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So, a thing occurred to me. Normally, I leave the commentary to the route conclusions, disability corners, and occasional supplementary posts; I like presenting a clean experience. It's been brought to my attention that at least a few readers disagree and actually LIKE in-update commentary. I genuinely don't know what the thread as a whole would prefer, though. So, apropos of nothing,  poll time! Please vote yes or no on extended in-update commentary!
Vote closes in ~48 hours!
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Apr 30, 2022 22:16
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I'm voting yes. I like the in-update commentary because I feel it helps pace out the discussion, both by allowing you to point things out as they happen, and by allowing you to split up larger bits of analysis across a whole scene rather than leaving it all at the end or in its own post.
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May 1, 2022 01:29
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Falconier111 posted:So, a thing occurred to me. Normally, I leave the commentary to the route conclusions, disability corners, and occasional supplementary posts; I like presenting a clean experience. It's been brought to my attention that at least a few readers disagree and actually LIKE in-update commentary. I genuinely don't know what the thread as a whole would prefer, though. So, apropos of nothing, The point of an LP is to comment on a game, so I'm voting yes
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May 1, 2022 02:37
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Definitely yes It'll also help break up the chunks of a scene if they start going long
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May 1, 2022 03:16
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I already mentioned this to you offline but yes. I'm here for your commentary more than for the game itself, and the updates can get a bit dry otherwise.
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May 1, 2022 03:24
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I vote you write in whatever way you feel best about.
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May 1, 2022 13:36
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I like the corners/end of story path breakdowns, but yes I prefer some commentary mid update. Even if it's something as little as "what Hisao is saying here is good/bad", or just "hey pay attention to these lines" to point out stuff and make me think about it before you write up any longer effort posts.
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May 1, 2022 23:28
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Update 16: With a sudden jolt of reality, I realize I'm back in the present. 2. Sayori's Theme - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  As we kick off a new route, we get a new main menu theme when we boot up the game. Sayori’s Theme is bright and lighthearted for the most part, working in the same leitmotifs the mod’s main theme uses with ukuleles and snaps, but with a subtly melancholy tone that kinda fits where we are when starting out the route – especially since we’re shaking up the formula. As requested, you’ll be seeing more commentary in these updates from now on. Between the extra writing load and real-life considerations (mostly the latter tbh), we’ll be dropping to M/Th permanently. Tragic. But whoever heard of a screenshot LP with a set update schedule  ?Let me know what you think of what I’m touching on and what I’m skipping; I’m always happy to improve my work, and of course making yourself heard in response to this LP is kind of the point.  ACT 2 (Silence, Obnoxious Alarm Sound) As the sound of my alarm makes its unwelcome presence in my bedroom, I can't help but wonder. Do I even need an education? I could totally just become a video game streamer. Reluctantly, I sit up and stretch. I just hope I don't run into any of those pricks who ruined our festival. Not to mention, I hope they aren't giving any of the club members any flak. Especially Sayori. ... At least Sakurai is cool. 25. Cinnamon - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST Surprisingly, Sayori is already there by the time I arrive.   SAYORI: Good morning~ I give her a mockingly suspicious look.  HISAO: You know, for someone who sleeps in a lot, you sure are chipper in the mornings. SAYORI: Hey! Am I not allowed to be happy? HISAO: Aha, of course you are, Sayori. Ready for another super exciting and totally not boring day at school? SAYORI: Ready as I'll ever be! How about you? HISAO: Ehhh...could be worse, I guess. I'm enjoying history a lot, actually. Sakurai is a really good teacher. SAYORI: Oh yeah, I remember you saying! We're pretty lucky to have him, aren't we? HISAO: Definitely. I didn't think anyone could top Makoto last year, but Sakurai has somehow managed to pull it off. I guess it helps that history is a decent subject. SAYORI: I've always preferred those kinds of subjects myself too! HISAO: What d'ya mean? SAYORI: You know! Japanese, history... Anything that isn't math. Or physics... HISAO: Still not much of a science kinda girl, eh? SAYORI: Nope~ HISAO: Heh, didn't think so. You were always better than me when it came to the more creative subjects, though. Looking back, when we helped each other out with our homework, I guess we covered each other's weaknesses, huh? SAYORI: We sure did! I remember we used to doodle on each other's work, too! You even handed in that science homework once, and you didn't even realize I'd drawn a bunch of animals all over it! Sayori laughs just as school looms in sight. Her giggles, coupled with the sudden remembrance of that silly memory, causes a warm feeling to wash over me. I had totally forgotten about that. My science teacher on the other hand...well, let's just say he didn't expect a bunch of cats, rabbits and dogs to be on that worksheet. HISAO: Well, we were learning about evolution, so I guess you drawing all those animals was fitting, right? SAYORI: Of cooooourse! It totally wasn't me just getting my revenge from you pulling that planets prank... Oh, that was something I'll never forget. HISAO: Ahaha, you mean the Uranus joke? The fact that Sayori can't help but giggle when she hears the name is testimony to how she's truly a child at heart. SAYORI: ... Yes. I grin at her. Although she initially tries to pout… She can never hold an angry face, even when she's joking. Sayori, being blissfully ignorant at the time, asked me what was so funny about the planet's name. I told her to ask her mother how Uranus was looking, and she actually did. Distinctly, I can remember being in utter hysterics when her mother was both parts confused and stern with her daughter for apparently asking such a rude question. Definitely one of my little personal victories. HISAO: Ahahaha... C'mon, you have to admit we got each other good. SAYORI: Hmph. HISAO: Anyway, I'll catch you at lunchtime. See ya. SAYORI: Byee! 8. Student at Heart - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST As I make my way over to my classroom, the typical school scene greets me. Students of varying ages making their way to wherever they need to be, no doubt bracing themselves for the drag that is Monday morning. The sounds of chattering and laughter fill the atmosphere as I spot a few familiar faces. Occasionally, a teacher admonishes a laggy student, no doubt reminding them to not be late for homeroom. Outside my classroom, I peer through the window. There's a few of my classmates there already. Sakurai himself looks like he's only just arrived.   SAKURAI: Ah, Hisao. Good morning. How was your weekend? HISAO: Morning, sir. Not bad, not bad. Haven't woken up that early on a Saturday for a while, so I figured I'd make the most of it. Would you believe me if I told you I spent it enjoying the outdoors and getting homework done? There's a mischievous twinkle in Sakurai's eye as he answers. SAKURAI: Why, Hisao, of course I would. After all, given your impeccable history with handing in homework on time, I would be hard pressed not to. Granted, there may have been one or two times where I was guilty of the very same thing. At least Sakurai is fairly relaxed about missing the odd deadline. I check the clock hanging on the wall. It's almost time to start, and a few last minute-stragglers hurriedly make their way in. Most people are here at this point. Sakurai is sitting by his desk, a pen between his fingers and a thoughtful look on his face. Emi hurriedly makes her way past the door and into her seat next to me. Kind of ironic how she's on the track team, yet still the last one in, which Sakurai picks up on. SAKURAI: Ah, Emi! He leans back in his chair as Emi looks up at him with as innocent a face as she can muster.  EMI: Yes, sir? SAKURAI: How is it that a member of the school's track team is the slowest one to arrive? Light chuckles fill the room. Sakurai's banter with his students is always amusing to witness. EMI: Weeeell...I'm not technically late, am I?   SHIORI: She does have a point, sir. EMI: See? Even the class rep is on my side! SAKURAI: C'mon Shiori, what happened to respecting authority? SHIORI: I'm not the one who makes the rules, sir~ As if on cue, the bell rings, a moment after Emi slips into her seat. SAKURAI: Cutting it pretty close... Now that everyone is here, let's get started. Now, believe me when I say that the First World War is one of the most interesting things you'll ever study in school. Although your science teachers may beg to differ. So, a conflict involving nations from all across the world, continent to continent. With soldiers as well as civilians involved in the fighting, it truly changed the geopolitical climate for many of the combatants involved. As he talks, his trademark enthusiasm shines through. It's almost like he was born to be a teacher. SAKURAI: Now, can anyone tell me the year it started? Bonus points if you can explain how it began. And before anyone asks, no, 'bonus points' does not mean exemption from homework for a week. Maybe Monday morning won't be so boring after all. The rest of the lesson passes by fairly quickly, and before I know it, it's lunchtime 25. Cinnamon - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  SAYORI: You're looking a bit livelier! HISAO: Sakurai has that effect on us. We're also learning about the First World War, which's pretty interesting. SAYORI: You're right - it is! Although it's so sad thinking about all of those soldiers who died... In such horrible ways, too! HISAO: For sure. They were hoping it would be a war to end all wars... Yet twenty years later they were at it again. Anyway, how was your morning? What subject did you have? SAYORI: Eeeeh...physics. In the morning! Hisao, that's so unfair! We should have a subject I enjoy on a Monday morning. HISAO: Sleeping isn't a subject, though. Dammit. As we’ve discussed, our protagonist has a nasty habit of seizing on symptoms to make fun of and praising personality traits that cover-up deeper issues. If you’re familiar with the term microaggressions, well, we get those too, often is not around competence (Protip: don’t swoop in to help a disabled person unless you think they’re actually struggling with something, and if you do, ask first and listen to the answer). But this kind of poking fun at how serious issues manifest can be extremely damaging, especially because it’s usually unintentional. What we’re seeing here isn’t all that egregious, but when it gets bad it can break people. I do hope the game eventually sets time aside to examine this behavior. SAYORI: Hey! I like Japanese too, you know! Japanese, history...even stuff like English. The subjects where I can express myself a bit more. HISAO: You know, given how you're in a literature club, it all makes sense now. As in, why you prefer subjects like Japanese. More creative subjects, where you can write stories, poems, that sort of thing. SAYORI: Yeah! Plus, I don't think I'll ever need to work out the area of a triangle in real life. Well, I really hope not! Whereas stuff that we learn about in Japanese helps with writing poems. Although I don't think the teacher was happy when she found me trying to write a poem in her class, ehehe... But it's not my fault, right? She looks at me with puppy dog eyes and in that moment, it hits me just how adorable Sayori can be. With those big blue eyes, it's impossible to say no to her, and... Wait a minute, where is this coming from? HISAO: Huh? Erm...yeah, no, definitely not your fault. A-Anyway, what's that you've got? I motion to the food in front of her. It's fairly obvious what's she's eating - but I needed a quick change of topic to cover...whatever it was that just came over me. SAYORI: Eeh? You mean this? It's a cinnamon bun. Mwher're mreary dericious, mmmm... HISAO: Sayori, I couldn't get a word of that. But I'm guessing you're enjoying it, haha. She loudly gulps down the sugary delight. SAYORI: Sorry. Yeah, it's so yummy! Do you want to try some? HISAO: Can't hurt. As she tears off a piece and reaches forward, I'm struck by how soft and warm her hands are. It's only a brief moment of contact, but it's enough to ignite that weird, warm feeling within. ... Snap out of it! I pop it into my mouth and savor the sweet taste filling my tastebuds. HISAO: Mmmm. Remind me to get some of my own. SAYORI: I'm planning on tactically snacking on these during class this afternoon. That's one way of getting me through a boring school day! HISAO: Well, if it works, it works. Just like that, the alarm rings, signifying the end of the lunch break. Back to it, I guess. Waving goodbye to Sayori, we make our respective ways back to our classrooms. 23. Our Next Chapter - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  8. Student at Heart - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST Another day, another lesson. Thankfully, it's a Friday, meaning the tempting allure of the weekend beckons. Just one more day to sit through… As Sakurai explains the origins of the war, my mind can't help but drift away. Who was it who decided we should have five working days, but only two days off? Man, that seems mighty unfair if you ask me. A four day week and three day weekend sounds so much better. I know Sayori would definitely agree. Probably not Monika though, given how hard she works. Speaking of Sayori, I wonder what she's up to. I've noticed that she's been on my mind a little more than usual. Even when I was at home, just playing video games in an effort to procrastinate on my homework. Knowing her, she's probably doodling instead of paying attention. Then again, I'm daydreaming myself. I guess shorter attention spans are something we both suffer from. It's a little on the warm side in here, anyway. And Sakurai wouldn't mind too much if I spaced out, right…? ... Spending more time with Sayori recently has made me think... 27. Rose Tinted Glasses - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  DAD: Hey, Hisao! Don't run too far off ahead! HISAO: Sorry Daddy, I just wanna play…  MOM: Such a ball of energy, aren't you? mom Don't worry. Your dad and I will keep an eye on you. mom Oh, and here's some money. mom Buy something from the ice cream truck. DAD: Would you like us to come with you? HISAO: No, it's okay! I'm a big boy now, remember? MOM: Of course, darling. How could we ever forget? Dad grins as he reaches out to affectionately ruffle my hair. DAD: Of course you are, son. Now, go out there and have fun. I barely hear him as I take off, bound toward the ice-cream truck. ... As I'm lining up, my mind runs crazy at the thought of all the different flavors and choices. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mint… It's great! The line shuffles forward, and I dig into my pockets and bring out the money. They've given me more than I need for the ice-cream. Awesome! That means I can get more than one! I quickly look around me, trying to spot my parents. They're sitting on a bench, chatting away. They won't notice! Awww yeah, this is the best day ever! ... Huh? Who's this?  Note the unique little Sayori sprite. Standing to the left of me is a young girl. She's looking sadly at the ice-cream truck in front of me. Why's she looking sad, though? All of the other kids are happy. She should be happy! There's ice-cream right here. HISAO: Hey! The girl jumps a little. HISAO: Sorry, sorry! I uh...didn't mean to scare you. She turns to look at me, giving me a wide smile. Huh? Wasn't she sad just a minute ago? SAYORI: It's okay! I'm Sayori! HISAO: H-Hi, Sayori… I'm Hisao. I uhm… Saw you looking sad. Do you want some ice-cream? That makes me happy when I'm feeling sad! SAYORI: Ice-cream? For me? You'd buy that for me? HISAO: Sure! My mommy gave me too much money, hehe. I would've got two ice-creams for myself. But you looked sad, and I don't like seeing my friends sad! Sayori looks at the floor. She looks kinda shy. SAYORI: Are you sure? HISAO: Yeah! Now c'mon, which one do you want? SAYORI: Ooo, thank you, thank you! The ci...cin...cinna… ...That one, with the long name! HISAO: The cimma...cimnanon? SAYORI: Yeah! HISAO: Okay! I hand it over to her, taking mine from the ice-cream man. SAYORI: Thanks again! HISAO: That's okay! Do you want to be friends? Her eyes light up and she shows me a bright smile. SAYORI: Okay! Do you want to go by the swings? HISAO: I'll race you there! SAYORI: Hey! No fair! HISAO: Heh, you didn't say when to start!  