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Witches are a social construct! 
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Jan 21, 2017 16:59
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| # ? May 12, 2024 11:35 |
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Ah, shoot. New update on the last page.
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Jan 21, 2017 17:28
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Tender Child Loins posted:Witches are a social construct! This is true in real life, and in this story as well. So Kanon falls asleep with a key to the shed in his pocket, and the next day the shed gets vandalized. Kanon is the Witch who did the vandalism, he just has multiple personalities about it. In his night time fugue, he probably lashed out at all the work that the Ushiromiyas have him do and wrecked some poo poo while painting an occult-themed zentangle. The next morning, he sobered up, looked at what he did, and went "uhhh...Beatrices???" Either Kanon was responsible for that, or maybe Shannon since she would have noticed that the key to the shed wasn't returned to the proper key-holding spot, ergo Kanon is the only one with it, so it's time to do a closed room mystery! But I kind of doubt that, because I think Shannon and Kanon are in this whole Rokkenjima servant thing together, so she wouldn’t have done that just to give Kanon a hard time cleaning it up. That's why I think Kanon is the culprit behind Gohda's kitchen time adventure, and why Genji was going to punish him. Just because Gohda and Genji were the only ones on duty that day doesn't mean they were the only ones on the island. I doubt Shannon and Kanon have their own home outside of Rokkenjima that they return to after work. They probably live on the island too, in their own room in the mansion. They also probably like to use the legend of Beatrice to scare off any servants they find a threat. Kanon definitely wanted to make it clear to Gohda that any shenanigans that happen on the island are because of witches, not people with their own motives. quote:It fell to Genji-san to do the nighttime rounds, so once I had finished I went to the servants' breakroom to take a leisurely shower and wash away the fatigue of the day. (Fatigue my foot, all I had done was have a drink in the rose garden...)  Gohda is a person after my own heart.
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Jan 21, 2017 19:14
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There's a simpler answer here, I think. Note that the only thing that Gohda witnessed personally is the circle and stack of dishes in the kitchen, which even he acknowledges could have been done by Genji. He just doesn't understand why Genji would have done it. Kinzo's inner circle of servants (Genji, Kanon, and Shannon) all seem to be devoted to the witch legend. (Maybe Kumasawa too.) This could be a result of a directive from Kinzo ("make sure everyone believes in Beatrice so she'll come back to life") or it could be a desire to comfort the old man. Or even a sincere belief on their part. Regardless, everything else here is just a story that Gohda was told. You don't even have to worry about the closed-room aspects, because that stuff probably just never happened in the first place. All I get out of this is reinforcement of the idea that whatever crazy poo poo is going down on Rokkenjima, Genji and Kanon are in on it. (And Gohda isn't, the poor bastard.)
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Jan 21, 2017 20:28
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EagerSleeper posted:
Just to clarify this one point, I'm fairly certain you're incorrect here. Remember that Shannon and Kanon are 2 of a number of -on servants that work on the island in shifts. If what you're saying was true, they would all be on Rokkenjima during the murders.
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Jan 21, 2017 23:10
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This is the last one of the pre-EP4 TIPS. It was printed in a commercial guidebook for EP3 and, as such, parts of it have been intentionally omitted from the excerpt posted on the Japanese Umineko wiki site. It's probably for this reason that this TIP has until now remained untranslated to my knowledge. I thought it was a pretty interesting one, so I wanted to try translating the excerpt anyway. One line in particular gave me a lot of trouble, though. It's marked with an asterisk and details about it can be found at the bottom. If you know Japanese, please help me fix it. Letter from a Summoner The various miracles brought about by magic are literally "miracles" in the human world. Moreover, miracles in the human world could perhaps be compared to needle ice on a midsummer day. Needle ice in the summer is already a miracle by itself. As such, it would be possible to create needle ice under the scorching summer sun by means of a magical miracle. But of course the ice would instantly melt due to the midsummer sun, and both its shape and the miracle would be lost. As that would be regrettable, we need to search for magic to create even larger needle ice and to make it last even longer under the sun. Making the needle ice larger requires vast amounts of magical power. Keeping the needle ice frozen for longer requires vast amounts of magical power. In other words, when it comes to magic that causes a great miracle in just an instant, versus magic that persists forever with just a tiny miracle, it would seem at first glance that the former kind is much flashier and superior. However, the amount of magical power required is exactly the same. In that sense, it has to be said that the latter, more subdued kind of magic called 'summoning' by great magic practitioners, has not been very popular in the history of magicians. (omitted) The main fuel of magical miracles can be supplemented with a fuel of madness called magical power. If that is difficult to understand, it's usually simple enough to think of it like physical strength. Imagine that in front of you there is a heavy baggage that you're supposed to move somewhere else. If you simply lift the burden up and carry it as it is, that would certainly require considerable strength and endurance. However, if you used something like a cart or a lever or attached something to it to get a better grip, you could lighten your load quite a bit. The same applies to magic. This is why things like magic circles and catalysts are prepared. Many of these preparations take a huge amount of work. That should be no surprise. After all, the preparations are meant for supplementing the missing parts of one's magical power with labor. Those who aspire to be magicians should not forget this. Magical power is not only what one was born with. A fanatical tenacity of purpose is also "work" that leads to magical powers. As an aside, I had no magical talent when I was born. Nevertheless, I was able to gather enough magical power to call myself a magician. It could be said that magical power is not necessarily a matter of talent, but rather a matter of how much madness "one can maintain for a long time" as well. * Particularly those who desire the magical art of summoning which "allows miracles to forever persist upon the earth" should not forget this. (omitted) Also, according to my experience, a certain preparation is indispensable for raising the success rate of summoning. It is what we call a vessel. (omitted) A vessel is, in simple terms, a "dwelling" for visitors from different worlds. (omitted) Let us return to the matter of the needle ice. It is only natural that needle ice, if simply left as it is, will melt away in no time under the blazing midsummer sun. However, one could prepare a cooler box that blocks sunlight and heat and put the ice in there. Compared to when these preparations are not made, the ice should certainly last for much longer even in the midsummer. (omitted) The vessel should be appropriate for the summoned visitor. The more appropriate it is, the more power it manifests. (omitted) Those who aspire to be summoners should take an interest in not only training but vessels as well. For those who think they can accomplish anything with their magical power alone, know that that is nothing but juvenile carelessness. I would like you to heed your elder summoners and make careful preparations, with not just any kind of passion but the unending passion of a summoner, and perform a magnificent summoning. I have no doubt that meeting with yet unknown visitors from other worlds will be a most valuable experience in your life. * The original line reads: 魔力は才能では断じてない、むしろ、どれさけの狂気を"長い時間維持できたか"によって宿ると言い切ってもいいだろう。 I assume どれさけ is a typo and it should be どれだけ but even then it's a pretty confusing sentence for me to parse. For the translation, I just went with my best guess. tiistai fucked around with this message at 21:32 on Feb 4, 2017 |
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Jan 22, 2017 14:16
