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"Wanderer particles", huh? I wonder if that has anything to do with the "WX" that was so worrying in After route.
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Jan 12, 2017 03:48
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AlphaKretin posted:"Wanderer particles", huh? I wonder if that has anything to do with the "WX" that was so worrying in After route. It does seem so, doesn't it? Seems a little too convenient for me, though... Like, what does the X stand for then? How do 'mind' particles play into all this? Are we overthinking this? Who knows?
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Jan 12, 2017 13:19
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DUSK LIT BUS: 09/11/2030, 17:00  Mashiro turned her head to the side in response to Natsuhiko's comment.  Who? Salyu? Well, yeah? I mean she asked us a weird question all of a sudden, and then she didn't bother explaining it... One moment she's staring at us, the other she's keeping her distance. I don't understand what she's trying to say. Hey, don't say something sad like that. I mean, we just got to be friends and all. I'm sure Salyu's just nervous about whether we'll go home with her after tomorrow or not. I don't know... I mean, I'm a little doubtful if she even thinks of us as friends. Geez, Natsuhiko, you keep your guard up too high! You weren't like that in the past! You used to make friends easily with everyone. Well yeah, that was when l was a kid. Dealing with people is different when you're in high school. Mmgh... you're so stubborn. For real.As soon as Mashiro finished speaking, an announcement rang out on the bus' speakers. Bus Announcement: Next stop is Rokumei Park. Rokumei Park. Please press the stop button to request this stop. Tips posted:TIP: Rokumei Park Oh, Rokumei Park. That brings back memories. Hmm? Oh, yeah, we used to play there a lot when we were kids, huh.And true enough, outside the window was a huge park. Since they usually didn't take this way back, the bus route was different. Hey, why don't we drop by since we were just talking about our childhood days anyway? No. If we get off here, it'll be quite a walk back home. Whaaat? C'mon, let's go reclaim your inner child. Mm... fine, if you insist...There was something persuasive about Mashiro's persistence. Natsuhiko pressed the stop button out of necessity. Once they got off the bus, a park spread out before them.  ♪ BGM: Words of Healing ♫ Man, does this bring me back! How many years has it been? I wonder... I don't even remember the last time I came here. You were the center of attention back then, Natsuhiko. All the kids would gather around you right here to play. Like Renren and Himecchi, oh and Aipon. And sure enough, hearing all those names made Natsuhiko feel nostalgic. Yeah, that's right... there was Richio and Sugizo and Maruichi too. I wonder how they're all doing. ...I'm sure they're doing fine.Natsuhiko offered words of mere consolation.  Natsuhiko and Mashiro attended Rokumei Academy, a school exclusively for Communicators. And aside from Natsuhiko, Mashiro, and Yuuri, none of the other kids had any aptitude as Communicators. The paths their lives took diverged, and after years and years-- they had simply found themselves going their separate ways. But still, you really were good at making friends back then, weren't you, Natsuhiko? Hmm, you think so? You made friends with all the kids you met in this park, regardless of school or age, remember? Even when Yuuri moved here, you still made friends with her quickly, right? This yellow branch, with Mashiro at 7, hides the entrance to the first friendship scene for Mashiro. True enough, that was the sort of kid Natsuhiko was, which was why he made friends with Yuuri even though she was two years older than he was. So how come now you've become a guy who's not receptive of a transfer student? ...Oh, I see now. So that's how it is. You brought me here just so you could bring that up, huh? Tee hee hee, I wonder about that.Mashiro smiled deviously. Though, I guess in a certain sense, you haven't changed from back in those days, though. I mean, even back then, you'd sometimes get stern with kids you had a hard time with, didn't you? Hmm, did I? You did! Like... with me, for example. Huh?Natsuhiko stared blankly at her after hearing such a sudden statement. Me? When was I ever stern with you...? Hey~ now that's rude. Don't you remember? C'mon, we used to fight all the time in this park, didn't we? Fight...? Oh.That word suddenly jogged something in Natsuhiko's memory. And now, we enter the first friendship scene for Mashiro. TheMcD fucked around with this message at 19:04 on Jan 13, 2017 |
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Jan 12, 2017 19:49
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THE WAY WE WERE ♪ BGM: Words of Healing ♫ Natsuhiko and Mashiro were having a fight in the park that day.   So what? You're a slimy egg crab, Mashiro!They were fighting over something as trivial as Mashiro calling Natsuhiko's favorite superhero show boring.   Natsuhiko, Mashiro, stop fighting! Shut up, Yuuri! Did you just tell her to 'shut up'!? How can you act so mean to Yuuri, Natsuhiko!? You meanie! What was that--!?The two of them glared at each other, leaving Yuuri alone. At this point in time, Natsuhiko and Mashiro had each already started to get along with Yuuri. But there was still terrible animosity between Natsuhiko and Mashiro. And whaddaya even mean by egg crab!? That doesn't even make any sense! Your face doesn't make sense! Stupid! Stupid! Grrrrr! Grrrrr!Back in the day, Natsuhiko and Mashiro often fought over every little thing like this. Natsuhiko would get along with everyone else, but for some reason, he had a hard time with Mashiro. ...Hmph, I don't ever wanna see you again!Eventually, Mashiro threw down a sharp parting remark and walked away. You stole the words right outta my mouth!Natsuhiko turned around and shouted back. That was an everyday occurrence for those two. Even Yuuri complained as she watched Mashiro walk away. Geez... Natsuhiko, why do you always have to get in a fight with Mashiro? 'Cause she's a cheeky little brat even though she's a girl. She always snaps at me no matter what I say. She always has.Natsuhiko and Mashiro's houses were nearby, so they knew each other before they could remember. They went to the same kindergarten, and therefore had more fights than they could count. But Natsuhiko, I thought you wanted to be a 'hero of justice'? So you shouldn't fight with girls then, should you? Uuugh.Yuuri hit a weak spot. Natsuhiko had a strong sense of justice. He was a boy who wouldn't hesitate to challenge bullies that were bigger than him. So he yearned to be the sort of champion of justice that he saw in manga or on TV. And Yuuri was right, but-- But Mashiro's got a filthy mouth, and her punches hurt... So I'm sure she's some sort of evil underling. That's not true. Mashiro's a good girl~ She's the first girl that became my friend, too~Yuuri vouched for Mashiro with a warm voice.  What Natsuhiko expected of girls was that they'd be gentle and mature like Yuuri.  Mashiro was his age and just as strong-willed as he was, which was probably why they would often bump heads. Mmm... it'd make me happy if you two would get along more. Hmph. I wouldn't hold my breath. That's never gonna happen.Natsuhiko exaggerated. And so that's the first friendship scene for Mashiro.