SAYORI: Thanks for being my friend, Hisao. I'm new here, and I don't have any other friends... HISAO: No problem! You're really cool, and it's nice to make a new friend. SAYORI: Ehehe… ... ???: Ah, there you are! SAYORI: Hi Mommy. SAYORI’S MOM: Ah, I see you've made a new friend! sm Who might this be, Sayori? SAYORI: That's Hisao! He got me this cinna...cimmanon popsicle! SAYORI’S MOM: Ah, did he now? HISAO: She was looking really sad! I thought it would cheer her up. SAYORI’S MOM: That's very nice of you, Hisao. sm Sayori, do you mind explaining to Hisao why you didn't have money for the popsicle in the first place? SAYORI: Wawawa- Do I have to? SAYORI’S MOM: Come on. SAYORI: Okay, okay… I was being a bit naughty earlier… Mommy told me not to eat all of the candy before dinner yesterday… But I just couldn't help it! So she said I wasn't allowed to get a popsicle today… SAYORI’S MOM: Indeed. So, she was being punished for it. Oh no. Is she angry at me? HISAO: I'm sorry! I didn't know that she was in trouble… SAYORI’S MOM: ...Although I'm glad you made a new friend, Sayori. HISAO: Huh? She laughs softly. Man, Sayori really looks like her... SAYORI’S MOM: Don't you worry, Hisao. sm You were very kind. sm And it already looks like you two are great friends already. sm It's okay. HISAO: Whew…  8. Student at Heart - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST SAKURAI: Hisao! HISAO: Huh? What? With a sudden jolt of reality, I realize I'm back in the present. Given the way Sakurai is looking at me, he clearly noticed me dozing off. Oops. SAKURAI: I'm going to assume you fell asleep because you stayed up late doing some reading about the war. HISAO: Errr...yes, sir, of course. SAKURAI: Excellent! Then you'll be able to answer this next question without any difficulty. I gulp. Yeah, he got me in a trap there. Let's hope it's not too unreasonable… SAKURAI: Can you explain to me how Great Britain got involved in the war? Okay, this one I actually know. I vaguely remember Sakurai talking about this yesterday. Luckily, I'm able to answer his question satisfactorily. To compress a complicated topic down to a paragraph, British foreign policy since they stopped pretending they still had a chance of taking over France has boiled down to keeping the smelly Europeans occupied in their continent, leaving their blessed isles alone. After they got Napoleon’s exile to finally stick, they gave modern Belgium and Luxembourg to the Netherlands, hoping to make local counterbalance against France and Prussia. The Dutch immediately hosed it up and drove it into open revolt. The British basically stepped in and work out a compromise with everyone involved; the rebelling territories were now their own brand-new kingdom named after the old Roman province in the area because nobody could think of anything better, then publicly promised to go to war with anyone that tried to mess with them. The Netherlands wasn’t happy, but they were told they got to keep Luxembourg and could otherwise get hosed. Belgium industrialized fast, solidified its nascent national identity, and developed a strong enough reputation for neutrality the European powers ended up giving them a huge chunk of Africa to commit crimes against humanity in when they couldn’t agree would get it. By the time the Germans tried to flank France as World War I kicked off by going through Belgium, the UK already favored France (their mutual hatred had devolved into an anime rivalry) over Germany (which might have been strong enough to violate the smelly Europeans clause), but Belgium sealed the deal and let them finally move in.You asked for commentary and now you’re getting it. After what feels like an eternity, a wry smile appears on his face. SAKURAI: That late night study session really paid off, it seems… He shoots me a knowing smile. I weakly grin back. That was close. Luckily, by the time I woke up, most of the class has already passed. Just how long was I out for…? SAKURAI: Anyway, as the bell is about to ring, I figured I should finish my lesson before it rings, for once... Even though I'm confident that you would rather learn about the intricacies of the war than go to lunch. As if by a stroke of fate, Sakurai's stomach rumbles. He wearily rubs his face and laughs dejectedly. SAKURAI: Well, if that isn't an example of deus-ex machina, then I don't know what is. A smattering of laughter fills the room. SAKURAI: Class dismissed, everyone. Everyone begins packing away their things and heading for the door, no doubt eager to refuel after the morning's session. SAKURAI: Hisao, a word, if you will? Oh, drat. Why do I get the feeling this is to do with me falling asleep? As the last student files out, I gingerly approach Sakurai's desk, a hint of resignation in my gait. SAKURAI: Don't worry, there's no need to look so worried. You're not in trouble or anything like that. HISAO: You had me scared, sir. I think every student dreads hearing those words, aha. 'Can we have a word?' Or 'Can you see me after class?' SAKURAI: If it's any consolation, Hisao, you'll still fear those words even after graduation. HISAO: Oh? Mischief at university, sir? SAKURAI: Now now, that would be telling. Anyway, I'm getting a little side-tracked. I just wanted to know how you were getting on in class. With the course, that is. HISAO: Oh...well, it's going pretty well, I'd say. History is one of my favorite subjects, and World War One is an interesting topic. Plus your teaching style sits really well with me. And I'm uh...sorry for falling asleep in class. I know it was a little disrespectful...I just had an uh, late night. There's a knowing look in Sakurai's eyes as he dismissively waves away my apology. SAKURAI: Not to worry, Hisao. I know high school can be a trying period, especially when you have a lot going on. Besides, you answered my question correctly, so it's fair to assume you at least have some idea of what I'm talking about. I can't help but grin at him. With the friendly, understanding aura he emanates, sometimes you forget he's a teacher. SAKURAI: Although if you could try and refrain from falling asleep again, that would be much appreciated. Although his tone remains light and friendly, there's an edge of sternness to his voice. I guess it must be pretty disheartening as a teacher if one of your students falls asleep in your class. HISAO: Oh, yeah, of course. Won't happen again, sir. SAKURAI: Good, good. Well, I just wanted to check up on you. You're doing well, so I'm satisfied. Do let me know if that changes. I'd be happy to assist where I can. Now, I shouldn't be denying you your well-earned lunch break. HISAO: Haha, thanks. Have a good one too, sir. With a nod, he dismisses me and returns to his desk. As I make my to the courtyard, I notice Yuri, sitting by herself, lost in a book. As I approach her, I pause. Should I ask her to join me?  She does look a little lonely, and we're all friends, right? >Invite Yuri. >Don't invite Yuri. Our first choice of the route. Act I ran off a simple number counter, but I don’t know how the rest of the game works behind the scenes. I’ll get some insight into how various decisions impact which endings we get (each route has several, ranging from unambiguously good to outright tragic) by reading the code around various choices, but I’m kinda steering by the seat of my pants here. This way I can test the game’s logic a bit, comparing the theory I know with their design choices; we’ll see what leads to what else a little more naturally that way.Anyway, this choice? We already know Yuri’s socially isolated and in desperate need of friends. I know I’d have liked somebody to reach out and bring me into their social group when I was sitting alone at lunch back in high school. Well, sometimes; sometimes you really do want to be alone, and sometimes you’re just not in the mood to socialize. I find repeated gentle invitations tend to work wonders, but I doubt we have an option of doing that. Let’s just be nice here. =>Invite Yuri. Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Daijoubu! As much as I think Yuri is someone who is comfortable being by herself, I think it'll be nice to have some new company during lunch. Besides, she gets along with Sayori and I. She looks really lost in thought. Never without her books, is she? HISAO: Hey, Yuri.  She jumps slightly, eyes widening at the sudden disturbance. Oops. I forgot she startles easily.  YURI: Oh, g-good afternoon, Hisao. HISAO: Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. YURI: It's okay. I was just very much immersed in this book. HISAO: I was going to invite you to sit with Sayori and I, but if you'd rather be left alone…? A pensive look crosses her face. I get the feeling she isn't used to social invitations. YURI: M-Me? HISAO: The one and only. YURI: Are you sure? I wouldn't want to disturb your conversation. HISAO: Don't sweat it, it's fine. Ah, well, if you're sure…  Leading the way, I spot Sayori in the courtyard and take a seat opposite her on one of the benches. Yuri follows suit. SAYORI: Heya, Yuri! How's your week been? YURI: It's been enjoyable so far. Learning a lot of interesting things… It's definitely stimulating. Although I am glad it's the weekend coming up. HISAO: Yeah, Sayori and I are with you on that. YURI: How about you two? How has your week gone? SAYORI: It's been okay! Some lessons are kinda boring though... Still trying to wrap my head around some of the stuff we're doing in math… Japanese is going well, though! We've been looking at literary techniques and how they can apply to poetry, so I think I might be able to try new stuff with my poems! YURI: Oh? Well, I look forward to seeing that, Sayori. HISAO: Yeah, same. Monika will probably appreciate it too. Speaking of which, we're having a meeting with the club after school today. SAYORI: Yep! We'll be focusing on what to do for Halloween. It'll be a lot of fun! HISAO: That's right up your alley, eh Yuri? YURI: How so? HISAO: Well, Halloween is all about horror, right? And your poems typically focus on darker themes. YURI: Ah. Yes, indeed. She smiles dreamily. I guess a day dedicated to horror is like a dream come true for her. YURI: There's definitely a lot of room for creativity when it comes to that genre. Horror is ever so expansive… SAYORI: I don't like that stuff too much! Sometimes it can get really scary… YURI: Huhu, not a big fan of fear, Sayori? ... Sorry, that didn't sound too...ominous, or weird, did it? Uuu… SAYORI: Not at all! I've always admired how you stick to your interests. It's really cool to see. Don't worry about it! YURI: Ah...well, that's reassuring to hear, I suppose… HISAO: Makes for some nice variety in the club, Yuri. The bell rings, cutting short our conversation. HISAO: Well...time to get these last few hours over with. See you both in the club. SAYORI: Seeya guys! She cheerily waves. YURI: Until then. If we leave Yuri alone, the other two end up eating lunch together. They start doing that awkward sort-of-flirting thing kids do when they’re into each other and don’t know how to express it before the protagonist literally gets lost in Sayori’s eyes; she notices, it gets awkward, and they redirect into talking about Halloween. Not sure if we made the right choice from a mechanical perspective; the second scene pushes the romance along more than the first and all that happens in the code is the game marking whether or not you met Yuri for lunch. But I never claimed to be a completionist, and like everybody else we have to live with our decisions. We’ll see how this turns out.
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May 2, 2022 22:30
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Falconier111 posted:
For more on this topic, I recommend Dreadnought by Robert K. Massie, which offers vivid portraits of many of the outsize personalities involved in these decisions, and The Sleepwalkers by Christopher Clark, which makes a deep dive into how pre-WWI European foreign policy worked (it didn't, really.)
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May 2, 2022 23:11
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StandardVC10 posted:how pre-WWI European foreign policy worked (it didn't, really.) lol yeah
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May 3, 2022 01:37
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Falconier111 posted:But whoever heard of a screenshot LP with a set update schedule A hit, a palpable hit. (I'm in this picture and I don't like it.) I have, in theory, heard of them. Maybe even seen them. But I don't know how to do it.
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May 3, 2022 03:16
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WW1 foreign policy was that europe as a whole was a clusterfuck of rising tensions and mutual alliances such that one incident. You had two major alliances in Europe - The triple alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy created in 1879/82 and the entente cordiale of Britain, France and Russia of 1904/07 was kinda the major players, but as mentioned there was a bunch of mini-treaties going on as well, particularly relevant being the British treaty guaranteeing Belgiums safety from back in 1832. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand by the Serbians was the trigger for it all, Austria-Hungary demanded that Serbia surrender the black hand leadership, Germany pledged support to AH and Russia declared support for Serbia. 1 month after the assassination, AH declared war on Serbia, which led to Germany declaring war on Russia and France (the war on France being that they knew France wouldn’t stand back). They went for France via Belgium to avoid a heavily fortified border, and the rest is the bloodiest conflict on European soil ever.
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May 3, 2022 09:46
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Moving on from war in Europe, I wanted to examine this statement a bit morequote:Dammit. As we’ve discussed, our protagonist has a nasty habit of seizing on symptoms to make fun of and praising personality traits that cover-up deeper issues. If you’re familiar with the term microaggressions, well, we get those too, often is not around competence (Protip: don’t swoop in to help a disabled person unless you think they’re actually struggling with something, and if you do, ask first and listen to the answer). But this kind of poking fun at how serious issues manifest can be extremely damaging, especially because it’s usually unintentional. What we’re seeing here isn’t all that egregious, but when it gets bad it can break people. I do hope the game eventually sets time aside to examine this behavior. The problem we’ve got here is a dissonance between what our player character knows (nothing) and what we as the audience are intended to know through having played the original and seeing Sayori’s ultimate fate. As with most mental health disorders depression is a classic example of a hidden disability. While physical symptoms may manifest the symptoms are primarily psychological. The person with depression may try to mask symptoms which is what we’re seeing here. The most overt symptoms that she displays is changes in sleep pattern, a lack of care and attention to physical appearance (the presentation mostly tells instead of shows this) and possibly (given how many times it’s brought up) a change in appetite. At this point in the narrative Hisao is starting to suspect that there’s somethings she’s hiding and that her selflessness is a bit unhealthy, and she’s starting to show a willingness to drop her guard and talk about it. They’re stuck in a pattern where Hisao is unknowingly making fun of her depression because he doesn’t know about it, and as a layperson doesn’t know what to look for either. He makes fun of traits that to him are her displaying behaviours that would be considered childish, and praises personality traits that are genuinely laudable (kindness, putting others first) in the lack of knowledge that she’s doing this to make up for what she perceives is an inadequacy in herself. Narrative requires conflict, and this isn’t going to get better in the next few updates. His behaviour is potentially a display of micro aggressions born of ignorance, and the question is whether the inevitable learning/apology is written well. Also now that you’re locked into a character’s route you’re best off prioritising them where possible, I don’t know if there’s multiple endings to each route but my interest is whether the best ending is well written.
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May 3, 2022 10:21
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If nothing else I really liked the little hang out scene with Yuri at lunch. It was cute. Even if it somehow locked us out of the Golden Sayori Route I think it was a pleasant time with friends.
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May 3, 2022 14:26
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ZevGun posted:The way I act when I'm acting more depressed than usual (I've never had a formal diagnosis or anything so this could just be going through lulls of mood more than anything else) makes it almost feel like the part of my brain that determines priorities is broken. It feels that way because it is, more or less (for many people with depression, at least). Prioritizing, decision-making, and initiating tasks/activities are aspects of executive functioning, which is essentially the set of cognitive processes that lets you plan to do a thing and then do it, while inhibiting impulses to do things you shouldn't do. Executive functioning can be impaired by physical damage to the frontal lobes of the brain, but also by not having enough of the neurotransmitters that facilitate it, which (as far as we know) include serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine/noradrenaline. And serotonin imbalances are of course majorly implicated in depression, so while someone is having a depressive episode, that part of their brain is, if not broken, at least out of gas. (Executive dysfunction is also behind many symptoms of ADHD, which involves imbalances in at least two of those neurotransmitters and possibly all three, but that's less relevant to the game.) And then of course other aspects of depression also feed into it - like, your brain on a basic level is having trouble with the motivation to do things, but it's that much harder if you feel like there's no point anyway because everything will be terrible no matter what, or it's harder to make choices if your feelings towards every possible option can be best described as overwhelming apathy. (And prioritizing your friends' needs and happiness over your own, like Sayori does, is mostly not actually a priorities issue but a low self-esteem/"depression brain says you don't deserve nice things" issue.)
