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ProfessorProf posted:
...Oh dear. My "this is an allegory" bells have been a-clanging for a while, but this episode all but confirmed that this is the way I'm interpreting this. If these past stories were for Beatrice, for and about what they did on this island and why they did it, this story is for the one left behind, the last living victim of Yasu's sin... and as I've mentioned before, maybe it always was Ange's story. (Remember this is an R07 joint, after all; this wouldn't be the first time he's pulled the old protagonist switcheroo...) And what Battler represents, and the fact that Ange is afraid of it, is both telling and sad as to what it means in the narrative. Hope springs eternal... but what good is hope if it's for a dream that can't come true?
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Sep 22, 2017 17:07
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"On that day, on that island... What happened?"
"Weren't you about to tell me that, Onii-chan...?"
"Oh, I will. I'll tell the story and let you listen. However, it might be the kind of thing you can't really feel if you just hear about it from someone else."
"...What do you mean...?"
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resurgam40 posted:Hope springs eternal... but what good is hope if it's for a dream that can't come true? Closure. Ange needs the closure to move on with her life, and process the trauma that resulted from everything that happened. I am hyped, but also a little wistful. Umineko's coming to an end. I can only hope that somehow it's a good one. But probably not since Gohda died. edit: phone autocorrect EagerSleeper fucked around with this message at 18:47 on Sep 22, 2017 |
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Sep 22, 2017 17:14
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resurgam40 posted:...Oh dear. My "this is an allegory" bells have been a-clanging for a while, but this episode all but confirmed that this is the way I'm interpreting this. If these past stories were for Beatrice, for and about what they did on this island and why they did it, this story is for the one left behind, the last living victim of Yasu's sin... and as I've mentioned before, maybe it always was Ange's story. (Remember this is an R07 joint, after all; this wouldn't be the first time he's pulled the old protagonist switcheroo...) And what Battler represents, and the fact that Ange is afraid of it, is both telling and sad as to what it means in the narrative. quote:Hope springs eternal... but what good is hope if it's for a dream that can't come true? Yeah but the trick is being able to tell the two apart.
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Sep 22, 2017 17:20
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The main thing I don't like about the "everything (mostly) was in Ange's head all along" interpretation is that I don't see how she would be able to access ALL of the necessary information through purely mundane means, unless Yasu actually survived the explosion and went on to become Hachijo, which would make it seem way more like Yasu actually just intended to murder everyone and GTFO all along rather than the "abandoning oneself to the roulette" narrative that we've been getting.
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Sep 22, 2017 18:07
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ZiegeDame posted:I think taking one particular reading and saying "this is the correct way to read this all along" is criminally underselling this text. There are at least as many ways to interpret this as there are meta-layers in it, and all are equally valid and good. Yeah, going full in on one particular reading of this would not be a good thing. Part of the point (at least as I see it) is that there are so many ways to read it. "There is only one truth" runs completely counter to the ideas of this story, as seen by episodes 5 and 6.
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Sep 22, 2017 18:21
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While we're here at the beginning of the end, I want to say briefly that running these threads has been an incredible experience. It's been a huge amount of work, and that part I'm looking forward to ending, but my day-to-day life is going to feel very different in a month or two when this is over. Umineko means a lot to me, and it's been a privilege to share it with such an excellent group of new readers and old witches. All good things must eventually come to an end, and that includes this thread.
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Sep 22, 2017 18:33
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ZiegeDame posted:I think taking one particular reading and saying "this is the correct way to read this all along" is criminally underselling this text. There are at least as many ways to interpret this as there are meta-layers in it, and all are equally valid and good. That isn't what I'm doing. I said "the way I'm interpreting things", not the way it should be unequivocally interpreted; I don't believe in the kind of storytelling, and if it comes across like I'm being prescriptivist, I don't mean to be. Besides, Confused Llama above me just outlined a major problem with my theory: there is no way for Ange to have learned all the things we did, particularly about Yasu's life- she would only have known Yasu as Shannon and Kanon (and possibly Beatrice, but I'm not sure), and she was under six at the time. Unless there's some other document besides Maria's diary and the bottle messages, EP7 could not have happened from Ange's perspective, and I fully admit that. When I say that I see Ange as the protagonist, I mean as more an emotional sense than a concrete one; this doesn't to me seem like the kind of story that has a protagonist, per se, especially given all of the drat character shifts- R07 has even said as much with his silly "Game Master Battler" TIP: all of these guys are the heroes of their own story, which is bound up in a mystery of what happened on the island. It's just that to me, even though she was introduced later, it seems like Ange and her particular story is where all of the elements we have examined are coming together, and where I think the "core" of the story is eventually going to rest on. Namely, that of someone struggling with the truth of a mystery, in that she wants to know but doesn't, because a definitive answer either way could vindicate her suffering and struggle, but it could also be the final tipping point that sends her over the edge as well. There are also a lot of clues throughout that signify to me not as things that actually happened, but as metaphors for the mental struggles they were going through: Eva's struggle between her desire to be a good wife and mother to her family and her ambition and need to stick it to her father being represented in Eva Beatrice, for example, as well as most of EP5 being a metaphor for Natsuhi's guilt regarding Yasu and her cliff injury rising up to overwhelm her and everything else she wanted to be. The emotions presented in this story, and the way they are represented, seem too important to dismiss to me. So, there. This is a story I've thought about a lot since it began, and my zeal in writing down the new admittedly weird theories I come up with could be interpreted as me dismissing other theories, and that's not it, believe me. It's just that I think answering the question of who this story is for is very important to determining what it is about : is this a story about a boy and his quest to save his family from an evil Witch's curse? Or is it the story of a girl, seeking to reconcile her loneliness and abusive past by answering the question that haunts her and putting her family's restless ghosts to rest? Or is it the story of a madman who through his greed and myopia created the end of his entire line and property?