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Jan 12, 2017 19:51
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DUSK LIT BUS: 09/11/2030, 17:00 - PART 2 ♪ BGM: Words of Healing ♫ So? Remember now? ...Yeah, I guess.True enough, it was as Mashiro said. They were mortal enemies back when they were kids. ...Well, so what? That was then. This is now. True, I guess. Back then, I never would've guessed that we'd get along. You never know how relationships turn out, after all. Exactly. So try to get along with Salyu too, okay?Easier said than done... Natsuhiko thought as he objected. No, look. The reason I was able to talk to people so easily was because I was a kid. Besides, isn't Salyu the one building a wall between us? I mean she shunned all those other girls who tried to talk to her in class, too. Hmm, maybe... but still, think about it. She really couldn't help it. Why not? I mean, if I moved all the way from France to Japan and even had to transfer into a Communicator-exclusive school for the first time, I'm sure I'd want to build walls around me, too. ...!Natsuhiko was taken aback by what Mashiro said.  ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 2 ♫ Communicators may have started appearing all across the world, but looking at humanity as a whole, they were still an exceptionally rare breed. For example, even in Japan, the proportion of ordinary people to Communicators was said to be 25.000:1. And this school was filled with nothing but students who were that rare 1-- Natsuhiko couldn't even begin to imagine what an ordinary person would think. Let's say Salyu's been surrounded by ordinary people her entire life. I'm sure she'd be nervous by the sudden change. True... If you think about it, it is kind of scary to think that the person next to you could be capable of using 'empathy'. Natsuhiko, you're the type who fears having their mind read too, aren't you? Well, yeah... sure, there may be some people who are okay with the notion, but I find it frightening. However, the problem lied with the other ability, ''empathy''. If telepathy was the ability to convey your mind to others, empathy was the ability to read the minds of others.  There apparently used to be anti-Communicator discrimination in the past, too. Which was why the government enacted various policies in order to protect Communicators. An example of such legislation was the Communicator Protection Bill, aka the ''BC Law'', enacted 14 years ago. Tips posted:TIP: BC Law  The rare 1 out of 25,000 individuals naturally gathered to this city. About 350 Communicators lived in the city, or 20 percent of all Communicators currently in Japan. About 1 in 500 city residents were Communicators. And thus, many Communicators came to live in the same place and received focused protection-- Japan led the world in performing such measures. And for its efforts, Japan became known as an advanced BC nation. Tips posted:TIP: Advanced BC nation Well... I don't know how it is in France, but it's probably a completely different environment than it is here. Exactly. So in other words, Salyu just hasn't gotten used to her environment yet. So it's only natural that she'd be nervous. So you gotta be nice to her, okay?Mashiro asked with a smile, which moved Natsuhiko. He was impressed by her consideration and attention to detail. Mashiro... I don't know how to say this, but you're a good person. ...What are you talking about? I'm just copying what you did back in the day. Really? Was I really that good a guy back then? Well, I think you still are a pretty good guy, Natsuhiko. Your one weakness is that you can get stubborn sometimes, though. ...Yeah, maybe you're right.Natsuhiko gave a wry smile. He couldn't completely approve of Mashiro's viewpoint. After the years went by, his way of thinking solidified. It wasn't something that could be unlearned that easily. But nevertheless-- Fine... you win, Mashiro. I'll try to lower my guard at least a little. Yeah, that should be good enough. 'This will have to do for now' and all. What's that, another anime quote? Yeah. One from way before we were born, though.Their conversation derailed before long. A calm breeze enveloped them. --And thus the two of them spent some leisurely time at the park... Once the sun had set, they boarded the bus again and headed home.  Mashiro would ordinarily stop by her house, but since they stayed out late, she went directly to the Tenkawa residence today.
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Jan 12, 2017 19:53
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TheMcD posted:
This's a little tricky to visually catch.
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Jan 13, 2017 00:37
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"dangerous if used improperly" is a weird line in the sand to draw. Oxygen is dangerous if used improperly.
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Jan 13, 2017 00:56
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quote:The government became fearful of the possibility of Communicator persecution in the aftermath of the Great Rokumei City Arson of September 2014, and as a precaution, they rapidly enacted the law with the intention of spreading correct knowledge about BC throughout the cities. The main point of the law was that it established six government designated top secret cities nationwide to gather and protect the Communicators.
