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Yes, let's make this the end of discussion of Zepar and Furfur's genitalia.
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May 27, 2017 05:09
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Fine with me, I never wanted to go there to begin with.
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May 27, 2017 05:24
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May 27, 2017 07:35
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Makes sense.
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May 27, 2017 10:00
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 Erika had returned to the room on the second floor of the guesthouse that had been given to her. The next room over was empty. It was very quiet there... Even pressing her ear against the wall wouldn't enable her to listen in on the voices in the cousins' room. Even with hearing power boosted by the detective's authority, it would probably be impossible to make out anything. This room was the farthest down the hall, a long ways away from the cousins' room...  "And last time, my room was right next to theirs. I see... so he's placed my room farther away this time."  "Well, it's better for me that way too. Like I'd want to hear those brats' squeaky voices as they play cards." "..."This whole time, Erika had been facing the desk and toying with something. She was preparing some of those duct tape seals from before. She had asked Kumasawa for the stickiest tape in the place. She drew a complicated signature that could not be counterfeited across it with a permanent marker, then began making notches across it. This way, she could stick this over a place that she wanted to prove had been closed, creating a powerful seal equal in strength to the red truth. Those menacing seals had cornered Natsuhi so thoroughly in the previous game...  "Is something WRONG?" "...He got me. That Battler doesn't let anything get by him, does he?"Erika shrugged and showed the piece of duct tape she had torn off to Dlanor. At a glance, Dlanor couldn't tell what had annoyed Erika. However, as soon as she held it, she realized the difference right away.  "...This won't be any GOOD." "Yep. It's barely sticky at all. This won't reach even close to the red truth."Even duct tape can be of low quality, and it sometimes gets weaker with age. The tape Kumasawa had found was a bit too weak even for normal use. It wasn't nearly sticky enough to be used as a detective's seal.  "It is possible to tear it off CLEANLY. This cannot count as proof of a SEAL." "...I guess Battler isn't as totally incompetent as I thought. He probably tampered with all the duct tape on the island using the authority of the Game Master."Letting Erika get her hands on duct tape gave her a fatal weapon to use against witches. The previous game had proven this fact. And so, Battler had removed that weapon from the entire mansion... "Most likely, all possible substitutes for duct tape have also been tampered WITH." "...Probably. Well, it isn't really so bad. At least this way, I won't have to look like a fool crawling all over the outer wall in the cold rain."Erika tossed the duct tape aside carelessly and flopped spread-eagled onto the bed... "Anyway, waiting calmly for the crime and smoking a pipe is also part of a detective's role. I doubt you'll have any role until the first twilight begins, so why not vanish off somewhere and take a break. I imagine that just the sight of my face is tiresome for you." "...I do not SMOKE. I am just a KID." "Oh, really? I wish I could. Well, only if it really is as refreshing as smokers claim." "...It seems... that you are not in high SPIRITS." "...Does it look that way?"Erika answered lazily, still looking up at the ceiling. That in itself was half an answer... The silence between the two was filled by the sound of the wind and rain. It was so quiet that the sound of the ticking clock rang out clearly.  BGM: Minute Darkness "Depends on what it is. Answer's probably <no> though." "..." "...Well, we're just killing time anyway. What is it?"Erika was probably bored as well. Or maybe the sound of the rain was making her sentimental. She assented, which was very unlike her. "WHY? Why do you hate magic, Lady Erika?" "...Ah. You mean that thing downstairs with Maria?" Erika didn't need Dlanor to tell her that it had been a childish fight. "...Well, I am a self-proclaimed intellectual rapist. I can't stand having magic confuse the truth." "And so, you feel pleasure from exposing THAT? I sense a different EMOTION." "A different emotion? What's that?" "To me, it feels less like pleasure, and more like a different, negative EMOTION." "Hah, you really are a murder doll, aren't you? Even your eyes are like knotholes." "...My APOLOGIES. Please forgive ME."Erika rolled over grumpily, turning her back to Dlanor. So, Dlanor couldn't see her expression. Even so. For some reason, she could guess that this completely unobserved expression was one of pain... Interpreting this to mean that Erika wanted her to go away, Dlanor gave a bow and made to leave. Then, Erika suddenly spoke. The words had come so far out of the blue that Dlanor doubted her ears, and she had to ask Erika to say it again. "...What did you SAY?" BGM: Witch in Gold (cembalo) It really had been out of the blue. Dlanor wanted to see what Erika really meant, but the latter still had her back turned, and her face was out of sight... "...Thank you very MUCH." "I was going out with another girl a while back, but we've completely broken up. The others might talk about us out of envy, but please ignore them." "..." "I'm gonna devote my whole life to you, so I want you to do the same for me. Let's find happiness together."Dlanor avoided asking what she was talking about and stood there in silence. For a while, Erika kept on dully and emotionlessly repeating soppy phrases that might have popped up in some shoujo manga... Then, unexpectedly, she once again followed up with a complete non sequitur.  "...?"Of course, she had no idea what Erika was saying. However, with her back still to Dlanor, Erika kept on saying disconnected words. "A strange cat keychain. A different style of cologne. A music tape that's not his style... which he said he borrowed from a senior at theater. His senior was going so he couldn't refuse. He suddenly had this part-time job to go to. Talked with a friend on the phone for a really long time."    Give it a rest. If you love me, then trust me... If you can't do that, then you don't love me anymore. How could I love someone like that? I'll treasure you for all my life, but I want to do well in theater just as much. You said you liked seeing me act, right? So why are you telling me to stop acting now? Why do I have to choose between you and acting? What's wrong with you? I'm seriously worn out, alright? Come on, if all we do is fight when we see each other, maybe we both need some time to cool off, okay? I need to concentrate for my next performance anyway. There's this senior girl who suddenly said she wouldn't be able to perform. I need to rewrite the script by tomorrow. I don't have the time for this. If you really find it that hard to trust me, we're through. Stay away, just go home, bitch, I don't love you anymore. Don't cry dammit, it's disgusting. Just die. Stop shouting, dammit, you're annoying the neighborhood. Just get the hell away from me and never come back. "...Without love, it cannot be seen? Hah. That's backwards." "..."  Without love, humans would never need to sift through truth and lies. Because we can see those, we doubt. We suffer. We cry out loud. "...Right now, I am happy. Though it may be temporary, I have become the Witch of Truth. As I am now, I no longer need to worry about being tormented by non-red words." "..." "...What about you? How would you have countered my endgame?" "How would... I?" "That useless man wouldn't play the part of my opponent in that game. I was wondering how you would have countered it?" "..." BGM: Smile-less Soiree Dlanor shared in the Fragments of Erika's past and was made to grasp the full situation. The board was reproduced in full inside their heads... The situation... was one-sided. Erika's side had constructed a blue truth based on countless bits of circumstantial evidence, had turned all of those into pieces, and was already cornering the opponent. For some time, Dlanor thought in silence... and announced her by-the-book response.  "Counter with the blue truth. I present 84 points of circumstantial and physical evidence." "Counter with the blue TRUTH. I present 6 points of circumstantial and physical evidence that I still love YOU." "<Good>. Blue and blue cancel each other out, but the number of pieces used to construct each is overwhelmingly unbalanced."When both opponents meet with the blue truth, the decision is almost always based on which side has more pieces of evidence, regardless of the actual circumstances. This is especially true in the human world. So, by the standard rules, Erika would win... "First point to me. Your next move?" "...I will attempt to switch offense and DEFENSE. I ask that you, Lady Erika, provide proof that you are not CHEATING." "Perpetual check. That's a forbidden move, since it'd result in an endless repetition of the same question going both ways." "Then I frankly declare that, despite a lack of proof, I still love Lady Erika even NOW." "Not the red truth, so that's ineffective. Even if it was red, that'd be a stalemate. After all, I'd have no move to counter with." "..."Dlanor remained silent for a while. Then, she quietly responded to Erika's moves until they reached checkmate. A stalemate is a forbidden move in the game of witches, since it means the ruin of the game. However, in chess, it also represents a draw. Because of this, it is a splendid final move that the weaker player can pull off if they are already unable to win outright. In this situation, Erika clearly had the advantage. On the other side, it was natural that Dlanor would seek a stalemate to obtain a tie. However, that would only be the case in chess. In the game where witches fight over the truth, it is a forbidden move. So, it was already checkmate from the very beginning. Dlanor had no way to turn the game around... However, regardless of what the real truth had been, this game would... "...Any other moves? O witch-hunting archbishop, protector of the truth?" BGM: None "See? There you go. Hmph..."Erika had succeeded in crushing her opponent with the truth she espoused... that her former boyfriend no longer loved her and was cheating on her. Her opponent had no way to argue back. After all, humans are not allowed to use ————. A splendid game, a splendid finish from a superior position. Regardless of the truth of her opponent, Erika could win. A splendid... victory. Dlanor could only respond with silence. And with that, Erika spoke no more. She was probably done talking and wanted Dlanor to leave. Dlanor understood this, but even so... Before leaving, she wanted to tell Erika one thing.  BGM: Spiral "It's only natural that the detective wins." "Even before you became Lady Bernkastel's piece, you truly were a splendid wielder of the blue TRUTH. However, Lady Erika. Humans are only allowed to use the blue TRUTH. And the only thing that can counter blue truth is red TRUTH. And humans are not allowed to use the red TRUTH." "...In that case, how should your opponent have shown his TRUTH?" "...Who knows. Maybe he should have used that gold truth or whatever, which is supposed to be stronger than the red truth at times." "...You certainly were the victor in that GAME. However, allow me to say this as a protector of the TRUTH." "What? I imagine it's something unpleasant, so say it and go away." "...YES. This game is your VICTORY. However, you still have not denied the six points of blue truth evidence that I showed to claim that I still loved YOU. Even you are HUMAN. You cannot use red truth to deny those POINTS." "Later on, I used the detective's authority to have all 84 points transformed into red truth. By the power of my master...! I am human, yet superior to humans. A detective and a witch. I am the Witch of Truth, Furudo Erika. Any other questions? Parting remarks?" "...I have NONE. In that case, please excuse ME."Dlanor bowed and disappeared. After that, all that remained was a single Witch of Truth laughing off a bitter past with an equally bitter smile... Judging by the bedside clock, it was almost exactly 24:00. 
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May 28, 2017 13:11
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Erika is just so proud that she's able to construct a scenario where the opponent can't win even if they're correct and she's wrong. Erika is very bad at being a detective.
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May 28, 2017 13:40
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Erika is just very broken. Pity's the only real response. Also, to very deliberately miss the point of that scene, I have to point out that proof that someone still loves you is not proof that they weren't cheating.
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May 28, 2017 15:13
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ProfessorProf posted:Even before you became Lady Bernkastel's piece, you truly were a splendid wielder of the blue truth. And uh, how did that happen again Erika? I mean, being the detective, she is real, has to be, and yet she's a piece, knows all the witch stuff going on and everything. Tthis scene not being in first person presumably means it didn't happen, or not like this anyway, but still, what's going on with Erika? A piece based on a real person, a real person whose third person scenes are exaggerated to involve witches, something completely made-up for Bern's fanfic? Whatever it is, she's miserable, not that it's an excuse, but being naturally sharp, and therefore paranoid, would ruin things I guess.
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May 28, 2017 17:42
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ProfessorProf posted:
Since Zeppo and Chico here were present in the intro scene, and they're only allowed to stick around to do one last thing, that means the following: 1) Erika is going to somehow enter this contest and win it. 2) None of the other three can possibly win, although that's not much of a surprise.
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May 28, 2017 17:55
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"The last time...?"
"The brooch, our vessel, has already been destroyed!"
"However, it was decided when the contract was made. It was decided that we must lend our power one more time before our final farewell."
"...There you have it. Lovers! Those gathered here are ones cursed to have unsuccessful love unless a miracle occurs. The power of the golden butterfly brooch, which can grant this miracle, is your last chance, and like it or not, this chance is limited to this evening! This miracle can be given only to a single pair!"
"..."
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idonotlikepeas posted:Since Zeppo and Chico here were present in the intro scene, and they're only allowed to stick around to do one last thing, that means the following: I'm not sure their leaving the game level necessarily means that they can't continue to appear on the meta level. That said, it would make a lot of sense if Erika entered and won the dumb gameshow. She'd a make a great reality TV villain.
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May 28, 2017 18:01
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Qrr posted:Erika is just so proud that she's able to construct a scenario where the opponent can't win even if they're correct and she's wrong. Intellectual rapists are not very smart. Graylien posted:And uh, how did that happen again Erika? I mean, being the detective, she is real, has to be, and yet she's a piece, knows all the witch stuff going on and everything. Tthis scene not being in first person presumably means it didn't happen, or not like this anyway, but still, what's going on with Erika? A piece based on a real person, a real person whose third person scenes are exaggerated to involve witches, something completely made-up for Bern's fanfic? Bern's power is that they can search through millions of different universes/fragments in order to beat the odds. Bern might have searched through a lot of different universes until she found one where there was a version of herself (or maybe just someone who looks like her) that is a detective, and pulled her into the game just like what happened with Ange. Probably the same as Ange, Bern pulled in Erika because not only was it useful to do so, but Erika could be manipulated due to her own bad circumstances.
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May 28, 2017 18:37
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I had assumed Erika was created by Bern just for the occasion, that she wasn't a real person. This presents her as a real person who, what, was found by Bern and magically teleported to the island? It probably doesn't matter for mystery solving purposes, and if I had read the earlier works, it might make more sense. Once again, the author is very good at taking a nasty character and giving them understandable, even sympathetic, reasons for being the way they are. If Erika admits that she's not a great detective, then she needs to admit she might have been wrong to push her boyfriend away. And not to reignite gender debate, but is Erika talking about two unhappy affairs, or did "girl" flip to "boy" during that story?
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May 28, 2017 18:46
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BurningStone posted:Once again, the author is very good at taking a nasty character and giving them understandable, even sympathetic, reasons for being the way they are. If Erika admits that she's not a great detective, then she needs to admit she might have been wrong to push her boyfriend away. And not to reignite gender debate, but is Erika talking about two unhappy affairs, or did "girl" flip to "boy" during that story? I read it as her quoting stuff her boyfriend had said to her, but, yeah, it's ambiguous.
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May 28, 2017 19:03
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May 28, 2017 20:07
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I love the music in this game so much. Golden Sneer is so good (and nostalgic now)
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May 28, 2017 20:26
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BurningStone posted:I had assumed Erika was created by Bern just for the occasion, that she wasn't a real person. This presents her as a real person who, what, was found by Bern and magically teleported to the island? It probably doesn't matter for mystery solving purposes, and if I had read the earlier works, it might make more sense. Just one. I'm pretty sure that story implies that he went out with Erika while still going out with the previous one, from that comment about "ignore my friends, they're just envious of us". The way I read her comment about "love makes you see things that don't even exist" is that the relationship was a lie in the first place. The only correct ending.
