Part 4: Natsuno Minami 1

This one is gonna be fun.



Chapter 4: Natsuno Minami 1

Music: Good Times (Azusa Chiba)





Nat-chan!



This scene in the hallway is like other scenes, except people are naturally strolling back and forth and it makes grabbing screenshots a massive pain because they can walk in front of the characters, down in front asshole!



(blushing) N-Nothing, really. Just talking about what our dreams were last night.



So, Natsuno is a very fun, energetic character with a lot of interesting emotions and poses. It made the process of getting screenshots for this update even more annoying because every time her animations changed part of me wanted to capture it.

Not especially. Just wondering about stuff. Like if dreams are influenced by the movies we see.

You guys must be having more interesting dreams than I am if they’re worth having so much conversation about. The other night I dreamed about The Little Mermaid? A movie I haven’t seen since I was a child? But I think Flounder was like, a gambler for some reason? And then he got eaten by a bigger fish? You see my point, though—it’s not interesting at all! I’m boring myself just talking about it!



I was just about to bring it to you.




Thanks a bunch. I was super bummed, you know.



That baseball game was going on for freakin’ *ever.*

Even in the age of DVRs, I know all too well the pain of having a show I want to watch preempted by fucking baseball.

Consider UFO Mysteries

(A special series airing on TV… All about the latest UFO discoveries! I’m so glad I got a recording of it.)

Oh, I see. She’s one of those.




It’s a classic.



You can’t talk about aliens without seeing that movie.
I don’t really intend on talking about aliens anyway…

Rude!

Thanks for recording this!
No problem.

Consider E.X.T.

(An alien stranded on Earth establishes a bond with a young boy in this sci-fi movie. It’s a real 1982 classic.)

Ah, we’re doing the ol’ serial-numbers-filed-off on these movie titles, huh? I can dig it.



Ha, Iori looks so bored by this alien crap.




Use UFO Mysteries on Iori Fuyusaka




Yeah, they look like octopuses and want to destroy us all, right?
No, no, no! You’ve got it all wrong. That’s from a book. You’re thinking of “The War of the Worlds.”



There’s no stopping you once you get going on this stuff.



And I’m gonna find a real alien!
You’re gonna have to get better grades in science, then.
Oh man, you’re right…

Consider “The War of the Worlds”

(A classic sci-fi novel, by that one famous writer.)

You know the one. The famous one. The one we can’t name. Yeah, him.

(It features Martians that look like octopuses. They have three-legged weapons called Tripods… And use them to invade the Earth.)



Take your time.
See ya guys!
Bye.




_{Oh, that’s right.
Everyone’s already there.
I just gotta get my stuff.}



Gonna pop in my headphones, turn off all the lights…





It’s neat that you can see Iori briefly pop back out of the classroom here just to keep it consistent. A lot of love and care went into this game.



You still haven’t gotten your new uniform yet?



Yeah, who the hell knows.



Something good on that videotape?
Oh, this?





You’re gonna laugh at me!

Despite this, we cannot proceed until we…

Use UFO Mysteries on Yuki Takamiya




Haha. That explains it.




Of course not. It makes me happy, actually. To know you’re still my Nat-chan.
Hehe. But maybe don’t call me Dr. Space anymore. We’ve outgrown our kid nicknames, don’t you think?
Whatever you say.





So that Kuri gang you beat up. They’re hanging around our school now. What’re you gonna do about it?
Ha! What are you, my mom?




I can take care of my own shit. So beat it, pinhead.



FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT



Aww, do we have to?



You don’t need to start a fight in the middle of the hallway.
I didn’t start anything! She’s the one walking around here like she owns the place.
Come on, you too, Yuki-chan.
……



……





Haha. Don’t worry. That stuff happens all the time to me. Oh, by the way. Can I come watch you practice again today?

So Natsuno’s some kind of athlete?





Better get back to class.
See ya soon!








Hehe.
Get a better time today?



Well, it was kinda windy today. Running against it and all… You know how it is.

Excuses, excuses.

Hahaha.





Me and the manager have to go and talk to the teacher. There’s things to discuss about the next meet. Sorry, but could you handle the clean-up today?



And so we get roped into cleaning up.



Am I the only one still here?

Music: Bad Omen (Mitsuhiro Kaneda)



Another suspicious-looking man… I saw a couple of them in the schoolyard, too. I wonder what they’re doing here. Seems like they’re looking for something.



Wait a minute…



Consider Man in Black Suit



(An organization that monitors alien activity… Maybe…)





Being pursued by relentless men in black… Its only hope is to be rescued by one chosen Earthling…



Yeah, all right. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Dr. Space.





