Part 121: 9/12/09

9/12/09

Woke up this morning with the worst possible news.



Good morning. This is Elizabeth.
I am calling to inform you that another human has strayed into Tartarus.
This time it is only one person. Please perform the rescue with all due speed.
Particularly given that this human is an acquaintance of yours…
Goodbye, now.
> The call ended.

Made even worse because we won’t be quite ready to go into Tartarus until tomorrow.



Kamakura is cool and all, but it can’t beat the Sengoku era!
Have we covered enough of this yet? I can skip over to the Sengoku era, yeah?
All right, let’s take a close look at the Sengoku era, from the beginning.
As you all know, it’s generally agreed that a major factor leading up to the Sengoku era was the Ohnin War in 1467.
After that, the next big event in the Sengoku era’s formation was the Coup of Meiou in 1493.
Let’s look closer at the Ohnin War. In 1467…
…Wow, is time up already? I can’t believe that went by so fast!
We’re only up to 1467, but there’s still a lot to cover… I guess it can’t be helped.
Next time, we’ll jump to 1468.

I think Junpei went to see Chidori again, he’s pretty much there every day anymore.

Video- “Medea’s Power”

Watch

…But, they said we can’t give you back your Evoker.
…I wasn’t expecting them to. That’s why they started watching me in the first place.
Oh, how’s that cut doin’?
…Prolly already healed, huh.
…So, how come you’re not drawing today…?
…Does it matter?
Well, uh, not really…
Huh, your flowers are all dried up… Must be the heat.
Oh, I know. Why don’t I go buy you some new flowers?
What’s your favorite… kind…
Chidori? What’s the matter?
Mm…
> Chidori took the withered flowers and began to concentrate…
Huh…? The flowers…
> The withered flowers in Chidori’s hands began to flourish…
Those are cut flowers, right? Wow… How’d you do that!?
…I made them healthy again.



It’s nothing special.
You have powers too, don’t you?
Well, yeah, I guess…
That’s about all I’ve got going for me.
Without that… I’d be a nobody.
I just talk a big game… pretendin’ like I’m some kinda hero.
But in reality… I don’t know what the hell I’m fighting for…
…or why I’m here at all…
Why…
Why we are here…?
When I was a kid, I had a crazy dream…
…What kind of dream?
That one day, I’d grow up to be a pro baseball player… Pretty stupid, huh?
I guess that’s part of bein’ a kid.
Is that so…?
I don’t remember much from my childhood.



…being surrounded by white.
Huh?
I hate hospitals…
Yeah, me too…
……
I’m sorry…
But, I don’t mind that much this time…
…since you come to see me so often.
Chidori…
I… I understand.
I won’t let you down.

I hung out with Fuuka a bit, made some truffles, had some fun. Then we headed back to the dorm. I watched the news to try and see if I could figure out who was missing.



Newscaster: The yen is now 115.23 to the dollar, up .11 from last time.
…Next up, news regarding yet another missing person report.
Bunkichi Kitamura (80), proprietor of a used bookstore in Minato-ku, has been reported missing.
The police are looking into any leads regarding his location or what may have happened to him.
> There’s a possibility that he may have wandered into Tartarus…
> You must go rescue him…

I’ve already let everyone know we need to be ready tomorrow to go in, I can’t just leave him in there.



Koromaru-san seems to really like it.

Junpei’s been so happy recently, I’m really glad for him.



I sense a feeling of… happiness.
I wonder what happened to him…

I might even be a bit jealous of him, honestly.



But, do you think his relationship with Chidori-san will work out?
She’s a member of Strega, and they’re our enemies.
It’ll work out.
I really hope so.

He’s really found something to live for now.



Yes.
Wow, I never knew you were so deep.

Of course I’ve got plenty to go on for, I’m just being silly.



…?
Do you smell something?
> You do catch a whiff of something noxious…
> It smells like something is burning your nostrils…
Is it coming from over by the counter?

I mean I can’t die before Fuuka finishes learning how to cook. Note to self by the way, don’t let her near meat without supervision.



