Part VN, part RPG with Rock-Paper-Scissors: Let's Play Fate/Extra!

At around midnight last night (today?), I decided that starting up another LP of a game that involves hours of level-grinding was a Good Idea.

Slightly more than 24 hours later, here we are now. LET'S DO THIS

Fate/Extra is a spin-off of Fate/stay night, but that doesn't necessarily mean that prior knowledge of it is needed to enjoy this one.

(In reality, there's really only one or two bad endings that are triggered through poor choice-making, so multiple saves aren't actually necessary.)

There's not a whole lot else I can say here without ruining the Prologue, so without further ado:
(Wall of text ahoy!)


-I wonder what’s going on.

When I peer into the center of the hubbub, I see my friend and student council president Issei Ryuudou.


"Hmm? Why do you look so surprised? We announced at last week's assembly that this month the student council would strictly enforce school rules.
Now, it goes without saying that EVERYONE is subject to inspections, even old friends."

With that said, Issei gives our protagonist a once-over before continuing.

"... Collar, check! Pant hems, check! And your socks... check! Next is the contents of your bag... Notebooks, textbooks, pencil box! Not even a whiff of contraband. Your nails are evenly cut, and your haircut is sensible. Indeed, quite remarkable."


"Someone like you ought to consider a future in student government. You'd be perfect for it.
... Oh, but I'd never try to coerce you into joining the student council. We aren't like that.
Now then, off to your classroom! Enjoy your day."


Things are always so gently bustling in the morning.

Another peaceful beginning to another peaceful day.


From here, our protagonist is free to roam about the map, though he (and a couple of nearby students) strongly hints that we should stop faffing about and advance the story head to class.


Naturally, I take that as an invitation to faff about. To the Archery Range!

... Or not.


I know that feels, bro. My memory's like a sieve.


Apparently, forgetfulness is contagious in this academy.


Like I said, memory like a sieve!



As I enter class, I see Matou with a bunch of girls. Why he's so popular is a mystery...


"Even though we've... Hey, we've been friends since our freshman year, right?
Anyway, don't sweat the fact that you're as boring as dirt. It's not like you can help it. I mean, anyone would seem boring and stupid when compared to me!"

Normally, I'd take offense to his comments and argue about it with my fists, but blue-haired asshole has a point. Protagonist-kun is kind of plain.

The popularity is clearly due to his kind and humble nature.

"I was just doing a little math tutoring. This stuff is beyond easy... for me, anyway."

Fangirl #1 then points out the fact that Shinji cannot do basic math.

Scratch personality, it's his intelligence the girls are after. He makes them feel smarter

Shinji takes the criticism in stride and deals with it in a mature manner.


"It's really pathetic that these worms don't know their place. That's why I like you so much. Even though you're boring, you know not to steal my thunder. You're the ultimate sidekick."

That last statement distressingly describes me in real life. :C

No clue! I suspect it's done to point the player in the right direction, just in case their eyes glazed over the text or something.

It doesn't quite explain why Shinji's name was highlighted in red at the start and then highlighted in blue after that, but...

I know where this is headed and I feel there is only one appropriate thing to do:




(I can more or less confirm that having played Fate/stay night is not strictly necessary to enjoy this game, as I haven't played it yet... although I have osmosed a fair amount of information about it from friends who've played, and this is not helping my temptation to LP it here sometime. <_<)

Hahaha yes. XD

Although in all fairness to Shiro that is a) taken out of context and b) based on a Japanese idiom ("he wouldn't die even if you killed him") so it's not quite as dumb as it looks.

His denseness is still the stuff of legend, though.

Before protag-kun gets a chance to think about it, the homeroom teacher, Ms. Fujimura makes her grand entrance.




And... *Thud*
Ms. Fujimura trips, falling painfully on the floor.
As she lands, her head strikes the corner of the platform at the front of the classroom.
The classroom goes dead silent. Every student's attention is focused on the same thing.


"Again... How does she manage to trip in the same place every time..?"



And just like that, she acts like nothing happened. According to protag-kun, this is a regular occurence, so at this point no one bothers to say anything.



Ms. Fujimura's lecture is cut off by protag-kun's monologuing about how she's conducting class the same way as usual.


