Xenoblade Chronicles Guide- Walkthrough Part 96: Alone, You’re Useless. Together...

Reyn praises Shulk’s aim as the crane’s claw just barely grabs the base-tread of the stricken mecha, preventing Otharon from getting an unwanted (and likely fatal) ether bath in the river below.  The older man sound stunned as Shulk talks of changing destinies, and insists that Otharon won’t die here.  There is a touching moment- and then the mining ‘mech lurches.

Xord has grabbed the thing by its left arm, adding his weight to its own as they dangle over the glowing flow of ether.  The hammer-wielder howls out his denial as he hangs there, the crane’s arm starting to give out under the incredible weight.  Otharon, cool as a cucumber, starts crawling out of the cockpit of the mining ‘mech, pulling his rifle along with him.  Shulk encourages him, sure that he’s averted the older man’s death.

Otharon stops, though, and still perched atop the ‘mech’s cockpit, begins aiming a careful shot.  Drawing a bead on his target, he ignores the imperviousness of Mechon to normal weapons as he calls out to Gadolt and the citizens of Colony 6.

Then he blows off the arm of the mining machine.  Still wailing his denial and clutching the dismembered metal arm, Xord drops into the liquid ether and rapidly sinks.  Mere moments afterwards, the crane’s claw has had enough and gives out, releasing the leg of the mauled mining ‘mech and dropping it- launching Otharon into the air.  Baffled and panicked by the apparent failure, Shulk shouts that this isn’t supposed to happen.  He calls out to Otharon in futile dismay- and then Reyn dives over the edge of the platform, shocking his friend mute.

Before Shulk can muster a response, though, Reyn calls out to him- the doughty fighter has grabbed not only Otharon, but also the crane’s claw, leaving the two hanging over the river.  Bringing the crane in, Shulk slowly retracts the claw’s cable, drawing the two into the air so he can swing them over the platform to safety.  Reyn claims his arm is about to come loose, prompting Otharon to climb up it (and him) and onto the crane’s claw.  Joining him in a somewhat more comfortable seat there, Reyn defers the military man’s thanks, saying that any thanks he owes should go to Shulk’s vision of the future.  He says that as soon as he saw the ether river, he knew this would be the place.

Once Reyn and Otharon are safely on the platform, they and Shulk walk over to Sharla and Juju.  Reyn takes the opportunity to turn his encouragement on Shulk, saying confidently that “You and me can make anything happen.”  For once Shulk agrees without any reserve.  Otharon looks thoughtful for a moment, then says that he was wrong- and that Shulk has done something truly great.  Shulk demures that he didn’t really do anything and wouldn’t have been able without the others.

After this moment of mutual appreciation, Otharon asks Shulk about the other colonists and Gadolt.