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Mashiro: Top Yuuri: High Louise: Top-High Natsuhiko: Top And now for Psychology Time With Junpei! I promised I'd get around to this, so I'll get started with: Enneagram of Personality Types: The Basics So the basic theory of the Enneagram is that most people can be classified into nine different kinds of personalities:  This picture illustrates all the types. The lines indicate how someone of said personality type can act like another in times of stress or relaxation. For example, a Reformer (1) acts like an Individualist (4) when stressed and an Enthusiast (7) when relaxed. I'll go more in-depth into how each type works later, but for now, I'll just use this picture from the SSS tutorial to show which character is which type:  Keiji is a Reformer, acting like an Individualist (Salyu) when stressed and an Enthusiast (Natsuhiko) when relaxed. Mashiro is a Helper, acting like a Challenger (Jun) when stressed and an Individualist (Salyu) when relaxed. Ena is an Achiever, acting like a Peacemaker (Yuuri) when stressed and a Loyalist (Kazami) when relaxed. Louise is an Individualist, acting like a Helper (Mashiro) when stressed and a Reformer (Keiji) when relaxed. Watase is an Investigator, acting like an Enthusiast (Natsuhiko) when stressed and a Challenger (Jun) when relaxed. Kazami is a Loyalist, acting like a Achiever (Ena) when stressed and a Peacemaker (Yuuri) when relaxed. Natsuhiko is a Enthusiast, acting like a Reformer (Keiji) when stressed and a Investigator (Watase) when relaxed. Jun is a Challenger, acting like an Investigator (Watase) when stressed and a Helper (Mashiro) when relaxed. Yuuri is a Peacemaker, acting like a Loyalist (Kazami) when stressed and an Achiever (Ena) when relaxed. Junpei fucked around with this message at 01:32 on Jan 23, 2017 |
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Jan 22, 2017 20:53
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I can vouch for the deliciousness of Chaliapin steak.
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Jan 23, 2017 02:13
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Pollyanna posted:I can vouch for the deliciousness of Chaliapin steak.  And Chaliapin-style cube steak is also divine.
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Jan 23, 2017 02:15
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poo poo, I know what I'm making this week for dinner.
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Jan 23, 2017 02:27
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Successful Student posted:Everyone bottom because this route hasn't had nearly enough hilarious demises.
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Jan 23, 2017 02:31
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Pollyanna posted:I can vouch for the deliciousness of Chaliapin steak. This game may or may not have been the reason I tried my hand at making some a little while back.
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Jan 23, 2017 02:38
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Junpei posted:And now for Psychology Time With Junpei! I promised I'd get around to this, so I'll get started with: I'll be putting these into the second post. Also, voting is closed. Results are: Mashiro: 6 Yuuri, Natsuhiko and Salyu: 4 Will this be enough to avoid death? No, it won't.
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Jan 23, 2017 19:18
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REFRESHING MORNING: 09/13/2030, 06:49  Fwgh!? Wh-what!? What's going on!?Natsuhiko jerked up and looked around.  ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Wait, Salyu, did you do that just now...? Yes. I woke you up with a chop to the throat. Mashiro said 'Natsuhiko won't wake up unless you do this'. ...Salyu, I'm sorry to say it, but she was pulling your leg. Please just wake me up normally next time. Okay. I will if you say so. Thanks a bunch. I'll go change now, so go on ahead to the living room. Roger.Salyu left Natsuhiko's room. As he watched her leave, Natsuhiko pondered to himself. (I get the feeling Salyu showed up in my dream... but I guess it was just my imagination.)To dream about a girl he just met made it seem like he was obsessed with her. (Me? Obsessed with a little girl like that...? Impossible.)Natsuhiko quickly changed and left his room, somewhat embarrassed.   Natsuhiko greeted everyone as he entered the living room.   Good morning, Hikorin~ You're late, Natsuhiko. I've already finished preparing breakfast, too. My bad, my bad. So, what's on the menu? Going a little more subdued today, so it's rice gruel for breakfast. We ate a lot yesterday, so our stomachs are probably a little worn out. Oh, that's thoughtful of you. Natsuhiko. Hurry. To the dining table. Hurry. Okay, okay.Natsuhiko smiled wryly as he got to the dining table. He nonchalantly looked out the window.  The confusion he felt the previous morning had completely dissipated today. Salyu becoming a member of the household had certainly been an unwelcome ''change'' for Natsuhiko. But even when things change, you simply have to get used to them for them to become just another part of the ''ordinary''. One day he'd get used to the change of a new member in the household-- At least, he had a vague feeling that he would. (A beautiful blue sky outside. A delicious breakfast inside... What a great morning. I get the feeling something wonderful's going to happen today too.)And with that thought in mind, Natsuhiko started on his breakfast.
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Jan 24, 2017 20:24
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MAXWELL'S DEMON: 09/13/2030, 08:25 Natsuhiko came to the sudden realization that it was anything but a good morning.  ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Now, these upcoming three chapters are massive. To put it into perspective, my footage for the entirety of the September 12th chapter was 55 minutes, give or take. These three upcoming chapters? Over 30 minutes on their own. There will be a lot of text going on. Also, all of that will be taking place during this Parapsychology class. Get ready for a knowledge dump. Natsuhiko grumbled as they headed to the BC room. We've got way too many BC-related classes, don't you think...? ...I think so too. Well, what kind of a school do you think we go to?Mashiro was calm because she enjoyed BC. But still, it's troublesome. Why do we have to move to a specialized classroom for BC classes? Oh, that's so we don't bother the students in other classrooms. ?? Meaning? The BC room's walls are made with a 'BC insulator', a special building material meant to block out BC. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but apparently it can absorb telepathy and stuff. Kinda like a music room, I guess. Without any insulation, they leak noise and make it hard to conduct other classes, you know? Basically, in the BC room, you can go as crazy as you want with untargeted telepathy. This is your first day of practice, right Salyu? You won't bother anybody, so feel free to go nuts! How can you always be so enthusiastic...?Natsuhiko entered the BC room as he shook his head in exasperation.  Ena cheerfully addressed her students as soon as class began.  And since today's a special two-hour block period, I think I'll start off with a detailed explanation of the theoretical mechanisms behind BC. But before that-- I also need to explain what exactly 'information' is in the context of BC. While it isn't directly related to the use of telepathy, it is a key concept to the fundamentals of BC. This may be a little hard to follow, but please try to listen closely.Ena worked on her computer as she spoke. Upon which, words began to appear on the screen.  ♪ BGM: Digital Root ♫ ...sorry, couldn't resist. It's a wonder I haven't done anything like this before. ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ Before we can explain information in definite terms, we first need to go over the 'second law of thermodynamics'. (The second law of thermodynamics...?) This is an absolute, universal law. It states that 'all bodies of energy mix upon contact in a trend towards homogeneity'. Blue dots and red dots floated about in a partitioned box. This is a model of a box with two partitions, each partition containing either 2 or 100 degrees Celsius water. The dots moving on the screen are the 'molecules' that exist in nature. The red dots are 'hot molecules'. The blue dots are 'cold molecules'. And, naturally, the 'heat' energy of these molecules mixes as they come in contact with each other. For example, if you mixed '1L of hot water' with '1L of cold water', you'd get '2L of lukewarm water', correct?And with that, Ena removed the divider that partitioned the box.  They eventually reach homogeneity and become 'lukewarm water'. It's quite simple, but the same cannot be said of the reverse process. Lukewarm water doesn't spontaneously separate into cold water and hot water, does it? That's what the second law of thermodynamics illustrates. It's a rule that should be impossible to break.The students nodded in agreement. That was a sensible conclusion to make and would likely be experimentally demonstrable. But around 160 years ago-- A physicist by the name of James Maxwell reached an epiphany one day. 'What if we could observe the movement of these molecules? If we could use observational information to direct the molecules... could we not contradict the second law?' And thus, as a thought experiment, he created an imaginary creature that could observe molecules. Tips posted:TIP: Maxwell's Demon By observing molecules, Maxwell's demon can do things like this. Soon enough, Mashiro spoke out as she watched the screen. The water's separating into hot and cold...? Exactly. By observing the molecules, you can do crazy things like that. From a physics perspective, the demon 'processed information'. Information? The 'state' and 'location' of a molecule are types of 'information', correct? By merely processing that information, the demon can manipulate the energy in the system. I see... Furthermore, if the demon selectively removed hot molecules from the system-- Now class, doesn't this sound a little strange to you? To create energy out of mere information seems like creating something out of nothing, doesn't it? Y-yeah... that clearly is strange.Several people in the classroom nodded in agreement. In reality, Mr. Maxwell's thought experiment tormented physicists worldwide for over a hundred years. 