Part 37: Tuesday's Disquiet (Encore)

Tuesday's Disquiet (Encore)

[Music: Exploration]



Once again, Jungo took the lead but it wasn't quite as clear this time. He only had 20% of the total votes for one thing.





......
Hey.
...Here it is!



Did you drop something?
Hm... Yes, it's something that the ginkgo dropped.



I found this place. There are a lot of big, juicy ones.
I am happy... I can make it again.

Jungo falls to the ground again and begins searching for ginkgo nuts...



You leave Jungo to his collection and walk away...



Took long enough. Everyone gets this at Fate level 2 and its fantastic. The game miswords what it does slightly. Now if Jungo and Hibiki set to crack something, either of them can collect it. This is how you get multiple skills off a single demon; have them both set to different skills on the same demon, one of them finishes it off and you get both. If you set 3 or 4 from the same demon, only Hibiki can get all of them at once.



Anyway, Io came in a very, very close second with 19% of the votes. Naturally, that means she's next.

[Music: Elegy]



When she notices you are here, she quickly wipes her eyes...

Hibiki, what are you doing here? ...You should have said something.

Io bravely tries to smile...

Is something wrong?
Oh... Yeah. Before I came to Nagoya, a JP's member called me...



It's okay to cry.
I'm not going to cry. I was... prepared. I mean... Look at how the world is...

Io looks towards the park.

...I came here with my family a few years ago. ...It was a family vacation.
Do you remember the Aichi Expo? It was a ways back...
We'd talk about what to see, and what movies would be out at the same time next year...

Io looks down. She seems to be lost in memory...

Get some rest.
No... That's okay... I'll be fine.



...... Yeah... I'm okay. I can do this.



I'm sorry for worrying you. Thanks...

Io seems to have regained her good mood...

[Music: Exploration]



Third place went to Fumi, but it wasn't quite so close this time around. She only got 14%, which is a pretty big drop-off.

You'll probably see a new event here that wasn't there before. Young Girl's a second Io scene, but Io's lead isn't significant enough over Fumi to warrant it being done just yet.





Hmmm. Wow, so it's true. It's completely different...
...Oh, Hibiki. Nice timing. Can I borrow your phone?
Sure.
Thank you. I'm not going to do anything bad to it.



This is a retail terminal, right? Let's seeeeee...

Fumi fiddles furiously with your phone...



Yeah.
Somewhat of an ideological paradox, applying existing tech to unknown techniques.
Whoever created this summoning app sure is something.

Fumi returns the phone...



Nothing's wrong with the terminal. I'll need data from a live body while it runs.
Hibiki, do you know anyone who'd be a great guinea pig?

Sadly, your answer here isn't all that important. Her actual guinea pig runs on one simple question: "is Jungo alive? If yes, it's him. If no, it's Daichi." With that in mind, let's be consistent and say...

Jungo.
Jungo? Oh yeah, I forgot about him.



Hmm... I wonder what I should do...? It'd be best to have a well-rounded subject.
I'll have to make do. This is no time to be picky.
I'll have to gather the equipment, write up my hypotheses, and...

Fumi walks away, muttering to herself...



Much like with Ronaldo's, this was kind of implied in the last fight we had against her. Of course, she DID have Anti-Ice as a passive there so it wasn't quite as clear.

And, of course, everyone we've met now has a Fate level of 1.



Makoto came fourth very slightly behind Fumi at 13%. So, naturally, she's next up.



Makoto is standing there silently...

Hm...? I didn't notice you there, Kuze.
Are you worried?



Thank you, but I'm fine. I'll get back to my mission soon...
...! Why do I sense someone...?

Makoto glares into the shadows...

Who's there!? I know you're here!

...Wow, you're good. And I"m pretty skilled at tailing people unnoticed.

[Music: Dark Clouds]



You're... Ronaldo Kuriki! Why are you here!?
I'm not here looking for a fight. No need to get hostile.
Did you come to turn yourself in? That's rather honorable...



I'm part of JP's! I don't need any malcontents worrying about me.
...But that's it. Why ARE you in JP's?
I don't understand the question.
The JP's I know wouldn't let me go just because I helped fend off some monsters.
What are you trying to say?



......!
Humanity is a low priority to him... That's how he operates.
Do you think your actions would be forgivable?
Don't act like you understand... What do you know, anyway!?
You're not like him. At least, I don't think you are. ...Am I wrong?



