Explosions posted:Ah, salad, the classic all-American breakfast. Well, this is a sci-fi game, after all. Adding something healthy to an all-American breakfast... that's just totally out there.
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Jan 4, 2017 21:11
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INVOKE: 09/10/2030, 06:49 Alright, the people have spoken, and basically, they mostly said ''top'', one said ''high'', I think, and one said ''Mashiro higher than Yuuri''. So we're putting Mashiro at 8 and Yuuri at 7. Natsuhiko thought for a moment in bewilderment, but eventually just shrugged.  ...You're such a worrywart, Yuuri.♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫  Huh? It's okay. Nothing scary's gonna happen, okay? I'm not the same guy I was in the past. I don't plunge headfirst into danger. ... ... You're right. I'm sorry. I just kinda get anxious when I see gloomy stories on the news like that. Now, now, it's nothing to worry about. (What...?)He could've sworn he saw that his watch was broken just a second ago. But on closer inspection, the dial was unscratched, and the hands were ticking away as always. 9/10, 6:49-- there was nothing strange about the time displayed, either.  It seemed a bit strange, but he had no other explanation.  So now, as according to the voting, we set Mashiro to 8 and Yuuri to 7.  What are you two muttering so seriously about? It's so early in the morning, so let's keep the conversation bright and cheerful.When he heard Mashiro's suggestion--  You're right. What's something fun we can talk about? Let's see... How about we talk about this season's morning anime? It's just about time for one of my top recommendations to air, too. So let's all watch it together~ Oh, anime talk again... Mashiron sure loves anime. What's with that cold response, guys!? I just want to eat delicious food while watching morning anime with my best buddies! There's no greater happiness than that! Sounds more like the breakfast of losers to me. It does sound like a good time, though~Yuuri spoke with a smile. Her earlier worries had seemingly subsided. Okay, then, Mashiro. So what's this recommendation of yours? This, this. They all began watching as they enjoyed their breakfast... --After breakfast, Natsuhiko quickly got dressed. He grabbed his bag, turned on the lights, and bade farewell to Yuuri as she was staying at home.  Watch over the house for us, okay, Yuuri-- Have a nice day~And with that farewell, Natsuhiko and Mashiro left the house.  ♪ BGM: Helper / Theme of Mashiro ♫ Ah, man, looks like the weather's getting perfect for walking, huh~ Yeah, feels like fall will soon be upon us.A day like this would be perfect for a leisurely stroll to school through the breeze, but-- A quick glance at his watch told Natsuhiko they only had around five minutes to make it to the bus stop in time. ...Crap. We're really gonna be late at this rate, you know? No way! L-let's run for it, Natsuhiko! Yeah!Natsuhiko and Mashiro broke off into a mad dash.   Mashiro, hurry! Or the bus'll leave us behind!But just after Natsuhiko said that~- The bus had already begun to depart. They needed to get on that bus or they'd be late for sure. H-hey! Hold on a second, driver, sir!Natsuhiko's yelling fell on deaf ears as the bus began to speed away. Well, I guess it's not like he could hear me. Mashiro, what do--Natsuhiko turned to Mashiro and immediately held his tongue.  ...He had thought she was running along behind him, but she was instead standing still with her eyes closed-- And her index finger to her temple. H-hey, Mashiro... you're not!? One second, I'm concentrating...Mashiro said thus, and the very next moment--  A voice rang out in all directions that seemed loud enough to reverberate the very core of one's mind.  A dog basking in the sunny sidewalk leapt to its feet and scurried away in surprise. And finally, the bus that had left the two far behind suddenly braked.  S-sure did...Natsuhiko held down his ears as he spoke. He felt like his eardrums were still shaking from that loud voice earlier, but-- (Oh wait, it's got nothing to do with my ears...)--that voice was reverberating -directly in Natsuhiko's brain-. Mashiro, you used 'BC', didn't you...?BC is the ability to communicate ideas directly to someone else's brain. A power one must never use recklessly-- --And yet in light of an accusation of said reckless use, Mashiro nonchalantly replied. Heheheh. Well, if our voices couldn't reach him, why not directly appeal to his heart, if you catch my drift? No, I do catch your drift there... but I mean, you can't go making mass untargeted transmissions like that. It's not like I had a choice. Our attendance record was on the line there. Oh boy... Don't come crying to me if you get arrested for violating regulations. Don't worry about it. They won't bother punishing a violation -that- minor.Natsuhiko and Mashiro rushed to the stopped bus as they had that exchange. --And 20 long minutes after they narrowly managed to board the bus--  Tips posted:TIP: Rokumei Academy A large-scale school incorporating elementary school all the way to high school. As they passed through the gate, Mashiro asked Natsuhiko a question. What do we have first period? Parapsychology. Ugh, we have to move classrooms first thing in the morning? What's wrong with that? I thought you loved BC lessons?And with that exchange, Natsuhiko and Mashiro entered the school building.
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Jan 4, 2017 21:34
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I'm conflicted over whether the fact that barely any information is presented about Mashiro's taste in anime is a good thing or a bad thing.
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Jan 4, 2017 22:36
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Oh, I guess we might not have gotten a point for either of the girls if they had both been at the same value. Personally I would've preferred trying to gain Yuuri's favor but it doesn't really matter as long as we get someone's. I was wondering why Yuuri stays home, but let's see. I bet there was a line somewhere stating exactly why and I'm just wasting my time. quote:This girl's name was "Yuuri Kotono". She was Natsuhiko's childhood friend, and two years his senior. I guess this simply means Mashiro and Natsuhiko are second year high school students and Yuuri already graduated.
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Jan 5, 2017 03:13
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tiistai posted:Oh, I guess we might not have gotten a point for either of the girls if they had both been at the same value. I'm hoping it means Yuuri's a graduate and either already in college or working towards the exams, ronin-style, rather than being a creepy shut-in waifu analogue. e. I should say also that I appreciate that Mashiro actually gets paid to come cook for Natsuhiko and this isn't a 100% true to form ~ girl next door cooks for me, my harem is complete ~ thing.
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Jan 5, 2017 18:24
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AweStriker posted:I'm conflicted over whether the fact that barely any information is presented about Mashiro's taste in anime is a good thing or a bad thing. Mashiro has good taste. That's all I'll say on the matter.