"In fact, outbreaks were common. But now, most illnesses are cured using nanothingymajigs!
... And FYI, I'm still young. This will be on the test so be sure you don't forget it. I mean it."




Well, I don't want to know what protag-kun was thinking, but I was planning on exploring around the buildings for a bi--

"Ha ha, I'm just messing with you! I know you're too big of a nerd to ever get a date! I mean, you're just going to your dork club- The journalism club, right...?"

... We were in the journalism club?

"Well, seeing as you're as boring as stale white bread, your life is exactly as it should be. You know exactly what your role in life is, and you stay there."

....

How the hell are we still friends?

The other classmates tell protag-kun that the Editor in Chief of the Journalism Club was looking for him, so to the Editor we go!

Characters with yellow speech bubbles are the ones that we need to interact with to advance the plot.


... I have no idea what she's talking about, but protag-kun is now part of the Newspaper Club instead of Journalism. And their "Ace", apparently.



... I still have no idea what this person is talking about.

"One time, a male student who got bullied a lot was told to pick up trash there... and vanished. Everyone's totally convinced that there's paranormal activity going on back there."


"Anyway, go sniff out the truth! Leave no stone unturned! Your nose and eyes are the tools of the trade for a journalist. Got it?"


And here we have our first (inconsequential) choice! It's about five minutes from 4 in the morning on this side, so I'm calling it a night.

guess maybe I shouldn't have waited so long to figure out how to LP this
wellll this should be fun~!

I-I'm so sorry! I had no idea you wanted to LP this D:
I hope that I won't disappoint!

No matter what choice is selected, the answer is always the same.

And that's that.


To the Archery Range we goooooo


... How odd. The screen went all static-like for a moment.


Protag-kun's monologuing is then interrupted at the appearance of--

Good Lord, that is a ridiculously popped collar. How the Hell do you see past that monstrosity?


"Odd. Your name doesn't appear to be on the list, but I had better make sure..."

That's not really a "rabbit-watching-wolf" response so much as it is a "deer-in-headlights" one why aren't you doing anything

Triple question-mark man is just as disappointed in protag-kun's lack of action.
"You're not even trying to fight. My instincts aren't as sharp as they should be. I need to rest."

The blue background changes back to orange and suddenly, everything's back to normal.

"The campus is about to close. If you have nothing else to do, I advise you to go home now.
... Is there anything else?"

Does the triple question-mark man have a name we can use?


Alright, then.


But I'm still sore and slicked with sweat; an all too real reminder of what happened.
Wonderful. We now have a teacher with obvious "murderous intent" teaching at our school.

It's nice to see some snark coming from protag-kun for a change.

Down the hallway, we can see asshole Shinji and a long-haired girl. Let's see what's up.


"I heard that you've been skipping out on the archery club's morning practices lately! Why haven't you been showing up? And where do you get off taking a break without my say so?!
You bi... I get it now. You've been going to "their" house again, haven't you?"

"... Yes. I have been going there, but I just wanted to help and..."

"Let me guess... You felt you were obligated to, right? Jeez, why must you be so damn naive? Anyway, if someone gets hurt, just leave them to suffer. Just do what I tell you to, and things will be a-okay."


So now we have abusively clingy on top of stupidity and all-round jerkfaceness. Definitely a keeper, folks.

Shinji's a charmer, for sure.

it's okay, it's not as if it's the only game that I own that I was sure I couldn't mess up horribly at or anything
really though, with the break ending I'll be busy with Korean variety shows school anyhow ^^~

Really, I don't see why people wouldn't like him.

That's my line! Can I use this as an excuse to punch Shinji right in his stupid face now? Please?


Er... 'kay, then?

Time to head outside for some fresh air.

"He's tall, dark and handsome... mostly dark."

... Dark in the tanned sense, or in the "My soul BLEEDS" kind of way?

The archery range is unlocked, so we can investigate it properly now.

"I usually make the kids do it, but there's no club activities leading up to exams, so I'm doing it."

Then why would you need to clean up the club room if no one's using it? Wouldn't the room be clean after the last time the club members used it?

... Come to think of it, why was Shinji so angry at Sakura for not attending club if it's not even currently running in the first place?