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May 28, 2017 21:31
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Cyouni posted:The way I read her comment about "love makes you see things that don't even exist" is that the relationship was a lie in the first place. From her perspective, at least
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May 28, 2017 21:43
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I haven't been able to get fresh mackerel lately, which is a real shame. Looks like we're getting closer and closer to in/validating the Shkannon hypothesis, though, at which point I may post about Osaka style shime saba sushi too make up for whatever complaints froth up in my posts. Maybe there will be pix. I have some fish knives I need to bust out to demonstrate my Kumasawa murder conspiracy theories.
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May 29, 2017 03:46
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POOL IS CLOSED posted:I haven't been able to get fresh mackerel lately, which is a real shame. Yessssss...  (but sorry for your loss in not being able to get mackerel. My sympathies.  )
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May 29, 2017 04:17
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 BGM: Fortitude  "That's right. She's the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with." "And that's why you need to choose very carefully, right?! How can you be so rash?!!"Eva and George could be seen beneath the eaves of the guesthouse. George had revealed his engagement with Shannon. Eva's anger had exploded almost instantly. This had been no more than George had expected, so he had responded with an ice-cold calm...  "...Did you sleep with her? She told you she was pregnant to force you into a marriage, didn't she?!" "How rude. I'm a strong believer that chastity is to be preserved before marriage." "Then why an engagement?!" "I asked her. She accepted. What more could be needed?" "No, it's all wrong!! Marriage isn't as easy as it seems in manga or whatever you're thinking of!!" "What about her parents? Relationships between the two families? Are you some stray alley cat, or are you Ushiromiya George?!! How could you be so rash now, when you might even be selected as Grandfather's successor?!! Why didn't you consult me...?!!" "I'm consulting you right now. No, not consulting. I'm just reporting. I've never counted on being selected as Grandfather's successor. In fact, I'd rather refuse if it did come to that. I want to build up my own country and castle from scratch, just like Father did." "N, now listen here...!! Do you realize how hard your father has worked to get here?! That's not something you could duplicate just by imitating him!! Do you understand how often he was saved by luck and coincidence before now?!!" "And he got through it because he had a wonderful life partner by his side... you. Sayo is the kind of person who'll support me and make me be reborn as an even stronger man. You've praised me for becoming the adult that I am, but that could never have happened without her." "Huh...?!!! Are you listening?! George?! Just let your mother handle this for now. Cool your head and think very carefully! Shannon isn't the only person interested in you, right...?! Ayumi-san from that marriage meeting really took a liking to you!!" "First I've heard of it." "I thought you knew...!! Her parents were also very impressed by you!! If you really dream to build your own castle like your father, Ayumi-san is the one who'd really be able to help you, right?! Do you intend to betray her feelings?!" "...There's nothing to betray. There was never any special relationship between Ayumi-san and me. We just had a marriage meeting and our parents got all fired up afterwards. You made us go out together several times, but we never even looked at each other." "Ayumi-san is a well-bred, modest woman, isn't she?!! She just couldn't look at you because you're a man and it would be embarrassing and ill-mannered...!! If you can't feel anything from her unless she looks at your eyes, then just tell her that. I'm sure she'll look at you in the future...!!" "You want me to marry Ayumi-san because it will benefit you. You aren't pushing that engagement for the sake of anyone but yourself.""George!!  BGM: Requiem  "I haven't, have I?! What's a parent's job?! It's to look after the long-term welfare of their children, right?! We've been looking down upon your entire future from a great height!! And from our vantage point, we can see that you're letting your momentary youthful emotions lead you down the wrong path!! That's why I'm saying what I am even though I know you'll hate me for it!! If I didn't care for you, we wouldn't be having this fight! I'd just tell you to marry whatever strange girl you like and leave you be...!" "You hear me, George? Leave this to your mother. There's no need for you to meet with Shannon-chan anymore. We'll take care of everything for you. Don't worry, we won't do anything bad to Shannon-chan. After all, it's thanks to her that you've grown so much... We won't forget that. So leave the rest to us... George..." "..."Sometime during Eva's rage, tears had started to drip from her eyes. As though those tears had caused him to hesitate, George turned his back and sagged his shoulders... Even George is a child of man after all... Though he understands that marriage requires nothing more than the love of both people, he can't get over his desire for his parents' acceptance... And so, he is trapped between the tears of the mother who has always helped him and the fiancee he chose... or is he...?  BGM: Answer "Huh...?" "All my life, you've done a great job raising me, and I'm grateful for that. When I have children and become a parent, I'll become a parent like you. I'll be the kind of parent most worthy of respect in the entire world, one who can truly fight for his children's sake." "George..."With his back still towards her, George threw away his umbrella, and slowly stepped out from beneath the eaves into the rain. Then, he slowly turned around. It was, without a doubt, the familiar face of Eva's beloved son. However, he was now his own man, self-controlled and independent enough that their blood connection might be forgotten. "I think that's just about enough." "...What... is...?" "...Geo..." "From now on, let's stop talking as mother and son. I am George. You are Eva. Let's forget that you're my parent and let our true intentions ring clear. The reason you want to choose the person I marry... is for financial reasons, public appearances, and so that you can posture in that still continuing quarrel between you and your siblings. You have no other reason." "..." "You'd do well to just give up and admit it now. I'm about to share my point of view with you. I suggest you do the same. After all, you will lose."No traces of love and respect for his mother remained in George's eyes. There was only a frigid glare as he gazed ruthlessly down at the witch who was trying to bind his future. "...George, why... are you looking at your mother like that...?" "Because I'm not looking at my mother. All I see is a wall, a trial... that's standing in the way of the future I'm trying to grasp." "...You're only human. I know that you have dreams and ambitions, and that you're still chasing after those. And, I think that's a wonderful thing. We also know how hard it is for a person to chase their dreams without giving up."I need to inherit your wonderful strength. I've learned a lot from my parents, my friends, and Sayo... and I've grown.  "And the last thing I've learned, acquired and perfected... is the real Ushiromiya George! Now I'll overcome the final barrier... you!!" "...!!!" BGM: None Eva had disappeared. The pouring rain landed evenly across the ground everywhere. No, it was blocked very slightly in one place. However, there was no one there. ...Standing on the ground isn't the only way to block the path of the rain. Then, could it be...  "...!!"  Video: George VS EVABGM: Worldend Dominator In the rain-filled sky, with the moon that shouldn't have been visible behind her, was the Golden Witch of the future who had finally obtained everything of the Ushiromiya family. Even the drastic change in his mother's appearance didn't faze George. On the contrary, he seemed to be moved by her boldness. Because his mother had honestly and truly displayed... her true nature. This way, I can confidently show her my true self...   "First steeeeeeep...?!?!"With that first step, he felt something odd beneath his feet. He knew that this sticky sensation, which didn't quite feel like mud, represented his mother's arrogance trying to prevent him from making that first step.  "I used to read to you all the time when you were little, didn't I? Do you remember your favorite story, 'Journey to the West'?" "...That takes me back. That's probably the first fantasy I really loved."Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, wanted to become a god and was tested by Buddha. 'If you can jump free from the palm of my hand, I will acknowledge your wish.' Then, Sun Wukong managed to reach what he thought was the end of the world, and found five pillars standing there... only to discover that they were Buddha's fingers, and that he still hadn't left Buddha's hand. "...Are you saying that's what my first step is like...?"  "Why not just look? Watch your feet!!!"At George's feet, on the pitch-black earth soaked by the pounding rain... There was what appeared to be a slightly red sash that glowed ominously... and blocked George's first step. It was deep, viscous and it held George's foot in place. From Eva's perspective, as she looked down from the sky, it looked like a vast red spiderweb that radiated out with George at the center.  "...That's right. This is me. This is me, being tied down by countless studies... and raised for the sake of your ambitions." "No, that's not it. Let me make it so that you can understand. I'll show you." "And then, you'll realize the truth!! Ahahahahahahyahhaaah!!!" Then, it lifted him into the air like a deer caught in a net and swung him about. EVA's insane laugh was as innocent... and as cruel... as a grade schooler happily swinging about a bag filled with her gym clothes.  "...Gah... gwooh...!!" "*giggle*giggle*!! Come on, try to remember, okay? What happened on Tuesday...?!!" "Gyahh!! Guh, gggh... I remember. That was piano lessons. I still cringe whenever I hear 'I Stepped on the Cat'." "You did violin in kindergarten. That's the sort of instrument you'd expect smart kids to play, right? But you didn't seem to have the talent. Then we switched you over to piano!!" "Then, do you remember Wednesday?!" "And Thursday? Ahhahahahahaahahahha!!!" "That was the day for supplemental lessons. You were just terrible at subjects with memorization, weren't you? You could apply your knowledge but were horrible at learning by rote, a classic 'he can do it if he tries' kid!" "...That one stung. Those are the most annoying words a kid can hear at a parent-teacher conference." "'You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.'" "That's a British aphorism, isn't it?" "Gah, gwah, gghhh...!!"George was bound hand and foot by the bright red spiderweb, reduced to the witch's plaything... She would innocently swing him around, then smash him about, all with an insane laugh. Again and again. "Do you remember Friday?!" "...Of course. As far as after-school lessons go, that one was pretty unique. A school you go to with your parents can be trying in more than one way." "'Don't buy your child a fishing rod, go fishing with him.'" "You do like a British education, don't you Mother... Uwah!!!" "But it was the most effective! That's when I realized!! Kids don't grow unless their parents watch over them!! If children are sprouts, then parents are the sun! No plants will bud, and no flowers will bloom without the sun!!"Still bound hand and foot, George was thrown, slammed, and smashed. He could do nothing... He was still like Sun Wukong, unable to leave the palm of his mother's hand. However, since he wouldn't surrender, he could still show resistance at any time...  BGM: Mother "...That's when the tutor came." "He came to our house, which made it much easier, right?!" "...It was a pain having to invite some other person into my own private room every week. I hated the smell of sweat left behind when he left... so much that I can still remember it." "He was a wonderful teacher who drilled a scholarly attitude into you! His monthly fees were on par with a lawyer's consultation fee, and it was well worth it!!" "...And the following days, Sunday and Monday, I didn't have any extra school and could finally rest. How ironic. Have those extra classes from Tuesday until Saturday held me down all this time? I really am just like Sun Wukong." "*cackle*cackle*!! Yeah, if you're arrogant enough to think that you can escape from the palm of my hand, you'll be crushed by Buddha's five mountains!!"Sun Wukong, who wanted to become a god, was crushed by the five mountains of fire, water, wood, metal, and earth, and sealed away. These are the five elements that the days of the week, Tuesday through Saturday, are named after in Japanese. Only now did George, who had always admired Sun Wukong, recognize this greatest of ironies. "Just like Sun Wukong, you need some reflection and punishment for your arrogance. If you show that you're willing to reform yourself, I'll release you." "That's not being released, it's brainwashing... Ugh!!" "There's no need to think about anything! Why not just leave everything to Mama?! I'll decide everything for you. That's the best kind of life for you!!" "I've found the most intellectual woman in the world ready to sacrifice everything for you!! I've paved the way towards success in everything!! And eventually, you will be chosen for the highest honor in the Ushiromiya family, the position as successor to the head!! And then, you will begin your true life...!" "A first step? Don't make me laugh. You still haven't even been born yet!! This isn't my web that you're caught in. You're still inside my caring, nurturing womb!!!"George was slammed against the ground over and over. It was a heartless atrocity, unlike anything one would expect a blood-related son to receive. However, in Eva's eyes, perhaps even this was a sign of love for her precious son... The human-shaped lump of flesh wrapped in the red bag was slammed over and over, then thrown high into the air... where it was caught in a massive spiderweb in the sky, still covered with fresh blood. While he hung there as though crucified, George did not even twitch... Even if he did have some power to resist remaining to him, the red web holding him there would have held even that in check... The rain, which had been falling non-stop since the beginning, quietly tormented and pitied George...  BGM: None "...However, an ill-considered engagement is a whole different matter. It isn't because there's a problem with her. Understand that..." "...'Don't criticize your child's friends. Criticize their actions'... right? That's another British saying." "...I really did raise you to be a smart kid. No, I am raising you. You're still inside me, right...? You need to be nurtured a little longer. Okay, that's enough punishment, so apologize to your mother."The spiderweb released George reluctantly. Then, it threw him to the ground beneath the cloudy sky...   "..."It was all George could do to get up on his hands and knees. Though he wiped the mud away and stood his ground, he still couldn't raise his head... "...Everything you've done so far, you've done... for me, haven't you...? Thank you... thanks for everything..." "That's right. You must hate me now. But one day, you'll thank me. I'm sure you'll understand how much I loved you." "Being bound by all those extra classes from Tuesday until Saturday, was a result of your efforts as you tried to raise me to be a great man..." "...That's another British phrase. 'To wrap a child in blessings is the greatest education of all'." "...Thank you. In return, I'll give you a British saying." "What's that...?" "'Even if you strike all the trees in the forest once with an ax, you will not fell a single tree.'" "...Hmm? And what does that mean...?" BGM: Dir The man drenched in mud and fresh blood... straightened his crooked glasses, and slowly stood up. Though he was covered in filth, his appearance had a divine quality to it, something that could only appear on a self-controlled man, not one who had merely been dozing in his mother's amniotic fluid. "I cannot count the number of things I've learned from Sayo. She taught me, courage and chivalry, how to be ambitious and witty and humorous, and just a little stylish." "It's ironic. Almost all of the things you say are so wonderful about me... didn't come from you at all." "G... George... are you... are you still...?!! Time to get back in Mother's womb!! I'll nurture you in a sea of warmth once more!!!"As EVA howled, a bright red spiderweb appeared at George's feet once more and tried to scoop him up into the air again. However, that instant... A powerful magic circle could be seen in the area surrounding George for just a moment. Faster than he could be scooped up by the spiderweb, George jumped, and with a sharp kick of the heel and a magnificent forward flip, he cut the shackles of that spiderweb apart.  "...Wha...?!?!"That smooth movement proved that he had possessed the power to escape from those shackles all along. He had willingly allowed himself to be bound by that web. "...Everything I owe you for what you've done, I've paid back now with pain. Thanks to that, I can finally leave the nest for good. It really is necessary. Parents and kids should fight now and then." "George, wh, why must you disobey me so completely, and with that girl?!?!" "It looks like you really, do need to let go, Mother. Then, I guess it's about time." "T, time for what?!" BGM: Mortal Stampede The curtain of spiderwebs that EVA shot out in defense were all too slow. George weaved through them in that instant, and the next, he was right before her eyes... "...Ahh, aaaaaaaarrggghhh!!"EVA jumped out of the way of a kick that would have knocked her feet out from under her, then blocked the second half of George's double roundhouse with a high kick of her own. "I guess there's one thing I can thank you for teaching me." "O, oh, and what day of the week was that...?!" "It's the martial arts training we focused on during long breaks from school...!" "...Ha, kyahhahahahaha!! I'm glad, George, to hear you're grateful for at least one thing!! Your mother is happy!! Kyahhahahaaaah!!!"EVA's swift feet flashed like lightning. Low, low, low, mid-level attack. As George's head fell forward, she caught it in both hands as though she was about to smash it against the ground. It was then met with EVA's knee as it rose like a bolt of lightning from the earth.  "...You're right. Learning martial arts with you was the most fun time for me." "Then now is the most fun!! Isn't it fun, George?! Isn't it?!!!" "Is it fun to play, with your son like this, Mother?" "Yes, it is!! You are my precious son, and I'll love you lots and lots inside my womb!! I even love it when you kick in there!!" "Got it. But this kick's coming from the outside of your belly."George's knee buried itself into EVA's abdomen. An instant before she felt the pain of that fierce attack, EVA watched her son's kick with a proud smile... and then she vomited. "Gwaah!!! Gghh, ggwaagh!!" "You are getting on in years, Mother. Maybe it's about time you held back on wearing childish clothes like that." "G, Geeeeeoooooooorge...!!!"Her chin still covered in vomit, EVA looked up at George with a twisted anguish. She could see how pathetic her face was by her reflection in his glasses.  The violent lightning and rain... made time freeze. George's beautiful kick... had stopped an inch from Eva's chest. However, the power of the red magic circle surrounding George... had already pierced EVA's body. Though he had stopped without hitting her, blood poured out of EVA's back. No wound had been left on her chest, but her heart had been torn apart...  BGM: None There were no convulsions. Her life had been ended without leaving her even an instant to writhe about in pain... "...I know you're somewhere over there. Gaap."As he straightened his glasses, George spoke to the rose thicket behind him. Then, a pitch-black hole opened in the air there, and Gaap jumped out.  BGM: Happiness of Marionette - Omake "Thought you were there. Thanks for not interfering. I'm glad we were able to keep it between mother and son." "But of course not. I wasn't here. You summoned me just now." "It doesn't matter either way. I have something to ask of you." "Do I have to listen?" "...Will you refuse to listen...?"With his back still facing her, George reset his glasses. The threat in his voice held the solemn presence of a king who could control demons. That presence made Gaap gulp, and she licked her lips before bowing respectfully to his back.  "I like hot guys, but I like monarchs even more. Your wish is my command, o demon king." "...I want you to lay her body to rest in a place fitting for a woman who admired the head of the Ushiromiya family, and who lived her life with the misguided dreams of that position." "So, in Kinzo's study?" "No, the VIP room will do fine. That never-opened VIP room on the second floor of the mansion." "...Ah, that room. As you wish, Your Majesty."Gaap approached EVA's corpse and lightly tapped the ground with her right heel. When she did, a large hole opened up, swallowed both Gaap and the corpse, and closed. After a while, a small hole opened in the air, and the staff she always carried, which was marked with the One-Winged Eagle that symbolized the head of the Ushiromiya family, was spat out into a puddle... Because the corpse would no longer have any use for it... "..."George slowly approached that staff, and stepped down hard on the tip. When he did, the staff spun violently into the air, and after passing by the blue moon which honored the demon king, it flew into George's outstretched hand. The instant he grasped it... Another fierce lightning bolt landed nearby, and when the flash disappeared, the staff he had been holding became a spray of gold butterflies... and vanished. It was as though George had crushed the staff out of existence...  BGM: None  "...I... I can't believe... you attacked your own mother..." "...It's the person who loves you first in the world, and the last one you have to separate yourself from. That's what it means to leave your home. This is the courage I need to show to take Sayo as my wife." "George-sama..." "..." BGM: Kina no Kaori "...Even though it was just within the game... Even though it was just a piece... I didn't like having to kill my mother. However, that was the trial you set me, so I saw it through."He stared at the two demons. The demons looked at each other, then showed their surprise with their now-familiar exaggerated gestures.   "Indeed it was, Furfur! George-kun's determination is the real deal! It seems I've misjudged you. Please accept my apologies!"George chose not to go along with this almost theatrical conversation. He just quietly looked down upon the game board, found the piece representing his mother, which was right next to his, and tipped it over. This was the trial that Zepar and Furfur had set for him.  It was similar to the game within Beato's 4th game, where they were given three options as part of a test to select the next family head. However, a pair of lovers will never abandon each other's lives. So, they were automatically left with just the option of sacrificing the life of another instead. In fact, it was merciful that they only had to choose the life of one person other than themselves, instead of all. And besides, it only meant taking those lives as pieces on the board. For the versions of themselves to whom the game board was the only world, this was a tragic parricide, but to these ones who stood around the game board in this witch's smoking room... it was nothing more than a movement of the pieces, representing George's will to overcome his parents. However, the fact remained that the demons had ordered them to take these lives, even if it was just within one of the endless Fragment worlds... George appeared to have distanced himself from the events on the demons' game board, but Jessica still seemed to resist the idea of stealing another person's life, even if it was only their life as a piece on the game board.  "..." "...Heheh, have you been scared stiff?" "N, no... T, the Beatrice that Battler-san desires... would not be shaken by the likes of this..."  ""Well then, who will take the next trial?!"" "Please choose the next victim! It doesn't matter who!!" "Please name the next challenger! Any one of you may go!! If no one speaks up-" "...That means I win, doesn't it?" "Yes, that's right! If so, congratulations, Ushiromiya George!!" "The key that leads to successful love between you and the one you cherish-" ""We will now proudly gran-!!"" As the demons delightedly named George as the victor, they were interrupted by the next challenger.  "...Jessica... san..." 
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May 29, 2017 13:51
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asian parents.txt
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May 29, 2017 14:27
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I see behind all this smoke and mirrors, the first murders appear to be starting. Does this correspond to the first twilight? The other time that a body was found in the VIP room was...third episode, Genji, from what I'm seeing. It'd theoretically be a closed room, from Gaap's intervention, but unless all the servants end up dead or with alibis, that'll be easy to break. Also, looks like Battler managed to check EVA Beatrice off his list of promises.
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May 29, 2017 14:44
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Cyouni posted:I see behind all this smoke and mirrors, the first murders appear to be starting. Does this correspond to the first twilight? The other time that a body was found in the VIP room was...third episode, Genji, from what I'm seeing. It'd theoretically be a closed room, from Gaap's intervention, but unless all the servants end up dead or with alibis, that'll be easy to break. I would guess it does, but there are six who have to die on the first twilight and only five of them, so I guess they'll keep rotating until someone forfeits?
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May 29, 2017 14:54
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It's interesting to see how Battler sets up a game with murders, something the character back in the first arc would have never done. That's assuming this does represent a murder that'll show up for real in the morning. If it isn't, Eva may kill Shannon tonight. As for Jessica, eesh. I don't like her chances. First, her romance feels like Kanon was the only available option, not love. More importantly, George is finished with college, employed, and has a father who wasn't upset last time Shannon got an engagement ring. Jessica has um, yea, nothing. Kanon even beats himself up as furniture daring to think about love. Chick Beatrice has no chance, since that romance is one sided. I doubt Battler has a clue.
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May 29, 2017 15:26
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I'm certain Battler's aware, but clearly does not reciprocate, given the cookie scene.
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May 29, 2017 15:33
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Battler is the game master. He has all the clues.
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May 29, 2017 16:06
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Does this mean that Jessica is going to go off Natsuhi? Or possibly Krauss? And yes, I assume that these are the murders for this game. The various levels of story certainly are getting a bit tangled. I think we'll need a bit more context to see how this fits into the "real" world - maybe George and Eva had a fight about Shannon and she died accidently? (He could have hit or shoved her, or she might have stormed off and slipped and fallen or something.)