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May 4, 2022 06:04
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Update 17: It's nothing. Everyone has nightmares.  This mod nearly killed the Directors. Please give them your love. <3 6. Play With Us - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  As I open the door, the familiar sight of the girls greets me. Although, Monika is missing. It's a little unlike her to be late, isn't it? Then again, she was tardy that one time during my first week at the club. HISAO: Hey, everyone. SAYORI: Hey!  NATSUKI: Hi. The girls have pushed a few desks together and are sitting in a row, with Sayori on the left, Yuri in the middle, and Natsuki on the right. I wearily flop next to Sayori. YURI: Hello, Hisao. How were your last few classes? HISAO: About as fun as the last few classes on a Friday could ever be, haha. YURI: Huhu. While school can be a wonderful place to learn new things, I'll admit that a weekend break is always appreciated. It's nice to have a break. HISAO: For sure. By the way, does anyone know where Monika is? NATSUKI: We were just talking about that. She was the one who set this meeting up, yet she's late for it… She rolls her eyes. NATSUKI: I bet she's playing the piano, or coming back from tennis… Or whatever her latest hobby is.  As she says that, the door opens and Monika comes bursting in, an apologetic look on her face.  MONIKA: Sorry, sorry! I'll keep this one brief, don't worry. Sitting at a desk in front of us, she pulls out her laptop and fires it up. There's silence as the machine whirrs to life, along with a slight anticipation. Unfortunately, there's still a trace of tension in the air, undoubtedly stemming from everyone's memory of the festival. It's not particularly prominent - the club still has a laid back, cosy aura - but there's just enough to serve as an uncomfortable reminder. I guess I was naive to think something so serious would get brushed over so soon. Especially the argument between Natsuki and Monika. Nonetheless, Monika, with all of her charms as the confident leader, is quick to move things along. MONIKA: Okay, everyone! So! As you guys know, Halloween is coming up. Sayori and I were talking… How does a Halloween party sound? YURI: A Halloween... party? NATSUKI: Didn't think you were much of a party girl, Monika. MONIKA: No, not that kind of party... I mean, if we held a little event here, in the school. SAYORI: Yeah! We could share scary stories, dress up, that sorta thing! MONIKA: Yeah, that sort of thing. Sayori gave me the idea. We could all write horror themed poems, in the spirit of Halloween. As expected, Yuri's eyes light up. Natsuki on the other hand doesn't look quite as convinced. NATSUKI: Scary poems? Meh. It's not really my kind of thing… MONIKA: Well, see it as an opportunity to try something new and grow as a poet. YURI: It would definitely be interesting to see what you all come up with. MONIKA: See? That's the attitude to have, guys. Plus, it's been a while since I've done anything for Halloween… I was initially against it at first, but Sayori can be pretty persuasive. And I think I should be able to find some time for it, so… What do you guys think? A Halloween event, huh? Much like Monika, it's also been a long time since I've done anything for this festivity. Most of my Halloween memories come from the pranks Sayori and I would pull on each other back when we were children. Although a distant memory, I'd be lying if I said they weren't fun. HISAO: Yeah, sounds cool to me. I'm in. Although, we've gotta tell ghost stories, too. Y'know, go all out. YURI: I think that's a wonderful idea. NATSUKI: Pssh, of course you would, Yuri. Yeah, okay. I'd get to scare the crap out of you with my scary stories. I'm down. SAYORI: Yaaay! It'll be fun, guys! YURI: I have just one question, though. You said we'd hold the event here, in the school. Assuming we would do it while it's dark, wouldn't the school be closed? HISAO: Yeah, that's a good point, actually. Unless we did it at one of our houses? I don't know if we'd have the room, though. Unless you planned on like...breaking into school, after hours. SAYORI: Weeeeeeeelll… The moment of silence, along with Sayori's tone of voice, is incredibly telling. HISAO: No way. You honestly let Sayori talk you into that, Monika? MONIKA: Hmm. Eventually I told Sayori I was fine with it, but I'm still on the fence about it. Now that I'm thinking about it - could we host the party at one of your places? Natsuki? NATSUKI: N-No! It's a pretty cool idea to break into school. Gotta have that rebellious teenage spirit, right? YURI: But what if we get caught? Uuu...we'd get in so much trouble… HISAO: Sorry Yuri, but I'm with Natsuki here. Wouldn't the thrill of potentially being caught add to the atmosphere? Besides...it'll probably be pretty creepy in here, at night, when everyone's gone home. Perfect place for this sorta event. SAYORI: Seeeeeee? I told you, Monika! MONIKA: Well I was just surprised at how willing you were to break some major rules, Sayori! I always thought of you as the student who wouldn't go looking for trouble. SAYORI: Well, once or twice won't hurt anyone~ HISAO: Hah, don't let that innocent exterior fool you, Monika. Sayori can be ever so sly when she wants to be. She's got a hidden dark side, y'know? SAYORI: Hey! Don't overdo it… MONIKA: Ahaha, break it up, you two. Well, now that that's been settled, we can sort out some decorations for the room. SAYORI: Hisao! Pleaaaaase can we carve some pumpkins? I sigh. HISAO: As long as you don't accidentally drop one on my foot again. SAYORI: I'll try~ MONIKA: Well, that's you two sorted. How about you, Natsuki? NATSUKI: I could bake some cupcakes, or some cookies. Put some Halloween stuff on them, like spiders or whatever. They'd look awesome. And you can bet they'd taste as good as they look! SAYORI: Yesssss! You're the best, Natsuki! NATSUKI: Geez, all it takes is the mention of cupcakes, doesn't it? SAYORI: Yours are so good, though! NATSUKI: Well, I am the best… MONIKA: And how about you, Yuri? Based on what you contributed for the festival, am I right in assuming some sort of contribution towards the ambience or atmosphere? Yuri closes her eyes, clearly in thought. I've come to appreciate how Yuri is someone who really thinks before she speaks. YURI: Yes, I think something like that would be ideal. I'll let you know the finer details once I've settled on something, if that's alright? MONIKA: Of course. Well then, on that note… I think that's everything. She finishes typing and puts the laptop lid down. SAYORI: Wait! We should all dress up, too! NATSUKI: As in, Halloween costumes? SAYORI: Yep! HISAO: Bit old for that, aren't we? SAYORI: Come on! We used to have a lot of fun doing it when we were kids, so let's do it again! She does have a point there; I guess it could be quite amusing to see what she can come up with, as well. YURI: Would we be able to come in as...anything? SAYORI: As long as it's to do with Halloween, sure! MONIKA: Ah, well, I don't really know if I'll have the time. Upon seeing Sayori's face drop, she hastens to speak once more. MONIKA: But I'll do my best~ NATSUKI: Yeah, I'm in too. Looks like I'll have to get creative as well... When I was that age, I thought that teenagers should be able to go trick-or-treating near the end of the night once all the younger kids had their go and get their pick from whatever’s left. Now that I’m grown, I still think that. The divisions between age groups are very sharp in popular culture and only kind of backed up by reality; yeah, there are obviously significant differences between toddlers and is, but people seem so eager to shove ages and behaviors into categories they skip over how people actually develop – especially disabled people who can’t fit into those categories because of who they are and end up shoved into whichever one lets onlookers dismiss or control them. I’ve never seen the sense in limiting kids like that because I’m never seen the sense in limiting people like that. Although at the moment, the only thing I want to do now is go home and relax. Standing up, I stretch and yawn, looking at the clock. MONIKA: Anyway, I'll call the club meeting here. No poems today, sorry. But I'm sure your Halloween poems will make up for that! There's a general murmur of agreement as the girls stand up and pack away. HISAO: Ready to go, Sayori? Okie dokie~ 25. Cinnamon - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  HISAO: Any plans for the weekend? SAYORI: Well, we've gotta get our Halloween stuff sorted, remember! So let's head to town and get the pumpkins and things ready. HISAO: Seeing as you're lazy, I'll let you sleep in and pick you up from your house, instead of us meeting at mine. SAYORI: Hey! It's not like I can help it, you know… Anyway, let's meet at noon, okay? HISAO: Sounds good. Seeya then. It's that wonderful weekend feeling. 23. Our Next Chapter - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Daijoubu!  Ahhhhh. That was perhaps the most satisfying nights' sleep I've had in a while. What time is it? Wow, it's half ten? For me, that's super early. This is the second Saturday in a row that I've woken up before noon. Am I slowly shedding my vampiric traits? As I draw the curtains and feel the sunshine flowing through the glass, I can't help but feel...really content. In fact, ever since joining the Literature Club, even in spite of the festival, my mood's generally been so much better than usual. Perhaps it's due to what I told the girls before we started our recitals - it's just nice to have people my own age to hang out with. But what if...what if it's something more than that? Sayori? Even thinking about her brings that warm feeling back, although not as strongly. Could it be? Am I really starting to...like her, in that way? As if to interrupt my brain, my stomach grumbles. Guess I'll give this a muse over breakfast. Hmmm. What do I feel like having today? Cereal, toast, fried eggs, sausage, bacon… So many choices. I think eggs, sausage and bacon will do for now. Much better. I can see why Sayori mentioned breakfast in her first poem... There I go again, always thinking about her. If I were to be honest, as much as I enjoy all of the girls' company… I'd be lying if I said I'd be as excited if I were to spend today with any other girl. Maybe it's because of the history we share? Or because Natsuki is a little too cold for my tastes, and Yuri's a little too...quiet? I dunno. Since day one, I've always been comfortable talking to Sayori. And that's never changed. I swear I read somewhere that if you can go years without talking to a friend, then when you do finally reconnect… If you're able to get along like nothing ever happened… Then it's the sign of a true friendship. Or I'm just looking into this too much. Feelings.... And there was me thinking that the stuff we do in math is hard to get your head around…  One thing that never changes is Sayori's inability to get up on time. Five minutes pass, and I grow impatient. Fishing out my phone, I shoot her a text. Chat Window posted:Hisao: It's noon, you lazy girl. We've got pumpkins to carve, remember? ... Minutes tick by without a response. Chat Window posted:Hisao: Sayori? At this rate, I'd probably have more of a two-way conversation with a mime. Man, how creepy must I look, just aimlessly standing outside her house. With a sigh, I open the gate and head to her house. (Silence)  We're really gonna have to work on her sleeping patterns. I always knew she could be a little lazy, but this is getting annoying… HISAO: Sayori? It's me. Sorry, I didn't want to wait outside. Are you uh...dressed? If I strain my ears, I can faintly pick up the sound of her voice. She's not replying to me, though. It sounds like she's talking to herself. I can't quite pick up what she's saying from this distance. Probably sleep talking, and knowing her, sleep talking about food. I'm nearing the end of my patience. HISAO: Okay, that was your last chance! If you're getting changed or anything, you can't be mad at me… 29. Out of Reach - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  Man, her room is a mess… And Sayori herself is tucked away in the mess of pillows, blankets and the duvet that forms her bed. There's a swathe of hair that's fallen into her mouth, and she's drooling slightly. She's curled up into a ball, with her arms hugging herself. It's a strangely adorable sight, and I feel bad in having to wake her. As I draw closer, I can finally make out what she's saying. And to my dismay, it's nothing wholesome at all. It sounds more like she's softly whimpering to herself, and I can also spot glistening wet trails down her cheeks. Seeing Sayori cry is a sight I wish I'd never have to see. SAYORI: ...Can't help it... What's she talking about? SAYORI: ...sorry...I'm so...useless... ...but...really trying. ...for everyone... ... She flips over restlessly, a sob accompanying the movement. SAYORI: But...it's so...hard. So tiring...don't want... Don't want to do...anymore. No… Please! Someone? Anyone… I know...selfish... HISAO: Sayori! Her head turns slightly, almost as if she's heard me. Her eyes remain shut, so it's impossible to tell if she's awake. Sayori, it's me. Hisao. It's okay, I'm here. Mmmm...no, I don't want to go… ...didn't work last time… They said it would work… Fresh sobs fill the room as she cries harder. Her voice breaks completely as tears drip down her face. At this point, I've had enough. A strong protective instinct within me demands that I reach out and gently clasp one of her hands with mine. With her hand in mine, I gingerly shake her awake. HISAO: Sayori! SAYORI: ...Hisao... And with that final mysterious utterance, her eyes flutter open, with panic momentarily flashing through them. When she sees me, she visibly relaxes and sits up.  SAYORI: Oh...hi, Hisao. She hastily turns away and tries to discreetly wipe her face. I'm still trying to process what I've just witnessed. HISAO: Sayori, are you okay? I think...I think you were having a nightmare. SAYORI: Oh, was I? I don't remember anything like that… HISAO: I was literally right here, listening to you cry! Of course you had a nightmare! You said some really...concerning stuff… She anxiously bites her lip as she replies. SAYORI: Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you worried. HISAO: You seriously need to stop thinking that you're a burden. It's my job to be concerned about you! We're best friends! SAYORI: ...You're really silly sometimes, you know that? HISAO: What's going on, Sayori? Please, just talk to me! She looks ashamed as she gets herself out of bed. SAYORI: Oh god, I just realized! I totally forgot what we have planned for today! And I overslept… Hisao, I'm so sorry! I'm such an idiot… She flails around and on instinct I reach out and pull her into a hug. Clearly this takes her by surprise as she doesn't make an effort to return it - at least initially - but after a while she eventually starts to weakly hug back. As we break apart, Sayori smiles, clearly trying to put her nightmare behind her. SAYORI: Thank you, Hisao. You always know how to make me feel better~ Anyway! We have a lot to do today, right? Let's get started then~ Is she really going to try and ignore the elephant in the room?! HISAO: Sayori, don't you want to ta- SAYORI: No. Sorry, I just… Really don't want to talk about it, if that's okay? Another glimpse of this concerning side she works so hard to pass off. And yet, there they are again - those walls I can never get through. HISAO: But-  SAYORI: Hisao. Please? It's nothing. Everyone has nightmares. She seizes on my moment of silence. SAYORI: Anyway, can you just give me a moment to get dressed? Then we can start getting spooky!~ With a sigh of resignation, I leave and close the door behind me. 26. Simplicities - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  SAYORI: We can get some pumpkins from the supermarket! You've got a knife at home, right? HISAO: Yeah. SAYORI: Sooo...what kinda things should we carve into them? Bats, skulls, all those cheesy Halloween things, right? It's tempting to not answer. To give Sayori a taste of her own medicine. I don't think she's aware of just how frustrating this is. But then again… Do I really want this to ruin the day? Sayori's clearly trying to put it past us. As much as I want to know what's going on, she's really not in any mood to divulge. And bringing it up now would probably ruin the mood and day for both of us. Besides, I can't really stay angry at her. Her general bubbly persona is so infectious - only someone without a heart could be immune to it. I begrudgingly smile. HISAO: Or spiders. SAYORI: I forgot how much you're terrified of them! HISAO: Oh come on, like you're any better. SAYORI: I aaaaaaaaaam! Okay, maybe with the big ones… Even though Halloween isn't as largely celebrated here, at least compared to Western countries, shops have still made a decorative effort. All of the cheesy, cliché Halloween decorations can be seen both on the exterior and interior of the shop. Luckily for us, all of the pumpkins are right at the front. HISAO: Wow. These are huge. SAYORI: Which means we have more space to make some awesome decorations! Don't you think? Her eyes meet mine, the cheerful enthusiasm still bouncing around in them. HISAO: Yeah, good thinking. Let's get these three. SAYORI: Ooh, do you mind if I grab some food, for later? HISAO: Yeah, sure. What were you thinking? SAYORI: Pizza. HISAO: Not exactly the healthiest of choices, is it? SAYORI: Hey! I don't see you chomping on salad, you know! HISAO: Can't dispute that, haha. But in all seriousness Sayori, maybe you should try something that isn't just junk food? I worry about you sometimes, you know. SAYORI: I know, I know… You don't need to, though. I'll make more of an effort soon, I promise! HISAO: Alright, fine. Pizza it is. But only if I get a slice. ...Or two. SAYORI: Deal!  In an attempt to display my masculine bravado, I volunteered to carry all three of the pumpkins. In hindsight, given how much my arms are screaming at me… I immediately regret this decision. SAYORI: I can't believe you didn't let me carry any of them! You're so silly sometimes… HISAO: Pfft, it's no sweat, Sayori! No...sweat, at...all… Don't drop them, don't drop them, don't drop them… SAYORI: Aha. HISAO: What? SAYORI: That pumpkin is shaped like your head. HISAO: I swear to god I will throw one of these at you. SAYORI: You wouldn't dare! Besides, I don't think you'd be able to lift it high enough~ HISAO: ...I hate how true that is. SAYORI: Sayori 1, Hisao 0! That's so unfair. HISAO: You're taking advantage of the poor situation I'm in. SAYORI: Not true! If I recall correctly, you're the one who insisted on carrying these! She adopts a comedic, super low male voice. SAYORI: It's okay, Sayori, I'm a big strong guy who can handle all of these pumpkins! HISAO: Okay, firstly, I do not sound like that. ... ...Right? An innocent smirk is my only response which turns into indignation as I blow a puff of air into her face. It's the little victories in life.  SAYORI: So, which shape should we go with first? HISAO: Hm...let's just keep it simple for now. We can just go with a generic jack-o-lantern face. I pull up a reference photo on my phone. SAYORI: We've gotta start by scooping out the insides, though. So let's cut a hole in the top… With a look of steadfast determination, she slices away the top of the pumpkin, exposing the contents within. She looks really cute with that look on her face. Her nose has scrunched up and she's focusing intently on her task. And the best part is she's so oblivious to how endearing she really is. SAYORI: Come on! Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty! HISAO: Okay, okay… Oh man, it feels so cold and sticky… It's slow but steady work. As we scoop out the inside, I do my best not to focus on how soft her hands and arms feel as they brush against mine. SAYORI: There! Now my hands are all sticky… HISAO: Yeah, mine too. Say… Do you want a new hairstyle? I grin and reach forward, aiming for Sayori's head. SAYORI: Uwaaaa- Don't you even think about it! HISAO: Okay, okay. I won't. I hold my hands up as a sign of peace. Sayori remains backed up away from me, a suspicious look on her face. As she lets her guard down and comes closer, I dart forward and boop her on the nose, leaving an orange smear. SAYORI: Hey! Meanie! I'm going to get you for that! HISAO: Only if you can actually catch me! I laugh and dart away from her strike. Sayori has never been particularly co-ordinated, so it's pretty easy to dodge her clumsy attempts. As she comes in for another swipe, I catch her wrists with my hands. She's squirming and wriggling, doing her best to escape my grip. Unfortunately, due to the slipperiness of the pumpkin coating on both of our hands, my grip isn't as strong as I'd like. She manages to twist her hand free and lands a respectable orange smear on my cheek. SAYORI: Aha! I told you~ Her victory is short lived as I manage to return the favor down her neck. SAYORI: Uwaaa, okay, okay! A truce! For real this time! HISAO: No tricks? SAYORI: Nooo! We still have to carve the pumpkins! HISAO: Okay, fair enough. I'm looking through the cupboards, trying to find a knife that's big enough. Ah, this one will do. SAYORI: How's this? I wander over to the left of Sayori. ... This is unfair. How is it that a girl who was late to wake up and get ready still smells really good? A faraway detached part of me vaguely remembers something my biology teacher was saying about pheromones… SAYORI: Well? HISAO: Yeah it smells great. SAYORI: Smells? Huh? HISAO: Oh drat, did I say smell instead of look? Guess I'm a little hungry, haha. Yeah, that's perfect. I'll start carving it. … HISAO: There. SAYORI: Wow! That looks great. We make an awesome team, don't we? HISAO: Haha, we sure do. What about for the other two pumpkins? I was thinking we could do a bat for this one. And we could just keep it simple for the last one. SAYORI: Like carve 'boo' into it? HISAO: Perfect. Well, here we go again… A while later, and we're finally all done. Our handiwork sits proudly in front of us. HISAO: Job well done. SAYORI: The others are gonna love them! HISAO: Ahaha. I just realized. We must look like two proud parents. Except our kids are pumpkins. Sayori breaks out into giggles. SAYORI: Ehehe~ Hisao... You've always been really funny, you know that? One of these days I'll learn how to take a compliment from the opposite sex. Especially when it comes from someone I think I'm starting to fall in love with. Unfortunately, that day is not today. As I feel my cheeks heat up, I'd be very surprised if Sayori didn't pick up on it. SAYORI: Anyway, I've had a lot of fun today! Sadly I've got a lot of homework to get on with… So I'm gonna have to go. But I'll take a pumpkin with me. Anyway, I'll see you on Monday. Oh, and… SAYORI: Look, I know you're concerned about me. About...what happened earlier. But please, just try not to worry too much or anything. I'll...try and tell you when I'm comfortable, okay? Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend~ With a click, the door closes behind me. Doki Doki Literature Club! OST - Daijoubu! I don't get much time to stew over the day's events, though, as my phone blares to life. It's my mother. 9. Family Bonds - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST_bonds  MOM: Hi, Hisao! How have you been doing? Are you eating well? HISAO: Woah woah Mom, slow down. I'm fine. School's going well - Sakurai's started talking about World War One, so history is pretty enjoyable. About the eating part… Uh... How are things on your end? MOM: Stressful, stressful… I want to come home and see you. I've been feeling ever so guilty about being away… HISAO: Nah, it's fine, seriously. Since joining the club that lonely feeling has pretty much disappeared. Plus, Sayori and I are hanging out a lot, so it's nice to have some regular contact with her again. MOM: Oh yes, that club of yours! You said it was a literature club, right? HISAO: Mmhm. MOM: Ah, well that should mean your grades for Japanese will be fantastic, right? HISAO: It's definitely helping! MOM: And the other club members? HISAO: Yeah, we get along pretty well. One girl is really shy, the other one is kinda...cold, but I think she's a softie at heart. Oh, and Monika's the president. MOM: Oh, the Monika you used to share classes with? mom The one you had a crush on? HISAO: Mom! I didn't have a crush on her… MOM: Of course not~ So, being around Sayori again. When I called you last week, you were on a da- sorry, at the park with her, right? HISAO: Yeah. MOM: I'm so happy for both of you! She was always your best friend growing up. Although… Perhaps it's a motherly intuition, but I get the feeling that you and Sayori… HISAO: What about us? I can sense her knowing smile even over the phone. MOM: Well, you tell me.  >Tell her you're developing feelings. >Don’t tell her about the feelings. Wow, we get the chance to be mature about our feelings. Don’t see that in all that many VNs. =>Tell her you're developing feelings. HISAO: Ah...well, truth be told, Mom… I think I really like her. Like...in that sense. MOM: Ah yes, I did think this day would come eventually. Look at my little boy, all grown up! Falling in love with a girl, ahaha… HISAO: Mom! MOM: Sorry, sorry… I guess I should've seen this coming. Given the way you used to act around her as a kid… Always looking out for her, protecting her from things that scared her, sharing your food with her. Quite the gentleman you were. HISAO: Really? You had your suspicions that early on? MOM: Motherly instincts, sweetheart. We share a laugh. HISAO: It was confusing, at first. I didn't really know what these new feelings were. I'd start to notice little things about her that I didn't see before. Like, how pretty her eyes are, or how nice she smells… Or how cute she looks when she's trying to concentrate. I sigh dreamily. HISAO: Yeah, I'll admit it, she's got me good. MOM: So what's holding you back? HISAO: Well I… I don't really know girls that well… How am I supposed to know if she likes me back? MOM: Ah, teenage love… Well, look at it this way. When a girl likes you, she'll do a few things to try and signal that interest. Does she maintain eye contact with you a lot? Laugh at your jokes? Offer to come with you to places, or invite you along? Compliment you? HISAO: Errr...kind of, yeah? I mean, a lot of those things, yeah… But sometimes...she acts a little bit...off? As in, there are days where she doesn't really want to talk to me, or anyone else. There's something that she's hiding, but she keeps her walls up and doesn't let me in. Like today, she was having a really bad nightmare. Saying stuff like...she's really tired, and she feels bad for feeling useless… But she never wants to talk about it and just brushes me off whenever I try and help her. MOM: Hmmm. Well, there was a long gap in your history together. Perhaps something happened in her life, something that she isn't ready to share just yet? Patience is a virtue, sweetheart. You'll have to understand it from her perspective - sometimes, people just don't want to share. I know it must be frustrating...you want to help, but she's just not letting you. HISAO: Yeah… MOM: As much as we would like to, sometimes we can't just force ourselves into someone's life like that. Besides, we have no idea what her reasoning is. I'm sure she'll tell you when she feels comfortable doing so. HISAO: But...doesn't that mean she doesn't trust me yet? MOM: Not necessarily. From what you've told me, she enjoys spending time with you. She certainly does trust you, just not on that level just yet. It'll come in time.  I’ve always thought this. Trust and honesty are vital for any healthy relationship, but if you take either to their extreme it usually hurts it. Like, nobody tells state or company secrets to their spouse in full unless they’re looking to get fired. Remember kids, trust means more than blindly revealing everything you know. Anyway, unfortunately I have to go. A lot of work to be done, still. Was lovely talking to you again, sweetheart, and keep me updated on the Sayori situation, especially if anything major pops up, okay? HISAO: Sure thing, Mom. And thanks - your advice has been really helpful! MOM: You're very welcome, darling. Bye! As I meander upstairs into my room and flop onto my chair, my mother's words echo in my mind. Maybe Sayori does like me too, then? Huh. Well, even if she does, what am I meant to do? Am I meant to make the first move? Ask her to a...date, or be my girlfriend? Although if we've been hanging out - just us two - isn't that already technically a date? Gahhhhh. I don't know. I think I'll just see how the next couple of weeks go and not push anything. Primarily because I don't know what I'm doing. With a weary sigh, I boot up my computer. There's no way I'll be able to get any homework done with all of this on my mind. Video games should be a nice way to relax. Hmm… It's Halloween coming up, so let's pick a horror game. This one looks tempting. Third person survival horror...police detective...nightmarish simulation... This'll do fine. I want to point out something very interesting about our protagonist’s thought patterns here – he’s factoring in (what he doesn’t know is) her depression as one of many aspects of her personality. A lot of media about mental illness falls into a trap of only thinking about the mental illness in question, even if the work hasn’t already revealed what that mental illness is. Here, though, it’s just another aspect of her, his relationship with that part of her is just one part of his relationship with her, and I’ve been trying to sell that point of view for years.
Falconier111 fucked around with this message at 03:26 on May 7, 2022 |
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May 5, 2022 23:23
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Trying to remember all the pro pumpkin-carving strategies, but I haven't done it in something like two decades. I think one year I hollowed out the pumpkin from the bottom instead of the top, but I'm not sure why.Falconier111 posted:
Seems to be a missing portrait and/or line break here. Falconier111 posted:
Also here.
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May 6, 2022 00:05
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The beginning of the updated was pretty  , but I gotta say, that conversation between Hisao and his mother is one of the most emotionally mature things I've ever seen out of a dating sim protagonist. Good job, dude.Also, I haven't been getting the impression that this game is putting that much effort into its Japanese setting (which is fine! I don't think original DDLC did either), so I'm surprised to see that the depiction of Halloween is pretty on-point so far - no celebrations for adults or trick-or-treating, but yes to stores having decorations and selling Halloween merchandise, celebrations (often school-based) for kids and teens, and pumpkin-carving. (The pumpkin-carving was for some reason the thing that really surprised me on my first Halloween in Japan.)
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May 7, 2022 04:30
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I don’t really think that the original DDLC was set in Japan for any reason other than it being the genre convention.
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May 7, 2022 15:30
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The only real nod to being in Japan that I can remember from the original was Natsuki joking that Monika must love squid because her name is Mon-ika, which makes Monika break the fourth wall a bit confusing everyone else.
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May 7, 2022 17:30
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IIRC Sayoru, Monika, and Natsuki aren’t even actual Japanese names.
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May 8, 2022 01:11
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edit: never mind, I'm misremembering something
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May 8, 2022 01:18
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Falconier111 posted:IIRC Sayoru, Monika, and Natsuki aren’t even actual Japanese names. I'm reasonably sure at least Natsuki is a common Japanese name, and Sayori is at least a believable Japanese name if it's not real. Yuri's a name that has its origins in Russia, but it's long since entered the pool in Japan as well. Monika's the outlier in the cast, but there are plenty of European names that were inserted into the list of common names in Japan from England and America hanging out there from 1900-ish. It wouldn't particularly surprise me if Monika was a very uncommon name there, but it's also the obvious outlier of the cast.
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May 8, 2022 01:29
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Natsuki is several common Japanese names, as is Yuri (and has unisex versions as well but the oldest Yuri I could find was a 17th century female calligrapher). Sayori is an uncommon name and I only found one actual person with that as her given name (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayori_Ishizuka). Monika is a viable name - and I was able to find a Japanese person with that name from the 17th Century (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/205_Martyrs_of_Japan) An obvious tell of course that the game isn't really taking Japan seriously as a setting is that everyone is just going by first name basis from the get-go. The mod adding a culture festival is leaning a bit more into Japanese specific tells than the original but it's still pretty overtly American. Namtab posted:Moving on from war in Europe, I wanted to examine this statement a bit more Yeah I really like it. Hisao is definitely not being malicious but he is definitely hurting his friend, and I think it's very valuable to see how possible, easy even, it is to hurt people close to us. I do not think the goal in writing or in life is to never have any suffering. The question I suppose is how does the game frame and understand that suffering. We can see in the most recent update that Sayori frames anything going wrong as a result of her being "stupid." Even when its extremely minor! She is inscribing a degrading narrative unto herself without any prompting. For most of us with depression, we learn to just not say those things often around other people, as the usual things that people respond with make it clear that there is sin in getting caught being too honest with others. Presumably that is not where the story goes on the happiest route, but hopefully it is confronted because I can't imagine that Hisao is comfortable with his best friend and romantic interest berating herself pointlessly.
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May 8, 2022 02:31
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Update 18: Even in fifty hundred! This update we enter an optional part of the game – Halloween! Not yet, though. 23. Our Next Chapter - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  8. Student at Heart - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  Man, do I regret staying up late yesterday. I knew it would be a bad idea… I knew I'd struggle staying awake… In ways more than one, I really am my worst enemy. Wearily, I pull myself back to the land of the living, determined to make an effort to pay attention to Sakurai. SAKURAI: Would anyone care to give me a brief recap of the events that took place at the start of the war? It's alright, don't all line up at once… I grin at him, marvelling at how his humor is possibly the only thing keeping me awake. I hope he doesn't ask me, though. It's hard enough staying awake, let alone actively contribute. Luckily, Shiori spares me from that possibility, giving him a perfect answer. SAKURAI: Well explained. Your teacher definitely deserves a pay rise. He chuckles to himself, carrying on. Well...I paid attention for a couple of minutes...that means I'm entitled to a nap, right…? ... 29. Out of Reach - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  SAYORI: Hey, Hisao? HISAO: Yeah? She looks shyly at the ground. SAYORI: Do you think we'll be friends forever? HISAO: What do you mean? SAYORI: Like...we're pretty young, and we've been friends for a while… When we move to junior high school… We'll still be friends, right? And even when we move to high school… HISAO: Hey, Sayori. Where's this coming from? Of course we will be! You're my best friend! I always enjoy hanging out with you. SAYORI: You're my best friend too, Hisao... You've always been really nice to me. I just don't wanna lose that. HISAO: Sayori, you're being so silly, hehe. SAYORI: I know, I know… HISAO: I have an idea! Something that means we'll always be friends! SAYORI: Oooh, what? HISAO: We should get married! SAYORI: Married? But isn't that what grown-ups do? HISAO: Yeah! But we're eight now! That's a pretty big number! Anyway, what d'ya think? SAYORI: If we're married, does that mean we'll be friends forever? HISAO: Umm... I think so, yeah! I mean, my parents are friends, and they're married, so that must mean that's how it works, right? SAYORI: Ehehe, okay, okay! How do we uhm...do it, then? HISAO: I think you have to get a grown-up to say it. Let me go find Mommy, hang on. Mommy, Mommy! MOM: Yes, darling? What's up? HISAO: Me and Sayori are getting married! MOM: Marriage, eh? mom My my, that's really mature of you two! She smiles fondly at us both. MOM: Oh, you two are so cute together. mom But being married isn't easy, you know! mom You'll have to support each other, and more importantly... mom You'd have to do special things for your partner. SAYORI: Like what? Mom leans forward, a playful look in her eyes. MOM: Things like sharing your chocolate, Sayori! Sayori gasps. MOM: Do you think you could do that? mom And Hisao, you'll have to compromise, too! HISAO: What does that mean? MOM: Well, let's say that one day you wanted to play video games, but Sayori wanted to go to the park. mom What would you do? HISAO: Easy! We'd go outside first, then come in and play. Come on mommy, this marriage stuff is so easy! Mom chuckles to herself. MOM: Oho, if it were that easy... mom Well, you're clearly ready, then. HISAO: Yeah! That's what I thought! SAYORI: We'll be best friends forever! MOM: Even in fifty years? SAYORI: Even in fifty hundred! Wait, that's... That's a big number, right? (Silence) With a start, I'm jolted back to the present. 8. Student at Heart - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  Geez. This isn't the kind of history I expected to learn about when I started this class. Man, where did it all go wrong? We used to be inseparable. Best friends until the end, no matter what happened. I know we're talking and getting along again these days… But there were a good few years where we had no contact. And she said she loves being around me, and she didn't want to lose what we had… Even though she probably felt estranged as we began to drift… As Sakurai talks, an uncomfortable feeling of guilt bubbles up within me. But we're friends now, right? There's no sense lamenting on the past… SAKURAI: Now, everyone open your textbooks to the segment on trench warfare. I want you to write out the main features - what it was, how it worked, and how both sides tried to break out of it. After a while, the bell rings. The usual stampede occurs, with students eager to head to lunch.  As I'm making my way over to the courtyard, I spot Natsuki. HISAO: Hey, Natsuki. How're you doing? NATSUKI: Oh, it's you. I'm alright, I guess. There's an awkward moment of silence. A given, I suppose, as this is one of my first times talking to Natsuki one on one. HISAO: Looking forward to the Halloween party? NATSUKI: Should be fun, I guess. HISAO: By the way, I don't suppose you've seen Sayori, have you? NATSUKI: Don't you guys walk to school together? HISAO: Yeah, but she wasn't there this morning, and wouldn't reply to my texts. I ended up walking alone. NATSUKI: Huh. Weird. Nah, I haven't seen her. I'll tell you if I see her. HISAO: Thanks. I'm on my way to have lunch, if you wanna join? NATSUKI: N-No, I'm good. I've already eaten, anyway. HISAO: Oh, okay? Seeya around, then. She dismissively waves and turns away. I don't have much time to ponder the question as I once again spot Yuri on my way to the courtyard. With Sayori absent, I don't really feel like sitting alone. play music ys Yuri seemed happy to talk last time, and I can't imagine today would be any different. HISAO: Hey, Yuri.  