Part 49: 8/15/11-8/21/11

8/15/11

As expected, Yosuke called me up this morning.



Sorry for dropping this on you all of a sudden, but I need a big favor. Can you work at Junes from today 'til Friday?
We're short on staff! I'll pay you more than we usually pay our workers!
I'll buy you lunch everyday at work too, I promise! Please, I'm begging you!
> Yosuke seems desperate…

I couldn't leave him hanging like that.



I'll be waiting for you at Junes, so I'll see ya soon!
> Yosuke hung up.
> You decided to work at Junes until Friday.

The food court was crazy packed.



Why are there so many people just for the hero show…?
This is soooo freakin' tiring…
I'd be a zombie by now if you weren't here, Souji…
Welcome! We've got shaved ice here, with all your favorite flavors!
Cheer on the heroes while enjoying a tasty snack of frosty shaved ice!
…Ugh, it's so hot today!
> Teddie is keeping up a good pace…
> You helped Yosuke in the food court while the sun blazed down upon you…
> You became closer to everyone…

I think the next few days are going to be nuts.

8/19/11

So goddamn tired.



Welcome, everyone! Beat the heat and eat some meat!
Yakikiku! Grilled steak! Pork ginger! Chow down and restore the energy the brutal summer days have taken for you!
Try our tender, delicious beef!
Man, Teddie is really dedicated, isn't he?
I'm melting in this short-sleeved shirt, and he's wearing that huge costume. AND he's standing in front of the griddle.
How does he do it…?
> You helped Yosuke in the food court while the sun blazed down upon you…
> You became closer to everyone…
Hey, tomorrow's the Summer Festival, remember?
Meet us at the shrine tomorrow night, okay?
> …Today is the last day you had to help Yosuke.
> You earned 40,000 yen for your work.

God I can't wait until this festival after this week.

8/20/11

Well, the first day of the festival was today, and we all got together.

VIDEO- "Festival"

Click Here For Video!

Yeah, there ain't that many people here this year. Well, I guess you can't blame people for being scared…
Haven't seen the reporters around, either. They sure are good at stirring shit up and then disappearing.
Well, it ain't so bad to have thin crowds. What IS important right now is that we go get some ikayaki!
Ooh, I wanna get some too! Kanji, what's ikayaki?
Man, they're late… Why were they meeting up at Yukiko's house in the first place?
They'll show up sooner or-
Whoa, isn't that them?

Turned out they went there to get dressed.



It took us some time to get dressed.
You have to wrap towels inside, so they're not as breezy as everyone says.
It's kinda hard to walk…
You look cute in it.
*giggle *
> Nanako seems happy.
Nana-chan, you look so cute! I'm head over heels for you!
*giggle * Thank you.
How do we look, Senpai? Does the sight make your heart skip a beat?

I sometimes forget why Rise was an idol, and then things like this remind me.



Ooh, that slipped out so naturally. Perhaps… you're used to saying things like that?
*chuckle * Well, I'm still happy to hear it.
> Rise seems happy.
Kanji? What're you looking away for?
Don't tell me you're ashamed to look! What are you, a monk…?
Th-That ain't it!
Ahaha! You're so cute, Kanji.
Hey… Thanks for looking after her.
They bought me cotton candy!
Did they now? Alright then, you wanna go over and do the target prac-I mean game with me?
Uh-huh! Let's go!
I'll take care of Nanako from here.
It's only a few times a year that this town gets charged up like this. You kids should go and have fun.

I also need to remember that Teddie's ideas are always terrible.



A couple walking together at a festival… Unused to wearing it, the girl's yukata comes loose… Summer has begun.
What kinda tagline is that…?
We gotta go two-by-two! Raaaawr!
Two-by-two…?
See, I've been thinking. It's the summer, you're wearing yukata, and we're at a festival.
It's just wrong for guys and girls to walk around in a huge group like this.
We should couple up while we're here! It's the natural way of things!
Wh-What the hell are you babblin' about!?
I'm with Teddie!
C'mon, Senpai… Why wear yukata in the first place? So we have memories we can remember fondly, right?
So we should pair off right away!
Rise… What a terrifying girl!
You got a point, though… Good memories…
I-I'm fine too.
Oh, what I mean is, um… Count me in.
Alright… Y-You guys decide how we'll split up.
Huh? Seriously? It's up to us?
A-Alright…

There was a serious issue though.



