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LABO just keeps getting more sinister. and now the imaginary Yuuri makes waaaaay more sense. It doesn't absolve Dr. Tenkawa of responsibility, and it puts a lot of responsibility on Yuuri herself. I think the writing is both saying that the two of them did a pretty awful thing, but they were in an awful situation with no good alternatives. Natsuhiko still had a right to yell at his mother, given the information he had available. Every layer that gets peeled back also reveals how completely oblivious Natsuhiko was to virtually everything about his life. He didn't really know his mother, his best friend, his school, the city he lived in, or his own abilities. His life was lies and delusions. Q is definitely not entirely wrong, especially given what we now know about the 3rd ability. I don't know if I'd feel very safe knowing that that was even a possibility. I would try to be empathetic, but that is beyond terrifying. If Q has reason to believe this is a thing, and is deliberately targeting sites researching it, their actions make a lot more sense. Still horrible, but less maniacal. Watase may not be an accurate representation?
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Mar 20, 2017 05:27
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| # ? May 14, 2024 21:02 |
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EDIT: Referring to this question:Glazius posted:But what's the true form of these "nuclear disasters", anyhow? I'm not sure what you mean, but if you're talking about what the 'N' stands for the only clue I can think of so far is this TIP from Ma-In: The Demon Senses Sympathy posted:When senses sympathy is in use, the esper's senses dampen considerably, and since they make their BC energy frequency match that of the target, the esper's identity is at risk of collapse. Overuse of the ability dramatically increases the risk of N-ification. OddHaberdasher fucked around with this message at 05:37 on Mar 20, 2017 |
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Mar 20, 2017 05:34
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Been waiting for this moment. 1) Faith in Mashiro is rewarded. 2) Heh, Senses Sympathy System. 3) That should allow you to fill in some of the blanks in the LABO messages. 4) Beyond*BEYOND is a great anime.
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Mar 20, 2017 06:30
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Spatula City posted:Q is definitely not entirely wrong, especially given what we now know about the 3rd ability. I don't know if I'd feel very safe knowing that that was even a possibility. I would try to be empathetic, but that is beyond terrifying. If Q has reason to believe this is a thing, and is deliberately targeting sites researching it, their actions make a lot more sense. Still horrible, but less maniacal. Watase may not be an accurate representation? Well, it seems like Q is targeting these science cities, rather than the specific sites themselves, and given what we've heard them being attached to... TheMcD posted:
...I don't think poisoning a water purification plant is striking a blow against BC research in that city in particular. I'm still doubtful of their goal being to attack places researching the possibilities of Senses Sympathy as opposed to simply attacking cities that are supposed to be safe havens for Communicators. EDIT: Fun thing to think about when thinking about the morality of LABO - Miyoko is one of the good ones there. Just to put things in perspective.
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Mar 20, 2017 16:52
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TheMcD posted:Well, it seems like Q is targeting these science cities, rather than the specific sites themselves, and given what we've heard them being attached to... I still think that Q is just a blanket name applied to all anti-BC groups to poison public opinion by associating all of them, violent or no, as one monolithic entity. I also think that at least the Rokumei Arson was a false flag on the government's part, but that's just my opinion. There are definitely violent terrorists out there, but Q as an entity doesn't exist in my belief.
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Mar 20, 2017 16:59
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For Whom the Bell Tolls: 09/16/2030, 06:10 Roughly two months after Tanabata... September 16, 2030--   ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 1 ♫  It's okay. We're doing a very important experiment today, aren't we? Indeed. It'll be along stretch from around 9 to 12, so let's give it our best. Before the experiment, we need to examine your brain. Please change into the testing clothes.Miyoko handed Yuuri a change of clothes. In the surrounding area, the professor's colleagues were busy preparing for the examination. Staff Member 1: Scanning preparations complete. Staff Member 2: Send me the data from the previous two rounds. None of them showed any interest in seeing Yuuri's naked body, but she still tried to find cover to change behind. (But still... today's experiment is quite unusual, huh. The professor said it's to ''create a spirit''... but is that even possible?)The moment Yuuri pondered the possibility-- The phone rang. ...What could that be?Puzzled, the professor picked up the phone. Yes. Tenkawa speaking. We're in the middle of an experiment right now, so--Before she could finish, the professor's face froze over. --Natsuhiko did what? Huh...?♪ BGM: Psychological Warfare ♫ Yuuri gasped too when she heard that name. As Yuuri strained her ears to listen, the professor continued the phone call. Yes, yes...! ...What did you say? Mashiro and Yui as well? --Understood. I'll be heading over there right now.And with that, the professor hung up the phone. U-um... what happened with Hikorin? I'm not sure... but it looks like those three came to LABO. Huh? H-how? How indeed. And right as we're running an experiment... What in the world could he need at a time like--Right as the professor spoke, the sound of an explosion rang out in the distance. ♪ BGM: Approaching Death ♫ !?Yuuri was so taken by surprised that she dropped the testing clothes she was about to change into. Wh-what was that sound!?As if to answer that question, more and more sounds echoed forth. The automatic disaster prevention system broadcast an automated message. Automatic PA: --Intense tremors detected in B1 Area 1. --Intense tremors detected in B2 Area 3. --A fire has broken out in B1 Area 2. --Intense tremors detected in B2 Area 2. Security has shifted to 'Evacuation Mode'. All gates, barring those leading to Area N, have been opened. Yuuri didn't really understand what was going on. But she did know that something terrible was befalling the facility. P... Professor...Yuuri became frightened and walked up to her. The professor wrapped Yuuri in a protective embrace just as a clamorous broadcast echoed through the halls.  Th-this is an emergency broadcast! Explosions of unknown origin have just occurred within the facility! From our current understanding of the situation, explosions occurred simultaneously in ten different locations inside the facility. Fires have broken out as a result!That broadcast sent all the researchers panicking. Staff Member 1: Explosions in ten different locations...!? Staff Member 2: 'Unknown origin'!? What do you mean, 'unknown origin'!? ...!The frightened Yuuri clung to the professor. The professor embraced her shoulders back and spoke. It's okay...! This facility's equipped with layers upon layers of disaster prevention systems. No matter what happens, it shouldn't escalate to a large-scale disaster. Our safety is guaranteed... so there's no need to worry.She spoke in a voice calm to the core. As if she were trying to encourage Yuuri. B-but why did this happen-- Why indeed. There's no reason for an explosion to have occurred in this facility... ... ...It couldn't be. Terrorism!? T-terrorism!? An anti-BC extremist group has been conducting acts of destruction within the city recently. Yesterday, they blew up the PRC and that was thought to have been the end of their string of crimes... but could it be that their actual target was here!? How did they find out this place was a BC research facility!? W-was there an information leak somewhere!? I don't know! The same goes for what their goal is... But it's too dangerous for us to stay here. That's for certain! Yuuri, let's evacuate to somewhere safe! O-okay!The professor took Yuuri by the hand and left the laboratory.  Professor, where are we going!? There's an emergency shelter here in Area 5. In truth, Area Zero is the safest place, but going there requires tedious formalities...The professor stopped and looked at the wall.  107215... Okay, it opened!The professor entered what appeared to be a password and the wall slid open, revealing a narrow passageway. They rushed up to a steel door deep inside and opened it.  