wordswords[truncated] - Let's Play Aoi Shiro

OK, the way she's sitting? Pretty sure she's a wildcat. In fact, calling it now; she's a cat who got turned human and in return, she doe shady deals for her "boss", the one who turned her human with his magic.

(I tried to add a stubby tail, but no matter what I did it looked funny.)

Also, where'd everyone go? :(

Just lurkin'.

Yeah, I feel a bit bad. I haven't cut anything out, but with the amount of conversation in Aoi Shrio, there can end up being several updates with not a whole lot of content that's really noteworthy (reactionworthy?). It's not so tedious ingame what with the music, sound effects, and visual effects. I typed up a little blarb about it at the start of the last update, then deleted it cause I figured it didn't make much difference for the LP. lolwhoops.

Basically, there are a lot of times in conversation when the game utilizes the various backgrounds (usually with slow pans, close ups, and fade outs). A good example of this would be the forth and fifth screenshots on page two, where Momoko and the monk start fading into the tsubaki flowers background, then that background fades to the ocean background. It happens with special effects, too (such as when Momoko suggests the nickname "Kyan Kyan," which is why you can see the background in that shot). You'll see a shot coming up in the next update that exemplifies this perfectly. Basically: these reactions happen really fast and I have a hard time catching them, guys! ; ___;

So far I've been writing down the game script, but I have to tell you guys that these meals are long. At least the first one is anyway (not so sure about the rest). To give you an idea, I have 108 screenshots saved for the next few updates, by the end of which they've only just begun eating. So, I figure, at least for the meal, I'll just summarize what happened and include any dialogue that might seem relevant and/or humorous. If this format doesn't work for you guys, I don't mind going back and transcribing the meal, but if it does, maybe we should just switch to summarized updates? Let me know what you think. Anyway, on with the update!



Momoko is satisfied with the monk's confirmation and begins eating while everybody turns back to their food. The other girls praise Yasumi's meal, but Momoko ain't having it. She sits quietly through a few compliments, but her tiny frame can't keep her exasperation contained for long. Soon she yells,



And here you see an example of what I was talking about in the last post, about how the visual effects will fade in and out. This one happens so fast in game that you don't notice the layered graphic, but this was actually the best screenshot I could get. Sorry. Anyway, everybody looks at Momo as she stands up. With indignation, she declares,

Momoko: It's true that this curry is delicious, like everyone says! However, though it's well-made, it's missing an important ingredient!
Yasumi: Umm...

Onions, carrots, potatoes, a pinch of tomato... After counting off the ingredients on her fingers, she cocked at Momoko.



Oh, Yasumi. You're such a sweetie. But Momoko shouts,

Momoko: That's it! Where's the affection for me? What's in the curry is not meat, but tofu! Fried tofu!?
Yasumi: They say soybeans are the meat of the field?
Momoko: I, Akita Momoko, will not be deceived by that sophistry! Meat, needed to promote a young person's mind and body, isn't at this table! What's the meaning of this... I need an explanation I'll acknowledge!



Yasumi argues that it's better to eat shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian meals). Aoi-sensei comments on how Yasumi used particular ingredients in the miso stock, in accordance with the temple's principle. Ayashiro compliments Yasumi's use of dried shiitake, to the manager's relief. Then Momoko begins objecting again. Refusing to accept the Buddhist principles, she says,

Momoko: Geez, this is why naive girls and pampered ladies lack energy and get into trouble.
Yasumi: Naive girls...?
Ayashiro: Pampered ladies...?
Momoko: Well, I'll agree this is tasty, though.

Now that was just mean, Momoko. I'll stop here for now. Hopefully the change in format doesn't make this too confusing or hard to understand, and if it does, let me know. Even if you don't like it or just prefer the scripted format, feel free to post what you think.

{TL;DR Momoko loves meat.}

Actually, that's really nice, and cuts things down easier. Sorry I didn't say anything earlier, but, I just didn't know what to say. The only time I did a let's play, it was pretty terrible. XD

Good to hear (er, read)! That's what I was hoping for since I know that when I'm reading LPs, the textheavy updates are a little hard to keep up with. Just so everyone's aware, I've been italicizing the game's narration so far, but if that becomes confusing I can add Syouko's name in front like I do with the dialogue (since we're seeing everything from her perspective). Anyway, while slurping up her miso soup (I think that's considered polite in Japan? or if it isn't polite, then I'm pretty sure it's not really rude, either), Momoko looks toward the monk and Aoi-sensei.

