Split party.
Oh yeah, back in Goug when the one Vampire Cat died? It had already laid an egg for another one. So I still have a purple murderkitty.
Yep.
Well, it wouldn't be appropriately dramatic if we got here and she wasn't already in the noose, I guess.
See, he called her a puppet because she's about to be hanging from a string. That is
gallows humor.
Wait, I recognize that mustache...!
Wait, if that's an archer in disguise, Ovelia is somewhere else?
And if it's wearing her dress, she's... uh, naked?
She's somewhere else! Naked!
Gaffgarion: Might we spare ourselves these tiresome feints? I speak of the cardinal's gemstone. The one who stole it travels with you, does he not? I would have it surrendered.
R2: If you want it, come and get it.
Gaffgarion: So the boy now thinks himself a man! Very well. Let us finish this like men!
And then... we talk some more!
Gaffgarion: Return with me to Eagrose! You brother Dycedarg would fain forgive what's done. He said as much himself!
R2: Then let him forgive this as well, for I'll play no part in his foul plots!
Gaffgarion: Foul?! You would paint your brother's deeds as -foul-? A Beoulve must uphold the duties of his station! You of all people should know that!
R2: My lord brother seeks to ignite war to further his own ends! If such a thing is not foul, ser, then pray tell what is!
Gaffgarion: A man does not eat an omelette without breaking eggs!
Uh, you might want to choose your words more carefully when there are two giant red homicidal meteor-summoning chickens standing right over there.
Gaffgarion: Blood is the price of progress! It is the ink in which history's pages are writ! Look around you, boy! Ivalice rots from within! Your brother would carve out the root of its decay, even if it means his hands must needs be soiled!
Pff. Who's the naive one now?
Without any means to unequip him before this fight, Gaffgarion brings his Fell Knight skills to bear against me this time. It's part of the reason Friday is in this group -- being undead makes skellingtons immune from drain abilities like Night Sword.
You know what still works, though? Auto-Potion.
Gaffgarion: Forget Ziekden! There was no avoiding that. You are an heir of House Beoulve, R2, and you have a duty as such! It is your fate to see that duty fulfilled!
R2: As it was my fate to let Tietra die? No, fate had no hand in that. Tietra died because I could not be bothered to save her. I've lied to myself all this time. It was my own inaction that killed her!
Anyway.
The Vampire Cat aims Blaster at a few guys. I can only choose one target, but it helps to have an idea of the odds. Notice that it advertises "Stone" status on the Knight and the Archer, but only "Stop" on Gaffgarion. He's got some boss immunities.
He's got a shield, too, of course.
omghai2u
omghai2u2
Friday can't come fast enough.
skloosh
To use Blaster, the cat hunches over and a light comes out from behind it, flying upwards. I'm not saying it looks like you're attacking with magical flying glowing cat poop, but you can draw your own conclusions here.
siiiigh
R2: I see no -good- in using people! Only deception, and death! I will not stand by any longer as innocents fall prey to your -good-! I will not let you harm the princess!
Gaffgarion: Then you seal your fate, you stubborn fool!
Oh yeah, he has a Blood Sword, too. Which drains HP on normal attacks just like his special skill does.
Still have Auto-Potion, though.
From up on top of the gallows, my wounded chocobo should be safe from most attacks on the ground. Gaffgarion can reach up there with his Night Sword skill, but he concentrates on R2 for this fight.
The top of the gallows is a good place to drop meteors from.
The Knights strike another blow, and Friday goes down.
Raise spells don't work, being undead and all.
Okay so sometimes Gaffgarion will aim at someone other than R2.
Blaster doesn't work through walls, even if you can see the top of their head poking up over the barrier.
Archer steals a cure spell.
Here's what Cat Scratch looks like. That's not a graceful flip kick or anything, the cat flips onto its back and flails its back legs at the target about a dozen times.
Bows are terrible at reaching higher elevations. But crossbows do it okay.
He's defenseless stopped in time like that! Get him!
TELEPORT
Oh, hey.
Once I get out of here I am naming this fucking thing Katia.
Wind magic? Nope, it's a Monk ability.
Everybody must get stoned!