You're finally at the beach! Take in that marvelous sunset horizon and drift to the sound of the waves...
Free time[edit]
Miss Madeleine dismisses the class for free time until dusk, meaning you can take some time to catch up with your friends. If you want to relax for a while, don't talk to Sesame just yet, or else a story-related event gets triggered and you may miss out on some dialogue. Completionists should talk with Madeleine first, who you'll find standing by the cottages. She asks if you know how to open up the menu and the help window, which if you didn't already know, are opened by pressing 
and 
respectively.
When you're done chatting with the other students, go ahead and meet with Sesame at the east end of the beach. He thinks he sees a cave beyond a big rock and joins your party, but wants you to recruit more students before you investigate. Some students will only join if certain characters are in the party, while others join based on your protagonist's gender. You must have a minimum party of three and a maximum of six, so take this opportunity to recruit your favorites and investigate their interpersonal relationships! Once your dream team is ready, return to the area where you found Sesame and press 
to kick the rock aside.
Arriving at the cave, you stumble upon Ganache and Olive, who seem rather skeptical. They leave after Sesame tells them off, so it's best you enter now before it gets dark. Further in the cave is the ghost of a bearded man—a brownie—who advises you tread caution here, lest you end up on another plane of reality. The restless spirits of murdered adventurers are distorting this Material Plane, after all. Proceed up the cave and pry into the only unopened chest to receive...your first battle against a sneaky poptail! It's virtually harmless, meaning you can end the battle quickly by throwing basic spells or kicking.
Sadly, your spoils for this battle are nothing more than a few measly pinecones. But don't worry, because a certain someone will want those later! In the meantime, exit the cave, where you'll be lead back to the campgrounds.
Light in the shadows[edit]
Gathered around the campfire, Madeleine lectures the class about what is expected during your stay at the Seaside School. Pistachio is less than enthused, seeing as he's on the verge of failing, but Madeleine reminds him that you guys will always have each other. She then lets you off for another period of free time, and this time, your classmates have much more to talk about.
First, be sure to gather the seven alti silver coins that are scattered near the shore. With those in your pockets, talk to Madeleine, and she will apprise you of HP and MP. By answering "No" to both her questions, you will receive entries for HP (2) and MP (3) in your magic notebook. Next, stop by the cottages to watch Candy awkwardly give Ganache a late birthday present. She tries to confess her crush, but since Ganache is...well, Ganache, he walks away and promises to return the favor on her birthday. Ganache then tells you to meet him by the water with Cassis, so rendezvous with him when you feel ready.
Sensing that something troublesome is drawing ever closer, Ganache and Cassis can tell you a plethora of combat basics. By hearing from Cassis, you will get magic notebook entries for power (4), defense (5), agility (6), spirit (7), and MP recovery rate (8); Ganache gives entries for kicking and punching (9), and elemental EXP and magic level (10). Ganache also asks that you consult some of the other students, just so they're prepared too.
Back at the campfire, be sure to let Lemon know about Ganache's weird hunch, and she will give you the magic notebook entry for attacking enemies with magic of an alike element (14). By talking to Blueberry, she has entries for befriending spirits (11), summoning spirits (12), and multiplying spells' damage with spirits (13). Also speak with Cabernet to get entries for gummy worms (16) and tails (17), then meet Arancia in the southern forest for an entry on gummy frogs (15). Be sure you've done all of these, because things take a very sharp turn herein.
Tragedy strikes[edit]
The second you snag that gummy frog in the forest, you hear Blueberry shriek, exclaiming that ominous creatures have swarmed the beach. Lemon was struck by one of them, but you can help by giving her the frog you just captured. In doing so, she gives you a warty leaf and the entry for leaves (18). The warty leaf will permanently increase a character's defense stat by 1, so use it wisely. As you cross the beach, you will see all of your classmates get teleported away by the creatures. You're able to fight the creatures, better known as piskapooks, but their affinity for the dark spirit puts you at a slight disadvantage. Don't overwork yourself; get to the cottages ASAP!
You catch up with Ganache as he watches Candy get taken away. Madeleine joins you two, reluctantly explaining that the invaders are beings of darkness called enigmas. She can't help but wonder how they're able to contact your world, the Material Plane, but Ganache doesn't have time for that. He leaves for the coast and allows himself to be warped away, to which we see another flashback from Madeleine's perspective. Turns out that Biscotti sent you guys to Valencia Beach so that when you return to Will-o'-Wisp, you'll be strong enough to join the royal army! It seems the country has no one else to depend on, and without capable magicians on the front lines, the "nightmare from 15 years ago" will reignite.
Coming back to her senses, Madeleine decimates some enigmas with her powerful light magic. The other enigmas reveal that your classmates were warped off to the Light Plane, but instead catch Madeleine in a pincer and take her to an entirely different world. And now it's just you, all alone on the beach... Or so you think.
If you return to the seaside cave, you'll reconvene with Sesame, who managed to stay hidden during the invasion. There's also a note on the ground that wasn't there before, left behind by the Sea King Vespucci. Apparently, real adventurers don't collect gummy frogs on their journey, so heed his 900-year-old advice and avoid catching or purchasing frogs (obtaining them from chests, battles, or Pistachio's special power is okay, though). Further in, you'll see a swirling vortex in place of the pinecone chest. Step inside to progress the story, and Sesame will be warped away shortly after. Be sure you're fully prepared, because there's no going back from here.
Your mission to save the students of Will-o'-Wisp Academy is finally underway. Light Plane, here we come!
Items[edit]
- Pinecone x5 (chest)
- Alti silver coin x7 (ground, nighttime)
- Green frog (may be given to Lemon for magic notebook entry no. 18)
- Warty leaf (from Lemon if she is given a green frog)