A bit before...
You report to Da Vinci that Bakin was abducted by the cat monster. As a result, you have no means of transporting yourself across the island and need assistance. Normally there would be nothing Da Vinci could do but... this place is special. It has a 'imaginary landscape' modelled after Bakin's stories. In addition, the Dog Warriors have an affinity for transference. That's probably why Sousuke appeared in Chaldea, and some of the others appeared out of nowhere to help. There's the whole thing with the Spirit-Pearls from Hakkenden as well. Probably has something to do with the Holy Grail signatures they detected, but regardless...
If they can use this property, they could probably execute some large-scale Transference Magecraft. Still, there's a limit to what she can accomplish. Chaldea's resources are spread thin. They just sent out Isthar and Emiya to repel the arrows. They can't afford to waste any resources on misses. Barghest interject: that won't be a problem, the Dog Warriors can sense each other, they won't miss. You ask of Da Vinci to commence, and are engulfed in the same red Rayshift like thing as before.
When you arrive, Mashu reports you've successfully gotten to Sagami. Unlike the other islands, here is a castle. Mashu suspects there's a Dog Warrior inside, either that of 'Chivalry' or 'Knowledge'. Barghest suggests she and Lobo play bait so the rest of them can infiltrate the castle. Izou and Hokusai will come with you into the castle. Someone will also have to look after the Dog Warriors: they can't afford to lose any more of them. Hokusai suddenly wonders why Bakin turned back to Omichi. Izou dismisses the questioning. They'll find out eventually.
Various monsters are prowling the streets. Suddenly, Lobo appears in front of them. For some reason this prompts the Dog Warriors to follow him. Barghest starts to panic, urging them to follow her instead, Lobo is about to fight, it's dangerous!
--- [Battle against <Various Monsters> (<Barghest> + <Hessian Lobo> Forced Support)] ---
You and the infiltration party arrive inside the Castle. Izou carried you. Mashu will inform you if she detects anything out of the ordinary. They hear the commotion going on outside and get going.
Izou asks Hokusai about this "Souhaku" that Bakin mentioned before. Hokusai explains that Bakin once had a son he saw as his heir. This was Omichi's husband, and how she was married into the family. But Souhaku had a sickly constitution. A few years after Omichi and him married, he died in his sleep. Omichi took over as a successor, even though she should've just returned to her original family. Eventually Bakin lost his sight, and dictated his writings through Omichi. Izou thinks living a life where all you do is take care of some old fart is about as boring as it gets.
Before Hokusai can respond, a cat monster appears behind them. Izou will take care of it before it calls more people over.
--- [Battle against <Various Monsters>] ---
The monster you just defeated is the same as the one that abducted Bakin. Hokusai asks if maybe Mashu can analyze it. Mashu does, and says she can detect them well enough that they shouldn't run into them out of nowhere like they just did. Anyway, they don't have time to wait around.
You follow Mashu's lead and eventually found a sleeping Bakin. Sousuke is there as well, together with another Dog Warrior, the one with the pearl of "Knowledge". They're tied up around their necks, however... Hokusai tells you to stop: if they know Bakin is fine, they should just leave her here. Everyone else is shocked, but Hokusai reminds them of their purpose: find the dogs, locate Tametomo and stop the attacks on Chaldea. Izou says he'll follow your lead but... there is something he wants to know about Bakin. Isn't she just being used by Tametomo? Not to say everything she did worked in Tametomo's favor, but at least its been close enough that he can't help but be suspicious. Also, there are two islands left: Kazusa and Shimousa. There is only one Dog Warrior left, on Kazusa, meaning that Tametomo is on Shimousa. No need to go around being all lost.
In any case, Hokusai insists on leaving Bakin and the dogs behind. Mashu protests, they at least need some way of moving around still. Izou says that won't be a problem: you will do something about it. You don't get what he means, but before he can explain fully, more monsters arrive.
--- [Battle against <Various Monsters>] ---
You return to outside the castle where Lobo and Barghest are fighting. She wonders what's up with Bakin who you are carrying with you, but there's no time to explain. You have to get out of here before you get overwhelmed. The Dog Warriors greet their newest addition.
Bakin still won't wake up. They could head to the final island where Tametomo is located without Bakin but... You listened to all that Hokusai said, and still, you can't leave Bakin behind. To understand why Tametomo is attacking Chaldea then the mystery of Bakin and Omichi must be solved.
Back at Chaldea, Kiichi is talking to Sion about Bakin. Shouldn't she reveal why she made them take Bakin with them already? From Kiichi's deductions, wasn't it because Sion suspected that Sousuke and Bakin was used as a way to detect where to shoot? Certainly, one could make such a case, says Sion. However, she actually deduced practically the complete opposite. The fact that Tametomo's famed 'ship-sinker' did not take out Chaldea in a single shot should've meant his defeat. But this first shot was always meant to be accompanied by another. So what if he'd shot many of these 'trackers' before the arrow they know as the first actually hit? During that time, Sousuke and Omichi used other methods to try and reach Chaldea. The slight presence of the Holy Grail felt in Sousuke was something he then used to ever so slightly divert the first arrow. That's why they survived. Basically: Sousuke and Omichi knew Tametomo was aiming for them, and appeared to stop it. Perhaps doing this caused such a loss of power in Bakin that they themselves don't know what they did anymore. Kiichi asks if that means Sion made Bakin follow along to protect you and the others then, but get's a No Comment. The situation is unfolding too quickly, who knows what is going on anymore. Bakin's true objective is still unknown.
Goredolf appears between them and urges them to return to the control room. He has the feeling that if the two weird geniuses of Ushiwakamaru and Da Vinci are left alone for too long something bad will happen!
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Originally Posted by Petrikow
