You know, the LP that conduced to the LP that made me fall in love with this forum was made while the Let's Player was feverish. So, I thought, what better moment to start my Ever17 LP than today, when I'm feeling slightly feverish and therefore will be able to skip job for some days? Yes, my reasoning may be questionable, but I've wanted to LP this (if only to share the love) for quite a while. This game is one of my favourites, it's plot hooked me right in and the voice acting is top-notch (such a shame you won't be enjoying that, hahaha). It's not a blind let's play, but I haven't played this in quite a while anyway. There are... nope, I don't think any trigger warnings are due. Except for maybe one scene, but I'll probably spoiler tag that one. This isn't an eroge and isn't really prone to gore either, so you are safe here. My memory is foggy though, so if you remember something I should put here just tell me. I bet many of you have either played it or have been spoiled (since it is really easy to get spoiled accidentally with this game...), I want you to be really careful with what you say. Yes, I consider anything (anything) regarding endings (be it the four routes ending, the bad endings or the true ending) to be a spoiler. Well, ladies and gentlemen, have the opening movie, that conveniently includes a glipse (?) of our cast! By the way, I'll be playing the prologue autonomously, and will ask for your input for the two first grand choices after I post it, mmkay? Lastly, I'll let you know I'm fairly new to Let's Playing. If you feel like enlightening me on the best way to do stuff, I'll be really thankful.
I've heard SO much about this game! I was hoping just the other day that someone would LP it soon. Super excited :)
I have heard absolutely nothing about this game beyond it's name. Looking forward to finally finding out.
Just so you know, this is what plays on the title screen. Yeah, it is that kind of game. The May sun shimmered on its surface.Above, high above, stretched a clear blue sky. The fresh, new sky looked so glossy and vivid that it might spill down to earth at any moment. That was all that was reflected in his eyes. The straight line of the horizon stretched into the distance, dividing the sea from the heavens. He muttered. A solitary seagull traced a gentle arc in the sky as the wind carried it away. The wind, full of the smell of the ocean, blew by him gently. The din of people could be heard in the background. The merry sound of children's voices echoed brighter than the sunlight pouring down. It was like being inside a dream. The man-made island, Insel null, rose above the waves of the water. It seemed like a place removed from reality. The word 'utopia' might have sprung to mind to describe it. Actually, on a slab of rock on the boat dock of this floating island were craved the following words. Leaning out over the railing of the island, he gazed into the ocean depths. In the blue distance, he saw a massive metallic structure swaying gently. Takeshi: Utopia, huh...? He mumbled and looked back casually... What.
Takeshi: Uh... he-hello... To clear the air, he nodded his head. What an asshole tanuki. What No shit, Takeshi. What. Takeshi, what Fungumon did you eat to make you think that is a tanuki, and to be unsure of that kid being a person? 'In front of him, there was a big tanuki being bitten by a girl, who was being bitten by a smaller tanuki'. The scene was enough to make him lose his sense of reality. He rubbed his eyes, rubbed them some more, and opened his eyes again. Even after blinking several times... the bizarre scene refused to go away. Shroom highs don't work that way, Takeshi. OH GOD THE TANUKI'S SEXY FEMALE VOICE IS MAKING MY MOSTLY HETEROSEXUAL HEART RACE. I'm not even kidding. Whispered the big tanuki. But the words didn't reach his mind, because it was so busy trying to process the absurd scene. Yeah, sure it is because of that, you pothead. ?? (girly voice): Grr... grr... grr... ?? (animal voice): Grr... grr... grr... -That was what he was really thinking.
that is not a tanuki. this is a tanuki this is a tanuki and this is a tanuki that is a monkey-lemur thing with a duck face. the other is a dog.
