Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The Beachside Hut and Andvara Falls Prologue Part 2

Andvari picks up from where things left off as he gets ready to start his intro tour for you and tells you to not wimp out on him. He describes the place as a beach hut styled super leisure facilities, the AndvaResort sure to rewrite what people will expect of ocean leisure places.

You either call the place gorgeous, great, or point out the presence of a waterfall despite already being at a beach. Andvari has fun with your reaction and asks how the mood is since the first impression needs to leave an impact. Things have been delayed for various reasons, but it’s still a hot summer so there will still be a good crowd of beach going customers around.

Andvari says the place has more than just the services of a beach hut. While there is food, there’s also relaxation, lodgings, and entertainment. There’s also hot spring facilities straight from Bald Mountain, so the place can be a year round business. You’re amazed at how it has everything covered for different times of the year and comment that it seems like it has lots of open positions.

Andvari moves on with the tour saying he’ll introduce you to everyone else he’s hired on the way. Not long after this the both of you hear a big splash, prompting you two to look at each other before facing the source’s direction. It’s coming from the waterfall, and Andvari guesses trash must have fallen into the basin. The waterfall picks things up through cycled seawater, so something must have been drawn in. He figures he might as well check and clean it before customers start coming in.

When the two of you head over to there you find a flashily dressed man floating in the water. Andvari has to take a moment to process this before yelling about this sudden twist. And since it’s the grand opening day he’s worried this is an omen.

He complains as he moves to help, admitting he’d probably have ignored him if he weren’t on the premises. If he’s alive he orders you to resuscitate him. If he’s dead...well he’ll think of something. You either protest this order, try talking to the man, or try to push Andvari into checking for signs of life. C just has one extra line about Andvari giving in to do so.

After a bit of smacking around, the guy comes to as he mentions his head hurting. Now that he’s confirmed not a stiff, Andvari asks if he can hear you guys and asks who he is. Goemon snaps to, so you can either be glad he’s okay, ask if he can say his name, or be excited over a sopping wet dude.

Anyways, Goemon seems to see something in Andvari apparently, who is slightly annoyed by the staring and considers charging him an entry fee. You can either ask Andvari if he knows him, say he still seems confused, or ask about the entry fee. Andvari says he wouldn’t normally forget the face of any of his suckers customers. He then tries asking Goemon for his name again and if they ever met before.

Goemon is about to answer normally before he reconsiders and decides to instead make a production out of it in grand theater fashion, pulling out a curtain that a baffled Andvari says he doesn’t remember installing there.

Goemon starts making a big apology for the surprise and says he was washed in through the waterfall, then introduces himself, referring to himself as the world’s greatest and most famous thief. You question either these parts or ask why he was in the waterfall basin.

Goemon says he was running around town last night skimming money off of rich people like he usually does. Then he slipped and fell into a river. When he woke up, he stops to think before freaking out and asking where he ended up. The yelling takes so much out of him he falls over again, which turns out to be because he’s hungry.

Andvari is even more baffled by Goemon, especially about him fainting from hunger. You ask him what to do about Goemon, so he takes a moment to say he hates the word thief. He does decide that he can’t just let him stay like this, because this is one of his resort centerpieces. He tells you to help him and decides to take him to the dining area.

Some time later, Goemon has eaten enough to bury a table under a mountain of empty dishes. He says it was great food and thanks Andvari for that. Andvari is kind of impressed by how much he put away, then prompts Goemon to pay him, whether it be in coins or other currency. The world’s best thief ought to have *something* right?

Goemon is quiet for a moment before apologizing as he has no money whatsoever and begs to work to pay it off. Andvari is taken aback and tries to get Goemon to cough something up for all that food. Goemon apologizes again and tries to admit something about his status as a thief, but he stops midway as he notices bloodthirst directed at him.

Several shuriken are thrown out, which Goemon manages to narrowly avoid by bending himself. Jiraiya reveals himself as having come out to investigate the voice he heard and recognizes Goemon, who he doesn’t like at all. Andvari however steps in to whack Jiraiya for scratching the new tables and docks it out of his pay. Jiraiya tried to argue that Goemon can’t be trusted since he’s a fake chivalrous thief.

You are either surprised to see Jiraiya, excited, or you just ask if he’s doing beach hut work again. He’s surprised to see you too but puts off actually greeting you for later. Goemon in turn does recognize Jiraiya and asks why he’s there. Jiraiya doesn’t answer and swings his sword at him. Goemon panics and manages to bare hand block it. He’s angry about the attempt to off him before freaking out how close the blade is.

Jiraiya proclaims that while the world may see Goemon as a chivalrous thief, he and the heavens won’t. Goemon tries to talk his way out by saying that he both is and isn’t Goemon. Jiraiya doesn’t get it but he doesn’t make any effort to try. Instead he keeps attacking, and Goemon manages to evade.

Volos walks in only somewhat aware that something is going on, bringing in some watermelons that were ordered before he notices the fight. As Jiraiya keeps swinging he ends up cutting up Volos’s watermelon in the mean time, who is in turn amazed at how clean the eight sliced cuts are.

Seth walks in next because he was told this is where staff meals are served, but he’s taken by surprise by the fight and yells about all the red fluid on the floor. Volos tries to explain that it’s watermelon juice. You try to call the two of them over and say it’s turned into a big scene.

Andvari doesn’t seem phased as he says it’ll end soon since he called in for help. Jiraiya nearly manages to get Goemon when Kotarou steps in at the last second to stop him, asking what he’s doing right before the opening. When Kotarou sees Goemon, he initially thinks he’s an Iga ninja before seeming to notice something.

