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Chapter 14: 4/18-4/20: Bathroom Thoughts
This update covers Part 12 of the original LP (and a teensy bit of Part 13 but whatever).
Evening
Music: Beneath the Mask (Instrumental Version)
You make just one mistake and your life’s over. Instead of hanging around, you should be studying or something. If there aren’t any customers, you can use the shop.
...You don’t need to thank me. I’m just telling you to stay out of trouble. If you’re gonna study, you can use that table. Just don’t leave the place covered in eraser crumbs, all right? Oh, that’s right… One of my customers mentioned that the counter’s a pretty comfortable place to read. Well, your time’s yours to spend. Just make sure it’s after my customers are gone. Or hey, if you wanna clean the shop, I’m not gonna turn you down. The cleaning stuff’s in the bathroom.
So, that little bit was (mostly) new, covering some of the options we have now in Leblanc. We still can’t go out into Yongen proper at night, so we can only spend time inside Leblanc for now.
We can study at the table or read at the counter. That’s nothing new. But, we can also now clean Leblanc to increase our Kindess.
Finally, we can do a crossword to gain Knowledge, and unlike in the original game, this no longer spends time, fuck yes.
Unless you guys really care, I’m not going to re-transcribe every single day’s TV broadcast. Maybe some of them, if they’re funny.
Yeah, let’s just think for a bit.
What the fuck!? Say it ain’t so, there’s actually a way to check on your social stat progress now? Hallelujah! (Granted, it’s a bit vague, only separating it into three tiers of “not close,” “kinda close,” and “very close,” but I still appreciate it)
Let’s do that crossword.
So, this is what we’ve got. This crossword is school-themed and the answer to the main question is blatantly “semesters.” We only need to solve the main prompt, but I’ll show the rest too.
God help those students under the Pesticide Year, yeesh.
Maybe you got a bit smarter after solving those crossword puzzles.
Maaku gains Knowledge +1.
We’re going to comply with Morgana’s wishes and clean up the room today, if only to lull him into a false sense of security. And also because we need to do it to unlock the CRT and be able to feed our plant to raise Kindness, which are obviously less important.
Let’s take good care of this plant so it won’t dry up and wither away.
The bookshelves over there are looking a bit messy. Let’s clean everything up while we’re at it!
Take one, at least. A little bit of effort will go a long way.
Take this, too. Should be an easy read, right?
I wonder why this one is mixed in with all of these difficult books… Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. This room feels a little more comfortable now… And just as I had predicted, we found a treasure, but…
It’d be a waste to just let it sit here though. Is there a place where we can get home appliances for cheap?
So, instead of buying the CRT from the secondhand shop and getting the DVD player as a bonus, we now just find the CRT in our room, but can’t watch anything without a tuner. No points for guessing where we’ll acquire that.
Early Morning
Music: Beneath the Mask (Instrumental Version)
Is there something wrong with me?
(Calm Student) Maybe self-improvement is the answer. Try reading some books. You’ll get more than just some Knowledge out of them, and it’ll make you better in conversation. You’ll be more desirable if you’re more intelligent. It’ll take hard work, though—won’t happen overnight.
Yeah, but books make me sleepy… Guess I can give it a go, though, if it’ll help make me more popular with the ladies!
Popularity leads to intimacy, Vinny!
Uh, is the library where you go to borrow books?
Reading books is an important way to expand your mind.
Why must the world continually mock me?
Early Morning → Morning
Music: So Boring
You must all be shocked by what happened with Suzui-san. It was a shock to me too… Although I can relate to how she felt. Her eyes were devoid of life as they looked upon this sad, hopeless world.
This seems… insensitive at best. Maybe stop talking about the suicide attempt, hm?
Well, I suppose everyone views the world differently. Let’s have a test. You there…! Take a look at this.
Hm… I just can’t tell…
But we can always cheat! Thank you, network functions!
Heh, that’s correct. It seems your eyes see the truth.
Isn’t it strange that they view the same image differently? Humans don’t see the world as it is. We simply process visual information with our brain.
Wow, really?
Hamiru-kun seems kind of smart, doesn’t he?
Wow, you must really smart of be able to answer a question like that!
Maaku gains Knowledge +1.
How you see the world is nothing more than a trick of the mind… It is all mere cognition. There is no proof that the world each of us sees is the same.
How you see the world depends on your brain’s cognition, huh… Optical illusions and the Metaverse might be more similar than you’d think.
Enough, Morgana, you’re confusing me by mixing your pseudoscience with this other pseudoscience.
Morning → After School
Music: Tokyo Emergency
>Still at school.
So am I. Hit me up if you wanna train… been feeling weak lately and I need to get my shit in gear to take down Kamoshida.
(Gossipy Female Student) She was close to Takamaki-senpai. Maybe they were fighting over Mr. Kamoshida?
Wow, that’s crazy! I’m sure he didn’t like getting caught up in that kind of drama, either.
I also heard he got hassled by the new transfer student. Even popular teachers have it tough, huh?
I wish he was the supervisor for my club, too. His reputation would even help when we go job hunting.
(Reserved Cultural Club Member) But maybe he’s got too much power. His student jumped off a building, and the principal did nothing.
Oh, you’re right. Most teachers would get punished for that. Maybe they’re keeping it under wraps…
We’re going to hang with Ryuji today. This is our only option in terms of Confidants, because if you remember (you do not), Takemi’s Rank 2 is gated by Rank 2 Guts.