Once again, my greeting startles her. It's slightly comical, although I do feel a little bad for making her jump. YURI: A-Ah, Hisao. Sorry, I didn't expect you again… HISAO: I'll stop being a ninja, I promise. She laughs softly, closing her book and pulling out a box of food. HISAO: Mind if we sit outside again? She nods and stands up. HISAO: By the way, have you seen Sayori around? YURI: Sayori? Did she not walk with you? HISAO: Nope. Didn't meet me in the morning, didn't answer my calls. Just wondering if you'd seen her around or anything. YURI: I can't say I have, apologies… HISAO: No worries, I didn't expect you to have. I don't think she came to school today… The temporary lull in conversation feels a little awkward. Yuri isn't the greatest with leading a conversation or diverting a topic. She's fiddling with her hair, clearly thinking hard for something to say. HISAO: Anyway… You know, I'm curious. What are your thoughts on Halloween? Y'know, given you like horror so much. YURI: Ah, well… A-Are you sure you want to know? I'd hate to bore you… HISAO: Nah, not at all. I asked you specifically, after all. It wouldn't bore me in the slightest. YURI: Well, to be truthful… While most people typically feel frightened by all of the monsters and horror villains that come out to play… Halloween, ironically enough, makes me feel safer. Why's that? I feel like...I belong, if that makes sense. That's...that's not weird, is it? Uuu… HISAO: Yuri, Yuri...seriously, you don't have to worry about it. I'm not going to make fun of you or anything, I promise. What do you mean by belong? YURI: Well...it's a day where most people get into the spirit of horror. If only for one day, it's a day where the macabre becomes the norm. I get a...sense of belonging from it, because Halloween is typically comprised of horror stories, movies, etcetera. Although I'm not much a fan of the commercialism. It detracts a little from Halloween's actual meaning. HISAO: Oh, you mean all the cheesy bats, spiders, skeletons they hang up in stores? Precisely. Yeah, that's understandable. HISAO: I'll admit, I'm not huge on horror, but Halloween's always been fun. Sayori and I used to prank each other, scare each other with stories, that sort of thing. Obviously we haven't done that in a good few years… Another pang of guilt. YURI: Spending such a day with someone else… I imagine that must be wonderful to share. HISAO: Haha, it's definitely something. We carved pumpkins together over the weekend. We'll be bringing them to the club, actually, so you can check them out. YURI: I look forward to it. Back to your initial question, though… As frightening as horror villains can be, I would be hard pressed to deny that their personalities or motives are interesting. Take Frankenstein's monster, for instance. The very fact it isn't given a name - and only referred to as the monster - makes you think it would behave like a mindless beast. Yet once it's created, it is unaware of its own identity and even becomes frightened. It's even able to forge relationships with a family of peasants, and even saves a human girl. Yet it is continually misunderstood, even being shot for its efforts. Even after being mistreated by its creator, it still mourns the creator's death. Hardly the behaviour and emotion you would expect a typical 'monster' to display, don't you think? Well, I can always count on Yuri for a thought provoking discussion, that's for sure. HISAO: When you put it like that, I can definitely see what you mean. I guess just by labelling something as a monster, people automatically assume it'll behave like one, right? So in giving it a personality, and, well, human emotions, it does make you question whether the monster is really...well, a monster. YURI: Definitely. It's honestly fascinating… The rest of the lunch break passes by in a blur. Before I know it, the bell has rung and it's time to go. (Silence) If we didn’t have lunch with her earlier, we get the exact same scene but with a bit of stuttering at the beginning as we talk her around to joining us. That’s it. 25. Cinnamon - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST Well, that's another day over. Sayori's been on my mind all day, no matter how much I try and distract myself. She's probably just ill - given the stuff she eats, I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. Still, can't hurt to check for myself.  HISAO: Hey, Sayori? It's me. Was just wondering if you were okay, y'know, because you didn't come to school today. There's a muffled shuffling as I hear footsteps slowly walk towards the door.  SAYORI: You didn't have to... I just wasn't feeling well, that's all. I've been trying to sleep it off, so that's why I missed your calls. Sorry… HISAO: No worries. Hey, what do you have? A sore throat? Fever? SAYORI: Ehm… I've just got a really bad headache. And I'm feeling really dizzy. HISAO: I can get some stuff from the pharmacy if you'd like. Should make you feel better. No, it's okay! I think I'll be fine, don't you worry about me~ As she's talking, I can't help but notice what a mess the room is. I know Sayori has never been on the neat side, but this looks worse than usual. HISAO: Oh, you're taking medicine for your headache already? SAYORI: Huh?! She frantically follows where I'm pointing to and swiftly Oh, those! Yeah, ehehe. See? You don't have to get medicine for me after all~ HISAO: Right… Anyway, I- SAYORI: I'm sorry if I'm not in the mood to talk - this headache is a real meanie. If you don't mind, I'm gonna try and get some more sleep. See ya! HISAO: Sayori, wait! SAYORI: What is it, Hisao? Look, I know you're concerned about me, and it's really sweet… (Silence)  SAYORI: But for once, can you just...stop it? I'm okay, I'm just really tired and not feeling myself. I stare at her, hurt. SAYORI: I'm sorry, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just...really not in a good mood right now. HISAO: It's okay. I guess it's on me for worrying too much, aha. Well, I hope you feel better soon, Sayori. The soft click of the door is my only response. 11. Pensive - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST There's something going on here that I'm not realizing. The nightmares, the days where she's not herself, the refusal to accept my help… But then the next day, she's totally fine? Back to her cheery self? Gahhhhh. Am I just overreacting? Maybe I do just worry about her too much. Thinking about it, if the roles were reversed… Would I find her overbearing? Although I don't have anything to if feelings: Well, as Mom said, I have to give it time. So I guess all I have to do is wait. Hopefully it'll be that simple… For now I'll just play along with her and try to dial back my concern… As tough as that'll be. 23. Our Next Chapter - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  17. Witches Brew - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  That refreshing crispness in the air… The vibrant flurry of reds and oranges and yellows gently swirling down from the treetops… It's definitely autumn. And with autumn comes Halloween. NOW it’s time for Halloween. The Halloween section of the game is actually optional; you can turn it off in the options menu same as the sex scenes. It’s entirely self-contained with little to do with anything in any of the routes, just horror-themed character development and some  for variety. I’m not sure why the devs chose to split it off like this; maybe because they thought it clashes tonally or might be triggering? I don’t know. Speaking of which, consider this a blanket warning for mild violence, anxiety-inducing situations, and discussion of anything that might show up in a horror story. Nothing extreme happens (this is a light-hearted ghost story sequence) and I wouldn’t worry unless you have particularly severe issues around something, but it doesn’t hurt to be careful. While I'm not into horror as much as someone like Yuri, I've always enjoyed Halloween. It gives a good excuse to indulge in all things horror, not to mention prank friends and enemies. Man, Sayori and I used to go all-out on each other when it came to Halloween pranks. Speaking of, she's late...as usual.  HISAO: Sayori, there you are! Hurry up, or we'll miss out on all the fun! SAYORI: Uwaaaah! I'm going as fast as I can!I took a little nap after school so I was putting on my costume. HISAO: A little nap huh… Something tells me that this nap was more than just a cat nap. Well, you still look pretty nice at least. A cowgirl, huh? Liking the Halloween twist on it. Has a really cool vibe to it! SAYORI: Ehehe~ You look great as well, Hisao. I haven't seen you in a costume for ages…It's really bringing back memories. HISAO: Ah, thanks. Yeah, can you believe that I actually put effort into this? I laugh to myself. There I was, thinking I'd 'outgrown' Halloween, yet here I am. (  )SAYORI: Well, you have to!It's Halloween, after all.I just wonder what the others are gonna look like! Along the way, I spot a couple of other people, also dressed up. One guy doesn't look too out of the ordinary - brown fedora, red and green sweater. It's his glove that's the giveaway - it sports a row of blades. Upon closer inspection, his face looks charred and burnt. Impressive makeup, to say the least. Sayori flinches as she passes him. SAYORI: Uwaaa! I don't like the look of that guy. I bet he'll give me nightmares… Whether that was an intentional pun or not is up for debate… SAYORI: Ooo, look at them, Hisao! A group effort, with one person in a brown Great Dane dog onesie. Next to him stands a nervous looking guy with shaggy brown hair, while a confident looking blonde man leads the pack, accompanied by two women. It's a pretty big contrast from the costume we saw beforehand. The walk to school feels more like a parade, with a variety of characters ranging from horror to cute, Western to Eastern. A creepy looking pale girl with jet black hair covering her face ambles past us without a word. Sayori clings to me. SAYORI: Why do people have to dress up so scarily! HISAO: Well...it is Halloween? SAYORI: I know, I know…It's just that some of these costumes and the makeup are so convincing! I squeeze her hand gently. HISAO: Sayori, they're just people having fun! Look, I'll say hello to the next one. You'll see they're just celebrating Halloween - there's nothing to be afraid of! She doesn't look very convinced, but nods anyway. The next person to walk by us doesn't look too scary Kinda looks like a janitor, with dark overalls and an expressionless, white mask. Sure, the mask is a bit unsettling, but at least he- Okay nevermind, he's got a huge knife. HISAO: Hey. Uhm...nice costume! The masked man doesn't reply, although he does stop walking. Now he's just standing there wordlessly, looking at us both. I don't think this is doing Sayori any favors… HISAO: You uh...on your way to a party? No response. He tilts his head as his fingers fiddle with the hilt of the knife. HISAO: Well uh… Sayori tugs on my sleeve as the man carries on walking. SAYORI: Maybe he was a mime! HISAO: Sure. Let's go with that…  The school grounds look completely different at night. With the lights out and the usual noises absent, the whole building has a totally different vibe. I can't help but shiver slightly as we draw closer. It's crazy how the hustle and bustle of the place really brings it to life. With all of that gone, the sleeping school looks like the typical haunted buildings you see in horror movies. The windows, devoid of any light, are sinister and uninviting. The faint light of the moon basks the grounds in an ethereal glow. Either way, we must be the only students who're breaking into school to celebrate Halloween. Hardly the most wild of places to break into, but the sight in front of me confirms that it's perfect for the festivity. SAYORI: Hisao... HISAO: Ah, don't tell me you're scared, Sayori! SAYORI: Hey! You are, too! I puff my chest out in a comedic display of faux-bravado. HISAO: Am not. She playfully rolls her eyes. SAYORI: If you say so. By the way, where are the others? u Right behind you. I can't help but let out a yelp of surprise as the unexpected voice causes me to jump out of my skin. Meanwhile, Sayori is in a furious fit of giggles, shaking with laughter. HISAO: Hey! What's so funny? Don't tell me you weren't scared either. SAYORI: I saw her coming~  Monika holds an expression torn between sympathy and amusement. MONIKA: Sorry Hisao, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up.You should've seen your reaction. Ahahaha! I pull a face. HISAO: Very funny. Nice costume, by the way. She does a twirl. MONIKA: Aha, thank you. I wasn't sure what to go with, in the end. It felt weird, putting on a costume.I can't even remember the last time I did anything for Halloween… HISAO: I'm guessing this is the first time you've broken into school, huh? MONIKA: You shouldn't be proud of that. Hisao. HISAO: Aww, c'mon Monika, where's your rebellious teenage spirit? You're a witch, after all. Aren't they meant to get up to mischief? SAYORI: Yeah, c'mon! It'll be a lot of fun! No one will find out. In all the excitement of preparing for Halloween, I totally forgot that Monika was a perfect student. The thought of breaking in, especially into school, must be completely foreign to her. Still...sometimes you've gotta have a little fun! Today of all days, as well. A wry smile works its way onto her face. MONIKA: Just for today.  As it turns out, breaking into a school is kinda easy. That, or we just got lucky - we managed to find a window that's unlocked. The interior of the darkened school looks just as spooky as the exterior. My imagination is doing me no favors. Every sound we make seems exceedingly unwelcome, like we've stumbled into the den of a monster. Even with Sayori and Monika near me, I can't help but feel uneasy. I was all for the idea of breaking into school… But now that we're actually inside, it's only just dawning on me how creepy darkened schools really are. I swear I heard a rumor that a couple of years ago, a student committed suicide in this very school. Did she hang herself? I shiver as I simultaneously try to block out the memory and remember more of it. No, that wasn't it. She just disappeared one day. No trace of her. Almost like her very being was just...deleted. Gone, like that. I mentally shake myself. No, that didn't happen. These are just silly rumors that school kids like to spread to creep each other out. ...But a part of me can't help but imagine. What if that actually did happen? Would her ghost still be roaming these very halls, twisted with vengeance, prowling for victims? What if- MONIKA: Here we are! Monika's voice snaps me out of my spectral spiel. We're outside the clubroom. I can spot Yuri and Natsuki inside, poring over a pumpkin carving. MONIKA: It's a shame we're doing it in this room. HISAO: Huh? Why? MONIKA: Well, it's Halloween, right? The classroom opposite to us is where that one student hung herself. I freeze as Monika winks at me, opening the door. 16. Lovecraft Club - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST MONIKA: Heeeey, guys! You two look great!  Yuri blushes. It looks like she's gone for some sort of gothic vampire outfit, which, given her taste in horror and poetry, is a really good fit. YURI: Huhu...thank you, Monika. It...it is quite enjoyable to express my love for horror in this way.Poems are of course gratifying to write, but this makes a nice change. Sayori wanders over, trying to figure out what Yuri is meant to be. SAYORI: Are you uhm…A vampire? YURI: Yes, a gothic one, in the vein of Anne Rice's vampires.It's not too...dark, is it? HISAO: Haha, relax, Yuri. It's Halloween. It's pretty much a day dedicated to horror. It's fitting.  SAYORI: Ehehe, I really like yours as well, Natsuki! Pretty spooky! Oooh, that should be your name for today! NATSUKI: Sayori, where the heck are you- SAYORI: Natspooki! That's your new name! It's super fitting! Natsuki looks at Monika and Yuri in a desperate plea. After getting no response, she sighs deeply and starts up again. NATSUKI: Sayori… SAYORI: Yeah? NATSUKI: That is literally the stupidest thing I've heard all day. Everyone but Sayori breaks out into laughter. SAYORI: Heeeey! That's super mean! NATSUKI: Sorry, but it's the truth. SAYORI: But it's cute!! NATSUKI: Cute? I'm a skeleton! How in the world is that cute?! NATSUKI: It's Halloween! This day is supposed to be, like, the opposite of cute! MONIKA: Well... I won't lie, that's a pretty fitting name, Natspooki. She grins. MONIKA: Sorry. NATSUKI: Oh, come on. Yuri could have come up with a better nickname. Yuri? YURI: Uuu… You're putting me on the spot here, Natsuki… To her credit, at least she didn't call her Natspooki. NATSUKI: Hisao? HISAO: Sorry, I really can't deny Sayori her moment of glory. NATSUKI: Fine. But only if I get to give her a dumb nickname too…Wait, Sayori, what exactly are you? A cowgirl, right? Sayori tips her hat down and adopts a southern cowboy drawl. SAYORI: It's high noon. Well. Not a very good one. There's silence for a moment. If you listen closely, you can almost hear the tumbleweed going by. Fitting for a cowboy, at least. HISAO: Uh, Sayori… It's midnight. SAYORI: It's high moon, then! ... NATSUKI: You've been watching too many Spaghetti Westerns, Sayori. SAYORI: Spaghetti? Now I'm just hungry… YURI: Huhu, this is part of the reason why I like Halloween. It really brings everyone together, even if the premise of the festivity is a bit dark. HISAO: Aha, I figured you'd like Halloween the most, Yuri. It's pretty much a day dedicated to horror. Although it's pretty great seeing a skeleton, a cowboy, a vampire, and a witch all in the same room. Not exactly every day you get to see that. SAYORI: I just remember all the silly things we'd get up to! All the pranks, the scary movies… NATSUKI: Yeah. It's pretty silly, but that's what makes it fun. Plus I can't wait to scare you all with my ghost story. It's gonna be the best. SAYORI: Awww, Natspooki… Please don't make it too scary…We already passed a bunch of people in terrifying outfits on the way here! This horrible guy with a glove made of knives! Yuri smiles softly. No surprise she recognizes the character. YURI: Aha...you won't sleep well tonight, will you Sayori? NATSUKI: Sorry, Sayori. Can't make any promises. We all share a collective laugh as Sayori pouts. YURI: Ahem...speaking of festivities… Umm, I brought something that I believed would contribute to the intoxicating nature of the mysticism of Halloween.It's rather decadent, but since it's a special occasion… Yuri slides a slender black wine bottle out of her bag. Its glass takes on an alluring shine beneath the fluorescent lights. YURI: I was able to find a nice Chianti… (  )NATSUKI: E-Eh? MONIKA: Yuri…?! SAYORI: U-Um...is that apple cider, Yuri? HISAO: No, I think that's wine… YURI: I-I've done something wrong again haven't I… Uuu… MONIKA: Aha...I don't think alcoholic drinks are allowed on school grounds now, are they? HISAO: Not to mention that we're underaged anyway… Although that's never really stopped anyone from drinking. YURI: I'm sorry...I just thought that given that we're trespassing anyway- I-I don't know what I was thinking...and now the atmosphere is ruined too… MONIKA: It's fine Yuri, at least you didn't bring it during a regular club meeting. Just be careful not to let anyone catch you with it! HISAO: I'll have to admit though, you're the last person I would've expected to bring something like that here. NATSUKI: Pfft, Yuri must be under the influence of the witching hour or something. YURI: There's still an hour or so until the witching hour… NATSUKI: You know what I mean. SAYORI: Hey, it's okay - it'll just add to the story! HISAO: The story? SAYORI: Yeah, you know, the story that we'll be telling people later about tonight! NATSUKI: Hey, you better leave that Natspooki stuff out of it. SAYORI: Nope! NATSUKI: Sayori!!! SAYORI: Natspooki!!! MONIKA: Alright, alright. Cut it out, you two.To be honest though, I am a bit curious about how the wine tastes… NATSUKI: Oh, c'mon Monika! Aren't you supposed to be the responsible one here? MONIKA: Ahaha, you're right. She casts a wistful gaze at the wine as she says that though. Sayori and Natsuki seem to be glancing at the bottle curiously as well while Yuri hesitantly stows it back in her bag. Good on them for abstaining. Your average bottle of wine contains about five standard drinks worth of alcohol. Assuming they split it evenly, that’s one drink per person, and that’s not enough to get even the most inexperienced drinker drunk unless they have a medical issue (or get drunk off the atmosphere, which can cause problems in and of itself). However, that assumes the five of them divide the wine up equally. Without wineglasses (which are deliberately designed to hold one standard drink each), it’s much harder to measure how much wine you’re consuming. If they use teacups or something they find lying around – or, even worse, drink it straight from the bottle – those who like the taste or the social lubrication might end up drinking more than those who don’t without anyone one there realizing, leaving them problem drunk in company that doesn't know how to handle the situation.Don’t ask me how I learned this. It took place over an extended series of events involving Night Train, a dead raccoon, loud Indian music, a hollowed-out Buddha, and almost certainly not immolating a hobo. But that was a long time ago.