Jiraiya backs off to tell Kotarou to move because he can’t stand for anyone pretending to be a chivalrous thief, Goemon especially. Kotarou recognizes the name but tells him to calm down, while Goemon is relieved he was saved.

Tadatomo runs in asking if you’re okay, then apologizes for being late since he was practicing for some of his work. You either point out that he came, thank Kotarou for stopping the fight, or be excited about all the ninjas being here. Andvari says you need a ninja to stop a ninja, then orders people to sit down so he can figure out what’s happening.

Some time later Andvari sighs about everything happening before the opening. He has some reservations about making Goemon work because of Jiraiya, who is sitting quietly but unrepentant. Goemon tries to argue for himself, saying that he isn’t a great thief. He has the memories, but he never actually stole anything.

You ask him to explain, so Goemon pulls out his kettle and a leaf, then transforms into a tanuki to Andvari’s shock. Kotarou is not surprised since he picked up on something, while Jiraiya is baffled into asking for an explanation. Everything about Goemon seemed just like the real one.

Goemon says that’s how it’s supposed to be since he’s holding Goemon’s memories. When you ask about this, Goemon says he is actually Shukaku, which is the name of the tanuki associated with the story of Bunbuku Chagama. I’ve seen one version that says he’s the priest who brought the magic tea kettle before being outed as not human and deified, and I’ve seen one version that says he’s the tea kettle. But anyways he says he’s an actor for a small theater in Asakusa.

Goemon says he specializes in playing as Goemon. He has his memories, so it’s perfect, isn’t it? Though he admits it’s more correct to say he used to be an actor and can’t do it anymore. When you ask why, Goemon doesn’t know either but he says that’s what the troupe leader told him.

Brief flashback has the troupe leader accuse Goemon of not understanding a thing about him. Goemon is fired for the time being and told not to come back until he understands. The leader also threatens to throw him into the river if he doesn’t leave himself.

Flashback ends as Andvari says he must have really been thrown in, which washed him into the waterfall. Volos sympathizes about the river thing while Seth is depressed by the acting part. Goemon says his artifact is the kettle, which he somehow got when he came to Tokyo. He feels he should really have a tea kettle though and wonders why it became the kettle that Goemon was executed in.

Kotarou is interested in the fact that Goemon inherited that artifact. You find the account strange before you realize Kotarou said something and ask about that. He says he didn’t realize at first because it wasn’t a tea kettle, but then asks Shukaku if he is from the Bunbuku Chagama story. You’ve never heard of it.

Goemon doesn’t answer the question and says he wants to go back to that theater since he wants to go back to acting. He then begs Andvari to hire him on, partly to pay back for the food and partly to rediscover himself in the meantime. Andvari doesn’t say anything, and Jiraiya says that while he won’t ask him to do anything, he does have his own opinion. You either call out to Andvari, ask him to do it, or say nothing and watch.

Andvari says he’s not turning him down since he is looking for motivated workers at the moment. Seth says that’s all well and good but asks about the staff meals since he’s hungry. Jiraiya then panics as he realizes he was in the middle of making them when this happened. Andvari is displeased since it’s almost lunchtime for the other workers too, but Chernobog shows up to say it’s okay because he finished making the meals.

Chernobog says he’s made fried rice and ramen that he’s learned from Chouji, and he thinks they came out well enough. You call his name as you notice him, figuring he would of course be around if Andvari is, and you can also comment on how overlordy he sounds despite talking about normal things. Jiraiya thanks Chernobog and says he’s made some appropriate foods for a beach house, and Andvari tells people to set the tables before the workers get there. Jiraiya tells Shukaku to help, who agrees.

Kotarou asks Andvari if he’s sure about hiring a thief, even if they only have the memories of one. He’s slow to respond but says yes, mentioning that he has his own opinions about thieves. But this is the safest place in the business, and he does have some reservations about his customer service skills so he’ll be monitoring him. Which he dumps onto you, to your shock. You saw him first!

When you protest that for being the reason he’s sticking you with watching Goemon, Andvari admits that you originally were going to be at lots of different posts, switching department day by day helping out the others. Jiraiya tells you that’s good news and says he’ll be expecting you to work hard. He and Chernobog are in charge of the resort’s restaurant. Chernobog says dinner will be a huge banquet and welcomes you to join. Jiraiya retranslates that as “we welcome you because we need help.”

Seth tries to claim in embarrassment that he can handle things himself but he’s open to having you on if you want to help. Seth will be working as a life guard, and he does think it’s reassuring to have you on board. Don’t let him down now.

Tadatomo is embarrassed and kind of alarmed at the idea of you helping out because that would mean you’ll be seeing That Thing. He tries to say you won’t be needed to help with him, but Kotarou kicks him aside to welcome you to the team, saying he’s looking forward to it. He and Tadatomo are in charge of the leisure facilities, mainly the scuba diving. Tadatomo reluctantly accepts this as an order.

Volos greets you and thanks you for being around to help him. He’s in charge of supplying ingredients for the resort, and there’s a particularly large order of watermelons to be brought in. With that many of them, carrying them around will be tough, so he hopes you two can work hard at it.

Goemon will be working with you, and he offers to take on anything to show that he can help. He apologizes for all the problems he’s caused and thanks you for believing in him. He also says it’s tough preparing for a role, and he asks you to call him Goemon. You say you’ll count on him, and he answers affirmatively.

A little time after, all of Andvari’s workers are seated in the dining area. After everyone’s eaten, Andvari starts talking about how today will be the grand opening of the resort. He also has one thing to tell everyone: make all the money! It’s time to revolutionize the beach house! And so the episode ends.

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