Part 52: 08/17/09 - 08/31/09: The Butterfly Effect

I'm sure you'll be ever-so-surprised to discover that this month we'll be spending a lot of time with Koromaru.

After School



.....

> Koromaru is scratching himself with his hind leg...



> Fuuka came in...

Fleas!?
Woof...

> Koromaru seems a little displeased...

Oh, I know! I bought something the other day...
Wait right here.

> Fuuka came back carrying something...



Koro-chan, would you like us to brush your fur?
Arf!

> Koromaru seems happy...

> You decided to brush Koromaru with Fuuka...



Does that feel good?
Arf!

> Koromaru seems content...

*giggle* Koro-chan seems happy.
Woof.

> Koromaru's fur seems a little softer now...

> He seems happy too...





> ...?

> Koromaru suddenly got up and backed up...

Koro-chan, do you not like your stomach being touched?
.....

> You spent a peaceful moment with Koromaru...

Silence



We'll be mostly skipping over the film festival, naturally, but there are a few small ones to at least give a small look at.

A Way of Life



Let's go grab some seats.





Watching three movies in a row was a little much... I wonder how many times the Earth got overrun...
They were fun to watch, though. And everyone was happy in the end, too.
Well, let's go home.

> After saying goodbye to Rio, you decided to go back to the dorm.

There's really not much to 'em, since the film festival scenes are short and all...



But a couple of the Portable exclusive scenes are still useful for S.Link stuff. Social Stat stuff is still pretty irrelevant for the most part, though.



*chuckle* I already bought a program. I couldn't contain myself.
C'mon, let's go.





I almost yelped when that bear was catching fish.
*chuckle* Silly of me, huh?
Thank you so much for today. I'll see you a school.

> After saying goodbye to Saori, you decided to go back to the dorm.

You'd honestly be forgiven for thinking these are the only two new film festival scenes. There is a couple more, though...



But first, we gotta hang out with Koromaru. Because of course we're gonna do that.

After School



> There's a ball at Koromaru's feet...

Arf!

> Koromaru seems happy.

> It seems he wants you to throw it and play with him...

> ...You pick it up and throw it.

Woof!

> Koromaru happily went to fetch it.

> ...He brought it back in his mouth.

Good boy!
Woof!

> Koromaru seems happy...

> You threw the ball a number of times...



Arf!
Hey, do you think Koro-chan is still young?
I think he's still young.
I think so too. He's really agile.
The other day, I asked Aigis too how old Koro-chan is.



...That makes sense, though.
I doubt Koro-chan has a sense of how many years and months it's been since he was born.
......

> Koromaru is looking up with glassy eyes...



...There must be a lot only he knew about.
I hope we can take the priest's place someday...
.....

> Koromaru is quietly looking at you...

> When you pat his head, he squints his eyes happily...

> Your bond with Koromaru has gotten a little stronger.





> Koromaru is yawning...

> You spent a moment of peace with Koromaru...

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



I know I normally gloss over when Theo calls to tell us about someone new in Tartarus, but...

I've heard there is an event underway in your world now, called a "film festival"...
I'd be intrigued to see this for myself. Do you have any interest in accompanying me?
Of course!
Thank you very much. I shall see you at the appointed time, then.

A Way of Life



I feel that I'll learn something new... I'm looking forward to this.





Most of it, in truth...
However...
For some reason... it pained me inside.
I do not understand the implications behind this...
......
Something to keep my mind occupied for a while, at any rate.
Thank you very much for today. Please allow me to escort you back.

> Theo escorted you back to the dorm.

So, yeah, in this version you get a chance to have a movie date with Elizabeth or Theo. It's not as good as Koromaru's was, but that's an unfair comparison...

Iwatodai Dorm



Have you heard about the film festival? The theater by the train station holds one every year.
I tried inviting the others just now, but it seems no one is interested...
The theme this year is so exciting, too...

> It seems Ikutsuki really wants to go to the film festival.

I can go with you.
Really?
...I wonder if I'll get in trouble if I go to the movies with a student.
...Oh, well, it's summer vacation!
Let's go, then. I'll pay for your ticket, of course.

A Way of Life



It's rare that movies like this are all played at once.
I hope that you enjoy them as much as I will.





The listings emphasized the way they'd present the origin of modernism, but they even showed silent films!
That exchange at the station was intriguing. It was clearly influenced by western literature, and...

> Ikutsuki is talking by himself...

Hm? What's the matter? Why so quiet?
Was it a bit much for you, seeing so many difficult movies all in a row?
Hmm... perhaps it's best to see movies about modernism in modern-ation!
......
Well then, let's go back.

> You decided to go back to the dorm with Ikutsuki.

Even Ikutsuki gets a movie scene this time around! It's basically just a vehicle for a new awful pun, though.



Not much else left to the month, so we'll just hang out with Koromaru a whole bunch.

After School



> Koromaru seems happy.



> Koromaru suddenly started growling...

> Someone is coming from the other direction...



> ...It's Mr. Ono.

Whoa!
Oh, it's a student...
Wait, that's a dog!

> Mr. Ono is staring at Koromaru...

Yes, he's a dog...
Hey... Shiomi, was it?
Shiomi, is this your dog!?
Yes.



Please! Just lend him to me!
What for...?
I lost something important! Dogs are great at looking for stuff!
Now listen here... a warlord of the Sengoku era didn't think of dogs as pets, but...

