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Wait, Kazuaki was an actual person and Hitori was taking his place? For some reason I thought Hitori had just invented a new identity out of whole cloth. I feel like I need to find a big comprehensive beat-by-beat summary of that thing somewhere because it had a ton of revelations all packed in together and apparently I failed to keep all of them straight.
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Aug 18, 2014 09:58
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| # ? May 31, 2024 20:08 |
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With the "you have lovely plumage" comment I thought it was going to be the artist bird killed some other bird and stole his feathers to wear. 
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Aug 18, 2014 10:17
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Opposing Farce posted:Wait, Kazuaki was an actual person and Hitori was taking his place? For some reason I thought Hitori had just invented a new identity out of whole cloth. I feel like I need to find a big comprehensive beat-by-beat summary of that thing somewhere because it had a ton of revelations all packed in together and apparently I failed to keep all of them straight. Seconding.
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Aug 18, 2014 19:58
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   Once, there was a poor little quail.  One day, the quail was tricked by a bad bird and killed.  The quail was put onto the train through the night sky, along with all the other birds who had died. Where is the train going? There must be a terrible place at the end of the line. The quail was so scared, and so afraid, it thought its little heart would burst.  But the train stopped, for a little while. Apparently even galactic trains have to wait for signals. The quail was too scared to stay on the train, so it jumped off.  There was a dark, dark room there. There was nothing in it but a chair and a little candle. There was no one else there.  The quail sat on the chair and cried. Why did this happen? It was betrayed by its friend and forced onto a strange train. What would happen next?  The quail thought, and thought, and made a station. Maybe if there’s a station, someone will come by to play. The quail made a station, and lit the candle, and waited.  Time passed. Birds came. The dark room became a beautiful kingdom.  The candle became a grand lighthouse.  The chair became a royal throne.  And the quail became The King.  Those who come to the kingdom become one with The King. The King is all, and all are The King. No one is hurt, and no one has any sad thoughts.  The birds of the Holiday Star lived happily. Happily, ever after. How nice. How very nice.  The music stops.  Slowly, the darkness at the end of the throne room began to light up. Are those… eggs? I couldn’t quite be sure. Unfortunately, the room was not the only thing changing.   So little by little, The King absorbed everyone on the Holiday Star. And now we are one. I don’t feel like I understand you at all, even after that huge monologue! He’s lonely, so he wants friends. But he doesn’t want his friends to quarrel. So he absorbs them all. You’re quite a storyteller, Your Highness, to use a few hundred lines to express what I just did in three.In other words, this whole place is basically a cult of loneliness and crazy peer pressure!  What’s good about having everyone together, Mr. King? No one gets to play their own part! If Okosan were here he’d say something like “Everyone is different and everyone is good!”, Mr. King! And then he’d slap you! I suppose you are right. If everyone is one, no one gets hurt. But there’s no one on this fake star, but you, Your Majesty. As long as you stay here, you’ll be alone. The King said, it’s not The King’s fault.  A spotlight shined on the middle of the royal chamber, where a small, umoving, scribbly quail lay. All who came here accepted it gladly. Even the ones like you, who were angry at first. In two days, you will be The King’s best friends. You are the ones who are wrong. It is you who are wrong. You’re not right.The ground began to shake. The quail scribble in the middle of the room began to move and distort uncontrollably-- A heartbeat is heard.   --until finally, a horrible creature burst forth from it.  The King, and That King, and This King, and all These Kings, are so happy. But you want to hurt The King, and This King, and That King. Everyone has to be good on this star. If we are not one, then someone will surely hurt someone else. The King said-- The hydra of Kings let out a horrible scream. The music stops.  The room went black. Nageki and I were in big trouble.
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Aug 19, 2014 16:07
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Opposing Farce posted:Wait, Kazuaki was an actual person and Hitori was taking his place? For some reason I thought Hitori had just invented a new identity out of whole cloth. I feel like I need to find a big comprehensive beat-by-beat summary of that thing somewhere because it had a ton of revelations all packed in together and apparently I failed to keep all of them straight. There'll be more information coming regarding Kazuaki/Hitori revelations, so things may start to clear up as we move forward. If we reach the end of the chapter and there are still questions, I'll happily answer them to the best of my ability.
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Aug 19, 2014 16:17
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ChorpSaway posted:The hydra of Kings let out a horrible scream. o_O Bloody hell, HB:HS.
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Aug 19, 2014 17:33
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Alright! We had our unnerving Hatoful, we've had our sad Hatoful, we've had our depressing view on birdkind Hatoful. Now we've got our Terrifying Monster Hatoful, right on schedule!
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Aug 19, 2014 17:49
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I am a shadow, the true self.