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Jan 13, 2017 02:50
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It almost seems to me like Natsuhiko and Watase swapped personalities or at least have adopted some of the others traits. Natsuhiko used to want to be a hero, to the point that he would go up against bullies larger than him without any hesitation, and would easily befriend most people, which kind of sounds a bit like amnesiac Watase. Then, most likely as a result of the trauma Natsuhiko experienced nine years ago, he became much colder, and more guarded with people, putting up walls between himself and others, which sounds a bit like normal Watase, from what we've heard of him. Not saying I think BC or ghosts or anything else is responsible, just something I noticed. HydroSphere fucked around with this message at 15:33 on Jan 13, 2017 |
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Jan 13, 2017 15:29
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THE STRANGER: 09/11/2030, 18:30 Huh?There was a jet black car parked out in front of his house. Now that's an expensive-looking car. Whose do you think it is? Beats me...With his head tilted to the side, Natsuhiko walked past the car and entered his home.  I'm... home!?Natsuhiko and Mashiro were greeted by an unbelievable sight.  ♪ BGM: Anxious Times of Rokumei City ♫ Salyu was there in the Tenkawas' living room. Yuuri was standing there next to her with a smile. Wh... what's this!? Salyu, why are you in my house!? Because I'm going to live here starting today. Wha!? You too? Why...!? Yuuri, did you hear anything about this? Mmm~Yuuri didn't clearly answer whether or not she knew about the situation. Salyu spoke to Natsuhiko without giving Yuuri a single glance. The decision's been set in stone. There's no more room for argument. Set in stone...!? Wait, for starters, why does it have to be -our- house? Well--At that moment, a voice rang out from further inside the room. ???: It was my suggestion. !?Natsuhiko turned to the voice in disbelief--  M-Mom...!? Professor!?There stood Natsuhiko's mother, Miyoko Tenkawa. Which meant that the car outside was probably a courtesy car for the professor. --As a renowned physicist, she was extremely busy by nature. She was always stationed in LABO and very rarely came home, meaning her communication with her son was essentially nonexistent. You don't say a thing for quite some time, and -this- is how you greet us...? I've been busy, so I couldn't help it, could I? Fine, whatever. Anyway, what's the meaning of this? Why's Salyu going to live here? Yui just moved here from France, so her place of residence hasn't been decided yet. So I'm letting her stay here for the time being.The professor called Salyu by her real name, ''Yui''. Somewhat intimately. But that only got on Natsuhiko's nerves. So we have no say in it, huh... What kind of connection do you even have to Salyu, Mom? She's my distant relative. Meaning she's your relative, too. Huh!?Now that he thought about it, his mother's maiden name was Sannomiya. And he did get the feeling she said she'd lived in France before, so perhaps they really were related, but still-- ...Is that true? What would I gain by lying about it? My grandfather's younger sister's grandson married a French woman and she's their child. That makes you third cousins with 8th degree kinship, though, so you're essentially unrelated. No, in that case, that's even all the more reason why having her live here is a little... Why not? We've got an empty room, don't we? ...Are you okay with that, Salyu? No objections here. If that's what the professor wants, then I'll oblige. Yes. This decision's set in stone. Any other objections, Natsuhiko? I've still got work left to do, so I'll be heading back to LABO. ...Fine, have it your way.Natsuhiko lost his temper over how the professor slowed down for nobody. But the professor merely sighed and addressed Mashiro. Mashiro, I'm sorry for not asking permission beforehand. Take care of Yui for me, okay? S-sure. But...It appeared not even Mashiro could quite understand the situation. She put a finger up to her temple and muttered in a worried tone. It's just all so sudden... but umm, is everything okay? It is. I already told Yui everything she needs to know about this household. Huh... Is that right, Salyu? Yes, naturally. I know about how Natsuhiko and Yuuri live together. And that you know the circumstances and come here to prepare meals, Mashiro. Okay, as long as you know... I mean, if you didn't know, then... well, I'm sure it'd lead to some misunderstandings. (Dammit, Mashiro! That's not what's important here...!)The professor ignored Natsuhiko, the only one staunchly against the situation, and continued. Okay, then. Get along now, kids.And with that, the professor slipped past Natsuhiko-- And left the house. Soon enough, the car's engine roared and she zoomed away. ...Hmph. She's as one-sided as ever...Hearing Natsuhiko's murmur, Salyu spoke out. Is it a bother for me to live in this house? Huh, oh, no... This isn't what the professor said would happen. She said you guys wouldn't object. ...!When he heard that, Natsuhiko became furious again. Not at Salyu for saying that, but at his mother for her complete disregard for his and Yuuri's opinions. Yuuri strained to put a smile on her face, somewhat uncomfortably. C'mon, Natsuhiko. What's got you so upset? What's the problem? The household just got one more member. Doesn't that sound fun and exciting? Yeah, I guess it does...Natsuhiko tried to sound amicable in front of Salyu. But in his heart of hearts, excitement wasn't exactly what he wanted. (There was no way in hell I could've expected this...)His life was changing drastically in ways he couldn't understand. He had just started to let his guard down, only for it to get pushed right back up.
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Jan 13, 2017 21:15
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FOR YOU: 09/11/2030, 20:00   The conversation was shockingly sparse. Mashiro asked Salyu various questions, but only received short, blunt answers. Yuuri was here too, but Salyu basically didn't speak to her. Same with Natsuhiko. And thus, dinner ended without any improvement to the awkward atmosphere.  ♪ BGM: Languid Hours of Rokumei City ♫ Yeah, thanks again for today. See you tomorrow, Mashiron~ ...Yeah.After Salyu gave a noncommittal response, Mashiro sent her a fleeting glance and then spoke. So, Natsuhiko, would you mind walking me back for just a bit? Huh? That's odd. You usually don't ask me to...Right as Natsuhiko began to talk,  Mashiro continued by means of telepathy. ...Y-yeah, you're right. Okay. Thanks.Natsuhiko nodded and left the house with Mashiro.  Mashiro said with a wry smile as they left the entryway. You can say that again... You don't like it, Natsuhiko? I'm not particularly bothered by it, personally. I'm just worried about how Yuuri feels about it. ...Of course... I'm just worried the sudden change in environment could open up old wounds for Yuuri... I hope she's okay.Naturally, Mashiro was also aware of how Yuuri's past experiences prevented her from going outside. Mashiro and Natsuhiko had consulted each other from time to time and agreed to ''quietly watch over her'', but-- Hmm, it might be rash of me to think this, but... may be it'll actually be beneficial for her in that regard? Huh? What do you mean? If nothing changes, Yuuri will never be able to rejoin 'society'. And to be honest, I really think that's a bad thing for her. Y-yeah... A blue branch with Mashiro at 7, Yuuri at 5 and Salyu at 4. I think that'll be a plus for Yuuri. And maybe even the professor brought Salyu here with that same intention? I wonder...Natsuhiko could only halfway agree with that assessment. Mashiro's reasoning made sense, but he didn't expect that sort of thoughtfulness from his cold mother.  