This place was designed to withstand minor explosions and fires! It's perfectly safe! A-All right! I'll go investigate what's happening! And there's the issue with Natsuhiko too, so-- Understand? Wait for me here, okay!? Understood. Be careful! And yes, just for reference, I got really confused by Miyoko's lines here, figuring that there was something missing, but no, she trails off about Natsuhiko and then asks Yuuri if she understands, which is kind of a weird transition. Also, this is the log screen - you haven't seen this before. It has all the lines from the chapter that you've seen at that point, and you can listen to all of them again if you wish. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program. The professor nodded and left the shelter. --Yuuri was left there alone. The sound of explosions kept going on and on. (Hikorin's here...? Why would he come now of all times...!?)Yuuri was worried about them, but she couldn't just leave the shelter. (If I could at least confirm their safety...)As Yuuri pondered about how to do that-- it hit her. (I know! I'll use BC!)She could confirm Natsuhiko's current situation using Senses Sympathy. Furthermore, since the facility was now in Evacuation Mode, the BC-insulated security gates were all wide open. Meaning she would in theory be able to use BC on him even if he was in a faraway area. Yuuri focused her mind-- and tried using Senses Sympathy on Natsuhiko.   ♪ BGM: Approaching Death ♫  Khh! (!)The pain Natsuhiko felt propagated to Yuuri. The girls beside him looked at him in concern.  Natsuhiko, do you have a headache again!? Gh... guh, uuuuuuggh...! Are you okay, Natsuhiko!? Hang in there! ... (Th-this headache...!)Yuuri knew the truth behind that headache. It was the headache Natsuhiko would always get when his mind was on the verge of collapse--!  The moment that thought crossed her mind, they heard another explosion from nearby. (!?)Natsuhiko promptly covered for Mashiro and Yui. One second later, a blazing wind shot by, and the kids were blown away. Ghh...! A-are you two okay!?They slowly got up after having fallen on top of each other. ...Y... yeah... I-I'm okay...!The two groaned, but they appeared to be uninjured. (Thank goodness...!)Yuuri felt relieved as the three kids ran around, searching for an exit.  But Yuuri had a lone desire. (I need to get those three out of here as soon as possible...!)Yuuri focused further and sent Natsuhiko telepathy. --Intense telepathy that worked not only to cause an auditory hallucination, but a visual one as well--!  ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ --Yuuri!?Natsuhiko stopped in his tracks, speechless. His eyes were no doubt ''seeing'' Yuuri. {... Hikorin... Why did you come here...!?} What about you, Yuuri!? Why are -you- here!? You left home!?Yuuri was holding a conversation with him without issue. Though she was relieved, she had other thoughts on her mind as well. (First I need to find the reason Hikorin came to LABO-- and with that information, I need to think of a way to get him to leave!)       She looked through his memories of what he experienced the previous few days.     How he came across a traffic accident. How he met Salyu.      How he heard about the terrorists from Mashiro, and how they came to LABO to stop them--       The watch that broke and stopped at that time left a severe impression.  So that's what happened...Those words were heard by Natsuhiko as well via BC. (What do I do...!?)Now that she had understood the situation, Yuuri was at a loss for how to proceed. The first thing on the agenda would probably be to get them out safely. But there was something else that was equally important. (Hikorin's trying to regain his memories!)Natsuhiko had been tormented by his frequently chaotic memory for some time. He still lacked any of the ''preparedness to know the truth'' that the professor had talked about. But if he were to fall victim to his panic disorder or stupefaction in this situation, it would mean certain death. After all, he'd nearly gotten caught in an explosive blast mere moments ago. (If something were to happen to him, then even Mashiron and Yui could get caught up in it...!)  And then his mind would collapse yet again. In light of the impending crisis-- there was only one path for Yuuri to take. (In that case, I'll start now... And manipulate Hikorin's memory to give him the strength he needs to handle the truth...!)She didn't know how much time was left. But it was something that needed to be done while she guided them down an escape route. It was the only way. (Hikorin has so many people there to support him now.) To get him to accept the truth and free him from her curse-- I'll rewind time for Hikorin, as many times as it takes...!
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Mar 20, 2017 18:07
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TheMcD posted:
Oh christ Miyoko what are you doing 
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Mar 20, 2017 18:13
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Pushing the boundries of BC! FOR SCIENCE 
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Mar 20, 2017 21:25
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I think that the code for the room Yuuri's in is Nat's birthday or something like that.
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Mar 20, 2017 22:36
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She's trying to make the player character isn't she? We're the BC Ghost in LABO. 
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Mar 20, 2017 22:36
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Oh, right, one thing I want to throw out is that in the second to last update, there was an implication that creates an inconsistency with something that goes WAY back. I already made a particular note of the line that we see that implication in, though I'll leave it up to you to find out where the inconsistency lies and what that inconsistency means.
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Mar 20, 2017 22:48
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So back to the "Chapter naming scheme" talk, it seems like we're keeping the "Watase's perspective in lower case, Natsuhiko's in ALL CAPS" one. But these Yuuri chapters have a new one: "Japanese words: English words". What do the Japanese portions translate to?
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Mar 20, 2017 22:54
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"A lone desire", huh? 
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Mar 20, 2017 23:22
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Junpei posted:So back to the "Chapter naming scheme" talk, it seems like we're keeping the "Watase's perspective in lower case, Natsuhiko's in ALL CAPS" one.
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Mar 20, 2017 23:28
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TheOneAndOnlyT posted:To the English words. I... should have seen that coming. But thank you for that information nonetheless, One and Only.
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Mar 20, 2017 23:51
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How does Natsuhiko remember Yuuri being at home the last couple days when she hasn't had a chance to edit herself in, also how did she see herself in his memory when she hasn't edited herself in
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Mar 21, 2017 00:41
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Danaru posted:How does Natsuhiko remember Yuuri being at home the last couple days when she hasn't had a chance to edit herself in, also how did she see herself in his memory when she hasn't edited herself in I get the impression that Natsuhiko is also hallucinating her independently, but Yuuri inspired it and cleans up inconsistencies for him.
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Mar 21, 2017 00:44
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Also, because I'm looking at everything here, what do the words Yuuri wrote and replaced mean? Orihime and Hikoboshi, that is.
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Mar 21, 2017 00:50
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Junpei posted:Also, because I'm looking at everything here, what do the words Yuuri wrote and replaced mean? Orihime and Hikoboshi, that is. They're Vega and Altair from the Tanabata story Salyu talks about.
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Mar 21, 2017 01:00
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NRVNQSR posted:They're Vega and Altair from the Tanabata story Salyu talks about. Oh, derp. Duh. I am like the most forgetful person on the planet. I'd forget my own head if it wasn't attached to my neck. But still, SYMBOLISM! Also, has it been confirmed that Kazami or Jun were members of Q (or whatever terrorist thingy attacked LABO), or is it just Crazy-Watase?
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Mar 21, 2017 01:04
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Junpei posted:Oh, derp. Duh. I am like the most forgetful person on the planet. I'd forget my own head if it wasn't attached to my neck. But still, SYMBOLISM! Jun is definitely not Q. I highly doubt Kazami was, but you never know (given that she's lost a sister to LABO and was Watase's girlfriend).
