Part 111: Uncle Sheepy, could you read us a bedtime story?

Tokimemo GS 2, Chapter 1: Uncle Sheepy, could you read us a bedtime story?


The first challenge is to find the correct kanji in this mix of incredibly small characters. I have never hated the 3DS' resolution as much as I have when I was looking through the "ka" section.


Thanks to FractalSandwich, our new Goonko's name is Fudo Siren, and the game has zero clue what to do with that for the EVS system. So every character will end up calling her "Fu" or "Ren" for short. There are worse fates.

As is tradition, Siren's blood type is O and her birthday is 10/26.

Now, y'all tucked in? Heeeere we go.


Boy: Why are you crying?
Boy: Hey, are you a mermaid?

Nice segue, kid. She'll be so confused by your random question that she'll stop crying. I've used that tactic before, too.


Grandfather: And so, the young man and the beautiful girl met at the water's edge and fell in love.
Grandfather: The girl's eyes, as calm and gentle as the sea, seemed to speak more than words could.
Boy: She's a mermaid, so when she turns into a human, she can't talk.
Grandfather: Hey, don't get ahead of me in the story!
Boy: Sorry, Grandpa.


Grandfather: When a heartless villager exposed her secret, the young mermaid was forced to return to the sea.
Grandfather: Instead of saying goodbye, the two lovers exchanged a kiss --
Grandfather: Filled with faith that they would meet again by that very shore.


Grandfather: After the mermaid left, the young man spent each and every day gazing out at the sea.
Grandfather: Until finally, one moonlit night, he took a boat and rowed out into the vast ocean.
Grandfather: The young man never returned.


Boy: But if I was that guy, I'd definitely find her.
Boy: So don't cry.


Boy: May we meet again, by this very shore.

They sure make it easy to tell who the Childhood Promise Buddy is in these games, don't they?


Siren: Wow... it's so pretty here.
Siren: And the ocean breeze feels great!
Siren: (I can't believe that there's such a great view just a short walk from my house.)
Siren: (My high school life starts today. It feels like great things are about to happen!)
Siren: (Oh, hey, there's a building up there. I wonder who lives there?)


Siren: ("Sangosho"? I guess it's some kind of restaurant.)
Siren: (Oh, maybe someone does live here after all.)

At this point, you get your first "Skinship" screen - since there's no tutorial, I ended grabbing the surfer boy's arm.


Surfer boy: The waves look great today.
Siren: (Did he just say something?)
Siren: (Wow, it's like time is slowing down just for him...)
Siren: (The word "picturesque" was made for people like him.)
Siren: Oh crap, I can't just stand here gawking. I gotta get home!


Siren: (Hey, wait, which way did I come from, again?)
Siren: (I wonder what I should do - well, I guess I can go back to that restaurant.)
Siren: (Am I seriously lost? Today's the first day of school, and I'll be late if I don't get back home soon.)


Siren: (Hey, isn't that the same guy from before?)


Surfer boy: ...Crap.
Siren: (???)


Surfer boy: ...Do you need anything from our cafe, young lady?
Siren: Uhh, actually, I think I'm lost.
Siren: So, umm, if you can, could you show me the way back from here?
Surfer boy: Not from around here, are you?
Siren: I came here once when I was a kid, but I haven't been here since.
Surfer boy: Huh. Is that so.
Siren: Huh?


Surfer boy: Ugh, smiling so much in the morning wears me out.
Surfer boy: I didn't get enough sleep last night as it is.
Siren: ...
Surfer boy: So, what was it, again?
Siren: Umm, could you show me--
Surfer boy: Oh, right.
Surfer boy: After I finish taking out the trash, I'll draw you a map.
Surfer boy: Use that to get out of my face.
Siren: O--okay.


Surfer boy: ......
Siren: ???
Surfer boy: Move. You're in the way.
Siren: Oh! Uh, sorry!
Surfer boy: ...
Siren: (It... it feels like great things are about to happen...)
Siren: (Right?)

You really are trying to endear this guy to us, aren't you, game?


Siren: (So this is Hanegasaki Academy.)
Siren: Wait, what?
Siren: (Isn't that guy the same one from this morning?)


Surfer boy: ...Crap.
Siren: I thought I recognized you! You're a high school student too?
Surfer boy: C'mere a second!
Siren: What're you doing?


Surfer boy: I had no idea you were a first-year here.
Siren: Yup! My name's Fudou Siren. Nice to meet you!
Teru: Saeki Teru, first year.
Teru: I don't really think names mean anything.


Siren: O--okay. Thanks for the help this morning.
Siren: I just moved here, and it was a lot of--


Teru: Doesn't matter right now.
Teru: Don't tell anyone at school what you saw this morning, okay?
Teru: Not a single word.
Siren: About what this morning?


Teru: Well, you know, about how I'm working there.
Siren: Umm, okay, I guess I won't tell anyone...
Teru: Cool. That's all I needed to know.
Teru: Later.
Siren: (Saeki-kun, was it? It's hard to believe he's a first-year student like me.)
Siren: (But who cares about that? What's with the attitude on that guy?!)

I'm proud of you already, Siren. You're not the kind of girl who'll meekly get into the car of a mustachioed stranger.


Principal: To all new students - starting today, you're all members of Hanegasaki Academy.
Principal: Here, we value the independence of our students.
Principal: Make sure to be yourself while you're in high school.
Principal: By accumulating many different life experiences, all of you will shine ever brighter.
Principal: I expect all of you to have 3 unforgettable years here.


