Part 7: M.I.N.T. Mall part 2

Let's continue our foraging through this dismal city!

Last update, Kent had relocated some toy dogs several feet, which was really, vitally important to do.



Here he is, but how do I make him bark?

How indeed, Kent?



Trying to pick up the large glider causes Kent to proclaim he doesn't need it anymore. That didn't stop you from picking up a whole bunch of other objects you don't and never will need, Kent!



These, however, Kent does need.

OK, I have them at last!



Continuing down the mall, Kent comes across a shut-down shop. The roller door is slightly open, though, and Kent swipes a screwdriver from inside.

Titanium-tipped for a longer life! I can just reach it.

Yes, thank you Kent.



That fish looks paranoid!

Even animals recoil in horror when Kent arrives.



I used to read Dazzle all the time. Great articles, candid pictures.

I'm not sure that's something you should be admitting to in mixed public, Kent.



Okay, let's get this show on the road. Kent sticks the Total Clap CD into Brian's stereo system...



..and Brian finally realises that we're in his super secret, private, incriminating back room and pitches a hissy fit at us, haha. Unfortunately, the stereo system doesn't seem to do anything.



What gives, Bri?!

Why doesn't your stereo work, Bri?
There aren't any speakers. Boss took them to stop me airing my stuff.

You were airing your own illegal music, in the shop right next to the Norm trooper? How have you not been uncovered by now?!



Kent heads to the remaining open shop, a fish shop. You might recall Tiddler telling us about this place.



Oh, wow. This guy looks insane even by the lofty standards set so far. Kent decides to offer the man a friendly greeting.

Hey, what's up my lardy pal?
I, huh, huh, hate this place! I'd rather be anywhere else in the whole big wide world than right here right now!

Kent should be used to hearing that people want to be somewhere other than wherever he is by now.

Why don't you take a break?
I can't. I'll get fired. I HATE MY JOB!
Why don't you try for a job elsewhere? You should have no trouble in today's thriving labour market.
Can't do nothin' properly. I'm just a walkin' waste of water! Why I can't even do this simple job right!



The salesman guy then slams his fist into the bench in his distress, causing the lights to short out.



Kent can talk to him again and make him miserable enough to slam the bench a second time...

Excuse me? Why don't you switch the lights back on?
I'll put them back on if you leave me alone.
How can I help you?
Argh!! Go away will ya! I ain't happy! Sob! Sob!



Theeeere we go.



Hanging up here is the shop's speaker. We want it to hook up to Brian's stereo system so we can play Total Clap.



Trying to cut it down with our shears just gets Kent tossed out the store, though. Way to get manhandled by the fat sobbing butcher, Kent.



Heading back inside, Kent decides to look at their food selection. However, they no longer sell any actual food here. Instead, they sell "*FOOD*", a bland, tasteless food substitute produced by Paul Nystalux.



Now Kent can swipe some food, and as long as we get the lights turned off we can even get away with it. But if you walk around for too long, the *FOOD* melts and Kent throws it away. Fortunately, we brought this towel from Kent's apartment that claims to have excellent insulation properties, allowing us to maintain the *FOOD* in it's frozen state indefinitely. I'm not sure how the towel does that, exactly, but let's go with it.

The problem, however, is that the frozen *FOOD* has no in-game purpose. None whatsoever. So we could just have left the towel behind and ignored this whole puzzle altogether. Nooorrrmaaalityyyy



Okay, so we get the salesman dude to bash the lights back out...



...and chop down the speakers.



They've actually been rendered pretty well.



Now we're about ready to put this plan into action. Specifically our plan to play a clapping CD to turn on some toy dogs in order to rile up a real dog sufficiently to make him bark into his bull horn to scare a Norm trooper away from his post so we can spray paint a waffle.

If the above makes sense to you, seek professional help.



Total Clap (0:33) - Kent fires up the CD, and the toy puppies upstairs start yapping and whimpering away, sparking the MANIAC MONGREL into action. He bolts inside and up the stairs, with Norm 2782 waddling behind in tow.



Hahaha, I love this. The dog is just standing there while Norm 2782 goes nuts.



This is one of the most frustrating puzzles of Normality. It's obvious what you want to do here. You want to use the fire extinguisher to paint the sculpture. But you can't. You can't even select the extinguisher.



Okay, so perhaps we need to get Norm 2782 to use the extinguisher. I don't know why, since we've already seen that Kent knows how to turn it on, but whatever. Let's set fire to the statue. But we can't do that either. In fact, Kent ridicules the suggestion.