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Sep 22, 2017 18:50
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I should note that, while Battler has been our viewpoint character (with help from Will and Lion), and Ange's view is very important These are all stories of The Golden Witch. There's always been one main character above all others.
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Sep 22, 2017 19:15
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Your threads are always worth it, Prof. This one may end, but I hope there will be another to follow.
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Sep 22, 2017 19:22
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resurgam40 posted:is this a story about a boy and his quest to save his family from an evil Witch's curse? Or is it the story of a girl, seeking to reconcile her loneliness and abusive past by answering the question that haunts her and putting her family's restless ghosts to rest? Or is it the story of a madman who through his greed and myopia created the end of his entire line and property? Yes. Glibness aside, I'm sure you're already doing this, but I think it'd be a good time to pay attention for parallel's between Ange's story and Yasu's. Particularly how they're both waiting for Battler to come back for them. -- Total aside here, but there's not gonna be any better time to share this. A stale bit of reasoning that would have been helpful for my past self. Ep 1, 2nd Twilight. Eva and Hideyoshi had locked themselves in a room to protect themselves from a killer on the loose. They of course would have set the chain. The killer could have cut the chain to break in, sure, but Eva would tried to fight them off, and at the very least the sound of the struggle would have caused Hideyoshi to get out of the shower. Since Eva let the killer in while Hideyoshi stayed in the shower, we can tell she must have trusted them. Which means either the killer was George, or Eva, and be extension Hideyoshi, was an accomplice. And that is how the story shows us that Hideyoshi is an accomplice regardless of if we've figured out who the killer is.
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Sep 22, 2017 19:24
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ZiegeDame posted:Ep 1, 2nd Twilight. Eva and Hideyoshi had locked themselves in a room to protect themselves from a killer on the loose. They of course would have set the chain. The killer could have cut the chain to break in, sure, but Eva would tried to fight them off, and at the very least the sound of the struggle would have caused Hideyoshi to get out of the shower. Since Eva let the killer in while Hideyoshi stayed in the shower, we can tell she must have trusted them. Which means either the killer was George, or Eva, and be extension Hideyoshi, was an accomplice. And that is how the story shows us that Hideyoshi is an accomplice regardless of if we've figured out who the killer is. So Hideyoshitrice is real after all... (Also Hideyoshi was legit suspicious anyway. The dude's got 'yoshi' (the word for 'good') in his name. Also he seemed to be a nice person at the beginning. That's already two attempts at obfuscation by R07.)
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Sep 22, 2017 19:53
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I'm on Team Bad Hideyoshi.
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Sep 22, 2017 19:56
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ProfessorProf posted:While we're here at the beginning of the end, I want to say briefly that running these threads has been an incredible experience. It's been a huge amount of work, and that part I'm looking forward to ending, but my day-to-day life is going to feel very different in a month or two when this is over. The Bird of Time has but a a little way To flutter - and the Bird is on the Wing
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Sep 22, 2017 23:36
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ZiegeDame posted:Ep 1, 2nd Twilight. Eva and Hideyoshi had locked themselves in a room to protect themselves from a killer on the loose. They of course would have set the chain. The killer could have cut the chain to break in, sure, but Eva would tried to fight them off, and at the very least the sound of the struggle would have caused Hideyoshi to get out of the shower. Since Eva let the killer in while Hideyoshi stayed in the shower, we can tell she must have trusted them. Which means either the killer was George, or Eva, and be extension Hideyoshi, was an accomplice. And that is how the story shows us that Hideyoshi is an accomplice regardless of if we've figured out who the killer is. You're assuming Hideyoshi was in the shower in the first place, and wasn't simply placed there by the culprit to enhance the Illusion of the Witch. Very dangerous assumption. Assuming that Hideyoshi must have been killed in the shower is what made "the killer must have been outside the room" things hard.
