Chapter 8

**Spoilers Ahead!**

This Article is a Mr. Spoiler! It contains spoilers from events of the game, and its advisable to not read if you basically have no knowledge of the game!

Chapter 8 begins at the hilltop in the Onett of 200X. The Applechasers  exit the Phase Distorter and talk to Niiue, who says he'll stay behind to try to meet up with his future self, while the rest of the group goes through Magicant again.

Interacting with the people in Magicant causes them to fade away after a short bit of dialogue. The only exception is the grey bundle in the crib (presumably an infant Giegue), who just starts bawling at the sight of the group. Once again, walking to the end of the path leads to the cave entrance where the Trash Mook  saves for Alinivar one final time before disappearing.

The cave is the same as last time, but now there are some dark green growths coming from the ground. As the Applechasers reach the platform leading to the Magicant's door hub, they're suddenly attacked.

## **Abominiathan**

*"Aaaargh! Run! Flee! Abscond! Surrender! Plead! Beg! Actually, none of that will work at all."*

**Attacks:** The Beak, Tentacle Slap, Constrict, Chomp, PK Freeze Ω, (Wobble, Regenerate)

**Rewards:**None

After beating Abominiathan, the group jumps down to the hub, which is the second point of no return.

## Door hub

Four of the six doors in the hub don't have locks on them anymore, and interacting with them will reveal that the doors lead to the respective Magicants of the four main Applechasers as well as Niiue and Giegue.

*For the Magicant part of this chapter, see Magicant.*

Upon completing each Magicant, a new door will appear between Niiue and Giegue's doors. Entering the door lands the Applechasers in a place that resembles the pre-Magicant (but this time with changing colors) where they find Giegue in his protective capsule and engage him in battle.

If you're going for the Severance route, you might be able to meet Niiue at his Magicant door. He will ask you to replace one party member for the door.

## Stats

#### **Giegue**

**Attacks:** Incomprehensible Zap, Inexplicable Jolt, Unnatural Wave, Insanity Fog

**Rewards:** None

Halfway through the fight, two Niiues rush into the room. Giegue is understandably confused. With the Niiues assisting the Applechasers, they manage to beat him. However, Past-Niiue states that this was only a guardian of Giegue's subconscious and that they must go deeper into the maelstrom if they wish to find Giegue himself. Both Niiues inform the rest of the Applechasers that Zarbol must stay back, since he is the messenger who is supposed to travel to the past to inform the chosen Earth children of the Apple's prophecy (revealing that Zarbol is actually Buzz Buzz).

Depending on if both the Moon Base  and Mothership sidequests have been beaten, the next scene can go one of two ways. If the sidequests are complete, Future-Niiue stays behind to send Zarbol into the past and Past-Niiue accompanies the Applechasers to the maelstrom.
If the sidequests aren't complete, Future-Niiue will take mortal damage and die. Past-Niiue will stay behind to send Zarbol into the past and the remaining Applechasers must face the maelstrom without him.

Regardless of what happens, the group enters the maelstrom.

## Maelstrom

The maelstrom is a very straightforward area filled with strange enemies. Passing to different parts of the map is done through the use of spheres that teleport the party to the next part (similar to the Cave of the Past in *Earthbound*). The Applechasers can be accompanied by a Flying Man living in a house at the beginning of the area as long as Niiue isn't in the party.

At one point during the group's trek through the area, a cutscene of Niiue/Future Niiue and Zarbol is seen. Niiue informs the UFO that he won't be coming back, but Zarbol understands this to be his destiny, although he expresses sadness that he won't see his friends again. Niiue sends Zarbol on his way and in the case of Future Niiue, fades away shortly after, leaving his cap behind to be found by Alinivar later on.

#### **Enemies**

None of the enemies are normal, and when the player selects them in order to attack them during battle, no enemy name appears. When encountered them, instead of a normal "*Enemy approached!*", it'll be something more confusing, along the lines of "*Something attacked?*" or " *...What blocked the way?!*".

Most of them have very powerful PSI attacks (such as PK Beam Σ and Starstorm), all of Giegue's attacks and attacks that cause status effects.

They tend to drop discarded emotions as items:

**Hesitation**: Casts Brainshock Ω

**Regret:** Deals damage to all enemies.

**Motivation:** Casts Reflect to party.

**Kindness:** Restores 100 HP to party.

**Consideration:** Restores 40 PP to party.

**Love:** Restores the party completely.

At the end of the area is a cave entrance, the final point of no return. At this point, the player can use the hyberpod at the left side of the entrance. Talking to the NPC to the right twice will transport the party to the beginning of the maelstrom if the player wishes to grind some more. However, if there's nothing left to do, the Applechasers enter the cave.

If Niiue is with the group, he will stop to explain them the truth about his connection to Giegue (if he hasn't accompanied the party, he has already told this before the maelstrom) and how he is actually just another part of Giegue's Magicant, brought to life in the physical world through Giegue's immense PSI power. Niiue once again expresses his desire to save Giegue from himself and thanks the Applechasers for their help, before the party jumps down a hole leading to the final battle.

## Devil's Machine and final battle

The Applechasers find Giegue trying to complete the Devil's Machine. He expresses his frustration over the group having followed him into his mind and taunts them, believing that once the machine is complete, his power will rise to such an immense level that no one in the universe will be able to pose a threat to him.

Niiue (if he has accompanied the Applechasers; if not, he will appear in the room between phase one and two of the ensuing battle) tries to plead with Giegue one final time, but the other Geeg is too far gone at this point, and simply decides to destroy the group for good.

#### **Giegue**

**Attacks:** Incomprehensible Zap, Inexplicable Jolt, Unnatural Wave, Insanity Fog

**Rewards:** None

Halfway through the battle, Giegue is joined by Porky Minch in his *Earthbound*appearance, who informs his master that he has completed the construction of the Devil's Machine. Giegue orders him to turn the machine on once he has killed the Applechasers, and Porky flees after realizing that it wouldn't be a good idea for him to get hit.

After a select amount of turns have passed, the message "*Something's happening...*" appears. Both Giegue's physical form and psyche begin to deteriorate. The Applechasers manage to hold on against him until Zarbol has made it to the past, but despite their success, they're too late to save Giegue, whose body and mind are completely destroyed, and he becomes Giygas.

#### **Giygas**

**Attacks:** Incomprehensible Zap, Inexplicable Jolt, Unnatural Wave, Insanity Fog

**Rewards:** Depends on the ending

Has 50,000 HP for those seeking the Severance ending.

Depending on the player's actions during the fight, they'll reach one of the five endings. Most of the endings lead to the credits, with the exception of one; the Severance ending, which ends Chapter 8 and then continues to Chapter 9.