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Mar 21, 2017 03:00
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NRVNQSR posted:They're Vega and Altair from the Tanabata story Salyu talks about. While we're on the subject of symbolism, note that Yuuri (Orihime-symbolic name) and Natsuhiko (Hikoboshi) can only see each other once each year on July 7, which also happens to be when Tanabata celebrations start. AlphaKretin posted:I get the impression that Natsuhiko is also hallucinating her independently, but Yuuri inspired it and cleans up inconsistencies for him. That's pretty much correct, as per this: TheMcD posted:
So Fake-Yuuri runs by herself, but every year Yuuri updates it so it's closer to what Real-Yuuri's actually like.
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Mar 21, 2017 04:53
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Create a spirit. I... you know, this makes me wonder. LABO has had this happen before but nobody seems to have done something that could create it. I wonder if Q is actually some powerful Communicator that's planted false memories to turn a bunch of normal people into murderers and is trying to eliminate its competition.
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Mar 21, 2017 05:40
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Q is actually Q from Star Trek.
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Mar 21, 2017 12:27
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Towa mo Nakaba wo Sugite: Half Past Eternity: 09/16/2030, 06:29 She guided him gradually towards mental preparedness.  ♪ BGM: Extra-Sensory Perception ♫ First, she had to make Natsuhiko aware of his own growth. Next, she had to strengthen how he felt about his bonds with other people around him. (In Hikorin's mind, time stopped nine years ago. I've gotta get it moving again...) Even Yuuri could clearly see that his impressions of Mashiro and Salyu were far worse than what they actually should be. Which was likely the result of how he had closed his heart to others for many years. But if he kept that up, he would have no chance of handling the impending truth.    Yuuri took extreme care to ensure that her modifications would seamlessly blend with reality.  Yuuri would take it upon herself to show him a fabricated memory of ''a tragic future'' that would await him if he didn't change his ways. It was a drastic measure, but she couldn't think of any better methods. However, as a result of that effort, Natsuhiko's heart gradually opened.   She hinted that soon enough, his false peace would end and he would have to part with the phantom. Natsuhiko was perplexed at first, but eventually, he gained the strength to face the past.        Automatic PA: In accordance with this emergency, security has shifted to Blockade Mode. Looking down all gates and bulkheads. Even when he encountered a Case N announcement in Area 5, he did not despair. As she saw the results of Natsuhiko's progression, Yuuri thought to herself. (With this... Hikorin might be able to accept the truth.)Natsuhiko's headache was gone as suddenly as it had come. His mental preparation was almost complete.  The finishing touch-- make Natsuhiko realize the fact that Mashiro had been supporting him all these nine years. If he only knew, he'd be thankful for Mashiro and would perhaps be able to cope with Yuuri's death.  Natsuhiko hadn't noticed it, so Yuuri tried to inform him of it, but-- --immediately after she did, there was an unforeseen turn of events.  --a file of newspaper articles covering the incident nine years ago. H... huh...!?Natsuhiko's body trembled. He looked towards Yuuri in a daze. (Ah... oh no! It's still a little too early! But now that it's come to this, there's nothing I can do but gamble on Hikorin's mental strength...!)Yuuri prepared herself and sent telepathy to Natsuhiko.  ♪ BGM: Memento Mori ♫ It was a conclusive statement heralding the end of a long dream. ...No...Natsuhiko's innermost thoughts propagated to Yuuri as well. His confusion, sorrow, agitation, fear-- and despair. But even so, Yuuri continued. ...Hikorin, it's time to say goodbye. -- ...I'm sorry for deceiving you for so long. I wanted to support you... ...But I'm sure you'll be okay without me now. You've noticed it these past few days, haven't you? You're not alone, Hikorin.--Yuuri spoke sincerely. To move Natsuhiko's heart. But her voice didn't get through to him.  ...Ugh, aah....--Natsuhiko groaned faintly-- --AaaaaAAAAAGGHH!!--and screamed madly. (N-no way...! That still wasn't enough!?)Yuuri fell into despair once more. She had no idea that the curse of hers that bound him was that strong--! And then, the door opened and Mashiro rushed in.  Natsuhiko, I heard a scream. What happened!? ...Yuuri... ...She disappeared... As if to spew out the sorrow of losing Yuuri and the bitterness of having been lied to for nine whole years. Yuuri's gone, isn't she!? She's been gone for nine goddamn years! And you just played along with my madness, didn't you!? Is this your idea of a joke!? N-no...!Both Natsuhiko and Mashiro's eyes welled up with tears. And as she observed the situation through Natsuhiko's eyes-- Yuuri too was saddened. (No, Hikorin...! You mustn't hold it against Mashiron...! She's been there supporting you all this time...!)Yuuri was rife with regret. (What should I have done...? What should I do for Hikorin--)But before Yuuri could think any further-- --the unexpected happened.   ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ (!?)His consciousness was abruptly thrown into that endless darkness. {Huh... Wh-what is this...!?}Natsuhiko was astonished. But Yuuri understood what was happening. (No way...! Hikorin's sympathized with Mashiron's mind!?) Though he had shown signs of it the previous night, it was still an unexpected, but welcome surprise. (Th... that's it! Now Hikorin should be able to understand Mashiron's feelings...!)Natsuhiko peered into Mashiro's memories, bewildered at what was going on.   ♪ BGM: Words of Healing ♫ Mashiro...! I'm sorry...! I'm so sorry...! Huh...? You've always been there to support me, haven't you... You've always been there for me, right by my side...! (Thank goodness... Now Hikorin and Mashiron... are both truly free from my curse.)And now her role was complete. With that feeling of closure-- Yuuri calmly disconnected from Natsuhiko's mind.  ♪ BGM: Silence ♫ What spread out before her eyes was an empty room. But the sight of the lonely room began to blur. Huh... why am I...? Yuuri realized that she was crying. Natsuhiko was free from Yuuri's curse. Free to be with Mashiro. She thought that was what she had always wished for, and yet-- Yuuri felt as if her heart had been torn in two. ... No... this is for the best...! --Just then... She heard a knock on the shelter door. Ah... Professor?Yuuri was taken aback and rushed over to the door. If the professor had returned, then Yuuri wanted her shoulder to cry on. She was the only one who understood Yuuri. The only one who shared her sadness. Someone she could truly call ''Mom''. But when she opened the door--  ♪ BGM: Psychological Warfare ♫ ...!? Finally found you... You're a person of interest to this lab, right? Who... who are you? I'm a rescue worker. I'm here to save you guys.His voice sounded familiar. It sent shivers of anxiety down her spine. (Where have I heard that voice...!?)She soon remembered.  You're... with Q!? The man unintentionally gasped. For a moment, his face froze over. But that face soon warped into a wicked expression. Hey... did you cheat and use BC? To read my mind? ... Well, whatever. You're coming with me.And with that, the man grabbed Yuuri by the arm. N-no! Stop it! Please don't struggle! I won't have to get violent as long as you behave!It was very hard to take the man's words at face value. (Then I'll just have to erase his--!)Yuuri plotted to destroy the man's memory and run. But before she could-- a pain ran through her neck. Oww!Though she didn't understand what just happened, Yuuri tried to use BC. (... Huh?)But nothing happened. She couldn't destroy the man's memory-- She couldn't even use Senses Sympathy itself at all! Wh-why... I injected you with a BC inhibitor. Your abilities won't work on me now. No way...!Without BC, Yuuri was nothing but an ordinary, powerless girl.  He applied pressure to her carotid artery. Ugh...Yuuri tried to shake him off, but the man was too strong for her to even budge an inch. Suddenly, her sight blacked out. (H... Hikorin... Mashiron...!)As Yuuri's consciousness faded away, she prayed. That the others would safely escape from here without encountering this man--
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Mar 21, 2017 19:26
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So it does look like Terrorist Watase got rage virused at some point during the raid. And Yuuri probably isn't the Rage Virus-er.