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 BGM: Apathy So I'm sure she's in a good mood. On the pages of the open diary... no, in the world of the diary, Maria onee-chan showed herself...  But I call her Onee-chan, so she affectionately calls me Ange.  "Uu-. Ange, you were slow getting here today. Was it packed at lunch...?" "...Yes. It's always packed. Groups of friends set up camp in the seats, and they stay there even after they've finished eating. It's pretty fatal if you get to the dining hall late. I was on cleanup duty today." "...Uu-! I eat fast! The faster you eat, the more you can play! Uu-!"Maybe she realized I was holding a grudge because that duty had been forced upon me and shortened my lunch break by a bit. Maria onee-chan brightly changed the subject. Grateful for that act of kindness, I responded by saying I was a slow eater. Maria calmed me down, saying something about teaching me the trick to eating fast. I read about it in her diary. No, I heard it from Maria onee-chan. She was ranked number 1 among the girls in the speed-eating ranking for her grade's newspaper. She was apparently very proud of that, but a little disappointed that her mother, Aunt Rosa, hadn't praised her very much for it. "Uu-! Then, let's start our story for today. How far did we get yesterday? Uu-?" "Umm... This far. Until you got Sakutaro as a present, Maria onee-chan. You promised that you'd tell me about Sakutaro." "Uu-! Let's talk about Sakutaro! You know, Sakutaro is a reeeally cute stuffed animal! I'm sure you'd like him too, Ange! Uu-!" "Yeah. Tell me that story. The only time I can relax at school... is when I'm listening to your stories during lunch break." "Uu-! I'll tell you about it! Sakutaro was really, umm, umm!"When I looked at Maria onee-chan, who was always in a good mood, it made my heart feel warm as well. As I listened to her tale, I began to get absorbed into her world...  BGM: Far  "Uu-! Good job with your work, Mama! I know you're busy, so even though you were late, I waited without crying. I was good and waited, watching TV!" "Yes, you're such a good girl, Maria. As a present for waiting politely, you can order anything you want today. Of course, only as much as you can eat, okay?" "Uu-uu-! Today, can I change my corn soup to onion gratin soup?!" "Yes, that's fine." "Uu-uu-! It's 200 yen more expensive, but can I change it to prosciutto pizza?!" "Uu-uu-uu-! Then, then, can I have enchilada cheesecake for dessert?! And then, and then, the chef's choice fruit salad and kids' french fries! I want to drink melon soda too! Uu-uu-uu-! I'm a good girl, I'm a good girl! Mama praised me, uu-uu-uu-♪" "*giggle* You're getting a little too excited. If you don't quiet down a bit, you'll disturb the other customers."When Rosa gently admonished her, Maria stuck her tongue out and eased up a little. ...But it seemed that she was having a hard time repressing her excitement at being able to eat out with her mother after such a long time.  Rosa always tried to let Maria spend her birthdays at great restaurants. When Maria had been in kindergarten, they sometimes invited other kids from the neighborhood over and had a party at home. Rosa would make a wonderful cake and snacks and decorate the house herself, making it a huge celebration. But when they moved and Maria no longer had friends in the neighborhood, Rosa had started splurging at expensive restaurants instead. However, today, they were in a normal family restaurant. It was also a little late in the day for a kid like Maria to eat there, even with a parent. Actually, she had gotten reservations at a fantastic place that would surely have pleased Maria. Of course, she had also prepared a wonderful cake with Maria's name written on it. But Rosa just hadn't been able to finish up her business... and had been forced to cancel. Since that plan had been traded for a local family restaurant, Rosa felt a little indebted to Maria. So she was prepared to spoil Maria a bit and let her have whatever she wanted tonight...   "Uu-. I can't eat very much, but I like to have a lot lined up. You know, like on a birthday table? If it's colored all over with red and blue and green and yellow, it makes you really happy!" "...You're right. Having your birthday table be colorful can make you feel happy. Birthdays at my place were no match for yours, Maria onee-chan, but the cakes we bought at the Fumiya store in front of the station were always gorgeous..."Ange thought back to her own birthdays nostalgically.  At the time, I was sad, but now I understand how important I was to Dad. Of course, Mom also took very good care of me. In particular, her birthday presents were always in excellent taste, and she sometimes arranged for them several months in advance. Even though we always sent an invitation to Battler onii-chan, he didn't get along with Dad or something, so he kept not coming. So when he did come, I was really happy... ...The birthday parties when the whole four-person family gathered made for fun memories that I'll never forget...  Maria onee-chan peeked into my happy memory. As I sat quietly, wearing the origami helmet that Dad had made for fun, I was a little embarrassed. In my hand was a paper gun that Battler onii-chan had folded for me. And Mom was taking a commemorative photo. It was the happiest moment of my life.  "But your birthday's no worse, Maria onee-chan. And this is the day you get him, right? Sakutaro." "Uu-! I was reeeally looking forward to it. I got so excited, wondering when Mama would show me the wrapped present in the corner of her bag." For quite some time before then, Aunt Rosa had been making a stuffed animal to give Maria as a present today. Hearing that it was a cute lion stuffed animal, Maria onee-chan had already given it the name Sakutaro, even though she hadn't received it yet. Today, she was looking forward to meeting Sakutaro even more than her own birthday. Aunt Rosa ran a clothing design company. It seemed to be some kind of brand name. What was it, Anti-Rosa...? It seems their catch phrase was 'I can't forgive the me of yesterday'. Unfortunately, I've never met someone who knew of that brand name. Maybe it wasn't that famous. So Aunt Rosa was pretty skilled with her hands. I heard that she made some of the clothing she wore herself. So making a stuffed animal had to be well within her capabilities.   "Uu-. Actually wanted to call it 'Sakura'. But it's a male lion, so she told me to give it a boy's name. So I added a boy-like 'tarou' and called him 'Sakutarou'. Eventually, the last 'u' disappeared!" "Why 'Sakura'?" "Uu-! The main character in Card Master Sakura!"It was the name of the main character in a TV anime that was popular at the time. The fact that she'd simply borrowed the name of a character she liked was... how should I say it... as innocent and cute as you'd expect from someone that age.   "Presents always come at the end, right? If you open it now, it'll get dirty. Hold on until the meal is over." "Then I'll finish eating quickly! Uu-uu-uu-!"As soon as she proclaimed that, she started tearing into her meal. Aunt Rosa got mad at her, saying that was rude. It seemed that she'd expected this would happen right away. I also thought that, given how straightforward Maria was, that was probably what she'd do, so it was kind of pleasant when my expectations weren't betrayed. In the end, Aunt Rosa lost to her daughter's eyes, which were sparkling with anticipation, cleaned up the table, and took out the long-awaited wrapped present. "Happy birthday, Maria. I wasn't able to spend much time on it, so I couldn't make it very well..." "Uu-! If you made it, I'll be happy with anything! Uu-uu-uu-! Sakutaro-, Sakutaro-uu-uu-!"Aunt Rosa spoke a bit humbly, but Maria onee-chan was happy even before opening the wrapping. I could really understand that feeling. It's not a problem of quality. Just the fact that it was a handmade present was more pleasing than anything. "Can I open it? Can I open it?!" "I wanted to wait until we got back home before doing it, but... just for a bit, okay? We'll just take a look and say hello, then put it back. You can give him a proper greeting once we get home. We're in public, so you can't fool around, okay? Can you promise?" "Uu-! Promise, promise! So can I open it? Can I open iiit? Mamaaa." "Yes, yes, just for a bit, okay?" "Yaaaaaaaaaaayy...☆"Before Aunt Rosa finished talking, Maria started unwrapping it.  BGM: Sakutarou's Adventure What appeared was a slightly blank-looking lion stuffed animal, with cute round eyes and a white chest. It was about the size of a small pillow. It looked pretty big next to someone as short as Maria onee-chan, but it probably wasn't that large. From the perspective of someone who didn't know better, it would probably look like something cheap bought from a department store or something. But to Maria onee-chan, it was her mother's handmade stuffed animal, the only one of its kind in the world and irreplaceable.  "...If you praise me that much, it's actually embarrassing. I couldn't take much time, so I couldn't make anything that good. I actually wanted to make one so big that you couldn't wrap your arms around it..." "No, this is good! With this size, we can always be together. We can go out together. Sakutaro, I'm your Onee-chaaan, uryu-☆"  "Uu-! We can't go to school together, but me and my best friend are always, always together at home. You know, Sakutaro is reeeally innocent and cute, and always nice to me. He supports me when I'm feeling down, and plays a lot with me when I'm feeling good! So I'm never lonely anymore. Not lonely when Mama's busy with work and I'm all alone, not even when no one plays with me at school. Isn't that right, Sakutaro, uryu-☆" BGM: Mystic Forest Compared to the other kids in her class, Maria onee-chan's tempo was always a little slow. Her sensibilities and ways of viewing things were a little peculiar... and a little too idiosyncratic for her to blend in. Her grades were low as well, and since she was talkative about everything related to the occult, her specialty, she was treated like a weirdo by everyone else in class. If you were touched by Maria onee-chan, you'd be cursed... Stuff like that. Apparently, everyone in her class acted like she was disgusting, made fun of her, and avoided her. If a boy bumped into Maria onee-chan, he'd start rubbing that part against the other boys, as if he'd gotten some scum on him. They'd pick up her stuff like it was something filthy and chase the other boys around with it. It seems the girls thought even speaking to her was unpleasant, so they ignored her all the time, only giggling and sneering at her whenever she made a mistake.  "...It looks like bullying is the same in all eras. Humans really don't advance at all, do they? If only they'd just get wiped out." "...I'm sad when I'm bullied, but I think it can't be helped." "It can't be helped...? Why not...?" "After all, there's a rule that says every class has to have a single bullied kid." "...That's a horrible rule. I'd like to find the person who made it and hit them over the head with a brick. Using the corner, of course." "If I wasn't there, then there'd surely be a new bullied kid chosen in my place. By staying strong, I can protect that kid."As she said that, she smiled faintly.  