'Information processing can break the second law of thermodynamics.' 'Energy can be created out of nothing.' Accepting either of those statements would throw universal laws into disarray. It would make perpetual motion a possibility. So everyone wanted to believe that the demon couldn't possibly exist... But surprisingly enough, physicists of recent years have recreated this demon in the real world. Huh!? In November 2010, a professor at Chuo University recreated Maxwell's demon in the real world, successfully converting information into a minuscule amount of energy. In July 2012, a Technical University of Munich team successfully manipulated water temperature without the application of heat. In September 2013, a certain Kyoto University student successfully converted information into electricity on their own. Indeed... the impossible 'demon' was actually brought into existence.Ena grinned. A quite ''devilish'' smirk as if she were tricking her students. But, wait, you mean we can create energy out of nothing? Doesn't that break universal laws? Has stuff like perpetual motion actually been perfected akeady? Heheh, sorry, but unfortunately, that's a no. Huh, what do you mean? Basically, there's a hole somewhere in this narrative. Can you see where?Nobody answered Ena's question. But as his mother was a famous physicist, Natsuhiko was reasonably good with physics himself. He pondered the problem in his own way and gave his opinion. Um, Professor, could it be... That the demon only -appears- to be creating energy out of nothing, but actually isn't? Oh my, Mr. Tenkawa. What makes you think that? Well, it's the demon itself-- By observing the molecules, processing their information, and directing them, isn’t the demon using energy itself? Yes, that is correct!Ena smiled gleefully as she worked the computer.  And, this may not be entirely accurate, but in layman's terms-- The energy required to observe and process the information is greater than the energy gained. So fundamentally, it's a net loss of energy. It turns out you really cannot create energy out of nothing after all. I see... so the demon wasn't really that big a deal after all, huh. Just a surprisingly normal guy. Indeed. But the recreation of the demon is still earth-shattering in a different way, you know? How so? It proved that, even though it requires a large amount of energy to do so-- --it is still possible to convert information into energy. Aah...!Natsuhiko and Mashiro gasped in unison. In Einstein's famous theory of relativity, he stated that 'energy and mass are equivalent and transmutable'.Tips posted:TIP: Theory of relativity And now we know that information can be converted into energy... which means that information can also be converted into mass. Understand? This means that information wasn't a conceptual existence, but a physical one all along. Information can be converted into mass...? What does that even mean? It demonstrates the possibility that information, something once thought to lack a form and not actually exist on its own, could have an actual, physical existence. And not just the example of the 'state of molecular distribution', but the 'volume of space' and the 'flow of time' as well. Each and every sort of information that exists in the universe. All those sorts of 'information' are invisible to the eye, but they certainly exist and can be converted into energy. Information that's invisible to the eye physically exists...? Wait, you mean even human thoughts, too? You're quite sharp. Indeed I do. All of your thoughts, intentions, feelings, and memories are more than just conceptual existences. To put it bluntly, yet somewhat romantically-- The 'spirit' exists.When Ena finished talking, the room filled with awestruck sighs. (I see... her explanation is easy to understand.)It was a concept that was a little hard to accept, but the students all seemed to at least somewhat understand. Some wondered how exactly this related to BC-- but that's exactly when Ena continued. So... right after we understood that 'information' existed as energy, many historical discoveries were made in the world of physics. Modern mainstream physics now accepts that 'information exists on its own', even without the need to convert it into media like electrical signals. Furthermore, in the same way that matter is composed of molecules-- We learned what it is that composes and transmits 'information'. What it is that composes and transmits information...? You mean like magnetic storage or digital data? Normally you would be correct, but from a physics standpoint, that's wrong. Then air, maybe? Our voices use air as an intermediary, right? It does fill the surrounding area, but that's still not right. Then, umm... is there a molecule that composes information or something? So close. But it's not quite that big.Mashiro wasn't good at physics, so she had a hard time approaching the correct answer. Natsuhiko couldn't bear watching her anymore, so he lent a helping hand. --It's an elementary particle, isn't it?Tips posted:TIP: Elementary particle Yes, that's correct, Mr. Tenkawa.Ena smiled and changed the text on the screen.  They're extraordinarily small 'dots' that are obviously too small to be seen by the eye. There are many types of elementary particles. They compose matter and mediate energy. They fill the entire universe. For example, the photon mediates electricity and magnetism. The graviton mediates gravity. They're too small to observe easily, and it's said there are many elementary particles yet to be discovered, but... Sixteen years ago, a new elementary particle was discovered that composed and transmitted 'information'. They're elementary particles that are molded and transmitted by the brain activity of all living animals, and thus humans. Information was once believed to be something transmitted through the air or via telephone or internet lines-- But those things were only facsimiles of information. Information in its truest sense existed in a completely different form. You kids use these BC particles as an intermediary when you use BC... but does it really feel like that?The students silently shook their heads. Ena nodded as she continued. Now then, allow me to explain exactly what happens when information is exchanged when using BC....and that's something that you get to look forward to hearing tomorrow, as this is when the chapter ends.
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Jan 24, 2017 21:11
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I wonder if they'll mention anything about information entropy? It doesn't relate to the Second Law of Thermodynamics but does have a connection to signal processing.
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Jan 24, 2017 22:47
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what
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Jan 25, 2017 01:28
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It's like actually being back in class. I hope there isn't a test on this stuff!
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Jan 25, 2017 02:19
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None of this makes any loving sense.
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Jan 25, 2017 03:56
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It's like the writers looked up some weird scientific facts (I've actually heard about Maxwell's Demon before, though the whole 'removing energy and creating fire' was new) and then proceeded to base all this stuff on flawed understanding of it all.
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Jan 25, 2017 05:14
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GeneralYeti posted:It's like the writers looked up some weird scientific facts (I've actually heard about Maxwell's Demon before, though the whole 'removing energy and creating fire' was new) and then proceeded to base all this stuff on flawed understanding of it all. So it's like a Kojima thing  "Information for energy huh? What if we fueled a town with a psychic reactor? Just toss some psychics in there and we're good." Oh jeez what if the fire Kazami's sister died in was actually something like that  Like a psychic short circuit
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Jan 25, 2017 05:18
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Danaru posted:So it's like a Kojima thing And now with Information for mass? Yuuki is a solid ghost 
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Jan 25, 2017 08:44
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EponymousMrYar posted:Yuuki is a solid ghost
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Jan 25, 2017 11:59
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freshlybaked posted:Isn't a solid ghost just a zombie or vampire? Which still wouldn't be good news either way. No no, a zombie is a reanimated corpse WITHOUT the ghost inside. Theoretically you can get a ghost and a zombie from the same person. ...Which would explain the two Yuuris situation 
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Jan 25, 2017 12:47
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Wasn't Maxwell's Demon never really... taken seriously to begin with?
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Jan 25, 2017 17:31
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asymmetrical posted:Wasn't Maxwell's Demon never really... taken seriously to begin with? Well, what do you mean? Obviously no-one ever thought there were actually little creatures opening and closing doors, but it's a thought experiment that raised significant questions about the understanding of thermodynamics at the time. Thorough answers to those questions weren't really produced until decades later.
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Jan 25, 2017 18:17
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Danaru posted:what Pollyanna posted:None of this makes any loving sense. It's cute you think this doesn't make any sense. Just wait for the next chapter.