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Sep 23, 2017 01:17
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This is rather late to mention it, but I only just heard about the plot of The Witch Who Came From the Sea, and I have to say that was kind of an inspired choice for those section titles way back when. I would not be surprised if it had some influence on the game, even. From what I heard said about it (and what little I've seen), it's fairly shocking in an exploitation way [directed by Matt Cimber of GLOW fame], and also has some really disturbing elements. My knowledge is only based on seeing less than five minutes and hearing the plot described, but it's apparently about [spoiler for movie only] a woman who tells her children only good things about their grandfather, but then it turns out that she and her sister were both raped by him as children. She has become a serial killer who picks up men and murders them, and it sounds like she sexually abuses them as well.
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Sep 23, 2017 05:37
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What was it that Bern promised in red? That there would be no happy ending? Does a good ending need to be happy, or just a path to move on with life? Prof, thank you for this thread. it's been a ride, and while I haven't contributed much, I greatly appreciate all your work and thank you for sharing it with us.
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Sep 23, 2017 05:50
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Cyouni posted:You're assuming Hideyoshi was in the shower in the first place, and wasn't simply placed there by the culprit to enhance the Illusion of the Witch. Very dangerous assumption. Assuming that Hideyoshi must have been killed in the shower is what made "the killer must have been outside the room" things hard. Not even Erika displayed the sheer depravity to strip someone naked after killing them. 
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Sep 23, 2017 06:50
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Thank you so much for doing this LP, Prof! This story has touched me deeply in so many ways, and I would never have given it a chance if not for your thread. Working on the mysteries with everyone has been so wonderful! Thank you, thread posters--especially the regulars, who made this LP a thrill to follow. It's been rad.
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Sep 23, 2017 07:09
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Thank you so much for all your hard work in running this thread, prof! It's been amazing to follow along and see everyone's different reactions to this story. It's a precious experience that wouldn't have happened without you!
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Sep 23, 2017 07:24
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Yeah, Prof is the real MVP. As someone who's read the entire thing, I can only tip my (non-existent) hat, cause pretty much anything else would be a spoiler. Good luck with the most controversial episode of the game, Prof. Will you cover manga as well?
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Sep 23, 2017 09:38
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I'm also going to thank both Witch-chat & our in-thread Battlers for providing amazing, if at times confusing and hard to comprehend analysis, mystery solving, and life to this thread. You all are Creation-Level Witches in my book!
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Sep 23, 2017 14:03
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rvm posted:Good luck with the most controversial episode of the game, Prof. Will you cover manga as well? From here on, I'm leaving the manga coverage to my fellow witches if they so desire. The official English releases only cover the game through Episode 6.
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Sep 23, 2017 14:04
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gah, I missed the whole yasu/lion chat. Oh well, I don't have much to add anyway. I figured there would be a longer break so I'm surprised that prof made another update so soon, it's much appreciated. I miss Willard already. 
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Sep 23, 2017 17:27
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ProfessorProf posted:From here on, I'm leaving the manga coverage to my fellow witches if they so desire. The official English releases only cover the game through Episode 6. I might do that when ep 8 is over - the manga's version of ep 7 and 8 outright spell out a lot of the mysteries (and give more on Yasu) to the point that I feel like it'd be better to post when the tale's concluded. 
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Sep 24, 2017 01:15
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Nevileen posted:I might do that when ep 8 is over - the manga's version of ep 7 and 8 outright spell out a lot of the mysteries (and give more on Yasu) to the point that I feel like it'd be better to post when the tale's concluded. So what I'm hearing is "don't pick up the manga version of 7 which is soon to come out near me until the LP's over". Got it.
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Sep 24, 2017 01:34
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Cyouni posted:So what I'm hearing is "don't pick up the manga version of 7 which is soon to come out near me until the LP's over". Got it. oh yeah, definitely. for example, in 7, the manga outright shows you what Will means when he answers Clair's questions. The manga was meant as the definitive answer to the VN in a lot of respects. 7 MIGHT be okay if you're cool with fact checking the first 4 games instead of being content with your own theories, but it's up to you. Nevileen fucked around with this message at 04:21 on Sep 24, 2017 |
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Sep 24, 2017 04:12
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So I've been thinking a bit about themes and morals as a way to predict what kind of ending might be considered good*, looking through the lens of lessons to be learned from the Tragedy of Yasu. I've come up with two possibilities based on who the story is ultimately about. If the story is about Ange, it's about the dangers of obsessing over an unchangeable past and clinging to unrealistic fantasies as a means of salvation. (Literally waiting for Battler to come back in both cases). A good ending for Ange would involve coming to terms with what happened to her family and moving forward with her life. If the story is about Battler, it's about someone who faces abuse and adversity, almost gives up several times but always gets back up and tries again, and ask for and receives help from others when he needs it. (A stark contrast to Yasu's actions.) A good ending for Battler would reward this healthy and productive behavior (since this isn't a Yoko Taro weapon story) possibly by escaping the island alive, but since most of Battler's arc takes place in the meta level it's harder to say what that reward could look like. Escaping the cat box would mirror Higurashi, though. It's not impossible for both these endings to come to pass, the simplest method being the Battler that escapes the island being from a different fragment than the Ange we know. And this would the sort of trick Bern could pull to prevent a happy ending. *Not to be confused with happy.