[Insert transition line that I was too slow to screencap] A dream that would not let him wake up. And whiteness. A cold, white, reality stretching forever. He felt the difference in temperature on his skin... The shock of it finally forced him to open his eyes. He wondered how long had he been sitting. It couldn't have been long. He had only been in the park an hour. He'd been sitting on the bench the whole time, eating the same ice cream. Ice cream is cold. You truly are an enlightened one. Of course it was. It had melted into a muddy mess. The melted vanilla ice cream trickled on to his hand, spilling on his lap. The ice cream slowly soaked into the fabric of his pants. Finally the coldness of it had spread completely soaking into his skin. He had been sitting there a while. He had been sitting so long, but the person he was waiting for never came. There was no sign that she would. :( That's what he said. Icouldn'tresistsorry. He didn't know. He felt like he was teetering on the verge of utter confusion. Honey, were you eating Fungumon with Takeshi again? He shook his head and sighed. Park staff: What's wrong? He sensed a slight movement and a girl sat down next to him. A white outfit with a bluish ribbon. She looked like a guide. A beaming, innocent smile appeared on her shining face. Nothing on that face can be called "innocent". Kid: I was waiting. Oh dear.
He was flustered as her grinning face peered into his. She gave him a sideways glance. You don't have to be so brutal about it. :( Ominous. Her face suddenly lit up and she clapped her hands together. What are you, a creeper from Tokimeki Memorial? Hmm, maybe you haven't been eating Fungi after all. You look like a weed kinda guy. She tugged at his arm. Without waiting for his reply, she made him stand. That is actually a pretty good point. Who are we waiting for? Who was it? He couldn't think of the name. She said this happily, almost prancing around. Kid, you are such a pushover. :( He nodded slightly.
The girl's nametag glittered brightly against the white fabric of her uniform. That was what it said. I'm you...? You: Yup. She nodded. With that, she enthusiastically stuck out her hand. Without thinking he shook her hand. And before he had realized it, he'd been sucked along in her rhythm. They released hands, reluctantly. Ohhh, so that is what is going on here. He looked again at his hand, which had moments before connected them. Of course, the ubiquitous japanese awkwardness. The vanilla ice cream that had spilled on it had completely melted away. This is the transition screen I was talking about earlier. It happens when we switch focus from Takeshi to Kid or viceversa. I managed to barely screencap it this time.
Dat ass. He noticed that the two tanuki had formed a line and were proceeding forward. In front of them was a massive gate that was sealed shut. The gate swung open soundlessly, and the big tanuki, little tanuki and the girl went inside. He followed on their heels. It seemed that the earphones were to be used at some point up ahead. He wondered why. Looking around skeptically, but obeying instructions, he stepped into the building. There were no windows. From the polished round walls, it was clear that the room was dome-shaped. He looked around. Many of the visitors who had been waiting in line, headed into the room. Among them were friends, amorous couples, people with their families. The 'Tanuki family' had, however, split up. The big tanuki shoved its way through the crowd of people and continued through a door on the other side of the room. The young girl stayed on the same side of the room as the little tanuki. He didn't see any familiar faces around. He figured maybe they had already taken the far elevator downstairs. Just 20 minutes earlier, the visitor room had reached maximum capacity... And the friends he had been waiting with had gone ahead, leaving him behind to go with the next group. Some nice friends you got there, Takeshi. Finally, the gate to the entrance slipped shut. The big tanuki fiddled with someone on the wall and the room got a shade darker. A park employee emerged out of the darkness. He wondered where she had come from. She was wearing a flashy dress. The dim light shining on her made her seem like a character from some dream. "..."
Who are you, and why does your thumb look like that? It was the girl who, just a little while ago, had been attached to the read of the large tanuki. W-what is wrong with you? Pipi: Woof! Really, Takeshi? Really? He tilted his head doubtfully. Great, you can count. Have a cookie. ... I wonder why. And I'm stopping there for the night. Coco's voice makes my head hurt oh so very much, and I have stuff to do tomorrow, sick or not. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll be done with the prologue and we'll be able to get to the juicy bits.
I only know about this game through the Zero Escape series but it sounded pretty interesting, so I'm glad to see it being LP'd! :D Will look forward to seeing how things turn out. ... I also have no idea what's up with that tanuki thing. It looks kind of like a lemur. Cross an Ewok.
Another Zero Escape fan! I'm actually waiting for my copy of Virtue's Last Reward to arrive in the mail today.
I... I actually think it is much better to play Tsugumi's route first, as much as I'd like to get Sora's out of the way. You are the bosses however, and I will start the voting as soon as I finish the prologue, which may or may not happen tonight. *trying really hard to ignore Juria's post above* fuck.