Momoko: Zawacch! Look at that!
Syouko: Don't point.
Momoko: Okay...

She looked a little downcast as I lightly slapped her hand.

Momoko: Anyway, look in Sensei's direction!

Turns out Aoi-sensei and the monk are boozing it up. My kind of chaperones.

Aoi: Suzuki-san, go ahead, go ahead.
Yuukai: Thanks. It's been a long time since a young woman's poured me drinks.

Sensei had a brown bottle filled with yellow liquid smelling of oats. The monk's glass overflowed with bubbles. My grandpa favored Japanese sake, but I didn't need to see he label to confirm what was in the bottle.



Ayashiro asks if it's really okay for them to be drinking. Probably not, but what the hell, right?



Ayashrio doesn't understand, so Yuukai does his best impression of the Most Interesting Man in the World.





Yuukai: Yes, good medicine is bitter.

Aoi-sensei agrees that it is bitter, and the monk asks if she dislikes it. She replies that bitter is fine, to which Yuukai says that it's a taste for adults.



And with that, they pour each other another glass and keep drinking, setting a steady pace for the evening. Aoi-sensei is best sensei.

{TL;DR Beer.}

I definitely approve of summarising a bit in some of these early scenes that go on and on and on about aspects of Japanese culture while we're all waiting for the monsters to start. :) (Other things to summarise - deep reflections about Kanji because as I recall that got looooong.)

Aoi and Yuukai are the BEST adults.

Is it just me, or do most of Aoi-sensei's expressions seem rather... suggestive?

... Maybe that's why you can't romance her; she's an oyajicon.

DAMN. IF ONLY I WAS AN OYAJI.

It looks like she's blushing since she's flushed, but I'm pretty sure she's just drunk. Either that, or Lady Octopus hit the nail on the head.

Well not just that, but she seems to have a serious case of bedroom eyes... and her disheveled shirt, which looks like she just finished a round of seven minutes of heaven does not help matters. I CAN'T HELP BUT SEE IT MY BRAIN IS A PERVERT, OKAY?

Momoko's sentence trails off but the monk gathers what she means: minor shouldn't be watching their elders get drunk. Syouko confirms this, saying it's strict but true. Yuukai thinks that's a damn shame, and Momoko takes advantage of the distraction to scoot closer to Yasumi.



As she says this line, when she gets to quoting Yasumi, Momoko mimics her voice. It's adorable and spiteful at the same time.

Yasumi: Uu...



Look at that. She made Yasumi cry.

Syouko catches on and stops Momoko in her tracks. After making her move away from Yasumi, Syouko tells her junior that people who complain don't get to eat. Of course, Momoko's response is that it's impossible to participate in practices without eating. Here, Yuukai interjects, saying that Momoko is being unreasonable.

The next bit of dialogue doesn't really translate well into English, since it seems to be about Japanese sayings. When you read it in English, though, it just sounds like a continuation of the conversation. Basically he says that, unless you're sick, you shouldn't request specially prepared dishes just for yourself. This segues into another minor infodump about how even eating is done by ritual in Buddhism. Then for whatever reason the screen goes greyscale and this pops up.



For some reason the monk terrifies me with that expression, but what's scaring Momoko is the thought of having to eat her food in accordance to the Zen principles. All this talk of proper etiquette has made Yasumi a little wary of eating, fearing that she might make a faux pas. Yuukai reassures her by telling her that this particular temple doesn't belong to that sect of Buddhist before he takes a big bite of rice. Yasumi and Momoko let out sighs of relief before turning back to what remains of the meal.



In the next line Momoko implies this is because everything tastes good when you're hungry. Syouko points out that they didn't do any training today; they'd simply spent the better part of the day traveling by train and bus to get to Shoushinji. She can't really argue about that, so Momoko just says,

Momoko: I did help clean...

Then she pats her stomach, complaining that she'd been hoping for one more side dish, and Yasumi agrees that curry, miso, and pickled vegetables might not have been enough. Syouko says that there was plenty of food, thinking Yasumi spoils Momoko, and I wouldn't doubt it. All the same, Kyan finally joins the conversation by asking everyone what they would have added.