Protag-kun ignores every one of my ramblings and asks the teacher about the rumors.

"Huh? An entrance to the spirit world? That's just a rumor, it's not real!
Exams are right around the corner, so don't waste your time on stuff like that. Go home, shoo, shoo!"


There's nothing of interest left in school, so home we go.



Please tell me protag-kun punched him right in the face. Please tell me protag-kun punched him in the face.


Judging by the way Shinji is acting, my hopes of protagonist-initiated violence are crushed.

"Hey, you know that ice queen Rin Tousaka? She thinks she's so much better than everyone else. I tried talking to her yesterday, but I got nowhere. Maybe I just intimidate her or something."

... You? Intimidating someone? Pfft.

"I might've lost a few points for getting violent, but girls who talk back to me get slapped!"

....

"What a waste. She'd be perfect if she'd just keep her mouth shut. You agree with me, right? RIGHT?"

... Again, how the hell are we still friends?

"And why'd she take a shot at me? I thought she was going to spinning-star kick me next."

I wish I was there to see that. :(

And right on schedule:

When do we get to hurt him?

Sounds to me like the best math class ever! I'm starting to like this guy. (He's even voiced by Casanova Bossa Nova Kasanoda from Ouran!)


"... Oh yes, before I forget. There is an announcement from the student counselor - recently, a rise in the number of slashing incidents has made the surrounding area dangerous. With that in mind, keep any detours to a minimum and head home as quickly as possible."

While this sounds like reasonable advice, protag-kun is having none of it. After all, there's a plot scoop to be found!




After overhearing this completely no-really-I-mean-it irrelevant conversation, we meet up with the editor.



Of course not! It would've been nice if it was true, though.. :C


... Wow, that is a terrible nickname.

To the Rooftop!



The vibrant colors set off by the setting of the sun is enough to take one's breath away.
Under the now blood red sky, a single girl looks out onto the town that spreads out below.


"It is indeed a very beautiful scene. A shame that it doesn't really exist. This place is merely an idealized imitation of the real world. And one done in poor taste - I wonder if there's any value to a memory that can only be observed and then left behind."

Her monologue/mad rant over, the girl turns to us. Protag-kun helpfully notes that her eyes "shine with an intensity that rivals that of the fiery red of the evening sky".

"What's this, a notice from the system? Thanks for bringing it to me."

Err... system?

"Huh, that's not it? That means you must be one of the generic N- I mean, students... If one of the irrelevant NPCs can get up here, I guess I'll have to find another place to hang out."

This is beginning to sound delightfully meta.

"Oh well, at least this is a good opportunity for me to look one of you over. Stand still, you."

Just as she touches protag-kun's cheek--

WHAT IS HAPPENING

"Is this a warning from the system? Direct interference does break the rules, after all..."


and then i went home

Immediately afterwards, Issei shows up and tells us that we should go home, since it's almost time to leave school.

Watching Tiger's antics in motion seems so much funnier!

I was going to say Shinji is better looking yay! Then he opened his mouth and...I want to strangle him.

Rin is the best, giving us all this meta. <3 Uhh. Question, does protag have a name? I assume he's not Shirou because no red hair. I get the sense that his friends/environment got transplant onto another person somehow, if that make sense. This is weird.

This will get a bit clearer when we complete the prologue and begin the game proper. For now I'll just say that Extra is an AU rather than being in direct continuity with... anything.

(Except for one character who's implied to have come from the main continuity.)

It's Chie Satonaka! It's CHIE!

Ah... Never mind.

"So you know what he said to that?"

" "I'll keep practicing until I get better. I can at least get better than you, who skips practice."
Sorry, I have to laugh! Anybody knows that you can't practice your way into being a genius!"

So you're saying that it's fine for you to skip practice, but if your little sister does it to help someone, it's unforgivable?

... Why isn't there an option given to kick this guy's ass yet?

"The guy's not a total maggot, but he's still trash that needs to find a garbage can."




And as if done to show protag-kun that there are people who break patterns, Taiga arrives in the classroom without falling over. This is the first sign that something strange is about to happen.