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Jan 25, 2017 19:04
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MINDSEEKER: 09/13/2030, 08:41 ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ You thought the last update was some poo poo? You ain't ready for this. I promise, some of you in the thread are going to *freak* about this chapter. Let's take a look at what exactly happens from a physical standpoint to achieve that.Ena worked on her computer as she spoke. Which caused the screen to display a figure of a person's head.  ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ Which of course includes your skulls and your brains within... Also, brain activity itself is 'thought information' which is generated by the brain's electrical signals. This 'thought information' is transmittable to the outside. Though obviously, the information energy created from thoughts is extremely minuscule. When BC particles leave the brain, their energy diffuses in the blink of an eye, causing the thought information to disappear as well. Normally it'd be impossible to use this method to convey your thoughts to others, but... It is possible for certain individuals, namely you 'Communicators'. You use this part of the brain here. Tips posted:TIP: BC receptor The function of this organ was once unknown, but-- In recent years, its use in the transmission and reception of BC has been clarified. Your BC receptor's structure and capacity for growth is determined at birth by genetics. That is what determines your 'aptitude'... And the extent to which you can consciously use it is what determines your 'ability level'. (I see. So in other words, the BC receptor in my brain is apparently quite different from that of an ordinary person.)That said, he could not understand at all how that would actually allow them to use BC. But just as if she had seen through him, Ena continued.  Tips posted:TIP: Telepathy  The characteristic brain waveform is the pattern of the electric current that constantly flows through your BC receptor. It varies from person to person. That pattern is also mediated by BC particles and is faintly transmitted to your surroundings. Even if you're not a Communicator. Everyone with a functioning brain leaks out a minute amount of information energy. It's a truly minute amount of energy that most people can't perceive, but Communicators can. By perceiving a target's pattern, you can use it to give your telepathy directionality. Basically, you can selectively specify who receives it. In terms of a phone call, it's akin to knowing someone's phone number. Doing so causes your characteristic brain waveform and that of the target to interact with atmospheric BC particles-- Thereby establishing a remote brain-brain connection mediated by the BC particles. In terms of a phone call, it's perhaps the same as connecting to the other person's line. And the BC receptor inside the Communicator's brain begins to work hard. Which amplifies the normally minute information energy in the brain anywhere from several thousand to several hundred million times. The amplified energy is sent in the form of BC particles to the BC receptor in the target's brain... Which causes the auditory complex to secrete neurotransmitters that makes it sound like a voice is inside their head. In terms of a phone call, it would be actually talking to the person on the phone. Those are the three steps to the process of expressing telepathy.♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Just about everybody who had dealt with BC had heard at least a little about that process. But Salyu kept nodding as she listened intently. So you're saying that Communicators can generate information energy inside their brains? That sounds like you're creating something out of nothing. That's not exactly the case. Actually, when a Communicator uses BC, it consumes calories just like exercise does. Essentially, to create information energy, you need to convert it from the body's heat energy. Huh!? So you mean you can diet by using telepathy all day!? Many people are under that impression... but before you can actually affect your weight, your brain usually tires out and loses concentration, rendering you incapable of continuing telepathy. Tch, too bad...! Well, in any case, since Communicators can process information energy through concentration, they are in a sense similar to Maxwell's demon. But in the end, you cannot create something out of nothing. Not even demons can break universal laws. I understand now. So Communicators are still just a category of normal human beings.Even Salyu nodded in agreement with Ena's words. There are quite a few Communicators who can use telepathy despite not knowing a thing about its underlying mechanisms or theories. In the same way that you don't need to understand the physiology of the lungs and diaphragm to breathe. ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ That is, perceiving the target's characteristic brain waveform and giving their telepathy directionality. Unless you get this step correct, your telepathy will leak everywhere. Everyone in the vicinity will hear your message. Now, I know I'm saying this as someone who can't use BC, but leaky telepathy is annoying, so I don't like it. What I do like is smart use of telepathy. If others hear your confessions of love or other such private talk, it ruins the purpose of telepathy.♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Ena's remark reminded Natsuhiko of business as usual at school. How telepathy would fly about at random and how Ena would have to use the intercom to warn against it. (True, it really is annoying...)The moment that thought crossed Natsuhiko's mind, Ena fiddled with the computer once more. ...And with that, let's now introduce the 'Enneagram'!Tips posted:TIP: Enneagram  And with that, a diagram of a irregular nine-pointed star appeared on the screen. It was a figure often seen in BC practice. Now, you might be asking 'the Enneagram again?', but the basics are always important. Today, let's try practicing with this in mind.Salyu looked at the figure quizzically and muttered. ...Enneagram? Hmm? Is this figure not widespread in the French method of BC training programs? --Yeah. I see. Well, let me use this opportunity to explain it once again. Everyone else listen closely too, to make sure you know it front and back.Ena then began to explain the figure. This figure was originally created for another purpose, but we now use it in BC training to classify the nine types of characteristic brain waveforms. Even though the characteristic brain waveform varies from person to person, they don't deviate too far from these nine types. It's mostly minor individual variations. You should fall into one of these nine types as well, Ms. Sannomiya. I understand now.Salyu nodded deeply at Ena's explanation. So basically you can use this as a model to help perceive your target's brain waveform. From there, you can adjust for individual variation, right? Very perceptive of you, Ms. Sannomiya. The Enneagram is indeed a BC beginner's guide to perceiving brain waveforms. Incidentally, a person's characteristic brain waveform is said to reflect that person's personality. Perceiving someone's waveform could help you understand them and serve as the first step to forming an emotional bond... Though, it might be a little forced to say that much.Ena smiled wryly before addressing the students. Anyway, class? Let's practice telepathy with a particular focus on directionality today. So, as always, split up into groups of two, okay?Okay, so I don't know why, but the forum doesn't like my post in its entirety. So here's a split. TheMcD fucked around with this message at 21:57 on Jan 25, 2017 |
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Jan 25, 2017 20:28
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MINDSEEKER: 09/13/2030, 08:41 - PART 2 ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Natsuhiko was about to partner up with Mashiro, but-- Oh wait, that means Salyu's missing a partner. Can't practice alone... so I'll go sleep. Hey, you can't do that, Salyu.Mashiro turned her head and spoke to Ena. Ms. Ena, can we form a group of three to include Ms. Sannomiya? Of course. Ah, that's right. I believe you've already mastered telepathy, Ms. Toba, so could you lead Mr. Tenkawa and Ms. Sannomiya for me? Yes, ma'am, leave it to me! Good. Please, begin then.And with that, Ena started to look around the classroom. Mashiro smirked and turned to Natsuhiko and Salyu. Okay then, let's get things started, guys! You sure seem enthusiastic... look, I know she said to lead us, but you don't really need to do anything special, right? What's that, Natsuhiko? Talking back to your senior drill instructor, are we? S-senior drill instructor?As Natsuhiko spoke in confusion, Mashiro puffed up her chest in pride.  ♪ BGM: Foolishness ♫ I am Gunnery Sergeant Mashiro Toba, your senior BC drill instructor! From now on, the first and last words out of your filthy sewers will be 'Sir'. Do you babies understand that?Those were lines from a famous war movie. Though she did try to tone down the language. ...Mashiro got scary all of a sudden. Why's that? Just play along and say 'Sir, yes Sir'. That's the only way to please her when she gets like this. Okay. Sir, yes Sir. Good, then let's commence training on the double!Mashiro faced Natsuhiko and Salyu as she spoke. First, perceive each other's brain waveforms! Even baby Communicators can do it if they try! Now move it! Sir, yes Sir.Natsuhiko played along for the time being as he focused on Salyu in front of him. (This is the only part I'm good at...) And eventually-- ♪ BGM: Silence ♫  This basically only appears for a split second. Salyu's characteristic brain waveform flickered in the back of Natsuhiko's mind. (I saw it! It's Type 4!)It was the waveform of artists and eccentrics. Hers was quite varied from the archetypal characteristic, but he somehow managed to perceive it correctly.  ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ I perceived it. You're a Type 4, Salyu.Salyu opened her eyes wide as Natsuhiko pointed at the Enneagram. Is that so? Never knew that. What about you, Salyu? Did you perceive my waveform? ...Umm, probably. I think it's that one.Salyu pointed to the upper part of the Enneagram. Wow Salyu, you really are a quick learner. That's right, I'm a Type 7.Natsuhiko didn't quite understand why it was his classification, but it was said to be the brain waveform of enthusiastic people. (Well, I guess predicting personality with brainwaves is kind of like predicting it with blood types. That is, it's not that accurate at all...)As Natsuhiko pondered, Mashiro spoke with satisfaction. Today, you people are no longer babies! Today, you are Communicators. You're part of a brotherhood. Huh, boot camp over already? Nah, well, it's tiring to keep talking like that, so I just wanted to go back to normal. That helps a lot. Now, now, that hurts. Mashiro laughed out loud before continuing. Now then, why don't we try actually communicating through telepathy? The trick to telepathy is to concentrate hard with all your mind. So it might be easier to go with something you feel from the bottom of your heart rather than something you don't really mean. I see. So something I feel from the bottom of my heart, huh...As Natsuhiko pondered that trick, Salyu tugged on his sleeve. Natsuhiko, try it. Okay, then, let's get to it--Natsuhiko concentrated to the best of his ability. (... I'm starving. Maybe the rice gruel was too good with helping digestion. I hope class ends soon so we can have lunch already...!)He intended to send the message that he truly felt from the bottom of his heart. But no matter how desperately he concentrated, Salyu said nothing and her expression didn't change at all. ...So, did you get my telepathy? Not at all. I see. I knew it...He really was bad at BC. The telepathy he used three days ago was looking more and more like some sort of fluke. Stay patient and take turns practicing. Salyu, you're up next. Roger.Salyu put her hand up to her temple. (Mmgh, she looks serious...)That was their first time seeing Salyu using BC. Natsuhiko watched in bated breath to see the extent of her ability-- ... I'm hungry.That's the voice he heard. But it wasn't information firing off in his brain, but her natural voice passing through her lips. ... ...Umm, Salyu? You spoke out loud, you know? Yes.Salyu calmly answered Mashiro's question.  A blue branch with Salyu at 4. Bad? ...Yes, essentially. I see...The school naturally attracted students who wanted to become great Communicators. People who were fully aware of how bad they were at BC like Natsuhiko and Salyu were a tiny minority. ...Looks like you're gonna have a tough time from now on. Your concern is unnecessary. And I don't want to hear it from you. Your ability level's 0 too after all. Well, yeah, that's true, but...Natsuhiko looked somewhat daunted. (Well, Salyu's right. My real motivation is to not make other people worry, but...)That's when Ena spoke out to them. Oh my? Ms. Sannomiya, are you not good with BC? That appears to be the case. I see... but I heard Ms. Sannomiya had Rank D Aptitude.Aptitude was, in a sense, a Communicator's talent or latent ability. Rank D Aptitude was fifth from the top. It was the lowest aptitude among students at this school, but-- You should be able to master telepathy depending on how hard you train... so how about it? ...Actually, I have trouble using telepathy. Not only am I bad at BC, but it's also dependent on my physical condition. Hmm, you not feeling good today? Yes. When I can't use it, I can't use it at all. Especially during menstruation and such. Huh!?♪ BGM: Foolishness ♫ Natsuhiko and the others were taken aback by her abrupt use of that word. I-I see... well, try not to push yourself, okay?Ena forced a stiff smile and let them be. ...You know, Salyu. I don't think it's good for you to say stuff like that in the presence of boys. Really? Okay, I'll be careful. Yeah, that'd be for the best...Natsuhiko once again began to think that she really was an odd girl. ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ So I guess you two are around the same level, huh? In that case, let Gunnery Sergeant Mashiro here show you a textbook example. Sure, that sounds like it'd be good for Salyu. Mm, please do. Okay, then I'll do some practice myself-- and show you guys a bunch of different types of telepathy.Mashiro took out her parapsychology textbook as she spoke. There were several BC skill training methods written in there. For example, according to the text, the best shortcut to improving telepathy skill was to actually use that ability. So, starting with Telepathy Improvement Manual Part 15: Transmitting Abstract Thoughts. This is practice for sending thoughts that can't be expressed in words. Thoughts that can't be expressed in words? For example, you can send abstract messages that are hard to describe like happy feelings or sad emotions. So with that said, I'll try sending you guys some different emotions through telepathy. Close your eyes and concentrate on receiving them. Okay. ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ and eventually, Mashiro's voice rang out in their heads. {Okay, so first I'll start with a calm emotion. First I'll send it to Natsuhiko, and then to Salyu.} ♪ BGM: Helper / Theme of Mashiro ♫ Mm... I feel kinda relaxed. ...I feel all snuggly. {I know, right? By the way, this is generally how I always feel. Next up is a sad emotion.} ♪ BGM: Anxious Times of Rokumei City ♫ *sniff*... Wh-what... what is this? I want to cry now. {This is how I felt when I dropped my wallet the other day... It makes me want to cry just sending it to you. Okay, time to pull ourselves back together. Next I'll send you what it feels like to fall in love.} ♪ BGM: Words of Healing ♫ W-w-whoa...! It's so mushy and saccharine... yet so passionate...! M-Mashiro, is this how you yourself feel when you're in love...? {Non non. This is what I imagined as I read a romance manga the day before yesterday.} Wait, what the hell kind of manga did you read to get -this-...? It feels so adult, and, well, a little erotic, too... {That's a secret. Though it's true that its content might be a little too mature for Salyu, though.}And with that, Mashiro's telepathy performance came to a close.  ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ How was it, guys? What do you think of expert level telepathy? Mm, it felt quite mysterious. I never met such a skilled Communicator back home. That was a first. You're amazing, Mashiro. Yeah, you're getting better and better at telepathy, huh. Heheheh, it's all thanks to training. Well, just goes to show how if you train hard enough, you can gain access to communication that only Communicators can use. Interesting. What else is possible? Let's see... well, there's stuff like transmitting complex logical thought processes. Okay, so let me look at the text for a little bit... as I send you the value of pi.As Mashiro said this, a long string of numbers pounded Natsuhiko's brain. {3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288--} Uwah, that feels kinda gross! But I'm pretty sure you can still convey this with normal words. Well, it's at least a convenience since it takes less time than explaining verbally. But it's most effective to do simple straightforward training like this.The truth was that outside of her training time with Natsuhiko, Mashiro would work hard at this sort of practice. And as a result, her telepathy precision increased and she became capable of many different types of telepathy applications. At any rate, it's an extremely interesting ability, so you two should get into it and try hard too! First, let's start with point-blank range transmission to a familiar target. Sir, yes Sir.At Mashiro's suggestion, the two of them began telepathy practice a little more seriously than usual. But in the end, before either Natsuhiko or Salyu could successfully send a single message-- --the first hour of class came to an end.  Looks like we've still got a tough journey ahead of us, huh. Now, now, just take it nice and slow.As they were having that conversation, Ena addressed the students. Class, if you've got any questions about today's lecture, feel free to ask! My vast stock of BC knowledge is always ready for open ears! (Vast stock of BC knowledge, huh? I usually ignore all that, but...)Feeling just a little bit more open to BC now, Natsuhiko decided to ask a small question for once. Umm, Professor? Oh my, Mr. Tenkawa, how rare of you to ask a question~ What is it? I know you said that more and more BC discoveries have been made in recent years-- But telepathy and stuff existed even before the Grand BC Discovery, right? So how was it all treated back in those days? I see, that dates back to when I was a child. Hmm, let's see... well, first of all, nobody even considered the possibility that humans could directly conduct brain—brain exchange of 'information' through elementary particles. I can imagine. That was before we even knew about the true form of 'information', after all. But it's possible that everyone vaguely perceived the existence of BC itself, though. What had previously been labeled as a person's 'atmosphere' or 'aura' was likely their 'characteristic brain waveform' in actuality. Huh, so that way of thinking existed back then, too...Right after Natsuhiko spoke, Salyu cut into the conversation. Ena. Have non-Communicators ever used telepathy in the past?Ena was taken aback by a student calling her by just her first name, but she still answered in good humor. Very good question, Ms. Sannomiya. It's quite rare, but it is possible depending on the situation. For example, there's the so-called 'premonition'-- like that phenomenon when someone dies that causes their family to somehow sense it from far away. What happens is that on the verge of death, survival instincts kick in, giving a temporary surge of brain functionality, which of course, includes the BC receptor as well... The prevailing viewpoint is that the brain then transmits telepathy to the person's family. In other words, it's the person's first and last use of telepathy in their life. I see. Very interesting.Mashiro then added even more to the conversation. So, Ms. Ena? Does that mean that things once considered occult in the past can be explained as a sort of BC? Exactly. That's what makes parapsychology so interesting. It's afield that scientifically elucidates all kinds of mysterious phenomena. It's no exaggeration to say that with the discovery of BC particles, every sort of occultic phenomena you can think of has become the target of scientific research. In an extreme example, some people are even considering the possibility that 'ghosts' just might be another type of BC. Huh? Ghosts? Yes. Remember how I said that people on the verge of death have expressed telepathy even without being Communicators? BC energy created by telepathy starts decaying after it's sent, but it's not like it fades to zero immediately. So in other words, with or without a target, extraordinarily strong BC can remain in place for a while... which means? Umm, if you go to that person's place of death, you can hear their voice from when they were alive? Exactly. Like 'curse you~' and such. Furthermore, since BC can also express emotions, the bitterness the person felt at death could accompany their voice. ...That's frightening. But that also means that the feelings of the dead remain in this world, doesn't it? It sure is romantic, isn't it, Ms. Toba? But that actually might be the case. If your thoughts, memories, and spirit all exist as energy, then it's only natural for your feelings to remain in the world of the living after death, isn't it?Ena and Mashiro smiled at each other. (Geez, these two really like that sort of stuff, don't they...)As Natsuhiko mulled over the content of their conversation-- Break time came to an end.