Exactly my reasoning! Well, almost. But it goes along these lines. W-why would you do that. Specially taking in account Coco's voice. This is just cruel. :( Park staff: What? Coco: My friend taught me a good joke the other day! Coco: Why not? Coco: Oh. Okay then. Coco: That's too bad, huh Pipi? I actually think it is wonderful, Coco. No offense. Pipi: Woof! Pipi agrees, dropping another one of his highly eloquent lines. Park staff: On behalf of the LeMU marine theme park, I'd like to thank you very much for coming. I am about to give you a brief explanation about the LeMU theme park and tell you a few things to watch out for. Park staff: I would love to take everyone inside... but I'm terribly sorry. Everyone will actually have to stay in this compression chamber for now. Ohhh, semi title drop. Kinda. A little. Park staff: So please just bear with me for that long. First, let me explain a bit about this room... it is called a compression chamber. Starting from now, the air pressure in here is going to rise to 6 atmospheres. Why do you think it is necessary to raise the air pressure? I'll explain the reason for that in a moment... Why. Park staff: As the air pressure rises, you may start to feel a strange sensation in your ears, like when you are descending a mountain or in an airplane. It's because the increased air pressure is pressing on your ear drums. So if you think you ears feel a bit strange... pinch your nose with your fingers, close your mouth tight and try to pop your ears. If that doesn't get your ears back to normal, or if you don't feel well, please raise your hand and let me know. In the event that happens, we will immediately stop increasing the air pressure. PHEW. ... Park staff: ...Alright then. We'll initiate the rise in pressure. As I said before, the time required to increase the pressure is 17 minutes. During that time, I will explain to everyone about the structure of LeMU. Park staff: At a depth of between 51 and 103 feet... Park staff: From the top these are called Insell null, Erste boden, Zweite stock and Dritte stock. In terms of a normal building, you might think of it as a structure with a ground floor extending down to a three story basement. Insell null, here, is a floating island. It is an immense, man-made island floating in the ocean... in German, 'insel' means 'island' and 'null' means 'zero'. In other words, this is floor zero, or the ground floor. AND THIS IS THE OTHER REASON I DON'T WANT TO DO SORA'S ROUTE FIRST DEAR GOD.
Look it even looks slightly like herhim, if you remove the long hair and keep the ban- Okay I'll stop now. <3 OAN, NO I DON'T WANT YOU TO STAHP COCO I DON'T TRUST ANYONE WITH THAT NAME D:
Just then. Coco: Hey, hey. Hey you. Hey, I'm talking to you. I never knew the annoying orange had a cousin in Japan. As he was listening to the explanation, someone pulled him from behind. He turned to look around. (What was her name again...?) No. (Oh, that's right, her name was Coco. And that animal she's holding is Pepe, or Popo, or something...) No. Takeshi: Huh? What? Coco: The joke I was just talking about. It's an Ame-joke. Takeshi: An ame...joke? Coco: You haven't heard about them? They're real popular now, ya' know. Takeshi: No, I haven't... what are you talking about? Coco: An Ame-joke is an American joke. Get it? 'Ame-joke'. GEDDIT?? Takeshi: Oh, really... Coco: Makes you wanna hear it, right? Want me to tell you? On one hand, Coco's voice is just too high pitched for me and I'd like to avoid it, and it would be pretty good to listen to the staff girl because... you know, safety. On the other hand, I'm feeling pretty sadistic today, so I'm willing to inflict this abomination on you even if my ears will be rubbed the wrong way. Enjoy. I am absolutely not sorry for that. Not even a little bit.
