Part 163: 11/6/09

11/6/09

I think Junpei managed to get to talk to Chidori earlier.

Video- “Chidori”

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Yo, Chidori.
……!
Sorry ‘bout not being able to come lately…
A lot’s been goin’ on.
……
Hey, what’s wrong?
…So, you heard about Takaya and Jin, huh?
I was planning on telling you…
They were your friends, after all.
……
…What, that’s not it?
I’m scared. …It hurts.
Junpei…
What will you be doing in two years…?
Two years?
I dunno. I really haven’t thought about it…
Why do you ask?
Hey, um… I notice you stopped…

I understand it didn’t go well, but more on that later.



Oh… I guess…
That’s good. I mean, you have such beautiful hands…
……!
Don’t touch me!
Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to…
This is too painful…
It used to be fun when you came to visit…
But… it’s different now.
Huh!?
It hurts inside… I can’t breathe…
I… I can’t take this anymore!
Wh-Whaddya mean!? I don’t understand!
Did I do something wrong? Tell me what it is!
Junpei…
Don’t come here anymore!
But… Chidori…
……
……

As school ended, I headed down to the Velvet Room to pick up Elizabeth.

Video- “Elizabeth at School”

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I’ve been expecting you. Shall we be on our way?
> Gekkoukan High School, front gates…

I was counting on this to lift my spirits, and damn if it didn’t.



It comes as quite a shock that such a warm, luminous place transforms into Tartarus each night…
> ……?
> The students going home are looking at you…
Hmm… What should I do…?
Everyone here seems to be wearing a predetermined uniform… I may draw too much attention to myself.
I hope this won’t pose a problem…
Don’t worry.
Understood. I shall heed your advice.
Now then, excuse me as I make myself less conspicuous…
> ……
> Elizabeth moved very close behind you.
……
If I stay hidden from view this way there will be nothing to worry about.
Now… onward, and into the school!

It wasn’t really less conspicuous for her to try and hide behind me but I kind of enjoyed it.



To find a bastion of commerce inside a house of learning…
> Elizabeth is gazing at the school store…
Could you please wait here for a moment? There’s something I’ve been curious about for a while…
Excuse me, I’d like to purchase a “school lunch”…
Vendor: Oh… yes?
> Elizabeth seems to be requesting something unreasonable…
They only sell bread.
I would have liked to taste these “school lunches” in their native environment…
But I’ve heard that having bread for lunch can be a pleasure in itself…
It may prove to be a serendipitous substitute.
> Elizabeth bought a bunch of bread…
Now that we’re done here… I’d like to see your homeroom.

When she’s around I can just, you know, do whatever.



So many desks and students, with such a limited amount of space between them…
But perhaps… Yes, I see. It’s designed this way to foster a sense of harmony with others…
I can feel the careful thought and foresight from whoever arranged things this way.
> For some reason, Elizabeth stood at the podium.
This observation post must be what they call a “podium.”
I see… Standing behind it does cause a longing to teach to well up inside of me…
……
First question!
> …The few students remaining in the classroom immediately turned around.
“Diet Food” or “Super Diet Food”… Which is tastier?
Super Diet Food!
That is correct!
As a reward for giving the correct answer, you will receive your own portion of Super Diet Food.
> Obtained Super Diet Food.
Is this what a classroom lecture is like…? * chuckle *
…I’m feeling rather uneasy with so many eyes on me, so let us move on with the tour.
> You decided to walk around the school with Elizabeth.

I don’t feel like I have to worry about what people think, because she sure doesn’t.



This human-shaped plaster figure…
Were its innards hardened with plaster to prevent him from escaping?
It seems a bit cramped in there…

She just does whatever she feels like at the moment.



I have some knowledge of the piano.
Do you know of the “Velvet Song”?
* In the Velvet Room we sing a song Of our master with a nose so long *
Sing it with me!

She’s not concerned with what might happen next, she just deals with it as it happens.



Haah!
> She is engrossed in the high jump for some reason…

With how uncertain things are right now, I think I need a little of that.



Could this be the famous “break room” where females discuss secret things…?
Now that I have come here… I must discuss secret things with you.
……
“Th-This doesn’t leave this room, but…”
……
“My master always asks to play cards using the deck of Personas…”
……
“It’s soooo lame.”
……
…Would that be the correct way of going about it?
> You walked around the school with Elizabeth.

So yeah, I think I’m going to be okay.



I’d be happy to accompany you again anytime.
……
Although, to be honest… I don’t entirely understand my own motives in wanting to come here…
But while walking so closely beside you, I… How should I express this…?
…I felt very fulfilled.
Perhaps… what I really wanted to learn at school was more about you.
But why…?
In any case, discovering the reasons behind this desire should provide an intriguing diversion for me.
> You headed back to the Velvet Room with Elizabeth.

She had a reward for me, though really spending time with her was reward enough.



Thank you for showing me around Gekkoukan High School.
I’m slowly beginning to understand why being there lifted my spirits…
Gekkoukan isn’t just part of your world… It’s a place where you spend time on a daily basis…
A place saturated with your presence.
That’s why I…
……
…I’ll leave that aside for now. It requires further consideration…
Instead, let me give you a reward. It’s another special gift.
With this, you can fuse Hell Biker.
He’s a frightful “man,” but he’s also a part of you… like the rest, he emerges from the sea of your soul.
Please accept your reward.
> Obtained Red Muffler.