Haven’t seen that uniform before… Wonder what school he goes to?



*sigh*



Don’t want Senpai to get mad.



Music: Halcyon Days (Yoshimi Kudo)



Finally done.

Consider Man in Black Suit

Occasionally, a keyword will “update,” like this one.

(Secret agents, rumored to deal in the extraordinary… And silencing those who witness UFOs. They call them men in black. No one really knows much else.)





Maybe I’ll just go home in my gym clothes.



I *am* pretty sweaty…




Out of nowhere, the basket in the corner shakes…







Music: Sneaking Suspicions (Kikuchi Yukinori)



…… Wait, what if…





There a pervert in here?

There is now! Eyyyyyyy!





What’re you doing barging into the girls’ locker room!?
I heard you scream! Was just comin’ to help. Plus, all those creeps in black suits… I’ve been seeing ‘em everywhere.




Get outta here already!




Before we continue, I chose this opportunity in my game to demonstrate the brilliant “walk-and-think” "mechanic,” where you can ponder your Thought Cloud while moving around. It’s barely anything, but I find it deeply hilarious.



Now back to our scheduled Let’s Play.





This is wild…!







This is just like the movies!

Use E.X.T. on Unidentified Object

Sure, why not? This should be pretty stupid.



You, uh… you sure about that?

Are you an alien from space!? Oh… my god…



Girl, you dumb.




Oh, did I scare you?

Music: Good Times (Azusa Chiba)

It’s okay. I’m your friend. Hm. Can you understand me?





Okay, stay calm…




My dream is finally coming true!



B… J… Eleven…
BJ? Is that your name?

Yes, I’m sure the hi-larious blowjob jokes you’re all furiously typing right now will end war and bring about a new golden age for mankind, but let’s think ourselves above that one, just this once? I’m not saying it’s not funny, because it’s actually extremely fucking funny, but I’ve played this segment before, I’ve seen people play this segment before, rest assured, it’s been done.



Innerlocitor code matched.
Hm?
…Natsuno.
Yeah! That’s me!

Consider BJ

I do this all the ti—No! Stop! Bad!

(His name is BJ. His mission was to protect Earth from other evil aliens.)

Um, what? Getting ahead of yourself a bit there, aren’t you, Natsuno? Don’t tell me this is just your fantasies acting up again.



But is that a space suit you’re wearing? Like, is your brain inside of a jar or something?

Girl, you dumb. This is clearly some manner of robit.



Oh! I think I get it.



Is that why you’re hiding in here?



Those black suits all over campus… It’s just like that one movie! They must be here to capture this alien. The thing they were looking for… This explains it.



I must protect him.



Need… memory cell.
That’s amazing, BJ! Where’d you learn how to speak my language?

You’re treating this “alien” like a particularly smart dog.

Go to… gate.
Gate? I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about.



You need to call your home planet, right? And then a UFO is going to come and rescue you. Don’t worry. I’m going to help you!




This technology is crazy!




I know exactly where that is. It’s a shrine near school.




You can’t just go walking out like that. The black suits would spot you in a second.

Consider BJ’s Destination

(The location BJ pointed out on the map. It’s a shrine nearby the school.)




Yeah, this’ll do the trick!



Consider P.E. Bag



(It can fit more than it looks! …… Maybe he can fit in here too…)




Use P.E. Bag on BJ





I’ll get you to where you need to go. Just hang tight, okay?

How heavy must that bag be right now?









I mean, who would’ve thought somewhere like this… Was really a hub of extraterrestrial alien activity!

A bit redundant there, but I appreciate your enthusiasm.




All right.




BJ just jumps right out of that gym bag.




Music: The Sector Theorem (Kazuki Higashihara)



What *is* all this?



Are these holograms?
Access code approved.



Except in the freakin’ movies!
Designating sector…



This is awesome, BJ!






Music: Power Of Destruction (Mitsuhiro Kaneda)



Don’t leave me behind…



Geez, this is getting pretty crazy even by dream standards. One second we’re at the shrine… Then we’re surrounded by this weird light…




It looks like there was a war…




Communications with major cities around the world have not yet been restored. It is likely that these cities have also come under attack by the same unknown entity that has besieged Japan. Domestically, multiple locales are reporting serious damages. Currently, the unknown enemy has made landfall, swarming a large area across the bay. They are now thought to be headed in the direction of Kasumi-cho, in Sakura Ward.



Wait, no… That’s near our school! Is this… Are we in my town?






It’s quite difficult to comprehend… I see five, six, seven… No, there’s more every time I look. What are they?



Could this really be the end of humanity?



They’re nearly upon us. To all of you watching… Good luck.



We’re in the future? 80 years to be exact… This can’t be real… can it?