Falconier111 fucked around with this message at 02:35 on May 10, 2022 |
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May 9, 2022 21:46
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I can see the "this is a bit tonanlly dissonant" theory, it really does give a bit of whiplash going from the fairly serious sayori sequence directly to Spooky Goofsquote:I swear I heard a rumor that a couple of years ago, a student committed suicide in this very school. Did she hang herself? I shiver as I simultaneously try to block out the memory and remember more of it. No, that wasn't it. She just disappeared one day. No trace of her. Almost like her very being was just...deleted. Gone, like that. If you're on the Yuri or route I wonder if it references her instead.
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May 10, 2022 00:48
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Falconier111 posted:or, even worse, drink it straight from the bottle Especially in the case of red wine, uh, I would not recommend drinking from the bottle. Red wine (especially as it ages) often develops sediment, which you can avoid getting into the glass with proper pouring technique, but if you're drinking from the bottle everything's going to get mixed up and it'll probably end up in your mouth. It's not harmful, but it's definitely unpleasant, you do not want to be drinking the sediment. rannum posted:I can see the "this is a bit tonanlly dissonant" theory, it really does give a bit of whiplash going from the fairly serious sayori sequence directly to Spooky Goofs The timing does seem a bit off; it seems like all the characters have sort of reverted to neutral mode for this sequence, in spite of the character development that's been happening based on our route choices. I want to say this scene feels like it should have happened earlier in the narrative, somehow? (Though there's not necessarily a great place to move it to, so that might not work either.) I suspect this scene is probably unchanged between routes, and one of the reasons it's skippable is to keep it from getting monotonous on replay?
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May 10, 2022 01:32
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Update 19: I heard the sound of a baby crying. Blanket warning for horror themes still in effect. 16. Lovecraft Club - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST MONIKA: Okay, everyone! Let's move along to the main events, shall we? Who wants to share their poem first?  Who wants to share their poem first? >Yuri >Sayori >Natsuki >Monika Yes, we do get poems for Halloween. No, we don’t get to use horror-themed word lists. The Halloween sequence is almost entirely linear and disconnected from the game mechanically, so there’s no point trying to curry favor with somebody here. =>Sayori  My Old Friend posted:
20. Trick or Treat - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST YURI: That was very interesting, Sayori. I always enjoy seeing a poet step out of their comfort zone a little bit, especially when it comes to writing horror. SAYORI: What do you mean? YURI: You typically don't write darker poems, correct? Unless I've misinterpreted... SAYORI: No no, you're right, Yuri! This was a real change of pace, and it was fun! MONIKA: Ahaha, well I'm glad my suggestion has gone down well, then. I figured it would be fitting for the occasion. HISAO: Haha, don't give her too much praise. She'll start thinking she's the next Stephen King. SAYORI: Hey! I'd be a great horror writer! ... Actually, no, wait, I wouldn't... I'm not a big on like...you know, actually scary stuff. HISAO: Makes sense. What's this poem about, anyway? SAYORI: Ooh! Well, it's about...whatever you think it's about! HISAO: Are you trying to sound like Yuri? SAYORI: No, silly! I didn't write it with a specific thing in mind. It can be about whatever you fear the most. Hiding away, always there, never leaving... Even when you think it's all sunshine and rainbows... It never truly goes away. Soo...it can be whatever you think it is. A terrible secret, a scary monster, a childhood fear of the dark... It could be made up... Or it could be real. It doesn't just scare you. Maybe whatever it is drains you, as well. Bit by bit. And what makes it scary is knowing it's always there. Holy crap. It's safe to say that no one expected that from her. The temporary silence in the room confirms that. Natsuki frowns, evidently nonplussed by what she's just heard. Even the cool, calm collected Monika looks a little taken aback. Yuri, on the other hand, smiles contentedly, seemingly unfazed by the sombre explanation coming from Sayori's mouth. HISAO: Wow. Okay, it's not just me who didn't see that coming, right? Laughter fills the clubroom. YURI: I mean it, Sayori. Your use of metaphors and use of darker thematic imagery was...very refreshing to see. NATSUKI: Just do me a favor and don't turn into another Yuri, okay? MONIKA: Natsuki! NATSUKI: Kidding, kidding. Aha. It was great, Sayori. SAYORI: Aww, you guys... 16. Lovecraft Club - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST =>Yuri  Ethereal posted:
For a moment, the room is silent. 16. Lovecraft Club - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST fadeout 3.0 YURI: O-Oh no… I went too far, didn't I…? MONIKA: No, no! It's just the kind of thing we're looking for. Would you like to tell us what you were thinking of when you wrote this? YURI: O-Okay… Yuri takes a deep breath. YURI: It's a bit hard to describe, but… sometimes, there are nights where my mind just seems to be full of noise… Nights where I can hear… ... She trails off absentmindedly. Did she get caught up in her own poem that much? NATSUKI: Hey! Earth to Yuri! YURI: A-Ah! I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to get sidetracked… MONIKA: It's okay, Yuri! Don't feel like you have to rush. HISAO: Yeah, take your time. YURI: R-Right… Well, as I was saying… I wanted to try and capture the feelings one might have on a bit of a dark night… SAYORI: Wait! Aren't all nights dark? HISAO: It's a metaphor, Sayori… I think Yuri's trying to talk about when people are going through a difficult time. YURI: That's right, Hisao. The dead of night can be very fickle. It can be a peaceful time, as the world around us winds down… But sometimes, being alone with our thoughts can be terrifying. This poem was an attempt to reclaim some of that darkness. MONIKA: Well, I think you did a great job with that, Yuri! HISAO: Yeah, I really liked it. YURI: Y-You did…? I-I'm… Th-Thank you… =>Natsuki  The Dark posted:
20. Trick or Treat - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST NATSUKI: Yeah yeah I know, it's not great… MONIKA: Actually, I quite like it, Natsuki. It's pretty obvious that horror is something out of your comfort zone. But you did an exceptional job at combining your style of writing with horror. Fear is a very complex emotion, so it's a challenge putting it into simple words. But I'd say you did quite well. YURI: I would have to agree with Monika. Fear isn't something that is meant to be completely understood. The complexity behind what a person fears and why they're afraid of it is almost unfathomable. Your poem is about a fear of the dark, or more specifically, a fear of the unknown, yes? NATSUKI: Yeah. Just...I don't like not knowing what's there. I don't like not feeling safe. My poem is all about how your imagination plays tricks on you when you're in the dark. You know there's no such thing as monsters, but like, you can never be completely sure. That's what scares me. That uncertainty. YURI: I can relate. But as I was saying, it's certainly a feat encapsulating something as complex as fear into four simple stanzas. Natsuki smiles proudly. NATSUKI: What can I say? I'm good at what I do. SAYORI: Yeah, well done Natspooki! NATSUKI: Sayori, if you say that one more time I'll- MONIKA: Anyway, moving on! 16. Lovecraft Club - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST =>Monika  I scrolled down a bit to show off the use of whitespace. Reverie posted:
20. Trick or Treat - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST Monika bows a little bit after she finishes. I mull over what she's read. I don't really get it. SAYORI: Hehe! That sounded like something Yuri would have written. MONIKA: Oh, is that a bad thing? SAYORI: Of course not! HISAO: What does 'reverie' mean? I don't think I've heard it before. MONIKA: It's an English word that means something like… Having a pleasant daydream. But it comes from a French word that means 'madness'. Appropriate for Halloween, isn't it? Monika's smile is looking a bit more sinister than normal, somehow. NATSUKI: How cultured. Yuri looks a little distressed at the implication of Natsuki's sarcasm and the idea that Monika's poem sounded like something she might have written. HISAO: Do both meanings relate to the poem? MONIKA: You could say that. YURI: What do you mean? MONIKA: It reflects on how a blissful act can make the pain go away… ...For a little while. ... HISAO: Alright guys, all your poems have been pretty good so far… But just wait til you hear my poem. An evil grin stretches across my face as I whip out my own poem. YURI: Huhu, if you're this confident, I'll be looking forward to your recitation. MONIKA: Ahaha, did you put extra effort into this one. Hisao? HISAO: Well, not quite… NATSUKI: What's that supposed to mean? HISAO: It's not a poem that I wrote myself… MONIKA: Hisao— HISAO: But! I promise you that it's very appropriate for the occasion. This is a poem that has an urban legend attached to it. Supposedly, if you read it out loud, you'll be cursed so that something tragic happens to you. Maybe even death… SAYORI: Uwaa! Hisao, that's so scary! HISAO: I know right? It's great. This poem is titled Tomino's Hell, written by a poet named Saijo Yaso. And it just so happens that this is the poem that I will be reading to you all… At this very moment! SAYORI: Hisao!! Don't do it! What if something bad really happens to you?!? NATSUKI: Pfft, yeah, right. It's called an urban legend for a reason, you know. Emphasis on 'legend,' as in something that's not REAL. SAYORI: Still! MONIKA: Ahaha, I'd like to see the data on all the people who've read the poem so far. And statistically speaking, it's likely that something 'tragic' will eventually happen to you anyway. YURI: I find that there's always some element of truth behind these stories though… Of course, this truth might not reflect the literal meaning of the stories and legends. However, there's likely a message behind the legend. NATSUKI: Yeah, yeah. I'm not gullible enough to believe any of this stuff though. HISAO: Alright guys, let's settle down. You can all voice your thoughts after I read it, heh.  Tomino’s Hell posted:
Tomino’s Hell is a real century-old poem with exactly that reputation (warning: site is full of horror imagery). 20. Trick or Treat - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  Not sure if it's just me overthinking it, but I feel a strange chill running down my spine after reading that. SAYORI: Hisao... That was seriously too scary! HISAO: Hah, it was alright. I should probably downplay it, at least for Sayori's sake. MONIKA: Haha, I'd have to agree with Sayori. It had a very creepy, old-fashioned feel to it. After hearing that, I wouldn't doubt that something bad looms in your future. SAYORI: Monika!! YURI: Personally, I found that poem quite beautiful. O-Of course, it's certainly eerie. But there are a lot of symbols and metaphors that I could pick out just from hearing that one reading. I think that I'll have to look into this poem more in my free time… NATSUKI: Pshh, you guys think that that was scary? It was pretty meh in my opinion. The poet was clearly trying too hard to be edgy and smart. YURI: ... If I may respectfully disagree… The tone and word choice of the poem matches its content; it's not written that way simply to be 'edgy.' After all, if I understood it correctly, Tomino was banished to hell for murdering his own parents. NATSUKI: E-Eh? How'd you get that out of the poem? YURI: Erm, well… It mentions that Tomino is on the way to Avici, the lowest of hells in Buddhism. And killing one's parents is one way that you get sent there… NATSUKI: Oh...well, whatever. I still don't like it. HISAO: Well, you guys can agree to disagree. MONIKA: But whether you liked the poem or not, you'd have to agree that it and the legend attached to it are pretty interesting, right? NATSUKI: I mean...I guess… SAYORI: Hisao, I'm gonna have to keep a good eye on you from now on. Just in case the legend comes true! HISAO: Sayori, there's probably a bigger chance that something bad will happen to you first, given how clumsy you are. SAYORI: Hey! We all share a laugh, with Sayori joining in after a moment of pouting. SAYORI: Ahh guys, this has been so enjoyable! It's fun to scare your friends with silly pranks, and dressing up is also a lot of fun! Although… I don't really like horror that much...it's just so scary to think what could be out there! Uwa… HISAO: Stop being a chicken, Sayori. SAYORI: Hey, you're the one who got scared by Monika earlier! The girls all laugh at my expense as I let out a groan. She's never gonna let me live this one down. HISAO: Touché. SAYORI: Anyway, it's ghost story time, right? I don't really know many ghost stories, to be honest. Aha… Sorry. But! I looked on the internet to find some. Most were super long...like this one about a… What was it? ... Some kinda sleep experiment? NATSUKI: Sayori, you're rambling. SAYORI: Oh, oops… Sorry, I'm new to telling scary stories… I'm curious though, guys. What sights or sounds scare you? YURI: I'll be honest with you… Silence scares me, especially after I've read a gripping horror story. MONIKA: Is it just me who finds reversed music really creepy? My piano teacher It just felt...wrong, to listen to. Especially when there's vocals. You start hearing things that aren't there. NATSUKI: Hmm. I dunno. SAYORI: C'mon Natsuki, there has to be something out there that creeps you out! NATSUKI: Ugh. You'll just laugh. YURI: We won't. MONIKA: She's right, Natsuki. We've all shared. What is it? Natsuki averts her eyes, talking to the floor. NATSUKI: The noises that children's toys make. It's like when I'm home alone and I think of like… A jack in the box, playing by itself. It'd creep you guys out too! HISAO: Nah, I'm with you. I've always found anything to do with children scary, especially in the dark. The sound of babies crying, for example. Normally it's annoying, but if I heard it in the dark, and there was no one else around… I shiver. SAYORI: Well, it's fitting you mention that, Hisao! Don't you remember that argument we had on Halloween, back when were like ten? HISAO: Uhh...no? Sayori, where is this going? SAYORI: We were both on our way to a Halloween party. It was pretty quiet out, so you could hear everything. I heard the sound of a baby crying. But it wasn't coming from inside anyone's house, or anything. There weren't many people on the streets either, and it definitely wasn't one of them. It was coming from down a dark alleyway. A chill runs down my spine as I remember exactly what incident she's talking about. SAYORI: Ehe...I remember I wanted to go out and investigate. I was scared it was a toddler in danger! But you didn't let me. You were too chicken to- HISAO: Hey! SAYORI: Okay, okay, we were just in a rush. But anyway, pretty creepy, right? I guess I can kinda see what you mean about babies crying being creepy, aha… I was a bit scared myself… Looking back, I'm glad you convinced me not to go. HISAO: Guess being a wimp has its perks, huh? Yuri, Sayori and Natsuki all laugh. Monika, however, looks like she's been slapped in the face. MONIKA: Guys. Do you not realize… How lucky you were? SAYORI: Eh? MONIKA: Oh god, you guys have no idea… HISAO: What? MONIKA: Sayori, did anything seem a bit...off, about that baby's cry? Sayori scrunches up her face in an attempt to recall. SAYORI: Hmm...no, not really? Well… ... It did sound a bit...repetitive, though? Like...the cries didn't change much. Monika's voice shakes as she replies. MONIKA: Guys, that's… What serial killers do, to lure out young women. I can't help but burst out laughing. HISAO: What, pretend to be babies? C'mon Monika, you had me going for a second there, but you kinda ruined the punchline. She looks straight into my eyes. MONIKA: No, Hisao. They record a clip of a baby's cries, and hide the speaker in a dark place. They prey on women's maternal instincts, because they know they're attracted to the sounds of infants in distress. The laughter dies on my lips as a cold, sickening silence takes it place. HISAO: Oh my god. MONIKA: That's why the cries didn't sound natural. They just recorded a small segment and replayed it over and over. It all makes sense now. The unnatural cries and the dark alleyway. A meticulous, calculated effort to ensnare an unsuspecting victim. SAYORI: Wait, hang on. Didn't Miss Kasumi go missing around that time? Miss Kasumi used to teach Sayori and I, a long time ago. HISAO: Uhm...what happened to her, exactly? Sayori shrugs. SAYORI: We were told that she moved away suddenly to work in a different part of the country, right? People used to spread really scary, horrible rumors about what happened to her, but they don't really make sens- HISAO: Hang on. She… She had a child of her own that year, didn't she? Oh god, she did. And my parents wouldn't really discuss her, whenever I asked. They were super dismissive of the whole thing. I always wondered why. SAYORI: Oh my goodness… NATSUKI: Wait, you guys actually believe that? Everybody looks at Natsuki, shocked. NATSUKI: Oh, come on! There's no way you guys almost walked into a trap. Besides, that's just an urban legend. MONIKA: What happened to their teacher, then? She just 'disappeared', and Hisao's parents refused to talk about it? NATSUKI: I don't know about you, but that just seems pretty convenient for this story… HISAO: Well, maybe some things are better left off unanswered, huh? Although I do hope Sayori and I are just misremembering… Also based on a real urban legend, though this one’s absolutely a hoax. It falls into the same category as stories about CPS workers selling babies to Satanists or people handing out LSD-laced stickers to kids to get them hooked; a kind of malevolent people (serial killer, pedophile, drug dealer) all adopt the same strategy like an organized group, one which twists innocent or well-meeting to cause harm. MONIKA: Well, on that cheerful note… How about we move on to the next story? I'd like to nominate Natsuki~ NATSUKI: My story? Uhh… MONIKA: Natsuki, do you not have one? NATSUKI: Hey, I never said that! I do, but it's just, I got it off the internet. I don't like horror. So if it's bad, it's not my fault, okay? Natsuki clears her throat. NATSUKI: Anyway, it's about these two friends named Aoi and Nariko. Basically, there was a rumor going around their highschool about people seen going in and out an abandoned house on the outskirts of town. Most people thought they were just drug dealers, but some swore by the fact that the house was being used by a cult of some sort. Aoi and Nariko were pretty outgoing and adventurous, so they decided one night to check the place out. They get to the house, and it's pitch black out. Luckily, Aoi had brought flashlights for the two of them. Nariko, on the other hand, brought a knife with her, just in case they ran into any trouble. They go inside, and the place reeks. We're talking Hisao's room levels of stink. HISAO: HEY! Everybody bursts out laughing. HISAO: Was that really necessary? NATSUKI: Haha, sorry, I had to. Anyway… They look around for a bit, they find the door to the basement, the stairs to the second floor, things like that. Finally, they go into the kitchen and find the source of the smell. There's some weed on the table, and it looks to be recently used. This confirms Aoi's suspicions that's it's just a drug dealer, and she wants to leave, Nariko, on the other hand, still wants to snoop around for a bit. They get into an argument with each other, with Nariko calling Aoi a coward because she thinks Aoi wants to leave since she's afraid of all the rumours. Then Nariko goes 'Yeah, well if you're not afraid, then go down into the basement!' Aoi gladly accepts and walks over to the basement door. As soon as she opens it, she feels a sharp pain in her back, and before she can react, she gets pushed down the stairs. She tumbles down the stairs, and once she hits the bottom she realizes she can't feel her legs. Her vision is blurred, but she can barely make out a figure standing at the top of the stairs with a knife. The last thing Aoi hears before she passes out is Nariko's footsteps as she descends down the stairwell and an old, grizzled voice say 'This one will do nicely.' ... The very next day, Nariko and Aoi call in sick. It's kind of a shame, really. Because they miss out on all the talk about how someone heard strange, animal-like growls coming from the old, abandoned house on the outskirts of town. NATSUKI: So...yeah. Hope you liked it or whatever. SAYORI: What happened to Nariko and Aoi at the end? They didn't die, did they? NATSUKI: Heh, use your imagination. MONIKA: Nice story, Natsuki. Cults usually provide good fodder for horror stories. YURI: Indeed. I've read quite a few novels involving cults… HISAO: Doesn't Portrait of Markov involve something like that? YURI: Umm...something similar, yes. MONIKA: Speaking of Yuri and horror stories… How about you go next, Yuri? YURI: M-Me? Alright then… MONIKA: Give it your best shot~ YURI: You're walking alone one pale, autumnal night. The moon is graceful, casting her light down below like snowdrops. As you continue down your path, something shambles behind you. You turn around to look for what it might be, but all you see is a cluster of leaves rustled by the pale air. Slowly returning, you notice the lights in every house around you going out, then flickering before fully extinguishing. With tentative steps, you advance towards one of them to investigate. Just as you're about to reach the window, you hear something snapping behind you. A broken twig is all that remains. Uncertainty floating around inside your head, you unconsciously start walking faster, away from the suburbs. Eventually, you find solace in silence, the only sound being your heartbeat. It's quiet; nothing bad seems to be happening now. In fact, nothing at all seems to be happening. Confused, you look around and see that you're in front of your house in the street. No one is stirring, nor are there any lights. Gently pacing towards your house, you go through the door. The lights are on, the television is on, but no one in sight. This is unusual; you were expecting your parents to be home tonight. Had they gone out without telling you? No, that couldn't be it... they always let you know where they'll be. You pull out your phone and open up your contacts to give them a call. However, no one is registered in there anymore. No matter how hard you try to remember, you can't call out to them. Suddenly, there is a heavy knock on the door. You peer through the keyhole, but see no one. Another knock. Another. Another. You cautiously open the door, but there is still no one there. No one anywhere. How did this happen? Why are you alone, in the piercing silence, silence so loud it fills the air? You do not know. And there isn't any way for you to find out. This one, however, seems entirely original. NATSUKI: ...That's it? What a dumb story! Nothing even happened! Where were the scary monsters and stuff? YURI: There is no greater fear than the unknown, Natsuki… Sharp claws can be prepared for. Enigmatic silence cannot. What's more fearful? Something you know is coming for you? Or feeling safe when you're in fact not? NATSUKI: ...