According to her, from the beginning, a witch had resided in that place called a school. No, she says that any place where a lot of people gather will have a witch residing there. The witch tries to steal the students' souls through death by disease or accidents. Apparently, she sometimes also corrupts those souls, leading them down that path of evil. She says that an angel came, not content to let that continue. "...And the angel... tried to finish off that witch. The witch was powerful, and the fight took seven days and seven nights, but even then, it still wasn't over. The tired-out witch asked for a truce and proposed this." "I heard about that one before. 'Until now, I've made half of the students in the class become sick or injured. But in exchange, I've protected the remaining half of the students from sickness and injury. Therefore, if one member of the class becomes a sacrifice to me and is made into the 'bullied kid', I shall protect all of the other students from sickness and injury', right?" "Uu-. The angel thought about it. Compared to half the class meeting with misfortune, having only one person be unfortunate would be much better. Then, the witch said that she'd protect the safety of all the other students, using her powerful magic." "If there are 40 students in a class... and the 20 victims are reduced to 1, then 19 people are saved. It's actually a reasonable proposal."I wonder if there's some theme behind this fairy tale. If it's a creation by Maria onee-chan, a nine-year-old girl, that'd be pretty impressive. "The angel decided to accept that proposal. So, through that single sacrifice, 19 people were saved. That's why my role's important. The witch is protecting 19 people." "...Because we become sacrifices? ...Well, I don't remember ever being thanked by those 19 people."...Maria onee-chan's idea was too compassionate. Both of us are suffering from a very similar type of misfortune. And yet, maybe a small difference in our way of thinking changes how peaceful our hearts are. "So, you aren't sad, Maria onee-chan...?" "Uu-. I'm not sad at all. After all, I'll be together with Sakutaro from now on. Right, Sakutaro?" "Look, Sakutaro says he's happy too. Uu-☆"Maria onee-chan hugged the Sakutaro stuffed animal, playing both sides of the conversation herself. I don't understand it. But that's exactly why I want to reach Maria onee-chan's level. So I was intensely drawn to her tale and her words. "Ange, is it tough because you're all alone...?" "...It is tough. But... just the time I can be like this with you is different. Because I'm not... all alone." "Then, if Sakutaro also becomes your friend, it'll be even more fun. Uu-! Then starting today, Sakutaro is Ange's new friend! Right, Sakutaro?" BGM: Apathy Skillfully moving the stuffed animal like it was a puppet, Maria onee-chan expressed Sakutaro's emotions. She was controlling him, but the charming way he waved his short hand and cocked his head to the side... made it feel like he really was a new friend called Sakutaro. Of course, looking at it with cold eyes, it would only appear that Maria onee-chan was comforting me when I was grumpy. But a soul had definitely been sent into that stuffed animal. The soul of Maria onee-chan's love. So I acknowledged the existence of a being called Sakutaro inside that stuffed animal. "Come on, say hi to Sakutaro too, Ange. Come on, you say hi too, Sakutaro-☆" 'Uryu...? Is Ange... a scary person...?'As Sakutaro timidly looked at me, he unexpectedly met my gaze... and hid behind Maria onee-chan's back in surprise. Maria onee-chan really is good at playing with stuffed animals. "It's okay, Sakutaro. Ange isn't scary, she's a really nice girl. Uu-☆" '...H-Hello. I'm Sakutarou... Uryu...' "*giggle* ...Pleased to meet you, Sakutarou. I'm Ange. I'm glad to have a new friend."I held out my hand as though asking for a handshake, and Sakutaro's short hand was stuck out towards me, lightly touching my index finger. After all, when a human and a stuffed animal shake hands, their sizes are too different. This greeting by touching each other's fingers was our handshake. "Uu-☆ Now, Ange and Sakutaro are already friends! Two people are more fun than one, and three people are more fun than two. Uu-!" 'Uryu-!' Therefore, even before she met him, his existence was sublimated into a personality. Even at the first moment they met, they were already friends. Of course, that wasn't anything extraordinary in Maria onee-chan's eyes, although I don't think she'd personified and loved anything quite as much as Sakutarou. She loved the things she owned very much, treating them just like friends or beloved pets. Maybe Aunt Rosa hadn't let her keep a pet at some point in time, so she felt like treasuring objects instead. And maybe she was so isolated that she'd been forced to find a friend nearby. Because of all that, what happened that day wasn't anything extraordinary from her perspective. Even so, Sakutarou... no, maybe I should call it 'Sakutaro' like Maria onee-chan. There's no doubt that Sakutaro was a stuffed animal... no, a friend... whom she loved more than anything... or anyone.  "Uu-! Playing with Sakutaro! Sakutaro, knock it off, *giggle*giggle*!"It was already about 9:00 at night. Rosa had asked because this wasn't a good time to have a friend over, and she'd been just a little surprised, but when she thought about it, Maria didn't have any friends who would come over to play, did she...? Even so, to think that she'd have so much fun playing with that stuffed animal. Rosa was very pleased that Maria had liked her birthday present so much. "Sorry. Mama just can't get her work finished tonight... The next season's lineup is having a tough time. It looks like we're finally starting to get orders bit by bit, and I want to somehow give it a bit more impact so we can answer to their expectations..." "So, you're spending the night? Sure, okay. Do your best, Mama!" "R-Really? Thank you, Maria... Thanks for being understanding about Mama's work..."Rosa was surprised that Maria had accepted so easily that she wouldn't be able to come home from work. To Rosa, having to tell Maria that she'd be coming home late or staying overnight was a huge burden. Maria would start crying about how lonely she was on the other end of the phone, and it took a lot of time and effort to calm her down. To think that Maria would accept it in such high spirits... Is this also thanks to Sakutarou? Rosa was once again pleased that she'd given her daughter such a good present.  "Uu-! Shopping with Sakutaro, shopping with Sakutaro...!" "H-Hey! Not Sakutaro, have him watch over the house!"From Maria's manner of speech, Rosa got the feeling that Maria might've gone shopping with that stuffed animal without her knowing about it. Rosa's forehead creased, and after sourly saying that Maria definitely mustn't do that, she hung up.  'Uryu-... Can't go shopping with Maria... Staying home alone...will be lonely...' "Why did Mama say not to go shopping with Sakutaro...? Uu-..." 'Uryu... ...I'm sure that if Maria was seen with me, it would be embarrassing...' "...Embarrassing? Why?" 'Mama says not to take me outside a lot. And she usually says Maria can't do it because she's too old...' "Uu-? But I'm not embarrassed at all to be with Sakutaro, right?" 'I'm a lion, but I'm a stuffed animal.' "You're a lion and a stuffed animal, but you're my friend. So let's go out together☆ Just when Mama isn't around, as a secret. Uu-? You aren't saying that you're embarrassed, are you?" 'I'm not embarrassed, but...uryu, the people outside are a little scary...' "Is that it?! Then, I'll make it so that you can go outside without being scared! Leave it to me, I've got something that's really useful...!"Maria started fishing around her messy room. Rosa often told her to clean it up, but Maria apparently didn't like doing it. However, Maria herself knew more or less where everything was. So much so that if it were to be cleaned up, she would have trouble finding where anything was.  BGM: Sakutarou's Adventure Maria proudly held it up high. Sakutaro looked at the knapsack, which was gaping open, squirming as though saying 'Are you serious...?' 'Uryu, Maria, you aren't saying...' "Uu-! This way, we can go shopping together, and Sakutaro won't be scared!"Maria held Sakutaro up and started stuffing him into the knapsack. At first, she tried to stick him in head-first, but then he'd be upside-down and suffocate. So she pulled him out and tried pushing him in again, feet-first. 'Uryu-...! Tiiight, craaamped, daaark. Uryu-! Urk.' "Look, it's all right. If you stick your head out, it isn't cramped, it isn't dark, and it isn't scary. And it's a good view. Uu-!" 'Uryu, you're right. ...Is it okay for me to go shopping with Maria like this...?' "Yeah, it'll be fine! What should we get for dinner tonight?! Come on, let's go out, Sakutaro! Uu-!" "Yeah, it's a lot of fun. Even things that would be lonely and boring alone all become fun with Sakutaro. Any Human friend would have to go home when it gets late." "But Sakutaro doesn't go home, so we can be together all the time. He'll watch TV with me, be together even in the futon, and even hold my hand on scary nights when there's thunder. He'll chase away the monsters in the closet and under the bed. Sakutaro is reliable!" 