Part 3: Finding Out about the News

Music: Shadowy Men


This is the questions screen. The notebook icon lets us see our notes while the bag icon lets us show our items. There's reactions to be had from these.

Read note
What's that you're lookin' at?
Write note
Hey, what are you writing?
Show room 202 key
That ain't mine.
Show pager
That's your pager, right? I guess they're cool, but I'd have no use for one.

We can also ask our questions, which is what we're going to do now.

What letter?

What letter are you talking about?
Man, I'm talking about the letter Mags Patrice sent out.
It was all made plain and simple in there.
Which letter would that be?
Tell me you got the letter? We all got them about a week ago.
Everyone in the building got one.
First I've heard of it.
You serious? You haven't read the letter?
And you call me irresponsible. What a joke.
Can it, Tony. What are you talking about?
Do you even check your mailbox? Ever? Why am I even asking? Last time I snuck a peek, yours was packed solid.
Let's just say, I'm not the kind of guy who has pen pals.
Bills and other junk, they don't deserve my time.
Sloppy, real sloppy. You're lucky to hold down a job with an attitude like that.



Something is extremely wrong if Tony is lecturing you.

What's my job got to do with this?
Let's get back on track. What exactly did this letter say?
Told us all to gather our stuff and clear out.



No reason, nothing?
Apparently, our lovely landlady threw in the towel and decided to sell up. Place's gonna get knocked down is what I heard.
(What a day. First Ed drops the bombshell... Then I hear this place is being sold.)

Today is a very bad day for Kyle.

"Hey guys!"

There's a voice coming from the stairs. Looks like someone's coming down.

Hey!



Music: Dancing Cat


She is...expressive.



Tony sure seems happy to see her. He sure won't be like this if Kyle is the one to greet him.

You're looking your usual fine self!
Always the gentleman.
Hello, Mr Hyde.
Is everything okay?



Betty is basically

(Rents room 203 and sells trinkets in a little accessory shop nearby. Always polite to everyone. Can't say I'm her biggest fan, though...)
So, what are you guys talking about?
Get this. Señor Hyde here didn't know about the big eviction!
Really? I thought everyone knew.
Except me, apparently. Tony was just filling me in.
Hyde being less informed than me! You couldn't make this stuff up!
Claims he never even saw the letter. Would've just gone about his normal routine if I hadn't broken the news.



Great. Kyle not looking at his mailbox gives Tony a chance to show off.



Betty looks like she's high.

Yeah, that's right. Laugh it up.
Oh, I'm sorry. But you have to admit, it's pretty ironic.
Now I think about it, it kind of fits in nicely with your personality.
My personality?
Type B, Mr Hyde. You always act so focused. Then again, I guess we all have our quirks.

Ah, the Japanese tradition of blood type affecting personality. Betty does sound like the person who would be into that kind of stuff, though.

No, that's not actually about blood type.


Enough of the character profiling, doc.
(They always act like we're sharing a college dorm or something. But the truth is, we barely even know each other around here.)
Hey, Betty, you got a place lined up for after you move out?
What do you mean?
You know, like somewhere to stay.
Oh that, yeah, I'm all set.
Lease is signed and sealed. In fact, I'll be out of here next week.
Wastin' no time, eh? So where're you gonna be living from now on?
Why'd you keep it all to yourself? We're buddies, aren't we?



Betty might be polite, but that doesn't mean she'll give in to Tony's bullshit.

If I go giving away my new digs...



No, that's someone else we'll be seeing this game.

Me? Lurking?





Tony totally deserved it.

Okay, I get it, Betty.
But hey, our friendship's just blossoming... If we work at it, it could become a thing of beauty.





Tony is basically a way shittier Louie. That's not saying a whole lot considering how great Louie is, but my point stands. Speaking of Louie, this is why Kyle was refusing to lend Louie money that one time in Hotel Dusk.



At least Betty is still smart enough to reject him directly. He's the type who'll always come back if she didn't say it to his face.

Anyway, I've got to dash. Don't want to be late for my date.
Catch you guys later!



This game uses the portrait of a character facing a door and the door opening sound effect to signify them going out instead of just saying "xxx goes out of the room." That means we'll miss out on something like "Tony stomps off in search of justice and money."

Music: Shadowy Men
Damn, looks like I blew my chances.
You think?
She's got no idea of the heartache she causes... Just casts me aside like I'm not even there.

He's also the type who won't give up, annoying everyone else around him. Also, she can't cast you aside if she acts like you're not even there.

Face it, Tony, you don't exactly exude charisma.
Yeah, thanks for that, friend. Way to kick a man when he's down, right?
Sometimes I wonder when I'm gonna get myself out of this rut. Can't even drown my sorrows in a bottle without any cash. I don't know. Maybe I'll go for a stroll. Take in the night air.

You should try working in a bar!

Later, man.



We're dumped in the map screen now. Let's examine the mailbox...





Ah, hello, Mr Hyde.

New Music: Blue Lady
May I have a word?
Mrs Patrice...

I keep putting a dot after Mr or Mrs due to habit...



Margaret is basically

(Owner of Cape West Apartments and lives here on the first floor. Took over when this place was a run-down hotel and fixed it up into apartments. To the locals, she's known as Mags.)
I could have sworn I heard Mr Wolf's voice a moment ago...
He was here. You just missed him. He was ranting about needing some fresh air.
Oh, is that so?



The game has told you what to do so I don't have to. Every time we enquire, we'll be given a choice, so every enquire options are 3-way choices. Just assume that I pressed them unless stated otherwise.

Hey...



What's a shame?

What's a shame?
It's not like he's busy 24/7. Isn't he always skulking around?
Not as much as you seem to think.
In fact, Mr. Wolf's being quite elusive these days.
I really do need to discuss a pressing matter with him right away.

(A pressing matter?)

This is how I'm going to notate when we got a question. The difference between getting and asking the questions:
1. Asking is notated with bold while getting questions are notated with brackets.
2. The question mark is on the left while asking but on the right while getting them.



Read note
Just what is that book you're staring at, Mr Hyde?
Write note
I must say, I'm rather surprised to see you taking notes on our conversation.
Show room 202 key
I believe this is the key to your apartment, is it not?
Show pager
I see you have a pager.