Coco: Hee, hee, heee... Coco: Well? That was a pretty good joke, huh? Now, have some mood whiplash. Park staff: Yes, that's right, the earphones that everyone is using right now. Park staff: LeMU is pumped full of helium gas, so without these on your ears, you'll sound like a duck. Or not. He removed his voice alternators, to see what would happen. (Ha, ha! It's true! People really do sound like ducks. Then again, maybe they sound more like aliens than ducks.) The voices of the people around him jumped to a strange, higher tone. Coco: Like what? Takeshi: Ha, ha, ha. Your voice is hilarious. Coco: Huh? My voice? Coco hadn't been listening to the explanation. Takeshi: Can you tell me that joke one more time? TAKESHI, NO! One time is enough, this forum will kill me if I force this joke on them one more time. Takeshi: C'mon, just do it. B-but I thought we were friends, Takeshi. :( Takeshi: Heee... heee... Well, at least you had the decency to interrupt her with your creepy giggling. Takeshi: Waaah, haaaah! I can't tell if he is laughing or crying. I can relate. He put the voice alternators back in his ears and looked back at the staffer again. Park staff: In approximately one minute, the door on this side of the room will open. And the juicy bits will start. Hopefully. Park staff: On the other side of that door is an elevator, and at the bottom of it a brilliant paradise awaits. We hope that you enjoy yourself to your hearts content, here at the marine theme park, LeMU. Just as he headed for the elevator... Coco: So, are you here by yourself? You aren't the sharpest knife on the drawer, huh, Takeshi?
I... just... I... I'm trying to be mature here! *giggles* That was true. It was paradise--an amusement park. In that instant he had almost forgotten even that. You: Why arrange to meet inside LeMU? Kid: Huh? T-that's because... Now that she mentioned it... who HAD said to wait on that bench...? Who's idea was it anyway? Kid: ... Kid, stop talking so much, geez. Who was it...? You: But, I suppose that... well, I mean... You: You've... been kind of stood up, right? Kid: What? Stood... up? Stood up... it took a moment for the meaning of the word to register. Kid: ... Kid, shut up. She shrugged slightly, embarrased. She changed modes abruptly and let out a hearty laugh, then slapped him solidly on the back. You: I'll look out for you, alright? Kid: Al... alright. He nodded, a bit overwhelmed. (So... I was stood up. I must've been dumped.) (Huh...?) Then again he wasn't sure exactly what had happened. You: Huh? What? Kid: Aren't you working right now, You? That is... a good point. You aren't very professional, You. No matter how many times he checked, she was definitely still wearing a LeMU uniform. You: I didn't have anything to do anyway. It's perfect timing. Yeah. They got in an egg-like elevator together. It felt like they were slowly floating up. You: Going up... She wispered mischievously. No kidding, from her voice there I was half expecting her to come up with a prank. Or a knife. Kid: ... Kid, can't you be silent for a second? Goddamnit. The elevator was terribly crowded, and everyone was packed in like sardines. Y-You, I don't think this is the place... Kid: I'd say... Her face was so close he almost bumped into it. Their bodies were flush against each other. She was soft and warm. Whoa. He was surprised, all of a sudden he felt embarrased and started to squirm. You: Hey, kid, don't go touching places you shouldn't... She whispered into his ear, puffing out her cheeks. THIS ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THAT KIND OF GAME. Crammed in the elevator, he couldn't even move an inch. You: That tickles... don't move so much. Kid: I don't have a lot of choice. I can't... breathe. He couldn't move, but he couldn't bear standing still either. As he gasped for breath, he noticed her light perfume. He let out a cry, and bolted from the elevator. He sprinted away, leaving You far behind. So that happened.