Momoko: With curry as a main dish, it's easy and correct to add a cutlet on the side!

Momoko immediately raised her hand and responded while Yasumi pondered.

Yasumi: Something fried... maybe tempura made from seasonal summer vegetables...
Yuukai: Even without meant, a croquet would be good.
Yasumi: Eggplant or tomato might be nice, too...
Momoko: Meat. Let's just have meat.
Syouko: Yasumi, could you pass the pickled radish?
Yasumi: Ah, yes!

I'm going to ignore Momoko's annoying complaints about meat for now.

Momoko: Uu...
Yasumi: But still, curry and pickled radish is a bit of a weird combo.

Of course, this just leads to another side conversation about how radishes, curry, and turmeric are interconnected to Zen temples and Buddha. Sorry the screenshot to text ratio is so disproportionate. I'll try and work on that in future updates.

TL;DR Food.

Momoko is starting to sound more and more like my brother. Just as annoying, too. I'm unsure if I still want her romancable.

That's the thing about Momoko: she's a brat during meals but other than that she's a cute, energetic junior. I swing back and forth with my opinion of her, but all in all I like her. She's a nice counterbalance to Yasumi's sweetness.

I dunno, I found it kinda endearing. Is that odd?

I guess it's partially annoying, partially, well, reminding me of my brother, who I A.) Dislike immensely, and B.) IS MY BROTHER. go home onii-chan.

Otherwise, she's fine, but with the obsession over meat, well, it sounds a lot like my brother, since he's also a biggo meat eater.

At this point Syouko decides to ask the monk about what Kyan had told her earlier after clean-up.



A full moon wanes. High tide becomes low. In this world where the prosperous must decay and dynasties will rise and fall, could there exist a tree that never withered which was neither a myth nor artificial? Even an artificial tree would eventually wither. I wondered if it was just a story that Migiwa made up. But... when I heard he flowers were red...

Yuukai: Yes, in the Sal Forest behind this temple, the auspicious Tokosaki no Tsubaki exists. Like the saying, "only one lady in the assembly," among the white sal flowers there is one red tsubaki mixed in. From what I saw, it's not an abnormal tsubaki that simply blooms at a different time of year. It's flowers bloom in every season.
Syouko: So that's why it's called the Everlasting Camellia (Tokosaki no Tsubaki)...
Ayashiro: Tsubaki normally bloom in spring, right?
Yuukai: Yes. That's why tsubaki is written with the character for tree and spring. In China, it's also called the 'ocean pomegranate.'
Syouko: A fruit----



Honestly I would have omitted that bit about the characters for tsubaki, but it sets up this line, and I just love how Kyan says that with a smile. Even if I have no idea what she means (I've never eaten person, but I have eaten pomegranates, and I don't think they'd taste quite the same). Anyway, Syouko isn't pleased, and you can tell that Kyan's comment struck Yasumi and Ayashiro, if only slightly.

Though we were avoiding meat in today's meal, what a thing to say during dinner. She [Migiwa] ignored my sharp glance and, without hesitating, used her finger to write a character in the air.

Kyan really seems to have a thing for explaining the characters used in words. It'd be great if I understood Japanese and could actually follow along with what she's saying, but... I don't. So, moving on.

Ayashiro comes to conclusion that tsubaki (or camellia) trees are very mysterious, which causes Aoi-sensei to propel into an explanation about how people thought the tree could repel evil. Supposedly this was because it announces the arrival of spring (in that the flowers bloom in spring). Sensei admits that it might be an old superstition, but stories tell weapons made from the wood of tsubaki that were said to eliminate evil. In this case she uses Emperor Keikou as an example.

I'm assuming most people won't recognize his name, so I'll just skip that bit. Needless to say, somehow the conversation goes from Emperors to cross-dressing heroes in myths and legends before settling back at the tsubaki sword in Sensei's story.

Ayashiro: But why did he make a weapon out of tsubaki?
Aoi: Maybe because the sap of the tsubaki was believed to have the power to break spells?
Yuukai: Maybe because tsubaki is a hard material. Like the phrase, "One is oak, two is oleaster, three is tsubaki." Wooden swords are normally made of evergreen oak, but some used for practicing are made of tsubaki.



Syouko: No way----
Yuukai: Following from the previous story, it's name is Kumouchi.