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Mar 21, 2017 23:39
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Wait, so all of Route Before's SSS choices were Yuuri influencing Natsuhiko's mind?
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Mar 22, 2017 00:18
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Junpei posted:Wait, so all of Route Before's SSS choices were Yuuri influencing Natsuhiko's mind? Not quite. The things that prompted the SSS choices, yes. Making the choices themselves, no. If Natsuhiko was too closed off after her replay of each day, Yuuri prompted the bad end.
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Mar 22, 2017 00:23
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EponymousMrYar posted:And Yuuri probably isn't the Rage Virus-er. Yeah. The RAGE VIRUS-er is prob another character we have yet to meet, the one in those restraints and also the one in Watase's memories.
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Mar 22, 2017 00:28
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Towards Zero: 09/16/2030, 09:00 ---- -- --Yuuri was woken up by a strange sound and an extreme heat.  ♪ BGM: Approaching Death ♫ H... Hikorin...For a moment, she remembered the time she was locked away in LABO with Natsuhiko, so she unthinkingly called out his name. But she was mistaken. It was currently September 16, 2030, nine years after that memory. Yuuri looked around. She didn't see the man, but-- Ah...!The hallway was engulfed in flames. The fires had probably spread while she was unconscious. I... I gotta get away...!Yuuri stood up in confusion and ran away from the flames. As she ran, Yuuri thought to herself. (How long have I been unconscious? Where did that man go!?)The man had disappeared after knocking Yuuri out. From that observation, she couldn't understand what his goal was at all. (No, there's no time to think about all of that! First, I need to find a way to survive!)Yuuri shook off her doubts and ran through the hallway.  She tried going to Dr. Miyoko Tenkawa's office, but saw no sign of Natsuhiko and the others. They probably escaped by their own means. (Thank goodness...)Right when Yuuri sighed in relief, the flames assailed her. Kyah!Yuuri kept running as the fire and smoke chased her.   But there were no escape routes to be found. Ah, ah, ah...!There was no longer any way out. Every path she took was blocked by fire. That room...Yuuri plunged into a nearby room, every fiber of her being focused only on escaping from the flames.  But she could tell it was only a matter of time before that room burned up too. (Ah... Am I going to die here...?)She thought that might not be such a bad thing. Even if she were to survive, she probably would still never make it out of LABO. As long as Natsuhiko and the others managed to escape in the end, that was probably good enough for her. (That's right... the lie we kept telling is now coming true. That's all.)And with that thought, Yuuri prepared herself, but then--   Kyaahh!! Yuuri couldn't help but scream.  And then, the force of the flames fiercely intensified. Perhaps something explosive had caught on fire.  The heat was so intense that it was difficult to breathe. A heat haze rose from the entire floor, warping the sight of Yuuri's surroundings. As she watched the haze, all of the preparation Yuuri had made to accept her death-- --turned into fear. N-no... No, no, no... I don't want to die... I don't want to die...! The fear of actual impending death blew away what little resolve to die Yuuri thought she had. A heat wave blew through like a windstorm. Smoke filled the room. *cough*! *cough*!Yuuri coughed violently. Her eyes watered. But then-- she heard voices from somewhere in the distance. ???: Get a hose ready! ???: Roger! (!?)They were female voices. ???: Whoa-- outta the way, Captain! ???: Commence water release! ???: Roger! Here it comes!! Judging by their conversation, they seemed to be firefighters or something. When Yuuri lifted her head, she heard the sound of water coming from the other side of the crushed door. They were extinguishing the fires outside. The violent heat wave rapidly died down. (Th-there's no doubt about it... They're firefighters!) S-someone... He... help me...!She heard a voice in response. ???: Someone's... in that room!? Yuuri called out once more to whomever it was that was rushing over to her. Someone... help... me...And finally, the owner of the footsteps came running into the room.  Yuuri desperately reached out her hand. But as soon as she made eye contact with the owner of the voice--  Yuuri gasped in shock.  ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ (Why!? Why did he come to save me!?)She was thoroughly confused and understood nothing of the situation. The man's face stiffened too for some reason, and he froze in place. Meanwhile, the fires drew closer to Yuuri. Eventually the man shot off like a bullet-- --straight into the room to save Yuuri. 
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Mar 22, 2017 19:53
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So Watase's plan was to knock out Yuuri, and then just kinda leave her in a hallway?  I kinda thought this whole "Lock people in rooms" was followed by "also there's a bomb in the room" considering Ena's room caught fire and I thought Yuuri was locked in here.So far, here's my guess at Q's plan: -Call a teacher to LABO (Seriously why is Ena here) -Secretly plant bombs around LABO, causing a large fire that mimics what Senior Fellow S did nine years ago -Run into the fire -Get repeatedly owned by children - 
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Mar 22, 2017 21:27
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Danaru posted:So Watase's plan was to knock out Yuuri, and then just kinda leave her in a hallway? I imagine something came up that we'll probably see later, considering how this game likes to dripfeed reveals. Maybe he abandoned her when he started getting rage virus-ed?
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Mar 23, 2017 00:14
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If I saw the froth scene out of context, I'dve assumed capture and subsequent suicide by cyanide.