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Aug 20, 2014 01:25
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Fates End posted:I am a shadow, the true self. But our true self is made up of multiple selves. 
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Aug 20, 2014 15:44
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EagerSleeper posted:But our true self is made up of multiple selves. I am thou and thou and thou and thou and thou and thou and thou...
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Aug 20, 2014 23:21
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So, if anyone ever leaves the Holiday Star, the King dies?
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Aug 21, 2014 01:47
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  It’s one hallway from start to finish. Looks like this path must be hidden too well for the naked eye to see.The last room should be where I’ll find Prof. Nanaki--or wait, didn’t Goon say he was “Hitori nee Nemo” in this world? Anyway, there should be a quail here somewhere, but he’s been singled out for poor treatment. Did you really have to hide him away like this, your majesty? Radio static started to emit from my radio.  …ou…er…? ……?A voice echoes faintly in the dark corridor. One of the king’s underlings? I don’t see it anywhere. …th……JB, do you r…e…zaki…Yuu…As it continued speaking, the voice became clearer. It was coming from my radio, amid the static. Leone!?  The teacher here, Nanaki Kazuaki, is starting to show abnormal brain activity. He’s probably falling into a coma. I’m trying to find him right now. But… it looks like the man behind all this has hidden him somewhere. I thought as much. Nanaki’s brain activity is dropping. He may not be able to regain consciousness. Meaning, he alone is proceeding more rapidly into the disconnect between mind and body. Unfortunately. So my job is to concentrate and find the professor while the high lasts? Exactly. You should have about two minutes. Good luck.Leone fades away like a puff of smoke. This isn’t the first solo search-and-rescue I’ve had to do. But all the same-- It is reassuring to the see that unshakable cockatiel’s face, even for just a minute.The music stops. It’s almost time. If the planisphere was right, the path down to the last star should be between Sakuya and Ryouta’s rooms. That magnificent artist did get rid of the clouds for us. It would be a waste if we didn’t let any of the nice moonlight in here!  Meanwhile, outside…  We are… like cogwheels. We serve as parts of a machine much larger and more important than ourselves. You should know it as well as I do. Hmph! Unfortunately, I cannot even begin to comprehend such groveling ideas. I am not here for the system. The system is here for me. Anyway, I administered the amounts you said to your underling and the quail there. Back inside the egg…   Every sensation deepens, and expands. If only I could enter this state at will!  I can see a crack in the wall. I hadn’t noticed it before, but light is seeping through. That must be the light from a bird’s soul, like the migrant was talking about.The wall should be fragile here. This is just like Sakuya’s tea party: break it open, and be on my way.  We can’t let you do that, traveler.I was interrupted from my mission by an unfamiliar voice.   …Well, hello there, yokels. What’s with the long faces? I’m just here to pick up a friend. He’s gotten stuck in here my mistake, you see. I’m not going to do anything to hurt you. Mind letting me by? Why do you do such terrible things? You must not open this until everyone is one. No room for negotiation, then? I was hoping this would go more smoothly, but… Oh well. If you don’t move, I’m going to make you.The music stops.   The King is scared of birds like you.……! The King asked, are you trying to break another egg?The citizens--who appear to have morphed into the king--address me, accusingly. What a mean thing to do. You break eggs, and you think nothing of it. So many. So many. So many eggs…Every line the king spoke was extenuated by the sound of egg shells breaking.  Those lives, that couldn’t live. Poor, poor eggs. Don’t you feel sorry for them? The King knows. The King knows that long ago, you broke an egg out of your own selfishness. ……So this is how the king fights back? I don’t know how he figured out my secret, but in any case it’s a very precise attack. The king himself is on his throne. The citizens should just be small parts of the whole, but maybe they share his consciousness and abilities? This is my job. I’m here to rescue everyone from the school. You’ve trapped one inside this wall. So I’m breaking this wall. Any questions? …Please, try not to get distracted. My past has nothing to do with that fact that you’re in my way. You poor, poor bird. The King thought, you should not have to suffer any more.Suddenly the king is carrying eggs. And dropping them at my feet. Before I know it there’s nowhere left to stand but on the broken eggs. The King said, The King can lift the burden from your shoulders. The King can take away your pain. How much does he know? He’s aware of the guilt I’ve carried with me ever since I broke my brother’s egg, anyway… But he seems to have misunderstood. Thanks, but no thanks. …You’re asking me to hand my guilt over to some complete stranger? Please, tell me you’re joking. ……? Yeah, I didn’t think you would. I don’t think you ever will. Like you said, I dirtied my hands with a crime, and I can never take it back. A life lost will not return. The past does not change. The least I can do is remember. I will always carry this with me. This pain is mine. And you can’t have it. Suffering… Indeed. I don’t think you’ll understand. This pain is part of me. Your egg is already rotten. Isn’t it a little much for you to ask me to accept your sympathy? The music stops. A friendly and considerate man. I imagine an eternity spent with him would be full of happy days.My sentimentality is dying down, in contrast with the high from the drugs in my bloodstream. I stepped cautiously into the crack in the wall. For all the light shining through, the inside was rather dark.  I don’t know how long I was walking through the corridor. I wasn’t sure where I was headed, or where I would end up by the end of this. Slowly, a faint light began to appear ahead of me. I walked more quickly towards the source of the light, seeing it as my exit. The light began to grow, until it had completely consumed me.  At the end of the light was… ChorpSaway fucked around with this message at 00:39 on Aug 22, 2014 |
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Aug 21, 2014 16:07
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It seems like  is taking quite the literal turn.