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May 29, 2017 16:22
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I don't think Jessica is going to confront just her mother for her keys if she confronts her at all, besides Natsuhi isn't as strong willed in the same regard as Eva so it won't make for the same impact since she's trying to one up George. And she's much more aloof to what her parents think of her anyway, so I think she's gonna go after pieces that are closer to her like maybe Maria, Battler, or go straight for the jugular and kill Shannon. Sure would be awkward if the whole Shannon=Kannon=Beatrice theory is confirmed.
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May 29, 2017 17:38
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Tired Moritz posted:asian parents.txt Beat me to it.
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May 29, 2017 19:13
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It's the "no you shut the gently caress up
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May 29, 2017 19:48
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Tired Moritz posted:asian parents.txt This was uncomfortable. Eva has problems.
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May 29, 2017 20:09
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Artificer posted:This was uncomfortable. Eva has problems. Let's be fair. Everyone in the extended Ushiromiya family has problems. Some more than others.
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May 29, 2017 20:23
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She's still no Rosa, so that's something. Possessive at least isn't actively physically abusive.
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May 29, 2017 20:24
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And it turns out that the real magic was guilt trips all along. It's certainly possible for that whole battle to be metaphorical and for no one to be dead at all. But it sounds likely that Eva is actually going to be found dead in the VIP room - I wonder if that's the room where someone is trying to escape from. No guarantees it was George who killed her if so. Also, unless Jessica and Beato go for some extras, we're not going to hit a proper first twilight, and no one has solved the epitaph so if Battler is following what Beatrice would have done then he should be going for it.
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May 30, 2017 00:25
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 October 5th, 1986, 12:07 AM  Everyone had decided to cool their heads for a moment, and a short break had been agreed upon... The four siblings could say whatever they wanted, but Natsuhi and Kyrie, for example, were outsiders and found it difficult to speak freely in this sort of atmosphere. A conference where you aren't allowed to say what you want can be tiring even as you just sit there quietly. Even Kyrie couldn't help letting out a deep sigh...  This was the second floor hallway of the mansion. Rudolf had wanted to be alone during the break, so she had felt like doing the same... and had drifted up the stairs to reach this place. Her expression was less tightly controlled than it was when her husband was around. Kyrie wore a tired look that she didn't often show. She pressed her cheek against the cool window glass. I need to regain my spirit and support my husband. Even if I'm not allowed to speak. That's the duty I've won.  "...Who is it?"  "..." "Oh, it's you, Jessica-chan. Didn't you go to the guesthouse?" "...Well, I just decided to head back to my own room for a bit to get a book." "I see. Were you about to return to the guesthouse?" "Y, yes. That's right..." "Can't stand this rain. Is the wind really strong...?" "It's weak right now, relatively speaking..."As Kyrie looked out the window, Jessica watched her back, looking agitated...  "Ah, Zepar! Jessica's roulette of fate has chosen Kyrie!" "What will you do, Jessica?! The roulette has chosen Kyrie, but you may reject that choice and spin the roulette again if you wish!" ""It doesn't matter whose life is sacrificed for this trial...!!""Jessica wasn't like George. George had willingly chosen Eva to be his sacrifice, to signify his separation from his old life so that he could step into a new life married to Shannon. However, Jessica hadn't thought of any particular target. So, she had left it up to the roulette of fate. That is no exaggeration. She had walked around at random, imposing a rule on herself saying that the first person she met would be chosen as the sacrifice. And so, the roulette of fate had brought her to Kyrie... Of course, there was nothing forcing her to keep that rule. However, Jessica didn't want to break a rule she had once made. Now that she was participating in this demons' game, this was the one bit of justice that she could cling to... Right now, she could attack that unprotected back... But Jessica still wasn't able to fully resolve herself. "...What is it? Do you have something to say to me...?"Noticing Jessica's strange silence, Kyrie turned around. That unprotected back was already gone. Jessica realized that her hesitation had cost her her own first chance... ...She had taken on this demons' game to prove her love for Kanon. However, would it really be alright to sell her soul to demons... for the sake of love...? Not wanting to let George, who had already taken a far-sighted view of the situation, get any more of a lead on her, she had energetically consented to this demon's game, but... Her heart still wasn't ready...  "Umm, Maybe I shouldn't be asking you this, Aunt Kyrie..." "...What is it? It's rare for you to ask me questions, Jessica-chan. I hope I'm capable of answering it for you." BGM: Steady Pace "Oh, really? That's wonderful, *giggle*. Then is it love you wanted to talk about...?" "E, eheheh... Yeah, pretty much." "...Very well. I'll help out if I can." "Th, thank you very much... Actually, umm..." "Is it still one-sided?" "No, I guess you could say that it's just become mutual... But, well, there's this trial... for us to be joined together..." "A trial? What are you talking about?" "...There's the two of us and another pair of lovers... and we have to fight each other." "A triangle relationship? Or is it a square...? Sounds complicated. And?" "Only the pair who wins can be together... It's something complicated like that. In other words-" "...Sounds nasty. Love that can only succeed by using the others as a footstool." "Yes... If we are joined, then they will fall apart. And the same the other way around." "..."Yes, Kyrie is very smart. She had already guessed the question that Jessica had wanted to ask most... "If you don't fight, it automatically becomes their victory, and you will lose. However, if you fight and win, it means they'll fall apart. It's nasty either way. However, the answer is obvious." "...Yes..."Kyrie giggled. If she wasn't willing to stick to her love, then that would show the measure of their relationship. If that were the case, she should just let the other pair of lovers win. However, if this was a love she couldn't abandon... She couldn't abandon her chances at victory either. So, she had no options other than to fight. In the end, Jessica's hesitation was caused by guilt over forcing the others to split apart as the result of her inevitable decision... "...I guess... I'm just... being soft after all..." "Yep. That you are." "...Still, that doesn't make it any easier to step over someone else, for the sake of your own love..." "In that case, will you give up on your lover?" "...That's..." "I can tell you one thing for certain. Doing that would be even more painful. You'll be forced to crawl through hell. For the rest of your life."A hardness had entered Kyrie's gaze...  BGM: Look Back  "Was it a diary...?" "It was more a collection of her thoughts. It was much less organized than a diary would've been. I found it and read it right after she passed away, but I needed to wait until I'd grown for several years before I could understand it." "...I see. So, did it speak of Kyrie's worries about her marriage?" "It was... practically a book of curses. It cleared up several questions I had vaguely felt back when I was six."When I was six, it seemed as though my parents were very close and had no problems. And though I thought it odd that Onii-chan lived separately even though he was in our family, I accepted it as the way things were. "Did you not know about Asumu?" "...I think Onii-chan talked to me about her when no one was around, but there was no way an elementary schooler like I was could understand. After all, I never even saw a picture of her. Mom had sent all of the pictures with Asumu-san in them to Onii-chan, leaving none behind in the house."To Ange, and to Battler, who only rarely came home, Kyrie's smile never faltered. If she hadn't written her thoughts in that notebook, Ange would probably never have known them. Since his school days, Rudolf had been particularly popular with girls, a typical playboy. He had probably built up a formula of being audacious, over the top, and yet not lacking a bit of gentleness towards women. In their attempts to win Rudolf's favor, several women tried various seductive tricks. Rudolf himself probably enjoyed that more than anyone. Since the beginning, love had been a game to Rudolf. He never thought of it as a trial and error process to find a single life partner. He would intentionally spark jealousy between women, lap up their compliments, and revel in the harem. He may be my father, but he was an awful man.  "...Though even that might have been due to the skillful way Kyrie tried to catch Rudolf's gaze." "...Yeah, maybe. Mom was smart in many ways."Like the other Ushiromiya siblings, Rudolf had strong ambitions and lofty goals. Under the mottos of 'if you do it you've done it' and 'as long as you can get away with it', he would alternate between setting up businesses that were borderline swindles or illegal, then running away. I've heard that in his college years, he was already making use of that talent, thinking up shameless projects and cleverly making money through the panic selling of party tickets, so much so that he could brag about carrying a wallet full of a hundred 10,000 yen notes all the time... Many women fell for his charisma in being the man responsible for these radical projects, as well as his thick wallet and generosity. It would be a lie to say that Kyrie was not one of them. However, what made Kyrie very different from the other women... was that she could support Rudolf as a business partner. Rudolf would make a large-scale party successful, unable to hide his laughter at this massive easy profit. The women would surround him. Among them, only Kyrie was calm and composed. She could point out several ways that income and expenditure could be improved upon, and could even lay out a proposal for the next project. "So then, Rudolf slowly began to accept her as a partner." "...Just like some people say men don't belong in the kitchen, there's also a sense that women should stay out of financial affairs. It's normal for women to be treated by men. The details of how those 10,000 yen notes were scrounged up are vulgar, so they don't ask, don't know, don't care." "So, you're saying that Kyrie viewed money from a man's perspective..."In that regard, Rudolf noticed something unique about Kyrie. He knew all about how much hard work it took to make just one of those 10,000 yen notes. So, somewhere inside him, he had looked down upon those extravagant women who never even considered the efforts he had undertaken. Among all of them, only Kyrie possessed the same sharp financial intuition as Rudolf... Every time Rudolf thought of a new plan, he would talk to Kyrie about it, work out the kinks, and make it succeed. In this way, Kyrie steadily worked her way up until she was the number one of Rudolf's large group of followers.  "But Mom was still a woman. I doubt she enjoyed seeing Dad pampered by all the other girls." "...So, she would rather have been his only one, instead of his number one..." "Yeah. Though she served as Dad's right hand person, she slyly got rid of the other women in the shadows. It was only a matter of time before Mom would succeed in her love." "When did Asumu come into the picture?" BGM: Sukashiyuri "Did you ever talk with her...?" "Of course. I knew her well. Ever since the very beginning, before Rudolf-san even knew her name. I'm sure she was quite intelligent herself. And cunning. I tried to use my intelligence to stick out, but she did it in the exactly opposite way." "...By her... stupidity...?" "*giggle*...I mean she was good at triggering his protective instinct. Out of all the girls who came to flatter and flirt with him, only she stood out with every action she made, unlike the flashy girls Rudolf-san had tired of."...Kyrie still acknowledges the mistake she made in letting Asumu and Rudolf get too close. Kyrie had thought that she had Rudolf all to herself by taking the role of his business partner. That might have been due to her pride. And, it might have been her arrogance in trying to eliminate the relationships the other girls had with Rudolf. Perhaps she sometimes tried too hard as a business partner, putting too much pressure on him, regardless of the fact that it was justified. Bit by bit, Rudolf had started to need a woman who could stay quiet and soothe him, without making him think about anything complicated. That woman was Asumu.  "I am ruthless and intellectual. Rational and economical. In a plank of Carneades situation, I would push the other person off without hesitation. I thought that was the kind of partner suitable for him." At some point, though Rudolf still acknowledged Kyrie's skill, he began to yearn for a quiet, warm acceptance. Asumu had satisfied all of those conditions. She would never talk about anything complicated. Even if he did, she would just shake her head to say she didn't know. However, she would care more for him physically than anyone else, quietly putting a blanket on him and staying by his side until morning... "...Yes, I did get the position of his business partner. But before I knew it, Rudolf-san had grown a need for a mental partner, someone who could heal his heart. Though I foolishly claimed to be the intellectual one, I never noticed." "...And then... Uncle Rudolf... married Aunt Asumu...?" "...Yes, that's right. She stole him away from me." "..." "He had slept with a lot of women. By that point, he wasn't the kind of guy to let his emotions be captured by a woman just because he slept with her. After all, sleeping with women was just a game to him. That's why I used something other than my body to attract his attention." "Before long, they were both pregnant. Asumu-san told Dad about it right away, but Mom did the opposite." "...So, she was afraid that pregnancy would threaten her position as his business partner..." "Apparently, Mom didn't eat much at the time, so her period was often irregular. Because of that, it took a really long time before she realized she was pregnant." "When did she notice...?" "...It was after Asumu-san suddenly moved into Dad's family register. Mom learned about her pregnancy after that and plotted several times to split Asumu-san and Dad apart, but..." "'Do you have a problem with that? Please stay out of our way'...she'd say. And this coming from that little girl who would curl up into a ball every time she got on a bus." "...At that point, I realized. She had been the truly cunning one. Yes, even her fear of vehicles was another lie to catch Rudolf-san's sympathy. " BGM: None "Oh, no..." "At the very least, I wanted him to acknowledge the child I would give birth to. It seems as though Rudolf-san was prepared to do that. He made sure there was a hospital waiting for me, and even though Asumu-san was close to giving birth herself, he gallantly came to see me. Even though she was already his wife. What an awful man, really..."After that... is the tale I can't bear even to tell. Both Asumu and I... had the same delivery date. And yet, her pregnancy had meant her marriage, where mine was completely meaningless. I swore to bring up my child well and have Rudolf-san acknowledge it. Asumu-san had won her fight against me. However, I hadn't lost yet. If I would make my child excel far more than Asumu-san's... if I could make it fully acknowledged by Rudolf-san... I would be rewarded. That's what I believed.  BGM: Spiral "Yeah. Asumu-san gave birth to Onii-chan. But Mom didn't give birth to anyone. Even Mom's final hope of being left a spot as Dad's second wife... was destroyed..."Kyrie had fallen from his partner to his second wife, and then, unable to give birth to the bond of a child, she tumbled down... to being merely his mistress. I can't imagine... how much she must have hated Asumu and that kid... Battler. "...And despite that, Mom was able to act in a very friendly way towards Onii-chan. It was definitely a shock for me. To think that my gentle mother... had held such negative emotions for Onii-chan... and had managed to hide them." "...She must have despised Battler." "Probably. If Asumu-san had had a stillbirth and Mom had given birth to Onii-chan, history might have changed in some way. It seems she thought that, if that had happened, Dad might have divorced Asumu-san and married her instead." "...Was that... also written in that book where she kept her thoughts?" "Yeah. After all, that was just a random thought, a delusion. Mom's resentment, as she chewed on the corner of her tear-stained bed sheets." BGM: Dead Angle "...You mean... the pregnancy?" "No, no. It's my arrogance I regret. Rudolf-san is already mine, so I'm completely safe. I'll never lose to that Asumu girl. When she was screaming about on buses and planes, I was capable of properly managing the arrangements and expenditures for them. And so, I was overly confident... that I was the one Rudolf-san trusted the most." "..." "They say love needs to be nurtured, right?" "Y, yeah." "That's not wrong. You both need to water it, care for it, and nurture it. And at the end, it will finally bear the fruit called love. Did you know? It isn't over when it bears fruit. If you don't harvest that love, your love will never be realized." "...Harvest...?" "You need to think about that yourself, Jessica-chan. If you make it bear fruit without harvesting it, it can sometimes grow rotten. And bugs will often gather around it. In fact, sometimes thieves will come by and pluck it off the branch." "..." "Young kids like you, Jessica-chan, think