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Mar 23, 2017 00:22
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TRANSCENDING REALITY: 09/16/2030, 15:36 ---- -- Natsuhiko returned to reality.  Natsuhiko heard Yuuri's voice, but his vision was still blurry. For in his eyes were tears.  ♪ BGM: Memento Mori ♫ I'm sorry. I'm sorry for deceiving you all this time...Yuuri said the same words she did back then. (Please... please don't say you've deceived me...!)--Natsuhiko had been free for nine years in exchange for Yuuri's confinement. It was an unbearable truth for him. (Dammit, what the hell's wrong with me...!? For years and years, I've been protected by the girls precious to me... And I took it all for granted without ever realizing how much they sacrificed for me!)Natsuhiko was tormented by bitterness and shame. How... how can you be so nice to me...? Huh...? Even though it's my fault you've wasted nine years of your life... You never held a grudge, you never complained, and even today, you worked hard to save me... Why? How can you go so far to do all that for someone like me...? Why can't you put more value in yourself...!?Yuuri calmly answered. ...Hikorin, you see... I thought I would be trapped in here for my entire life. So I thought it'd be for the best if you forgot about me and lived a happy life with Mashiron... That's what I believed. That's really all there is to it.Yuuri gave a lonely smile. As if she had given up on something she had long thought to be precious-- When he saw that look on her face, Natsuhiko understood her feelings. (I see... Yuuri... had given up. To survive her hopeless days, she gave up every hope of her own future...!)But-- that was not something that a normal person could withstand. In her heart of hearts, Yuuri must have wanted to be saved. (... After all, she did ask me to save her. She asked me, and not anyone else.)And she had appeared before him and made him look into his own mind. She may not have realized it herself, but there was perhaps a slight gap in her reasoning. But Natsuhiko couldn't overlook that. (Others might overlook it, but there's no way I could...!)Natsuhiko wiped his tears and gazed at Yuuri. ...Say, Yuuri. Do you think lost time can be recovered...? Th-that's... That's impossible... Even if you change memories, you can't change the truth.--That was an obvious answer. But not one Natsuhiko could approve of. ...No, even so, I'll still do it. Huh? I swear I'll recover the time you've lost. You say you'll spend the rest of your life imprisoned in this place? That's ridiculous. That can't be allowed to stand. I swear I'll free you even if it costs me my life. Even if it costs you your life!? No...! If you die, then what will I have spent all those nine years trying to save you for!? Please, allow me to do at least that... I really enjoyed meeting you and spending all that time with you up until today. If you're telling me that it was all a lie, then I'll just turn that lie into the truth...! If you say you were a phantom, then I'll change you into reality!That was the one thing he could do for Yuuri. The only way he could repay her for protecting her all these nine years-- Let's escape from this facility alive, Yuuri. Because I'm sure that's what you really want. ...!Yuuri's eyes widened. But eventually, her surprise was painted over with the colors of joy and relief. ...Yes.That one word signified the sentiment she had looked away in her heart for nine years-- her hope for freedom. Natsuhiko nodded firmly and continued. ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 2 ♫ ...All right. But there's a lot we've gotta do before that. You're right. First we need to save Mashiron, right? Yeah. Hopefully she's okay...! ...If you're worried, then why don't you use Senses Sympathy on Captain Kasasagi one more time? Huh? You can use Senses Sympathy long distance?Similar to telepathy and empathy, Senses Sympathy obviously had a usable range of its own. And considering how empathy's range was narrower than telepathy's, Natsuhiko logically concluded that Senses Sympathy would be even narrower, but-- It is true that you need to be nearly touching when you dive into someone's mind the first time... But minds that have been connected in the past can connect more easily, even from a distance. That said, it's still about the same range as empathy, though. I-is that how it works? It's called the 'melt effect'.Tips posted:TIP: Melt effect When you use Senses Sympathy on someone, part of your minds melt together, making subsequent uses remarkably easier. Now that you mention it, you're right...  ...I see.Having his mind melted together with Watase's wasn't exactly a pleasant thought, but the ability to sympathize with his senses at will was quite convenient. Got it. I'll give it a shot.Natsuhiko said that to Yuuri as he attempted using Senses Sympathy on Watase. (... Where is he now, and what's he doing? Has he reached Mashiro yet...?)Natsuhiko's five senses dampened-- And in its place came the sights that Watase saw.
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Mar 23, 2017 19:53
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Nobody: 09/16/2030, 15:38 He'd heard someone's footsteps on his way to the factory, and had quickly found a place to hide. (Dammit, who's there...!?)He couldn't tell whose footsteps they were. Were they Ukita's? Jun's? Kazami's? Or-- (No, it's too dangerous for me to bump into anyone right now, no matter who they are.)Watase held his breath and waited for that person to leave. It didn't take long before the footsteps grew fainter and fainter, then disappeared completely. Phew...Watase breathed a sigh of relief. If someone spotted him, then it'd cause all sorts of problems with bringing Mashiro Toba back to the secret room. (I have to save that Mashiro girl as fast as I can...)Watase broke off into a dash while keeping his guard up.  But once he made it there--  ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ --what he found left him stunned. ...No way! How did...!?Very little had changed about the room since the last time he'd been there. But there was one part about it that was strange. Very strange. Or rather, it was the lack of something that was strange.  The same girl who'd been confirmed dead after Kazami and Jun's failed CPR attempts...  ...Where did her body go...!?With this being the second dead body that'd vanished on him that day-- --Watase just stood frozen in complete shock. 
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Mar 23, 2017 19:54
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Ah, the spooky dead body moved. Good. This can only bode well.
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Mar 24, 2017 03:42
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Phantom of the nightmare: 09/16/2030, 15:46 ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ Watase was momentarily frozen in confusion in the face of that bizarre phenomenon happening to him again, but-- (C-calm down...! Maybe someone just moved the body to another location, that's all.)But if that were true, then who would do something like that?    Or--? No amount of thinking could bring Watase to the truth. (... No, now's not the time for this... My top priority right now needs to be finding that Mashiro girl and saving her...)Watase then pushed his thoughts aside.  ♪ BGM: Silence ♫ (Uh, so first, I should put this here...)Watase went through a whole process of trial and error figuring out how the part he got from Natsuhiko connected with the broken panel on the wall. (No, maybe that's not it... I've gotta take these wires and connect them to this... This is the ''open'' button, so this must be the ''close'' button...)He manually connected the torn off wires and kept clicking the button over and over again, and soon enough--  He heard the control panel beep. Followed by the sound of the lift going down. I-I did it!Watase found himself instinctively pumping his fist triumphantly. (I just hope that I'll find Mashiro Toba in there when these doors open... This is the only place I haven't looked yet, after all... Please be in there...!)♪ BGM: Psychological Warfare ♫ The sound of the lift descending filled Watase's ears as he thought that.  !!--he found himself faced with a lone girl lying there. Huh... Huh!? What the... Hey!Watase ran over to her as horror filled him. The last survivor had indeed been on the lift-- but she was horribly injured. H-hey, are you okay!? ...The girl's face was so pale... that it almost distracted him from the blood pouring down her arm. She didn't respond to Watase's cries. But he could tell she still had a pulse and was breathing, though both were faint. (Is she unconscious...!?)Now that he looked closer, her face looked familiar.   But unlike the healthy, uninjured girl he'd seen in the footage, this one looked like she was a step away from death. (What in the world happened to her...!?)And just as he had that thought-- !!--a bizarre image flashed through his brain.  ???: It burns...!  ???: Agh, no... it burns, it hurts... Natsuhiko...! ???: Are you okay, Mashiro!? I'll treat it right-- ???: ...Guess it's harder to hit a moving target than you'd think.  