Part 94: Chapter 4 Daily Life, Part 10

: Free time again. Let's see who's available to talk with today. Kyoko is still pissed at us and we've finished Byakuya's Free Time Events completely so both of them are unavailable.



: Sakura's no longer in her room and can be found at the Chem Lab. Let's see what she's up to.



: I'm not sure I'm ready to open up just yet... Maybe if you create the right opportunity...



> Spend some time with Sakura



: Even if I don't feel like talking...? You'll still stand by me?
: I still don't understand you, Makoto...

Without saying a word, I stood by Sakura... Sakura and I grew a little closer today.



> Yes, definitely



Mac's Gloves: A pair of boxing gloves infused with a staggering amount of passion and effort. Wearing them makes you want to throw a thousand cross-counters.



: I never imagined a boy would want to give me anything... I'm a little embarrassed, but also very happy.

I get the impression that she liked it. That's good...



: And then the game kicks us back to our room. Yep! Sakura's actually in no mood to do a Free Time Event but I enjoyed that little bit of dialogue enough that I wanted to include it here.



: One game reload later, here's who we're actually going to be talking with today. Get ready for some fun conversations.



: Well well, Makoto! What's goin' on?



> Spend some time with Hiro



: You wanna go grab a bite to eat in the dining hall? I'll teach you where all the best power spots are!

Hiro taught me about all the best power spots... Hiro and I grew a little closer today.



> Yes, definitely



Royal Curry: A curry pack made for kids. It's made with expensive, high-quality ingredients you wouldn't expect from a kid's food.



: Whoa! I've always wanted one of these!
: My God, my Buddha, my Makoto! I'll never forget what you've done for me!

I get the impression he liked it. That's good...



: Hey, Makoto. You know what I think? You and me meeting like this? It wasn't coincidence.
: So I've got some good news for you! I'm gonna give you a psychic reading at a huge discount!
: A discount...?





: Normally it's a thousand bucks for two hours. But for you? Let's call it nine hundred!
: That's only a hundred-dollar discount! And even then it's way too expensive!
: Hey, come on! You should count yourself lucky that the Ultimate Clairvoyant is willing to tell your future!
: ...So are you right pretty often?
: I sure am! At the bare minimum, I've got a 20% chance of accuracy!

20%? That sounds pretty sketchy...



: For real? Don't make that face! Didn't you hear what I said!? 20% of the time I'm right, every time! That includes natural disasters, election results, you name it! Don't you realize how amazing that is!?
: Umm...
: Okay, fine! I'll give you a special trial run! After all, I've already seen what the future has in store for you!
: What!? When did you see it!?



: Heh heh heh. You won't believe what I saw... It would appear that the mother of your children, and the mother of *my* children, are the same woman!
: I refuse! Denied! Don't like it!
: Doesn't matter if you don't like it! That's just the way it is.
: ...20% accuracy, you said?
: At least.

I-I pray to everything holy that you're wrong! Please, be wrong!



: Now then, since that was a special trial run, I'm afraid I can't apply the discount. That'll be one thousand dollars, please! Don't worry, you can pay me after we get outta here.
: W-Wait, hold on--! But there's no way you're gonna be right, right!?
: If you like, I can do a reading right now to see whether my reading was right or not. Naturally, additional fees will apply!
: Think about it, okay? Let me know as soon as you're ready for my services! Hahaha! *leaves*





Oh...he's gone... Do I have enough in my bank account to take another crack at it...?

: ...No! I can't bring myself to pay for something like that!

I can see how people could fall into that kind of cycle, though. That was close...

: Please, whoever's listening, I'm begging you... Whatever else happens, don't let him be right...!

: This event unlocks the skill Lost in Thought.



Once we were all done, I headed back to my room for a little while...



I have plenty of time... I don't feel like just sitting here. I should go somewhere...



: We're going to continue with Hiro for the time being.



: I had a dream last night... I saw that the spirit world was going to flood us with energy and save us from this school nightmare!
: It's a prophecy! Take heart, my man!