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Jan 5, 2017 18:43
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BEYOND COMMUNICATION: 09/10/2030, 08:40 ♪ BGM: Languid Hours of Rokumei City ♫ A particularly important part of Rokumei Academy's curriculum. Its lessons take place in a special ''BC room''.  The course teacher, Ena Tsubakiyama, stood at the podium with her pointer directed at the screen.  --As the ages change, so too do humanity's means of communication. (This lecture again... Prof. Tsubakiyama really loves this story, huh.)Ena would often tell stories about BC like this. However, today's story was unusually basic information. Long ago, the humans who communicated their ideas through mere actions and gestures eventually developed the spoken word. Then writing was born, and not long afterwards, the printing press, the telegraph, the telephone, and the internet... A communication evolution, so to speak. But at the turn of the century-- human communication came upon a major upheaval. Indeed, as you all know! That upheaval was the discovery of BC!Ena controlled the computer as she spoke-- --and text appeared on the screen.  People of the past would simply write it off as ESP, wouldn't they? However, this is no matter of the occult. The word 'occult' itself is derived from the Latin word for 'conceal' or 'hide'. Such a widely accepted phenomenon can no longer be considered part of the occult.Ena was exactly right. People who can use BC, popularly known as ''Communicators''-- --have made their existence known worldwide for the past 16 years or so. The historical turning point was in 2014. The year BC's existence was more or less proven scientifically. And just like clockwork, several Communicators started to be born worldwide that same year. 2014 was the year Natsuhiko and Mashiro were born. Tips posted:TIP: Grand Communicator Discovery Society transformed in many ways in the following years, but Natsuhiko was not quite sure of the details. (... I've heard humans don't remember things that don't interest them. I guess it's true.)In stark contrast to Natsuhiko's listlessness, Ena continued her eloquent lecture. Now then-- there are two abilities available to Communicators. The first is 'telepathy', the ability to convey one's ideas to others. This ability was discovered directly following the Grand BC Discovery 16 years ago. The second is 'empathy', the ability to read the minds of others. The existence of this ability was proven the following year. Quite a few of you can use telepathy, right? The number of telepathy users has been growing each year. In Japan specifically, the rate of new Communicator discovery has grown consistently over the past 16 years. This is truly an example of the Japanese-- The ability Mashiro used to stop the bus earlier this morning was a prime example of telepathy. But the extent of the ability she used there was not at all uncommon. (The ''Esper's Nest', huh...)Natsuhiko sighed as he recalled the honorable, yet somehow odd nickname given to his school.    (Elite, huh...)Natsuhiko coldly pondered the principal's words.  --And actually, Japan was the first country to advance training initiatives. A grand slam for the country if I must say so myself. As a direct result, there's been widespread...Eventually, out of the entire class of bored students, a few began to call out with wry smiles on their faces. Male Student 1: Um, Teach, don't you think today's introduction is just a little too basic for us? Male Student 2: I don't think there's a single student in this school that doesn't know this already. Female Student 1: Yeah, I'd rather hear more of your usual BC knowledge. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I guess I got a bit carried away. I was up late last night watching a documentary on the birth of BC.Ena cleared her throat and erased the text on the screen. Somewhat sadly. ...Now then, let's leave the lecture at that. How about we start practical lessons now? Let's partner up, everybody. Which is why students often sat next to people they were close to in this class. Now then, class, start practicing!At that signal, everyone began practicing at once. And immediately, the noisy ''whispers'' of telepathy filled Natsuhiko's head. If these whispers were to reach the other classrooms, they'd be a nuisance. However, the BC room's walls used a material that dampened the conduction of telepathy, allowing the students to practice without worrying about their noise.  When Natsuhiko turned her way and said this, Mashiro couldn't help but curl her lips into a dauntless smile. Oh? Are you challenging Ms. 'Level 3' Mashiro to a BC competition? Why do you always have to make it into a competition? This is just practice, you know. But I've long since mastered telepathy, you know. You're the one who needs practice, right Natsuhiko? I'll be your practice partner, so hit me with your best shot. Hey, c'mon! Hmph, you're so full of yourself... ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ This posture is key to facilitating the use of telepathy. It's the same technique Mashiro used when she stopped the bus.  Natsuhiko brought those words to mind.  And concentrated hard to get her to hear his voice. --! ...Mmm!? Natsuhiko opened his eyes to see Mashiro grinning at him. ♪ BGM: Foolishness ♫ Loud and clear~ 'You're oh so very cute, Mashiro! So lovely! Supah kawaii!' and such. Hmm, I see. So whatever I think, you hear the exact opposite. Looks like we've just discovered a brand new ability. Huh, the exact opposite!? Well, in any case, telepathy's just too hard for me. I still don't feel like I can do it. Hey, it's too early to give up. It's not like you can expect to suddenly run before you can walk, you know? Look, it's not a simple issue of effort. I'm just not cut out for it. In the six-level system of ability ranking, his was the lowest at Level 0. An extreme oddity for students of this school. But suddenly, a voice of concern called out to them.  ♪ BGM: Achiever / Theme of Ena ♫ Oh, you think so too, Ms. Ena? Hmm... but personally, I don't think I do. But your 'aptitude' measurement from childhood was quite high, wasn't it? Yeah, but...Even he found that a mystery himself.  This measurement was called ''aptitude'', and was broken down into six ranks: E, D, C, B, A, and S. And for some reason, Natsuhiko's aptitude was top-class at Rank S. But despite his aptitude, his talent was nonexistent. And he wasn't just teased once or twice about it. Which may or may not be a factor as to why Natsuhiko thoroughly hated the use of BC now. ...I'm thinking maybe that aptitude test was just wrong somehow. That can't be. Aptitude is determined from birth and stays the same your entire life. It's never changed from Rank S despite all the tests you've had each April, has it? Well, guess not...Secretly, that wasn't the whole truth-- but it was along story, so Natsuhiko just left it at that. Even I'm just Rank B. Theoretically you should have more talent than me, Natsuhiko. Well, talent doesn't necessarily translate to ability, you know. What are you saying? Be more confident in yourself! I've never seen another Rank S student besides you, Mr. Tenkawa. You're too soft on Natsuhiko, Ms. Ena~ You shouldn't coddle him like that! Now, now, don't say things like that. I love all of my students equally, you know? Though I do admit I am quite intrigued by the disparity between Mr. Tenkawa's aptitude and ability.Natsuhiko inadvertently looked away as soon as he saw Ena's teasing smile.  (I know she's not trying to be mean, but... I really don't like it when people bring up the topic of BC.) Anyway, you're just a late bloomer, Mr. Tenkawa. Try hard and get Ms. Toba to help teach you. Leave it to me, Ms. Ena. I'll slap some sense into him! ...P-please be gentle.--And thus, Natsuhiko and Mashiro practiced telepathy for a while. But as always, Natsuhiko showed no signs of a breakthrough-- And the end of class drew near. Having been Natsuhiko's practice partner for his entire school career, Mashiro was stumped. ♪ BGM: Languid Hours of Rokumei City ♫ ...Mmm, looks like today's no good either. Yeah, no good. You're always so unmotivated, Natsuhiko. Even though you've got such a cute practice partner. You say so, but you know... Telepathy isn't really all that useful to begin with. Come again? That's an unbecoming statement for a student of this school. I mean, look. If you want to 'convey ideas to others', why don't you just speak to them verbally? At best, you can use it to communicate with someone farther away, but-- Tsk tsk tsk. You really don't get it, do you, Natsuhiko? Your voice isn't the only thing you can convey with telepathy. You can even convey thoughts and emotions that can't be put into words. I know that, but is it even really that useful? I just don't get it. Ah geez, have you no sense of wonder!? Fine. In that case, let me give you a little first-hand demonstration!Mashiro put her finger up to her temple, exasperated. Huh, no, you really don't have to...The moment those words left Natsuhiko's lips-- Mashiro's voice rang through his head.  {How do you expect to practice when you're that distracted!?} ...!Along with hearing Mashiro's words, Natsuhiko felt her ''emotion''-- anger and resentment. Y... you saw that? Yeah. So much that I'm starting to realize how stupid it was of me to practice with you. I-I see. I'm sorry about that. (I wasn't really aware I was doing it myself... I guess older women are one of my weaknesses.)The moment that thought passed through Natsuhiko's mind, Ena stood at the podium and spoke.  How was practice today? Get any good results?Male Student 1: Haah, I guess... Female Student 1: My point-blank range telepathy's pretty much perfect now! Candid answers flew across the room from all directions. Ena smiled and addressed her students. Sounds like everyone's walking at their own pace. But for those of you who aren't seeing much improvement, there's no need to rush. BC mastery takes time, after all. However... regardless of your ability level or total practice time, there's one thing I can say with certainty. The most important thing for BC is-- without a doubt, 'concentration'! Unlike the other five senses, you need concentration that transcends common sense if you want to draw out the 'sixth sense'!Male Student 1: Mmm, but I -am- trying to concentrate... A boy who seemed quite lacking in concentration mused. Ena smiled and replied. It can't be halfhearted concentration. It's said that the concentration necessary for BC use is so extreme that it causes the five senses to dampen in turn. In certain cases, even vital signs like body temperature and pulse can drop... Once you reach that state of concentration, a new power will awaken in your brain, opening the door to the world of BC.Upon hearing that statement, Natsuhiko secretly thought to himself. (Concentration, huh... That's the one thing I lack the most of in this class.)The moment he thought that-- --was right around the same time the dismissal bell rang. Okay, that's the end of today's BC class. Good work, everybody!