The sudden images and voices that played back in his head... sent tremors running through Watase's body. Tha... that was...!!He'd first seen a boy and girl running off somewhere through a security gate. But what directly followed that image was a dry sound. After that came a man's voice-- ''Guess it's harder to hit a moving target than you'd think.'' That voice... it was...!It had sounded a lot like Watase's voice. Wh-what's the meaning of this!? Why would I do something so horrible!? It's like I'm--!But before Watase's horrifying train of thought could continue, he was interrupted.  (!!)This time, the auditory hallucination echoed through his head. {Calm down! That girl's gonna die! Rescue her and get back to the shelter! Look, you're a rescue worker, aren't you!? Then accomplish your mission, dammit!} Ah... r-right.Watase did his best to curb his bewilderment and managed to somehow pull himself together. (That's right... I'll save this girl... There's no way in hell I can let her die on me... Not on my watch...)He distracted himself from his earlier thoughts with this self-persuasion and kept repeating it in his mind over and over again. He then walked up to Mashiro and lifted her in his arms.  The auditory hallucination sounded relieved. (...)Watase said nothing and rushed out of the cargo lift room while carrying Mashiro on his back.   (Please tell me there's another transfusion kit here...)He searched the room to find there was exactly one other kit left. He put it in his pocket and then carried blood packs under his arms, one of each blood type. If he could, he'd treat her here, but that was too dangerous. It was likely he'd be attacked by Jun, Ukita, or Kazami if he stayed. (Then going back to the shelter is the best move. It's the safest place we've got.)Watase propped Mashiro up on his back again and left the infirmary.   Natsuhiko, can you hear me!? It's me! Kasasagi! Open up!He pounded on the door and shouted-- and soon enough, the wall slid open, revealing the iron door.  Mashiron!She cried out what seemed to be a nickname for Mashiro and ran over to them. It looked like Mashiro was another friend of Yuuri's. Captain Kasasagi! Mashiron's gone completely limp...! It's okay, she's just passed out.Watase laid Mashiro on the floor and gave that reply. But her arm's hurt pretty badly... She might have lost too much blood. It looks like she was stuck in the lift for hours without treatment... Natsuhiko glared at Watase and spoke in a low voice. ...Yeah, that wound does look pretty bad, huh? Yeah. I've gotta give her a transfusion right away or else. Do either of you know her blood type? She's B+. That's what she told me, at least. Okay, then B+ it is.Watase read the instruction manual that came with the transfusion kit as he checked her for any acute reactions-- Then he managed to start giving Mashiro the transfusion. Phew... guess she's okay for now...Watase sighed. Natsuhiko then called out to him in a restrained voice. ...Like hell she's okay. Huh? Look at how badly hurt she is...! How the hell can you call that 'okay'? How do you plan on taking responsibility if something happens to her!? ...Watase was confused by Natsuhiko's abrupt outburst. (Is he mad that I took my time setting up the transfusion?)But it was at that moment that it hit him. He'd heard that rough, impatient tone in Natsuhiko's voice somewhere before. Very recently, in fact. --It was much like the tone of the ''auditory hallucination''. (...!)A flash like lightning zapped through Watase's head when that thought hit him.  (... Wait, don't tell me!?)Watase felt shivers down his spine.  ...I'm sorry. I should have been taking this more seriously. No, it's okay... But her wounds don't look as serious as yours. I can't say this for certain, but I think she'll be fine if we just keep her hooked up to the kit. ...Right.Natsuhiko clearly wasn't fully placated, but he backed down. Once he'd confirmed that, Watase then quietly voiced the revelation that'd just hit him. ...By the way, can I ask you something, Natsuhiko? Huh? Well, thing is, I already talked about this with Yuuri, but-- I've been hearing this auditory hallucination from time to time ever since I woke up in this facility. ...! But the impression I got from it is very similar to the impression I get of you whenever you talk. Though it's not something I can really explain with words... ...What are you implying? Well, it's just... it's about this thing Teach told me about. You... you guys can use telepathy, can't you? Was the auditory hallucination I've been hearing this whole time just you using telepathy?Watase told his suspicions to Natsuhiko in one quick swoop. A mysterious fear welled up within him as he did so. But Natsuhiko shook his head with a straight face. You think I was sending you telepathy? Of course not. Not a chance. I mean, I was out cold in Area N the whole time, right? ...Well, yeah, that's true, but... Besides, why would I ever do that in the first place? I don't know what's causing your auditory hallucinations... but I know that they have nothing to do with me. I see...Deep down, he didn't fully believe Natsuhiko, but he had no choice but to back off. If he kept pressing Natsuhiko on this, he'd think he was a nut. ...Sorry for making things weird with that dumb question. Let's change the topic. Y-yes. I think that would be for the best. I was going to talk to you about what our next course of action should be--Natsuhiko interrupted before Watase could finish. Could you bring Salyu here? There's a possibility she's still lying unconscious at the bottom of those stairs Ms. Tachibana threw her down. Salyu? Oh, well, uh, I don't mind, but... ...You see, the thing is... that girl literally wants to kill me.--He couldn't let Natsuhiko know why that was. He still didn't want to believe what she'd said back at the bulkhead. So she might go crazy on me again if I try to get her. But there's a good chance she's still out cold, and besides, she'll calm down if you bring her to me. She's my friend. I'm sure she won't attack you if I tell her not to. ... Is that right?To be honest, he still felt rather reluctant to do so, but he'd feel awkward about leaving Salyu the way she was. Umm, Captain Kasasagi... I'd really appreciate it too. Please bring Salyu back here safely... ...Okay. Leave it to me.Watase put on a brave face and left the shelter.
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Mar 24, 2017 18:06
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Watase has become Natsuhiko's errand boy I guess. I understand there's shades of grey here, and we still don't know exactly how Evil old Watase was, but I still bristled at Natsuhiko snapping at Watase.
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Mar 24, 2017 18:39
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asymmetrical posted:Watase has become Natsuhiko's errand boy I guess. I understand there's shades of grey here, and we still don't know exactly how Evil old Watase was, but I still bristled at Natsuhiko snapping at Watase. See, I read that as Natsuhiko knowing exactly what he did to Watase and feeling really guilty over it, or else just dodging the question in case it makes memories resurface and Watase realizes that he himself cause the entire mess.
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Mar 24, 2017 18:47
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MANY ANSWERS: 09/16/2030, 15:52 Yuuri accosted him. Hikorin... why did you talk like that to Captain Kasasagi? I'm sorry... I lost my temper... When I saw how badly injured Mashiro was, I just couldn't forgive Watase for it... Huh!? So Mashiron's injuries really were because of Captain Kasasagi? Yeah, Watase shot her before he lost his memories.Natsuhiko gave Yuuri a summary of the events that led him up to here:    Once Yuuri had heard the entire story, she spoke painfully.  Yeah. So, I know the current 'amnesiac Watase' is almost like a completely different person from the pre-amnesiac Watase, but... I really still can't find it in me to forgive him. It tore his heart apart to look at Mashiro's pale face as she lay on the ground. It seemed that Mashiro had used up the last remaining bit of her strength to send that final telepathy. She had probably passed out as soon as she finished communicating with Natsuhiko. Please be okay... Please wake up...! Yes...Natsuhiko and Yuuri held Mashiro's hands and prayed. --But they couldn't spend all their time praying. Natsuhiko was worried about Mashiro, but there were many things he needed to confirm if he wanted to escape outside with her. ...Hey, Yuuri... ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 2 ♫ Mashiro and I know next to nothing about LABO. We don't know the true meaning behind what happened here today. But Yuuri, you've been here in LABO, so do you know anything about what's going on? But there were still many mysteries left unsolved.  If there's no nuclear reactor, then what's spreading through the facility? What's the phenomenon that they've been calling a 'meltdown'? ... I've come up with several questions, but... Do you know any of the answers, Yuuri? ...Yes, I know everything. I've learned all sorts of things through my nine-year stay at LABO. Including truths that have been withheld from society... and things I would rather not have known. Once you know the truth, there might be no going back, okay? Are you still sure you want to know? ...Fine by me. Tell me, Yuuri. Tell me what exactly is going on here.Yuuri quietly began to answer Natsuhiko's question. ...I'll take it all one thing at a time, okay? First, I'll tell you exactly what a 'WX particle' is-- But before I get into that, you do know what 'BC particles' are, right, Hikorin? Huh? Ah, yeah.   