I love the Zero Escape series. I can't wait to get Virtue's Last Reward, it looks awesome. I've played 999 and loved it. Glen Coco? 4 for Glen Coco! You go Glen Coco! I'm not sorry
He'd seen something. At the edge of his vision, he thought he'd seen someone. Up ahead... that someone was still visible. He chased after whoever it was, like a possesed man. (I've seen that face before...) (I'm sure I've seen that face before.) That was what his instincts were telling him, but where had he seen them? He tried to sort through his foggy memory. As he sifted, he kept running forward. Kid: Wait...! He felt a desperate need to meet the person, but he had to hurry. Eventually, he ran out of breath. Holding his pounding chest, he looked up. Kid: Ah! Well hello there, female voiced by Kana Ueda. Mixed amongst the other people was a girl, standing. He was sure that the person he had been searching for was this girl. It was in the middle of the holidays, but for some reason she was wearing her school uniform... he wondered why she was alone here. She was by herself. She was all alone. Just like him. (What should I say...?) (Where should I start... let's see...) He needed to calm down and focus. (Huh...? Why is it that I have to talk to her...? Why in the world?) Who was she? Who was... she...? She's... I mean she's... He was caught up in a wave of people. Kid: ... Kid, for the love of g---Okay, I'll stop. He got pushed into an elevator. It started to rise towards the surface. He got off the elevator as if he were being spit out. This floor was called Erste boden... he glanced around at his surroundings. She wasn't anywhere to be seen. He thought that they had both ridden on the elevator together, but he had apparently lost sight of her in the crowd then he got off. I lost her... He hadn't even been able to say a word. He felt really depressed. (Maybe...) (Did she call out to me?) That idea suddenly popped into his head. IS THIS WHAT THEY CALL LOVE? His heart was still beating furiously. A uniformed staff member, different than You, was talking to him. Park staff: Are you looking for someone? She gave him a warm smile as she said this. Kid: Eh! Uh, uh... yes, I am. Feeling that he seemed a bit desperate, he quickly blurted out an answer. Kid: I was supposed to meet up with them, but we must have missed each other. Park staff: Who is it? What is their name? Kid: Uh, their name... Patter, patter, patter. Suddenly, the sounds of footsteps came rushing at him. Kid: Huh? You mean me? And so I present to you, Mr. Hand-glued-to-head. I mean Takeshi. Running feet braked sharply beside him. The guy was out of breath. Kid: Huh? Surprised, he slowly opened his mouth. There was nothing to do but see where the conversation went. Takeshi: Sorry to ask you like this out of the blue, but you don't know, do you? You haven't seen my friends around here, have you? One of them is about 5'1 and around 140 pounds. Kind of good-looking, with dorky sunglasses and probably not the type girls would go for. Another was wearing a suit, no tie, short hair and has three pierces in his hear and one in his nose... he likes to knit... And then there was the only girl in the group, who had on a kind of simple color flower print one-piece with frilly lace... you know, three people you might see anywhere... did you see them? Anywhere. Right. The young kid shook his head. Takeshi: I see. Well, sorry about stopping you like that. Waving slightly, he left. The youth continued down the corridor ahead. He thought he had seen her before. (Huh... I wonder if she knows that kid.) This makes me happier than it should. Kid: Huh? What? Who are you? (So that's it...) She was probably one of those kind of people that would talk to anyone about anything anywhere, whether you were interested or not.
The way that she's holding her fists looks like she's about to kick that kids ass. "HEY KID. CHECK OUT THESE PYTHONS!" Yells out Coco as she picks him up and throws him across the room. I'm going to imagine everything she says in a gruff Solid Snake voice from here on out.
I just wanna mention that You introduce herself in English, and that seriously gave me goosebumps the first time. She just said in that honest voice "I am You!" and I was like "oh my god is she our conscience??" but it turned out she's just a manic pixie dream girl. Still a cool mind screw moment. Also, Coco's joke are excellent, like many geniuses, she goes unappreciated. Kid is so cute, I love the slightly sulky way he talks <3
The elevator arrived soundlessly and swallowed the waiting patrons. He went with them further into the depths of LeMU. Everyone had beaming smiles and yelled happily, all evidence of LeMU's popularity. But still... wandering around a packed and lively amusement park all alone was a bit torturous. He couldn't help trudging around with heavy feet and slumped shoulders. He was on the verge of looking depressed, but held his expression in check. Walking around in this place blindly, he thought he might never run into his friends. The floor was a lot wider than he'd imagined. Takeshi: Oh, right, my cell phone... You have been walking alone, moping for quite a while, and you just remembered your cellphone? He took his PDA multi-purpose communication device out from his pocket, and pushed a button. He didn't have any messages. No mail either. But the problem seemed to be... It was out of range. At least that was what the display said. Takeshi: Are you