Part 45: Tooth, Part 1

At last, it's time to begin Book of Shadows' seventh and final chapter: Tooth. Not every chapter was a knock-out, but Book of Shadows knows to end on a high note.







Hmm? What's tomorrow?
...Please tell me I can kick you.
Absolutely not. So what's happening tomorrow?

Sound Effect: Thump



Hmph. It's your own damned fault for forgetting!

Sound Effect: Thump

Oww! Stop, please! If I've forgotten something important, I sincerely apologize...so just tell me what it is already! Use your words, not your feet!

Music: Great Friends

It's this room. Spring cleaning? I mean, it's full of balls! Is this a storage shed or something? How long has it even been since the sports festival?!
Oh yeah, that's right... You were asking to schedule a cleaning day...

Sound Effect: Thump



You completely put it out of your mind, didn't you?
No, I swear I penciled it in somewhere. Your recommendations are important to me and to the student council as a wh--
You're a person, not a corporation. Talk like one.
...Fine. I forgot, okay? It's not like I don't have enough on my plate as it is, though. Do you have any idea how much I'm expected to do?! ...I'm sorry.



What's your problem, anyw-- ...Wait...what?
Tough love from your trusted clerk. Sometimes, you just have to admit your mistakes and move on! Though the manly approach to presidency has its merits too.
Mitsuki...
Just make sure you keep at it. Desertion is not an option! Don't think you can run away from your post if the going gets tough...you got that?!
Rngh... Y-Yeah. I got it.



Like hell. I'm not giving her up to the likes of you! Besides, you've got that Nana girl, right? Don't you dare two-time her!
You're so clueless. It only really gets good once you've got at least three girls. Everybody knows that!
Sounds like you guys are having fun. Is that a game?



What?!
I'm glad you're enjoying your little romp... but keep it to one girl, you lowlifes!

Sound Effect: Thump

Oww!
You two remember what tomorrow is, right?



...! Hoo boy...

Music: None



Sound Effect: School Bell





My name is Tohko Kirisaki. I'd been waffling for quite some time on whether or not to say anything...but finally, I decided to bite the bullet and ask his best friend, Kurosaki.

Music: All Together



Hmm? No, I'm pretty sure he's single. Why?
Well, uhh...heh...I kinda might have my sights set on him, I guess?
Seriously?! Wow, that's great news! I'll definitely be rooting for you! ...Oh, but...
...?



Hmmm... But I hear that despite his obvious popularity with the ladies, he's never once so much as touched anyone.
Isn't that kind of a bad sign, though?
No, quite the contrary. It gives him a nice, clean image.
Oh-ho.



I figured I'd come to him for all the information I needed in my conquest, since he was pretty much guaranteed to know Yuuya's dating history. And so far, things seemed to be going really well. I mean, not only did I confirm Yuuya wasn't seeing anyone, but I got his best friend's blessing, too! And confirmed that he really wasn't the showy, obnoxious cool-guy type. Hee hee... That suited me just fine!



Ack...!

Kurosaki was understandably rather startled by the extraordinarily agitated female voice that suddenly rang out from behind his head. But that's Hellgirl Mitsuki for you! Heh. She was standing in the classroom doorway, arms folded across her chest, looking like some angry deity about to cast judgment down upon the world. And she had that deathly gleam in her eyes... the one that could fell the mightiest warrior before he even had a chance to draw his sword.

Didn't I tell you today was spring cleaning in the student council room?!
A-And I told you I can't, because I have club today. Come on, Fukuroi, back me up here!



Whaaat?!

Yeah, this was definitely Hellgirl's work. All the complexion was gone from Fukuroi's face. He was a man with a demon on his back...whip at the ready, fully prepared to bring divine punishment upon all who opposed her. He was right; it was easier just to give in.

*giggle* This sounds like fun! Can I join you guys?
Oho! By all means. The more, the merrier!

Mitsuki then grabbed the nape of Kurosaki's neck and began dragging him out the door in a decidedly painful-looking manner. He was like a teary-eyed chick caught in the talons of a bird-of-prey, struggling in vain as he was being carried off to meet his grisly end.

You know, I'm not even in the student council...



I was a volunteer, after all, so I was pretty much off the hook here. I could follow them at my own pace. No dragging for me!



Or rather, I did. As in, I literally ran into him. I wasn't watching where I was going, and wound up slamming into him so hard that I fell over. Immediately, he reached out his hand to help me up and asked if I was all right. Now that's a white knight if ever I've seen one!

What a fun evening this would be. I imagined it ending with me lying in bed, dreaming of Yuuya's perfect face inching ever closer to mine. But instead...


Music: Terror



A-Are you okay, Tohko?
*pant* *pant* ...Y-Yeah... *cough*
It'll be all right. You'll feel better once you get it all out.







Was I right?
I guess...I feel a little better.
That's good. Are you okay to head back and rejoin the others, then?
Y-Yeah.



We're put into control of Tohko, and head out of the bathroom.