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Aug 21, 2014 18:51
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Ramengank posted:It seems like It's pretty much a Rule of Thumb for any Hatoful game: don't crack a joke to them unless you are prepared to the outcome of said joke becoming true and crucial to the story.
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Aug 21, 2014 22:59
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ChorpSaway posted:
Just wait for the next one? Or fly, you have wings for a reason! (I wouldn't point out typos but that made me laugh too hard, sorry) Also more BBL references, fitting for our depressing and dark storyline. Yuuya keeps proving he's quite the strong character mentally. He's also in a literal high yet making perfect sense, so you know, points for that.
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Aug 22, 2014 00:32
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I love Yuuya's rationale there. It's weird that the King is so much of a... child, I suppose, about this, but I suppose the one thing you can say about everybody is that they were all children once.
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Aug 23, 2014 04:59
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Glazius posted:I love Yuuya's rationale there. It's weird that the King is so much of a... child, I suppose, about this, but I suppose the one thing you can say about everybody is that they were all children once. I think it's interesting to consider all the symbolism going on. Like, on one level, the King is childlike and forcing everyone to play along with his childish games, and then throwing a tantrum like a child when they don't. ... Inside an egg which appears 'rotten'- so, in bird terms, a child that died instead of facing the world! And then you have who he was BEFORE he died. To call him 'a child that died instead of facing the world' wouldn't be entirely fair - he's clearly really depressed and needed help instead of a quail tricking him into killing himself - but one of the specific lines in his monologue WAS 'I wish I could go back to when I was an egg and never be born'. Avoidance, avoidance! Even as he dies he's blaming society for shaping him into that. So, like, he's being a huge baby inside an egg that never hatches and making up a perfect fantasy world because he can't deal with or move past what happened to him. Funny story, when I played this the first time I joked with a friend about Yuuya being the perfect choice to break them out of the egg since he has egg-breaking experience. And then it wasn't funny anymore 
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Aug 23, 2014 11:11
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A ticking sound is heard.      The ticking fades out.     …The others weren’t exactly masterpieces, but I think this one goes in a class of its own.I closed the book, taking time now to survey the room around me. It was certainly different from the others I had been in. I didn’t see the bird I had come here for, so I called out to him. Prof. Nanaki--I mean, Hitori. I’m here to take you home. You’ll get moldy if you sit around dozing in here. Oh, hello.Looks like he’s still alive.  You woke up all of a sudden? Yes, that’s right. I woke up…So he really doesn’t have eyes? I hope this doesn’t have anything to do with his actual body. But now I’m starting to get sleepy again. Please, stay awake. I need your help to break this egg, Hitori. I’m very, very sleepy… And The King did tell me I could nap for as long as I liked in here… There’s nothing wrong with naps, but if you sleep right now you’ll never wake up. Don’t sleep! Come on, let’s get out of here!The drugs must be wearing off. This guy is quite something. Not everybirdie can doze off in their sleep. I think I would rather stay here and sleep. So, please… ……?He steps unsteadily forward, his wings stretched out in front. Is he looking for me? I decided to help him out and direct him towards me. I’m right here. There you go. He smiles happily, feels for my neck, and-- Closes his wings around it. The music stops. Hey, wait just a minute! Are you planning to strangle me!? What do you mean “oopsie”!?I jump back reflexively. I’ve nearly been crushed while trying to rescue drowning swimmers, but I’ve never had a hostage try to strangle me before. I thought you were pretty calm… Sorry, did I scare you? I’m here to help. Come on, take a deep breath. After me! Inhale. Inhale… Exhale. Exhale… …Hmm… So, it’s not you… But, it wasn’t you. Sorry…Did he mistake me for someone else? He looks gentle enough on the outside, but I think he’s pretty messed up inside. Did the king do something to you? No… all the king did was close the door. Apparently I shouldn’t go outside… Birds who might hurt people have to stay inside. That’s pretty stupid. Nobirdie can live without hurting anyone else. Are you going to follow his orders just because he’s the king, Hitori? The King is the most important person here, so apparently I have to… Think for yourself for a minute. Do you want to be dragged along with whatever he wants? I wouldn’t have expected it from the professor I know, but maybe he did something long ago that the king was able to drag up… just like with me. I don’t know what you did, but it won’t go away if you stand here moping. Yes, yes. I know that… Professor… I mean, Hitori. There are still a few things you have left to do in the real world, right? Mmm… Yes, there are. I think so. In that case, let’s get out of here. Okay? A few things left to do… The music stops.  A familiar crack echoed through the room, and a door appeared for us. Let’s get out of this dark hole, then. Can’t keep a lady waiting, after all. Mmm… But, that would be hard… I ate my eyes, so I can’t go anyway… I can’t see anything. Don’t worry. I’ll guide you.We both left the room through the door, and we began our long walk back to the throne room.  And I don’t want to leave Goon and Nageki in danger for long. Better hurry to the throne room.