...Silence. Not another word, or else...!
Ha... Don't make me repeat myself. I didn't come here to start trouble.



That's my warning, Makoto.
What...?
You should ask yourself that. It's for your own good. ...We'll meet again.
Dammit...! Wait, Ronaldo!

[Music: Silence]

Ronaldo leaves swiftly...

Ugh... Gone without a trace...

[Music: In The Devastated Town]



JP's is often misunderstood. We anticipate some criticism.
But, we do what's needed to protect Japan. I'll leave the moral judgements up to you.

Makoto pulls out her cell phone to make a report to JP's and walks away...

[Music: Exploration]



Joe is the next highest at 10%... but Io is exactly one vote of having double his count anyway, so she gets to go next instead.



Oh, yeah... Um, Airi... Can I ask you something?
Huh... What? Sure, I guess...
Thanks. ...What grade are you in?
I'm in 10th grade. So?



I still shake when I have to fight demons...
What? You think so? I mean, in a world like this, does age matter that much?
Will demons go easier on you 'cause you're a kid? We just have to suck it up and do it.
Oh, yeah... Y-You're right...



Y-Yeah... You're right... I'm sorry...

Io looks down...

...... You don't have to apologize. How old are you?
Huh...? Oh, I'm in 12th grade...



Oh, no... It's not... I'm sorry.
There you go again! Why are you apologizing?
S-Sorry... Oh...
...I don't get you! Is everyone from Tokyo like this?
......



Oh, sure...

[Music: Silence]

......

Airi walks away quickly...

[Music: Connected Hearts]



What should I do, Hibiki?
It's okay.
Yeah... Thanks. That makes me feel better...
I feel really bad. I'll try talking to her again later.



[Music: Exploration]



Next up is Joe with his 10% of the votes. Just before the end of the day too.



...Whoa. It's you, Hibiki.
Man, don't scare me like that.
Need to go to the hospital?

[Music: In The Devastated Town]

Oh... Well... Are you really that curious?



Whose girlfriend?



I just got back from going to visit her.
How is she?
I think she's okay. The building's pretty sturdy, since it's a hospital.
The nurse said that there weren't many demons around here, too.
The nurse said that?



I mean, seeing her now would be really awkward.
Um... Well... You know what I mean, right?

Joe fidgets nervously...



Joe walks away quickly...

[Music: Exploration]



At this time, a new free battle opens up. Ordinarily I'd take this opportunity to do some extra cracking and get what I can but, uh...



Already kinda got everything here, so there's no need.



In that case, let's just head right on over to JP's and talk with Yamato next. Yamato and his whole 9% of the votes.



Hmph. I come all this way, and there's still no estimate on how long recovery will take.
I-I apologize! The Terminal systems are down, too, so it will take longer...
...Hurry. Don't waste any more of my time.
Yes, Sir...!

The JP's member runs off...



...Huh, Yamato just used his first name. That's a bit surprising really. No doubt it's at least partially because there's no one else around and all.

We're so easily crippled by a communications jam, all caused by a mere civilian!
Has the Nagoya branch just been playing around this whole time?
You can train them all you want, but trash is trash...
It can't be helped.
That's it, then? "It can't be helped"?

Yamato's lips curl into a slight smile...



...How bothersome they are, making so much extra work for me...

Yamato turns back to his paperwork...



Yamato got lucky enough to be the last scene before we head home. See, there's enough time for exactly 1 more before he HAVE to head home. Problem is, Daichi got basically nothing, Joe's 10% isn't enough to go before either Airi or Ronaldo... and those two got the exact same number of votes. Rather than stop things here just to revote, let's just head back to Tokyo.



We can finally go back... I don't know why, but I'm incredibly tired.
Shall we stay the night?



I'm just relieved Daichi's still alive... and we managed to defeat Phecda.
Indeed. The Nagoya office has already recovered most of its functions as well.
It's all thanks to you. We truly owe you a debt.
Don't worry about it.



Haha... Well, it's about time. Let's head back to Tokyo.





...I'm seeing Hibiki off, because they're going home.
Hey, what the heck!? I'm the one who said we should see them off!
Ban, calm down. Did you both come here to say goodbye?
Well... Uh, yeah, but...





Whaaaat...
...... Ouch. That hurt...
Uhh... Well, and then... Ummm...



Thanks.
Oh... S-Sure. You're welcome.



Thank you.
Mhm... I'm going to keep on making them, so relax and eat it.
Why chawanmushi...?