Music: IMMINENT (Yoshimi Kudo)








I know what they are.

Consider “The War of the Worlds”



They’re just like the Tripods. Weapons used by aliens to invade Earth. And now they’re destroying my home. Is this really happening? Was Earth really attacked by aliens? Do they want to destroy humanity…?



Why did we come here?
Search… memory cell.
Yeah, I know, but what IS that?



Sentinel… Sentinel No. 17.







Nah, you’re fine.







We end that chapter…



…and get thrust into yet another battle.

Music: (LYSINE) (Mitsuhiro Kaneda)




See? I bet it’s already not even weird anymore that the children are naked. Goddammit.

Doing just fine, Natsuno-san. You’re a natural.
This was his last gift to me. I gotta do this right, so I don’t let him down.

Ominous.

Don’t we have a bunch of bad guys everywhere already? Should we really be deployed all the way out here?
Our Sentinels were designed chiefly for long-range attacks. I was taught that my primary tactic should be long-distance annihilation. Never give them a chance to close in.
So if they *do* get too close, that’s bad news?
Well, we’ve got electromagnetic battering rams for both arms in case of close-quarters combat. But we can’t let them surround us. I don’t know if we could fight our way out of that.
…Okay. Got it.





Stay calm, Natsuno-san. Get a clear look at the opposing forces. The enemy may have more numbers than us… but we can hit them all in one fell swoop.
Miura-kun, I’m… I’m kinda shook up here…
We’ll be okay… We can use the electromagnetic rounds. Shake *them* up instead.



…!





So, we have two 3rd-generation Sentinels on the field. These, as Miura said, are designed primarily for long-range encounters. They’re also probably the weakest Sentinels overall, but I’m getting a bit ahead of myself there. They’ll do just fine for our purposes here.

We have to use Miura’s railgun here, which shoots a giant fuckoff laser beam. One thing I never mentioned is that multi-hit attacks can only damage one enemy per hit. The “Main Battery Heavy Railgun” only technically hits once and therefore does not have this problem. It’s also got kind of obscene range, able to hit the vast majority of the battlefield from where Miura is positioned. For now, let’s just shoot the obvious shot.






That electromagnetic round has the power of a salvo from 46 cm battleship-mounted cannons. But a weapon that powerful comes with high energy costs, and high risks to match. If you don’t use it carefully, you might end up out of power at the worst possible moment.
Uh, roger that…!






Now, we just use Natsuno and Miura to mop up these enemies. There’s some slight differences between the movesets of their Sentinels, but we’ll get to that later.



For a first-time pilot, those were some impressive moves out there.
Couldn’t have done it without you, Miura-kun.



What? There’s more? How many of these guys are there?



Let me check the Sentinel’s data. Maybe we have a dossier in here somewhere.



It’s coming, Miura-kun… do we attack?
Wait, I think we have new enemies inbound… Actually, isn’t that…?
Sentinels No. 13 and 15… Are they friendly?



What? Juro-kun!? You’re in a Sentinel, too?
It IS you, Nat-chan! We’re here to help!
No way! You too, Iori!? What’s going on…?
Thank you, Juro-kun. I couldn’t have asked for better support.
We have to defend the terminal until the systems activate…
Nat-chan, let’s do this together!







For the rest of this battle we now have Iori and Juro to help us, neat.

Now, Iori and Juro are actually both in 2nd-gen models if you’ll recall, but only Iori has any support armaments equipped at the moment. We’ll plop down a sentry or two. They should help clean up the stragglers, even if they don’t have quite the range of a standard railgun.

Just how useful do you think sentries are going to be in this game? Go on, answer. Wrong. You underestimated. I’m getting ahead of myself again, though. All in good time.





This may say missiles can be evaded, but 80% of the time they’re going to target the terminal directly, so you’re generally going to want to intercept them.



Here’s a good shot of two sentries firing off at once to finish the last enemy in the stage.



I can’t see any more kaiju around… Is that it? Did we beat them?
…Looks like it…
No, this is still just the beginning. If they can’t use this terminal, they’ll just move on to the next one.
…If that’s true… The more targets they lose, the more desperate our enemies will get… and the harder they’ll fight.
Yeah… These battles are only going to get tougher.
Seriously…?





Natsuno Minami is… look, she’s great. I love her. She’s voiced by Erica Mendez, known for roles like Gon from Hunter x Hunter, Emma in The Promised Neverland, and Ryuko from Kill la Kill. That last one is especially relevant on the subject of works that are horny for the anime teens. Anyway, she’s pretty prolific, I could go all day listing roles of hers. Like, I didn’t even mention that she’s Bernie from Fire Emblem!