"Go on, Leo. Introduce yourself."
"... For what purpose?"
"You'll be attending school with these people, so I'm sure they'd like to know who you are."
"... Ah, I see. These good people do not know my name yet."


"In time, it will be a name known to all the world, but for now it is the name of your classmate. I hope we enjoy our time together."


(To the class' credit, Leo's voiced by Park Romi. I'd downright swoon if she said that to me.)

"Anyway, everyone, please make Leo feel welcome. Then, Leo, if you would please take a seat..."
"... Leo...? Ah, you're addressing me. I see no reason to not allow you to call me Leo, as it didn't feel awkward to hear it from you. If you have the chance, I'd very much like for a delightful woman like you to visit my country."

Unsurprisingly, Shinji is jealous of the sheer charisma that Leo exudes.
"... I don't like him. Flirting with the teacher already? That arrogant little twerp."


-Am I imagining things? Just for a second, I thought he shifted his attention towards ME.

... Yeah right. There's no way a practically otherworldly person would notice bland me.

Oh, protag-kun... :C

Protag-kun, go be friends with Leo and do the evil grin thing while you watch that blue-haired dipshit be miserable all by his lonesome self!

I really am seriously worried about why nobody has made Shinji's face match the colour of his hair...

I have this game and love it,I'm so exited to see LP of it!
I want to say more stuff,but I don't want to spoil it for anyone,so I'll watch as quietly as I can,good luck with it!
can someone tell me how to use spoilers?

To spoiler-tag, it's "[ spoiler ]" (but without the spaces) followed by the text, and then you close it with "/spoiler" also in brackets. If you want a specific description in the spoiler tag, then it's "spoiler=description" in the initial brackets.

To see an example you can click the reply button on a post that has a spoiler tag in it, and the quoted text will include the spoiler tag format.

Oh,okay! Thanks so much for answering!

No problem! :D

Jesus Christ, somehow Shinji got even worse. Atleast he attempted to hide his assholery in FSN, now he's just flaunting it. I really hope he doesn't karma houdini out of this.

Also Gender-swapped Arcueid is looking pretty suspicious.

Don't worry he doesn't.

Scary indeed, but protag-kun and I have more pressing matters to attend to.

Namely, to find Leo and romance forge the best bromance ever.



"They're all class A magi. One girl in particular made quick work of the brainwashing. You might say she's a natural, and therefore more adept than magi who have been more sheltered. Unlike those domesticated sheep, she's a wild mouflon. Stronger, rarer,wilder. She couldn't even bear to put on the school uniform the other sheep mindlessly wear."


"This Rin Tousaka. The Harways in Asia have voiced some concerns regarding her. She is the daughter of a noble family, which makes her unruly behavior even more unbecoming."
"... I simply just... She is a failure, like the other dropouts, and so she's below your concern-"
"There's nothing in the world that doesn't concern me, teacher. More importantly, I wonder what a domesticated being like me can learn from her wild bravery."
"There is nothing, because you are already perfect. Anything you lack is something the world itself lacks."
"It was a joke. It's been a while since I've been scolded. I think I enjoy it, coming from you."

... That was scolding? Also, I know we're just eavesdropping, but why do I feel like I'm interrupting a rather private moment?

"It's worth noting the assassin sent by those alchemists."
"... Ah. I don't believe I've ever seen how an alchemist fights. Their charms, or their symbols, rather, are quite unusual."
"Those are the only ones to watch out for. However, there are others with excellent abilities. A handful of others have passed the prelims besides Rin Tousaka."
"Huh. I don't see the rush. I think there's much to be learned from observing this school. I'd like to take my time and enjoy, for instance, the beauty of things like the garden. you should see the garden too, Mr. Kuzuki. No - Brother."

Plot twist!

"I will respectfully decline.
... That ends my report."


You and me both, protag-kun. You and me both.

More importantly, our chance to romance befriend Leo today is lost. :C

Apparently, there's been rumors of a female ghost that's been wandering about on the third floor. She sucks the souls out of people who respond to her.


Well, when you put it like that...



... Migraines, maybe?


It has to be my imagination. I hear no footsteps, no sounds of breathing. I am alone here.
And yet, the feeling that I am not alone persists. It must be a hallucination of some kind.
What should I do? If it's my imagination playing tricks on me, then nothing should be there if I turn around and look.