Phew. Well, let's go.
Thanks, guys. Come back to Nagoya sometime.
If you don't, we'll come to Tokyo! B-Be safe...!



I'm beginning to think leaving Jungo behind was a bad idea.



Good work, all of you.
I still have work to do, but you're free to do as you wish.



Uh... Huh?
What's the matter? Do you feel ill?

[Music: Silence]

Oh... no. It's nothing like that...
...You can tell me anything. Don't hold back.



...? Of course. What are you talking about?



I mean, I'm only here because things worked out. I'm not part of JP's... I was worried.
Don't be ridiculous. All of you are our precious comrades.



[Music: Exploration]

Makoto... Thank you.
Thank you.
Hm...? Yeah. You should never forget gratitude.
Look who's talking...



But... perhaps that liveliness is the source of your strength...



Oh, come on! Way to ruin the mood there!



Much like the end of Monday, we've got a new type of free battle that crops up here. It's nothing quite as exciting as "some men are about to die, fix it" but it's different to the norm all the same.

[Music: Confrontation]



It's talking about the data cards around the map. And there's more than one in this case!



Finders keepers, right? I'm going straight home with this.

There's actually three, and demons will actively ignore you if it means they can steal the cards and run away.



Since the Hamsa can grab this and get out in 3 moves, we'd take that one down first. The only real problem is the third data card is in the bottom right corner, where a Ictinike can grab it easily. And since Ictinike has Phantasm and it does nothing BUT move, the problem comes from how to stop it taking the data.



The solution is that you don't really have to. It doesn't actually use the data card when it takes it, so you can just beat up the demons and you get the card they stole. I only got money from the ones that they stole, so I don't think you can get skills if that happens (either for your use or unlocked on your demons) but who knows. This fight only popped up once so maybe it's just a one time thing.

[Music: Exploration]



Anyway, Joe did get 10% of the total votes whereas Daichi only got 9. Guess Joe gets this one too.

Oh right, that 9 is the number of votes, not the percent. Apparently no one likes Daichi very much!





...Hey, Hibiki. Can I talk to you for a bit?
Well, uh... It's about my girlfriend. You know... my girlfriend?
I know what you want to say: "Why worry about her when we've got bigger fish to fry?"
But... this is really important to me, so I want you to listen.
Okay.



[Music: Silence]

I mentioned this before... But she's sick.
She's staying in a hospital in Nagoya right now...

[Music: Elegy]



I'm her boyfriend, so I should be with her, but I haven't seen her for a while.
I was blaming my job... making reasons not to go.
Why?
Well... I mean, I like her a lot, and she's special to me, but...



Joe smiles, with a touch of self-deception...

...But I can't stay like this. I know I'm making her really sad.



I mean, what do I say to her?
But I can't not see her...
And so I'm in trouble.
You need to think about it.
Yeah, you're right. I need to really think about what I'm gonna do.
......
...You're really a stand-up guy, Hibiki. But you're not much younger than me.



...Anyway, I'm gonna give it some more thought. Thanks for listening.

Joe walks away, deep in thought...

[Music: Exploration]



Now we can joint skill crack with Joe as well as Jungo. Since we only have our regular four right now this might actually be relevant sometime. Guess we'll see.



For now though, we can only go to bed. So let's just do that. I bet Tico has lots of things to say.

[Music: In The Devastated Town]



I have compiled a simple summary of your actions on this day...
Well? Would you like to hear it?
Let's hear it.
Understood. Well then...
First, after your awakening, you met with Master Makoto...



Alas, Master Daichi spends merely a day in Nagoya, and this is what happens...
It doesn't seem to reflect well on these JP's characters.
After this, you made for Nagoya and became acquainted with Masters Airi and Jungo...



Then you helped Master Fumi, whose mind was not her own, to regain herself.



After rescuing Master Daichi, you fought against Master Ronaldo at the Nagoya office.
But the two of you had to join forces to deal with the sudden threat of Phecda...



It's strange... It seems that Master Ronaldo considers JP's and Hotsuin to be evil...
Why do you suppose that is? And whose judgement will prevail in the end?
...This concludes my overview of the day's events.








Like before, we get a couple of emails at the end of the day.



do this together, Hibiki.



typical Nagoya food.

Plus we don't have 24-hour fried food places and I don't even like shrimp tempura.

So don't get any weird ideas about Nagoya!