serious?! I didn't think you could get out of range in this day and age... Then he recalled they'd said something about this being a giant tunnel in the middle of the ocean, where only select radio waves could reach, and that LeMU used special electronic equipment, which wasn't very compatible with mobile phones. More than anything, they didn't allow PDA's to work inside so the facility would be completely separated from the world above, as part of the attraction. ...At least that's what they'd told him at the entrance, but he hadn't listened to a word of it. He thought it might be best just to ask a staff member. He decided to look for one, but there wasn't any uniformed people in sight. There weren't many people walking around the corridors either. Dat ass. It was the one he'd seen at the gate coming in. The tanuki was operating a panel on the wall... (I bet that's a LeMU employee.) Thinking it was perfect timing, he walked up to the tanuki and called out. Takeshi: Excuse me, I'm looking for someone. A friend. ...W-would you please stop staring at my soul? Tanuki: ... But it didn't say anything. Takeshi: Um... hello? He was being ignored. (I wonder if it didn't hear me.) It was a big stuffed suit, and was a full head taller than him. There was the definite posibility that his words weren't even reaching the ears inside. He asked the question nicely as he poked the tanuki in the ribs. Takeshi: Hey, you've got a lot of extra flesh here, buddy. He continued talking as he pinched, pulled and released the tanuki's flank. This is a woman inside, Takeshi, I wouldn't think that pointing out extra flabbiness is a good idea... Upset at that, he grabbed the tanuki's shoulder. Takeshi: Hey! What kind of an attitude is that? and when a visitor is in trouble! Takeshi: Arrghh? He'd been gut punched. The tanuki had actually slugged him. Not even his parents had ever really spanked him before. It had been a totally cheap shot - the tanuki had landed a solid uppercut. Takeshi: H-hey-----! Tanuki--! Yeah, I mean you! Tanuki: ... He went down to his knees and keeled over. Nearby visitors reacted. Park staff: Is everything alright?! Did one of our wrestling lemurs escape again?!
Park staff: Are you having stomach pains? I pondered a bit on this one, but at the end I decided to go for MANLY PRIDE. Park staff: Is that so? You, why do you sound so amused? I'm trying to save my dignity here. :( He couldn't bring himself to say that the tanuki had floored him with one punch... Tanuki: ... I like to imagine this tanukianimal running off into the sunset. Best ending. A moment later, it had disappeared up the hallway ahead. The staffer looked after the tanuki as she spoke. Park staff: You're probably thinking I should be getting back to my post, right? ...Oh well. STOP MAKING FUN OF ME... HIM... US! Park staff: If you need anything, don't hesistate to call. The staffer disappeared. (I see...) (That wasn't a tanuki, that was 'Myumyun'.) But he knew that wondering about it wouldn't help, so he decided to forget about it. He needed to be getting somewhere. Takeshi: I'll look around on my own a little more... He muttered this as he composed himself. He knew that there should be several attractions at the other end of this corridor, his friends might have been looking for hiim as they waited in line. Takeshi: So which way should I go? His legs were so tired that he could barely move. (This is...) (The world's worst theme park...) And that was exactly how he felt.
WE ARE NEARING THE END OF THE PROLOGUE! *INSERT CELEBRATION/DANCE.GIF HERE* Kid: Oh well... Kid: What in the world...? He sighed. He was fully and utterly beat. The staffer that had just been talking to him had vanished somewhere. You wasn't around either. He had lost sight of the other girl as well. He was alone again. Kid: What did I come here for? I... Having lost his destination, he rode the elevator from the aquarium and returned to basement floor two. (The second floor...?) (I screwed up... the rest area is down one more level.) He felt like he had come a long way from the elevator room, and he didn't know which path he should take to go down. Which way... Sexy tanuki voice! A voice called to him from somewhere. From somewhere... Kid: ?! From the shadows of the path, the owner of the voice was beckoning to him. But the hand... did not belong to a human. ??: Hurry up, will you? It was the whispering voice of a young woman. Her bulky, black arm was swaying rhythmically. Disturbed by the difference between the voice and its owner's appearance, he moved hypnotized in its direction. I would comment on his derpiness, but seriously, I would've done the same. THAT VOICE. The hand and arm clearly belonged to a tanuki. It was a big tanuki. He was led by the tanuki into a room at the end of the walkway. Or rather... packed into it. Kid: This is... (Is this the girl's changing room...?) He saw an uniform like the one You had been wearing, packed away inside an open locker. (Hey... I can even see some women's underwear...) The room smelled like perfume. The air was saturated with a scent so strong it almost made him choke, and the smell was about to overwhelm him. He managed to get his mind under control and maintain his focus. I find myself in a difficult situation, between her terribly soul-penetrating eyes and her soothing voice. The tanuki asked the same question again. Come to think of it... why was she a tanuki anyway? He had no clue. Kid: This... Tanuki: ...is the changing room. She said this before he could answer. Tanuki: Changing rooms are... a place to keep secrets away from prying eyes... She said this quietly. Kid: Secrets? Here was a flash of the angry tanukiMyumyun sprite, but I was too slow to catch it. Suddenly his vision faded, and everything went completely dark. Kid: Huh? Tanuki: Will you look after this for me? Kid: Huh? What? What? Look after? He didn't understand. Tanuki: Here, I'll help you put it on right. Kid: Uh, um... Wear it? He had no idea what she was talking about. Kid: Uh, wuh, whoa... He didn't understand why, but he couldn't move. He was powerless to resist her and let do what she wanted. In a moment, something completely covered his body. Kid: ... Tanuki: Hee, hee. This should do it... alright then. I'll leave the rest to you. And the light sound of her footseps faded into the distance. The last thing he heard was the click of a door shutting... Kid: ... He heard the sound, but he did not see her leave. Kid: ...? (What did she do to me?) His face felt heavy... his body felt heavy... he had tunner vision... and for some reason, his body was bristling with hair. (Could it be... that this is the mascot outfit...) When he shook his head, it made a sound like bristles brushing something. And there was a smell, there was some other scent from inside the costume. A sweet smell that made him dizzy. It pierced deep into his brain... Before he knew what was going on, he had opened the door and was shuffling out into the pathway. Without thinking, he let out a cry. He had found it. (It's that tanuki...) He had just heard that it was not a tanuki, but Myumyun the fox-monkey. That information had already disappeared from his mind though. (I forgot its name--- it doesn't matter though, he's the one that hit me and ran away.) He didn't want revenge... but he did want to ask it why it had done what it did. Kid: Who... are you? Takeshi: I should be asking you that! Why would you do something like that?! Kid: Huh? What did I do? Takeshi: Don't play dumb with me. Kid: I have no idea of what you're talking about. Takeshi: You punched me! Kid: No I didn't. I have no idea what you mean... Takeshi: Liar! What? Did you forget? Kid: I'm not lying. This girl... gave me this outfit out of nowhere and... Takeshi: What? You just met her? When did you change? Kid: I just put it on. I... Takeshi: Just put it on? What are you talking about? Kid: But why do this... this... He collapsed in full Myumyun regalia. Takeshi: Wh... what? Hey! Takeshi shook his shoulders, but there was no response. Takeshi: Somebody come quick! Something's not right here. He yelled, while visitors watched from a distance. A female employee had heard the fuss and came running. Takeshi: Huh? You're that girl from before... this guy just collapsed all of the sudden. Lying is bad, Takeshi. >:( The employee took the pulse of the fallen youth. Takeshi wondered if she had any medical knowledge. Takeshi: I'll help. Well, you at least take responsability. You're an okay guy. Park staff: Great, thanks.
No idea... where he was. Where he had gone. Shaking. Shaken. Feeling ill. He could feel hair from the costume rubbing along both of his sides as two people carried him. Rubbing... he wished they'd get the mascot suit off him quickly. The fur felt nasty. It was hot. So hot. So hot he couldn't stand it. The heat made him feel faint. His consciousness felt like it would drift away. Why had this happened? It was strange. So strange... It wasn't him or her. He heard a different voice from somewhere... He had been hauled to the infirmary. Takeshi: Maybe it was the mascot suit? Maybe he couldn't get used to wearing it. Park staff: It's possible. It could be heat exhaustion... Takeshi: Does... does it look like he'll be okay? Takeshi: I see. Park staff: Thanks for your help. I'll take it from here. Takeshi: Oh, alright then. He opened the sliding door and left the room. Takeshi: What was it I came here to do? A cool breeze was blowing along the walkway. Breeze... He... he wondered where he had come from. A ceiling. Sheets. A bed... He had been put to sleep on a bed. On a bed in the infirmary... He saw something again. Below the sick room... bed... (Who is this?) (This... this isn't me...) (...Of course not...) The third floor underground, they had called it Dritte stock... (The guys... they've gotta be lined up waiting for a crowded ride somewhere.) He dashed into the elevator. The doors reopened silently and closed again. *swoons* One other person had gotten on. A girl. A girl... (More like a young woman I guess.) One girl had gotten on. She looked about high school age. The elevator floated upward an instant before descending. There was the faint sound of movement and vibration. He wondered why... The girl stared at him suspiciously. Girl: Just who are you...? Why are you here? Why are you following me...? Well, let's play stupid/proud!Takeshi while we can. We'll have a bunch of other playthroughs to explore the prologue's options, right? Takeshi: Just exactly who are YOU? Did I do something wrong? Girl: Yes, you did. Just now... Takeshi: Just now? He was getting more and more confused. Girl: I mean... I don't want you... to get in the way. That's all. Takeshi: Get in the way of what? The lights flickered unsteadily. Takeshi: Wh... what was that? I'm tempted to close up here for now, but I better close up the prologue tonight so that you guys can do your voting.