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Sep 24, 2017 05:41
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Nevileen posted:oh yeah, definitely. for example, in 7, the manga outright shows you what Will means when he answers Clair's questions. The manga was meant as the definitive answer to the VN in a lot of respects. 7 MIGHT be okay if you're cool with fact checking the first 4 games instead of being content with your own theories, but it's up to you. Was R07 involved in writing the manga then? Either as the full author or in an advisory role, I mean, I'm going to assume he wasn't the artist.
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Sep 24, 2017 09:14
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Graylien posted:Was R07 involved in writing the manga then? Either as the full author or in an advisory role, I mean, I'm going to assume he wasn't the artist. He was, yes. Not sure about the exact extent, but the manga is basically considered as good as canon.
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Sep 24, 2017 11:50
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 BGM: HANE Once again, Captain Kawabata's ferryboat to Rokkenjima cut across the sea in perfect form. Yes. The tale of October 4th, 1986, always begins with Battler's screams. But this time, one thing was different. There was another person's yell alongside Battler's. Battler was screaming. The other was... laughing?    "Battler looks funny, Battler looks funny!! *giggle*, *giggle*giggle*!!"Alongside the big brother, who was grasping at the handrail and screaming in a way no one that age should scream, was the little sister, also grasping the handrail and jumping about like it was a ride at an amusement park. George and the others just couldn't hold in their laughter at the difference.  "I guess Battler-kun hasn't changed much these past six years. He's as energetic as ever." "Plus, Ange and Maria look more energetic than usual this year." "Could this be the first time we've had all five cousins together?" "Oh, is it? That's right. So, this year should be more energetic than any before." "G, George-anikiiiiiiiii!! This is way too fast, right?! I'm begging you, ask the driver to slow down before it's too laaaate!!" "Kihihahahahahahahaha! This is too fast? Battler's so pathetic!" "I wanna go faster!! Faster, faster! *giggle*giggle*!!" "Any faster than this, and I'll fall right off the boat!! Will that make you happy?! I'm gonna faaaaaaaaaaaalllll!!!" "Hahaha. Going by popular vote, I'd have to say that Battler-kun's proposal is-" "Rejected! Ahahahahahahaha." "Look out, Onii-chan. Look, you're gonna fall! Ahhahahahahahahaha!!" "Battler needs to be punished for his cowardice!! Tickle time! Kihihihihi-!!" "W, wait, stop, Maria!! You too, Ange! N, noooooooooooooooooooo!!" "Thank goodness for that. I was worried about Ange's health though." "It'd be too sad to leave her behind at home. I'm glad we decided to bring her anyway." "Wasn't she very sick shortly before you left?" "She was all better this morning. Kids can be so incredible sometimes." "She's the kind of person who lets it show when she's under pressure! It's not that strange for people like that to get all better when the big day finally comes." "She must really have been looking forward to playing with all five of the cousins together." "Hohoho. Just watching them play together makes one feel charged with energy, doesn't it?"The adults smiled as they watched the children play around. Ange, who had gotten very sick, and who was supposed to have been absent at one point in time, made a miraculous recovery. Thanks in part to her strong desire to join in, she had come along to the family conference with the others. And so... For the first time ever, all five cousins were gathered together. October 4th, 1986, became a day like no other.  BGM: Hope They were probably so charged up that even walking was too boring for them.  "Wahhahahaha! See that?! First pla~ce!"Battler was the first one to reach the rose garden, which was the goal. Apparently, he was trying to make up for the dishonor he had suffered on the boat by proving his superiority on land. A short while later, Ange and Maria reached him in a dead heat. "I'm second!! I'm faster than Ange, uu-uu-uu-!!" "No, you aren't! Maria onee-chan cheated!! I'm second!!"The three year gap between Ange and Maria was large, especially since both of them were growing kids. It was only natural that Maria was faster, but Ange seemed to be complaining about a shoulder bump at the start line. Maria onee-chan cheated, so she gets last place! Teacher always says you get last place if you cheat! Protested Ange. "Come on, no need to fight. Still, both of you really are fast...!" "It's been a long time since I last ran like that... Ah, the breeze feels so nice." "Are you out of shape, George-aniki? You know, anyone who has to run the race-to-make-it-before-the-bell every day automatically gets strong legs." "In other words, being a fast runner is proof that you sleep in." "Onii-chan always sleeps in! He didn't wake up today either, so I had to wake him up! Right?!" "A stomp followed by a flying elbow. And that body-plex from the top rope at the end there just about finished me." "Sounds like that'd put you in an eternal sleep before you woke up..." "Sounds fun! I wanna do it too!" "I'll bet Onii-chan sleeps in tomorrow! We'll wake him up together this time, okay?! *giggle*giggle*!" "...I'd recommend against staying up too late tonight."Finally, the adults came into sight. The cousins waved at them, urging them to hurry up. Ange and Maria were so excited that they could hardly wait. Just by having all five cousins together... Just by adding Ange into the group... Look at how energetic this day has become.  