YUURI - SEPTEMBER 16: 09/16/2030, 07:09 ♪ BGM: Looming Crisis ♫ --Natsuhiko recalled that long day in just a moment's time. He recalled the collapse of his calm daily life... As well as how he plunged into the maelstrom of an incident with Mashiro and Salyu.  (That's right... no matter how far I am from Yuuri, I must fulfill my promise to her.) The passageway was blocked by fire on both sides, leaving nowhere to escape. But regardless-- ...Hey, Hikorin. Think hard about the path you should take.Those words fanned the fire burning in Natsuhiko's heart.  (She's right... No matter what the danger, I'll take the correct path. Or else I have no hope of overcoming the past!)Natsuhiko grabbed Mashiro by the hand. Don't give up...! Let's go, Mashiro! Huh? Wh-where!? Let's take a different path! This isn't the only way to Area 5!Natsuhiko recalled the map he had just seen. This is the path that connects Area 4 and 5's outer rings. Even if this path is a dead end, the inner ring path could still be an option... Th-then if we can get to Area 4's inner ring...? Yeah. Let's cut back through the Area 4 fire and enter Area 5 through the inner ring. That gives us a hell of a better chance of survival than staying here and doing nothing! Y... yeah!Mashiro looked a little bewildered, but she replied strongly soon enough. Yuuri smiled as if she were watching over the two of them. Okay... let's go, guys.  Natsuhiko gripped the girls' hands tight. Okay, first up, close your eyes! And don't you dare let go of my hand! If you stick with me, we'll definitely escape! G-got it! Hikorin, be careful!Natsuhiko nodded and ran, leading them by the hand. Mashiro's gait was a little uncertain though, perhaps because of fear. However, Yuuri was surprisingly calm and matched Natsuhiko's pace perfectly. As a result, Natsuhiko wasn't too heavily burdened and they were able to run confidently, but-- Eventually, the smoke got to Natsuhiko's eyes, blurring them over with tears. (Ghh... endure it! If I stop here, Mashiro and Yuuri are as good as dead!)Natsuhiko desperately ran despite his blurred vision--   And unlike the outer ring, the inner ring had no signs of fire. We're saved... It's okay now, you two!The girls spoke as Natsuhiko took deep breaths. Th-thank you, Natsuhiko...! That was a close one, huh...! Yeah, but we can't relax just yet. Not before we get to Area 5...Mashiro's face froze at Natsuhiko's words. Y-you're right... I wonder if the connecting passageway here is safe? I hope it is...!They prayed as they walked into the connecting passageway. But they didn't see any sign of fire or smoke in this path. Okay, looks good! Yes! Let's hurry to Area 5!The three of them rushed off in high spirits.  (The broadcast said that the staircases in Areas 5 and 6 were safe...! Quite some time has passed since then... but please still be safe!)They rushed to the staircase with that hope in mind--  But what waited for them behind the door was only the wreckage of what once was a staircase. N-no way... it's no good here either...!? Don't tell me all the staircases have...? ...The three of them left the staircase landing with drooping shoulders. Natsuhiko suddenly got worried about Salyu. After pondering for a second, he sent her telepathy. {Salyu, can you hear me? Where are you right now?}--And after a little while, he learned about her whereabouts. ... Good news, you two. I just contacted Salyu with BC and it looks like she's already escaped through Area 6. Really!? We can't give up either. There are still other emergency staircases remaining. There are ones in Area 5's outer ring and Area 6 as well. If any of the remaining three are safe, then... Then should we go to the outer ring? No, judging by the force of the flames in the connecting passageway, there's a high possibility that Area 5's outer ring is blazing up. Let's go to Area 6 first and--The moment Natsuhiko began to speak, ♪ BGM: Silence ♫  Uwah!? Wh-what's that!? M-my ears hurt!It was a loud alarm unlike what they had heard before. An automatic broadcast voice followed. Automatic PA: --A 'Case N' has just been detected. In accordance with this emergency, security has shifted to Blockade Mode. Looking down all gates and bulkheads. All facility personnel, please administer AD, take shelter in the nearest room, and stay in place. Natsuhiko looked toward the connecting passageway in shock.  ♪ BGM: Psychological Warfare ♫ Oh no!Natsuhiko rushed over to the gate and tried opening it. But no matter how much strength he used, no matter how much he pressed the open button, the gate wouldn't budge one bit. Dammit...! Wh-what's the meaning of this!? I don't know, but I guess 'Evacuation Mode' is over... All the gates that had been open just got locked again. Th-then...! We've been locked inside the building...!Natsuhiko muttered in a grave voice. (What do we do...!?)The broadcast said that all gates were locked. That probably included the gate to the outer ring and the gate to Area 4 as well. (Dammit, is there no way out!?)Natsuhiko looked around with that thought in mind. Upon which, a look of astonishment rose up on Yuuri's face. ... I can't believe it... This is happening again. It's like a repeat of nine years ago. ...Nine years ago...!?Yuuri's words jogged Natsuhiko's memory the moment they left her lips. Ah...Nine years ago, they had also been locked here in Area 5. ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ (That's right... back then, we heard that same announcement...! The gates had been shut!) The image of Yuuri sobbing rose up in the back of Natsuhiko's head. (What happened to us after that--!?) But the more he tried to remember the details, the worse his head ached. !!That was the very fragment of the past he had been avoiding. The memory that had haunted them for nine whole years-- (Why is this happening again...!?)Natsuhiko endured his headache and looked towards Yuuri. (If it's hurting me this much, then Yuuri must be--!?)   I'm okay, Hikorin. But Yuuri...! I haven't grown at all... I came here and got us locked up in here again... In the end, I haven't overcome the past at all...!As Natsuhiko vocalized his bitter regrets, Yuuri gently replied. ...It's too early to know that for certain. In the days leading up to today, you've gained the strength you needed to overcome the past, haven't you? When you were with the others, you were always fine. You overcame the truth and the malice thrust before you that day, after all... So I'm sure you can overcome the past this time. (That day...!? Which day!?)As Natsuhiko mulled over Yuuri's confusing choice of words, he heard the sound of his watch ticking.  To ''9/15'' at ''7:09 AM''. (... Yesterday, huh. The day we got close to the truth...!)Yuuri whispered to the pensive Natsuhiko. ...Hikorin. It's time for you to remember. It was probably by no coincidence that you've come this far. So, are you prepared...? The moment Yuuri said that--    We're in the home stretch now, folks. The Case N has been declared on September 16th, and we're flashing back to the last day before that. We're barrelling towards a conclusion now. VOTING We've definitely passed the last bad end now. If it had come, it would have been here. So from here on out, the impact the Senses inputs have will be limited to blue branches and friendship scenes. You'll also notice we didn't have a Yuuri friendship scene this time around - seems like we fell off those tracks due to a Favor deficiency, meaning we've only got Mashiro left. So, once more, pick between Top, High, Middle, Low and Bottom for Natsuhiko, Yuuri, Mashiro and Salyu.
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| ← # ? Feb 4, 2017 22:02 |
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