Siren: (Let's see, which classroom was I supposed to go to, again?)
???: Are you lost?

You want the Staten Island/Brooklyn/Jersey localization of Kansai, you get it. Lemme know if it gets annoying and I'll figure something else out.


Siren: Huh?
???: What's wrong? You need somethin'?
Siren: Uh, umm...
???: You new here? Yuh-huh, probably, you got a super clean uniform.
???: We didn't meet this mornin', did we? Whaddaya lookin' ta find?
Siren: Umm. Uh...


???: Aww crap, I done it again.
???: I ask one question and the dam bursts, y'know?


???: Before I know it, I just can't stop myself!
???: I wanted ta be a changed girl, now that I'm in high school.
???: Be more girly and feminine, y'know? And now I done gone and messed it all up on day one.
???: Hahaha!
Siren: Oh, so you're a first-year like me?


???: Yuh-huh! Nice ta meet ya.
???: Say, I haven't seen ya face 'round here before.
???: Ya didn't go ta middle school with the rest of us, did ya?
Siren: Uh... nope. I just moved here.
???: I knew it! Pleasure ta make ya acquaintance.
Haruhi: I'm Nishimoto Haruhi!
Haruhi: I'm so glad ta find a new friend!
Siren: Oh, my name's Fudou Siren. Nice to meet you, too.


Haruhi: Amazin'! All the girls who knew each other in middle school all have their little cliques goin', so I was hopin' for a new friend like you.
Haruhi: If ya need somethin' just ask me, got it?
Siren: I will, thanks! Oh, hey--
Haruhi: Yeah? Whaddaya need? Ask me anythin'!
Siren: Do you know anything about Saeki-kun?
Haruhi: Of course I do!
Haruhi: Wait, are you one a those girls who came ta this school chasin' him?
Siren: N, no way!


Haruhi: He's got the brains, he's athletic like nobody's business...
Haruhi: And on top a all that his looks are A++.
Haruhi: They say that a whole lotta new girls came here chasin' after the guy.
Siren: He's that popular?
Haruhi: Well, if ya ask me he's got no sense of humor, so those other girls can have 'im.
Haruhi: How do I put it? He's, y'know, kinda cold, kinda prickly.
Siren: Hmm, is that so.


Haruhi: Whup! That girl looks lost too.
Haruhi: I'm gonna check on 'er!
Haruhi: See ya 'round, Ren!
Siren: (And just like that, she's gone! Nishimoto-san seems like quite a handful.)
Siren: (I hope I can keep up with her when we talk!)


Haruhi: (I wonder what our homeroom teacher will be like?)
Haruhi: (Ooh, here he comes!)


Wakaoji: Good morning, class. My name is Wakaoji Takafumi, and I'll be your homeroom teacher.
Wakaoji: I teach science. Let's have a good year together.
Girl A: Hey, do you think he's dreamy too?
Girl B: I hear they call him Waka-sama!
Girl B: I also heard that he's a scientific genius!
Girl A: No waaaay!
Siren: (...He could be an amazing teacher.)
Wakaoji: Calm down, everyone. Now, do you have any questions?
Girl A: Over here! Sensei, are you going out with anyone?


Wakaoji: Going out with anyone? You mean like a girl?
Girl A: Yup!
Wakaoji: Am I going out with a girl... that's a tough question.
Girl A: Huh?


Wakaoji: There was this one girl who just kept asking me out, so we often did.
Wakaoji: It's been just about three years since she stopped calling me, though.
Wakaoji: Does that answer your question?
Girl A: Uhhhh, well, I... guess?
Siren: (Is he serious?)


Wakaoji: Now, I have to go back to the faculty room for a bit.
Wakaoji: Please fill in the provided handouts so you can introduce yourselves to the class.
Wakaoji: I'll be right back.


Siren: (Wait, what handouts?)


Wakaoji: I forgot to hand out the handouts.
Siren: (Are we going to be okay with a teacher like this?)


Siren: ("Self-introduction handout", eh? Let's see...)

POLL TIME!

Question 1: Why did you want to come to Hanegasaki Academy?
Option 1: Because it's a well-known prep school.
Option 2: Because I like the uniform.
Option 3: Because it's a well-known sports school.


Question 2: What's your favorite hobby?
Option 1: Appreciating art, I guess?
Option 2: Shopping, maybe?
Option 3: Reading, probably.


Question 3: What do you most want to do now that you're in high school?
Option 1: I want to try my hand a part-time job.
Option 2: I want to enjoy my youth and join a club.
Option 3: I want to fall in love, of course


Question 4: What's your type?
Siren: (What? What's this question doing here? Well, whatever.)
Option 1: He's kind...
Option 2: He's cool...
Option 3: He's a little snobby...


Siren: (And...)
Option 1: I'd like him to be dependable.
Option 2: Handsome, of course.
Option 3: It'd be nice if he was fun.

Five questions, five polls - deadline is Thursday, when the run starts in earnest! I'll go over the various character introductions over the next couple of days, so you can start making informed decisions about polls 4 and 5.

Oh, and just so it's easy to find, here are the five polls again:

Question 1: Why did you want to come to Hanegasaki Academy?
Question 2: What's your favorite hobby?
Question 3: What do you most want to do now that you're in high school?
Question 4: What's your type?
Question 5: What's your type (part 2)?

Next time: You can get with this, or you can get with that