Hopefully that's the case. Well, let's just settle into it. I'll be there to help in my own way. I see... I'm sorry you had to get involved in all this too, Mashiro. Nah, it's fine, it's fine. More importantly, I'm worried about how Salyu feels too. Not just Yuuri. How Salyu feels? I mean look, that poor girl's probably nervous, don't you think? I mean, she's been so quiet. Huh... nervous, you say? It looked like she was just being rude to me... Idiot! What do you think you're saying!? You're so immature! Look, Natsuhiko. All things said and done, she's still just a 13-year-old girl, you know? Of course she'd be nervous when told she has to live with an older boy. Go talk to her some more so she can relax a bit, okay? I-I guess you're right...Natsuhiko couldn't bring himself to agree, but for now he decided to just go along with what she said. Okay, I guess I'll give it a shot. That answer again? Ah, no, it's not like I'm trying to just blow you off or anything. Hahah, nah, it's okay. I'm counting on you. Well, see you tomorrow, Natsuhiko. Yeah, later.Mashiro patted Natsuhiko on the shoulder before walking off into the night. (Geez, she's so softhearted...)That was also one of Mashiro's good points, but-- When it comes to me, it gets kind of difficult...He muttered before heading back to the house, but then--  ♪ BGM: Individualist / Theme of Louise ♫ !?A voice called out from the darkness of the entryway, startling Natsuhiko. H-how long have you been there, Salyu? I just came out. Since you were taking so long to get back. ...Did you hear my conversation with Mashiro? No, not at all. (Really, now...?)Natsuhiko had some doubts, but he couldn't read anything out of Salyu's expression. Nah, it was a pretty dumb conversation anyway. Something about how you're oh so cute...Natsuhiko tried to gloss things over, but immediately-- Stuffed Animal: Kyuu~... The stuffed animal in Salyu's arms squealed. Wha-!? ...!Natsuhiko was once again startled. At the same time, Salyu's expression stiffened. S-Salyu? Did that thing just squeal? What of it?Salyu answered as if it were only natural for it to squeal like that. (What of it...? Is there some sort of trick behind that thing?)Salyu abruptly spoke in Natsuhiko's confusion. Natsuhiko, you're keeping your guard up around me, aren't you? Huh? No, I wouldn't say that... That would be upsetting. I was sent here to protect you, after all. Huh...? You... protect me? Hold on a second, why would you have to protect me? The professor asked. Mom did!? No, but still, I mean... what exactly would you have to protect me from? I'm not exactly a VIP or anything. The professor said 'It's dangerous around here lately. There's no telling what he could get dragged into or when.' Wha...?Natsuhiko honestly couldn't understand Salyu's words or his mother's intentions. Salyu may have been good at sports and studies, but she would be the last person you'd imagine to be a bodyguard. Why do -I- have to be 'protected' by a girl like you? Isn't it normally the other way around? Not like I have any obligation to protect you, though... It's not like I have any obligation to protect you either. ...? Not following you here. What exactly could I get dragged into in the first place-- ♪ BGM: Anxious Times of Rokumei City ♫    But for now, just please be careful...! Natsuhiko couldn't help but feel that those words and that situation had something to do with all this. (Don't tell me that Salyu's arrival could've been one of those ''strange things'' Mr. Ukita was talking about?)Or did he mean that even stranger things were going to start occurring? Did Salyu come here to protect Natsuhiko when that time came? ...Salyu. Does Mom think I'm going to get into some sort of danger? I don't know the particulars either. I was just told to protect you.Salyu answered indifferently. Did she really not know the details, or did she merely not feel like answering? --Natsuhiko couldn't even tell. ...Anyway, Natsuhiko, you should just let me protect you. If you put up your guard around me, it makes my work difficult. And it makes me feel bad when you're unkind to me. Stop. I-I'm sorry about that... As long as you understand. I have a daily routine to do, so I'm going back to my room. Huh? Hey, wait...Salyu abruptly ended their discussion and went back inside. (What's with that girl...?)Salyu's attitude was the same as when they parted ways at the Parapsychology Research Center earlier that day.  (But still... protect me how?)Salyu's words were most likely not being made out of the kindness of her heart. She appeared to only be begrudgingly following Dr. Tenkawa's orders. (Why did Mom really order Salyu to do that...?)After all, Rokumei City excelled in public order. Very rarely did anyone get dragged into a crime. But even so-- there was something that bothered him. (Now that I think about it, Mr. Ukita's part of LABO's staff... he's Mom's coworker. What if that car crash wasn't an accident...? What if some circumstances are causing those with connections to LABO to be targeted?)He considered the thought for a moment, but he couldn't think of any rationale behind it. Why did the professor give neither Natsuhiko nor Salyu a proper explanation? Furthermore, did Salyu really come just to protect Natsuhiko? ... ... Natsuhiko muttered to himself and quit trying to think about it. (Doesn't look like there's going to be any real harm done, so I'll just leave things as they are.)If thinking won't solve something, then just try not to think about it. That was the mantra of Natsuhiko's lifestyle. But even so-- Natsuhiko had a faint worry in the back of his mind. The worry that events he couldn't see were slowly coming to a head...
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Jan 13, 2017 21:16
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Anime or not, it's batshit to seriously ask one young kid to protect another kid from weird poo poo happening in your technocratic surveillance state.
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Jan 13, 2017 21:55
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:Anime or not, it's batshit to seriously ask one young kid to protect another kid from weird poo poo happening in your technocratic surveillance state. It's not quite that batshit once you do take the anime into account. Like, looking at all the poo poo Salyu has pulled off, she's a surprisingly rational choice for bodyguard if you are familiar with her - which Miyoko seems to be. She blends in like just another student, and she can murder with the best of them, taking on rescue squad members, people with guns - she only falls to a rescue squad captain whose extracurricular activities are questionable as all hell and might have received extra combat training. Really, the only problem seems to be that she interprets "protect Natsuhiko" as "kill everybody that might threaten Natsuhiko" for some reason.
