Part 52: 6/22/09

6/22/09

We may know more than we used to, but all the unanswered questions are really bothering Yukari.



The night before last… The 12 Shadows… Tartarus…
Isn’t there just too much we don’t understand?
Yeah, definitely.
It’s starting to get to me…

I know some people don’t like them but octopus is pretty tasty.



Many European countries don’t serve octopus, because they’re feared as “devilfish.”
My darling, for example, won’t touch octopus. Last time I made pasta for him…
> Mrs. Terauchi continued to talk about octopi as food…
But octopi aren’t the only undersea creatures that are called “devilfish.”
Now, here’s a question for… Junpei.
Of manta rays, squid, and jellyfish…
Which of these is NOT known as a “devilfish”?
I didn’t even know octopi were devilfish! How am I supposed to know this!?
Hey Aelita, what do I say?
Jellyfish.
Good going, Junpei!
Jellyfish aren’t devilfish because they’re a dessert. Jelly… get it?
…It was just a joke.
Hahah! Just plain common sense, Mrs. T!
Thanks, Aelita! I almost looked like an idiot…

Junpei’s in high spirits, as always.



I’ll defeat everyone of ‘em and save the city!

I went out with Akihiko again, though we were rudely interrupted on the way.



> Akihiko brought you here, claiming that he knew a really good place to eat…
> …But no matter how you look at it, it’s just the Beef Bowl Shop.
…What’s with that face?
Honestly, the beef bowl is really great here.
The servings are big, and the sauce they use on the meat is just…
Girl’s Voice: Akihiko-senpai! Eeeeee!
…?
> Two girls instantly rush up to Akihiko and begin violating his personal space.
> They’re not in uniform, but you recognize them as students from your class.
Girl with Buns: Akihiko-senpai, what’re you doing here?
Heavily Made-Up Girl: Oh, I know! You’re here for the beef bowls, right? It’s, like, so funny that you’re always eating here!
…What’s funny about that?
Heavily Made-Up Girl: It means that you’re totally cool.
…?
Look, can you get out of the way, please? We can’t get in.

I mean it’s pretty bold to just go up to a guy walking around with a girl and ask him out.



……
A girlfriend?
Girl with Buns: We’re, like, totally looking for guys to be with right now.
> The two girl sneak glances at you while they fawn over Akihiko…
> For some reason, you sense hostility from them…
…Just let us through, please.
If you want to talk with me, let’s find some other time to do it.
Let’s go, Aelita.
> …The combined power of the two girls glaring at you feels like your skin is being burned away.
Let’s go, Senpai!
Yeah, I’m starving.
> Akihiko seems relieved to escape from the two girls…
> If anything, the level of hatred pouring forth from the girls’ eyes intensifies…
> You push your way past them and enter the Beef Bowl Shop with Akihiko.

The weirdest thing is he didn’t even get that they were trying to ask him out.



See? Wasn’t that delicious?
…What’s the matter?
Yes, it was great.
I know, right?
> Akihiko seems happy.
Oh… I get it.
Do you think those girls wanted have Beef Bowls, too?
Not in the way you think.
Huh? I wonder what they wanted…
> Akihiko seems a little embarrassed…
> He seems to be completely incapable of recognizing female emotions…
> You’re starting to feel sorry for those girls from before…

So I said hell with it and just asked him a straight up question.



…?
…You mean my favorite type of beef bowl? Hmmmmmm…
> Akihiko is deep in thought…
…Oh, you’re talking about girls.
What type of girls do I like…?
> Akihiko gives you a wry smile…
I don’t want to deal with this kind of thing.
…I’m not strong enough to carry this entire burden…
> Akihiko mutters, as if to himself…
> You feel like you understand Akihiko a little better now…

He even managed to get away with not having to answer it.



…Oh, yeah.
The type I like is…
……
……
N-Never mind.
……
I-I’d been told that whenever a girl asks that, the right answer is always “Girls like you…”
…But I can’t bring myself to say it! Argh!
Damn that Junpei…
> You and Akihiko returned to the dorm together.

Junpei had tried to check out the broken console himself, but luckily he didn’t manage to get it working.



Remember how Mitsuru-senpai was saying the equipment in the command room is busted?
Well, it’s still on the fritz, so I checked it out, but…
I dunno, dude. I don’t wanna just press buttons at random, y’know?
Sooooo… It’s all up to you, buddy!

He’s also been doing his own thinking on the Dark Hour.



…why do they turn into coffins…?
Are they pretending to be dead?
I heard that works if a bear is about to attack you…
…Actually, I just made that up.

Oh, and the news pointed out how lucky we were Shinjiro helped us back before we’d rescued Fuuka, someone was killed in that back alley recently.



Newscaster: Police are investigating the possibility of arson.
For our next story…
A dead body was found behind Port Island Station last night.
The victim seems to have been a student at the nearby high school.
The police are currently searching for any evidence relating to the incident.

Fuuka’s been looking into local history a bit, I guess she’s trying to find out anything she can about how this all started.



Aparently, there was an unexplained explosion near our school ten years ago…
At the same time, a large number of students refused to go to school…
The news reports stated that the incidents were somehow related.
Isn’t that fascinating…?

Does that mean all this has happened before? I suppose there’s only one place we’ll find our answers, Tartarus…

Video- “Death in the Dark”

Watch

…Huh…?
How the heck did I—
Good evening…
……!?



Are you surprised?
Truth be told, we all visit this world every night.
Wh-What are you saying? Who the hell are you?
……
Didn’t Mommy teach you any manners? You haven’t introduced yourself…
Take a look.
Name, address, age, etc… This is you, right?
Wha--!? Where did you get this!?



Revenge!? What kinda bullshit is this!?
Who put you up to this!?
Can’t tell ya. We’re professionals.
“Professionals”…?
Oh shit…
You mean, the rumors on the net are true!?



Hey… W-Wait… I haven’t done anything!
Why me!? What’d I do!?
That is not our concern.
Your notion of right and wrong is irrelevant. My client’s wishes are all that matter.
People hear what they choose to hear, and believe what they choose to believe.
N-No… Stay away…
Get away from me!!
You squeal most magnificently!
Such raw emotion!



Doesn’t matter…
We’ve held up our end of the bargain.
Besides, tomorrow this will just seem like some random crime.
If there’s nothing else…
I’m feeling rather tired.
> The three left the way they came…