Video: Third Floor Hallway

Music: Trouble



Ghhhhlk...kkhhhh...rrrnnggghhh... It hurts! It hurts!
Ryosuke... Ryosuke! God, no... I'll bet it hurts real bad...
I've tied up your knee and thigh joints. That should help stop the bleeding.
And we've got your leg right here, so...don't worry about that.
...Ulgh...
Tohko...



I'd just emerged from the girls' room with Emi after losing my lunch, where Yuuya, Ohkawa, Katayama and Shimada were waiting. The whole hallway was an absolute bloodbath after what had happened.



How is somebody supposed to handle a situation like this? Why did this have to happen at all?

Ouuuaaggghhhh... It hurts! Ghhhhkkkhhh...



Keep quiet! Ryosuke has been very badly injured!
Hehh?! The hell's your problem? You steppin'?!
Stop it, please!
...



We all went to the student council room where we met up with Katayama, Shimada and Emi and started cleaning and goofing around. And then when we were done, Emi suggested we all try out this new charm she discovered on the internet. She's nuts for that kind of stuff. She took out this simple, white paper doll, and we were all kind of fascinated.

So we did as we were instructed...and then suddenly, everything went dark. There was a violent shaking...and then we were here, in this old schoolhouse. No explanation.

...
We need to work together and get out of this horrible place. Let's... Let's try to find an exit.
What about Katayama?
I'll carry him.
Yuuya...



Still, there was a potential problem with this course of action...

W-Wait. What if there are more traps? If you're carrying someone piggyback, you won't be able to react quickly enough to avoid them.
B-But...
I know. We have to. What I'm thinking is, we find a way out and ensure the road between here and there is safe, then come back for Katayama.



I'll agree to that.
Y-Yeah...



Ohkawa was in a state of absolute panic. He just kept muttering to himself at Katayama's side. The two of them had always been extremely close. It's only natural he'd be worried. Though his concern kind of bordered on obsession...

But, uh...who's going to go? We could lose our own legs in the blink of an eye, just walking around in here...
You're the one who said we should find an exit in the first place! So you go!
*sob* *whimper*



Sure, he had a pretty face. That's basically all he had, though. People like him pose as models in men's journals, but they're not good for much else. He got a lot of girls, too, but I'm not one of them. I could never get past his awful attitude. It's such a huge turn-off for me when guys act that way. Not that I don't admire speaking with confidence and force. I try to do it myself, whenever I can. But there's a difference between speaking forcefully and speaking in a way that belittles others. Shimada was basically just cold and uncaring.



Tohko...
I'll go too.
...! Yuuya...

What a difference. Like night and day! Kind, thoughtful people like him don't make flippant remarks. They just man up and get stuff done. I was crushing on him harder than ever...because now, not only did I think he was both cool and hot, I also gained a ton more respect for him.

There's no need for everyone to go. One more person should be plenty. Any takers?



Everybody just looked at one another, then looked away as if they were ashamed of themselves.

I... I... What do I do, Ryosuke? You'll be lonely here all by yourself, won't you?

He was frantically shifting his gaze from one person to another. I'd never seen him so on edge before! Finally, the silence was broken by a loud, shrill male voice. Definitely not whom I would have picked.



...Are you sure it's okay? Kirisaki said she'd go, and she's a girl, so...I...
I said I'm going. You wait here, you good-for-nothing sack. You'd just get in the way, anyway.
...All right. I'll stay here with Ryosuke. Good luck.
Come on. Let's go. If we don't hurry, Katayama could be in real danger.
Tohko... Be careful, okay?
I will.

Music: None



And as long as I had any willpower left in me, I wasn't about to give up. ...Plus, it didn't hurt that Yuuya was with me. So I knew everything was going to turn out just fine!

Video: Third Floor Hallway ends here.

Music: Tooth



We're put into control, and immediately return to the bathroom.



It's a half-decomposed corpse. Unfortunately, it's too far gone to determine age or gender. But there's still a fully intact student ID name tag lodged between two bones, identifying these as the remains of a teenage girl:

Tomomi Morinaga Age: 18
Komashiro Trade School

Member of school newspaper club; always smiled brightly and put everything she had into club promotion and advertising.



And we exit the bathroom. You can also get this corpse the first time you're in the bathroom, before leaving and triggering the cutscene.



Ryosuke! Hang in there! Hang in there!
Rrrnng... Why? Why did this have to happen?




Just sobbing his eyes out and thinkin' he's a good person...it makes me sick!
Well, you still volunteered to scout out an exit in his place, so I know you care at least a little bit. No matter how much you may curse and complain...
...



...? What was so funny about that? I thought I was paying him a compliment. Granted, it was largely just to shut him up, but still... Yuuya didn't seem to think it was funny. Actually, he didn't seem to be paying any attention to anything either of us were saying. He just kept walking. Well, whatever. I picked up my pace a little so I'd be closer to Yuuya, and just kept walking myself. No sense dwelling on it...



That last scene was completely optional, and occurs only if you re-enter the third floor hallway before the next major story event.

And on that note, Tohko, Kizami and Shimada set out to explore Heavenly Host in search of an exit...