Huh!? Does it smell!?
……
What’re you doing?
Um… I was trying to make beef stroganoff…
……
What about the roux?
Oh, I didn’t use any! I made it from scratch with flour…
Don’t start acting all proud after you’ve burned it…
Oh, you’re right. This is burnt…
What should I do…?
……
You got any of those ingredients left?
Oh, yes. I bought extra everything…
…I’ll make it. Watch and learn.
Tolstoy… You okay if we have this for dinner?
Actually, I’m really happy!

He tried to downplay it, but Shinjiro really knows what he’s doing in the kitchen.



> Shinjiro is laughing…
I-I’m sorry, Aelita-chan. Weren’t you going to go out with Shinjiro-senpai…?
Hey, let’s get started.
Oh, yes! Please!
> You decided to watch Shinjiro and Fuuka cook dinner.
How much oil did you use?
I didn’t use any. I thought that it would be healthier that way…
…How much red wine did you put in?
I don’t know. I poured it from the bottle until it looked like enough…
…How long did you pour it, then?
Um… Two or three seconds.
……
This meat’s pretty fatty.
Oh, yes. I asked the butcher for the best he had…
……
There’s so much wrong here, I don’t know where to begin…
Huh!?

He’s pretty serious about it too.



Seriously… Don’t you feel bad at all for charring all this food?
…I’m sorry.
Now listen up. Prepare everything beforehand.
Chop everything that needs to be chopped. Measure out all your seasonings, too.
That way, you won’t panic while everything’s cooking.
Y-Yes. Um, memo, memo…
> Shinjiro begins quickly cutting the ingredients while Fuuka writes everything down…
Gotta cook the onions at low heat. They’ll taste better if they’re cooked until they just start to get burned.
Umm, “Onions need to be…”
Put that notepad down and watch me.
Here’s the meat. When you put it in…
> Shinjiro’s hands move swiftly and surely even while showing Fuuka the basic steps…
> …The dish is ready.
> It looks like a picture taken directly from a cookbook…

Oh, another thing to live for: getting to eat Shinjiro’s cooking again.



…Just shut it and eat up before it gets cold.
Thank you for the food!
…Y-Yeah.
> Shinjiro seems a little embarrassed…
> You took a bite.
> …It’s delicious.
> The taste brings back memories…
This is delicious.
Uh…
> Shinjiro looks a little embarrassed…
You’re amazing, Shinjiro-senpai…
I mean, anyone could do something like…
No, they can’t!
Please, teach me again! Promise!
> You ate it all…
> Fuuka insisted that she clean up, so you let her handle it.

It’s weird, he always tries to downplay whatever good he does.



Looks like she made me promise without letting me say anything…
Well… I guess I’ll make something again later.
Why don’t we do a party?
A party? Here?
That’s kind of pushing it…
……
Well, you got a point.
Maybe it’ll be okay to do once in a while…
> Shinjiro didn’t put up much of an argument to that idea…
> You feel like you’re seeing another side of Shinjiro’s personality…

I just wish I knew why.



Well, we’ll talk about that some other time.
I’m gonna go check on Fuuka…
…Too late.
> You and Shinjiro helped Fuuka clean up, then you returned to your room…

Pharos returned again when the Dark Hour came.



Three seasons have passed since we met…
Time goes by quickly, and many things change.
Yet, some things will always remain the same…
…Don’t you agree?
Some things don’t change.
Yes…
If you say so, then it must be.
Talking with you has stirred up certain memories…
…That tower, for instance.
I’ve been thinking about it lately…
I wonder… Will our relationship stay the same…?
Or, will it evolve…?
……
No matter what the future holds, you and I will be friends.
…That is for certain.
> Pharos is smiling sadly for some reason…
> You felt a stronger bond with him…

He’s another one, too many mysterious people in my life. I mean fiction goes on and on about men of mystery but in practice it’s a pain in the ass to know someone like that, let alone multiples.



I’ll come again. Until then, good night…
My dearest…
> Pharos disappeared…