And, despite the fact that this is finally where the dinner conversation begins to pick, this is where the meal ends and the game cuts to a transition into free time.

Migiwa... how would you know what human flesh tastes like?

I think we found the yandere in this bunch.

I have to say, I just love this image. My diseased brain went to all sorts of dark places. Who needs context, anyway?

Not gonna lie: same thing happened to me. That's why the monk creeps me out so much in that shot. Otherwise I really like him.

It tastes like pork, apparently.

Then why not just say that? Why are her first thoughts, "Oh, it tastes like PEOPLE"?

Thanks to that shot, I now have "what do humans taste like" as a part of my search history. But EvilFuzzy9 is right, people taste like pork or veal (according to some sources I read), but only when cooked. Not so sure about eating the meat raw. And apparently children are more tender than adults. Who knew?

As for why Kyan shared that little bit at all... Probably just to give the girls a scare. And she isn't just saying they taste like people, she's saying that in ancient times people thought the pomegranate tasted of human flesh. It's a minor technicality, but I feel I should point it out. The only explanation I can possibly think of is it's association to the underworld in ancient Greek myths (when Hades kidnaps Persephone). But there also seem to be a lot of societies that believe the pomegranate represents fertility (due to the many seeds), so... read it as you will? I'm not entirely sure what to make of it, myself, but I can appreciate Kyan's morbidity.

This also may be a good time to point out that, like Aoi-sensei, Kyan has a thing for old stories and folklore.

After dinner was a bath. It was nice, but since everyone was waiting, you couldn't take too long. And though it was time to sleep, young people didn't want to sleep yet.





Of course I can also keep choosing to do nothing. It's fine to do that once in a while. It's a good thing that I didn't bring anything to camp.

As if on cue, Momoko pops up, asking if Syouko want to join her, Yasumi, and Ayashiro for a game of Rich Man, Poor Man (a card game). Syouko argues that this isn't a field trip, but Momoko points out that it seems like one given the lack of training so far. Syouko agrees to play on the basis that the one of the purposes of the camp is to strengthen the bonds between members. Then, Ayashiro, the one everyone designates as the rich girl in a school that's full of them, says,

Ayashiro: Momoko-chan doesn't seem like a 'rich one'.

I'm sure that's just meant to be an off-hand comment, but for some reason it it sounds kinda bitchy to me. Anyway, then Kyan jumps in, asking if she can join. Despite the fact that she's not a member of the kendo club, even Syouko doesn't mind letting Kyan play. They sit in a circle, trying to guess each others cards even though that's not the point of the game. What is the point, you ask? No idea. I've heard of the game before, but I've never found out how it's played. Whatever, CG time!



I love Momoko's expression in that shot. For a while everyone has fun playing the game, winning and losing, but eventually





It might have been a mistake that we didn't even have candy is at stake.

As the card game begins to lose everyone's interest, Kyan asks everyone if they know about the baths.

Syouko: What about them?
Migiwa: It's said that monks-in-training only take baths on days with the number four and nine in them.



As a way of starting conversation in the middle of passing out cards, it certainly served it's purpose.

Syouko asks if that's true, but Kyan says she's being serious. This leaves Syouko to wonder what would result from taking a bath only once every five days in such a humid environment. The other girls try to think of alternate solutions, from swimming in the ocean to standing under waterfalls. Suddenly, it occurs to Momoko that Yuukai might obey this tradition, but Kyan laughs at her concern.



This a great relief to Momoko, but it reminds Syouko of what Kyan said earlier.

Syouko: By the way, why did you come here?
Migiwa: Hmm?
Syouko: You're not connected to the temple.

She had dodged the question in the afternoon, but she shouldn't be able to escape now as we were playing the game. What was she talking about with that 'boss'...? It was like us coming here to Shoushinji was causing them trouble. And also...



It was like she had some doubts that we were just a high school team. What's going on? Who IS Migiwa? And why did she come here?



She gave the same innocent answer. What was she thinking beneath that friendly face? I had to wonder since she entered our midst of her own accord. She was like a fox hiding it's tail and didn't intend on answering... As I'd thought, she's a type that's hard for me to deal with.