I realized when we were runnin’ through that Palace that I can’t really move like I used to… So, how ‘bout we do some trainin’? I can’t just sit on my ass here.
Let’s do some quick warm-ups behind the gym then. Go get changed.
Music: What’s Going On?
Back when I was on the track team, this was my secret trainin’ spot.
Actually, I’ve been thinkin’ about tryin’ to run again.
Fightin’ in that other world sucks… Can’t move like I used to. It felt so lame. So I’m gonna build up my muscles again, make my body less flimsy and useless. Maybe then I’ll be more of a help.
But you realize it’s not just gonna be me trainin’ today, right? Why do you think you got changed?
Oh fuck, please no. I have a charlie horse just from standing up right now.
Just do it! No point unless we’re both getting better, right?
I ran around the school with Ryuji…
I don’t really understand the geography of Shujin. It seems to be a fully enclosed courtyard, how did we get outside from here? How is this a good training spot? For that matter, how the fuck did the ambulance get in here?
Music: Alright (Elp Version)
Damn, my leg’s’re all tight… …… Before Kamoshida came along, the track team was the biggest thing this school had goin’ for it.
But everything changed when the Kamoshida Nation attacked.
But he got our coach fired and took over as the sub. All he wanted from the start was to get rid of us. He’d pile on crazy workouts, then even more when we couldn’t do ‘em… Every day with that BS… And I got it the worst.
He knew… He knew I was the kinda guy who’d fight back.
He’d find any excuse to cuss me out. And eventually he brought up my parents…
Is that when you punched him?
…… It’s just me and my mom, you know. When my dad was around, he’d just drink. Sometimes he’d even hit us. And Kamoshida found out somehow and told everyone on the goddamn team… …… Yeah, that’s when I lost it. But he wanted it. It was his excuse to shut down the team. And now all the other guys on the team treat me like a traitor. I cost them their shot at the championship.
>Do you want to go back?
To the track team? Nah… How could I after that? …… C’mon, don’t ask me tough questions like that. I’m not very smart, y’know!
Anyway, all that’s in the past now.
I’m only thinkin’ about the future now! That’s what we’re gonna do—build the future! We gotta think positive thoughts, brother!
The Hulkamaniacs are gonna build the futur—ah fuck, abort joke! I forgot he’s racist!!!
Wait, what the fuck is going on? No Baton Pass at Rank 2 even for Ryuji? What’s up here?
By the way, you’re actually pretty good at runnin’. Not as good as me though!
Later.
Because I condensed some of this event, we didn’t see all the points the dialogue options gave. This is trivially unimportant unless you’re using this LP as some sort of guide (which, you shouldn’t be), but I’m just going to list the choices I picked in events like this one and give the point values for them for sake of transparency. For this event, I picked 1 (+3), 2 (+0), 1(+1).
But man, I’m so outta shape. Felt like I could barely drag my damn legs up the station steps… This would’ve never happened back then. Ugh… I should’ve kept up my running.
We’re only gettin’ started! Let’s keep on runnin’ towards tomorrow! I’m pretty rusty, but even if it got kinda rough, I had fun. And with you here, I get some friendly competition too. Plus we get to talk. So yeah, I’ll catch you later. See ya!
After School → Evening
Music: Beneath the Mask (Instrumental Version)
I’ll know what’s what as soon as I see your grades. Wanna prove you’re turnin’ over a new leaf? Make studying your second biggest habit, after breathing.
Empty your mind of everything that doesn’t have to do with studying. Studying and breathing.
I finished a critique for work, so I am partaking in a moment’s rest. The ambience of my favorite café at closing time… This perfect silence soothes my very soul.
The TV’s on, though.
The customer then leaves.
You’re just on a chair, it’s not that high up…
This is the training tutorial. We’re still probably never going to do this unless we are absolutely out of other options.
Come to think of it, you bought some plant nutrients, right? Why don’t you try using them?
These are some reasonably priced nutrients. This ought to bring a bit of life back to this plant!
Maaku gains Kindness +2.
Now, the guide I was consulting for this actually recommends making infiltration tools tonight, but… we’re out of materials. And we don’t have enough money to buy them anyway even if we could go out and do so right now, which we can’t. And so, two days into this LP, we’re already off the rails!
You won’t have much time for studying when you go out into the world, so study now while you can.
What are you gonna do today, study?
I’m gonna head home. Clean up the place once you’re done, all right?
Music: Break it Down
Maaku gains Knowledge +2.
You’ll tire yourself out if you keep at it for too long. You should stop for today and get some sleep.
Early Morning
Music: Beneath the Mask (Instrumental Version)
And you have a book you haven’t finished yet! Now this is nice. Why don’t you read that book until we get there?
We know how books work, game (though I guess Maaku might not).
Cat, read it to me.
…Really?
OBSCURED FLOOF DETECTED
(Mature-Looking Girl) Get a job, you bum.
Early Morning → Afternoon
Music: So Boring
“We”? I’m the one who pays for everything!
Maybe we need jobs.
Or we could just beat up Shadows until they drop enough money. That works for me.
Where does that money even come from? Isn’t it technically counterfeit?
Shut up! Thinking about this crap makes my head hurt!
Afternoon → After School
Music: Beneath the Mask -Rain (Instrumental Version)
We might not have any revival items, but… let’s fucking do this, I guess.
Find and steal the Treasure and the Palace will crumble. Got it.
Next time, the infiltration.