Part 4: Yarai Ginza Tour

Alright, time for a little tour of Yarai Ginza! We'll be spending a lot of our time here, so it'd be good to get to know the facilities inside.



We're starting with Maruse... Real Estate?

BGM: Maruse Real Estate



MARUSE: You're Kuzunoha? So you're alive... It goes without saying, but I deal with "underground" wares. Well, choose carefully.



So, Maruse Real Estate is actually a front for the shop where we'll be getting our weapons.



Next up is the very simply titled "Self Defense." It shares its music with Maruse Real Estate.



GOOFY: Yah, if it isn't Kuzunoha~ So, you really were alive~ You are one of my most loyal customers. By the way, what are you shopping for today? Buy whatever you want~!!

They certainly picked a good name for him. Off to the general store, Hagurumado.



BGM: Hagurumado Main Store



SALESWOMAN: Ah, welcome. I thought you'd pull through. Go ahead and buy what you'd like, as usual.

Next up is a store that appeared later in the Raidou series - Konnou-Ya. It functioned as the main store in Raidou, but only sells battle items in this game.



BGM: Konnou-Ya



SHOPKEEPER: Welcome. ...You are Kuzunoha, right? Heh, I don't think there's anything here for you...Maybe you'll find something at Victor's, or that fortune-telling old hag's place...Anyway, have fun in heaven!
SHOPKEEPER: ...Eh, you're actually alive? I see, that's how it is...Then, you want to buy something?

We move to the facility I mentioned last update - the Organic Energy Association, which buys and sells MAG. This facility also appears in Soul Hackers. It is by far the easiest way to get money in this game, it's an absolute godsend for special runs where you don't really need the MAG, like protagonist-only runs.



BGM: Organic Energy Association





MAN: Welcome to the Organic Energy Association. Oh, you...will be just fine. Let's get down to business, shall we?

There's two different bars in Yarai Ginza, and here's the first one - Cretaceous. Both of them function as places to receive information.



BGM: Cretaceous



MAN: Kuzunoha. It's been awhile.

Dialogue inside the bars change every so often, but they mostly give you hints on where to go next, so I'll be skipping them in subsequent updates unless there's something interesting.

LONG-HAIRED WOMAN: This club is members-only. Nobody else can get in, so it has a great atmosphere.
BONDAGE WOMAN: Awhile ago, some of those Tendou-Gumi yazuka thugs were wandering around the city. You don't really see those types anymore, so something must've happened. They've calmed down again, so I guess it's fine.
FLASHY COUPLE: The owner of Cretaceous is somebody named Madam Ginko, but nobody can meet her. She's a pretty admirable woman. I heard that when there's a new moon, she's in a good mood.

And here's the second bar, Innocence. You can order drinks here that will give you a temporary stat boost.



BGM: Innocence



Welcome.

BARTENDER: Long time no see. Don't worry about the time, and enjoy yourself.
YOUNG WOMAN: If you go to the bar, make sure to order politely. I recommend the Cool Slider, if you wanted to know.

The Cool Slider gives us a temporary stat boost of Agility +2 and Luck +1. Don't need it now, but thanks for the suggestion!

YOUNG MAN: That new town hall is frickin' huge. Did the government really need to go all out for it? This is coming straight outta my taxes. But maybe I wouldn't be saying that if I worked there...I'm terrible.
LADY IN WHITE: I wonder if I should move into Casa Inui. It's in a pretty good neighborhood, over in the Asahi district. But I'm already renting a place in Hibarigaoka, so I can't. Plus they've raised the rent. The Tendou-gumi's related to this, I just know it.
COUPLE IN BACK: That "Ancient Japanese Civilization" theory is pretty dangerous. You know about it? Some professor named Azuma wrote it. People are calling it heresy, but if you actually read it, it's pretty scary.

One last fun place to go.



BGM: Club Ezekiel



MAN IN SUIT: Welcome to Club Ezekiel.

We are then whisked into the main club room.



CLUB REGULAR: Hey Kyouji, it's been awhile!
MAN WITH BOBCUT: It's been feelin' really lifeless in Yarai Ginza recently. Ezekiel is still jammin', though.
REGULAR IN PURPLE: Kyouji, I know it's been awhile, but did you forget how to dance or something? Hahahahahaha!

I take it our man Kyouji was something of a party animal? Now that's something I'd like to see.

WOMAN IN LEG WARMERS: Hey, hey, you're that detective, right? You got a pistol?
WOMAN IN BLUE: Dancing like this makes me feel free, it's so fun!

We only have one last facility to stop at.



BGM: Clover Gym
MUSIC: Jusq'ua Jour Se Leve...



SANPEI: Hey, it's Kyouji! ...So you're alive, ya bastard!! Anyway, welcome back! You're still your old self, right? Hurry up and show me!

My last stop is the coin locker. Coin lockers are a phenomenon unique to Asia, and they are, as the name implies, coin-operated lockers used to temporarily store things. They're mostly used for storing luggage and purchases, and as such are usually found in airports and retail settings.


>It's a coin locker.
Open the locker?

There's four different things to find inside the coin locker, though you can get unlucky and find nothing.

>Someone put a baby in...Though if I stop and think, it was probably just a kewpie doll.

>100 yen acquired.

>There was a cockroach inside.

>There was a Jack Frost doll inside. Heeho-kun was in the locker. Heeho-kun Doll acquired.

Heeho-kun is a Jack Frost character from Shin Megami Tensei if..., and he also appears in Persona 1 and Nocturne. His doll is also the rarest item to find in the Coin Locker, I must have walked in and out about thirty times before I got him.

One last thing before I end the update. Throughout the length of the game, Redman (the guy who first messaged you on DDS-NET) will continue to send messages to you.



: Magnum. Access to DDS-NET was down for a bit, so I'm sending this e-mail. I thought maybe you knew why it went offline. Maybe it was just too much traffic, but...
: Recently I've been hearing strange rumors. Rumors like there's demons in Hirasaki City. I know there's no way this has anything to do with you, so if I sound suspicious then I apologize.
: I'll try to contact you again, but that's everything for now.