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Aug 23, 2014 17:03
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Hahaha, oh god, Kazuaki wants to get out because he still has someone left to murder.  What a card our wacky narcoleptic teacher is.
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Aug 23, 2014 19:27
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It's the offhand way he says that he ate his own eyes that really sells it. That and the cute cartoony no-eye portrait.
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Aug 23, 2014 19:36
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Alopex posted:Hahaha, oh god, Kazuaki wants to get out because he still has someone left to murder. At least Iwamine is upfront about the fact that he is going to try to kill you in your sleep.
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Aug 23, 2014 23:56
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Alopex posted:Hahaha, oh god, Kazuaki wants to get out because he still has someone left to murder. And if you remember the ending of BBL, you know exactly who it is!  Remember, Holiday Star apparently takes place in the vague winter span in the middle of Hatoful's main storyline.
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Aug 24, 2014 12:45
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  Thhhhhe K-K-King sssssaa-aa-aai-d. d. d. B-b-b-become. B-b-ec-c-come. Ooooonnnne-nnne with usss. No, thank you!It’s no good! He isn’t getting hurt at all! I thought he’d die if we hit him enough, but I don’t feel like we’re doing any damage at all. If only I’d brought a halberd or something…! There’s definitely something wrong if he’s completely unfazed by your punches, Miss Lourde. It’s not like they’re doing nothing, though. He just recovers very quickly.Who gave this chump a regen buff!? Wh-what do we do, Nageki…? Maybe so, but I’m getting awfully tired of The King’s incessant invitations! Couldn’t I take him out if I bypassed his regeneration by throwing all my hunter-gatherer strength into a single attack? There’s always a chance, right?  Nageki had a point. If I waited for Yuuya to come back, we might have a chance to overpower his regen by both attacking. If I keep trying to do this on my own…  Say your prayers, Mister King! I’ll decide this in one blow! …Were you listening to me, Miss Lourde? Don’t worry, Nageki! If I can hit him, I can kill him! Come to me, o spirits of my proud steppe-hunter ancestors! My blood burns with the flames of the sun! Grant me a single strike to split the crust of the Earth itself! I did it! He definitely felt that! The music stops. Miss Lourde…! Err… Huh…?My leg is stuck deep inside The King’s chest (?). I can’t get it out.  A horrible scream erupted from the mouths (?) of each king’s head. I was slowly being absorbed into The King.  Soon, everything went dark.   I couldn’t risk anything like that happening. Nageki was right. We probably can’t get through with force alone! We’ll have to buy time and wait for backup. M-m-m-mak-k-king, m-m-making craccckkkkssss is ba-a-aaad… Look out!The King took a huge swipe at Nageki. Thankfully, I was quick enough to tackle him to the ground, out of harm’s way. Nageki, are you okay!? Yes… Sorry. It’s okay!The King has been targeting Nageki this whole time. Looks like maybe Nageki is his natural enemy, like the migrant said.  Don’t worry about it. We need you to burn the lighthouse, after all! I’ll protect you, Nageki!While I was still blocking Nageki, The King took the opportunity to launch an attack at me. Miss Lourde!Ugh… I got hit bad, boss…! This King really is a nasty man, batting the heroine of a dating sim around like that!  Not in all my days and travels as a hunter-gatherer have I fought a creature like this. But even so… I need to get Nageki past him somehow, even if it means sacrificing myself! …Hey, wait! Nageki, what are you doing!?While I was reeling on the floor from the last attack, Nageki got up and placed himself between me and The King.  I will send you home safe, Miss Lourde. To reality. To the school. Because… you have a future, Miss Lourde. N-N-Nag-g-geki, sh-sh-sh, sh-should, d-d-d-die in a fffffiiirrree…The King slowly draws closer to Nageki. He’s gotten heavier, and he keeps sprouting more heads. There’s no way Nageki could take a hit from him. Your Majesty. Please don’t hurt Miss Lourde any more. Y-y-youuuu mussst not, y-you m-m-m-must n-n-not goooo!Using this advantage, The King wound up a huge attack and headed straight for Nageki. The music stops.  …… ………?  Okosan!Okosan, dashing out of nowhere, sweeps Nageki up in his wings and skids into the corner, sparks flying from his claws. …I’m dizzy. You really are quite fast. Cooooooo! (What did you expect!? Okosan’s legs are pure, muscly gold!) P-p-p-pooorrrr, p-pooor Ok-Ok-Okosan. Heeeee r-r-r-runs, and he r-r-r-runs, butttt he will n-n-n-n, n-n-never find annnnyth-th-thingggg. Coo! (Spare us the foolishness!) Cooooooo! (True Pudding does exist, somewhere in the world!)  Knocked off balance by Okosan’s attack, The King began to fall over. …Wait, no! Fall in a different direction!I need to get out of the way! But my legs are still--  Goon, grab my wing! What a careless lout you are. Hold on tight!Two birds grabbed me and moved me out of the way of the teetering King. Ryouta! Sakuya! Never been better! You’re practically in tatters! I expect better than this from my underlings! I’m not your underling or your mercenary or anything, Sakuya! Aaaaaaaahhhh, aaahhhh… But eeeeven if y-y-you go baaaack, th-th-the world will onnnnnnly keep h-h-h, h-hurting yyyooouuu! You were right, sir. There are two birds in my heart. And it’s painful. Sometimes I think I’m going to tear apart from inside. If I stopped worrying, if I stopped being in pain… I wouldn’t be myself anymore! I don’t care if I don’t know what tomorrow will bring! I want to go back to the real world, and live into the future with everyone! Have you no shame, you pathetic being? You call yourself a king, but you are as limp and weak as a boiled frog leg! You fear contact with others? You comfort yourself by forcing everyone into the same mindset as yourself? You despicable coward! Coo! (Sakuya is cool!) Indeed. Sakuya would be a way better king than you! Hmhmm. But of course. Sakuya! Don’t let your guard down!Unfortuantely, the warning came too late, and Sakuya took a big hit from The King. Uuugggh… How dare you strike at me while I am speaking, you cad!? A-are you okay!? Did he get you!? Aaaaahhh… aaaggghh, uuuuhh…  Merry Christmas! (Miru and Kaku will take care of all your scrapes and bumps, with a wink and a twink and a ho-ho-ho!)A familiar pair of white creatures tumble across the room and begin administering emergency care to Sakuya. Hmph… It’s not like I asked for this, or anything…! Can I borrow that first aid kit for a minute? Are you okay, Goon? I’m great! I knew you’d be here, Ryouta. Thank you! Th-Th-The K-K-K, K-King… dooooooeees not und, undersssstanddd… Okosan, look out! He’s coming from above! Coo!?Before the attack could land, though, a gunshot rang through the room, and The King’s attack was cut short.  Ummm… Tell me, what’s happening? Things have gotten a bit strange, haven’t they? I knew you’d show up looking like a hero, Yuuya! So Hitori was all right? …Good. You’re late, Sakazaki! Been off gallivanting around while the rest of us fight, have you? Do forgive me, dear brother. I was looking for somebirdie and was unfortunately delayed. Ooooh, uuuuuuuurrrggh, aah, aaaaahh…!In the face of the ever-growing party in front of him, The King began to attack wildly. Wow! He’s even more of a berserker than I am! I think we’re going to win this! Watch out. Someone’s gotten angry.The rampaging Okosan and the heroic Yuuya have gained the upper hand--or, have they? The King is still thrashing around an awful lot. Just a little more and we can win! Just one more…The music stops.  
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Aug 25, 2014 16:14
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I admit, I got one hell of a smile during that heroic moment. We've got a great cast, right here.
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Aug 25, 2014 16:49
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That is hella R.E.O. Speedwagon reference from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure 
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Aug 26, 2014 01:48
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Archenteron posted:That is hella R.E.O. Speedwagon reference from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure I was just going to post the same thing, this was the best. Jojo is one of the few things that can match Hatoful Boyfriend in insanity.
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Aug 26, 2014 02:35
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We do still need a partridge in our pear tree, don't we?
