Time Hollow Part #1 - An End to the Ordinary

Part 1: An End to the Ordinary

Update 1: An End to the Ordinary

: Mrowr!!

: Listen, Sox...you've got to get a handle on your own strength.

: ...Mrowr...

: (No use talking to the cat, I suppose.)

I'm going to skip the basic controls, because they're pretty standard. Poke things you want to look at. Press B to leave the room. Scroll the room left and right to see more things. I've taken the liberty of splicing the images for Ethan's room together so that you can see the whole thing in one piece.

: Mrowr!!

And now we get to look around Ethan's room. It's a pretty normal room, really.

*Bookshelf*

: (These are catalogs of the watches I collect. I'm thinking of getting a part-time job so that I can afford the one I really, really want.)

: (...But tomorrow's my birthday, so I just might get it from my folks instead.)

: (I'll try to casually float the idea past Mom later on.)

You might be able to guess already, but Ethan's pretty obsessed with watches.

*Back Shelf*

: (Hmm...It's a little dusty. There's something for my to-do list.)

*Window*

: (The window is closed.)

*Bed*

: (I have a black-and-white checked blanket. I really like that kind of design.)

*Floor*

: (The carpet on the floor matches my blanket.)

*Desk*

: (I just got back from school. It's still light outside. Probably because I came straight home instead of stopping at Chronos.)

: (Chronos is a cafe I visit pretty regularly.)

*Sox*

: Mrowr...

: (Uh-oh, he's ticked off again. Better leave him alone for now.)

*Leaving*

: (I'll hang around here a little longer.)

After poking around enough...

Pamela: Ethaaan! Tiiiim! Time for dinner!

: (It's Mom. Time to eat already?)

: Coming!

===

{Video: Game Opening}

===

There's the sound of footsteps, and...

...before that, too, fades to black.

The game then goes into a short tutorial about conversations, which are handled exactly like interacting with everything else.

I should note that the game has some parallax backgrounds going on here, which prevents me from splicing two images together like I did for Ethan's room. Expect this to happen more in the future.

*Soy sauce*

: (Some soy sauce. Without it, dinner would have no flavor at all.)

*Food*

: (That's tonight's dinner. We have this all the time. Wonder why it tastes so blah... ?)

*Conversation: Pamela*

: (Maybe Mom prefers more, er, subtle flavors...)

*Conversation: Timothy*

: ...

: Dad's silently digging into his dinner, as always.

: Pass me that soy sauce next to you there, would you, Ethan?

*Soy sauce, reprise*

: (So this is where the soy sauce went.)

: Here's the soy sauce.

: Thanks.

*Conversation: Timothy, reprise*

: (If only Dad would speak up about Mom's bland cooking...)

: Hmm? What is it?

Huh? Oh...nothing.

*Conversation: Pamela*

: What is it?

: Could you pass me the salt, Mom?

: A cut?! Did someone attack you?

: Huh? Oh...you mean this?

: Oh, is that all? Don't scare us like that.

(Hey, who's scaring who?)

: I was about to give Sox a bath when he went ballistic...

: Ha ha ha! That's Sox! He absolutely hates water, that cat.

: I'm through with bath duty!

: Speaking of Sox... Derek hasn't been around lately.

: (That's right--Sox used to be Uncle Derek's cat.)

: I'd say that means he doesn't need our money.

: Come on now, Tim...

: Anyway, thanks for dinner.

Moving around tutorial, etc, etc.

*Conversation: Pamela*

: Oh, did you find it bland? Sorry about that.

*Move up stairs*

: Yeah, thanks, Mom.

===

Ethan refuses to do anything else until that window is closed, so...

: Were you outside again, Sox? You'll get filthy out there!

: Mrowr...

: Don't tell me you're still angry.

: Mrowr!!

: Sorry, sorry. I won't be giving you any more baths, okay?

: ...Mrowr.
Pamela: Ethan! Tea's ready!

: Coming!

And back downstairs we go. Why didn't we just stay downstairs in the first place?

: (Huh? Sounds like Uncle Derek.)

(Speak of the devil...)

: I can't lend you anything. Try to understand, Derek.

: Well, I won't leave 'til you do! Whaddya think about that, huh?

: We just don't have enough to spare. You can't rely on us like you do, Derek.

: Oh...hi there, Uncle Derek.

: Hey, Ethan--talk some sense into your stingy old man, huh?

: That's enough, Derek! Go on--get out of here!

: Fine! I'm not gonna stand here and take your abuse! What's a little money between family, anyway?

: ...Ahh, don't know why I should be surprised. You've always been down on me...

: Well? Stop beating around the bush. If you got something to say, then come out and say it!

: ...You'll regret this...

: ...

: ...Better watch your back, bro.

"But I'm not threatening you or anything. Just saying."

: I'm outta here!

: But Derek--I have tea!

: Forget the tea!

: I'll just head home like a good little boy, all right?

: But I'll be back!

Sound of a door slamming.

: ...

: When is he going to act his age?

{Soundtrack: Silence}

: (Looks like they have it pretty rough...)

: Oh, yeah--help yourself to an apple, Ethan.

: Er, okay.

: So listen...You're turning 17 tomorrow, aren't you?

: Huh?!

: That's right--17 years old!

: What's with the sudden birthday talk, you two?

: (Seriously, where did that come from?)

: Oh, I get it! You probably don't know what to get me.

: What...to get you?

: Actually, I--

: You want another watch, right?

: (Wow, she can see right through me...!)

Yeah...I think everyone could.

: Aw, come on! Not really! Actually, what I'd really like--
Timothy: Say, Pam, when are we going to talk to our son about... that?

: It might be a little expensive... But heck--it's my birthday! And college is just around the corner!
Pamela: Anytime is fine by me. I'll just duck out.

: It would have to have some really snazzy features--appropriate for its cost, of course...
Timothy: No, you should be there, too. How about tomorrow? Better sooner than later.

: Whoa, whoa, everyone--time out!

: Aren't we talking about...my present?
Pamela: Ethan...
Timothy: ...We'll talk about it tomorrow, Ethan. On the day you turn 17.

: Talk about what?
Pamela: Come home right away tomorrow, okay? No side trips.

: Sure thing...but what about my present?
Timothy: Well, goodnight.

Timothy leaves.

: ...Man! He didn't hear a word I said.

: You two are a lot alike.

: Huh?

: (I sure hope not! Better be careful...)

: Dad's got a lot on his mind.

: See, that's just the thing. I've been thinking about a lot of stuff, too.

: Ethan...

: But no one ever listens to what I have to say!

: Like you, Mom--I can tell you 'til I'm blue in the face, but you never season your meals properly!

: Forget it! I'm going to bed!

: Ethan!

And Ethan exits to his room.

{Soundtrack: Silence}

We're given a reminder that you can look at character profiles in the menu, and that they may update as time goes on.

*Bed*