Part 88: The song, explained.

Update 88


After meeting Angry Raidou and knowing that Sadmask Raidou will get a raw deal out of everything, Raidou is brought back to his normal reality. Will he obey the Anger aspect and abandon his heroic identity and be just Brian Blessed?



While he was out cold, he was brought back to the Narumi Detective Agency's central office. Not the Tsukigata Branch, that would be too far away.



And the one who brought Raidou back from that weird... Place is no one else than Tae herself.



"Thank goodness... No matter how many times I called you, you wouldn't seem to come to... Narumi filled me in. You passed out at the Sakuradayama radio tower? "




"We're finally back in coffee. I picked up a fresh bag of beans at Konnou-Ya. I went the extra mile making this pot, since we've got a guest who's never had the Narumi special blend. Right, Dahn?"




Not even the power of fresh coffee is enough to make Dahn less depressed because of his actions.



Narumi's expression is great there.



"He got all sore when he wasn't able to become King Abaddon. And we can't just leave him to his own devices, so... here he is."




"The trip over here must've been pretty hair-raising, having to go through a swarm of monsters... "
"Thanks Narumi, but I don't let stuff like that rattle me. However... I heard something on the radio about those locust monsters... They're wreaking havoc all over the Capital. There's been a lot of injuries... even some deaths."




Yes, Dahn, it is all your fault.

"Seems they've flown off somewhere for now, so all's quite in our fair Capital, but... That red hole in the sky? Where the monsters came from? It's still there... It's like a big eye that never stops watching us... Though nothing's happened with it so far. But in a way, that creeps me out even more. It's like we're stuck in limbo... Not the best feeling."




"They were looking up at the sky, grumbling... That red hole's causing trouble just by being there. If we ignore it, the people of the Capital are in for a one-way trip to Crazytown."




"But what can we do? We're talking about a hole in the sky here, not a stray cat in the alley."
"There is something... It might be a long shot, but it's better than nothing."
"What, you mean... That stuff you were talking about while Raidou was conked out? The "children song" from Tsukigata Village?"
"That's the one. That's what I came all the way here through that swarm of locust monsters for... Just to tell you tha. When we went to Tsukigata Village, I heard the children's song. And I realized... The ruckus over the locust monsters, everything that's happend up to now... All of it... It's all there in the words to the song."





"Look, I can explain it pretty easy, though there are some parts I'm not too sure of. What did you two call that thing? An Investigational Meeting? Let's have one of those, and I'll explain how the children's song is connected to those monsters. Raidou, you know the song, right? 'Course you do. I was watching when the girls in Tsukigata taught it to you."




"The Capital Daily's ace reporter and our own Raidou Kuzunoha matching wits at last... A meeting's not a meeting without a fresh cup o' mud, I say. I'll go pour us some."
"Now that's the Narumi Detective Agency chief I know..."






"Here's the first thing I want you to take a look at..."



"Talking about the moon being on the earth seems strange... It has to be a metaphor for something. So I thought about it, and I realized... "Tsuki" is one way of saying "moon". And where have we heard that before?"




"Exactly. Not too hard of a jump when you realize what's going on, is it? You usually say "getsu" for "moon" but plays on alternate pronunciation were common in the old days... This is all just a folklore buff's hunch, mind you... But children's songs are often based on reality. "Ring around the Rosy" and the black plague, for example. Thank goodness... I wasn't 100% positive, but now I know you're with me on this! Anyway, moving on..."





"What would this be a metaphor for? "Feeding" the baby the "moon"... It sounds to me like some sort of ritual... What do you think? "




Storm RITUAL? This is not Demon's Souls!

"Right, the Marriage Ritual... Or that's what they call it, at least. You were the one who told me, right? According to Tsukigata Village tradition, Akane became something like a sacrifice... "




"What it's really talking about is the way the Tsukigata daughter is sacrificed at the RITUAL... "
"Not bad, Tae... Now that you mention it, I can see how the song is about the Marriage Ritual. But what I don't see yet is what all this has to do with what's going on in the Capital..."
"Hold your horses, I'm getting to that. This is the important part... I'll h highlight it in red so you can see what I mean. Watch this."




"That's what I said. Listen... A "pierced sky"? Doesn't that remind you just a little of what's going on up above the Capital now? Tell him, Raidou. What's in the sky now that everyone's worried about?"




"See, you figured it out. I'm talking about the red hole. The red hole in the sky where those locust monsters came from... The Gate to the Abysmal Realm. Then there's this part about the "Great Ma"... I'll circle it in red so you can see what I mean."




"Let's assume for now that I'm right, and say that the "pierced sky" refers to the red hole up there. Now look at this... Pay close attention to the parts I'm going to highlight in red."



"So the "Ma in the sky", "cutting you to shreds" and "ripping you apart"... Couldn't you see that as the locust monsters coming from the sky and killing people? "




"... "
"And that's how you show a connection between the children's song and the locust monsters. It may be reaching, but... what do you fellas think?"





"Thanks for listening, and thanks for your help, Raidou."



"Like I was saying, if we wanna deal with the red hole in the sky... We need to look to that children's song for answers. It's not a sure bet, but... "





Note: Dahn is there, moping in the bench.



"Is there anything you can tell us about the children's song? We need your help to save the Capital..."



"... Sorry, but... I can't help you as far as that goes. I know the song, but all I can do is sing it for you again. "
"Fiddlesticks... Looks like we'll have to make a trip out to Tsukigata Village."



"I won't help you any with puzzling out the song, but if it's for the sake of the Capital... "



"After all, I'm the one who got the Capital into this mess... So c'mon. Hit me. "
"Dahn? "




"He'll be fine, Tae... Just leave him alone for now. It's like you said. We'd best get ourselves to Tsukigata Village. We stand a better chance of saving the Capital that way than sitting here sucking our thumbs. Raidou, I need you to head out to Tsukigata and poke around about that song. Sorry, but you'll have to go solo. I've got my own work to do here. I'm going to round up all the insect cages left in the Capital... The ones with the luck locusts, I mean. We know for sure that the locust monsters--the Apollyons--are after those cages. "





"I'll go with Raidou to Tsukigata Village. Half for the Capital... And half cause I've just gotta get to the bottom of that song!"
"I know you... Your mind's made up and there's no force in the Capital that can change it. Take good care of her, Raidou."





"Hey, Raidou... Want to have a little chat? If you feel like it, I'll be waiting up on the roof."





And those things are CASE FILES, so screw the possible rush.

Also, Raidou can get there pretty goddamn fast in a dragon.