They're elementary particles that are molded and transmitted by the brain activity of all living animals, and thus humans. First of all, these 'BC particles' I've mentioned fill our surroundings and have the capability to move through all matter. Which of course includes your skulls and your brains within... Also, brain activity itself is 'thought information' which is generated by the brain's electrical signals. This 'thought information' is transmittable to the outside. It was right after he said those words that Natsuhiko picked up on Yuuri's implication. LABO was a BC research facility, so for her to bring up BC particles meant-- WX particles are a type of BC particle. The amount of information, that is to say, the amount of energy transmitted by BC particles normally increases when a Communicator uses BC, but... The 'WX particle amplifier' can mechanically amplify that energy even in the absence of a Communicator. The BC particles are put into a state of blank information, but extremely high energy, which gives them distinct properties. In this state, they're called 'W-eXtreme particles', or WX particles for short.--Now that she mentioned it, Natsuhiko's mother did talk about something like that in Yuuri's memories.  From what Natsuhiko could surmise, it appeared that WX particles were derived from W particles... When you say they have distinct properties, what exactly do you mean? For example, they amplify even the weakest of telepathy to strong telepathy. They also allow BC to be used continuously for an extended amount of time. For example, Hikorin, even though today was the first time you used Senses Sympathy, you were able to remain connected to Captain Kasasagi for over six hours, right? Ah...!Now that she mentioned it, it was quite an amazing feat for him to have pulled off. Especially considering how it took Yuuri an entire month of training as a child to obtain the same ability Natsuhiko obtained in a flash. Natsuhiko's BC ability did indeed advance rapidly-- but apparently he had at least some backing from these WX particles. LABO used the WX particle amplifier to conduct various research and development relating to BC abilities. But you see, it's difficult to use that machine. Machine operation and energy management must be controlled via supercomputer... But today, they lost control of it. Haywire?Yuuri quietly nodded. I don't know the cause, but an abnormal situation arose where 'WX particle generation continued for hours'. That is the truth behind what's going on in this facility. The phenomenon labeled a 'meltdown' was the unbridled generation of WX particles which spread throughout the facility.Tips posted:TIP: Meltdown Pt. 2 So that's what it was...!So it really wasn't a nuclear reactor meltdown at all. It was apparently just a one-word shorthand for ''extremely high-energy BC particle proliferation''.  That's correct, Hikorin. The Procyon isn't an instrument for measuring radiation exposure, but BC energy.Tips posted:TIP: Procyon It's a device that measures and quantifies the amount of energy in the BC and WX particles in that area. Incidentally, mSv doesn't stand for millisieverts in the case: rather, it stands for milliscalar value.Tips posted:TIP: mSv (milliscalar value) A unit of information energy contained in BC particles. LABO wasn't merely misrepresenting itself as a nuclear power research institution in name. Several parts of their research coincided with nuclear power science here and there. ...Was the identical abbreviation intentional? Or just a coincidence? It was intentional, of course. Everything that could potentially be handed over to third parties, like the Procyon and AD, were designed to be disguised as things relating to nuclear power. All as part of the efforts that went into hiding the truth of LABO from society.Now that Natsuhiko thought about it, that was right. There were probably several more similar countermeasures against industrial espionage in place. Such as the use of several secret codewords like ''Case N'', ''meltdown'', and ''AD''. LABO had been carefully hiding its true nature in consideration of worst case scenarios like this one.  AD is a drug that absorbs and neutralizes BC particle energy. As for its effects-- First: it prevents you from using BC. Second: it prevents other people's BC from affecting you. In other words, it's a drug that protects your mind and body from other people's BC at the cost of your own. That is what AD is. I see. So that's what happened to me back then...!Natsuhiko remembered. When his mind was connected to Watase's, Natsuhiko would sink into the darkness whenever Watase injected himself with AD. It wasn't that Natsuhiko's sensations would cut off; it was that Watase, the BC target, would become temporarily immune to the effects of BC. Natsuhiko's mind would try to connect with Watase's, but AD would reject it. As a result, Natsuhiko would be unable to receive any of the information that Watase's mind was supposed to be sending-- --and so without any information, Natsuhiko would be thrown into the darkness. Is it true that its effective period is an hour? It is. So is the fact that AD is effective in environments under 4000 mSv. Conversely speaking, that means that when BC energy surpasses 4000 mSv, the effects of AD disappear. You're once again prone to the influence of other people's BC, and if you're a Communicator, you can use BC again as well.That would explain why Natsuhiko's consciousness returned every time Watase went into a contaminated zone. And how the two of them remained constantly connected once the facility's mSv value rose past 4000 mSv-- Both were a result of the conflict between BC, the ''power to connect people'' and AD, ''the drug that resists the power''. ...Ah, but now that you mention it... What is it? Why was the amount of energy in the facility gradually rising? Well you see, that's because the 'BC insulator' could no longer keep absorbing the WX particle energy.Tips posted:TIP: BC insulator Huh?Natsuhiko knew about BC insulators. He'd even had a conversation about them with Salyu just a few days ago.  The BC room's walls are made with a 'BC insulator', a special building material meant to block out BC.  You know how BC insulators obstruct BC? They do that by absorbing the energy from BC particles. WX particles are a subclass of BC particles, so they're no exception. The energy from the WX particles generated in Area N is being absorbed by the surrounding walls and security gates. But there's a limit to how much they can absorb. If they're continuously exposed to WX particles, their absorptivity gradually wears down. As the absorptivity decreases, the amount of energy from the WX particles leaking out of Area N increases proportionally-- Which is why the Procyon's value has been gradually rising. Then what's with the disparity in values across the areas? Why did places like Area 4 have higher values than other areas? The insulators in the more heavily damaged areas suffered further decreased absorptivity... causing WX particle energy to rise even further.--Now that Natsuhiko thought about it, that did sound plausible.  Considering how much it had burned, a good majority of the insulator must have been damaged. The next highly contaminated area, B2 of Area 5, was right next to Area 4, and so the contamination may have spread all the way over there. There was no definitive proof, but Yuuri's conjecture seemed plausible enough.  Eheheh, well, I -have- lived here for over nine years, after all. It's only natural that I know a lot. ...Though I may have been locked up in here, it is technically where I live. I have grown a little attached to it.Yuuri gave an ambivalent smile. Her smile pained Natsuhiko's heart as he asked more questions. Thanks to you, I now understand more or less what LABO is and what WX particles are, but-- There's another important thing. What are the dangers of WX particles? ...! The amplifier's manual said that WX particles were harmful to the body. And when Watase and the others went somewhere with a high Procyon reading, they displayed strange symptoms. It had said the following:      Yes. They may not be radioactive, but they are still dangerous nonetheless. WX particles with enormous amounts of energy enter and affect the brain, causing various brain dysfunctions. Furthermore, they can also affect the genes, causing mutations and cancer... Perhaps that's why even Mr. Ukita was afraid of the values increasing, despite how he should be fully aware of the facility's true nature.That in itself wasn't strange. What truly was strange was-- But then how come I didn't suffer any negative effects from staying in Area N for so long? I'm still perfectly fine now, and you seem fine to me too. I don't think I've gotten any 'genetic disorders' or 'brain dysfunction', but... why's that?Melancholy shrouded Yuuri's face when she heard Natsuhiko's question. ...We're okay, Hikorin. You and I are the only ones trapped in this place who will remain unaffected no matter how high the WX particle reading gets. It's because we have Rank S Aptitude, you see. ...? What does that have to do with it? The truth is, the negative effects of WX particles occur more easily the lower your BC 'aptitude' is. That's because WX particle resistance is proportional to BC aptitude. People with Rank F Aptitude have no resistance to WX particles whatsoever, but those of us with Rank S Aptitude have complete resistance. Our brains and genes are unaffected by the effects of WX particles. It's because of what happened nine years ago that we became like this. Huh? Nine years ago-- So you mean the reason our aptitudes rose so high had something to do with WX particles?Yuuri nodded.   