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Jan 13, 2017 23:22
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Because she's a kid who probably has some severe social and emotional difficulties thanks to how the adults around her probably treated her as her prodigious abilities developed. Which is why it's still weird to burden someone who's physically and psychologically immature with the protection of another person. anime anime animeMom is the worst character so far. She's the most suspicious one! This ghost reactor business is her fault, mark my words.
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Jan 13, 2017 23:37
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TheMcD posted:It's not quite that batshit once you do take the anime into account. Like, looking at all the poo poo Salyu has pulled off, she's a surprisingly rational choice for bodyguard if you are familiar with her - which Miyoko seems to be. She blends in like just another student, and she can murder with the best of them, taking on rescue squad members, people with guns - she only falls to a rescue squad captain whose extracurricular activities are questionable as all hell and might have received extra combat training. Said combat training which seems to be making people's heads explode via lack of physical restraint. I mean, does he even have a move that doesn't result in that!? POOL IS CLOSED posted:Mom is the worst character so far. She's the most suspicious one! This ghost reactor business is her fault, mark my words. For maximum Anime, Mom is from the future and the ghost reactor is for Natsuhiko because of what happened.
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Jan 14, 2017 00:14
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Okay, so, Combining what we have recently learned, mixed with what some have suggested and a dose of Wild Speculation(TM), this is my hypothesis: LABO is having troubles for some reason (government contract got finished and they're eliminating those who know of it, Shady People thinking their subjects would be much better off in their custody with looser morals and regulation, etc.), so Nat's mom sends her (very) distant relation that she's been experimenting on since she was four to protect her son (after having wiped her memories of said experimenting and using Informational Field techniques to implant false memories), but little does she know that Louise Yui Sannomiya is Magical Girl Salyu, her stuffed animal is actually her companion and that is how she gets her strength. After a lot of things happen, Salyu and the others make their way to LABO, where she is powerless to prevent a final showdown between Natsuhiko and his father, the part-time assassin Watase. Also she has empathy and lives in a world where listening to the thoughts of others is a no-good, horrible thing that exposes you to all dark thoughts ever, and that is why she kills everyone (besides Watase, I mean). How about it? OddHaberdasher fucked around with this message at 02:39 on Jan 14, 2017 |
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Jan 14, 2017 02:19
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OddHaberdasher posted:Okay, so, Combining what we have recently learned, mixed with what some have suggested and a dose of Wild Speculation(TM), this is my hypothesis: I'd watch that anime.
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Jan 14, 2017 02:55
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Don't forget the Persona crossover where the after school special lesson is that cruel or intrusive thoughts don't necessarily reflect one's full feelings about someone and don't have to translate into evil actions, and that honest communication and quality time with your fam can stop eldritch evils and ghost reactors cold.
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Jan 14, 2017 03:17
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THE PAST AND PRESENT YOU: 09/11/2030, 20:17 He pulled himself together and hopped back through the entryway into his home.   ♪ BGM: Peacemaker / Theme of Yuuri ♫ Hmm? Oh, yeah, I did. Okay. Good, good.Yuuri's casual tone of voice was a relief to Natsuhiko. (A lot happened today... but it's a huge relief that Yuuri's the same as always.)All his worries and weariness were washed away with one look at Yuuri's smile. Natsuhiko returned her smile and sank into the sofa. How'd you spend your day today, Yuuri? Same as yesterday~ I did a little knitting and read two books from a series. A series? What kind of story is it? Let's see... it's a heartfelt series of romance novels. It's written in the format of the protagonist writing down his own memories of the past... The opening line was quite impressive. 'Memories are ambiguous'. it really drew me in. Memories are ambiguous? Yeah. According to the protagonist himself... 'People tend to rewrite their own memories unconsciously. And so even this story itself is not necessarily the truth.' Isn't it interesting for a romance novel to begin like that? Yeah, though it sounds a tad perplexing. But you know, as you continue the story, you learn that it really is like that. Memories are never reliable. You could end up recalling something completely different depending on your current situation and mental state. Huh, does that really happen? Of course it does. For example, let's say someone was deeply in love. As long as that love endured, their memory of their lover might be radiant... but if that love were to end, those memories could turn bitter, couldn't they? Hmm... true, that does sound plausible. I've never experienced it myself, so I can't say for sure, though. It's not just romance, though. The same happens in casual, everyday events, don't you think? Sometimes you can mix up things that you said with things that someone else said, right? Ah, I know that feeling. Mashiro and I often argue whether I said this or she said that. Right? And so eventually, the protagonist of this story becomes aware that each time he recalls his own past, his memories get subtly rewritten. 'Even if the truth doesn't change, feelings do.' 'There is no absolute truth.' 'The past is a haze of ambiguity.' So not even the protagonist himself knows which memories are real. But-- But? That's all I've read so far. Saving the rest for tomorrow. I-I see.Even Yuuri was confusing him now. Natsuhiko's shoulders drooped. She softly smiled and continued. ...But still, even though we don't know the end of the story, it feels like a hopeful one, doesn't it? Hopeful because memories are ambiguous? Yeah. Memories may change, but even so... Wouldn't it be nice if one day, all memories, sweet and bitter ones alike, could change into something beautiful? ...Her words sounded more than just a simple impression of a novel. But her expression was unexpectedly calm-- which relieved Natsuhiko as he answered. You're right... That really would be nice. I know, right? But still, Yuuri, you really like talking about stuff like 'memories', don't you? You've talked about a novel like that before too, haven't you? One where all the characters had completely different testimonials of what happened during the same event. Yeah, I love that topic. Just a tiny change in memory could make you and someone else have completely different impressions of the same thing.Now that she mentioned it, Natsuhiko noticed that he and Mashiro had completely contrary impressions of Salyu. (That reminds me, I haven't directly asked Yuuri about her yet, have I?)And with that thought in mind, Natsuhiko asked her with a sigh. ...Say, Yuuri. Since we're talking about impressions and all... Huh, what's up? What do you think... about Salyu? Huh, what's this all of a sudden? Hikorin, do you have something against Salyu? No, nothing like that... It's just... I was wondering if you were okay with us suddenly getting a new addition to the household. Hmm, I'm okay, but... I'm more worried about Salyu. She seems nervous to me. Huh? You think so too, Yuuri...? This yellow branch, with Yuuri at 5, hides the entrance to Yuuri's first friendship scene. Like how I became friends with you...?That was a story from long, long ago. Natsuhiko's brain became filled with memories of those days. He felt as if time itself were melting away as he recalled the memory of the day he and Yuuri first met--