'Uryu. Since I'm a lion, I'll show my courage and chase away any monsters that scare Maria. Uryu-, rooar.'They were so close that it made me a little envious. I'm supposedly older now than Maria onee-chan was then. But Maria onee-chan really is my onee-chan, and I still haven't reached her level. If only I had a friend close by like Sakutaro. "Sakutaro and I are your close friends, right? We're aaalways by your side. It's just that your magic is weak, so you can't perceive us unless you open my diary like this." "...Perceive? You know some pretty difficult words, Maria onee-chan."According to her, this world is full of magic and spirits. And they're as natural and nearby as a light breeze. "You don't normally notice or see the wind, but when incense smoke or something draws trails, you can see it, right?" "...Right. And even if you can't see it, it's always nearby." "That's it. We're always really close by to you, Ange. Gods and spirits and guardian spirits... are always right next to us. But if you aren't conscious of them, you can't feel their existence. Like wind that can't be seen with the eyes. But they certainly are near us, and if they draw trails in the smoke called magic, anyone can see them."I thought I'd only be able to meet Maria onee-chan while this diary was open. But from what she says, she's always with me, and I can meet her at any time if I truly desire to.  "...Only I... can tell it's there?" "Yes. After all, the power of a witch resides in you, just like me! If you study hard, you too will definitely become a great witch in the future." "...A witch. I wonder if that'd be fun." "Uu-! It is fun. If you do that, you'll be able to know that Sakutaro and I are always by your side, even without opening the diary. If you do that, every day will become fun! If you do that, I'll introduce you to many other friends. If you do that, every day will get busy and very lively." "That might be fun. ...I do have the grimoire you left behind, Maria onee-chan. I'll try reading it seriously sometime soon. If I do that, I won't be all alone anymore, right?" "Uu-!" 'Uryu-!'Maria onee-chan and Sakutaro said that at the same time, happy that I had developed an interest in the world of witches.  BGM: Cage Well, it was that time of day, after all. Everyone in the shopping district was either a shop owner lowering the shutters on their shops, or an employee rushing, or else staggering, on their way home. Amidst all that, Maria, who was in a good mood like someone on a hike, probably looked quite merry. Every once in a while, passing employees would glance at her back with the eyes of someone seeing something out of place. Office ladies giggled at the cute stuffed animal poking its head out of the knapsack. The supermarket had been closed for a while by this time. However, convenience stores, which had been growing in popularity lately, stayed open until midnight. It was very convenient for Maria, whose mother's return was often late.  She pointed to a sweet bun she had eaten before, explaining to Sakutaro that this one was delicious, and that one was pretty good too. Sakutaro seemed to be enjoying it a lot. "I'm gonna have the three-colored one! With just this one, you can eat bean jam and cream and strawberry jam! But there's sometimes greenish-brown bean jam or white bean jam. There should be one kind of bean jam." 'Uryu-! Looks like having different things inside makes them interesting. Uryu-!' "Next, I'll have a fruit yogurt! There's fruit in it, but it isn't a sweet, right? Yeah, I'm sure Mama will be fine with it. Do you want one too, Sakutaro?" 'Uryu? Is that really okay...? What about the money?' "Uu-, no problem! Look, it's Shotoku Taishi-, uu-! So I can buy you whatever you want too, Sakutaro. Let's eat together! Would you like some yogurt too, Sakutaro?"When Maria made to grab another one of the same fruit yogurt, Sakutaro bent his head slightly, worried. 'Uryu... But...I can't eat a big one, so a small one will be fine.' "Uu-. Then how about a small yogurt? It's 30 yen. That's cheap." 'Uryu! That's good enough for me. Yogurt with Maria!' "Yogurt with Sakutaro! Uu-!"Maria put the three-colored bread and the two yogurts into a shopping basket and brought them to the register. The man running the register had been in charge of the tobacco shop that had been here until last year.  "Mama said it's okay, so it's fine! Mama always comes home late because of her work, but we aren't lonely. Right, Sakutaro?" 'Uryu-!' The man working at the store took a can of leftover soda or something from behind the register and packed it into the bag with everything else. "Thank you mister! Uu-! Isn't that great, Sakutaro?!" 'Uryu-!'Since she had been told not to buy soda, she couldn't take it back home. So she decided to drink it on her way back and not bring the empty can back home. With the vinyl bag with the sweet bun in it around her elbow, holding the knapsack with Sakutaro in it with that same arm and drinking her soda, the two of them walked home...  'Uryu? ...Uryuuryuuryu, uryu-!! Gaah. ...Uryuuuu, you're mean, Maria... Nasssty...' "It sure is, uu-uu-."Of course, it's not like she could actually make a stuffed animal drink soda. She just put the can to Sakutaro's mouth and pretended to tilt it. But it was fun for Maria to share the taste of this weird drink that she had gotten for free with Sakutaro... There was a huge moon in the sky. At times, that moon had been clouded by tears when she'd been unmanageable during Rosa's overnight stays... and when she'd been scolded by her mother. But this moon was very warm, and it seemed to watch over the two of them as they enjoyed their trip home by themselves... Maria and Sakutaro. Ange watched the two of them go from behind.  She looked so... warm from behind. After looking at the backs of Maria onee-chan and Sakutaro together, it became very hard to remember all of those long nights when she'd cried because her mother hadn't come home... I couldn't say it to Maria onee-chan, but if I'd been in the same position, I may have given a stuffed animal the name Sakutarou, but it wouldn't have been anything more or less than a stuffed animal. Anyone can make a relationship that only distracts you from your loneliness. But Maria onee-chan was different. Sakutaro isn't a stuffed animal or a toy. He was a real friend, and far from just distracting Maria from her loneliness, he changed the nights without her mother into a fun time where they could play all by themselves... Was it because Sakutarou was a special stuffed animal? Because her mother had made it herself? Because it was very, very cute? Probably not. If there's a secret here, it doesn't lie within Sakutarou. I think it probably lies within Maria onee-chan.  BGM: Apathy  "Uu-. Knowing magic means that you notice a lot of friends right beside you that you didn't notice before. It's as fun as having a bunch of new toy shops pop up all over the neighborhood!"...If even I, locked up in an academy without a single friend, had power like Maria onee-chan, I wonder if I could make my days just a bit richer. I wonder if I'll be able to honestly shed tears on nights I feel like crying, to smile on gray nights. "Yes. You can. You can do it. After all, you also have the qualifications to become a witch." "...The qualifications... to become a witch." "I have the qualifications to become a witch too. So I've still got a lot more studying and training to do. I'll definitely become a wonderful witch, flying in the sky on a broom, drawing rainbows with my cane, making candy fall from the sky. I can definitely do it. Then, I'll show you too. It'll definitely be like a scene from a wonderful dream."Maria onee-chan said that, making an absolute promise with her smile.  Because, in reality, on that desolate night, when no flower of a smile could possibly have bloomed, her magic surely gave birth to a smile. "...I wonder if... I can become a witch." "You can. ...You're a bit older, so your soul is bound a bit more by gravity. That might make training tougher than it is for me.But you definitely can. After all, you're already touching a small piece of magic." "I am? Magic...?" "Yeah. Come on, look. In a world where I don't exist, you summoned me, and you're talking with me." "...This is... magic...?" "Yeah. You've expanded the Fragment of my soul that I left in my diary, and you're reviving me right now. I also said it a short while ago, right? Since you managed to reunite with me and have a conversation, since you're able to smile every once in a while, you must have some magical talent, Ange. Your Maria onee-chan guarantees it. Uu-!" "...You said it a second ago, Onee-chan. I thought I could only meet you while the diary was open, but you're really nearby all the time, right? If I had more of the power of magic, would I be able to see you...? And, just like now, would I be able to talk with you, Onee-chan...? At any time...?" "Yeah. We can talk at any time. I'm there by your side to say good morning, and even during class. Let's talk together during dull classes to distract you from your boredom. I'll also be there to talk to you during meals, so let's always be together like this during lunch break." "...Even when I close the diary, Maria onee-chan... you'll be by my side, right?" "Yes. I'll be there. So if you try to 'see' me and try to talk to me, I'll definitely be able to answer. If you 'look' strongly and try to talk, that is." "...I'll... give it a try." "It isn't easy, okay? It isn't going to go well all of a sudden, got it?" "...I understand. I'm sure it won't be easy. But I... want to be like you, Maria onee-chan..." "Uu-. I understand. Then, look at me well. Look closely." "...Okay." "Slowly open and close your eyes. You can't shut them for a long time all of a sudden. After burning my form into your eyes, try to make it blend into the inside of your eyelids..." "...Yeah... I'm doing it." "Once you can visualize me even when your eyes are closed, without changing anything, slowly and softly close your eyes again. How is it? Can you still 'see' me?" "...Y-Yes. I think... I can probably see you..." "Then try opening your eyes for a second.Now for the real thing. Calm your heart, and close the diary. At that time, my form may disappear for a second. But calm your heart, and don't get anxious. And then, try to make the me that's blended into the inside of your eyelids blend back into your eyes. Slowly visualize me in the empty air. In the empty air, 'see' me." "...Yeah, I'm okay. Then, I'll close... the diary." "Uu-." When I did so, a gray reality filled with dull air unfolded. Of course, Maria onee-chan's form disappeared. Give it all you've got, have courage. Take the first step into the world of witches. I felt like Maria onee-chan was cheering me on inside my heart. She's cheering me on? Really? Or do I just think that she is...? No, that's wrong. It's because I think this that I cannot 'see' her. Maria onee-chan is always by my side. And even now, she's definitely there, cheering me on to do my best...  