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Jan 5, 2017 20:00
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So, BC is natural (far too widespread to be the result of experiments, but this is good to know nonetheless). Ever since it's discovery in 2014 by Nat's mother (the same year he was born), the number of communicator births has been increasing. A matter of detection, or some sort of morphogenetic shenanigans? The discovery of BC users was marred by 'witch hunts'. One of Watase's flashbacks (in the Test Subject chapter) was a internet news headline, with a tiny thing in the upper left that said 'modern witch hunts?'. It was one of a number of images that filled him with 'intense fear and unpleasant feelings'. Telepathy (sending thoughts to others, allowing faraway conversation between two BC users) is a different ability to 'Empathy' (reading the thoughts of others, without them being sent at you). The way Ena words it, it appears Empathy and Telepathy may be mutually exclusive, or that the ability to do both is rare ("Quite a few of you can do telepathy, right?"). This also implies Empathy is itself rare. There is a six level ranking of BC talent (0-5). This may or may not line up with the E-S scale of BC Potential. Nat knows at least something of how he gained his S rank potential, though it seems his exposure may have left him with some problems in using BC at even his natural, C rank level (speculation). Telepathy allows you to directly convey that which cannot be conveyed verbally, or can only do so imperfectly, such as concepts and emotions. Ena wants to join our Harem. Mashiro will cut us if we do. Concentration is what matters in BC usage. With proper Concentration comes true power in BC, concentration that dulls all your senses, with certain cases of Concentration resulting in the dropping of vital signs and the lowering of body temperatures.... EDIT: BC is acquired when the IGF2R gene mutates. In the Test Subject chapter, Observation target Yu had a Type 4 gene, but not an abnormality.... OddHaberdasher fucked around with this message at 21:29 on Jan 5, 2017 |
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Jan 5, 2017 21:22
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And the text cuts out juuuuuuuust before they start declaring Japanese supremacy rather than simply suggesting it.
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Jan 5, 2017 23:43
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TheMcD posted:It's said that the concentration necessary for BC use is so extreme that it causes the five senses to dampen in turn. In certain cases, even vital signs like body temperature and pulse can drop... Sure sounds like that'll be relevant. I don't remember if anyone in the other route could have been "employing" this except maybe the mystery girl who was shot, but that doesn't seem too likely. The ability to impart emotions sounds vaguely like the Senses system. edit: Actually... when the group left after having decided the mystery girl was definitely dead, there was an unexplained voice saying "...Um, hello?" which could have been her regaining consciousness. Watase's monologue states that "a hole had been pierced through her stomach" although judging by the art they probably would have had to lift her dress to see that. Maybe she hadn't been shot at all and her dress was just stained with someone's blood. tiistai fucked around with this message at 06:05 on Jan 6, 2017 |
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Jan 6, 2017 05:56
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My knee-jerk reaction from Mashiro's character art was to dislike her - I figured she'd be the peppy kawaii archetype. But this update in particular really made me like her. She's got some sass.
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Jan 6, 2017 07:18
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tiistai posted:I guess this simply means Mashiro and Natsuhiko are second year high school students and Yuuri already graduated. Up until now I thought she was like, twelve 
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Jan 6, 2017 13:43
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Danaru posted:Up until now I thought she was like, twelve Same.
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Jan 6, 2017 13:53
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Well, we only did get anything approaching real information regarding age recently. It's hard to tell age with this kind of art. However, now with the information we have, it's pretty easy. Hikorin and Mashiron were both born in the year of the Great Communicator Discovery, 2014, making them 16, since we're currently in 2030. Yuuri is two years older, making her 18.
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Jan 6, 2017 13:55
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She sure as hell doesn't act 18. Unusual for anime to make someone older than they seem. 
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Jan 6, 2017 14:01
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NOISY FUTURE: 09/10/2030, 12:00 Here, we have another blue branch with Yuuri and Mashiro, with one at 7 and the other at 8, respectively.  Okey dokey, lunchtime~ Let's eat together, Natsuhiko. I'm starving. Let's go get ourselves some food.Though Mashiro would come to the Tenkawa residence to make breakfast, she didn't prepare boxed lunches. When she offered to do so, Natsuhiko politely declined out of his concern for appearances. So what do you feel like today? Should we go out to buy something? Or just stick with the cafeteria? Hmm~ if we go now, I'm sure the cafeteria will be too crowded. So let's go out and buy something instead. Roger that. ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ During lunch break, students would huddle up and chat in the classrooms and the courtyard. You could hear voices coming from every which way just by walking down the corridor. Man, it sure is hectic today. A little too hectic for my tastes...In this school, you could hear all sorts of conversations, regardless of distance. --Like this particular dramatic tension of youth, for example.  --Or those trying to use BC for an advantage in sports.  --Or those using untargeted BC to have their voices heard by the masses, even though they knew it was wrong.   --Or even private talks that should be best kept to oneself.  Many such voices rang out directly in Natsuhiko and Mashiro's brains. --Telepathy is, by nature, an ability to convey one's voice to specific individuals. However, Communicators inexperienced with telepathy often end up accidentally sending mass untargeted messages. ...School sure is noisy today. You think so? It's always like this.True enough, these were familiar sights and sounds for students of this school. It's the logical consequence of attending a Communicator-exclusive school, but... (Still, reckless usage of BC isn't commendable at all.) Abuse of untargeted telepathy was prohibited as it was an issue of bad manners. But said prohibition was not necessarily upheld, however. Just then, as if to answer Natsuhiko's prayers, an announcement was broadcast school-wide.  We've been receiving complaints that they can hear you all from outside the school!And immediately after the announcement ended, the BC traffic around the school came to a screeching halt. Silence at last, huh... Geez. Their telepathy was leaking all over the place. This school's full of amateurs. Somehow, after what happened this morning, I don't think you should be talking.And with that conversation, Natsuhiko and Mashiro left to buy food.
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Jan 6, 2017 14:01
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The dark side of BC reveals itself. Dear God, recess and lunch at school could get overwhelmingly loud in the quadrangle on a regular day, but there were always little quiet corners to hide in. But there is no escape from telepaths. Not even being outside the school can save you. You can't even 'tune it out' because it is literally in your mind. I would probably go insane.
OddHaberdasher fucked around with this message at 15:50 on Jan 6, 2017 |
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Jan 6, 2017 15:47
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Imagine an entire high school of kids with CB radios, and you couldn't turn your radio off  I wonder if whatever mind-fried Watase wasn't something similar, except the 'signal' was so strong it fried his circuits.I do love the idea of telepathy being so normalized that it's taught in schools and people are telling each other to shut up with it 
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Jan 6, 2017 15:58
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AFTER SCHOOL: 09/10/2030, 12:45 Afternoon curriculum included ''Modern Language'' and ''Politics and Economics''. Natsuhiko was unskilled with BC, but he took pride in the other subjects. There was a quick refresher quiz since summer break ended, but he finished it easily-- And with that. today's classes came to a close.  Ena greeted the class in the afternoon as their substitute homeroom teacher. Their original homeroom teacher was on maternity leave, so Ena was filling in. There are no announcements in particular today. So, see you all tomorrow~ The students still hadn't settled in since summer break, and so naturally, they wanted to go enjoy themselves after school. Natsuhiko was an indoorsman, and so essentially, he intended to go straight home after school-- --but Mashiro stopped him before he could. ♪ BGM: Helper / Theme of Mashiro ♫ Natsuhiko~ hold on a second. Hmm... what's up, Mashiro? We ran out of groceries. I'll go buy some more, so come along with me. Huh, already? Well okay, let's go then. Eheheh, thanks a bunch~He could hardly refuse her request. Those groceries were going into his and Yuuri's stomachs, after all. But upon hearing their conversation, some of their classmates jumped in. Male Student 1: Oh my, going for some evening shopping together, eh Tenkawa, Toba? You two sure get along. Female Student 1: You two are totally like newlyweds. Female Student 2: Eh, so Mashiro's a newlywed wife? That sounds kinda risque... Geez, guys. It's not like that. You see, Natsuhiko's mother is too busy to be at home. So I prepare the food for them. That's all.Female Student 1: Really? That's totally suspicious. Can you really do something like that every day just out of the goodness of your heart? Of course. The great Mashiro Toba can't neglect a single person in need.Mashiro's declaration only incited shrill squealing from the girls. And it made Natsuhiko uncomfortable. That's enough. Let's go, Mashiro. Huh? Wah, wait a second, Natsuhiko?Natsuhiko pulled Mashiro by the hand as if to escape from the classroom.  A blue branch with Mashiro at 8. Everyone knows our circumstances. They're just teasing us, so there's no need for you to take everything they say seriously. Huh, really?Mashiro responded as if she had never considered the thought.  Natsuhiko lightly karate chopped Mashiro on the head. Ow! That's mean, Natsuhiko. How could you say that!? Actually, I'm thankful for what you do, it's just... if weird rumors spread about us, it'd be a pain for you too, wouldn't it?It really seemed as if Mashiro knew nothing of the situation. (Aggh, she's really such a kid.)Natsuhiko sighed silently. (Why can't she just avoid their questions with some noncommittal answers...)Natsuhiko was one to conduct himself well in the class. He had a fair amount of friends and nobody in particular hated him. It was for that reason that they were able to tease him like that. But to the very end, Natsuhiko was merely exerting conscious control over his interpersonal relations to live a fulfilling school life. He tried not to make any needlessly deep relationships and he didn't want to reveal too much about his private life, either. (That's just tiring.)That was how Natsuhiko thought, but not Mashiro. She would associate with anyone upfront. She hated lies, and lived with steadfast honesty-- Which was probably why she could not understand Natsuhiko's worldly wisdom. And so, like always, Natsuhiko gave up. Well, whatever... Anyways, where are we going today? The shopping area on Center Street. The supermarket's having a sale there. I see. Don't want to let that opportunity slip us by. Let's go before everything sells out. Yeah.