I can't see this going wrong in any way whatsoever! :D


The girl doesn't move a muscle.
Just like a doll. /Just like a corpse.
Just like a painting. /Like a wraith.
Her eyes, so full of sadness, stare fixedly in my direction.

Suddenly, her figure begins to melt away. As she slowly fades into nothingness, the last things to disappear are her eyes.


... This school is weird, man.



Let's report back to the Editor. We should tell her about people not only disappearing right in front of our faces, but one even had the nerve to call us an NPC.



... That's it? No "Pull the other one," or "Great! This'll be perfect for a news article"?



YES.


... No?

Alright then, time to head to the courtyar--


... Oh.

Oh my.


Even the slightest bit of physical contact causes the body to fade away into a purple cloud of pixels.

This is wrong.

This is wrong. Wrongwrongwrongwrongwrongwro-

But... the man standing in front of me isn't acting like a teacher by any stretch of the imagination.
The sick malignancy of overbearing aggression fills the air. And then scattered around him are...
... dead bodies... of students?


"-I suppose I'll test you out."

ABORT MISSION, PROTAG-KUN

RUN

RUN

Who?
Why?
How-?

"I see what you are now.
... It isn't you, I suppose."


DEAD END IMMINENT

RETREAT, PROTAG-KUN

I REPEAT, RETRE--

I'm uninjured, though my body aches from laying on the hard ground.
The cold sweat that had covered me is gone, too... Only the piercing pain in my head remains.
Maybe it was just a bad dream. I gulp air and attempt to stand.

Well that was a short game.

... Maybe protag-kun's right. Maybe it was all just a bad dream.

In fact, everything should be back to normal by the time we go back to class today.


"In this case, you substitute this for this, and divide everything by x. It's the same simple equation that you used earlier."

"That bunch of brown-nosing idiots will suck up to anyone who's got bigger pea-brains than theirs."
"... Hmph. Whatever. It's no skin off my back. People who are ugly inside are ugly outside, too."

Do the words "Pot", "Kettle" and "Black" ring a bell, Shinji?

"I'll give him this - the brat is a real charity worker, laying on the charm for those sows. He's desperate to appear smarter than me, but I'm the real smart one here. I see what he's doing."

... Creating a harem of fangirls and/or fanboys? I ain't complaining.

"That dumb little kid doesn't know that I'm onto him-"
"If I have unknowingly given you cause to be malicious, I would like to deeply apologize. Shinji Matou, was it? I'll be careful not to upset you in the future."

"H-Hmph. He knows when to bow down to true authority, it seems. I'm such a nice guy, I'll just accept his apology. Y-Yeah, it's not like he ever pissed me off."

Leo's aura of charisma and amazingness even got Shinji to shut up and calm down.





And... *Thud*
That sound makes me cringe, no matter how many times I hear it.
Everyone is desensitized to it for the most part.
Even knowing that she'll jump to her feet in a few seconds, we should probably worry more.

Unexpectedly, Ms. Fujimura goes off on a minor tangent and explains to class about amnesia.




... But TV taught me that amnesia's cured by whacking the victim over the head! You're telling me that TV lied to me?!





All of a sudden, Leo stands up.



"It is time for me to leave. We will probably never meet again, so I wish you all well."

He turns to the teacher.

"... Ah, and before I forget... Ms. Fujimura, I think you are still young, even now. Just your presence is enough to remind me of the beauty of youth. You're a remarkable person."

"U-Uuhhhmm..."

"*Sigh* Showing off like that in the middle of class... What a jackass. If you have to use the john, be a little more discreet. And that "I have to leave" crap-! Seriously, isn't he supposed to be some kind of aristocrat or princeling or something?"

... Everyone's reacting like nothing unusual happened. What's going on?


-Strange.

This is definitely strange.

... It's as if the world tilted slightly and everything within it is losing its sense of presence.

My head... feels like it's going to explode. The pain is making it hard to remember who I am...

Wait. Come to think of it.

...

I mean... really...

Who.



Who am I?