Kyan says that the temple baths are good for bruises and gashes, and while the other girls seems to accept this vague excuse, it doesn't convince Syouko of anything. Kyan is young and nimble. Even if she was injured, she could have found somewhere more convenient than Shoushinji. If nothing else, she should have been able to find a place that was a bit nicer. The temple might not have been as dirty as Momoko claimed it would be, but it was rundown. The only real attraction Shoushinji had over other temples was the picturesque ocean and the Sal forest.

No...



The sprite overlayering the CG is actually moving. It's a pretty cool effect. Anyway...

Then was her target the Tokosaki no Tsubaki that Migiwa herself mentioned, and the existence of which was confirmed by the monk? If it really didn't wither, it'd be very precious, but... If she just came here to see it, it's not like it would be a bother if we were here. When it's a problem for other people to be around, then there's usually some ulterior motive. What was Migiwa going to do to the Tokosaki no Tsubaki? Harvest it? Cut it down? Something else?

There were other questions left to ask. After all, there was still their apprehension that 'it' might be among us. There were special watchmen who kept watch over certain monuments, but... But even if such a person existed, he wouldn't be mixed in among us, mere high school students. Though perhaps she was apprehensive because she'd been seen giving a report. Then is it not limited to the Tokosaki no Tsubaki? If they were transporting contraband, an out of the way place like Shoushinji might be ideal. The temple was large and with only one monk, he couldn't keep an eye on everything. But... what if...

Syouko's thoughts are interrupted by Ayashiro, reminding the captain that it's her turn. Syouko realizes she's wasting energy trying to figure out what Migiwa's up to, since she really doesn't have enough evidence to say anything for certain. In the end, she decides

But continuing to lose to Migiwa like this was somehow vexing.



But for some reason I just didn't want to lose to Migiwa. She was good at bluffing, of course, and her playing skill might have been good, so it doesn't seem like I can rely on luck to win. Besides, I was definitely lacking in luck... According to grandpa, I used up my life's worth of luck when I was young.

I'd have to use what I could to win. I suddenly got all fired up. It was childish of me to want to win to get back at Migiwa, but she was using some dirty tactics to win.

Syouko: Hey, is that allowed?
Migiwa: To win is to be ruthless.
Syouko: Being ruthless is fine, but pointing out someone's card from behind? Are you proud of winning that way?
Migiwa: For me, winning is the top priority and I don't expect to be praised. But, well, you have a point.
Syouko: Well of course I do.
Migiwa: Osa is stubborn. Stickler.
Syouko: Though you say I'm stubborn, I've been told I'm quite flexible.
Migiwa: By who?
Syouko: My grandfather.
Migiwa: Compared to whom?
Syouko: Compared to Natsu nee-san...
Migiwa: Natsu nee-san is...



Any time someone laughs like that, this is all I can think of. Anyway, at the top of the shot you can barely see an effect that I was too slow to catch. By the way, during part of the exchange above, Syouko is pretty much grumbling as she says her lines. It's pretty cute. Syouko realizes immediately that it was a mistake to tell Kyan about Natsu nee-san/Nat-chan.

Natsu nee-san. Nat-chan... Though she was my mother's cousin, she was like an older sister to me. A courageous, artless person who wouldn't stray from a decision once made. She was awkward and stubborn, but so very kind. Like her character, her strong swordsmanship stretched straight, fast, and long; it was nicknamed 'the rook'.



It was really a mistake to have let Migiwa learn her name and poke fun at such an important person to me.

Migiwa: By the way, what's Nat-chan's occupation?
Syouko: A police officer.
Migiwa: A faithful watchdog. Fitting, isn't it?

Says the cat.

I though so as well, but to have Migiwa sat it like that made me angry. No matter what tactics I had to use, I didn't want to lose.

TL;DR Card games are srs bsns.

Migiwa gets up and stretches her arms, saying that it's time for her to go.

Momoko: Migi-san is winning and running?
Migiwa: I've got an errand to do. It's from someone like a relative and I can't get out of it. You'll have to excuse me.
Syouko: If you've got something to do, then there's no helping it.



I was being stubborn, but it'd be hard to get along with someone who feigned innocence. And that was just on the surface. For someone who was unfriendly, like me, even if she were honest, I might have a hard time.

Migiwa: It might not be unrelated.

Syouko begins to wonder about Kyan could be up to so late at night and why she's being so vague, but her thoughts are interrupted as Ayshiro remembers that she was supposed to call home. It launches into a bit of exposition about Ayahiro. I'll spare you of that, save for one shot.