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Jan 6, 2017 16:07
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ROKUMEI SCIENCE CITY: 09/10/2030, 16:15  ♪ BGM: Family and Friends ♫ There stood a staggering amount of people. Hyah, it's so crowded. But we came all this way, so we can't back down now. Yeah, nothing ventured, nothing gained, I guess.Natsuhiko and Mashiro marched into the shopping area in high spirits. --About an hour later--  ♪ BGM: Helper / Theme of Mashiro ♫ Man, I sure splurged, huh? Oh shut up. You bought too many unnecessary things, you know?Natsuhiko complained, both his arms burdened with bags. In addition to doing the groceries, Mashiro also stopped by a second-hand toy shop in the shopping area and made some purchases there. She bought old anime figures and magazines, data disks, and other various goods beyond Natsuhiko's comprehension. Geez. Can't believe you're making me carry all of this... I couldn't help it! They had so many precious little treasures in there, you know? Like this April 2020 issue of Animaze! It has a special feature article on that one now-legendary anime director~Mashiro started talking about the ten-year-old anime magazine she just bought. The director's masterpiece has got to be the national broadcast anime, 'Psychic Girl Beyond*BEYOND'...Tips posted:TIP: BeyoBEYO And its super-rare radio drama is included on the magazine's supplemental data disk! And there's even 30 pages of precious director interviews and production materials! And they were selling it at list price! How could I -not- buy it!? Hmm... well, that might be amazing, but I really don't understand its value at all. That's no good, Natsuhiko. 'You cannot see the treasure that lies before your eyes, and that is what makes you a truly sad human being.' What's that supposed to mean? It's a famous quote from 'BeyoBEYO'. In anime episode 13. We have a blue branch here, with Mashiro at 8 and Natsuhiko at 4. We'll set Natsuhiko's Sense of self later. One of Mashiro's bad habits was that she frequently quoted lines from anime and manga. But without the context of the lines, they didn't really leave much of an impression. Most of these so-called ''famous quotes'' of hers were like that. Geez... for an upstanding high school girl, you're such an otaku. Heheh. That word's been so overused by the general public that it's obsolete now, you know. You really don't have any hobbies, do you, Natsuhiko? Why not take this opportunity to get your feet wet? I think it'd be fun to teach you everything there is to know about manga, movies, games, and anime... teeheehee... You don't have to teach me everything. Even I know a little bit. I have watched anime back when I was a kid, you know. Like 'Esper Suit Beyonder', and... uh... 'Beyonder'.Tips posted:TIP: Beyonder So all you know is Beyonder! Well, you did love it when you were a kid. Though I still don't really watch that sort of stuff anymore. I mean, it -is- just for kids after all. Ahh, how sad. You've forgotten your inner child, haven't you, Natsuhiko?Natsuhiko smiled wryly at Mashiro's disappointment. --She really got along with Natsuhiko as if she were an easygoing boy his age. But she also had the disposition of a caring elder sister and it wasn't uncommon at all for her to help him out. (She's a good kid... The only troubling thing about her is her otaku hobbies.)Her natural boyishness seemed to have guided her in an increasingly peculiar direction as the years went by. ...Well, whatever. More importantly, we should get going soon. We've got a lot to carry, too. Oh, right. Sorry. ♪ BGM: Languid Hours of Rokumei City ♫ When's the next bus? Let's see... looks like it'll be here in about ten minutes. Good. We won't have to wait very long, then.The two of them stood there and waited for the bus. Mashiro whispered, gazing at the city. Man, there were so many people here today for a weekday. I guess it's because the city population itself has been growing recently.Natsuhiko looked around at the surrounding cityscape.  Tips posted:TIP: Rokumei Science City However, it was home to more than 300 research facilities and over 10,000 researchers. It was a research university town leading in Japan's cutting-edge science. The facilities covered a broad range of topics. Some key examples being--       Likewise, Natsuhiko and Mashiro both were beneficiaries of such efforts.  Seems so. Though vou gotta admit. this is a nice citv for us to live in.Though it was a city of Communicators, the city as a whole hardly had any of the untargeted telepathy conversations that the school had. Misuse of BC was prohibited by city ordinance, with the premises of Rokumei Academy and a certain few other institutions being the only exceptions. Tips posted:TIP: BC Misuse Prohibition Ordinance One or two violations would go overlooked, but any intolerable misuse would soon earn you detention and reproval. Well, I guess it's a good thing for the city to prosper. Better than being lonely, I guess. Yeah. I love this city too. It's a town of science and ESP. Doesn't that sound cool, like something straight out of sci-fi? It's an affluent society with high public order. What more can I say? Yeah... though there is one thing that bothers me.Natsuhiko gazed at the map provided at the bus stop as he spoke.  And what's that one thing? Well... to be honest, it's 'LABO'...Right as Natsuhiko began to speak-- ...!?He spotted something beyond the map and gasped.
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Jan 6, 2017 16:54
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SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES: 09/10/2030, 17:15 Doesn't something seem odd to you about that car?Natsuhiko had caught sight of a car weaving back and forth precariously out of its lane. It strayed off the road and started heading towards Natsuhiko and Mashiro at the bus stop--! !? Mashiro!! Kyah!?Right after Natsuhiko pulled Mashiro by the hand, the sound of an intense impact rang out. The car had crashed into the roadside trees right beside the bus stop. But that still was not enough to stop the momentum of the car, which then started to spin out--  Mashiro, are you okay!? I-I'm fine... But the driver! As a result, the driver was trapped in the car without an easy way out. Ahhh! W-we gotta help him! Calm down, Mashiro. There's nothing ordinary bystanders like us can do. We should call an ambulance instead-- Wh-what are you saying!? An accident just happened right in front of us!Ignoring Natsuhiko, Mashiro ran straight towards the scene of the accident. Ah! Hey, wait, Mashiro!He looked at the car as he screamed--  And realized that there was a familiar face sitting in the driver's seat.  It was Natsuhiko's neighbor and his mother's coworker, Keiji Ukita. Huh!? M-Mr. Ukita!? A-are you okay!? Ugh...Ukita had no conspicuous injuries. However, he appeared to not be fully conscious, perhaps due to a concussion. Onlooker 1: What? An accident? Onlooker 2: That hardly happens in this city. Onlookers gathered all at once. Mashiro yelled, ignoring them. Please hold on. I'll get you out of there right now!But then-- An odd dripping noise could be heard mixed in with Mashiro's voice. And a noxious scent could be smelled wafting through the air. ♪ BGM: Looming Crisis ♫ (Gasoline!?) In this day and age, most passenger vehicles were electric. This particular car, however, was a hybrid, a dying breed. If the impact of the crash were to start a fire-- there'd be an explosion! (Mashiro's gonna get caught in it!)  !?Mashiro reflexively jumped back upon hearing that thunderous ''voice''. No, not just Mashiro. All the onlookers shrank away with looks of surprise on their faces. Ah...Even Natsuhiko himself was surprised. That ''mental voice'' stopped everyone in a visible radius in their tracks. --Natsuhiko's telepathy reached the minds of everyone. --...But this wasn't the time to be surprised. (Th-that's right! Gotta call an ambulance!)Natsuhiko took out his PDA with that in mind. He brought up the phone function and dialed 119. The line connected immediately.  --There's been a traffic accident. A car crashed into a street light. Someone's trapped inside. Also, there's a gas leak. It might explode.Operator: Thank you for your report. Pardon me, but mind identifying yourself? Natsuhiko Tenkawa, high school student at Rokumei Academy. Please see the city database.Operator: Sorry for the intrusion. Where did the accident occur? Center Street, close to the shopping area exit.Operator: Understood. We currently have a rescue squad dispatched on another case nearby that area. We'll redirect some of the members your way. And thus, the call center hung up. When Natsuhiko put away his PDA, he found Mashiro had come up beside him. Natsuhiko, was that... BC? ...Y-yeah, I guess.Natsuhiko answered ambiguously. He never expected that he could've used BC himself. Because he hadn't ever used it before in his entire life. (Why do I get the feeling that was a particularly strong use of telepathy...?) Well... more importantly, what about Mr. Ukita?Ukita appeared to be truly stuck. The stench of gasoline got even stronger. The car could've exploded at any moment. I-I wonder if he'll be okay... Calm down, the rescue squad's coming now... so let's try to wait and not panic.Mashiro nodded. Natsuhiko, Mashiro, and all the onlookers watched over the car in bated breath.  