I do know for sure is that there's three individual beings in that body of yours right now. If our last meeting was any indicator, I'm assuming that should only be two.

Psi: Really? That's really wierd. Who's the third one?

MC: Do I look like a shrink? How would I know? That's not what this machine is designed to do!

Psi: Alright alright, sorry I asked. What did it find out?

MC: That there's things in you that don't belong.

Psi: ...right, sure, I gathered that much. Anything else?

MC: Let me see that gem of yours for a second.

Psi: W-what gem?

MC: I'm not stupid, you know. The machine detected you hiding it behind your back.

[Psi reluctantly shows MC his Gem of Chaos.]

MC: ...you're looking for a red one.

Psi: Huh?

MC: There's a certain energy in your body that doesn't belong. All I can tell you is that it came from a vessel just like this, except it's red. If you found one, I guess maybe I could put it back?

Psi: A red one... hmm... where have I seen something like that bef--

[A sudden flashback of his previous fight with Suzaku plays, answering his question.]

Synn: We'll be right back.

[The player is guided to Castle Suzaku, which they then progress through as normal. Once they get to the peak, though - not the usual finishing point of the stage - Suzaku is waiting for them, followed by Lynness close by.]

Psi: What the--!?

Suzaku: That little wolf again, of all times!

Synn: Lynness! What's the meaning of this? We thought he was dead!

Lynness: I told you, you can't kill a demon in this realm. He was only incapacitated for as long as it took to come back again, just like the last one.

Synn: Fair enough, I suppose. Get out of the way, demon. Our objective is further in.

Suzaku: Do you think I will just stand idly by while you plunder every last thing of worth I have here? The only way you're going to get there is through me.

Synn: I was hoping you'd say that.

[A fairly standard fight occurs with Suzaku. Though his AI doesn't hold anything back, he doesn't have any of the special tricks or quirks he had in his previous campaign, and probably won't prove too much more trouble than he used to be. When his health hits low, Suzaku collapses to his knee in fatigue.]

Suzaku: Damn it all... my power hasn't fully returned yet.

Synn: We're taking the gem. Get out of the way, or we'll keep it that way.

Suzaku: The gem...?

[Suzaku looks back apon Synn quizically, then returns to his feet awkwardly. After a long delay, he continues.]

Suzaku: ...take it. Take it, and get it out of my sight. I never want to see that thing again.

Psi: Huh? I thought you wanted that thing for yourself! What's gotten into you?

Suzaku: What good is power without control? What's the point in being the best there is when you're treated like a puppet? My day will come yet, but I'll find my own methods. In the meantime, you just watch your tone, little wolf.

Psi: Don't call me--

Synn: We're going. Show us the way, Lynness.

[The gem is at the end of the level as normal, and the area continues much the same as it ordinarily would. In mid transit:]

Psi: Why are you still hanging around Suzaku after all that, anyway?

Lynness: Well someone has to keep him in check, right? Better sticking with him than showing up after the fact when he blows up a town or somesuch.

Synn: So what you're saying is that he's essentially a prisoner here.

Lynness: That's not what I meant at all! It's just that... there's no other demons around here for a long while. We have to stick together, you know?

Psi:...ohohohoho, don't tell me you have the hots for him?

Lynness: I'm going to stop talking to you now.

[As the player picks the gem up in the end of the level:]

Lynness: What did you need that for so badly, anyway?

[The scene from Suzaku's previous defeat plays briefely again]

Psi: When we picked it up the first time, we accidentally ended up taking something inside it with us. We need the gem to put it back again.

Synn: I'm assuming it's exactly what ended up driving Suzaku nuts, too?

Lynness: It would appear so. If that's all, then I wish you the best of luck in banishing it again. For the time being, I have to look after Suzaku.

Psi: Heh, have fun with that.

[Lynness leaves the party, and the mission ends once the player leaves the area.]