Elizabeth wanted me to help clean the bathroom at Port Island station, no idea on that but I did it anyway.



Cleaning Lady: Oh? You’re not here to do your business?
Ohhh, okay! So you’re here to help out, huh?
…Wow! You even brought a brush? You really came prepared, didn’tcha?
Well, all right then! Why don’tcha start from the other corner?
> You decided to help the cleaning lady.
> ...
> ……
> ………
> One tile just won’t get clean…
> What will you do?
Scrub harder.
> …
> ……
> ………
> No matter how hard you scrub, the grime doesn’t seem to come off…
> What will you do?
Scrub harder.
> …
> ……
> ………

Not going to be stopped by a dirty tile after fighting for my life so many times.



> …
> ……
> ………
> The tile is completely clean!
Cleaning Lady: Wow! You could eat off that floor!
Do you help clean the school bathrooms after lunch or something? You really know your stuff!
Thanks, kid! Just leave the rest of it to me!
> You have helped to clean the bathroom.

I returned to Elizabeth triumphantly.



Thank you for helping to clean the Port Island Station restroom.
The brush you used to clean the bathroom…
The filth that’s now encrusted on the bristles might help in battle. Enemies could succumb to the germs.
Maybe this is a sort of weapon fusion… no?
Please accept your reward.
> Obtained Maid Outfit (Y).

She also wanted me to water some flowers she’d seen on our roof at school.



> The flowers don’t seem to have been watered for a while.
> Would you like to water them?
Yes.
> You watered the flowers.
> The flowers seem… happy.
> They should be fine now.

Which was fine, it would be a shame if they died.



Thank you for watering the flowers that were about to wither.
I heard that plants will gorw if you keep watering them.
But I don’t think plants are the only things with that ability…
There’s a part of me I’d like to grow as well…
So I’m thinking about giving it some water.
The next time you see me, maybe I’ll have grown a little in some way.
Please accept your reward.
> Obtained Maid Outfit (M).

I didn’t have the heart to tell her that doesn’t work. Um, not that I ever tried it as a kid. Nope. Uh, changing the subject I hung out with Bebe a bit while he worked on that kimono.



Even zough my wallet eez light and I can only buy cheap material…
I will work ‘ard to make ze best kimono, and save my future!
> Bebe is working hard…
> You continued on your scarf while you cheered each other on…
Your scarf is almost complete! Tanoshimi! I look forward to zat!
But I, too, am working ‘ard to finish zis!
Hmm… So far, so good, ne? Right?
When my uncle sees zis, I know he’ll agree wiz me about how great Nihon eez!
He’ll agree!
I truly believe zat, so I will work even ‘arder!
> Bebe seems excited.
I accomplished a lot today wiz your ‘elp, Aelita-sama!
Arigatou! Zank you!
> Bebe seems very grateful.
> Your relationship is stronger now!

I just know it’s going to turn out perfect.



Oooh… My arm eez very tired.
It must be from working so ‘ard…
But, I will finish zis kimono no matter what!
Yosh! I can’t give up now!
> You worked with Bebe for a long time, and then decided to go back to the dorm.

As if we needed more sign that things weren’t done, Elizabeth called me up to tell me that more of Tartarus had opened up. I’m not sure how that could have been, since we were on the roof, but I guess we’ll just have to go see soon.



Hello? This is Elizabeth.
I’m calling to inform you of a change in Tartarus…
I believe a path that was blocked is now open…
I thought you would like to know.
…I wish you a safe journey.
> The call ended.

But not right now. With Mitsuru out, it just feels like the heart’s been ripped out of everyone.



Looks like Mitsuru won’t be coming back for a while…
I’d like to think that she’ll be okay, but… I’m not so sure this time.

So yeah, I mentioned Junpei earlier. He asked me some advice about Chidori, who I think he’s got 100% wrong.



I don’t know what to do, man…
Go see her.
Huh…?
Y-Yeah… you’re right. Maybe she was just havin’ a bad day.
> Junpei seems a bit relieved.

Adding to that time out with Elizabeth, Aigis was back too. I’m even angrier about what Ikutsuki did to her now that I’ve seen just how much pain it’s caused her.



Even though he took control of me, I cannot believe I did such a thing to you…
Can you ever forgive me?
Of course.
Thank you very much.
I will train hard so that I can be a great help to you.

Still, I’m glad she’s back, and not just because we’ll need her help soon to deal with all this crap.



Newscaster: Over the last two days, Apathy Syndrome has spread even further.
Everyone is disappointed, after the announcement said it would begin to diminish around the 20th…

Yukari seems to be doing better now. I was a bit worried about her since she just hid all last night.



I wanted to stop believing so many times…
But, I finally feel good about it.
Because, in my heart, my dad has always been my dad.

I’d go so far as to say we’re maybe all going to be all right, but… Every time I try to think that I remember that we’re still missing Mitsuru. Still, she’s strong. Even if she’s forgotten that, she’s been carrying this weight a lot longer than us.



For whatever reason, she tried to fight against us. I think it hurts her to be here and see us…
Can you please forgive her, Aelita-chan?
Sure.
Oh, thank you. I knew you were a kind person.