I can't... remember anything. My memory has been completely erased somehow. How, and why, did this happen...?!

Something is happening

Something terribly wrong is happening

The bodies, Protag-kun. Tell her about the corpses we saw yesterday.




Yeah, the school registry. It has everyone's names.
If I look at the school registry, it might jog my memories.


The pages are blank.


Blank.
Blank. Blank. Blank.


What is happening here?
Who am I?

And just what... is this place?


She has a striking appearance, with long purple hair, almond skin, and a preternatural calm.
It seems like she is meditating; her hands are folded in a specific way and her eyes are closed.

...

I find that I can't stop looking at her.
No one else seems to notice that she stands out dramatically. I start to feel uneasy about her.

Then all of a sudden--

BAM

Suddenly, a massively jolt rocks the school, causing me to stumble about uncontrollably.
The building shakes with a thunderous roar. The source seems to be the girl in the garden.

What in the hell just happened?!
In the resulting confusion, my vision begins to distort.
Dizziness. Headaches. A sense of weightlessness. I close my eyes to keep from being overwhelmed.

Also, the girl that was in the garden had already disappeared.
Was everything that happened just an illusion, or maybe-

As I turn to leave, I see the girl from the garden walking towards me.


The girl tilts her head at us and then disappears.

I'd find it kind of adorable if it wasn't for the slight fact that she tried to blow up the goddamn school just now

...this is creepy and awesome. And I say this as someone who doesn't usually like games that try to play the meta for horror.

... We're heading straight to a DEAD END, aren't we?


However, she just continues to stare at me with an intensity that borders on terrifying.
Maybe I should say something to her, but softly so as to not startle her?

Once again, I cannot see how badly this can go wrong. We seem to be doomed either way




"Could it be... that you came to see... me? I-If that's so-"
I'm... Alice.
I'm... always here, so..."


As I turn, she flinches a little and begins to fade away... then stops. and starts staring at me-

As our customary staring contest begins anew, I swear that I can see a faint smile on her face.

Before we go talk to Leo, there's a commotion going on outside the nurse's office.



"I heard that you skipped archery practice again! What in the hell is wrong with you?!"
"I'm sorry, Brother. But I..."
"You've embarrassed me again! How many times must I repeat myself, Sakura?! Are you stupid? I mean, if you keep on listening to other instead of.. me? Wait... Wait wait wait wait..."










It wasn't only the incredible fleeing Shinji or the robotic Sakura that was going insane.
Vertigo overcomes me as the school starts to waver.

Something strange is happening to the world!

What is happening

WHAT IS HAPPENING

...I'd forgotten how deeply freaking wrong parts of this game get.

...holy shit, I'd forgotten that bit completely.

Whoo! Someone decided to LP this game! Pre-voting for Archer as a servant because he's a complete badass and I love him so much.

Follow him, protag-kun

FOLLOW YOUR HEART LAST HOPE TO SANITY




... "You guys?"


Is he... Is he talking to the player me as well?

"Greetings. I believe this is the first time we've had an actual conversation."

I don't feel any sense of hostility from Leo. In fact, his smile seems genuinely friendly. It has the same effect on me as the rising of the morning sun - warm and comforting.

"Attending school wasn't half-bad. I've never had the opportunity to go to one before now. In that respect, this has been quite an interesting experience.
... However, the time for fun has come to an end. I did not come here to play at being a student. No matter how enjoyable the detour, eventually one must return to their appointed path."

"Farewell.
... No, that's not quite right. For reasons I cannot explain, I have the distinct feeling that we will see each other again. So I guess I should use the more congenial, "See you later." "

After saying his bit, Leo melts into the wall fades away.

Investigate the wall, protag-kun

Investigate it like your life depends on it


What was it that Leo said?
"No matter how enjoyable the detour, eventually one must return to their appointed path."
That's what he said, didn't he?
Then beyond this wall lies the "appointed path", and the truth.

... Do I have the fortitude to face the truth and accept it?


LET'S DO THIS.


Beyond the door seems to be a dismal looking scrap yard.
Out in front of me is the smooth skinned effigy. While trying to figure out exactly what to do with it-



"Now then, please proceed. The truth that you seek lies ahead."


Welp, here goes...