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May 13, 2022 00:06
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Are the costumes references to characters from other games or anime? The designs seem so, I dunno, specific.
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May 15, 2022 01:49
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The stuff about Yuri liking horror movies and whatnot - combined with her social anxiety - got me thinking about my own struggles with social anxiety disorder again; because I quite like horror movies/games/novels/etc too. Not the gore/torture-porn ones - they're extremely not my sort of thing. I tend to think that the people who make stuff like that are... well, I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them, I'll put it that way. The horror movies that I like are the more slow-burn, atmospheric and (I would argue) actually scary ones; so normally ghost stories, I guess. I've wondered before if me liking them could be at least partially linked to my social anxiety, since movies like that tend to emphasise isolation... which I think I sub-consciously find peaceful and even kind of comforting. In contrast to (say) movies about inter-personal drama, which often make me pretty uncomfortable. I mean hell, to get kind of on the nose about it, my favourite horror movie - possibly my favourite movie - is Kairo, being thematically about loneliness and isolation, especially in the Internet age. Notably it's from 2001 though, so it pre-dates the phenomenal rise of social media. I wonder what Kairo would be like if it was made today. (I always seem to find a way to bring this movie up, so... sorry.)
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May 15, 2022 11:12
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Ghost Car posted:Are the costumes references to characters from other games or anime? The designs seem so, I dunno, specific. Yeah, I considered commenting on that but decided against it. Like, I'm almost certain Sayori's wearing a Warhammer witch hunter outfit, but I guess it's actually a cowgirl outfit? Also, having played out this next week's updates, it turns out the devs really did do their homework on depression .
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May 15, 2022 23:10
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Ghost Car posted:Are the costumes references to characters from other games or anime? The designs seem so, I dunno, specific. Monika, at least, is dressed as Irisu from Irisu Syndrome, another free game that, like DDLC, messed with the fourth wall to create a horror story narrative. I can't place the rest!
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May 16, 2022 03:07
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For those interested, one insomniac redditor just compiled a list of links to projects the Katawa Shoujo devs have participated in since the game’s release, plus interviews for most of the route writers.
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May 16, 2022 14:41
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Update 20: Something in my peripheral vision moves  This is a pensive_skintone_5 moment. 20. Trick or Treat - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST MONIKA: Quite a somber note to end your story on, Yuri! We can always count on you for a good horror tale, huh? Anyway, I'll go next. Although… A scary story… Now that I think about it, I don't think I've come up with a ghost story before, ahaha! I haven't read too many horror stories, either. Well, I guess that isn't a surprise. SAYORI: Just make one up, then! It'll be fun! MONIKA: Well, I can't say I've tried that before. NATSUKI: Are you trying to get out of telling a story? MONIKA: Of course not! Now that I think about it, there is one I've heard of. Monika's expression turns serious. The mood in the room turns serious. She uses the same intensity she did for when she read her poems, and everyone quiets down. MONIKA: A number of years ago, Tanabata had come along as it does every year. It's the story of a lost little girl. 'Where am I?' she cried. She cried and cried, hoping desperately she could find someone to help her. But the little girl was alone. Nobody could hear her. But just as all hope seemed lost... She heard a voice. 'Isn't the night wonderful?' The girl looked up. Where before there was nobody was now a man in an elegant yukata. He wore what looked like a Noh mask, but it was completely blank. Behind the man stood a stall, masks and lanterns of all sorts hanging from it. 'How rude of me,' The man admonished himself. 'Welcome, dear customer.' 'Your heart seems unhappy...' 'Why not take a look at my wares?' the man said as he gestured to the masks behind him. 'Please, take one one that will bring a smile to your face.' The girl looked at the masks. There were ones that looked frightening, ones that looked strange, ones that looked exotic and many others. 'What about your mask, Mister?' the girl asked. 'I'm sorry, but this mask is very special. It's not for sale. The girl looked sad. 'I like that mask! It looks really cool!' The man laughed softly. 'It has been called many things, but this is perhaps the first time it has been called 'cool.'' 'Would you like a fruit?' The man asked, picking one from the tree behind him. 'They're sweet and delicious.' The girl reached to take it, but the man pulled his hand back. 'Ah... They're not for children.' The girl was confused. 'But just tonight, it should be fine.' he said as he offered his hand once again. 'In the festival of the night, children can become adults, and adults become children. 'Is that true?' asked the girl, and the man assured her it was. The girl took the fruit and bit into it. It was unlike anything she had tasted before. It was almost overwhelming, but the flavor was wonderful. 'It's good.' The girl said happily. The man laughed again. 'I'm glad you think so. There's plenty, so please eat all you like.' As she ate, the man took down a mask. 'What about this one?' The girl took the mask. 'It looks like me, but she looks like a princess!' The girl said in awe. 'Do you like it? Please, take it.' 'But what about money?' asked the girl. I don't need money. Instead, I would like to be friends. Is that okay?' 'Of course!' the girl agreed. 'From now on, we're friends!' 'I'm glad.' the man said with gratitude. 'Why not put on your mask?' The girl did so. She was overcome with a strange feeling. 'Why is it...?' she asked. 'Ah... At last. Long I have dreamt of this moment. My dear, my Eve, my only friend...' The man smiled beneath his mask as he spoke as the light of the stars began to fade. For it is the festival of the night, where children become adults, and adults become children. Let it be known... Japanese summer holidays often feature fried food, carnival games, and stalls selling plastic masks called “omen” with occasional sinister roots. I don’t think this story is based on anything specific, but it takes something slightly creepy and twists it in classic horror fashion. HISAO: Another unconventional horror story, I see. MONIKA: Ahaha, yup. I guess monster-less horror stories are more popular than you'd think. YURI: I rather liked the mysterious tone myself. It's very reminiscent of the style of Asian horror stories. NATSUKI: You guys have a weird sense of what's scary. MONIKA: Aha, I mean this story isn't necessarily meant to scare you to death. Spirits don't have to just be frightening, you know. NATSUKI: Well, it is Halloween. Aren't things supposed to be scary today? SAYORI: But Halloween is fun too, not just scary. HISAO: Alright you guys, break it up. Let's just all agree to disagree again. Monika smiles gratefully at me, while Natsuki shoots me a disgruntled look. HISAO: Anyway, guess it's my turn to tell a story. So this is something that actually happened to a friend of mine… NATSUKI: Oh really? HISAO: Yes, really. NATSUKI: So it happened to Sayori, then. SAYORI: Huh, this story is about me? Is that true, Hisao? HISAO: What? No, it's not. MONIKA: Let's just get on with the story, shall we? HISAO: Right. Anyway… So this friend of mine lived alone in an apartment building. He lived in the downtown area and loved to party all night, and one night he was out as usual. However, when he stumbled back home in the early hours of the morning, he realized that he'd lost his keys and was locked out of his apartment. So he ended up having to call his landlord, who was pissed at having to wake up in the middle of the night to let him back in. But in the end he was able to get home safely, so that's all that matters, right? YURI: I can certainly relate to that comforting feeling… HISAO: Right. But when he got inside, he noticed that his keys were actually on his nightstand. So he didn't lose them after all. MONIKA: They weren't an extra set that his landlord lent him? HISAO: Nope. He was able to recognize them by the keychain he attached to it. And I believe this story’s the kind of classic urban legend that gets passed from person to person for years and years. NATSUKI: So...that's it? HISAO: Pretty much, yeah. NATSUKI: What's so scary about that? HISAO: Guess you haven't realized it yet, huh? NATSUKI: What do you mean? YURI: ... The apartment was locked when he got back, right? NATSUKI: Yeah, I got that part. YURI: But his keys were still in the apartment… So how do you suppose he locked them in? NATSUKI: H-Huh? MONIKA: Someone must've gotten into his apartment and placed them inside, then locked the door themselves from the inside. And the only sets of keys were my friend's and his landlord's, so… Whoever it was who brought his keys back was still in the apartment when he got home… NATSUKI: !!! SAYORI: But who was it then?!? HISAO: He never found out… SAYORI: Huuuuhhhhh… You're gonna make me permanently paranoid. YURI: That was quite an enjoyable story, Hisao. Although it was short, the realization at the end definitely made up for that. MONIKA: Plus, the story calls on the real fears of things like squatters, stalkers, and killers. Who knows? Maybe one of us has a squatter living in our own home...hidden away, never to be found… SAYORI: Stop right there! I don't even wanna think about it! NATSUKI: Okay, okay. That story wasn't half bad. HISAO: Heh, glad you all liked it. I'll have to admit - this has been pretty fun, guys. 18. Looming Spirit - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST SAYORI: Yeah, it really has! We should do this sorta stuff more often! NATSUKI: Sayori, Halloween only comes around once a year… SAYORI: Oh yeah… YURI: If I may make a suggestion… We all turn to look at her. YURI: Ah…well… As it's fitting for the mood… Would you like to try the Kokkuri-san game? SAYORI: Huh? What's that? NATSUKI: Oh, that ouija board thing? Pfft, isn't that just some urban legend? YURI: Only if you believe it is, Natsuki. Ouija board stuff, huh? On one hand, although it's not very hard to scare me, I'm a bit skeptical about ghosts. Although, I've heard from a lot of people that messing around with the dark arts is a dangerous business. I mean, we're in a dark school, late at night, with no one else around… If we really did open a portal for a malevolent spirit to enter our world, who knows what could happen… … Nah, that's a bit too far-fetched. At least if the spooky ghost kills me, I won't have to do that math homework that I've been procrastinating for a week. Seems a lot more tempting now. HISAO: Hmm. Can you tell us more, Yuri? YURI: Of course. So, Kokkuri-san is the name of the spirit we'll summon. The name comprises three animals: a fox – kok, a dog – ku, and a racoon – ri. Each animal represents something different. For example, the dog is loyal and protecting, while the fox is a trickster or a teacher. You can ask Kokkuri-san different things. You can ask who loves you, whether you'll become rich, etcetera. NATSUKI: Hang on. You can ask it anything? A devilish smile crosses her face. NATSUKI: Why don't we ask Kokkuri-san when we're going to die? Yuri looks aghast, nervously fiddling with a strand of hair. YURI: N-Natsuki, there are questions you shouldn't ask, and that's one of them! HISAO: Nah, c'mon, Yuri. This is the perfect time for it. YURI: I don't think you realize what you're getting into! There are many stories of people messing around with spirits, all ending with awful consequences. HISAO: Awww c'mon, Yuri! Besides, it's part dog. If it starts trying to possess someone, we can just throw a stick for it, haha. YURI: Uuuuu… Also, it's a Shinto spirit, not a demon or ghost... SAYORI: Natspooki is the one wearing a bone outfit, and we all know dogs love bones! So it's just her who has to worry, ehehehe~ Natsuki would've made a wonderful Medusa with a death glare like that. MONIKA: Well, seeing as we've already broken in and have some illegal contraband on our hands… She shoots a wink at Yuri, who ducks her head down, blushing. MONIKA: Adding an animalistic wraith into the mix… Well, might as well. Ahaha! SAYORI: Yaaay! That's the spirit! YURI: ... Okay, then. Let's begin the preparations… With the ritual set up and the candles dimmed, we're ready to go. We also had to open a window, which, according to Yuri, allows the spirit to enter and exit. The ambient noises from outside permeate the room, adding to the atmosphere within.  Kokkuri is a real divination game closely related to Ouija. It’s enough of a thing it apparently sparked the obligatory minor moral panic around something associated with the occult getting popular and they made a slice-of-life manga where Kokkuri looks after a bored child. But that’s another story. For those that can’t see it, the Kokkuri board closely resembles a Ouija board laid out on a sheet of paper; all the letters in the (English) alphabet, the Arabic numbers, and “yes” and “no” in the upper corners around a torii, a symbolic gate that marks the boundaries between the mundane and spiritual worlds in Shintoism. A 10-yen piece sits on the board to mark letters and answers. SAYORI: So, what happens now? YURI: Place a coin on the red gate. The torii is where the spirit enters and exits. Now everyone, please place your index finger on the coin.  After a bit of crowding, we manage to squeeze the tip of everyone's finger onto the coin. Be careful not to let go of the coin… NATSUKI: What happens if we do? YURI: Uuu...please don't. NATSUKI: Fine, fine. Let's get on with this already! YURI: Ah...alright. Yuri visibly composes herself and continues. YURI: Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, if you're here, please move this coin. At first, nothing happens. Just as Natsuki thought. A silly urban lege- No way. There is no way the coin just moved. My eyes have to be playing tricks on me. The coin, initially on the red torii, slowly slides across to 'YES.' SAYORI: Ooooooh! Did you guys see that?! Even Natsuki is in a state of disbelief. NATSUKI: Alright, who did that? Real jokester you are. Very funny. The crickets outside can be heard clearly in the silence that follows - no one steps up to claim responsibility for the coin's movement. NATSUKI: Wow, so that's how it's gonna be, huh? Whoever it was, just tell us already! More crickets. NATSUKI: Fine. I'm not bringing cupcakes anymore until someone admits to it. SAYORI: But Natspookiiiiiii- NATSUKI: And stop calling me that! I bet it was Yuri. She was the one who suggested this. YURI: E-Eh? Me? I would never- NATSUKI: Hmm, I guess Yuri is a scaredy-cat. It wasn't me either! Yeah, Sayori's a scaredy-cat too. So that leaves Hisao and Monika! MONIKA: Natsuki, have you considered that maybe, just maybe...it really is Kokkuri-san moving the coin? NATSUKI: Yeah, right, there's no such thing as ghosts! YURI: Kokkuri-san is a spirit, not a ghost… NATSUKI: Same difference! HISAO: Well, all I have to say is that I didn't do it. Natsuki's skeptical glare causes me to hurry on. HISAO: But I know that there's got to be some sort of scientific explanation for this. I can't seriously witnessing the paranormal, can I? NATSUKI: Okay Einstein, what's your scientific explanation for this then? HISAO: Er… I'm working on it. NATSUKI: Uh huh. It has to be one of us doing it. MONIKA: I know, why don't we ask Kokkuri-san something that Hisao and I couldn't have known? Given that you seem to suspect us the most, hehe. NATSUKI: Okay then. Sayori, ask it something. SAYORI: But what should I ask? NATSUKI: I don't know, anything that Hisao and Monika couldn't have known! SAYORI: Ummm… Ooh, I know! Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, can you please tell me what I have on the top shelf of my refrigerator? NATSUKI: What kind of question is that supposed to be? SAYORI: Ehehe, sorry. I guess I'm kinda hungry~ The banter peters out as we expectantly watch the coin. Suddenly, the coin jerks a little to the right. Natsuki squints as she scrutinizes each of our faces. Meanwhile, the rest of the girls' eyes seem to be glued to the coin, Yuri's face blanching at each further movement. Everyone seems to await with bated breath as the coin slowly inches over… To the letter R. A. Sayori's eyes widen, while Yuri ever so slightly backs away from the paper. The coin carries on moving. MONIKA: R...A...M...E… NATSUKI: Ramen?!? SAYORI: Ehehe, they're leftovers. HISAO: Sayori, you've really got to eat more healthily. SAYORI: But it's soooo tasty… YURI: U-Uhm, should we really be using Kokkuri-san to answer such frivolous questions? NATSUKI: That wasn't frivolous at all! We were proving whether or not it was one of us moving the thing! MONIKA: And now you have your answer! None of us moved it~ ... HISAO: Wait, so is that supposed to mean…? MONIKA: It was Kokkuri-san who moved it! Monika seems awfully cheery at this revelation. HISAO: Man, Monika. Does anything phase you? MONIKA: Ahaha, I've just been in much scarier scenarios than this. Plus, I've got to stay confident as the President, you know? HISAO: I see… SAYORI: Uwaah! So Kokkuri-san is real then? YURI: Uuu...I tried to get you all to take this seriously… NATSUKI: I mean, you really can't blame us for thinking that this was all fake. I do still think there's a trick to this. YURI: Natsuki… NATSUKI: Whatever. If you want us to take this seriously, then I'll take this to serious places, alright? YURI: Natsuki— NATSUKI: Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, what is the date of my death? Yuri throws me a frightened look as we all wait for the coin to move again. Her finger feels cold as ice against mine. Slowly, the coin moves from the letter N and inches over to the numbers. 31. 10. 2018. MONIKA: That's...today.  SAYORI: I don't like this anymore, guys… YURI: Some questions are better off not being asked… HISAO: That can't be true, right? NATSUKI: Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, what about the other girls in this room? ... The coin doesn't move. HISAO: I'm gonna go to the bathroom. MONIKA: Don't you want to know the date of your own death? HISAO: Yeah, like some piece of paper and a coin is gonna tell me that. SAYORI: You looked pretty scared earlier! HISAO: Shut up. As I move away, Yuri gasps. YURI: Hisao! We haven't properly finished the game yet! There's a certain procedure- NATSUKI: Ugh, there's no point. He's already broken the finger-on-the-coin rule. YURI: What do we do… HISAO: Sorry Yuri, I'll come back to help you guys finish in a bit. YURI: ... MONIKA: You'd better hurry up, Hisao~  Whew. Finally out of the clubroom. I can't believe that that game actually scared me. Although I'm curious to know who it was who rigged the game… It had to have been rigged, right? (Silence)  The bathroom is pitch black when I open the door, save for the faint moonlight glinting off the bathroom mirror. The contrast between the darkness and the shining glass dazzles me for a moment - until I notice it. The dark figure within the glass that's standing completely still. All the urban legends that I've heard of involving mirrors begin to rush through my head. Some instinct inside me stops me from moving, as if doing so would stop me from being noticed. I don't even dare to take a breath. As my eyes start to water from the lack of oxygen, the figure in the mirror seems to start wavering as well. Crap crap crap. I can't take it anymore. As I bend over to take a wheezing breath, the figure ducks down as well. Huh? Is that...my reflection? Scanning my surroundings, I quickly jump to the light switch and flick it on as fast as possible. The fluorescent lights overhead flicker to life, confirming my suspicions. I glare at my reflection, and then snort. Lucky that no one else was there to see that. I slam a stall door shut on compulsion - as a sign of bravado to myself, I guess. Cringing at the shockingly loud echoes of the door reverberating around the bathroom, I can't help but remain quiet now. ... The frigid tap water at the sinks reminds me of Yuri's icy hands during the game. I should probably hurry back. That was perhaps the most nerve-wracking trip to the bathroom I've ever taken. I shake my head. Snap out of it, Hisao. All these stories aren't real. Ghosts aren't real… It's awfully quiet inside the clubroom. Wonder what witchcraft the girls are up to now… 19. Kokkuri no Dirge - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST  Stepping into the classroom, a pang of fear and adrenaline shoots through my heart. At first glance, the girls seem to have disappeared. But I quickly realize that they haven't disappeared - they're all collapsed on the floor and desks. HISAO: Oh, very convincing, guys. Yeah, I totally believe that you're all actually dead. Very funny. A slight rustling gets my attention. Something in my peripheral vision moves on the Kokkuri-san paper. Curious, I amble over. (Silence)  On top of the static filter over the Kokkuri board, the game gradually fills in the following words each, letter by letter: YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE COME What? Why is the coin spelling this out? Wait, more importantly...how is the coin moving by itself? My mind flashes back to what Yuri said before I left. We hadn't properly finished the game. There was a certain procedure that we were supposed to follow. But what happens if you don't do all that? Hold on, it's not like ghosts are real though. Right? They must be playing a prank on me right now. Right? 19. Kokkuri no Dirge - Doki Doki Blue Skies OST I reach down to shake Monika's shoulder - she's lying prone on the floor, and I can't help but feel a dread that her body will be cold. As I start to reach down, I freeze. Are those… Are those footsteps, outside? No one else is supposed to be in the school, right? In a panicked state, I scan the bodies on the floor. All of the girls are here, so- The footsteps grow louder and louder. They don't sound...normal. Almost like they're shuffling, or dragging along. Is this real? Am I starting to hear things now? The blood rushing through my ears is drowning out the sound of the footsteps. Where are they now? I can't tell. Are they close by? Should I How much time until they reach the clubroom? I can't tell. Crap crap crap. (Silence, Low Buzz I throw myself to the floor, squeezing my eyes shut. The sound of my heart hammering in my chest is almost deafening. ... Over the drumming of my heart, I hear it. The footsteps stopping right outside the clubroom. Please please please don't open the door… As the door rattles open, there's an awful, sickening silence. Until...someone, or something, breathes. (Artificial Breathing) Some kind of raspy gurgling. And a low, deep vocalization. Something that sounds…off, as if someone had warped the sound in a computer program. Something completely and utterly unnatural that raises the hair on the back of my neck.  ???: Po...po...po… I feel absolutely paralyzed. My muscles are tensed, my jaw aching from my clenching it shut in nervousness. But if I relaxed, the adrenaline running through my body would immediately give me away with my trembling. As the sweat trickles down the side of my head, I hear it drawing near. ???: Po...po...po… A warm moistness settles on my neck, as if someone were breathing over me. I dare not to even breathe. The idea of breathing in the fetid smell of its breath nearly triggers my gag reflex. Am I just imagining this? I can't be, can I? I can't think of any way that this could all be just a simple prank. There's no way any of the girls could have manufactured this...being that feels wrong to its very core. The temptation to satisfy my curiosity and look at whatever's hovering over me is almost overpowering. But an instinct deep within demands that I keep my eyes shut. I can't help but feel a dread that something horrific will happen if I look up. All I can think to do is pray for this thing to go away. Please go away please go away please go away… Maybe this mantra can help me drown out the sheer fear I'm feeling… (Silence) While soundlessly chanting my mantra over and over in my head, I realize that the room has gone quiet. Suspiciously quiet. It's too soon to move, isn't it? I'll give it five minutes until I peek out at the room. ... Seconds turn to years turn to decades. I can't tell how much time has passed, and given my panicked state of mind, I don't trust myself to judge time well. It feels like an hour has passed, but it's probably more like a minute or two… Or has it been five minutes? Should I open my eyes? Should I? Hold on, shouldn't I be getting help for the others soon? But if something happens to me, then I can't get help for them anyway. What do I do… How much longer should I hold out for? I can't believe that this is actually happening. I've gone insane, haven't I… Do I dare open my eyes? I strain to hear something, anything. But it's completely silent. Do I dare? Do I? Maybe I should, if only to end this torment. Screw it. I cautiously open my eyes the smallest bit, peeking out from behind a curtain of lashes. ... Nothing's there. Just an empty classroom. A wave of relief cascades through my body, and as quietly as I dare, I let out the breath I've been holding in. I lay there for a bit, breathing heavily. Slowly, I get up and walk over to Monika and desperately shake her. In my hysterical state, I can't help but think that she's probably dead. HISAO: Monika! Monika, please, wake up! ... MONIKA: ...Your face. Monika! HISAO: My - what? MONIKA: Ahahaha! You should've seen your face! The game plays a upbeat, major-scale variant of Lovecraft Club that doesn’t exist in the official soundtrack and I can’t find on YouTube. She sits up, emerald eyes tearing up from mirth. MONIKA: What, did you think we were actually dead? Her laughter fills the room as the other girls also sit up. MONIKA: I'm sorry for scaring you twice in one night, Hisao. But as you said, it is Halloween! HISAO: This...this whole thing...it was just a prank? The board, the footsteps, the... MONIKA: Of course! Yuri told me about Kokkuri-san a week before Halloween, so I was able to rig the answers. NATSUKI: It wasn't a ghost or anything like that, dummy. Sayori would've said that Kokkuri-san was right no matter what answer Monika made it give. HISAO: And the footsteps? MONIKA: There are some little speakers that I hid outside the classroom. Sayori had the idea to pre-record some footsteps and send them to me so we could make it sound like there was something coming. I sigh as all of the tension leaves my body. At least there was a rational explanation for all of this. As the other girls laugh, I can't help but join in. Yeah, they got me fair and square. HISAO: Haha, okay guys, I'll admit. Well played. You got me good. I'm curious, though. How did you get another person to agree to this? MONIKA: Huh? What do you mean? HISAO: C'mon guys, the game's up, I know it was just a prank. MONIKA: No, seriously, what do you mean? HISAO: Are you really gonna keep up the joke? You know, the guy who came inside while I was on the floor. He was all gurgly and raspy, and kept making these noises. Like he was saying...well I'll sound dumb when I try to mimic him, but it was something like 'po.' SAYORI: Umm Hisao, what are you talking about? We didn't ask anyone else to help out. After all, we couldn't take the risk of having someone report that we trespassed. YURI: Indeed. Monika's ruse was simply to rig the Kokkuri-san ritual and use the speakers. Who are you talking about? As far as we're concerned, we're the only ones in the building. HISAO: What?! You guys are completely serious now? The girls all nod at me. MONIKA: The only things I did were deliberately moving the coin around while I was touching it and rigging the speakers. HISAO: Nothing else? MONIKA: That's right. HISAO: Sayori, you swear that you're telling the truth. SAYORI: I am! Sayori would never lie like that to me, so that means… HISAO: Wait...so you guys didn't hear it? They all exchange looks of bewilderment. Am I actually losing my mind? MONIKA: Like Yuri said, I'm pretty sure it's just us in the building. HISAO: You're honestly telling me you didn't hear anything?! The girls share a look of alarm. SAYORI: Hisao, relax! There was nothing there. It's okay. NATSUKI: Yeah. Even if there was some spooky ghost, I would've kicked its butt. The tinge of humor, along with Sayori's reassurance, helps me calm down a little. I'm not exactly convinced, but if the others didn't see or hear anything, and they were in the same room… Then I must have just imagined it. Right? MONIKA: Okay, everyone. It's getting late. Let's clean up and call it a night.  SAYORI: I used to think that I'd grown out of Halloween. But today made me realize that anyone can enjoy it! Horror can be fun! Maybe I'll talk to Yuri more about that stuff, ehehe~ ... You okay? HISAO: Huh? Yeah, I'm good. I was just thinking about the ouija board… SAYORI: That thing really got to you, huh? I was a little scared too, even though I knew Monika was behind it all… Anyway, I'll see you in school tomorrow~ Goodnight! HISAO: See ya, Sayori. Yeah, those girls got me good. I never saw that coming. And the bit where the coin was moving by itself, was really good too. ... Wait. Monika only said that she rigged the actual ritual. Not that she moved the coin around afterwards. Not to mention, there's no way she could've moved it when she was on the floor. The coin, the entity… So does that mean… ... I take it back. I hate Halloween. And so ends this section. Fun fact: one of the devs is currently kicking around our discord and up for answers. A few people were curious about costumes: KSLP Discord posted:acerbatus — Yesterday at 11:40 PM You may be wondering why the devs wedged it awkwardly in here before marking it optional, it clashes tonally with the surrounding material, and the characters act like the character development they already underwent in act one didn’t sink in. Well… KSLP Discord posted:acerbatus — 05/09/2022 And there you go.
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May 17, 2022 01:12
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The common 10-yen coin is mostly made of copper, or I'd suspect a magnet. Also, I'm 80% sure Kokkuri-san was the inspiration for Reaper Creeper from The World Ends With You: 
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May 17, 2022 02:00
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I like that Yuri really sells that she's taking it super seriously, it's cute and funny. Also pretty good coordination and dishonesty from the whole group, I'd not have been able to deceive my friends like that I last about 30s before cracking.
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May 17, 2022 17:14
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Hey just because the thread isn't like super-active, I just wanted to say I am thoroughly enjoying this LP and look forward to each post. I just don't have much to say. Hm, maybe I should download the game.
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May 17, 2022 17:56
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Falconier111 posted:
This story doesn't work as well if you're used to places where it's easy to lock your keys inside. I kind of thought they were pretty common? I've lived in plenty of places like that. E.g. with a push-button lock on the inside of the front door. You can easily lock the door on your way out without the key by opening the door, pushing the button in to lock it, and then letting it close. I've fostered a habit of double/triple-checking that my keys are definitely in my pocket when I leave.
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May 18, 2022 02:58
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I've never heard of a door lock like that. Unless it's like an office or hotel with automatic locks, all locks I deal with are manual to lock/open.
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May 18, 2022 03:40
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Antistar01 posted:This story doesn't work as well if you're used to places where it's easy to lock your keys inside. Most doors I know just close without locking, so I can leave my apartment without locking the door, but it's still impossible to get in without a key. Locking it just provides additional security.
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May 18, 2022 11:44
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