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Jan 25, 2017 20:33
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I have no idea why, but the forum just did not like those two posts put together. So, commence going nuts about ghosts now. But please don't overlook the fact that Mashiro has seen Full Metal Jacket.
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Jan 25, 2017 20:51
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TheMcD posted:So, commence going nuts about ghosts now. Honestly, that was too much bullshit for me to process. Ghosts have gone from a dumb joke to a welcome alternative.
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Jan 25, 2017 21:48
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TheMcD posted:So, commence going nuts about ghosts now. But please don't overlook the fact that Mashiro has seen Full Metal Jacket. I was going to get irritated about ghosts, but Full Metal Jacket is too good to be mad. Also, you have a broken quote tag in the first part of the update, the BC receptor tip.
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Jan 25, 2017 21:55
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I'm honestly more interested in what happened between the telepathic confessor and the teacher. Though yeah, Yuuri is the demons
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Jan 25, 2017 23:38
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SSNeoman posted:Though yeah, Yuuri is the demons EDIT: I also recalled I had to take one of those official pay-to-play Enneagram tests for an old job. I just looked up my results and my top two types were 4 (Individualist) and 6 (Loyalist). asymmetrical fucked around with this message at 00:18 on Jan 26, 2017 |
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Jan 26, 2017 00:15
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Whoa, a little after I post the first bit about the Enneagram it comes up in the story. That was incredibly good timing.
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Jan 26, 2017 00:25
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Huh. So he can actually tune in on people easily? Is that a skill or something even a baby could do?
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Jan 26, 2017 01:16
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I'm sure there's enough information here to figure out exactly what's up with Yuuri, but I can't be arsed to do so. But yeah, it definitely looks like there's FM data ghosts involved. This should be fun. This world seems to see reality as we do computers, where discrete chunks of matter can communicate with other chunks on some sort of messaging protocol. If so, then it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to assume the whole concept of "code as data" and "data as code" might have an analogue as well. So, the data that remains after someone dies continues to be "executed" by the world these characters live in and as such continues to "live", in a fashion, leading to data ghosts. And therefore ghost Yuuri is a long-running orphaned reality-computer process.  gently caress it, this is giving me a headache.
Pollyanna fucked around with this message at 03:34 on Jan 26, 2017 |
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Jan 26, 2017 03:30
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Ghost reactors. 
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Jan 26, 2017 04:27
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Glazius posted:Huh. So he can actually tune in on people easily? Is that a skill or something even a baby could do? I suppose it's a skill. Consider the running plotlines going on in the untargeted BC chatter going on at school - these people are clearly not getting it.
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Jan 26, 2017 18:20
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PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT: 09/13/2030, 10:00 ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Ena explained the next topic to the students. Now then, class. Let's practice 'empathy' for the next hour.Tips posted:TIP: Empathy Empathy is the ability to read other people's minds. It's quintessential to BC. That said... there's nobody in the class that can use empathy yet, is there?After seeing the students meekly shake their heads, Ena continued. Indeed, empathy is several times more difficult than telepathy, even though the underlying theory is pretty much the same.Ena tampered with the computer as she spoke, causing text to appear on the screen.  ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ During this connection, your target will emit trace amounts of information energy. Regardless of whether they're a Communicator or not. Thinking naturally causes you to emit energy. It's even less energy than the characteristic brain waveform and it's quite complicated... But experienced Communicators are able to perceive it. If they successfully analyze it, an 'auditory hallucination' occurs in their auditory cortex and they hear the target's 'mental voice'. And that is the three step process to expressing empathy.Upon hearing her explanation-- ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Male Student 1: I-I see. It's easy to understand when you say it like that, but it's easier said than done...! --one student spoke up first. The other students nodded in agreement. True... I know it's a lot harder than it sounds, too. In terms of a phone call, it's as if the other side is talking quietly to ensure you normally wouldn't hear them. It's the same with normal conversation. You can try talking to someone whenever you want, but sometimes it's hard to get someone else to start talking...Ena smiled a little awkwardly as she continued. But in any case, there's one important principle you must never forget when using empathy. That is, your target absolutely must open their heart to you. If you try to use empathy on a target who has not opened their heart, their mental voice will be plagued with noise. When two brains connect, the target's brain instinctively senses danger and actively works to combat having its thoughts read. That self-defense mechanism manifests in the form of noise. Which is why when you use empathy, you must first get your target to think it's okay for you to read their mind. Otherwise, even if you do invoke empathy, you won't be able to properly hear your target's mental voice. I see. But why are human brains equipped with that sort of defense mechanism?Upon hearing Mashiro's question, Ena grinned and replied. No idea. Huh? Wh-what do you mean--? BC theory is still under development, you see. There are various theories, but nothing conclusive yet. For example, one theory states that when people feel uncomfortable about someone else, their thoughts begin to run wild, and that's what causes the noise. One theory even states that Communicators have existed for ages, and the noise is a defense mechanism acquired by non-Communicators to protect themselves from them. There are many theories, but for the time being, it's a mystery. For now, I believe it's fine to just accept it as a fact of life. But still, if it weren't for this defense mechanism, empathy would be regarded as a truly dangerous ability, wouldn't it...A faint shadow casted over Ena's face as she said this. That's when Salyu suddenly spoke up. Are there any students in this school who can use empathy? Huh? Yes... indeed, there are quite a few scattered from the elementary campus all the way through to the high school campus. So even if empathy seems extremely difficult to use, it's by no means a mere pipe dream for you kids. By the way, if you become able to use empathy, you're awarded Ability Level 4 certification or higher, unconditionally.Students: Whooaa~! The students got excited at those words. In this school. students with high BC ability levels were treated preferentially. Ability Level 4 and 5 students in particular received special privileges such as tuition waivers and scholarships. They even received recommendations to major in parapsychology in top colleges. Furthermore, students who can use empathy gain the respect of other students with that feat alone. (I'm sure at an ordinary school, being able to read minds would get you beat up and ostracized...)But that was far from the case at Rokumei Academy. Rokumei Academy severely punished any instance of discrimination against empaths. Since the school's original intent was to provide Communicators protection against discrimination, this rule was strictly enforced. That said, that's a huge landmark for everyone to aim for. I'm sure it's worth giving it your best shot.Students: Yes ma'am. Of course, those of you who can't do telepathy can continue practicing that. Practice according to your own levels. Now then, class. Team up with your neighbor, and-- commence practice! Mashiro looked around the noisy classroom and spoke confidently. Awwrighty! It's training time for me now! Mashiro, are you going to practice empathy? Yeah. Even though I can use telepathy, I can't use empathy at all. Did Dr. Tenkawa not tell you? --That's right. She did tell me about your and Natsuhiko's ability levels. Mashiro is Ability Level 3, and Natsuhiko is Ability Level 0. Mmgh... did Mom really have to say all that?Natsuhiko let out a hmph. --''Ability Level'' was a measurement of how much practical control one had over BC. In other words, it was a sort of measurement of one's worth. There were 6 levels in total from 0 to 5. Level 0 - Cannot use telepathy. Level 1 - Can use very short-range telepathy. Level 2 - Can use short-range telepathy. Level 3 - Can use long-range telepathy. Level 4 - Can use long-range telepathy and very short-range empathy. Level 5 - Can use very long-range telepathy and short-range empathy. The level divisions were roughly as shown above, omitting a few particulars. At Ability Level 3, Mashiro was a Communicator capable of long-range telepathy. In other words, she was just one step away from being able to use empathy. Now then, since I helped you guys out for the first hour, this time you help me out, okay? Okay, sounds fair enough. Roger. Let's start off with Natsuhiko. May I read your mind? Sure. If you can.Once Natsuhiko gave his consent, Mashiro went right up into his face. ...A little too close for comfort, don't you think? Sorry, but BC's just easier the closer you are to your target.Mashiro closed her eyes and said no more. Certainly enough, the energy of the BC particles used in BC transmissions would decrease proportionally to the distance between the esper and the target. Naturally, since Mashiro was a beginner to empathy, it would only make sense for her to get right up close to Natsuhiko, but-- (This feels so awkward...)Natsuhiko got uncomfortable as he followed Mashiro's lead and closed his eyes too.  ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ --Mashiro spoke from right in front of him. Natsuhiko whispered in reply. Yeah. Probably. You sure? I can't hear your mental voice at all, though... Open up some more. Easier said than done. How am I supposed to do that? No need to think too hard about it. Just try to get into a friendly mood with me. And then focus on some easy to understand words. Okay...Natsuhiko drove out all thoughts of embarrassment as he tried to focus. (Hmm, I'm really hungry... the second hour's really too long to bear. I'm hungry... so drat hungry!)That moment, Natsuhiko noticed Mashiro's body twitch. --I heard it!! Natsuhiko opened his eyes in surprise. Staring right at him was Mashiro's overly confident face. Yeah! I heard your mental voice! The cries of your spirit! Wh-what did you hear!?