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Jan 14, 2017 18:05
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ENCOUNTER ♪ BGM: Words of Healing ♫ On that day alone, all of Natsuhiko's playmates were busy, including Mashiro. Tch, what a waste of a Sunday...Natsuhiko went and played by himself in the park, bored. And that was when he met Yuuri, who was doing the same.  For some reason, tears were spilling down her face. She was so quiet, yet so sad. Upon seeing her, Natsuhiko got concerned and asked her, Hey, hey, why are you crying? Hweh...?That was the first conversation Natsuhiko and Yuuri ever had. ...U-um... who are you? I'm Natsuhiko. ...Natsu... hiko...? You're 'Yuuri Kotono', right? Your family just moved in nearby. ...Yeah. Let's be friends. We live in the same neighborhood, after all. ...Can we? Huh? Are we not allowed to be friends? I mean... I'm a ness-purr... A ness-purr? Oh, you mean a Communicator? Y-yeah... I see. So? Huh...? I might end up reading people's feelings, you know? You're not scared...? Well, no, not really. Anyway, hey, let's go play together! Ah... Mmm... thank you... Heheh. --Though they weren't quite sure what they could play with just the two of them. They started off only playing simple games like hoop hopscotch and S-ken. Tips posted:TIP: S-ken But just hopping up and down on the lawn brought a smile to Yuuri's face. Whew~... You're pretty good at this, Yuuri. That's not true~ you're a lot better than me at these games, Natsuhiko. But it really gets you tired, huh. Let's take a break. Yeah!The two of them sat down together on the grass. Natsuhiko took a deep breath and asked Yuuri a question. By the way, Yuuri, why'd you move to this town? Hmm... Daddy said it'd be best for me... Huh? He said there are tons of ness-purrs in Rokumei City. He said I wouldn't be creepy here.That reminded Natsuhiko. His mother had told him that this town had far more Communicators than other towns. That's true. I apparently have the 'attitude' for it, too. Huh? N-Natsuhiko, are you a Communicator too? Yeah, 'parently. I can't use telepathy yet, though. I see... actually, me neither. Ahah, we're the same then.Natsuhiko laughed. Yuuri smiled in reply. And besides, it's not just me. This girl I know, Mashiro, she's one too. She has super high 'attitude' too. There's lotsa Communicators in this town. So much they're nothing out of the ordinary. So you're not gonna creep anyone out, okay Yuuri? Not even you, Natsuhiko? Of course not. Promise? I promise, okay? You're such a worrywart, Yuuri.Natsuhiko smiled and Yuuri smiled back in return. Thank goodness~... I was actually super nervous. Huh, what for? I was worried I couldn't make friends after moving. I didn't think that I could. But we're friends already, aren't we? Yup! Lotsa kids come to this park. If you come here, you'll make lotsa other friends, too. Thank you. I'll come here lots! After all, I made friends with you my first time here...Yuuri said only that much before suddenly making a face as if she had suddenly remembered something. Ah, that reminds me... Hmm? Natsuhiko, why did you call out to me? You've never met me before... and I'm a girl, too. Huh~? Hmm, well... Well...? Just 'cause! Huh~? Just 'cause? Yuuri seemed a little disappointed.  That's why he called out to her. Because he wanted to be there for her--
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Jan 14, 2017 18:06
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THE PAST AND PRESENT YOU: 09/11/2030, 20:17 - PART 2 ♪ BGM: Peacemaker / Theme of Yuuri ♫ Once he had remembered that day, he finally became self-aware of the reason why he had his guard up around Salyu. (I see... So that's what it was. I'm afraid of Mom and Salyu trying to change my current life.)This home was a place of peace for Natsuhiko. A safe haven from all the evils that threatened to break Yuuri's fragile heart.  Here we have a blue branch with Yuuri and Natsuhiko at 5, and Salyu at 4. He didn't like the feeling of an outsider stepping foot into his sanctuary. Which was why he was putting such an emphasis on Yuuri's feelings in the present situation. Say, Yuuri... You don't have any objections to Salyu living here, do you? Nope~ What about you, Hikorin? To be honest, I'm a little confused... That girl says a bunch of strange things. Strange things? Like what? She said she's here to protect me... Doesn't that seem kinda backwards to you?At those words, Yuuri made an odd smile--   ♪ BGM: Silence ♫ --Hikorin. You shouldn't assume the worst of people. Huh? I'm sure Salyu's being honest.♪ BGM: Anxious Times of Rokumei City ♫ Those words startled Natsuhiko. (What...? Somethings different about Yuuri... Just like yesterday...)She suddenly spoke with a serious look on her face. She never used to do that in the past. She seemed almost like an entirely different person. Yuuri continued, staring straight into Natsuhiko's confused eyes. When Salyu was assigned to protect you, she had finally found a role for herself. That was something she always, always wanted... Wha... Yuuri, why do you sound like you've known Salyu from somewhere before? Don't tell me you've known each other from the start?If that were the case, then he'd easily understand why she wasn't at all disturbed by Salyu's sudden move in. But Yuuri silently shook her head. No. I only met her just now, in the same way you did, Hikorin. But I can tell. ...How? ...How indeed? But I'm sure Salyu is on your side, Hikorin. ...? You can't just suddenly say something like that and expect me to accept it that easily. ...Nothing can change your mind? I mean, we haven't even known her for two days, remember? How can you tell me she's on my side...? Isn't it just baseless conjecture to assume she's without any malice or hostility? ... Tell me, Hikorin. Is there nothing that can change your mind?Natsuhiko averted his eyes from Yuuri's pointed stare. ...I wouldn't be so dead set if Salyu hadn't come stepping into this house on her own. I'm just worried about you, Yuuri. When I think of the possibility that Salyu might cause something bad to happen to you, I just... ...Is that why you can't accept her? ...Natsuhiko's silence brought a downcast expression to Yuuri's face. ...I'm sorry, Hikorin. I'm sorry I made you worry about that. But please... open your heart to others, at least a little. ...I'm giving it a shot. No, what you're doing now isn't enough. You need to open up your heart more... or I think you yourself will suffer. Huh? Why's that? Because, Hikorin, right now-- You'll be in grave danger if you don't cooperate with them. Especially Salyu.♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ !!The moment Yuuri said that,   
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Jan 14, 2017 18:08
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Welp. I'm not a big fan of "the ordinary world" part of most stories' set up, and that holds here, but I do like that the writer(s) worked on spicing it up. I appreciate their effort here.