> Spend some time with Hiro



: Oh, I've got something I wanted to show you! I got the stigmata...on my back!
: Heh-heh-heh. It's a gift from the gods!

Hiro showed me a scar on his back, though I didn't really get what it meant... Hiro and I grew a little closer today.



> Yes, definitely



Leaf Covering: A loincloth meant to emphasize one's manliness. Its simple design features a single leaf overlaid on white cloth.

: That's real nice of you, man! I'll gladly take it.

I get the impression that he liked it. That's good...





: Hey, Makoto! What's up, my brother and fellow mother lover? Let's raise our semi-siblings up right, okay!?
: S-Stop talking about that...
: So! You ready for the next round!?
: Never! ...Actually, how do you do your fortune-telling, anyway? I saw you doing palm readings and stuff, and you didn't use any tools or anything...
: Wow, I didn't know you knew about divination tools! Sounds like you know your way around the spirit world!
: Er, I'm not sure you need to know that much to know about those kinda tools.



: Now that I know you're an expert, I have a question for you! A correct answer gets you another discount!
: No thanks...
: There are 22 cards known as the Major Arcana, and 56 cards known as the Minor Arcana... Generally, the cards from the major Arcana are used for divination. Do you know what I'm talking about!?

The Major and Minor Arcana... And the Major Arcana cards are used to tell the future... That must be...



> Tarot

: Oh, I know! You're talking about tarot cards!



: Ahh, gloriously correct! I will now tell your fortune for a measly six hundred bones!
: Wow, really? ...Is something I'd never say! I've had enough fortune-telling for one lifetime...
: I see... Well, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me!
: Sure thing. Anyway, getting back to what I asked you about before... If you don't use any tools or whatever, how do you do your fortune-telling?



: Well, don't be fooled. I have my own techniques. For example, I employ numerology!
: It uses a mathematical formula to predict the future based on birth dates, letter numbering, all that.
: But...I didn't see you doing anything like that, either.
: Well, it's more of an inspirational style of fortune-telling! Some kind of unknown power just acts through you, and suddenly, bam! You've got the info!
: You're talking about intuition!



: Don't try and describe it using such a cheesy word!
: But if it's not intuition, then it's gotta be some kind of supernatural power...
: Don't compare my clairvoyance to some occult bullcrap! I hate the occult! Take that crap somewhere else!
: You hate the occult...?



: Yup! Now here's some good news. Act now, and I'll throw in an extra bonus on your reading! I used white magic to record a CD of spirit messages I received from the luxury suite of heaven! Five seconds of this baby, and you'll be witnessing miracles and communing with angels for days!
: And you said you...hate the occult...?
: Hey, business is business!

The more I talk to him, the less I understand...

: This conversation gives us SP+1.



I shook off Hiro's sales pitch, and headed back to my room for a while.





*Ding dong, bing bong*





: Mm, ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the dining hall will be locked, and entry at that point is strictly prohibited. Okay then...sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite...





Nighttime already... Tonight feels somehow...uneasy. We still haven't settled things with Sakura. Everyone's in a terrible mood. I just hope nothing happens tonight...







: After I declined the offer to become a shrimp, the tech support lady just refused to drop the issue. Once the shrimp idea was dead, she came back suggesting I should become a crab instead. How much can one person love crustaceans!? I said no, of course, and she shot back... "Okay, then how about to make you extra special, you can be a crab that walks sideways AND backwards!" But how's that any better!? I don't wanna go sideways of backwards! I wanna go FORWARD! I heard her annoyed sigh on the other end of the line, then she said... "You just don't see the splendor of the crab. Haven't you ever heard of The Tale of the Crab and the Monkey?" Of course I've heard of it! I know all about it! But so what!? The crab beats the monkey, but it's just some legend. Hardly relevant to our greed-obsessed modern society! Sure, *monkeys* still show up in movies and stuff from time to time, but not crabs! Monkey-themed clothes are sweeping the fashion world, but the crab doesn't stand a chance, right? What I'm saying is, crabs have no place in today's light-speed world! Do your market research, lady! Which is why I chose the always-popular bear image. And that's the secret origin story of Monokuma...