At its source was an ambulance and along red vehicle like a fire truck. The two cars stopped by the scene of the accident, and out of the red truck jumped two women.  One of the women shouted and looked at Natsuhiko. Based on their orange uniforms, they appeared to be rescue workers. Yes, I'm the one who called in the report. Understood. Please stand back; it's too dangerous. P-please hurry... the gas! Mr. Ukita! Relax. We're on the scene. Okay. C'mon, Mashiro, let's back away so we don't get in their way. R-right...Natsuhiko grabbed Mashiro by the hand and took her further away from the scene of the accident. The rescue workers' voices rang out. Moribe, what's the situation!? No sources of fire in the area! Lots of gasoline vapor, though! Then let's hose it down! Suppress the static electricity!Tips posted:TIP: Hosing a vehicular accident Roger!  Dojima, get the engine cutter ready! Hiyama, get the air jack!Team: Roger! Open the door as soon as the hosing's done! First—aid, get the stretcher ready, stat!The game isn't showing us Watase, but we, as people that have seen Route After, can recognize his voice pretty easily, given that we've heard it so much. Of course, you haven't, so I'm telling you. He bellowed out commands at the scene of the accident. And after the hosing was done, they wrenched open the car door with something resembling an electric saw and a jack--  Alrighty! You're safe now, sir! U... gh... thank you...Onlookers: Woaaahh!! The onlookers cheered. The female squad member smiled triumphantly as she laid Ukita down on the stretcher. S-so cool!Mashiro cheered as she watched the female squad member at work. More importantly, let's go. I'm worried about Mr. Ukita. Ah, right!Natsuhiko and Mashiro rushed up to the stretcher the rescue squad was carrying. Mr. Ukita! Um, are you okay!? Huh... oh, Natsuhiko, Mashiro...♪ BGM: Anxious Times of Rokumei City ♫ Ukita got off the stretcher once he noticed the two of them. Wait, sir, please stop! We need to take you into the ambulance-- Ah, I'm sorry... but please let me talk to these kids for a second.The squad member hesitated for a second, but then nodded reluctantly. You sure? What about your injuries-- I-I'm okay... My ribs hurt somewhat, but I can manage... Thank goodness. You had us worried. Anyway, was that your telepathy back there, Natsuhiko? Y-yeah... probably. That's the first time I've ever used it, though. I see... Um, so what about it? Mmm...Ukita fell silent for a moment and then gazed at Natsuhiko before continuing. Listen closely, you two. This is important. Strange things might start happening around you from now on. Huh...? What do you mean? Hopefully I'm just being a little paranoid... no, I probably am. But for now, just please be careful...! ...?Natsuhiko was bewildered and did not understand. And leaving his cryptic warning at that, Ukita was taken into the ambulance... Leaving behind only Natsuhiko, Mashiro, and some of the onlookers. Huh. Wonder what that was all about... ... Was it because you used BC? Maybe he was worried since you violated the ordinance. No...He had a feeling that that wasn't quite it, but he didn't have any idea what else it could've been. And at that moment-- someone caught his sight out of the corner of his eye. (Hmm...?)  ...She was standing among the dispersing onlookers from a distance, looking directly Natsuhiko's way.  Here, we have a blue branch with Mashiro at 8 and Salyu at 4. We'll be setting our Senses for Salyu later too. The girl seemed to be wearing the same Rokumei Academy High School uniform as Natsuhiko and Mashiro, but-- (Who is that...? Have I ever seen a blonde girl like that at school...?)Her piercing eyes seemed to conflict with her completely disinterested expression...  Feeling something of unrest from the girl, Natsuhiko stepped up between her and Mashiro. And with a defiant posture, he glared back at the girl. But eventually, the girl looked away-- and left. ...Mashiro, you okay? Huh? What do you mean? Uh, well...Mashiro didn't seem to have noticed the girl's presence. ...It's nothing. Let's go home. Yeah...And with that exchange, the two of them left.
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Jan 6, 2017 17:37
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HIS AND HER PAST: 09/10/2030, 18:30  ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ ...So that's what happened... Man, it was sooo shocking!Despite how tense Mashiro was right after the accident, she was now back to her cheerful self, excitedly telling the tale. And right after we realized we'd witnessed the scene of an accident, Natsuhiko suddenly used telepathy! Two huge events happened one after another! I was so shook up! Huh? Hikorin used telepathy? Yeah... somehow I used it back then. Just then? You can't use it anymore? Seems like it. I guess it's that fight or flight response sorta thing.After Natsuhiko had seemingly gained the ability of telepathy, he tried to use it again on Mashiro on the way back. But Natsuhiko was unable to send even the feeblest of messages, much less reproduce the large-scale telepathy he used back there. Well, it's not a big deal. If there's something I want to convey, I can just convey it with my voice, after all. Man, you really don't have any interest in BC, do you? I mean, you usually don't even cry sour grapes over not being able to use BC~ Hmm... well, I don't see a problem. Talking's more fun, anyway. Got that right. Hmm? Looks like the BC-challenged gotta stick up for each other, huh... Now you're making me feel like the odd man out. She had Rank C Aptitude, but hadn't practiced much at all. Yuuri didn't seem to like BC all that much either, so Natsuhiko quickly tried to change the subject. ...But still, today sure was ridiculous, huh. It's really rare for accidents to happen in this city. Sure is. I wonder how Mr. Ukita still got into an accident, though... Beats me. Maybe there was a system error in his car's ADS?Tips posted:TIP: ADS Rokumei City was the first city in the nation to adopt trial runs of ADS-- that is, Automatic Driving Systems. Cars inside the city were all equipped with that system. You just entered a desired address and your car safely took you to your destination. But I thought ADS failures were exceptionally rare? I heard they have an accident rate of only 4% compared to human drivers. Meaning it's still not 0%, right? I guess you still can't expect perfection even if you rely on computers for everything.Despite data suggesting automatic driving to be far safer than human operation, there was still something about it that seemed unreliable. And when Yuuri heard this discussion-- she muttered in a trembling voice. It really is scary outside, isn't it... (!)Natsuhiko twitched at her statement. But without revealing so much as a hint of that gut reaction, he smiled at Yuuri and reassured her. It's okay. There's nothing for you to worry about, Yuuri. If you just relax at home, you won't get into any danger. A blue branch with Mashiro at 8, Yuuri at 7 and Natsuhiko at 4. We'll get to setting our Senses for Natsuhiko and Salyu eventually, don't worry. Yeah, you're right. Yeah, you're fine. Unlike -some people- who jump headfirst into danger. What was that? You're not criticizing me by any chance, are you? I really don't think it's a good idea to act on impulse without any consideration for your own safety.Mashiro's kindness was a good thing, but her lack of prudence was one of her weak points. Hah, you're just the one lacking in manliness, Natsuhiko. Manliness? But you're a girl, remember? How could I watch a girl leap into danger and -not- worry? ...You were worried? Of course. You may have forgotten this, but you are a girl, at least biologically, you know? O-oh, you're right... Well, I'm sorry I worried you. But you know, you used to leap into danger a lot when you were young too, Natsuhiko. Huh? Well, I guess...Natsuhiko found himself at a loss for words in the face of that embarrassing point. Yuuri smiled and started speaking again. That's true~ Hikorin used to be a mischievous boy too. Whenever he found danger, he'd happily leap into it~ True, I guess I was like that in the past, but...As Natsuhiko answered, he recalled his childhood days.  ♪ BGM: Words of Healing ♫ Back in those days, Natsuhiko was something of a leader among the children.  If he saw a kid getting bullied, he'd go through any lengths to protect them, even if it meant facing a bully bigger than him. And uncharacteristic of a boy his age-- he was a kid who would play with girls even if it meant other boys making fun of him.  Two young girls responded to the young Natsuhiko's voice.  Okay. Where? Let's go to the park~ I met a cute puppy there the other day~ Okay, so today we go look for that doggy. Follow me, you two! Hikorin, it's not like he can answer you. Okay then, Natsuhiko. Wanna have a competition to see who can find him first? Oh, then how about the loser has to do what the winner says? Geez, you two always make a competition out of everything... Since they both always lived in the same neighborhood in Rokumei City, they were already acquainted before they could remember.  --They had many friends, but they most enjoyed playing with just the three of them.  Uuugh, I'm scared... I-I-I-I-It's okay, Yuuri! I'm here for you! Mashiro, your voice is trembling~ Hmm, hmm... ...Haaah! It's no use, Natsuhiko. I can't do telepathy. Don't give up! Let's try hard until we can! Pardon the intrusion! Wah! Natsuhiko, your house is soooo big! Hey, hey, what should we play? Pogs! Or maybe tops! That's so old-fashioned, Natsuhiko! Let's watch anime! 'Beyond*BEYOND' is airing right now! Hmm... how about we all read a book together? I'm sure the professor has lots. Then we can play with tops while we watch anime and read a book... We can't do all that at once! That's so greedy, Hikorin~Yuuri was two years older than the other two, but the age difference was inconsequential. Their hobbies and personalities were all over the place, but the three of them were always together. As long as they were all together, they had fun no matter what they did.  (The boys were really dead set on making fun of me back then, huh...)But thanks to his perseverance, he was able to build the interpersonal relationships he had now. The familial relationships one builds from childhood are nigh irreplaceable. And that's exactly why one can both scold someone and worry about them at the same time. ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Well, now that I think about it, I was only doing it to show off to everyone. Really? I quite enjoyed it myself, though. But still, peace and quiet really is the best. There's no point in putting yourself in danger. It's because we have this peace in our lives that we can eat delicious dinners like this, after all. Hmm... well, I guess you're right.Mashiro's mood seemed to more or less improve after being praised for her cooking. And naturally, Yuuri joined in too. Hey, Mashiron. This fish is super delicious. Sure is. What kind of fish is this? Ah, that's hairtail. I tried to carefully cook its crumbly meat a la meuniere. You're amazing, Mashiron. Your cooking skill's been improving every day. Sure is. You can even put a pro to shame now. Nah, you flatter me... but I love it! Flatter me more!With a simple change of topic, the smiles returned to the dinner table. Natsuhiko found such peaceful times to be the most pleasant...
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Jan 6, 2017 18:38
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OddHaberdasher posted:You can't even 'tune it out' because it is literally in your mind. I would probably go insane. Broadcasting bad songs is still tame but holy poo poo imagine telepathic advertising Anyway, in what kind of an emergency telephone service do you have to identify yourself before the site of the accident? Is this a Japanese thing or weird writing?
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Jan 6, 2017 19:28
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tiistai posted:Anyway, in what kind of an emergency telephone service do you have to identify yourself before the site of the accident? Is this a Japanese thing or weird writing? Remember what city we're in. Tips posted:TIP: Rokumei Science City It wouldn't be too out there for everybody calling in an emergency needing to identify themselves under that kind of rule.
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Jan 6, 2017 19:37
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TheMcD posted:It wouldn't be too out there for everybody calling in an emergency needing to identify themselves under that kind of rule. I guess that makes a certain amount of sense, but it's still putting people in needless danger. It doesn't seem that visiting is outright prohibited, so are emergency calls by non-citizens just ignored? It's hosed up either way. "There's a car in the middle of the city that's about to explode and several bystanders might die" "May I have your identification please, I need to check from our database if you're a citizen" Like what the gently caress tiistai fucked around with this message at 19:52 on Jan 6, 2017 |
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Jan 6, 2017 19:48
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tiistai posted:I guess that makes a certain amount of sense, but it's still putting people in needless danger. It doesn't seem that visiting is outright prohibited, so are emergency calls by non-citizens just ignored? It's hosed up either way. I presume it's to really clamp down on crank calling the emergency line. They can probably instantly look up whether the identity whoever is calling is claiming to have is proper, be they a citizen or a non-citizen (since they have tabs on all visitors). I guess it makes sense if you call in Sirius for a crashed car. It's goofy as gently caress, but it's kind of logical, in a dictatorship kind of way.
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Jan 6, 2017 19:51
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REALITY IS A DREAM, YOUR DREAM AT NIGHT IS REALITY: 09/10/2030, 21:00 And after a little time spent chatting, it was time for Mashiro to go home. Well, Natsuhiko, Yuuri, see you tomorrow.She made her usual farewell. Thanks for today again, Mashiron. I should walk you home at least once in a while, shouldn't I? Nah, it's fine, it's fine. We're right in the same neighborhood, anyway. Okay, good night, you two~Mashiro returned their words with a smile as she left the house. --Once Mashiro left, there wasn't much for them to do. They basically just relaxed until nighttime came. All right... I guess I'll go take a shower. Okay, go ahead~Yuuri would apparently take her baths during the daytime in consideration for Natsuhiko. Okay, then if you'll excuse me.And with that, Natsuhiko headed to the bathroom. After a simple shower-- He brushed his teeth and went back to the living room...  ♪ BGM: Peacemaker / Theme of Yuuri ♫ Ah, welcome back, Hikorin~ I'm back. Hikorin, want to go sleep already? Or are you up for a little chat? A chat sounds good. Guess I'll go warm up some hot milk then. Ah, I'll have some too~ Roger.Natsuhiko answered affirmatively and headed to the kitchen. Both Natsuhiko and Yuuri loved hot milk. Natsuhiko warmed up hot milk for two and returned to the living room. Here you go. Thanks~Natsuhiko and Yuuri sat on the sofas surrounding the table. How'd you spend your day today, Yuuri? Well, I did a little knitting.Now that she mentioned it, Natsuhiko remembered that Yuuri had started knitting this summer. To make presents for Natsuhiko and Mashiro, apparently. Oh, how's that going? I dunno... hopefully I'll be done by winter. Hahah, I'll look forward to it, then. Mmm... I'll work hard to meet your expectations.Yuuri smiled upon hearing Natsuhiko's reply. Natsuhiko enjoyed spending time having a quiet conversation with Yuuri after Mashiro went home. Oh, also, I read two books today, and I got started on the third. Oh, what kind of books? The first one was by a South American author... a wondrous tale following a certain family from prosperity to downfall. The second one was an anthology focused on the theme of dreams. One story was about a man who waited for a hundred years after a woman died. I see, so the keywords were stuff like 'dreams' and 'illusions', huh. Or perhaps even 'solitude' and 'promises', maybe?Yuuri was quite the bookworm. She wasn't picky about genres either. She made sure to read at least one book a day, regardless of genre. And at the end of the day, she'd give Natsuhiko her impressions. Incidentally, the woman had this wonderful line. 'Will you gather the falling fragments of the stars and place them on my grave? And will you wait for me there in 100 years? Do so, and I'm sure we will meet again.' Hmm, now that's just crazy talk. A blue branch with Yuuri at 7. Huh? Now that's commitment... were they lovers? Nope~ Just two people who made a promise. And still, the woman kept her promise and reunited with the man. In the form of a flower, under the twinkling stars of the same night sky they shared 100 years prior~ I know. Isn't it romantic? So what about you, Hikorin? Do you think you could keep a promise for 100 years? Hmm, well, I don't know if I could promise to wait that long without any hesitation, but... A promise is a promise, so I'm sure I'd keep it. Exactly. You don't break promises, do you, Hikorin? Yeah, that's my only good point, after all.Natsuhiko and Yuuri smiled at each other. --To read books and do some knitting. Such was Yuuri's daily life. She didn't go to school, nor work... nor even a step outside the house. And it was Natsuhiko's responsibility to protect that daily life. --There were circumstances behind why Yuuri never left the house. It all revolved around a certain incident that occurred nine years ago.  ♪ BGM: Memento Mori ♫  But one day, as a result of his own actions-- Natsuhiko exposed Yuuri to a life and death situation.     