So I mustn't ignore it like it's my imagination or the voice of my own heart... I believe... that Maria onee-chan is there. I mustn't doubt. I believe. Onee-chan said she'd always be by my side. I must not doubt that... But looking at that empty space, by the empty back wall of the school building, amidst those almost heartlessly boring rays of sunlight, calling out her name was unexpectedly difficult... The chains of common sense that had clung to me until today sneered at me, telling me that calling out to the empty air was ridiculous... It was almost like being told to take a step forward off the roof of a skyscraper overlooking a sea of lights. ...It's Maria onee-chan saying it. It's all right, she's saying that I'm someone who can do it. Stop thinking that you might fall, or that it'd be foolish to take a step off a roof, and free yourself from those chains of common sense...  I steadied my breathing. I concentrated my mind. Make the vivid form of Maria onee-chan in the empty space before you...rise to the surface. ...Understand magic, and 'see' Maria onee-chan...   At that time, I was answered by a rustle in the bushes and a wild cry, and I came to my senses. It looked like I wasn't the only one behind the school building. No, since I'd been so immersed in the world of the diary, I hadn't noticed someone coming. I recognized a group of three beyond the bushes. They were kids from my class. From their appearance, it felt as though they'd come behind the school building to gossip about someone or talk in secret. I hurried out of that place. Because if it became known that I'd been alone in a place like this, mumbling to myself, it'd become a pain again... "...She said it, right? She said it, right? She said Maria onee-chan or something, right?!" "Isn't that creepy? She isn't seeing spirits or something, is she?" "*giggle*giggle*giggle*giggle*!I could hear the shrill, loud laughter from behind. Irritated and feeling that Maria onee-chan had been made fun of, I left that place at a quick pace, and then a jog once I turned the corner. ...And I might've made it to Onee-chan's world with just a little more time... It was frustrating, aggravating... Why does everyone get in my way...? I haven't gotten in anyone else's way, not even once...!  
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Jan 23, 2017 14:16
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...You know, I'm remembering something my mother says sometimes, when she's feeling particularly tired or gloomy. Happiness, she said, is not really understood within the moment, but rather something remembered and identified after the fact- something to point to and put together and say, yes, then I was happy. She doesn't really believe in happy people, therefore, and doesn't really get it that someone is happy: for her, it's more like something that comes on you... you know, how you hear Irish folk say sometimes "I have a sadness on me," but with happiness instead of sadness. And that we are told that happy moments can uplift us, or provide us hope for future happiness, but that's only if you're in a particularly hopeful mindset; if you're not, well... such reveries just serve to remind us that we aren't happy now, we probably aren't gonna be happy in the future, and gently caress happiness anyway for making it hurt so much now, god drat it.  ... My mother probably thinks too much about her emotions, something which I have sadly inherited. I probably should be thinking more about the greater mystery of the story*, but all I can think about at present is: yes, we all did sell Maria short when we first saw her, assuming that she's just some creepy girl who pretends to be more knowledgeable about what's going on to be mean or to satisfy her own will to power but... Power or riches is never what she wanted, only happiness. Her beliefs and essential ethos still highlight the damage done to her by her circumstances and emphasizes that that damage isn't OK through Ange's commentary... but like all great characters in that mold, I find myself in admiration that she's not more damaged then she is, not as mean or vindictive as her mother and her classmates but emphasizing peace and comfort. Hell, she even visualizes good sense and conscience through her stuffed animal... it's this weird combination of innocence and... I don't even know what, not cynicism but realism still feels too soft... It's still awful, but it it is admirable, and I do see why Ange would turn to it as a bright spot in an otherwise miserable life. And it's also really, really sweet and touching that the one real connection to the family that Ange prioritizes now us the one that hasn't been warped by years of bitterness and abuse. (Besides the other cousins, of course, but none of them really seem like diary writers...) *Or deriding people for thinking they're witches, but that... just isn't something I can do right now. 
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Jan 23, 2017 15:47
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I enjoyed this part a lot  Maria was truly the best Witch™ ProfessorProf posted:Aunt Rosa ran a clothing design company. It seemed to be some kind of brand name. What was it, Anti-Rosa...? It seems their catch phrase was 'I can't forgive the me of yesterday'. Unfortunately, I've never met someone who knew of that brand name. Maybe it wasn't that famous. Jeez, no wonder Rosa's business wasn't doing well. Kinzo's horrible parenting strikes again.
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Jan 23, 2017 18:49
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Remember folks, if you argue witches don't exist then you're denying Ange's only happiness in her horrid life. 
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Jan 23, 2017 19:34
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Leamonde posted:I enjoyed this part a lot I never caught onto the fact that Rosa built her professional brand on her deep seated self loathing. That's just funny. And fitting for this series
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Jan 23, 2017 20:30
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I hope all of you will repent for your poo poo talking of Maria
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Jan 23, 2017 20:37
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I don't think I've seen any poo poo-talking of Maria since, like, Episode 1.
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Jan 23, 2017 20:41
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That doesn't mean they've repented ENOUGH.
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Jan 23, 2017 20:58
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Wow, this is way too depressing. I hope we get back to the gruesome murders soon.
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Jan 23, 2017 21:48
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Sindai posted:Wow, this is way too depressing. I hope we get back to the gruesome murders soon. Umineko Episode 4.txt
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Jan 23, 2017 22:04
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Everything about that was upsettingly tragic.  Dr Pepper posted:Remember folks, if you argue witches don't exist then you're denying Ange's only happiness in her horrid life. Sometimes accepting the hard truth is better than settling for the easy lie.
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Jan 23, 2017 22:28
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CottonWolf posted:Everything about that was upsettingly tragic. I honestly don't think this is one of those times.
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Jan 23, 2017 23:08
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Oof. Maria's situation reminds me so much of a film I saw once called Nobody Knows, which is based off of a real life case of child abandonment in Japan. I'm sure that Ryukishi07 had heard about it, since it was a pretty sensational incident in the 80s. It's so hard to get into the headspace of someone who would abandon their kid(s) like that. But Rosa is too proud to call a loving babysitter, apparently. And coupled with this, ProfessorProf posted:
Speaking of which, it looks like each episode up to this point has kind of zeroed in on one of the moms: Natsuhi, Rosa, then Eva. Is this the episode where we learn more about Kyrie's motivations and background? I'm guessing we'll get something about Ange's maternal relatives, at least... maybe an expository flashback to the time Ange stayed with her grandfather. witchcore ricepunk fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Jan 24, 2017 |
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Jan 24, 2017 00:24
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Tender Child Loins posted:But Rosa is too proud to call a loving babysitter, apparently. We were actually talking about this on the discord as well but babysitting is a very recent trend in Japan. Late 2000s recent from what a bit of googling suggests. In the 80s, no way anyone in Japan would have called for a babysitter.
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Jan 24, 2017 00:36
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tiistai posted:We were actually talking about this on the discord as well but babysitting is a very recent trend in Japan. Late 2000s recent from what a bit of googling suggests. In the 80s, no way anyone in Japan would have called for a babysitter. It is worth considering that a part of Rosa's problem is that, besides just the hosed-up family she came from, Japanese Society of the 1980s does not particularly give much consideration to the needs to single moms.