Takeshi: Couldn't be? Couldn't be what? Couldn't be? He wondered if something had gone terribly wrong. It was strange. Very strange... (Oh, it's her.) (We've finally met...) (I've been looking for you this whole time...) But his voice didn't reach her. "---------, ----------------------" "------------" "-------------------------------" He couldn't hear her voice either. No matter how much he tried... no sounds reached him now. (Damn... what's going on...?) But he saw a figure, faintly. He was able to make sure. He could see himself and the girl talking over there. He saw it on the other side... (I... I can see myself over there...?) He watched. And he watched. (No... it's odd...) (If I'm watching them, then who is the 'me' watching me?) Something felt out of place. Now he knew the truth and his lips trembled. (Who is that...?) (Who could the 'me' over there be?) He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. It was like a dream. It was like he was watching the continuation of a dream. All of the screaming. And the sound of running feet. The shrill wailing of sirens. That wasn't a dream or an illusion. Girl: I don't know anything... do you know something? Takeshi: How could I know anything? The lights gradually dimed and finally went out. He had no idea. He didn't know... There was no way he could know. There... on the bed... there... Who are... (You...?) Who...? (Stop...) Please stop. (Don't come out...) Please don't come out. (Stay inside...) Don't crawl out of there. (Stop.... plea...) S-st... sto... stop... There was nothing to fear. It was alright. Because there was no longer anyone. Because there was no one there. Takeshi: I'm here! I'm still in here! Somebody, get me out of here! Answer me... please... Kid: Isn't there anyone here? Nobody answered. The surroundings were filled with silence. Kid: What? Is there anybody there? So I'm alone... hee, hee, hee. He burst with laughter. The ultimate feeling of liberation. There was no one to restrain him now. Kid: Ah, ha, ha, ha! But no one stopped him. Getting there was easy. All that was left for him was to aim for the 'center'. Just take a step. It was simple.
He sank. Deeper, deeper and deeper... The embrace of unbelievably pure silence. Not even a beam of light pierced the darkness. All he could hear was repetitive, heavy breathing. His vision narrowed and was overrun with blue. Deep blue. Blue... something was strange... He wondered if it really was blue. Sweat poured off of him. His breathing was ragged, and labored. Black. Endless black. There was no mistaking it this time... Everything was stained black. There were no boundaries to this color. He felt pressure expanding in his lungs. He felt queasy, sick to his stomach. Girl: The air pressure... is dropping. (I forgot... I need to pop my ears.) With a pop, the air building inside his ears was released. Takeshi: Damn... which way is the exit...? Nothing moved. He didn't move either. There wasn't any sign of a breeze. He didn't hear anything. Just echoes from something, invisible. Time froze to a stop. If he stopped here, he felt like he would forget that we has even alive. It was his intuition. Only a little more... No! It was no good. He had to get out. But he didn't even know which direction to go. He had to... get himself out of this darkness... had to... But what could he do? What could... He didn't know. He didn't know... ... Light...? A blade of light slicing through the flat world of darkness. And he knew... the direction was over there. And that there might be a way out, if he could get over there... *~*THE END*~*