Three guys? Aren't you missing one?
What? Me, him, and Kanji makes three.
Whaaa!? You did that on purpose!
Uhhh… Should I really do this?
Oh yeah… You can barely look at 'em…
N-No way! I can look at 'em! It'll be a chinch, just you watch!
Nah… You should bail, Kanji. It'd be best for everyone that way.
Wha--!? You don't believe me!?
Well, I've made my decision…
Hey, wait 'til we're done for that!
I want Chie-chan and Yuki-chan and Rise-chan for my partner.
That's not a decision! Dude, you're the one who said we gotta pair off in the first place!
I ain't joking here, Ted! If you try and butt in on this-
That's right, Kanji! This is serious business! And you're a true man!
A true man wouldn't be prancing around with other girls at a place like this!
O-Okay…?
How much more can you butter him up…?
Kanji! This is a test to see if you can uphold your status as a true man!

And that issue is that Teddie is a terrible person. Bear. Whatever the hell he is.



Y-Yeah… You're right!
Thanks, Teddie! You said it.
Okay, count me out.
Dude, come on! Don't fall for that!
It's decided! I'm going with all of you!
Huh? What's going on?
Oh, well, there were too many guys, so someone would have been left out…
I just couldn't let that happen.
WHAT!? You little--!
Haha, I see.
You're so kind, Teddie…
We let them decide and this is what we get? Awww, what a letdown…
Oh well… Let's go, then.
…We fail, huh?
An epic fail…

And the worst part was that we could hear them having fun while we stood around like the goddamn idiots we are.



Why're you buying another idol's photo!? Mine's in there too!
Aaaaargh, what's with this!?
H-Hey, Ted! Hands off my corn!
Teddie! You got ketchup on my yukata!

Seriously though Teddie doesn't get to come to any parties ever again.

8/21/11

The festival was still going on today, and I had a much better time this go. Ai called me up.

VIDEO- "Festival 2: Ailectric Boogaloo"

Click Here For Video!

You got time today? I heard there's a festival going on at the shrine.
…Do you get it? I'm inviting you to come with me.
Let's go.
Okay. I'll see you in a bit.
> She hung up…

We headed down to the shrine as it got dark.



> Mobile stalls are lined up from yesterday…
This place looks pretty dead. I thought there'd be more to do…
Oh well. Why don't we start off with… Candied apples!
Oh wait, before we do that, we should make a wish at the shrine.
…Why are you making that face? It's common sense.
So, what are you gonna wish for?

I'm mostly wishing that all the time I spent having to fight evil monsters doesn't screw me over later in the year at this point.



…I see. You're such a go-getter.
Alright, let's make these wishes.
> You made your wish from the bottom of your heart…
> Your Knowledge has significantly increased.
Now it's time for those apples!
Candy Apple Man: Hello there! I've got the best candy apples in town!
Hm? What a beautiful lady you have there. You must be lucky! I'll add a lottery ticket for each time you buy!
Hm?
Candy Apple Man: You'll get a chance to draw a lottery at the torii when you guy something from the stands there.
The prizes range from cheap trinkets to fabulous, magnificent items!
…Alright, I'll give it a try!
> Ai seems especially excited for some reason…
Gimme ten candied apples.
Can I please get ten orders of okonomiyaki, please?
Hm, goldfish scooping. Let's see how many we can catch in… 30 tries.

Ai went a little nuts but it does help the community I guess.



Lottery Worker: Thanks for your support.
I'll go get the lottery box.
..No way I'm wasting my time doing 50 draws… How 'bout you do it for me?
Make sure you get the grand prize, though!
Lottery Worker: Close your eyes and draw your prize.
> …
> ……
> ………
> You drew 50 tickets…
Lottery Worker: Congratulations! You've drawn the grand prize!
Yes! What is it?
Lottery Worker: The grand prize is… a bale of rice.
…A bale of rice?
I don't want it. Too heavy.
Lottery Worker: Wh-What? It may be heavy, but rice is a nutritious part of a balanced meal!
Well…
H-Here, how 'bout this instead? It's a coupon you can use at the Inaba Shopping District.
…Better than a bale of rice. Thanks.
I'll give the other prize to you.
Here ya go.

It was some kind of book, which I guess didn't totally suck.



> …Was this written by the people at the shrine?
Well, we better get home.
…I had a blast today. See ya later.

I mean it was way more fun than sitting around with Kanji and Yosuke bitching about Teddie. Ugh, and break's almost over, too. This really sucks.