BGM: Doorway of Summer  "So, they made it. I must let Father know." "Are they all in the guesthouse now?" "Yes. They will come here to meet you after they have set down their luggage." "Understood. Kanon, please guide everyone. Shannon, quickly get some tea ready."  ""As you wish, Madam."" After Krauss knocked on the door, it opened from the inside.  "Oh, Doctor Nanjo. How is Father doing?" "No need to worry. He's changing as we speak. I think he's just a little nervous." Apparently, Kinzo had been running around for some time, just because he couldn't decide on a tie and a tie pin. Kinzo, who felt that the dignity of the family head must always be preserved, usually made a big deal about the head's attire being equally dignified. "...Will he make it in time?" "Do you think you could give us a little longer? We'll come down as soon as he's ready." "Understood. I'm counting on you, Doctor Nanjo. Father. I must say, that necktie pin looks splendid on you." "This necktie pin, you say?! This pin?!! The family conference is held but once a year! There shall be no compromise! I must have that necktie pin!! Where is it... where?!!"  "Hmmmmmm, you think so? So, I don't need to use the One-winged Eagle pin...? Hmmmmm..."As Krauss watched Nanjo calm Kinzo down, he began to wonder why this doctor wasn't his mother. Well, it was always like this. He always makes a fuss when no one's looking, but when the time comes, he makes his decision with pride. After asking Nanjo to come down by lunch at the latest, Krauss snuck out of the study...  "I've never had pumpkin tea before... That little touch of sweetness makes it delicious."As one step in preparing the tea for the guests, Gohda let Shannon try a bit first. Until then, Shannon had thought it would be outrageous for a servant such as herself to drink the same thing as the family and their guests. However, according to Gohda, that kind of thinking was a mistake.  "One must not serve something if one does not know the taste beforehand. For example, when you visit a restaurant and a dish you've never heard of catches your eye, what are you likely to ask the waiter? 'How does this dish taste', correct?" "I see... So, if the waiter says that he's never eaten it before, that would seem a bit odd..." "Precisely. As a matter of course, anyone serving their customers must be deeply acquainted with the taste of the tea and food they serve." "Hohohoho. And you'll always feel happier serving a sort of tea that you've tried and enjoyed for yourself." "That's right. After tasting tea this delicious, I can't wait to let everyone else try it." "And because of that! We servants must be very familiar with the tastes of all sorts of foods. That's why 'sampling' food whenever I can is part of my job description, hohoho." "It's our role in the household as well as our job. Do you understand?" "Yes!" "...Everything is proceeding smoothly. Are there any problems with the tea?" "Oh, Genji-san, you must try some as well. Seeing as it's almost Halloween, I decided to make some pumpkin tea." "Later, perhaps. The family will be arriving at the mansion very soon. It looks as though the children will be joining in." "Yes sir. The cups are ready to go as well."At that moment, the kitchen's extension line started to ring. Genji, who was standing right beside it, swiftly picked up the receiver before the second ring. Shannon and the others always thought Genji looked like a samurai when he did this.  "...Understood. Take care when guiding them."After making that short response, Genji set the receiver down. "That was Kanon. The relatives will be here shortly. The children are with them. Shannon, Kumasawa, go to serve them. Gohda, hurry up with that tea." """Yes sir!"""The family conference. The largest event of the year for the servants. They were all excited and determined to make it through together once again this year.  "Oho, there you are. Were there any troubles on your trip here?" "Nii-san, you've been doing pretty well for yourself lately, haven't you? Isn't it about time you bought a private jet?" "Wahahahaha. After all, as usual, no one was in the plane but the family!" "I'm so glad, Ange-chan made it. I was so worried when I heard she was too sick to come." "Thanks for your concern. She suddenly got all better this morning." "My tummy ache went away! I rubbed my tummy clockwise!" "Uu-uu-! That's a magic charm to heal tummy aches!" "Now, Maria, quiet down..." "Oh, is that Battler-kun...?! You've grown so big!" "It's been six years, hasn't it? You've grown splendidly." "Well, ihihi. I do keep getting bigger, at least..." "Can't really say that about his guts though!" "Yep, it's nice to know he's still the same old Battler-kun."Wahhahahahahahahaha. Battler may be bigger, but he's still Battler. "This brat's always been terrified of falling off planes and boats and stuff." "Would that be Asumu-san's blood?" "Well, it's probably because we made him ride all those wild rides in amusement parks when he was little." "Wasn't he too short to ride those?" "No, I don't mean that kind. You know those paddle boats and teacup rides, right? Looks like we took those a bit too rough back in the day." "You've always gone a bit overboard on rides like that, Rudolf nii-san." "I see... Poor Battler-kun." "Haha, poor Battler-kun indeed." "Still, it's comforting, in a way. That fear of riding things is just like the Battler-kun we all know so well." "Onii-chan isn't scared of riding things. He's just scared of falling off them!" "Faaall, faaall!! Uu-uu-uu-!!" "Hey, stop running around...! Maria! You're one of the big cousins now, right? Be a good example!" "Pardon me. I've brought some tea for everyone."A pleasant aroma followed Shannon as she came into the room, pushing a serving cart. Even Ange and Maria, who had been running around in circles, sat down obediently when they heard that drinks were here.  "He should be down here soon. He's been rushing about all morning trying to choose a tie." "You mean, all that about choosing an attire suitable for the family head?" "Father's always been picky about ties, hasn't he?" "It's just something he has a passion for. Staying stylish is a good thing." "And yet, he always shows up wearing the same tie in the end."The family members burst out laughing. The sweet scent of Gohda's specially made pumpkin tea spread throughout the parlor, and the calm atmosphere grew more cheery and excited.  "Look, Mama! Look, Mama! It's a pumpkin cookie! For Halloween!!" "Oh, that's right. This sweet scent is kabocha, isn't it?" "That's right. Today, we have some special pumpkin-flavored tea for you to try. It really is delicious, so I suggest you try some without sugar first." "Nee-san, watch your sleeve." "Wow, so kabocha tea actually does exist. Gohda-san really did his homework." "Delicious. This is excellent. You can taste the kabocha's natural sweetness." "Kabocha tea, huh? Still, kabocha always tastes best in tempura!" "Uu-! It's 'pumpkin', not 'kabocha'!" "Yeah, pumpkin is different from kabocha! This is pumpkin!"Maria seemed to be complaining about the difference of nuance between the Japanese and English words, but it looked like Ange thought kabocha and pumpkins were entirely different things. Everyone laughed, but Ange, not knowing why she was being laughed at, cocked her head to one side discontentedly. Just when it looked like she was about get in a bad mood and start grumbling, Maria started teaching her a 'cookie game', and Ange immediately became engrossed with that distraction.  BGM: None When the relatives realized whose footsteps those must be, they straightened up. Those quick footsteps stopped for a moment just outside the parlor door. As though someone was taking a deep breath and setting up a dramatic pause. Then, the door exploded open, just as Kinzo yelled out loud, with Genji and Nanjo standing behind him.  BGM: HANE  The cousins shouted it back. The adults returned the greeting too, looking a little embarrassed. Ange alone stood there with her mouth open, unable to comprehend what had just happened.  "Welcome, my grandchildren!! If you don't give me a treat, I shall prank you!!" "Go ahead, Maria." "Happy Halloween, Grandfather!! I got you a really incredible one this year! You'll be surprised!!"Maria picked up a present that had been hidden behind a sofa. Come to think of it, all of the relatives were now holding similar packages.  "Come on, Ange, you too. Give this to Grandfather."Kyrie handed Ange a neatly wrapped present box. "Ooooooh, Mariaaaaaaaaa, you're always so thoughtful!! Grandpa's so happyyyyyyyyyy!!"As Kinzo took Maria's present box, a smile broke out across his face, and he rubbed his cheek up against it.   "Nngg... o, oh, that's right. You have pleased your grandfather greatly, my granddaughter. In return for the treat you have given me, I promise not to prank you at all this coming year." "Now it's your turn, Grandfather!! If you don't give me a treat, I'll prank you!!" "Yes, splendid. Genji...!" "Here."Genji fished through something that looked like Santa Claus's sack and pulled out a present addressed to Maria, handing it over to Kinzo. "Heeere you go, Maria~!! Here's a present from meeeeeee!! I'm warning yoooou, it's so cuuuuute!! Such a waste to give it up to you♪" "...Master. Dignity." "Nnngggyyyyhhhh... Th, this is a present from the Ushiromiya family head to Maria... It is a... cute... nnnggg, *cough*cough*. An item worthy of the Ushiromiya family's dignity and grace. T, take good care of it..." "Thank you, Grandfather!! I love you!! *kiss*kiss*!" "N, nngggwoooooooohhhhh...!! Ooohhh, Mariaaaaaaa, my cute granddaughter!! *kiss*kiss*!!!" "..."By this point, even Genji had to give up on Kinzo's dignity. Still, the dignity of the family head had lasted a full ten seconds longer than usual this year.   "Happy Halloween. This one's mine. I hope you like it." "Oooooh, George, Jessica, I thank you for yet another year. I'm... I'm so happy..."With tears streaming down his face, Kinzo hugged George and Jessica. "Oh, and Battler too. I'm so glad you've returned to the family. It's been lonely without you, these six years..." "...Well, um, anyway... Happy Halloween. Not sure if you'll like it though..." "Don't worry... don't worry, Battler... I know you have things you want to say, things you want to ask. But now is not the time." "Grandfather..." Slowly, Kinzo moved forward and hugged Battler. Battler drew back at first, but he then understood Kinzo's feelings and hugged him back. Ange watched this scene play out... shocked. Was Ushiromiya Kinzo... always this kind of person...? "Ange. You're up." "Go on, give it to Grandfather." "...Ah, okay."Ange... didn't have a clue what was going on. She took the present box her mother had given her... and walked forward timidly.  