I don't want to start a fire here, do I?

YES KENT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT TO FUCKING DO! God fucking damn it.



The retarded solution to this puzzle is to use the matches with the FireStarter Book, in order to start the fire. See, because it's a "fire starter" book! Do you get it?!

If you said "this is moronic", then yes, you get it.



Fire (0:24) - Kent starts the blaze, then signals Norm 2782 over, who grabs the extinguisher and completely fails to direct it in any sustained direction. The volley of paint knocks Kent clean through one of the boarded-off doors.



Kent winds up in this dark room. It's a bit hard to see but there is a poster up here.

"Crackers and Asthma". Isn't that Brian's group? What's it doing in here?

Crackers and Asthma, haha. That's actually a pretty good name for a band lead by a complete nigel.



"Crackers"? Crackers and Asthma? Hmmm... I wonder if it's a secret stash of Brian's records?

Nah, he'd probably leave them just sitting out in public view if they were.



This is like something out of a bad cartoon. It's 100% obvious to everyone except Kent what is in those crates.



Oh boy.



Crackers (0:53) - Kent is an idiot, and lights a match in a room full of crates of fire crackers. Then, somehow, he allows the flame to get near some gunpowder, even though the crackers are all stored inside the crates. Unfortunately, Kent survives the explosion, which leaves pretty lights in the night sky to awe the citizens of Neutropolis. Norm 2782, meanwhile, staggers out of the mall with some part of the fire extinguisher lodged into his head. Kent offers to take him to The Den to get him some help.



Haha, you're in the shit now Kent. I see Brian also managed to survive the explosion. He'll take Dai's role of contributing literally nothing to this scene.

This is Norm 2782. He got injured when the Waffle got painted. I reckoned you guys would be able to help him. He's injured and confused.
Well, we'll see what we can do. We don't normally like to have anything to do with his sort.
Now go and complete the rest of your tasks.

Dai actually bothers to speak to us this time, we must be making progress! Kent decides to shoot the shit for a while before heading off.

I met Brian. He's a bit weird. Not really very helpful.

Haha, Kent just rips into Brian even though he's sitting right there.

Yes, he can be a little strange. I guess it's the artistic temperament or something. He tends to resent new members. THat's why we only have, er... three to be exact.

Wait, three? So that's basically you three. This isn't a rebel group. This is a fucking social club.

You plan to undermine the current powerbase with THREE people?!
Well we'll have four if you manage to succeed in your tasks. So hurry, and the revolution could be happening tomorrow!
Yeah, tomorrow.

You'll forgive me if I don't hold my breath here guys. Kent isn't exactly convinced either.

Tomorrow, right! Presuming of course that it's not wash day, or Brian doesn't have a gig or something.
Brian doesn't actually do anything. He's more of a spiritual member of the group. He guides us with his thoughts and music.
Thoughts and music.
Sheesh!

So Brian doesn't do anything, Dai just sits around smoking his pipe and repeating whatever Heather says, and she just sits here surrounded by piles of garbage. Kent's life suddenly seems pretty full by comparison.

Can you tell me about that note now? You went ga-ga when I showed you that, and said "so it might be true". Like someone in a tragic fantasy film.
Well I can't really tell you at the moment. Finish your tasks and I WILL tell you.
Tell you.
OK, I'll try.

Kent decides to ask Heather about the strange gizmos lying around everywhere.

Have you any idea what these are? I've found lots today. They all seem to be hidden inside furniture.
I've seen little crushed up parts similar to these in the trash thrown out of the furniture plant.
So you have an idea then?
Not right now, but leave it with me and I'll try to work out what it does. I have my suspicions already.

Of course, remember that Kent had access to the specs for those gizmos. In fact, he still has access. He could just wander on over there right now, pick them up, and hand them to Heather to study. But he won't. No good reason. He just won't.



Kent heads back to the M.I.N.T. Mall to admire his handiwork. The fireworks are still exploding. They will continue to explode for the remainder of the game, which really shouldn't be happening. Seriously there were only like ten crates in that whole room.



This place is even deader than before. You can pick up the planks of wood here and the rope around the statue, but by the time you can actually use them, Kent will have lost them anyway, so we won't bother for now. If you do, it doesn't matter - they'll just reappear when you need them!



Tomorrow, it's off to the TV Station to air the footage of Brian Deluge, and complete our initiation into this miserable little rebel group! Can Kent pull it off? Read tomorrow to find out!