Just remembering gave him the chills. Natsuhiko constantly regretted his actions for these past nine years. (I mustn't ever do that again...)Natsuhiko was still emotionally scarred.   Natsuhiko's mother took custody of Yuuri out of compassion, but-- By that time, the repeated tragedies had already taken their toll on the young girl's heart.  Nobody could convince her to go outside, not even by force.  N... No...!!Three days after she had begun to live in the Tenkawa residence. Natsuhiko steeled himself and tried to talk to her out of concern that she'd never leave the house. What do you mean 'no'? You have to go out sometime, don't you? No... it's scary...! You're going to skip school and stay inside here forever? C'mon, I'll stick with you through the whole thing--The moment Natsuhiko tried to pull her by the hand, Noooooo! No! Noooo!Yuuri burst into tears. I don't want to go outside! I hate it! I don't wanna go!! Don't make me leave! Let me stay here!!Yuuri cowered in fear as she cried. *sob*... *sob*... *sob*...! Y-Yuuri...! !Yuuri twitched when Natsuhiko tried to lend her a helping hand. She froze still as a rock-- and then all he heard from her was heavy breathing. Natsuhiko could do nothing but stand there at a loss for what to do...  She would cry, she would suffer migraines, she'd have difficulty breathing-- her fear of the outside was so strong that it resulted in physiological issues.  He was afraid. Afraid he'd break Yuuri's heart. And, without Yuuri ever going outside again...  (PTSD, huh...)Tips posted:TIP: PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-- a psychological condition stemming from extreme situations like life and death experiences. Yuuri still suffered from PTSD today. Her symptoms included flashbacks or nightmares about her past experience. She tended to avoid the things that served as the sources of her trauma. A panic disorder also accompanied these symptoms-- it was classic PTSD. (I changed her...)Yuuri merely lived a quiet life within these walls without ever leaving the house. It hurt Natsuhiko's heart to think about her situation. But Yuuri was keenly aware that it distressed him, and so she would always look at him with a compassionate look on her face. ♪ BGM: Peacemaker / Theme of Yuuri ♫ ...What's wrong, Hikorin? You got quiet all of a sudden... Are you thinking about the past again? Huh...? There's nothing you have to worry about. I get to live here now... and you're so kind to me, too. I've got you, and I've got Mashiron too. Every day is fun. So you really don't need to worry about me.Yuuri spoke with a gentle smile. A very clear, and somehow, ephemeral smile. --Indeed. Despite her fragile heart, she was perfectly willing to let Natsuhiko stay by her side. And so in turn, Natsuhiko vowed to always live up to that smile. (It's my duty... to stay by her side and watch over her.)His bond with Yuuri made his friendships with his classmates seem almost inconsequential in comparison. Adding Mashiro into the mix meant he was more than content with the interpersonal relationships he already had. With that in mind, Natsuhiko returned Yuuri's smile. ...Thank you, Yuuri. You might get mad if I say this... but I'm glad to have you in my life.Yuuri looked a bit lonely when Natsuhiko said this. Ah, but you know... there's just one thing that bothers me. Huh, what's that? A blue branch with Yuuri at 7 and Mashiro at 8. Am I, well... getting in the way between you two? Wh-... what does Mashiro have to do with all this!? Well, Mashiron's such a lovely girl, she's a great cook, and she's so nice to you, too... Really? Yeah. Guys apparently keep confessing their love to her left and right. C-confess!? Go on, go on! Well, you know that Mashiro. She apparently turns them all down. And whenever I ask her why-- She says 'I'm not interested in boys or romance right now. I get enough of that in manga and anime.' But she gets along with you, doesn't she, Hikorin? Well, Mashiro says 'I've been friends with Natsuhiko for so long that I don't see him as a guy. He's not a romantic interest' and such. And, well, I feel the same way, too.Not even Natsuhiko could deny that Mashiro was a charming girl. But since they'd been friends for so long, they were almost family. It was difficult to exchange that bond for romantic feelings. So basically, we can't really advance to that sort of a relationship. Hmm... You sure...? I'm sure, I'm sure. Hmmmm...? ...Look, I said I'm sure. Seems a little fishy... Y-you don't believe me...?Yuuri was quite unsubtly using the power of suggestion, but-- ...Just kidding.She eventually said with a smile. Th-that's a terrible joke, Yuuri. I've just read a dreamy love story, so I was just thinking it would be nice to have a talk like this every now and then~ It was so fun seeing you all flustered, so I couldn't help but tease you for a bit. ...Well, you got me there.Natsuhiko and Yuuri exchanged smiles. And thus, they leisurely spent their time in peace. The room was filled with not love, not friendship, but absolute peace of mind transcending either. --And after a little bit, they talked about Yuuri's third book of the day. And before they knew it, it was already late at night. Hmm... would you look at the time.Before Natsuhiko realized it, Yuuri's sleepy eyes were drooping too. How about we head to bed soon, Yuuri? Hwaaah~ mm, yeah, you're right.Yuuri said as she stood up. ...A lot sure happened today, huh... Yeah. Hopefully tomorrow will be an ordinary uneventful day. Okay, good night, Yuuri. Night...    You're afraid, aren't you? Huh? ♪ BGM: Close to the Truth ♫ Natsuhiko jumped back and looked at Yuuri. Afraid...? Of what? Afraid of losing your peaceful days. Afraid that this cycle of repetitive days will come to an end.Yuuri's silhouette rose out from the darkness. ...You're afraid that if you do anything differently, something unexpected will happen to your peaceful days, aren't you? Afraid of getting others wrapped up in your actions even if you're fine acting on your own...Yuuri's tone of voice was different from usual. (Wh-what's going on...!?)--Yuuri's panic disorder had been triggered many times in the past before. But it had always been limited to when someone had tried to take her outside. (But... this... is different?)He wasn't trying to take her outside, and she didn't seem to be having a panic attack. Yuuri continued in spite of Natsuhiko's confusion. But Hikorin, you're no longer the child you were back in those days, are you? You may have already gained the strength necessary to overcome your sadness, and you don't even realize it... Y-Yuuri... what are you saying? But the light was indistinct, leaving her expression ambiguous. ...I think a lot of things will start happening to you from now on, Hikorin. Fun things, painful things... and things you cannot overcome without courage. But they're all things you surely mustn't avoid...Yuuri's prediction became gradually more ominous. Which disturbed Natsuhiko. Y-Yuuri...? Are you already half-asleep by any chance? You're sleep-talking, aren't you? ...Do you really think it's that obvious an answer? But, I mean, usually you're already asleep at this time... What time?To answer her question, Natsuhiko took one look at his watch--  Wha...!?Can I just pop in and say that I love this moment? That ''what time?'' line was loving perfect. His watch had broken before he had realized it. The hands were frozen, in the same way they were this morning. No way... Why...? Natsuhiko stared through the darkness at the dial in disbelief.     
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Jan 6, 2017 20:16
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quote:The first one was by a South American author... a wondrous tale following a certain family from prosperity to downfall. It's only obliquely referenced here, but apparently Japan's mental health system is...not the best. There was more discussion on this over in the Umineko LP thread (where a lot of family issues stem from the patriarch's massive personal flaws), but suffice it to say that inactions like letting Yuuri's PTSD persist without attempting to treat it are apparently all too accepted.
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Jan 6, 2017 20:35
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So That's the fire incident in 2021 that Senior Fellow S caused and they're the two children that infiltrated LABO. The documents said "two lives were lost as a result" and Jun talked about a single kid who apparently died of radiation exposure. ...I got nothing. The kid may be the new Watase, resurrected as information or whatever, but even if that turns out to be true somehow I guess it's not really relevant right now.
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Jan 6, 2017 20:44
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tiistai posted:That's the fire incident in 2021 that Senior Fellow S caused and they're the two children that infiltrated LABO. The documents said "two lives were lost as a result" and Jun talked about a single kid who apparently died of radiation exposure. Obviously the other life lost was Natsuhiko's and he's a ghost now. It'll be true someday, damnit!