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Aug 26, 2014 02:51
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  I am quite curious about this. How does he produce such a convincing illusion in multiple brains, all at once? How has he gathered these experiences and memories together, and how does he project them into the minds of his visitors? I certainly hope there is a better answer than “magic”. Hey there! You all by yourself? ……!  …… Aah, I see. So this place… that is to say, it seems that individual memories may resurface and manifest by themselves. ? I’m over here, kiddo. Or were you talking to the floor? Oh, no… Please, pay it no mind. More importantly, why did you come here? I saw a faint light while I was wandering around the halls. And it led me here! …… I do not have… any name to give you. Aww, what’s with the scary face? Did I say something wrong? Yes… Yes, you did. You are a migrant. Why do you need to know my name, when you will soon be wandering off again? Don’t mind me, then. Go make some. Awww, come on… I mean… But… I’ve got something to talk to you about. I’m sorry, did I look like I would make good conversation? What a terrible pity. What did you say? Don’t talk as if you know me, old man. You no longer know anything, do you? Aah… I knew it! I wasn’t sure, but I thought I remembered this scent-- Hey, listen. You were my friend. Right? You must be joking! No, no, nothing of the sort. …Funny, isn’t it? I made all sorts of excuses, but I suppose I waited here hoping someone would get confused and end up here. Hohoho… Let us consider each other to be complete strangers. How does that sound? In any case, we’re friends now! Yes, that sounds very nice. This is unfair, and I object. Now, I know this is awfully sudden, but-- Leaving already? And what were you just complaining about me for? Sorry, sorry. That’s not what I meant. Don’t you want to get out of here? I’d like to go back to my travels, but The King here will throw a tantrum if anyone tries to leave. …Hahahahaha! I don’t even have enough breath left to sigh. You’re asking me to help you leave? Won’t you? Yes… I suppose I am tired of wasting time obsessing over the past. The music stops.  Meanwhile…   I thought with all that excitement earlier we’d taken the advantage, but now it doesn’t look that way at all! It would be nice if we could open up even just enough of a gap for me to make it through to the tower on my own… I don’t think that will be easy. He has way too many heads!If only the fluffetic was here! He can out-cheat anyone, no matter how many heads they have! And I bet he’d love to get his lancet into a creature as creepy as this! Aargh, he’s completely taken the upper hand--head, that is! Help! Help us, Dr. Iwamineeeeeeeeeeee!The music stops.  A familiar deep voice rang through the hall, followed by a small explosion.  Aah, aaaaaaaah!The doctor, appearing out of nowhere, throws something chemical-looking at The King. It smells extremely unhealthy. I knew you’d come through, Doctor! And with heroic timing, too! …Looks like you stole my thunder again. Don’t act as if you could compare to Dr. Iwamine, mongrel. Doctor! We’ve awaited your arrival. I… I think I’m going to sneeze… What was that, sir? So… anesthetics? It confuses the target’s gait and paralyzes the central nervous system for a few minutes.Heretical indeed. I’m going on ahead. Waa, waaaaaaa, waaaaaahh…!Despite the doctor’s chemical attack, it seemed The King was still capable of flailing about. You weren’t heretical enough, Doctor! It was developed with earthly creatures in mind. It seems it is not so effective here. Coooooo! (Okosan will use WING ATTACK! Leave this to us!) San’s right. We’ll keep him occupied, so Goon and Nageki can head past the throne! …Right. Thank you, everyone. All right, let’s go! Come on, Nageki!I took Nageki’s wing in my hand and we ran across the hall to the back exit.  We have to bring down the tower, no matter what!
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Aug 27, 2014 16:39
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I loving CALLED IT! Well, not that the migrant was Ryuuji. But, well, you know what I mean. v Well, they were imaginary chemical weapons, though. Fates End fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Aug 28, 2014 |
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Aug 27, 2014 19:08
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Of course chemical weapons are effective on psychic gestalts. Or perhaps it was just his strong intent that did it.
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Aug 28, 2014 00:21
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In other Hatoful news, there is now an English release of Absolute Zero (the Anghel manga thing) in PDF and Kindle versions. The Kindle one seems to still be processing or something - it's listed but not purchasable - but the PDF release works just fine and is glorious and about $2. It's great timing since we're past the point of its Holiday Star spoilers, too!