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Jan 24, 2017 01:25
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ProfessorProf posted:I don't think I've seen any poo poo-talking of Maria since, like, Episode 1. Let me fix that: Does she "uuu" in her goddamn diary?! There is seriously something wrong with that. Is she just committed to the "uuu" like it's a fashion trend that no one appreciates, or is she writing in a sort of stream-of-consciousness way, where she writes down all the tics she's noticing herself make? No, but seriously, is she actually writing her tics in her diary? That's... weird. Even for her. Makes me wonder what she'd be like at Ange's age.
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Jan 24, 2017 01:37
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Not only does she "uu"; she can also "uryuu"!
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Jan 24, 2017 01:54
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oath2order posted:It is worth considering that a part of Rosa's problem is that, besides just the hosed-up family she came from, Japanese Society of the 1980s does not particularly give much consideration to the needs to single moms. Especially if Maria is special needs or gifted as her bio implies Robindaybird fucked around with this message at 02:08 on Jan 24, 2017 |
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Jan 24, 2017 01:54
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bman in 2288 posted:Does she "uuu" in her goddamn diary?! There is seriously something wrong with that. Is she just committed to the "uuu" like it's a fashion trend that no one appreciates, or is she writing in a sort of stream-of-consciousness way, where she writes down all the tics she's noticing herself make? She might be, but keep in mind that what we're seeing here is actually Ange's imagining of what the event was like, not a literal transcription of the diary. She knew about Maria's verbal tic, so it's likely that her imaginary version of things would include it as well. She's sitting here outside her school imagining this happy little scene because she's utterly alone and needs something to hang onto, even if it's crazy. CottonWolf posted:Sometimes accepting the hard truth is better than settling for the easy lie. That little girl died. Assuming that stuffed animal wasn't destroyed, it never moved that way again, because her hand was no longer there to move it. Her mother also died, and never made any silly presents for anyone ever again. Their bodies were so badly destroyed that nobody, after the fact, even knew for sure what happened to them, and until they found Maria's jaw, nobody even could identify if she'd been there at all. A human agency caused those deaths, not some immaterial being. This is why the witch must be denied; to allow the witch is to fail to identify the true culprit. The purpose of a mystery is to find that culprit; to resolve the crime with the application of justice. In the real world, justice can be delayed or averted, but at least in stories we can find a little piece of it.
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Jan 24, 2017 01:56
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bman in 2288 posted:Let me fix that: if she writes her uuus down instead of saying them aloud, maybe mama won't hurt her
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Jan 24, 2017 02:03
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oath2order posted:if she writes her uuus down instead of saying them aloud, maybe mama won't hurt her Woof.
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Jan 24, 2017 04:11
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oath2order posted:if she writes her uuus down instead of saying them aloud, maybe mama won't hurt her GOD drat
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Jan 24, 2017 04:17
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idonotlikepeas posted:The purpose of a mystery is to find that culprit; to resolve the crime with the application of justice. In the real world, justice can be delayed or averted, but at least in stories we can find a little piece of it. God, or at least some kind of closure for poor Ange.
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Jan 24, 2017 04:43
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oath2order posted:It is worth considering that a part of Rosa's problem is that, besides just the hosed-up family she came from, Japanese Society of the 1980s does not particularly give much consideration to the needs to single moms. Thank god we finally fixed all that! 
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Jan 24, 2017 05:19
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idonotlikepeas posted:That little girl died. Assuming that stuffed animal wasn't destroyed, it never moved that way again, because her hand was no longer there to move it. Her mother also died, and never made any silly presents for anyone ever again. Their bodies were so badly destroyed that nobody, after the fact, even knew for sure what happened to them, and until they found Maria's jaw, nobody even could identify if she'd been there at all. And then Eva somehow gets away with it...
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Jan 24, 2017 19:26
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CottonWolf posted:Sometimes accepting the hard truth is better than settling for the easy lie. To be fair, Ange's working very hard for these lies.
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Jan 24, 2017 22:00
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  BGM: Sukashiyuri  "The groupies were getting annoying, so I thought I'd give them the slip."Ange and an old gentleman wearing an expensive suit were alone in a massive, modern conference room. All of the newest machines for presentations were installed there, but they didn't upset its refined and composed atmosphere, and that alone was enough to make the business-like theme of the room abundantly clear. However, that didn't matter at all to Ange. She carelessly sat on a high-class chair that executives making a salary of several ten million yen probably sat in, looking aloof from the world.  "It's because I knew they were remodeling on a lower floor and had a safety net out." To think that she'd shot through several layers of safety netting for the remodeling project, been caught in a multi-colored banner adorning the atrium and slipped off, only to be softly caught by a final banner, land on the ground without a scratch, and then briskly leave that place... It put Hong Kong movies to shame.  "Whether you knew there was a net or not, this is a 200-meter tall super-skyscraper we're talking about, right? If things hadn't gone as you planned, there'd be a mess to deal with now." "...I figured that if I died, then I'd be dead and that would be that, more or less. Well, still, I was testing my luck a bit. Call it youthful zeal."As though saying that she'd had enough of that topic, Ange shrugged coldly. Seeing that, the old gentleman, who was looking at the world below through a crack in the blinds, cackled.  "So, you were testing your luck, is that it...? My, my, you truly are Kinzo-san's grandchild. The nerve to trust your life to chance. The Chairman was also a woman who could stake her life on a bet like it was nothing, so maybe this really is the Ushiromiya blood at work. You really will make it big in the future. Please, let me be blunt. Why not give up this running away from home act and return to the Sumadera family?" "I heard that Mom had a bad relationship with her family. I don't want to go to the house of people I first met at a funeral." They're an old family from Kyoto, and compared to Mom's frank attitude, unbelievably strict. The only Sumadera I'd been on good terms with was Grandpa, who was living apart from his family under the guise of retirement. Mom kept in touch with him too, but she avoided the rest of the family completely, almost hostilely so. So when I went out to play with the Sumadera family, it was always Grandpa's house I visited. When I was young, I didn't really understand it, but I hear that Grandpa was in an extremely weak position, as a man who'd moved into his wife's family register, and his relationship with Grandma was also bad. You might even say that Grandma hated him and confined him to the house. It isn't hard to imagine that, because she had a soft spot for Grandpa alone, Mom was also hated by the Sumaderas. Since I was her daughter, they probably hated me quite a bit too. And yet, they appeared for the first time at Mom's funeral, shamelessly going on about how big I'd gotten, like they could actually act like family after all this time... When Aunt Eva died, I would inherit all the wealth of the Ushiromiya family. If that wasn't what they were after, there's no way they would've been able to say such disgusting words.  "This isn't self-abandonment. I'm just taking a carefree stroll now that that annoying Aunt Eva has finally kicked the bucket. Everyone else is just making too big a deal out of it."Of course, everyone's after the vast Ushiromiya wealth I bear. They must think that becoming my guardian means they'll be able to do as they please with that wealth. Just how many people have tried to get close to me, acting like they want to be a substitute parent? "If you ever find that you're hurting, please talk with me if it will help, okay? After all, I think of you as my own grandchild, Ange-chan." "...Haah. I'll say <no, thank you> for now. More importantly, let's return to what we were talking about." "I myself know nothing. Everything is wrapped in darkness, you see."This old gentleman was one of those leaders who had been entrusted with the business group Eva had built up after she passed away. The one he called Chairman was the former Chairman, Ushiromiya Eva. His company once had friendly ties with Hideyoshi's business, and he'd had a close relationship with both Hideyoshi and Eva. For that reason, when Eva lost Hideyoshi, he became the only person to whom Eva might have let her true intentions slip. Whenever Eva's heart was torn by the loss of her family, whenever she took it out on Ange, he had acted as a buffer between the two, so although Ange didn't trust him, she found him a very easy person to question...  "That crime was... no, that accident. If I call it a crime, I'll get in trouble. I had the same questions about it as the public and the talk shows." "...At the time of the accident, why was Aunt Eva in a place 2 kilometers away from the mansion, all alone? And on the night of a storm." "...So, to fairly determine a successor from among the four siblings, he made this game-like test called the riddle of the epitaph...?" "Ostensibly, yes. Kinzo-san probably planned to make Eva-san the Successor from the beginning. He wanted to withdraw his own rule that the eldest son be the Successor, and instead of Krauss-san, leave the family to the extremely diligent and brilliant Eva-san. The new rule about giving the inheritance to the one who solved the epitaph... was probably nothing more than a farce to snatch the position of Successor away from Krauss-san." "What do you mean... by farce?" "There was no need for anyone to solve that epitaph. Once it had been displayed for an appropriate amount of time, Kinzo-san could just call Eva-san, whom he truly wanted to succeed him, and give her the answer. In other words, that itself would provide proof of her succession to the Headship." "...This isn't something they've brought up on the talk shows, is it?" "Well, once you bring up the succession of the Headship, conspiracy theories tend to rise to the surface. I'm no fool myself. I won't go out of my way to say things that could invite misunderstandings, you see?"This was his theory. At that time, the Ushiromiya Family Head, Kinzo, whose remaining life was announced to be short, was troubled by the problem of who was to succeed him. Normally, the Successor would be fixed as the oldest son, Krauss, whom Kinzo had chosen himself. But in his later years, Kinzo began to think that Eva would make a more fitting Family Head. However, Kinzo, who was stubborn even against himself, was stymied by the title of Successor that he'd already given to Krauss, and he'd searched for an official stance by which he could skip over Krauss and select Eva as his successor.  The primary successor was still Krauss, but there was a new rule, saying that if someone appeared who could solve the riddle, they would be chosen as the Successor to the Headship. Then, on what would probably be his final family conference, Kinzo told Eva the answer to that riddle himself. In short, it was the same as proclaiming that Eva herself was the Successor.  "...And because Aunt Eva arrived at the hidden mansion one step ahead, she escaped harm in that accident, you say? Maybe Aunt Eva just killed everyone and made it look like an accident, so she could steal all of the wealth for herself, and maybe that's why only she escaped unharmed." "Well, that's what the papers are shouting about. However, I believe Eva-san. I'd say there are several points that justify trusting her." "For example...?" "That ring of the Ushiromiya Family Head, which is on your finger now, Ange-chan. That ring is the only one of its kind in the world, which Kinzo-san had made specially. And the artisan who made it acknowledges that the object on your finger is, without a doubt, that ring." That ring, with the heft of gold and the one-winged seal on it, had a diamond arranged on a pedestal, and felt both sturdy and reminiscent of the dark hobbies of the rich. Kinzo had worn that on his finger without removing it even for a moment. This man was saying that the fact Eva had it proved that Kinzo had acknowledged her as the Successor.  "...Although there's the possibility that she murdered Grandfather in order to steal that ring. Then Aunt Eva, using some kind of trick, massacred everyone and made it look like an accident." "Ah, yes. It seems the papers were saying something about her massacring everyone, with keeping all the wealth to herself as a goal. True, Eva-san was a person capable of holding back nothing when she was determined to accomplish something. Or, she may have committed murder just once in her life... if a chance for keeping all the Ushiromiya family wealth for herself presented itself. However, I don't think that happened." "So, what's the second point that justifies your trust in her?" "Eva-san's family. Hideyoshi-san and George-kun. ...It might be difficult for you to believe all of a sudden, Ange-chan, but Eva-san was a person who treasured family greatly." But I did understand vaguely. Aunt Eva certainly had been a person who highly treasured her family. After all, the root of her twisted personality had been nothing more than the sadness of losing her beloved husband and son. After getting hit with her angry outbursts as she tried to distract herself from that pain, I have no feelings of sympathy at all, but it's not like I can't imagine how the incredible shock of losing her whole family must've changed her character. "...You're saying there's no way Aunt Eva, who loved her family, would throw away her husband and her son?" "That's right. Even if Eva-san really was the culprit and massacred the entire family, making it look like an accident, she most certainly would have spared her husband and her son. She would quibble that, by coincidence, only her family had been in the hidden mansion. If Hideyoshi-san and George-kun had been safe, even I would probably suspect Eva-san. I truly cannot imagine that Eva-san's wailing at Hideyoshi-san's funeral was an act." "...Sounds like both points so far are just circumstantial evidence. That isn't the same as physically proving Aunt Eva's innocence." "Hahahaha. If you say that, then you're stuck right away. Eva-san was the only survivor. And she says that this is the truth." "But no one can prove her innocence." "Yes, that's right. And no one can prove that she committed a crime either." "..." "And the final point that justifies trusting her... is the police. After all, it was such a flashy crime. The police were being pushed forward by a public in an uproar over conspiracy theories, so they must have investigated Eva-san thoroughly." Furthermore, at the time, Hideyoshi's company had been right in the middle of a takeover struggle, and in order to buy off the big stockholders, she'd wanted a large sum of cash. It shouldn't be too hard to find a motive there. But as a matter of fact, there had been nothing at all that implicated Eva as she went to the family conference. Nothing unnatural was found on her that could've been used to brutally murder her family and make it look like an accident. The servants who escaped harm by being off-duty on that day also stated that they hadn't seen anything strange regarding anyone related to the event, Eva included. Putting all of that together, it could only be concluded that Ushiromiya Eva had headed to Rokkenjima for a normal family conference, without any change, and had encountered an accident...  "...That just means that the police couldn't find evidence that it was a crime, right?" "There's nothing I can say to counter that. It becomes a Devil's Proof. To expose it as her crime, you would simply need to find evidence. But what could you possibly find to prove her innocence? It's impossible to prove a negative fact." "...Did Aunt Eva commit a crime, or did she not...? Because we can't find any materials that'll let us say for sure, the truth will remain a mystery... That's what you're saying, right?" "...That's it. Phrased in a manner you would prefer, that's what it amounts to. It was impossible even for Eva-san to prove her own innocence. On that island, an unfortunate accident occurred. And Eva-san survived by chance. And we don't know any more than that! In short, it all comes down to whether you believe the story of the only survivor, Eva-san, or not. I believed. The ring and her praiseworthy love for her family. And the tears she shed at the funeral. Taking all of that into consideration, I decided to believe her story." "...But I don't believe. If she wanted to steal the ring, there were probably many ways for her to do it, and no one knows if her relationship with her family really was that good. No one can prove that tears at a funeral are real. Anyway, I hated Aunt Eva from the very beginning. So I don't even want to believe her." "Hahahaha... How does one view the truth of the crime? You and I are on completely opposing sides. Even though the information we are given is exactly the same, we interpret it in completely different ways. This happens often in politics and business. The exact same enterprise will always be assessed in multiple, differing ways. Do you know why?" "...Why?" BGM: Melody (instrumental) "If a person you like gives to the poor, you respect them for it, right? But if someone you hate starts donating, you fiercely protest that it's a publicity stunt or that they're handing out favors. No matter what they do or don't do, you thank them if you have love and criticize them if you don't. That's how the world works." "Can Aunt Eva be trusted, or can't she...? You're saying that's all that really matters?" "Those who suspect her will probably take anything she does or doesn't do and truly see it as something unnatural. And it works in reverse. As for me, I think that, barring certain extreme cases, truth might not exist in this world at all. No, even if truth does exist, whether you believe it or not is determined by whether you have love or not. Can you really call truth without certainty truth? Even if Eva-san had been able to show physical proof that she had an alibi, would you have been able to believe it?" "..." ...I hate Aunt Eva, so I'll probably deny any information beneficial to her...and interpret any neutral information in a negative way. In other words, the truth is already decided inside me. So just what in the world is this 'truth' that I'm still searching for, unsatisfied...? "That's how it is. So, no matter what you hear from me, since you still suspect Eva-san after all this time, nothing will change. At the very least, even if you were to grasp a piece of hitherto unknown information, I don't think you'd be able to reach the truth the way you are now." "After all, no matter what kind of new information or proof you find, Ange-chan, it won't change your stance that Eva-san is the culprit, right? So it's pointless to investigate anything more. Because the truth inside of you is already decided." "..." "However... If you stop assuming that to be the truth, if you wish to struggle further towards the deeper, real truth, there is a single way. I believe I already mentioned it, but do you know what it is?" "...Is it... love? I don't really know what you mean." "Right now, you're considering this under the assumption that Eva-san is the culprit. But that's no different than looking at something with a single eye. With one eye, no matter how much you squint, you cannot see an object in three dimensions, right? That's why we have another eye. And of course, it's in a different position from the first eye." "...You're telling me to look at things based on the supposition that Aunt Eva isn't the culprit, or else, that it was a real accident...?" "Yes, yes, that's correct. When thinking about anything, you should always try to look at it from different perspectives. If you don't, you won't understand anything about what is real. It's the same with newspapers. You can't see anything from the single viewpoint of a writer who wrote an article in a single newspaper. Sometimes you can only process information composedly and in three dimensions when you read multiple newspapers." Maybe he thought it interesting that such a flashy phrase would pop out of his mouth. For a while, he laughed, looking pleased. At the same time, he was telling me that he'd said everything