that love ends with nurturing. That is naive. If you don't harvest it, you will never be rewarded for your love." "Harvest... love..." "At a glance, it may seem to be a matter just for the pair of lovers, but that isn't true. Putting off the harvest because you assume you can do it at any time... just gives the thieves a chance. What if that fruit you've worked so hard to nurture gets pulled off the branch the next morning? You'll regret that you didn't choose to harvest it the previous day instead of complaining. That regret really hurts. It'll make you crawl through hell." "..." "I was lucky. My hell ended after 18 years. So, I'll never misjudge myself again. That person is mine. I won't let him get away. I won't let him out of my sight." "And I'm grateful to my master... for giving me that chance. My 'certain willpower' in not giving up on that man no matter what was answered with a 'miracle'."By now, Jessica was speechless... and didn't even nod her head in understanding. This true form of love that Kyrie was telling her about... was far, far more harsh than anything she had imagined... "Right now, I would do anything to keep Rudolf-san by my side. And I will show no mercy against his enemies. If he wished it, I might not even hesitate at murder." "...Because I finally gained that determination on the 18th year, that certain willpower... brought about a miracle for me. You know, miracles only appear for those who can make them come true themselves."Asumu's death had not been a murder of any sort. However, Kyrie had often cursed her and hoped for her death, and finally, on the 18th year, she had built up the determination to kill her with her own hands. And then, she actually... got herself a knife to do the deed with... That was when the miracle had occurred... "...Aunt Asumu passing away... was a miracle..." "Not really. That wasn't even close to a miracle." "...Huh?" BGM: Voiceless ...Until now, Kyrie had never shown Jessica... no, she had never even shown Rudolf... that glint in the deepest depths of her eyes. It told plainly and clearly that romance and love are not the sweet and fluffy candies that young girls imagine them to be. Jessica was overwhelmed by that pressure... and stunned silent. And she had to acknowledge it. This was... the power of will that could make love be realized. With the force of this willpower, Kyrie had supported Rudolf as a wife. And it was the same as George's. He had already developed and proven that he had the willpower to oppose all obstacles to love between different classes. Right now, Jessica could clearly understand. This was the magnitude of George's determination, which had allowed him to coldly carry out his part of the trial... Then, what about her...? Did she really have the resolve to make her love with Kanon bear fruit... and to then harvest that fruit...? "*giggle*, I'm sorry. You probably wanted a little advice, and I've scared you... *giggle*giggle* Blame the weather. I just wanted to pressure you a bit, but I've gone overboard."Kyrie let a relaxed smile rise to her face. The tense atmosphere finally slackened. However, her words had been gouged into Jessica's heart. "I don't know what your love has been like, Jessica-chan, but if you have a rival and neither is willing to back down, you can't let yourself become complacent." "...If you do, you'll end up like me. For the sake of love, a woman should be willing to kill at least once in her life. I can tell you that all women in the world who call themselves mothers have been through that. After all..." "...My hell lasted 18 years. I was lucky to be pardoned after just 18 years. That hell is still filled with women... who will never get out until they die. Unless they execute themselves in their regret." "...How should I put it... I have nothing... to say." "*giggle* ...I was trying to spur you on, but here I've gone and threatened you too much. I'm truly sorry." "...Love can be much more easygoing than that, okay? Love really is like playing with fire. Anyone can play easily and lightheartedly. But when you mess up and get burned, that scar stays with you your whole life. *giggle*giggle*giggle*."Regrets in love will never fade. That was all that Kyrie had been trying to communicate. It wasn't like Kyrie to tell her life story, which she usually avoided, instead of just saying it directly. However, Kyrie might have felt as though Jessica deserved to hear. Jessica had timidly brought up the subject of love. Perhaps Kyrie had opened up and told everything because she had seen the fires of Jessica's determination in her eyes.  BGM: None With a mysterious smile on her face, Kyrie turned around. ...I wonder if I scared her too much. Still, it's a hundred times better to learn of that hell from a warning. Once you've fallen into it, it's already too late. Good luck, Jessica-chan. It sounds complicated, but don't lose. Eheheh, it's not every day I get to act as a mentor... "...Hmm? What is it, Jessica-chan...?" Huh...  It had been a hair's breadth away. If Kyrie hadn't twisted her body slightly, that fist would probably be buried in her face by now. A bitter smile rose to Jessica's face when she saw that her first strike had failed to land a kill... 
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May 31, 2017 13:27
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Wow, those are some Higurashi eyes there Jessica. And is that an implication Kiryie had an eating disorder? Irregular periods is a symptom of anorexia, and what Ange says about her not eating much would fit that. Though at diagnosable levels or not, she was clearly in a pretty poo poo place back then mentally.
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May 31, 2017 14:33
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Whew! Rejoined the thread after a time of getting poo poo together, and there's a lot to talk about. Part 15: Self-Reliance: Dammit, the author did it again. Here I am getting carried away with how much of a monster someone is in these "Crying" series, and once again I get blindsided by the fact that Ryukishi07 doesn't believe in monsters, doesn't believe in people who are just born evil and wrong, who just are inhumane for no reason-often they are people so full of pain that they literally don't know how to do anything else besides spread it around. "Every knot was once straight rope," and other such utterances. Erika is a hateful, garbage person, but with this one interaction, she tells a lot about why she is the way she is, and why she clings so desperately to the Red truth- because it is "the Truth," in her mind, and she need not question... and as long as she need not question, she need not question if her man truly was cheating on her, or if she drove him away. Or maybe he was cheating (that might be circumstantial evidence, but there is a lot of it), but loved her still in some way- a love that she poisoned with doubt. So she is understandable, if still completely abhorrent. Part 16: Self-Reliance II: Yeah... no surprises here, I thought that was exactly who George was going to pick, and I more or less thought that was how it would go down too. Not really too much to say here, but to wonder how this is going to shake out when we discuss what "really" happened. Part 17: Romantic Regrets:  Oookay, it looks like Jessie has some of the old family ruthlessness after all. I had wondered why it was Kyrie the game paired her with, but by the end of the episode... I wasn't wondering any more.And Jesus Christ, the Rudolph-Kyrie-Asumu affair gets worse and worse the more we hear about it, huh? If I'm reading this correctly, so Kyrie attempted to use her own pregnancy to get Asumu and Rudolph split up, and Asumu told her "So what" and to go blow? drat... it looks like the family is completely composed of ruthless, cruel, and/or broken people, and always have been, doesn't it?
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May 31, 2017 14:36
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My theory of Rudolf and Kyrie as the true murderers gains strength. The Plank of Carneades is an examination of the nature of self-defense. Carnaedes of Cyrene was a philosopher who lived a couple of thousand years ago and was very concerned with the nature of justice, among other things. The scenario works like this: imagine that you are a shipwrecked sailor. You and another sailor see the same plank, but it can only support one of you. You both swim towards it. The other sailor gets there first and climbs on. You arrive a few seconds later and push him off so you can climb on yourself. He drowns and you survive. If this happened, would that be considered self-defense? You had to fight with him to save your own life; only one of you could survive. Could you be tried for murder?
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May 31, 2017 14:43
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awww poo poo, is Jessica gonna get smug on us?
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May 31, 2017 14:47
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Is it against Knox's Decalogue to kill the detective? I'm just saying I'd pick Erika over anyone else if I HAD to
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May 31, 2017 14:53
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