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Jan 6, 2017 21:21
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CirclMastr posted:Obviously the other life lost was Natsuhiko's and he's a ghost now. The other life lost was Test Subject A (whoever they were). Not denying the ghost hypothesis, indeed I have become a firm proponent. Empathy is both extraordinarily rare and completely undetectable. So, Rokumei city. A city where you need to pass through checkpoints to get in, there are cameras everywhere, communications are monitored and the Rokumei Automobile Control Office can remotely jack your ride if they want to. Not to mention the beloved pieces of government propaganda "Beyonder" and "BeyoBEYO". Hmm, with what Ukita said it seems maybe that LABO was keeping an eye on the people affected nine years ago to see what effects there may have been. Maybe they were keeping a lookout for if he exhibited strong BC, and then intervening after the car crash. Alternatively, given the paranoid mindset I'm in, which suggests that 'car accident of Ukita's was no accident, they could be clearing house, starting with the conscientious objector (that's what Ukita seems to be, to me). Ah well, speculation. So, both the people at LABO on that day are artificially more powerful BC users, but both seem to have problems using that power except under stressful circumstances. An adverse reaction to the contaminants? Or a simple mental block? I really have no idea what Yuuri is about towards the end, but I'm liable to call it a hallucination on Natsuhiko's part given this has all been in his head (but does that necessarily mean it's fake?). Natsuhiko, you've gotta come back with me!Where?Back to the future!
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Jan 7, 2017 01:05
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So, Salyu was at the crash too. I'm beginning to think she's the cause of all of this because of revenge/hate.
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Jan 7, 2017 02:16
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Well that sure is a chapter title. Speculation: Natsuhiko is hosed up in LABO right now and dreaming of how he got there while unconscious (perhaps to practice his BC for use on Watase?).
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Jan 7, 2017 02:36
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EponymousMrYar posted:So, Salyu was at the crash too. She does seem the type, though I am hesitant to lay this all at the feet of a single person at this point in time. AlphaKretin posted:Well that sure is a chapter title. Speculation: Natsuhiko is hosed up in LABO right now and dreaming of how he got there while unconscious (perhaps to practice his BC for use on Watase?). That could be the case. It could also be the case that LABO is actually visions of the future, and that what Natsuhiko thinks are flashbacks are actually the present. Both of those are reasonable interpretations of the chapter title.
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Jan 7, 2017 04:42
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Gonna go with Yuuri is a BC ghost and ghosts can time travel because they're actually Bosons and poo poo
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Jan 7, 2017 04:56
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That final scene was pretty creepy for me. I wasn't expecting it. I also noticed Yuuri didn't finish her milk. Maybe she never touched it at all. Maybe she's a ghost!
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Jan 7, 2017 06:35
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Llab posted:That final scene was pretty creepy for me. I wasn't expecting it. I also noticed Yuuri didn't finish her milk. Maybe she never touched it at all. Maybe she's a ghost! I'm just going to point out that at this time, the only member of the cast that has not gotten into a potentially fatal accident (whether nine years ago, Before or After) is, if my date-fu is correct, Salyu as she was brought in after the fire nine years ago. She is also an extraordinarily proficient rear end-kicker. The obvious conclusion is that, as the only character that is not a ghost, she has the advantage in physical combat.
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Jan 7, 2017 10:21
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OddHaberdasher posted:I'm just going to point out that at this time, the only member of the cast that has not gotten into a potentially fatal accident (whether nine years ago, Before or After) is, if my date-fu is correct, Salyu as she was brought in after the fire nine years ago. She is also an extraordinarily proficient rear end-kicker. The obvious conclusion is that, as the only character that is not a ghost, she has the advantage in physical combat. Except against 'whoops I accidental-lied your head into paste' Watase. Even for her it took a good 3-5 fire axe swings to finally take him down 
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Jan 7, 2017 12:12
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NATSUHIKO - SEPTEMBER 16: 09/16/2030, 06:29 ---- --  Hikorin, can you hear me? ...Ugh...Natsuhiko opened his eyes upon hearing Yuuri's voice.    He seemed to have had a dream in the short time he was unconscious. Through the smoke and smog, he rushed over to Mashiro.  W-wait... where are we...? Do you remember the time and our current situation? Time... ♪ BGM: Psychological Warfare ♫ The moment he saw it, he remembered. That today was September 16. (That's right... I'm trying to find a way out of this facility!) All around him were wisps of flame flickering in the air, perhaps due to the explosion. Yuuri, let's get out of here!Mashiro and the other girl stared in confusion at Natsuhiko's exclamation. Yuuri!? What happened with Yuuri!? Well, I'm surprised too-- but Yuuri's here in the facility. Huh!?Mashiro and the other girl looked around in shock. Yuuri was standing in the smoke.  Maybe she followed us because she was worried--The moment those words left his lips, an announcement rang out over the intercom.  Several explosions have just occurred within the facility! The explosions have occurred primarily near each emergency staircase! Currently, some of the emergency staircases from Area 2 and onward are okay, but even those could collapse at any minute! It's dangerous! All personnel, please evacuate to the surface level immediately!Natsuhiko gasped as he heard the desperate voice screaming. The situation was critical. He didn't understand why Yuuri had come here, but there was no time to ask her. ...Now that it's come to it, let's take Yuuri with us so all four of us can escape together! Y-yeah! 'Salyu', did the Area 1 elevator look functional?The girl beside Mashiro answered. Unfortunately not. Looks like the elevators are out of service. Our only escape route is to find a safe emergency staircase. Let's go, then! Area 2's up ahead!Everyone nodded to Natsuhiko in consent and they all started to run. As he ran, Natsuhiko muttered listlessly. I had a dream of that day. Six days ago, on September 10. September 10...? If you think about it, our everyday lives seemed to change that day. That was the day I first used telepathy and the day Yuuri made her prediction... It all started on that day. ... Yuuri made a prediction? What kind of prediction...? She said that lots of things would start happening to me. Hey, Yuuri, what made you say that? ...Yuuri didn't reply.  !! A dead end! Huh!? But they said that all gates were unlocked!Apparently the gate had warped slightly due to either the explosions or the fires, and was stuck shut. Natsuhiko, do we turn back? No...! It was too late to turn back now. We've got no choice. Let's wrench it open manually! Everyone lend me a hand! Y-yeah! The gate creaked and started to open little by little. However-- Oww! What's wrong, Mashiro!? M-my nail...!On closer inspection, part of her nail had torn off, and blood was oozing from her finger. Are you okay!? We'll be fine by ourselves, so go wait with Yuuri! O-okay...Mashiro stepped back as the others returned to prying open the gate. The fire raged closer from behind. If they didn't act quick, they would burn to death. But nevertheless, a certain feeling rose up in Natsuhiko's chest. (That reminds me. Something similar happened just the other day...)What day was that? That's right, it was the morning after Yuuri had made that bizarre prediction. The moment that thought crossed Natsuhiko's mind--   ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ Yuuri whispered right beside him. Huh...?The noise faded away into the distance so that all he could hear was Yuuri's voice.  'But they're all things you surely mustn't avoid...' ...Yuuri? (Why's she saying that sorta thing now? No, how can she even tell what I'm thinking?)Those two questions came up into his head, but he formed neither of them into words. Yuuri alone continued to speak. I asked you many different questions after that, didn't I? Can you answer those questions? Can you handle those answers...?Each word Yuuri spoke sent shudders into Natsuhiko's mind. No, I know you can handle them. So remember. Remember that you've obtained the strength to handle the answers. Remember that no matter the questions, you will answer them correctly...And then, Yuuri fell silent. Silence filled the area. Not a sound could be heard. No-- one sound could be heard. The ticking of a watch. (...!)Natsuhiko's eyes snapped to his watch.  (Impossible... how!?)      Hey, remember the intro video you saw... a bit more than two months ago? Well, we get to see it again here, now that we're moving on to Chapter 2, September 11th. Maybe give it a re-watch, now that we've gone through the entirety of Route After - connect some of the dots that you couldn't connect back then. But don't spend too much time on it, because you have something else to think about... VOTING Now that we're going into the second chapter, it's a good time to re-evaluate some of our Senses and set others for the first time. We now have four main characters for our route, and we need Senses for all of them. With that in mind, pick between Bottom, Low, Middle, High or Top for Natsuhiko, Yuuri, Mashiro and Salyu. We won't run into many opportunities to have outright bad ends, but Favor is going to be more important in this route than the other one, as is picking one character over the other. TheMcD fucked around with this message at 18:20 on May 28, 2017 |
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Jan 7, 2017 14:55
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Going to stick with Mashiro at the Top, Yuuri just behind her at High, while both Natsuhiko and Salyu are Neutral
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Jan 7, 2017 15:06
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