Partly becuse it pretty much sums up a good part of the conversation, but mainly because I caught Yasumi midblink and it looks like she's giving Syouko a come hither look. Anyway, they talk about how over-protective Aayshiro's parents are. They won't allow her to live in the dorms, and they only let her come to club camp on the condition that she stay in contact. Kyan tells her not to worry; after all, if there was an emergency, they'd call her, right? But Ayshiro is a dutiful daughter.

Ayashiro: Since they kept their promise to let me go to camp, I have to keep up my end of the bargain.
Migiwa: Okay, okay. I got it. Call as much as you like. The reception's bad in the room, but it's fine outside.

And with that Kyan and Ayashiro leave. Once they do, Syouko realizes how tired she is.



This isn't even a midblink shot. That's the expression on her face when she says that. Yasumi, stop trying to tempt Syouko, damnit!

You know you want to~~~

"Ooh! Apollo! Can I have some of that fruit please?"
"Absolutely not!"
"Yeah, yeah I know. But still I yearn!"
"Well, you're not the only one eyeing that fruit!"
"So what are we waiting for? Let's eat!"
"Exactly!"
"Woah! Woah! Woah! Are you two crazy? Ema you should know better."
"But s-she tempted me... She's a temptress!"

Okay this update is really more of a transition into the night. Syouko spends the first part alone, so the majority of the dialogue is just her thoughts. I'll spoiler them in case anyone's interested and summarize it for those who aren't.

So, it's lights out and Syouko is still awake.

Syouko claims it's the sounds of the waves at the beach keeping her up, but there's something else on her mind. Ayashiro came back from making that phone call a while ago. But Syouko hasn't heard the door open since, which means Kyan is probably still out. She decides to go look for her, under the pretense that if Kyan is up to something, it'll probably affect camp. And if the Tokosaki no Tsubaki is her goal, she'll probably be in the mountains.

Here's another example of the sepia sprite moving in the forefront while you still manage to see a bit of the current background. Syouko recalls what the monk says as she's thinking about where she'd find Kyan. In the end





Walking by a graveyard makes Syouko think of ghosts, and of course, the first thing she thinks of is how to fight it. I'm pretty fond of Syouko, and that's one of the reasons why.

Excuse me while I squeee! since this scene introduces a character I know nothing about but am completely enamored with.



Syouko notices that, despite the green canopy of the trees, enough light filtered through that the forest almost looked bright. She also notices that it seems much easier to breath here than she'd expected. Perhaps the air is special. Whatever the reason, she isn't wary, as she was in the graveyard.



Syouko heads deeper and deeper into the forest until she finally finds neither the Tokosaki no Tsubaki nor Kyan, but someone (or something) else entirely.

It's said object surpassing one hundred years had ninety-nine gods in them. I'd also heard animals and plants that old obtained strange powers. In ghost stories, there are two-tailed cats disguised as humans and folktales of trees sometimes taking human shape. That's why----







At first Syouko thinks it might be an illusion, but she can tell by the moonlight that there's definitely someone there. Whatever it is, it's short; shorter than even Momoko. The apparition is wearing kariginu (informal noble's robes). Syouko is used to seeing dougi, robes, and other Eastern-style clothing, but she can tell that the robes this creature is wearing are special.

But the mot unique thing was not the clothes, nor the vermillion scabbard hanging at it's side, but the person itself.

She goes on to describe the young woman (?) in quite of bit of detail, leaving me with the impression that she's already been enchanted. Basically, she talks about how white the person's skin is, saying it's beautiful and how it looks like "a Japanese hina doll created by a master artisan and painted with chalk." Her hair is just as white, but glossy. She looks as though she were made of the summer tsubaki (the white flowers).



The tsubaki spirit opens her eye and Syouko feels herself held in place by it.



Thump-thump. Thump-thump thump-thump thump-thump.

Compared to the outside where I didn't move an inch, my insides were in a terrible state. My heart, which should be calm, was feverishly pumping blood throughout my entire body.

Tsubaki Spirit: Who are you?

That challenging voice was gallant, like a young warrior's. As if being controlled, I shakily walked out and stood in front of it.

Tsubaki Spirit: Hey, girl.
Syouko: ............ (in shock)



I didn't want to interrupt the dialogue, but as I was typing up this update, when I got the part where the Tubaki Spirit says, "Hey, girl" I just had to laugh.