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Jan 14, 2017 19:16
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Wait, so, Yuuri calls herself an esper. Is that just kid-talk for BC, or is she trying to say she can use empathy? We knew she could use BC, though she admitted she wasn't great at it, but I don't think we found out whether she used telepathy or empathy.
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Jan 14, 2017 20:08
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asymmetrical posted:Wait, so, Yuuri calls herself an esper. Is that just kid-talk for BC, or is she trying to say she can use empathy? We knew she could use BC, though she admitted she wasn't great at it, but I don't think we found out whether she used telepathy or empathy. Almost certainly just kid-talk for BC. We've learned that it's significantly harder to be able to use empathy, and you will very probably master telepathy before you start making progress with empathy. If Yuuri isn't good at BC, it's impossible for her to be able to use empathy.
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Jan 14, 2017 20:10
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IF YOU CAN DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN: 09/16/2030, 06:29 ♪ BGM: Abyss ♫ When Natsuhiko came back to his senses, he found himself standing in front of a shut gate.  Huh...? Wh-where am I?The girls responded to Natsuhiko's confusion. What's wrong, Natsuhiko!? We're in LABO. There are fires everywhere. There's no time for you to space out. The fire's drawing closer. Fire...? Ah.He finally realized what was going on when he heard that word. (Th-that's right... I was trying to get out of LABO!)And so he strained himself to try and wrench the jammed door open. Fires were raging behind them, gradually encroaching. M-my bad! I spaced out for a second! Are you okay, Natsuhiko!? Maybe I really should help out after all!? I'm sorry, please! They tried once more to pry open the door. The four of them, Natsuhiko, Mashiro, Salyu, and Yuuri, tried their best to pry open the gate. But-- It wouldn't open. No matter how much force they applied, the door wouldn't budge. D-dammit! Why...! Th-this is bad, Natsuhiko! The fire--! !?   The first to start coughing was Salyu. *cough*! *cough* *cough*! Ugh, khh... *cough*!! H-hang in there, guys! If we can just open the gate-- --Ugh! *cough*!Finally, even Natsuhiko succumbed to smoke inhalation. *cough! *cough* *cough* *cough*!Natsuhiko fell to his knees, coughing violently. *cough*! *cough* *cough*! *cough* *cough* *cough*!! *cough*! Gack...! *c... cough*...!Mashiro, Salyu, and everyone else appeared to have trouble breathing due to the smoke. Tears spilled out uncontrollably, blurring their vision. (Th-this... is bad!) But even so, it did not open. The gate was unyielding. *cough*! *cough* *cough*, *cough*...! *cough*... *cough*...Eventually, the girls' coughing grew weaker. Natsuhiko couldn't hold his breath any longer, and was forced to take a deep breath. --Haah!Smoke came rushing into his lungs that very moment. Gack! *cough* *cough* *cough*! Gack!His lungs craved for oxygen but got only ash instead. *cough*! *cough* *cough*!No amount of coughing bestowed him with any oxygen. Gah, haack--... (Crap-- I can't breathe!) *wheeze*... gah! Gack...!His head was spinning due to oxygen deprivation. His sight quickly grew dark.  His vision blurred and turned black. And something assailed him from deep inside.  (S-save me....! Somebody...!)As Natsuhiko desperately pleaded, he heard-- A voice, whispering into his ear. ...Th-that's no good, Hikorin... (Y-Yuuri...!?) Didn't I tell you...? That things would turn out this way unless everybody worked together...? If you can do it all over again, then this time... this time believe in her...!That voice soon faded away into the distance. (Yuuri, what do you...)As soon as that question crossed his mind, his watch came into view. (...!?)Were his eyes playing tricks on him--? He could've sworn his watch had been broken, but now it appeared to be ticking away the time. The hour and minute hands look blurry, but for some reason, he could clearly make out the date.  (I-I see... that's the day Yuuri said...!?)She said, ''You need to cooperate with Salyu or it'll become a life or death situation.'' (B-but it's too late...!)As Natsuhiko's heart overflowed with regret-- His consciousness sank into the darkness.  ---- -- ------ ---- --Eventually, in the deep depths of his fading consciousness-- ''Awake'', a voice called to him. Or perhaps it was merely a memory of such a voice. The moment he heard that voice... Time returned to that day once more.     ''I swear I'll save you. I will rewind your time as many times as it takes to do that.'' VOTING Well, we done goofed. In a bit of a dick move, Yuuri gives us a vital piece of information - ''you will need to trust Salyu or you'll probably die'' - but gives us that information after we've already made the choices that locked us into the bad end. The game over text talks about a SSS input right before the bad end, but we actually did not get that input because we blew it with Salyu in regards to Favor. It was supposed to come in when Yuuri says ''But I can tell.'' during THE PAST AND PRESENT YOU. Now, we're going to be entering Chapter 3 once we make it past this hurdle, but we can't make it there just yet. For now, let's update our Senses with the new information we gained from Chapter 2 - but before that, just a quick word on how this is going to work: I will be redoing Chapter 2 with the new Senses inputs you give me, and show off the changes that brings in a ''Attempt At Unfucking Ourselves'' chapter. If that still doesn't make it through, I will make the necessary changes, then go through Chapter 3 with the new Senses inputs you give me. With that in mind, pick between Top, High, Middle, Low or Bottom for Natsuhiko, Yuuri, Mashiro and Salyu.