> You don't really understand what's going on, but Mr. Ono seems desperate...

> It seems he wants Koromaru to look for something he lost...

Arf.
Can you do it, boy?
Woof!



Ooh, he's gonna help me!?
Really!? Seriously!? Oh, thank you!
Tell you what, if he finds it, I'll let you know what'll be on the next test!
I lost a USB memory stick.
Do you know what those are? You connect them to a computer...

> ...Mr. Ono is explaining to Koromaru.

> Koromaru is listening patiently...

I don't care about the data on it. It's just stupid things like test questions.
...But it's important to me.
You can find it by its smell, right? It smells like this!

> Mr. Ono is pushing his help at Koromaru...

> Koromaru seems a little annoyed...



Don't give him new names.
Don't tell me you don't know Toshitsune Maeda!
Listen well... during the Azuchi-omoyama period, Toshitsune Maeda was...

> ...There he goes again.

> Koromaru is sniffing around, not listening at all...

Woof!



Oh, go get it, Inuchiyo!
Arf...



Woof!

> Koromaru pulled something out with his teeth...

> .....?



That's it! That's the one!
Ooh, did I just sound like a Sengoku warlord?
Goodness, though, I'm so relieved...
...But that's a katana. You said it was a...
It IS a memory stick! Look!

> Mr. Ono pulled out the katana!

> ...There's something small projecting out instead of a blade.

> ...It looks like it can be inserted into a computer.

This is-- look here, right here!



This was special ordered! I wouldn't have been able to sleep without it.
And I've been invited to a wedding, so I'd be embarrassed to go unarmed!
Why a katana, though?



But I'm a samurai at heart. As a teacher, I need to have one...

> ...He's going on and on.

I'm sure the kids who found this were playing a sword-fight with it.



I think that if this was a real katana, and children were playing with it... it breaking would be the least of your worries. Fucking hell, Ono.

.....

> Koromaru is sitting patiently...

Now, to show my gratitude, I should tell you what'll be on the next test.
Now listen carefully. I'm giving you a real big hint.
...Study the Sengoku period.

> Mr. Ono told you in a small voice...

> Mr. Ono leaves...



Thanks.
Woof!

> Koromaru seems happy...

> When you pat his head, he's squinting his eyes pleasantly...

> You feel like your bond with Koromaru has gotten stronger...





*sneeze*

> Koromaru is sneezing...

> The sand from the sandbox seems to have gotten in his nose.

> You spent a moment of peace with Koromaru...



We're approaching the end of summer, so we don't have much in the way of variety available. But that's fine, because we can still spend a buncha evenings with Koromaru!

Warm Feeling



> Koromaru seems happy.

Arf.

> Someone is coming from the direction Koromaru is looking in...

> ...It's a woman you've seen before.



> ...You seem to recall this is the woman who told you about Koromaru's past when you first met him.

So this dog's still here.
Oh, haven't you heard? The priest here used to take care of this dog...

> She repeated the story you were told before...

But if he's still here, he must not be able to forget about that priest.
I feel kind of sorry for him...



Too bad there's nothing like that I can think of...
...Oh, I was on my way to go buy miso. Well then.

> ...The woman left.



> Koromaru is sitting patiently...

We're with you.
.....

> Koromaru is staring up at you...

Arf.

> Koromaru went back into the shrine...



Awoooo!

> Koromaru howled towards the shrine...

> Other dogs return the howl from every direction...

Saying hi to the priest?
...Arf.

> Koromaru is sitting quietly, facing the shrine...

> You can't understand Koromaru's speech...

> But you feel as if you've come to understand him...





> Koromaru has turned around to look at you...

> You spent a quiet moment with Koromaru...

Koromaru's link might not seem all that complex, because he is a good dog and best friend, but even he has stuff he worries about.



Requisite Tartarus interlude to rescue a couple more folks before the full moon. First is an old lady on the 95th floor.



Second is someone on floor 101. I don't think this one was nabbed by Shadows, though; I think someone wanted rid of 'em and this was the result.



That's it for Tartarus stuff. We're back to hanging out with Koromaru to close out the month!

After School



> Koromaru seems happy...

Silence



> .....?

> Koromaru suddenly started growling towards the shrine...

This Mysterious Feeling

> ...You hear voices.

Man's Voice: I heard this place's totally haunted! C'mon, let's go in.
Woman's Voice: No way, I'm scared! You're up to something funny, aren't you?
Man's Voice: Dammit, it's locked... Guess we'll have to break down the door.

> .....!?

> Someone's trying to break into the main temple.

*bark*

> Koromaru darted towards the voices!



Grrr...

Tanned Man: Where's the cops and the pound!? It's their job to kill off stray dogs!

> ...You finally caught up.

What're you doing?



Time to call the cops.

Tanned Man: Wh-What?
Tacky Woman: ...What's her problem? C'mon, let's just go.
Tanned Man: Huh? Hey, wait...!

> The two left...

Warm Feeling



> Koromaru is on guard as he watches the two leave...

It's all right now.



> Koromaru is wagging his tail...

> In any case, you seem to have done your part to protect the shrine.

Arf.

> Koromaru is nuzzling you with his head...

> You feel as if Koromaru is thanking you...





> Koromaru is tugging you on, so you decide to continue walking him.