Did we just find the tsundere?

Maybe so, methinks. Also, she is purdy. So sparkly~

Syouko is caught off-guard by that rude comment about her hair the Tsubaki Spirit speaking to her.

Syouko: Eh!?
Tsubaki Spirit: Hmm~, so it seems the language hasn't changed that much. Let me ask you this: is the shogun still Tokugawa?
Syouko: No, that was over a long time ago...
Tsubaki Spirit: ... How many years has it been since Sekigahara?
Syouko: Eh?



Syouko: ... I know that. That happened about four hundred years ago.
Tsubaki Spirit: Four hundred----! It's been four hundred years since Sekigahara?!



The Tsubaki Spirit may not know exactly when she is or what's going on, but she does realize a lot must have changed in that time.

That was true. The decisive Battle of Sekigahara was in 1600. It was four hundred and eight years past the Kamakura Shogunate, whose motto was, "Let's make a good country." From shaved heads to topknots, tachi to uchigatana, noble's clothes from kariginu to kamishimo, firearms were introduced... Huh?

Adding it up, a lot of thing had changed. But, still, the degree of change was different. I wasn't too conscious of it, but in recent times, things have changed too much. When I was born, cell phones weren't as prolific. Now, they could send mail, purchase things, watch TV, and do many other thing besides making a phone call.



Tsubaki Spirit: Such a hurried pace. I haven't changed at all though...

What was this----this strange feeling in my heart? Like an alarm, my pulse quickened. As if something that had slept quietly in me until now, blood that was not mine, suddenly woke with a vigor and started moving. Why----?

Tsubaki Spirit: Every time I wake up, the world has changed, but the changes this time have surprised me a little. I'm like Urashima no Shimako, aren't I? Because things have changed when I wake, gradually it doesn't seem like reality anymore.



Tsubaki Spirit: Or perhaps reality is the dream?
Syouko: I... I feel like I'm seeing a dream right now.
Tsubaki Spirit: You are...? No, am I jut imagining things? I thought I felt a presence from long ago... Ah, I get it. Of course.



Tsubaki Spirit: Has the «Sword» crossed over to the island? What happened to watching over the stepping stones?
Syouko: ... Suten? Perhaps you've got the wrong person...
Tsubaki Spirit: You... aren't a part of Suten? I see... then you can just forget what I just said.
Syouko: Eh?
Tsubaki Spirit: Ah, and also, little girl.

From girl to little girl.

Sorry for the lack of summary, but I love the Tsubaki Spirit methinks this Suten something could have some relevance later.

The sword at her waist was drawn with a horizontal slice. More than a practice swing, it looked like some sort of dance.

Tsubaki Spirit: This is the time inhuman oni dominate...



As the Tsubaki Spirit grins, Syouko notices a "long, white, sharp, predatory fang" that looks "like it could bite through anything." I'm not sure you used enough adjectives, Syouko. Suddenly there's a flash of light.

Was it the reflection of the moonlight off of the Tsubaki Spirit's blade? A shining, golden light flashed in my brain and for a moment, my mind stopped. Was it one second or two? It wasn't more than three I think. It's as if on a clear, spring day. I lost to Morpheus for one instant and my mind was taken far away. That was what it felt like.

Morpheus.



Oh, you mean the Greek god of dreams. Right... Anyway, as Syouko's focuses her eyes again, she sees that the Tsubaki Spirit is gone. She's shaking, but she isn't scared. Then her vision begins to blur.

Why were tears dripping down my face? It wasn't because of fear...



No, that thought wasn't from me. I didn't know that person...





Alright, should Syouko head back to Shoushinji and curl up underneath the blanket? Or should she forge on and find Kyan (i.e. what she set out to do)? What say you, Broken Forum?

Keep going. Certainly she wouldn't get eaten by a hungry oni just for wandering out into the woods at night, alone and unprotected, right? :D

Keep looking! What's the threat of being seaten by oni compared to the chance to grab hold of Kyan?

... I don't think we can die this quite this early...

Not so much an update as it is a heads-up: I resized all of the screenshots, but I only changed the shots on this page. I'm hoping to make it a little easier on slowloading browsers, but I don't want to make them so small that it's pain to read. If they're too little (either to read or to make out the details), let me know and I can switch 'em back.