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Jan 14, 2017 20:31
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Oh bullshit game. A cold girl we have no reason to like, know or trust starts living with us and you expect us to just accept her? What's the point of this system then? Bah okay Natsuhiko Low TopYuuri Top Mashiro Top Salyu
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Jan 14, 2017 21:22
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Alright. Top Yuuri, Salyu High Mashiro, Natsuhiko
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Jan 14, 2017 21:49
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SSNeoman posted:Oh bullshit game. A cold girl we have no reason to like, know or trust starts living with us and you expect us to just accept her? What's the point of this system then? Well, the point of the system, in a way, is to make the main character feel the "right" way about characters in order to have him survive, even if it's not conform with his values up to this point. If it were Watase or Natsuhiko making the decisions, they'd just gently caress up and die, as we've seen many times now. It's up to us to make them not gently caress up, even though their innate desire to gently caress up makes that hard at times. The game was kind of setting us up for failure here because of exactly what you said, with the goal being to bring us out of the "older Natsuhiko" mindset of keeping our distance and only trusting those we really want to trust (in our case, Mashiro) and into the "young Natsuhiko" mindset of just making friends with everybody. And it's not like the game wasn't dropping hints. Mashiro was telling us to open up to Salyu at multiple opportunities, and started doing so herself pretty much right off the bat. And had we not ruined our chances with Salyu beforehand - almost certainly at the point where we lost Favor with her during FOR YOU - Yuuri would have done the same during THE PAST AND PRESENT YOU, before the crucial SSS input we never got. Of course, there's a bit of a problem with this voting system I've got going, in that you can't really change Senses on the fly unless I were to start having voting all the time. Still, I don't think you - as in the thread as a whole - would have trusted Salyu enough. Overall, I don't think badly of the game for dropping us into a bad end like this, since it serves the goal of having us go through the same process Natsuhiko will be going through. I kind of like that as a way of making us connect with the main character. ...as a complete side note, I didn't encounter a single bad end in Route Before during my playthrough. Apparently, I was a lot more trusting than you guys are.
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Jan 14, 2017 21:54
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Top for Mashiro and Yuuri High for Salyu Middle for Natsuhiko
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Jan 14, 2017 21:58
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I'm getting some major VLR vibes now.
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Jan 14, 2017 21:59
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Mraagvpeine posted:I'm getting some major VLR vibes now. I told you, the Uchikoshi brain parasites are real. They got to Kodaka, and they got to Nakazawa just as well.
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Jan 14, 2017 22:02
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SSNeoman posted:Oh bullshit game. A cold girl we have no reason to like, know or trust starts living with us and you expect us to just accept her? What's the point of this system then? Yes, and no comment.
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Jan 14, 2017 22:48
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A sincere heart blah blah blah power of friendship. BEFRIEND EVERYONE, EVEN UKITA.
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Jan 14, 2017 22:56
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TheMcD posted:Well, the point of the system, in a way, is to make the main character feel the "right" way about characters in order to have him survive, even if it's not conform with his values up to this point. If it were Watase or Natsuhiko making the decisions, they'd just gently caress up and die, as we've seen many times now. It's up to us to make them not gently caress up, even though their innate desire to gently caress up makes that hard at times. Interestingly enough, you also apparently weren't trusting enough to unlock the friendship scenes. So you were apparently somewhat trusting but not trusting enough. Similarly interesting, I got into this bad end by favouring Mashiro over Salyu, even though Salyu was highish as well.
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Jan 14, 2017 23:02
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TheMcD posted:...as a complete side note, I didn't encounter a single bad end in Route Before during my playthrough. Apparently, I was a lot more trusting than you guys are. I did! ... because I ran my face into the Blatantly Obvious Bad End prompts on purpose and reloaded after. I didn't even realize you could just distrust hard enough to not even get that option! One thing I think hasn't been mentioned (it's pretty unimportant! just nice quality of life stuff) is that the game is pretty kind on the "reload to unfuck yourself" front. It keeps a quicksave at the start of every scene and at every SSS input prompt's activation, and on top of the usual "fast-forward until next unread text or next SSS input", you can rewind to a given point in your backlog (though I suppose by this point that was pretty common in VNs), skip directly to the next unread/input, or skip directly to the next scene bypassing everything else. So even if you have to go back a ways, it's pretty quick to get caught up to where you were. Manual saves are actually more helpful just to make a given point easier to find among the sea of quicksaves than anything else, especially for something you'll want to return to repeatedly like the party split in 9-3 to get the final friendship scenes in After/also a decent enough starting point for some of the ending cleanup there.
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Jan 14, 2017 23:10
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asymmetrical posted:Top for Mashiro and Yuuri This looks good to me. Yeah, the game was dropping some big hints, but that happened after our vote. Just the pitfalls of an LP versus playing for yourself.
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Jan 15, 2017 00:02
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TheMcD posted:I told you, the Uchikoshi brain parasites are real. They got to Kodaka, and they got to Nakazawa just as well. I don't know who Kodaka is and looking at the other names didn't yield anything, though I did learn about the anime Uchikoshi wrote for and that it was batshit insane.
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Jan 15, 2017 00:17
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Yuuri Top, Mashiron and Yuuri High, Hikorin Neutral Now, assuming the game over is not just flavour, this essentially confirms that either Natsuhiko is mentally time traveling backwards, or else that the past is the present and the future are just visions. While up until now it was possible to interpret these as flashbacks we had control over, now that Natsuhiko is 'restarting the day' that idea cannot be true.
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Jan 15, 2017 01:48
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Speculation: if you're familiar with Drakengard 3, Yuuri's doing something similar to Accord.
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Jan 15, 2017 02:04
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AlphaKretin posted:Speculation: if you're familiar with Drakengard 3, Yuuri's doing something similar to Accord. You mean, organizing the most epic Broadway kickline?
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Jan 15, 2017 04:36
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