he knew... and that it was about time to leave. I understood that and got to my feet. "I do understand your feelings, Ange-chan. You should do as you like for a while, until you're satisfied. You were six years old at the time. I understand how you must feel after losing your family before you could even understand what that meant... and how you must still be unable to sort out your heart." "..." "You may learn the truth, and you may not. Eva-san may be the culprit, and she may be a victim. I pray that you find the 'truth' you believe in, Ange-chan. A journey at such a young age may prove to be a valuable experience." "Thank you very much... I'm truly sorry to be such a bother when you're so busy, Okonogi-san." "No trouble, no trouble. What are you going to do now?" "Well, whatever works. I've made appointments with several specialists and people related to the crime, and I plan to go visit them." "I see. I hope you find an answer you can accept."At that time, company president Okonogi's secretary came in, handing him a memo over his shoulder. He read it, then looked between it and my face. "...Ange-chan, my apologies that this comes right after telling you to try going on a journey, but I have some information you should lend an ear to. It looks like you're in a bit of a nasty fix right now." "People after my money? This is why money's stupid." "Yes, but if you sell off all of the wealth, trying to donate the whole sum to the public welfare, you'll make the eyes pop out of those people optimistic about their chances with your fortune." "Oh, the Sumadera family? Those guys act so proud, like they're my guards or something." BGM: Over They probably want to, as Aunt Eva often threatened in the past, cut off my arms and legs, throw me in a warehouse, and suck the Ushiromiya family's wealth dry. "Apparently, a messenger from the Sumadera family is coming here. They're saying to hand you over... no, no, that they want to protect you." "A messenger, you say?" "It's your aunt. Kyrie-san's younger sister. I believe she told me earlier that she thinks of you as a little sister." "She's gotta be joking. At least call me a granddaughter, you old hag." "Judging from the context, it seems they have no wish to listen to your desires. I have a car waiting in the parking lot two stories underground. Go." "...The Sumadera family is telling you to hand me over. Is it really okay to let me go?" "You will definitely become something big in the future, Ange-chan. Let us call this a favor to be repaid upon your success. Go, quickly...!"After bowing silently and deeply, Ange left that place at a dash. After watching her leave, the female secretary straightened her glasses and whispered.  "We did stall her, more than enough. If they still don't make it in time, that's their own fault. I told Ange-chan to run for it. I informed the Sumaderas that Ange-chan would be coming. Whether she's caught or not, I will not be blamed." "...Everything in this world... is love, you see... Don't worry, she'll escape. After all, that child's capable of leaping off a building to shake pursuers."Okonogi looked down again through a crack in the blinds, muttering 'Nope, definitely couldn't do it...'  She got off the elevator, but on the third floor. A taxi in the second level of the basement? That's so neat and clean that I don't like it. It's probably better to refuse for now. But my enemies aren't fools either. They're probably waiting in the first floor lobby, as well as the underground parking lot. It's such a massive building. Instead of getting anxious and escaping outside, maybe it's better to stay inside and wait it out. No, that's useless. If they get their hands on a security room in a modern building like this, I'll have nowhere to run to. This entire building is like a massive dead end. The third floor is the business floor. A young girl like me will clearly stick out.  It'd be perfect if that staircase was an outside one. I found the door to the emergency exit. After opening that heavy door, I found the outside staircase I'd hoped for. I bumped into a man who looked like an employee skipping work and smoking a cigarette. After glaring at me, he quickly crushed out his cigarette and went away. It looked like there was no one below. If I'm gonna escape, now's my only chance...!  Judging by the sound of tires, it seemed they had several other allies, and that one of them had come here to block this path. "...Not bad, Aunt Kasumi. To think you'd even send a car to pick up your little sister when she's trying to get out through the emergency exit."*bam*bam*! The doors of the car were forcefully opened and three black-suited men jumped out, looking up at the emergency staircase. Crap, our eyes met. "12, target found. Northwest side emergency stairs, third floor, send support." "Ange-sama! Try not to move from there! Forgive our roughness...!!"The three of them began to clamor up the emergency exit. They've already announced that they plan to be rough. This is pretty bad. As long as I don't stop breathing, they've probably been ordered to grab me no matter what, even if they've gotta rip out one of my arms. *clank*clank*clank*clank*!! Their heavy, wild footsteps became a helix and began to rise from the lower floors, getting closer...! In the entrance lobby of the building, a woman with seven black-suited guards behind her advanced at a leisurely pace. Seeing this ostentatious entrance, the security guards for the building ran up to them, asking if they had an appointment.  "M-My apologies... At our company, guests are to take a securi-" "Back down, plebian. I came because I was called by your president. Call Okonogi Tetsurou here. To think he would call me here and then not welcome me... How typical of Tokyo people..." With his secretary behind him, Okonogi dashingly appeared from the elevator. Even though both of them wore bold smiles, they were wrapped in a tension reminiscent of the smell of gunpowder...  "...Where is Ange? I came to greet that adorable daughter of my big sister's." "Strict observance of time is our motto here at the Ushiromiya group. The former Chairman herself said that those who can't keep time can't keep contracts." "...You call me all the way to Tokyo, and this is all you have to show for it? You let her go, didn't you." "Please, she escaped from us. We did stall her for quite some time, but unsurprisingly, she did eventually smell a rat. Of course, this wouldn't have been a problem at all if you had arrived on time, Sumadera-san. Ah, these provicials and their loose concept of time. Wahhahahahahahahaha!" "...What was that...? What did you say to me...?"You couldn't sense any of Kyrie's open frankness in Kasumi's face. She wore the arrogance of the ancient Sumadera family towards the ruined Ushiromiya family, as well as pride, because she didn't want anyone to notice that her family was declining so much that they couldn't ignore the Ushiromiya family's wealth. Even at a glance, it was easy to understand why Ange hated her aunt so deeply... She couldn't stand even a slight insult, and though she still smiled, her eyebrow twitched. At that time, the black-suited man behind Kasumi whispered to her.  
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Jan 25, 2017 14:12
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As the story continues to get more complicated, an entire new section has been added to the profiles page.
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Jan 25, 2017 14:14
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Oh, wow. And here I was hoping I'd only have to deal with the thread of the Island Murder and the thread of Purgatory, but now it seems we have the Thread of the Surviving Eva and the timeline created there... thank god for glossaries. I'd ask how Ange can be alive in Purgatory and alive in her own future, but Battler exists in those places concurrently as well... but given the agency Ange is displaying, it seems inappropriate to call her Piece Ange. Player Ange and Advisor* Ange, maybe? I dunno. Oh, eat poo poo. I get the point Old Guy With Ponytail is making here, about preconceived notions leading one to a foregone conclusion (in science, this is called a confirmation bias, and it's led to many an experimental conclusion to be cast in doubt), but if you don't think love can influence you away from the truth, than you're either selling somebody something bogus or a victim of that self-same sale. However... the interesting thing is that Ange does seem to be acutely aware of her own biases, and is trying to take steps to mitigate these in her search for the truth. If she follows through on her intentions, this gives us on the Silly Witch Side an advisor to Battler who has over a decade of experience weathering physical and emotional abuse (which, beyond general incompetence, is Battler's biggest flaw in dealing with Beato), and on the Bad Future side, an element that has thus been absent from this narrative: an impartial outside observer, to weigh all the facts and evidence without the enormously tragic, painful baggage this family has. This could be a game-changer. *I'm not gonna say Witch Ange, and you can't loving make me.
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Jan 25, 2017 16:53
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She's not a "witch", she's a "slayer of witches"—presumably meaning that she will rip apart the web of falsehoods they weave to seem like a witch instead of whatever their "true self" is (after all, Beato called her "true self" pitiful, and her personality strikes me as one to not say that without meaning it on some level). Also, great to know that Ange's life post-Rokkenjima would be miserable regardless, it's really good to see how awful her relations are. 
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Jan 25, 2017 17:41
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Talk about lovely relatives. Looks like this woman wants to be just like Kinzo, only in a completely different way.
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Jan 25, 2017 18:02
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Like Clockwork posted:Also, great to know that Ange's life post-Rokkenjima would be miserable regardless, it's really good to see how awful her relations are.
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Jan 25, 2017 18:30
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Okonogi as OP and thinking up the title of the LP confirmed.
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Jan 25, 2017 18:54
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So Kyrie's family, from what it sounds like, is like the opposite of the Urshiromiyas yet just as terrible. I guess it's good to know there may be a third contender for the biggest jerk in this story since another rich rear end family just showed up to exploit poor Ange.
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Jan 25, 2017 19:44
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