Part 37: First come, first saved: Q

Part 37: First come, first saved: Q



Time to take the last team through the Decontamination Room.



One of two remaining new fragments for Q-Team. Though there are still a lot of locked ones. And we haven't finished any of Q-Team's fragments, either...



Same look to this fragment as the others, so let's get started.



Music: Sinisterness Phase 1



What is this, indeed. This isn't the Decontamination Room!



The dialogue here has a slight echo effect.



May you rest in peace.







Screaming.



A bad dream? Or...something more?



Wh... What the hell...

What, you don't wake up screaming?











Jumped...?

Dream...



And fade to black. This whole scene doesn't occur normally, and I had no idea it was here until I saw it while recording this update. But I did some experimenting off-screen and figured it out.

You see, the Execution fragments are kind of special. The game remembers your last decision in each fragment, and uses those votes to determine some other things later on. Obviously the vote results and the subsequent execution scene are the most obvious of these effects. But you also get a special scene in a team's Decontamination Room fragment, if the last recorded votes in the Execution fragments, resulted in that team being executed.

We can also only see this extra scene once. Replaying the fragment appears to skip the extra scene if it's already been viewed. When we go back and replay the other Execution fragments, I'll also show these extra scenes for the other teams.

For now, let's get back to the Decontamination Room...

Music: CQD Ward BGM 1



Let us out! Let us out of here!



How long are you planning on doing that?







Just take a sec and calm down. We need cool heads.



HEY!









Maybe the door opens with it...

When you think about it, it's weird that no one presses the button before the explanation of what it does. In every other room a team gets stuck in, we go and press everything in sight trying to get out. But for some reason in here we're content to just sit around.



I-I really wasn't going to push it though.

Sure you weren't.





We haven't heard anything from Zero. Just sitting around here is useless...











The only thing we know for sure is what time it is.



18:08...







And at your age even.







I recall you having trouble calculating change when we first met...

Half the jokes I try to make, Mira makes for me.





I wanna hear! I wanna hear!

Y-Yeah?





Eric gets down on his knees in front of Mira.





The fateful encounter was on a Monday.



This will be, what, the third time we've heard this story in some form. First from Mira with Eric already dead, then from Eric with Mira already dead. Now we hear it from Eric, in front of Mira.

The sky that morning in Nebraska was full of thick clouds, though the gloom cleared in an instant, like a miracle.

Music: Reminiscence



I always mustered up my best smile for customers, even the boring regulars I was tired of seeing. I still offered the most delicious ice cream to them. I was getting sick of it though. Oh, now don't think it was my work I was unsatisfied with. I really, truly love ice cream. But as the days passed, everything felt hollow. As if there was a hole in my heart.



I'd thought it was just another normal day. I wasn't expecting the moment it changed.



I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't think such a beautiful sight existed in this world. My God, the feelings that hit me. I'd never felt anything like that before. That was when I realized... This. This had to be a miracle. Mm hm. Mira entered my life. She was an angel that looked like a customer!



Um, shouldn't it be the other way?

The details aren't important. You look like you don't understand.



I didn't get it either. Mira was just such a vivacious vision of beauty. I was just a lowly ice cream shop employee. Next to that... There was no way I would be a good match. But then Mira--

Cut it out.





You really are an angel to me, Mira!





Even Mira finds that idea ridiculous, outright laughing at Eric.



Eric starts laughing, too. Just because, I guess.





Missing Lip Animations: 28

Well, earlier...you were being... Your face was pretty scary.







I'm so sorry.



You were probably just rattled about what's happened to us.





You're an odd duck.





Guess you've calmed down, huh?



But yeah, I'm okay now.



I can definitely smile no matter what...

Keep smiling, Eric.

Music: Sinisterness Phase 3











They wanted to investigate how a closed space affected change on emotions, right?

But then why did they want normal people like us to apply? Wouldn't you want people in helpful professions to go to Mars?



Like military officials, researchers... Other skilled professionals like that?

Maybe the reason they chose civilian subjects is



Hm, that sounds right.



Strangers living together on Mars for an extended period of time. What kind of problems would that bring? How would the subjects figure out solutions to the resulting troublesome situations. According to the Dcom staff, that's what the experiment was trying to determine.

Like the chair-bound old man...





Maybe they expect to be part of a colonization of Mars in the future?

Colonizing Mars...

Is Dcom, Space-X?







If you want to transport live koi from Brazil to Japan, putting only koi fish in an aquarium will result in most of them dying. But by adding something to that same container, you won't lose a single one.





Missing Lip Animations: 29

A piranha?





I get it...



That nervous state becomes the power to keep them alive.

Uh huh.



I see...



Ha.



Fierce look from Mira, here. If we hadn't already seen the Study fragment, would that be a clue?





Eric, don't say scary things like that.





Living quietly in Dcom becomes boring, so the emotional state will fade. If you intentionally inject a sense of emergency--



A little late perhaps, but I will now announce the voting results.

Music: Zero (Unary Game Remix)



All three groups have voted for different teams. Therefore, none have been executed. The current death count: 0.



I can't say this is an ideal situation for any of us involved. It appears that none of you fully grasp the essence of this game.



Think back on the rules you were told... You will remain in this shelter for eternity until six people are killed.



I will give you one last chance. A single action from you may result in your escape from the depths. What must you do? It's simple. I shall show you.

Music: CQD Ward BGM 3



The other two teams are listening to a message just like this one... In their ward's Decontamination Room...





The construction of all of them are the same. A yellow button exists on the wall in each.



Pressing it activates the showers in the other wards, and they will rain down a solution of hydrogen fluoride.





It's not only acidic enough to melt a body, but it even dissolves glass and iron. Explaining what would happen if you were under it seems unnecessary.







That button on the wall is your way to freedom. Using it will kill the other teams, and you will obtain the needed X-Passes to escape.



I have one final thing to tell you. The early bird gets the worm. After the first team pushes it, the button will become inactive for both of the other teams. Your time limit is three minutes. What will you do? Will you press it? Or refuse?







I can't even blame Eric for this reaction, when Junpei and Sigma acted the same way.

Music: Strain 2nd Mix



Eric turns...



...and makes a break for the button.



We need to trust the others!

We're going to win this thing with the power of trust and friendship!



What the hell do you know?!



Wh-Where did the nice Eric go--?!





Wh-Why, Eric...?!



A yell fueled by the old crazy eyes.



A collision of some kind, and Eric grunts in pain, then falls. The music stops here, as well.



Mira...



At least he's quiet now. I'll leave the rest of this up to you.

Huh...?







The heartbeat thumps.



Music: Tough Decision (Make Your Choice)



It may just be a formality at this point, but I at least have to ask. Press the button?



Extras:



We have one new file. While the topic of Dcom being a private enterprise came up, no one mentioned that is was basically run by Free the Soul. Are they the ones responsible for the Decision Game, too?