BGM: White Shadow No, it didn't 'become' stern. That expression... was the one always worn by the Kinzo inside Ange's mind. This was Ushiromiya Kinzo. He was fickle, short-tempered, always with a stern expression on his face. The most terrifying person in the Ushiromiya family... "..." "..."It felt as though the world went suddenly quiet, and it only did it when I stepped forward. Why? Why only for me? But, even so, isn't this the way it should be? Isn't this the Ushiromiya Kinzo I expect? The Ushiromiya Kinzo I understand...? I was like a puppet carrying tea. I walked forward, bewildered, with the present box held out in front of me, and stopped in front of Kinzo. Without letting his expression change in the slightest, Kinzo slowly reached out and touched the present...  In an instant, Ange was caught in a firm embrace, present and all. Kinzo's white beard rubbed against her cheek. "Grandpa... Grandpa is so happyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!! I'm so glad to be blessed with such lovely grandchildren!! I feel happyyyyyyy!! So happy the tears just won't... just won't stoooooooooooop!!" "...Master, your nose is running. That... and your dignity." "Oh, Genji, forgive me!! *sniffle*!!"As the old man blew his nose, he didn't look like he could possibly be anyone other than a kindly grandpa overcome with tears at his grandchildren's gifts. "Thank you, Ange. I heard that you chose to come even though you weren't feeling well at all... I'm so glad...! Here, this is for you."He pressed a large gift box to Ange's chest. She finally realized that all of Kinzo's presents were wrapped differently and in boxes of different sizes.  "I wonder what he got you, Ange. I hear that Grandfather always personally chooses what he'll give each one of us. Pretty incredible, with all these people." "...He picks them himself. Every year. "He does... what every year? He picks... what himself? This bizarre ceremony happens... every year. The cousins were all happily chattering about what their Halloween presents would be this year. Maria came up to Ange and suggested that they compare the weights of their presents, but for some reason, Ange just stared blankly. After that, the adults also handed their presents to Kinzo one by one, receiving a gift in return, along with considerate words about their health and questions about how they'd been doing recently. Then, after watching to see that all exchanges had been completed, Gohda appeared... and announced that lunch was ready. "So, it is ready...! Come, ladies and gentlemen! Let us enjoy the splendid lunch that Gohda has prepared for us. Quickly, to the dining hall!" "This way, everyone. Follow me." "We will carry your presents to your rooms in the guesthouse." "Please, feel free to leave them here as you leave for lunch."The relatives stood up, leaving their presents where they lay on tables and sofas, and followed Kinzo out of the parlor.  BGM: Hope Gohda's lunches had never betrayed expectations before. When Hideyoshi said that the lunches were the only reason anyone ever came to these family conferences, everyone laughed and nodded. The delicious food caused conversations to erupt all over the room. You've gotten so big. How have you been lately? Pretty good. It was a fun meal, with everyone asking each other about the latest and laughing together. The Ushiromiya family sat at meals in a specific ranked seating order, so the adult siblings, the cousins, and the spouses all sat in groups. So, conversations sprung up naturally. Ange had withdrawn slightly from the cousins' chat and was looking around the dining hall. What are Kinzo and the adult siblings doing? Their conversation seemed to be peaceful and fun. Most of the time, the siblings were mothers or fathers of their own households. However, when they gathered together by themselves in front of Kinzo, that burden was lifted from their shoulders, and they became young and bright as though they'd gone back to being kids again.  Even Kinzo looked peaceful and relaxed. He didn't say a word about money or the inheritance. In fact, he didn't even insult his children or call them incompetent. He just looked like a happy old man, genuinely pleased to have his whole family together for the only time this year. The group of spouses was just as harmonious. The mothers kept bringing up problems with education and household matters, as well as family health issues. Hideyoshi and Nanjo happily joined in on their conversation. And what about the cousins? There was no way such a fun meal with such a fun group of friends could fail to be raucous. Maria was in her element, showing off her knowledge of Halloween trivia. George and Jessica would nod in understanding, Battler would say something stupid, and Maria would laugh at him. If I wanted, I could easily join in on the conversation... and if my attention was drawn to my dessert, I could easily slip out of the conversation too. It was... happiness, both fun and natural. It felt like waking up from a daydream to be greeted by the rays of the springtime sun.   "It's supposed to be a typhoon. Looks like we'll be stuck here for more than one night again." "I do not mind in the least. You may stay here as long as you wish. If it would mean seeing my cute grandchildren's faces more often, I would pray for rain every day." "Give us a break. We do have work to worry about." "Why don't you leave the island, Father? That way, you could see your grandchildren whenever you wanted." "Hahhahaha, true. Living on a remote island may have a sense of majesty, but haven't you had enough of it?" "...It's too noisy in the city. I much prefer a quiet island, with no one on it but my family. I like it here." "But on Rokkenjima, if something happens, it would take some time for a doctor to arrive." "I agree. At your age, I think you should at least consider moving to Niijima." "...Yes, I am old. I want to live in peace, surrounded only by my family. And I am satisfied. I have this island to make that dream of mine come true." "Father..." "Hmm... It seems I've gotten you all down. Ladies and gentlemen, Gohda's lunch is now complete. Grandchildren, it will probably be raining constantly starting tomorrow. Now is the only time that you'll have clear skies. Why not go to enjoy the flowers and then take a walk on the beach?" "That sounds good. Okay, everyone. Want to go?" "Uu-! I wanna see the flowers and walk on the beach! We can collect shells, and collect glass too!" "Collect glass? That, uh, sounds a bit dangerous...!" "Fragments of glass get washed by the waves and become round, beautiful gems, which drift to shore. Did you forget, Battler? Remember how we used to pick them up together?" "Oh... Were those glass shards? I always thought they were just pretty gems." "Have you ever seen a glass gem, Ange?!" "...No." "Then let's go!! I'll show you!! Let's go, let's go! But the first to see them gets them! I'm gonna get them all!" "Heheh, in that case, I'm not gonna lose either. Let's see who can find the prettiest, biggest glass gem!" "Alright! Times like this, why not be a kid?! I'm not gonna lose either!" "Then I guess we'll be heading down to the beach." "Very well. Take it easy and enjoy your time together, grandchildren."The cousins rose from their seats and noisily left the dining hall. Maria grabbed Ange's hand and dragged her along.  
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Sep 24, 2017 14:10
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The profiles page has been updated.
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Sep 24, 2017 14:14
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Wh What ... WHAT THE gently caress IS THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!? I mean Ange going to the island is one thing, yes... and Ange imagining that her family is happy is another, and if you want a "vision of heaven" for a lonely girl, that's a pretty good way to go. But why... is... he... here? Why is the Coward part of any vision of happiness, after all that he has done, and why are his abbetors here? No, I don't care if Ange couldn't have known what we learned; she remembers all of the abuse she was part of, she even says so in this update! What the gently caress is even- NO!! NO, you keep back from her, you shut up and you back away! You go to another room! You are a rapist! You go back to your room! Further! You climb up the roof and you jump off, you monstrous, cowardly... I need to go shopping now. I need to... I need to do something, before I break something I care about.
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Sep 24, 2017 15:09
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This is incredible. Genji suffers across all timelines.
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Sep 24, 2017 16:03
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NiceKinzo is scaring me more than any of the murders and demons
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Sep 24, 2017 16:33
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pieces can't act out of character, right? this is canon, sorry boys. I have love in my heart and this is all that happened and they were all having a good all time and Sayo just forgot to turn off the bomb. Eva's smoking habit saved her life. the end, merry halloween.
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Sep 24, 2017 16:42
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resurgam40 posted:Wh <Happy Halloweeeeeen>!
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Sep 24, 2017 17:12
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This is a story that an older brother might have told his younger sister about a happy, loving family having a nice party on Halloween. Wouldn't we all want our families to be like that, instead of what they actually are?
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Sep 24, 2017 17:24
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ProfessorProf posted:
I was gonna point at this remarkably efficient display of something hinky going on, but then Kinzo's Dignity happened. Needless to say, I am fully prepared for everything to fall apart in short order. New prediction for this game board: Battler survives, Ange does not.
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Sep 24, 2017 17:38
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What the gently caress did I just read
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Sep 24, 2017 18:45
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bman in 2288 posted:What the gently caress did I just read Cocane reviving the dead and bringing a family back together.
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Sep 24, 2017 19:24
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