When the particles come in contact with genes, they damage them. They damage genes!? In any case, once gene damage occurs, the body quickly works to repair that damage. Prolonged exposure to WX particles can overwhelm the repair process, causing fatal damage, but... With endless cycles of damage and repair-- the human body has, on rare occasions, gained resistance to WX particles. The brain also changes accordingly, and the functional disorders cease. And as resistance rises, aptitude rises in proportion... That was the process both your body and mine underwent when our aptitudes rose to Rank S nine years ago. I see... Well, that finally puts that old mystery to rest.Normally, aptitude doesn't change throughout one's lifetime.  So that's why you didn't like taking AD, huh. Because you didn't need it to begin with, and all it did was prevent you from using BC. So if the two of us go to Area N, we won't get cancer or anything? Right... as in we won't get any worse than we already are, that is... Huh...!?Natsuhiko had a terrifying feeling about what she was implying. For he felt that Yuuri was trying to tell him about the real danger of WX particles. Any worse than we already are...? What do you mean? Think carefully about what I just said, okay...? Having high aptitude means your genes have changed so that you can withstand an environment that normal people cannot. Your genes have gone through endless cycles of damage and repair, bringing them further and further away from their original form... So, in other words--... stay calm and listen closely, Hikorin... You and I already have considerable genetic abnormalities. You may even go so far as to say that all Communicators in general are the result of genetic abnormalities. !! What determines whether or not somebody is a Communicator is the IGF2R gene. This gene relates to the structure of the brain.Tips posted:TIP: IGF2R Gene Normally, there are nine types of IGF2R genes, numbered 1 through 9. But on rare occasion, people are born with a mutant variant form of that gene... And those are Communicators...? Yes.The tone of Yuuri's voice gradually grew dispirited. There are six degrees of IGF2R gene abnormalities. Depending on the extent of variation, IGF2R genes can also be ranked from Type E to Type S. As I've explained before, aptitude and resistance are directly proportional, but-- Basically, both things just point to how those IGF2R genes are mutated variants. That's the truth behind aptitude. IGF2R Gene Type E corresponds with Rank E Aptitude. Type D with Rank D... all the way to Type S with Rank S. And the higher one's aptitude... the more severe one's mutation... And the shorter that Communicator's lifespan becomes-- ...!!A chill ran down Natsuhiko's spine. And yet Yuuri kept painfully speaking the harsh truth. ♪ BGM: Psychological Warfare ♫ Communicators are extremely prone to cancer. The same goes for all sorts of neurological diseases. Though they may not show it when they're young, as Communicators age, their likelihood of death rapidly increases. So now do you understand... what I meant when I said we wouldn't get any worse? We were already burdened with a premature death sentence nine years ago. It's only been 16 years since the Grand Communicator Discovery. That's why most people in the world have yet to realize this fact... Most of the scant few Communicators who were born before the Grand Discovery have already died. I heard from the professor that your father was also a Communicator. Furthermore, he was a Rank B Aptitude Communicator, an even rarer existence at the time. That's why he died at the age of 32... No way...! If LABO knows about that truth, then why haven't they announced it!? Can they? They haven't even completely figured out the cause of the premature deaths. If they made the announcement regardless... then all the Communicators would surely despair over the looming fate of death. ...Natsuhiko choked on his words. (So that means we're already--)Even if they escaped from the facility, they still wouldn't have long lives ahead of them. Their remaining lives would be shorter than his father's 32 years on this earth. (15 years? 10 years? Just how much longer do we have left to live!?)Natsuhiko was horribly agitated by the hopeless truth. Feelings of nothingness rended his heart into pieces. He held his head with a trembling hand. But at that moment-- He saw a wristwatch in the corner of his eye. (...!) When his mother gave this watch to Natsuhiko, she may have already known about his fate as a Communicator. Dr. Tenkawa cried back then, despite rarely ever crying. Natsuhiko felt like that was perhaps the most telling sign of her emotions. But even so-- (Dad told me to 'be strong'...! He told me to become a man that can protect and support others!)His father's final message from that faraway day rekindled in Natsuhiko's mind. Natsuhiko took his crushed spirit and forced it back on its feet.  ♪ BGM: LABO Security Lv. 2 ♫ Yuuri... it's been tough bearing the knowledge of this truth all by yourself, hasn't it? Huh... Hikorin... it's not tough for you? Sure, it's a shock. To know that you and Mashiro might die premature deaths. That part's a lot tougher than knowing about my own death. But... so what? I can't just give up on life here and now just because of that, you know? ...! It doesn't matter if our remaining life is long or short. Let's just live it all we can. You think so too, don't you, Yuuri? That's why-- that's why you asked me to save you, wasn't it? ...Y... yes!The anxiety on Yuuri's face finally brightened up. Natsuhiko breathed a mental sigh of relief, then spoke up in a firm voice. Then to do that-- we need to do something about all the unsolved mysteries! What do you mean by 'unsolved mysteries'--? Why have the bulkheads remained locked down? Since there's no radioactive material, it wouldn't spread outside even if the bulkheads opened, right? Hmm, honestly I'm not quite sure about that myself, but... I think it's probably to prevent the test subjects from escaping. Huh? It would be a huge incident if a test subject took advantage of a fire to escape from LABO, right? So you mean 'Case N' refers to a system that prevents your escape, Yuuri? No, not just my escape-- I think they had another girl in mind too. ...Another one?Yuuri proceeded to answer Natsuhiko's question without the slighest hesitation.  That girl may have been a test subject confined in LABO just like me. !! One of the casualties found in the facility had been a lone girl of unknown origin. I've heard that there was another test subject in LABO besides me. She was wearing testing clothes, so I'm sure it was her...! So the bulkheads weren't to prevent just your escape, but hers as well...!? Yeah... though I don't know the reason why the lockdown has gone on for so long...What Yuuri didn't know was probably whatever LABO thought would be bad for her to know. What exactly was a ''Case N''-- That had been a mystery up until now. ...In any case, that means the terrorists with Watase got locked in here thanks to that Case N announcement, right? But something about that just doesn't sound right... Perhaps it was a fluke or something... What exactly was their original goal...?Judging by Q's ideology and creed, there would probably be no greater target than the world's strongest Communicator, Yuuri. And yet Watase said that his goal wasn't to kill Yuuri. He injected her with AD and left her where she was. I still don't quite understand what it was the terrorists were thinking... What if you restored Captain Kasasagi's memory? I probably could if I wanted, but we shouldn't. In truth, that vast malice had threatened to come back several times already. Just a small peek of the erased memories could potentially cause Watase to become ferocious again. After all, peeking into Watase's memories meant making him remember them.  What is? He didn't seem like the same man who strangled me at all. ... True. It may have been because you were inside his mind, though... ...  (But... is it okay to leave him as is...? How long can we keep him in this unnatural state?)--Needless to say, it would be difficult.  Memories erased with Senses Sympathy could return if given the chance.  (But in that case... what do I do....?) Natsuhiko, it's me! Please open up!It was Watase's voice. (Did he bring Salyu with him?)Natsuhiko rushed to the keypad beside the door and entered the password. Upon which, Watase appeared.  Watase spoke sadly as he entered the shelter. And oddly-- he was alone. C-Captain Kasasagi... where's Salyu? ...She was gone. Huh!? I went to the emergency staircase where she fell, but she wasn't there.Natsuhiko gasped.
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Mar 24, 2017 20:59
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