♪ BGM: Foolishness ♫ 'Mashiro's so gosh darn cute! I know it's just for training, but I'm so blessed just to be able to be this close to her!' I'm sorry, but that's incorrect. Not a single part of that was right.Natsuhiko stared coldly at Mashiro as she spouted off lines far detached from reality. Uugh... you're so mean, Natsuhiko. You could've at least played along a little... But you're always like that, you know?It was almost a habit for Mashiro to screw around during empathy practice. Mashiro had Rank B Aptitude. With a value that high, it wouldn't be strange at all for her to have eventually gained the use of empathy-- But she remained at Ability Level 3 for the past few years. And yet she never took practice seriously. And that's why you'll never acquire empathy at this rate. I don't want to hear that from you, Mr. Level 0. Hmph, I bet we just lack affinity, that's all. Okay, then, Salyu, will you help me practice? Mm... okay.Mashiro got close to Salyu and closed her eyes. (Is Salyu opening her heart...?)Natsuhiko watched in bated breath. !And eventually, Mashiro opened her eyes wide. ...I heard it! I heard Salyu's voice! She said 'I'm hungry'! C-correct. Hey, Mashiro, you can tell that even without using empathy. I mean, she said so herself a few minutes ago. You sure are full of complaints today, huh, Natsuhiko!? That's not the problem here...Natsuhiko and Mashiro’s voices filled the BC room. They spent some more time practicing, but in the end, Mashiro didn't come up with any results at all. ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Eventually, Ena spoke up near the end of class. --Ms. Toba, did you figure out any of the tricks to using empathy? Not at all...Voices saying ''same here'' popped up all across the classroom. No, it's nothing to be disheartened about. I think it's a transcendentally difficult technique too. Hmm, so how exactly do we go about acquiring it? How indeed. I'm not a Communicator, so I don't believe I can give you any practical advice, but... From what I've heard, according to a certain researcher, your 'intention' is quite important when training your BC ability potential. Intention? Yes. When using telepathy, your intention is that you want to tell someone else your feelings. When using empathy, your intention is that you want to know someone else's feelings. It may seem like a simple mental theory, but it's actually quite important. BC is, after all, communication using the brain. 80 the importance of that intention is only natural, isn't it? Yeah... I think I understand.Natsuhiko also felt like he understood. After all, if that were indeed the case, it'd only be obvious that someone as disinterested in BC as Natsuhiko would be unable to even use telepathy. But then he thought about the accident several days ago, and how he tried to warn Mashiro with all his heart to get away from the car. (Maybe that's why I was only able to use telepathy that one time...)Ena continued as Natsuhiko pondered to himself. In essence, BC can be called a technique meant to exchange ideas and intentions. An ability meant to reach out and establish bonds with people. When you truly want to convey your feelings to someone... When you truly want to know what's in their heart... perhaps that's when your abilities will bloom. Everyone might have varying aptitude ranks, but you all should have what it takes. All that's left is likely a problem of mind over matter. So don't lose hope. Keep practicing, okay?Ena finished speaking right as the bell rang. Okay, that's the end of today's practice. Thanks for the good two-hour block period!
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Jan 26, 2017 19:58
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THE WOMAN FROM SIRIUS: 09/13/2030, 11:46 ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Natsuhiko left the classroom and made the arduous journey through the whirlpool of telepathy.           Geez. Another complete waste of time today... Agreed. Now, now. Slow and steady wins the race. Does it, now...? Well, I do admit that last part of the discussion was kind of interesting.When Natsuhiko shrugged his shoulders, Salyu tugged at his sleeve and implored him. More importantly, let's eat already. We don't have infinite lunch time. True. How about we all eat together on top of the roof? Then let's go buy food first.The three of them made their way. They stocked up on baked goods and started heading for the roof. Natsuhiko bought a katsu sandwich and yakisoba bread. Mashiro bought a sandwich, donut, waffle, and pudding. As for Salyu-- She bought seven varieties of bread in total. Salyu, you sure bought a lot, huh? ...Because I wasn't sure which ones would taste good. So I wanted to try a variety. I definitely did not give into gluttony. Just curious how they taste. Hmm? Well, okay. Let's leave it at that.Mashiro and Natsuhiko looked at each other and smiled wryly. (That's obviously not the case since she kept saying how hungry she was a while ago.)Perhaps Salyu was ashamed of her own gluttony. ...But you're not one to talk, Mashiro. All you bought was tons of sweet looking foods. That's true. This girl here can eat a lot more than you'd expect. Would it have hurt to choose between either the donut or the waffle? Don't worry. My body's built to not get fat no matter how much I eat.As they were having that conversation, they reached a turn in the hallway, when suddenly-- Whagh! ♪ BGM: Challenger / Theme of Jun ♫ Mashiro ended up tumbling down. She apparently ran into a woman on the other side of the turn. Ow ow ow... Oh boy. You okay?The woman that bumped into Mashiro reached out her hand. My bad, my bad. I wasn't looking. Can you stand? Ah, yes, I'm fine. I wasn't looking where I was going eith-- wait, huh?Mashiro exclaimed in surprise as she got up. Aren't you...? Hmm? Have we met somewhere? Mashiro, do you know her? We were all at the scene of that accident! Remember?Those words jogged Natsuhiko's memory. Ah, so you must be...!--The rescue worker that responded to the traffic accident three days ago.  (That's her...) Ah! You're the kids who reported that accident, aren't you? Huh? You remember!? I'm touched! Hmm? Touched? The first time I saw your rescue work in action, I became an instant fan~! You were so awesome! Ahahah, it's not that big a deal. I was only assigned to the squad last month. Is that so? But still, that's all the more awesome! Just a short time after you got assigned, you're already doing dramatic rescues!The worker blushed as Mashiro showered her with praise. ...Hahah. It's not like I do it for the praise, but I really do appreciate it.Seeing that smile gave Natsuhiko an impression. (I see. Guess she genuinely likes helping people out...)He thought it made her a noble person, but it also made him feel like a commoner in comparison. But Mashiro on the other hand seemed to take a liking to her. She cheerfully introduced herself. Ah, I'm Mashiro Toba. And these are my friends-- Hi. I'm Natsuhiko Tenkawa. ...Louise Yui Sannomiya. Huh, oh, you're half-Japanese? Guess I should've expected the fabled Rokumei Academy to be international to boot. By the way, I'm Jun Moribe. Call me Jun. Okay. Nice to meet you, Jun! Still, I didn't expect them to send in a rescue team for an accident like that. Yeah, you're right... Don't you usually mobilize for more large-scale disasters? Well, thing is, we just happened to be deployed on a different case nearby that day. We got contacted on our way back, so we rushed over there. Being on a rescue squad means going from mission to mission. It ain't no cakewalk, that's for sure. Sounds tough... Nah, but still, I'm doing this because I like it. But, Jun... what made you decide to enlist in a rescue squad to begin with? I think it must be super tough for a girl to be a rescue squad member. Hmmm~...Jun pondered that question for a moment before answering. ...Don't laugh, but... I guess it's because I wanted to be a hero. A blue branch with Mashiro at 6. Yeah, I've always looked up to them ever since I was a kid~Natsuhiko found himself intrigued by her words. (Someone's actually living my childhood dream...?)Natsuhiko himself had wished to be that sort of person at one point. And so did Mashiro-- I know exactly what you mean! When I was a kid, I too swore to myself that I would protect this town I so dearly love!Tips posted:TIP: BeyoBEYO/Episode 3 Commentary Ahahah, you've got promise, I'll tell ya that. Once you graduate from here, you should enlist in a firefighter academy. But that's kinda rare, isn't it? A girl wanting to become a hero instead of a heroine. Well, to be honest, ever since I was a kid, I've been something of a tomboy. I always wanted to be the 'hero' who saves people instead of the 'heroine' who needs to be saved. So I thought if I wanted to be a real-life hero, I guess a rescue worker would be the closest thing. It's kinda tough to define what exactly a hero is, but saving people's lives is pretty drat heroic, I'd say. Yeah, I think so too! There's nothing more valuable than the treasure of life! Oh, you're such a good girl~ There, there.Mashiro smiled as Jun patted her on the head. (These two kinda seem like they're on the same wavelength...)If nothing else, both Jun and Mashiro seemed to enjoy helping people. As Natsuhiko pondered the similarity, Jun continued. Well, to be honest, pretty much everyone who joins Sirius is kinda like that, I guess? The pay's low and the job's hard, and yet there's no end to those who want to join nonetheless. Now that I think about it, there was another female member, wasn't there? Yeah, that's our lieutenant. And she's amazing! No matter how dangerous the situation is, she calmly leaps in and gets the job done flawlessly! She's a perfect woman! Mmm! That's cool too...! If the lieutenant's like that, then what's the captain like? Oh, the captain? The captain's a little, uh~...Jun made a slightly bitter face at that thought. A-a little what? Wait... don't tell me there's something wrong with him? Ah, no, not at all! He's a super elite too, but... He's just a little bit -too- cool-headed for me. Kinda dry, too...Even Natsuhiko and Mashiro could tell she was struggling to find the right words. (Does his personality clash with Jun's, maybe...?)As soon as he pondered that possibility, Jun looked at her watch and spoke up. Whoa, would you look at the time. Oh, were you busy? Actually, I came here here for work. To give some disaster prevention guidance, see. O-oh, is that so? I'm sorry for taking up your time! A yellow branch with Mashiro at 6. This lets us into the next friendship scene for her. Welp, don't hesitate to call if something happens. Later~And with that, Jun waved her hand and left. Mashiro muttered as she watched her leave. Haah~ she was sooo cool~!Mashiro's face lit up in admiration. Natsuhiko reflected on the conversation Jun and Mashiro just had. (... ''There's nothing more valuable than the treasure of life'', huh. Now that I think about it, I might have said something like that long ago...)How long ago was the question. As if unlocked by the heat of the moment, another door in Natsuhiko's memories opened wide--
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Jan 27, 2017 23:47
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So is Mashiro watching that show as the days go by and quoting the latest episode, or does she just happen to quote all the episodes in order?
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Jan 28, 2017 02:43
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Glazius posted:So is Mashiro watching that show as the days go by and quoting the latest episode, or does she just happen to quote all the episodes in order? The latter. BeyoBEYO ran from July to September 2019.
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Jan 28, 2017 02:46
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ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE They would take care of him enthusiastically. When Yuuri learned about the situation, she also worked hard to help out. In the end, Sirius didn't go hungry, which was a big relief to Natsuhiko. --But that relief would not continue for long. ♪ BGM: Anxious Times of Rokumei City ♫ One day, about a month after they started keeping Sirius, Yuuri gave Natsuhiko and Mashiro an ominous warning.   Heard what? Well, recently, healthcare center people have been rounding up stray dogs...! Rounding up stray dogs!? Well, they say it's part of their 'town beautification project' so they have to gather every last stray dog... What happens to those dogs!? Th... they say they get put down...! ...!Natsuhiko and Mashiro's bodies shook at those words. ...Sirius! ♪ BGM: Looming Crisis ♫ Yuuri stayed put since they told her it was ''dangerous''. Sirius! Sirius!Mashiro shouted in every which way. She feared that perhaps he had already been taken away, but the very next moment-- Sirius: Bow! Sirius came flying out of the woods. ♪ BGM: Languid Hours of Rokumei City ♫ Sirius! Ahh, thank goodness...Mashiro sighed in relief. But you know... soon enough, the healthcare center will find him.Even a child Natsuhiko's age could imagine that. The stray dog roundup was happening all across the city, so no matter where he went, he'd be found eventually. Sirius: *whine*... Do you think if I asked Mom or someone, we could figure something out? Mmm...!But they had been keeping him in the park because nobody could take him in. Even if they had made him a collar or a dog house, the adults would see Sirius as nothing but a stray. But even so, they still couldn't just abandon him. ...No, Mashiro. Huh? Let's save Sirius ourselves!Mashiro gulped as Natsuhiko said that. I-I want to too, but... But how? That's what we need to start planning out. We could never ever give up and just abandon Sirius. Because there's nothing more valuable than the treasure of life!That was another line Natsuhiko stole from a hero he was obsessed with at the time, but it seemed to have resonated in Mashiro's heart. Th... there sure isn't! We gotta do something or Sirius will die, right? Exactly...!Natsuhiko and Mashiro nodded at each other and then looked to Sirius. Sirius. We swear we'll save you.Sirius: Bow!
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Jan 28, 2017 14:44
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THE WOMAN FROM SIRIUS: 09/13/2030, 11:46 - PART 2 ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ It didn't seem like Mashiro changed one bit since those days. (Mashiro's grown and become more feminine in some regards, but I guess she's still the same as she always was...)She would abide by her own kindness at all costs. As long as her conscience told her to do so, she'd go through any danger at all. So perhaps it's only natural that she'd admire Jun so much for working hard and earnestly for that same goal even as an adult. As Natsuhiko reminisced, Salyu interrupted by tugging at his sleeve. ...Umm, guys. Hmm? Can we go now? Lunch break's going to end... Huh? ...Oh.When he looked at his watch, Natsuhiko realized there were only 40 minutes left of lunch break. My bad, my bad. You must be hungry, right? Mm. Near my limit. Hahah, okay, how about we head to the roof?The three of them hurried up the stairs...
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Jan 28, 2017 14:51
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THE MAN FROM LABO: 09/13/2030, 12:47  ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Not that guest lectures were all that rare. Rokumei Academy actively contacted outside research institutions and enterprises for industry-academic cooperation. And the guest lecturer of the day was someone Natsuhiko knew very well.  Indeed, Ukita was a staff member at LABO, just like Natsuhiko's mother. He was the guest lecturer today. Ukita seemed a little awkward and unaccustomed to giving lectures, but appeared to be in good health at least. Mashiro whispered gently into Natsuhiko's ear from the next seat. Hey, I guess Mr. Ukita's injuries from that accident weren't all that bad, huh... Seems like it. That's a relief...That said, it was quite unfortunate that he had to fulfill an extra work duty like this right after an accident. Ukita himself seemed a little uneasy about Natsuhiko and Mashiro's glances, as he began to strain himself to speak.  Uh, umm... Let's see, well, today I'm here to talk to you kids about nuclear power.Tips posted:TIP: Nuclear power This is important information that everyone living in this city should know.Nuclear power-- the topic was even part of Rokumei Academy's peculiar curriculum. But Natsuhiko was as bad at this subject as he was with BC. (It's not like I can learn to like it...)But Ukita came all the way out here for a guest lecture. So Natsuhiko thought that he might as well try to listen seriously for once today. When studying nuclear energy, one thing that one must first learn is the dreadfulness of radioactivity. It may have happened nearly half a century ago, but you all have probably heard of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster in Ukraine. It's still known today as the greatest man-made disaster in recorded history.Tips posted:TIP: INES Ukita spoke in a bitter voice. Essentially what happened in that incident is that the power plant's nuclear reactor melted down... Basically, the reactor core suffered a meltdown and subsequently exploded, spreading as much as 10 tons of radioactive material all over the place. It was the equivalent of 500 of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima, causing enormous casualties. The residents in the vicinity and the firefighters sent in to handle the accident were hit the hardest; over 3000 of them died. And the number only rose after that. Even to this day we don't know exactly how many died-- but the number is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.Ukita's voice gradually intensified, filling the classroom with tension. ...The reason there were so many deaths is definitely linked to the radioactive material. From the explosions and fires came what we call 'atomic dust', which proceeded to float up into the sky, then fall back down to the earth with rain. And this is the truly terrifying part. It was not limited to just an ordinary explosion: the devastating effects spread out to the surrounding regions. The people soaked in the tainted rain developed severe, fatal symptoms: neurological disorders, brain dysfunctions, genetic abnormalities, and... cancer.Natsuhiko gulped as Ukita continued. With its own nuclear power plant, the city was once a luxuriously wealthy metropolis-- But overnight, that very power plant made the city an inhospitable wasteland; all 120,000 residents were forced to evacuate. The effects of the pollution continue to this day, and it is said that the area will remain unsafe for another 900 years.Tips posted:TIP: Pripyat As Ukita continued, a solemn silence spread throughout the classroom. ...With that out of the way, we at LABO also have a nuclear reactor for research purposes. In the off chance that there is a meltdown and the radioactive material spreads, there's a possibility that the very same thing could happen to this town...!All: !! Those words sparked tension in the room. But Ukita soon continued. ...Or at least that's what a lot of people fear. But that will definitely never happen! First of all, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant had an extremely careless management structure which is what allowed the accident to even happen. But LABO has layer upon layer of perfected systems to counter any unforeseen circumstance.And with that, Ukita fiddled with the PC at hand.  ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 1 ♫ We at LABO have a perfected system to deal with every sort of disaster imaginable. And in the unlikely event of that supercomputer failing, emergency shutdown of the nuclear reactor is possible from the remote control room on the surface floor. In addition to the firefighting and disaster prevention systems, we also have flawless defense systems to prevent intrusion. The nuclear reactor itself is underground, and the area where it's contained is made to be particularly rugged. The reactor area could be hit by an explosion, an earthquake, or an airplane crash and still not break. In other words, a repeat of the Chernobyl Disaster will never.... EVER happen again! So please, rest assured, kids. We at LABO will not cause any sort of accident, okay?Ukita looked around the classroom as he spoke. An air of relief filled the class. Upon which, Mashiro timidly raised a question. Umm, Mr.... Prof. Ukita? What if an accident still manages to happen? May I take that to mean when an accident does happen, how do we handle it? Yes... I've heard that large-scale accidents have happened in the past even here in this country... ...I see. Allow me to explain, then.Ukita used the PC to display a different image on the screen.  LABO's interior walls and floors are, of course, designed to block out the leakage of radioactive material by nature, but--   Allowing for the immediate dispatch of firefighters and a rescue squad to contain the accident and save lives.♪ BGM: Anxious Times of Rokumei City ♫ A rescue squad...!Mashiro's expression stiffened. She was probably thinking of Jun. B-but would they be okay? Lots of firefighters passed away in Chernobyl, didn't they? You see, in those days, they lacked sufficient knowledge and equipment to properly deal with nuclear accidents... but the situation's different now. Our city's rescue squad is trained to handle NBC disasters, after all. What are NBC disasters? NBC stands for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical. So it's a general term for disasters dealing with dangerous radioactivity, microbes, and/or chemical substances. If we at LABO were to experience a disaster, it'd be an 'N' disaster. That is, a nuclear disaster. Our rescue squad is equipped with 'protection suits' that defend against strong radiation when they deploy. Also, if those in the facility become in danger of radiation exposure, we also have a drug that can can neutralize radioactive material and expel it from the body... These items are the fruit of LABO's research and development and are extremely effective at lifesaving.Ukita continued with a considerable force behind his voice. However, all of these things are available for us as 'insurance', nothing more! We at LABO have learned from the mistakes of nuclear disasters like Chernobyl, and rather than 'handling accidents that occur'-- We concentrate our efforts more heavily on 'preventing accidents from ever occurring'. All of those 'insurances' I've explained will most likely never need to be used. For all eternity. S-so everything will be fine...?After hearing all of that explanation, an expression of relief rose up on Mashiro's face. Um, sorry for asking a weird question. Not at all. If it helped eliminate any uneasiness you had, that's all that matters.Ukita himself sighed seemingly in relief before he continued. Anyway, with those systems as our insurance, we at LABO conduct various forms of research using our nuclear reactor. A blue branch with Mashiro at 6 and Salyu and Yuuri at 4. Ukita began talking about research conducted at LABO. But Natsuhiko was completely inattentive. He couldn't get his mind off the ''safety measures'' Ukita had talked about. (... They better have improved their safety measures.)That's the thought that came to mind.   Mashiro was looking at the teacher's desk with a somehow languorous look in her face. Natsuhiko could tell she was uneasy. (Mashiro's probably thinking the same thing I am...) The sky had been clear just awhile ago, but dark clouds had covered it before he had noticed. (... That's a little depressing.)Natsuhiko shook off that feeling and refocused on Ukita's lecture. --Eventually, the two hours of the special lecture, including a break, came to a smooth close--  ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ And with that, Ukita left the classroom. As Natsuhiko stretched out wide, Mashiro spoke up. Hey, Natsuhiko, let's go greet Mr. Ukita. Hmm? Ah... right.Now that he thought about it, Natsuhiko did remember something he wanted to ask Ukita. Okay. Sit tight for a second, Salyu. Mm.Mashiro and Natsuhiko left Salyu in the classroom as they followed Uklta out.  Good job, Prof. Ukita. Hmm? Oh, Natsuhiko. Mashiro. Anything I can help you with? If you have complaints about the lecture, please forgive me. It's not something I'm particularly accustomed to. No, it's not like that at all. We were just worried if you were okay after that accident. You said your rib cage hurt, after all. Thanks for your concern. However, they took an X-ray at the hospital and everything looked okay? I'm actually almost grateful since I was able to use the accident as an excuse to take two days off from work. Thank goodness~ I was so worried.Natsuhiko cut in as Mashiro sighed in relief. ♪ BGM: Anxious Times of Rokumei City ♫ By the way, Mr. Ukita... What is it? After the accident, you said that strange things might start happening to me, didn't you?Ukita's expression stiffened at those words. Now that you mention it... Yeah... I did indeed say that, didn't I? What did you mean by that? Yes, well...After a short pause, Ukita spoke in a subdued voice. ...Well, actually, this is nothing more than hearsay, but... There's apparently been an increase in those that harbor anti-Communicator sentiments in town lately. Huh...!? No way! But Rokumei City's supposed to encourage BC research... It's not as if everybody shares that sentiment, though. Natsuhiko used such powerful mass untargeted telepathy in the middle of town. According to a friend of mine, they could apparently hear that 'Get away from there!' from as far as a kilometer away. A kilometer!? Indeed. I was worried that if some of those BC-haters heard that telepathy... they might harm you. So that's what it was...Natsuhiko shuddered a bit at the unexpected answer. Outside of the school, use of BC was prohibited by city ordinance. They were taught that the reasoning behind the ordinance was for manners, so that they wouldn't surprise other people-- But perhaps the real reason was so as to not provoke the townspeople. Oh no... a few days ago, I used telepathy to stop a bus too...! Now that you mention it, that was mass untargeted telepathy, too... Ah, no, calm down, you two. It's only dangerous in the case of 'powerful' telepathy. Normal telepathy from normal Communicators shouldn't be that much of an issue. It's not that much more of a nuisance than shouting really loudly, after all. I see... thank goodness. That said, it still wouldn't hurt to be careful. Especially you, Natsuhiko. So, Natsuhiko? You haven't been recklessly using telepathy after that, have you? Ah, no... actually, I haven't even been able to use it once ever since. That one time was more like a fluke than anything. I see. Maybe there's no need to worry, then.Ukita's expression relaxed and he continued. Well, I think it might just be me needlessly worrying, but still, keep it in mind. ♪ BGM: Quiet Days of Rokumei City ♫ Now then, I'll be heading back to LABO. I've still got some of my real work to do. O-okay. Thank you. A blue branch with Mashiro at 6. Ukita waved his hand at Natsuhiko and Mashiro's farewells as he left the hallway. ...Now that was kind of ominous. Yeah. It's amazing how that telepathy of yours reached as far as one kilometer, though... ... True. I've been a little careless myself.Mashiro sounded a little bit frightened as she spoke. ...You worried, Mashiro? Huh? It'll be fine. Mr. Ukita said so himself, right? I mean, he said that normal telepathy isn't that much different from yelling really loud. Y-yeah, I know. ...Why do you ask? Did I look that uneasy? A little. What, don't tell me you were worried about little ol' me? I guess. Th-that was a little blunt... You're kinda throwing me off here. What's wrong with me worrying about you?Mashiro suddenly smiled as she heard that. Natsuhiko, that has to be just about the only part about you that--Right as Mashiro started to speak, she heard a voice from behind. Hey, you two, what do you think you're doing out here? Afternoon homeroom's about to start. Ah, okay.Natsuhiko and Mashiro rushed back into the classroom.
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Jan 28, 2017 16:10
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