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Aug 28, 2014 22:13
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  The… the bridge is broken!? He must have destroyed it. He really doesn’t want to let us leave, does he?Wh-what do we do…? I… don’t think I can jump that…  Oh! Of course! Because you’re a pigeon! I completely forgot about that! I’ll go.It is the lighthouse The King has tried to stop us from reaching at all costs… What could be waiting inside? I don’t want to make Nageki go alone if I don’t have to, but… My thoughts were cut short by a loud rumbling coming from the room we had just escaped. What…!?I peered back to see what was happening.   What should we do…? Coooooo! (The King has multiplied! This is a case of the grossest asexual division!) No one told us he was capable of this! Nageki, The King’s coming after us! Go, quickly! I’ll break some jawbones and be after you in a flash! Alone? But…Although he started to protest, Nageki seemed to realize quickly what needed to be done. …Right. See you… later, Miss Lourde.Nageki flew away towards the top of the lighthouse. No time to worry about him though, I’ve got royal butt to kick! The music stops.  The souls of lost birds are drawn in by this magic lantern, this lighthouse, and swallowed. They swell up, and dream a happy dream.  This lighthouse… It is a giant magic lantern. Everything Miss Lourde and I saw as we walked around this world was a fake. An illusion, projected by this lighthouse. Yes, a fake… But it was fun, wasn’t it?I heard a familiar voice coming from behind me. When I turned around to face him, however, I didn’t recognize who it was at first.  ……The King waited here for the dark, tangled souls which the river of heaven deposited at the foot of his jeweled throne. The King was there when they arrived. So it is no surprise to find him here, in the lighthouse he had tried so hard to prevent us from reaching. This King-- Were you drawn here by the light? Or are you the first King? …I suppose it doesn’t make a difference either way. You are one of The Kings, and The Kings are you. The King said, and you will become The King, as well… Don’t you want to? I’ll pass, thanks. And not just me. Everyone who came here with me has already refused your offer. It was a little hard to deal with the big King throwing a tantrum back there. I’m glad I can talk with you now.  Eep……! S-stay away from me… …Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.  You’re trying to break the dream kingdom I built, aren’t you? That’s mean… I suppose so. Meeeaaan! But you’ve tried to keep us shut in. If you let us, and the others you’ve captured, out of here, we won’t break anything. I don’t want to! The King said, if The King did that, he would be all alone again. Waah… -sniff-…  …I was always alone, too. I didn’t know how to return to the sky. I think I should have gotten on the train, like you. But I stayed on the earth. I spent a long time alone, burying myself in a fake world born of books. I had no one to talk to. Just like you. It was quiet, and peaceful. I had no friends, so no one hurt me. But-- One day, I started making friends. They’re a whole bunch of nutcases… I can never tell what they’ll say or do next. They’re all loud, and active. Just being with them tires me out. The stars on the planisphere glitter. I know what The King is afraid of. That won’t do anything, anymore… That planishpere isn’t any good now… …Indeed. You took one of the stars, after all. The star you feared the most isn’t here. That star is gone. I already absorbed it… So, come on, just stop threatening me… You can’t do anything… Yes, I can. Eep……! The stars on this board are here to burn through The King’s lies. One of them is missing, but… all I have to do is replace it. Birds’ souls shine like stars. I should have at least one true gemstone with me. Which one should I use?  Well, I picked these first two up with Goon, as a reward from The King for taking on his requests. I can only imagine what one of those would do in here… The music stops.  I placed a gem in the slot, and waited for a reaction. …… ……? The King said… Heeheeheehee! You fell for it! I thought this might happen, so I gave you some fake stars! F-fake…? You were almost there, too… But it’s okay. You will be happy with The King… !The King hydra, appearing from nowhere, let out a horrifying scream as it flew towards me at an incredible speed.    I couldn’t risk this. Everyone’s fought so hard to get here, so I can’t make a mistake. I know exactly which gem I can use to fix this planisphere.  B-be careful with that! Don’t you realize what you’re doing!? Thank you… Hitori. I slotted the gem into the planisphere. The effects were immediately clear. I had made the correct choice.  I know! I know what happened! You burned to death, didn’t you? Aren’t you scared of that? Why are you making yourself go through it all again!? …“Dear Lord, I beg of you, look into my heart and hear my prayer.” No, stop! You’ll burn everything I’ve made! “In my next life, don’t let me waste myself… Let me use my body for the true happiness of everyone in the world.” The glittering crystal forest, and the warm, friendly plaza! Everything will disappear! “And then the scorpion burst into flame. A brilliant crimson glow. And by the light of his burning body, he lit up the night forever.” …I am that scorpion now. I would burn a hundred times for my friends’ happiness.     Antares, in the heavens. The light of the scorpion’s flame guiding those lost in the dark towards the dawn. And so The King’s story comes to a close with the story he loved. There’s nothing to hear. I’ve already burned like this once. The scorpion burns a bright crimson flame, and the dream ends. The music stops.  …What will happen after I’ve burned again? I hope the others get out of here safely. You’re coming too, Nageki! ……!I didn’t expect to hear that voice again. Did she…? Sorry I’m late, Nageki! I got delayed while I was climbing up! Miss Lourde, it’s dangerous here! Get back! Oh, come on! I’ve fought beasts and climbed a lighthouse! Come on, take my hand! Quickly!   Watch out, kids, the building’s coming down! Sure feels like the final scene now, huh? I don’t know what exactly he did, but Nageki certainly hasn’t cut any corners. So, what should we do? I’d rather not get turned into a pancake underneath this castle after coming so far.  Although he said that, we began to fall as the room vanished from around us. Coooooooo!? (Okosan is falling! Okosan is falling!) Look, we’re heading for the Milky Way! We’ll be out soon. What of Lourde and Fujishiro? Did they make it? They’re probably fine. Goon’s hunter-gatherer instincts will guide her through whatever it takes to Nageki out of there. Merry Christmas!! (It’s the Great Escaaaape!) Stop clinging to me, you two. It is uncomfortably warm. Which way is up? Which way is down? I feel so light-- Hitori was interrupted by a horrible scream. How did The King--! The music stops.   However, The King did not attack Hitori. He appeared to be… talking to him? Oh… Is that right? Aaah, uueeeh… I know, I know… But it’s still too soon. That’s right, I’ll be along soon. I’ll catch up with you. Some day… Another voice broke through the silence of space.   Everything started disappearing around us. Soon, nothing was visible. We fell silently through the darkness, unsure of where we’d land.
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Aug 29, 2014 16:10
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quote:
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Aug 30, 2014 15:53
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Far too good. I assume there's only one or two more updates of this story to go? Also, on a related / reminderly note: The clock is ticking on Hatoful's Steam release! A bit under 5 days to go.
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Aug 31, 2014 03:42
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Oh, Nageki. Willing to die for your friends, even when you're already dead. That's why they like you, I suppose.
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Aug 31, 2014 19:58
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  We touch down in a field of silver grass. It is like nothing we saw inside the egg, or in the beautiful dream kingdom.  Goon!I guess everyone else hit the ground before us, because Ryouta’s voice came from nearby. Ryouta! I’m so glad you all made it out okay! Yeah. And we knew you’d get out just fine, Goon. I’m fine. Coooooooo! (Nageki is tough! He has the soul of a buff, manly man!) I don’t want to think about where we’d be now if you two hadn’t broken through back there. …Right. Hmph! You call yourself a hero of justice, but you can’t even get by without relying on your juniors, can you!? Well, that’s a little harsh. I’d never seen anything like this before, either--Can't you cut me a little slack? Hmph! You are too sloppy! You never manage to do anything without slipping up. Why thank you. That alone makes all this worth it. Merry Christmas! (Miru and Kaku will praise you, too!) It was good to see that apparently everyone else was in good spirits. Hey, there! Looks like everybody’s together again! Oh! Mr. Migrant!I thought he would’ve disappeared as soon as we were done! But he seemed to be talking to the doctor. …… Aww, come on! Do you have to look so angry, old friend? Your forehead’s gonna end up permanently creased! Wait… You know the doctor? Ouch… That’s cold… Anyway, let me introduce my new friends! Over here, guys!New friends? Who could he--  More of the pushy peasants! I’ve heard enough out of you lot! Don’t worry! They’re all going back to being migrants, like me. Aaaah, my shoulders are so stiff! That was a long nap… Man, I could eat a horse! Wow, what a dream! Wow! Hey! Don’t go stealing my lines! …The birds The King has absorbed? Yeah, that’s them! We’re all going to go back to wandering the night sky. You too, of course!Wait, there are even more birds here? Just how many--  The music stops. Where’d he come from!? Mr. King, you’re way too quiet! I didn’t even realize you were here! I’m so tiny now… Just leave me alone…! That’s no good. If we left you on your own here you’d just do the same thing again, wouldn’t you? Besides, traveling the stars isn’t that bad! You don’t need to be scared. Nope! That’s what traveling’s all about! Waaaaaahhhh! You made The King cry, mister! You meanie! Wait, you mean me!? Since when am I the bad guy!? It looks like you are now. L-look, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean it like that… Uhh… We make all sorts of memories while we’re alive, right? Good ones and bad ones. All that baggage is too heavy. We can’t carry it with us into our next lives. So we journey through the night sky, letting our memories go a little bit at a time. I don’t want to! Forgetting is scary! But if you keep clinging to your memories, you can never be reborn. We’re like stones washing down a river. You might start out as a big, jagged lump, but as you keep washing along you get worn down until you’re round and smooth. The sparks as your corners chip off are what make the stars shine. Back there again!? Don’t you want to be reborn, Mr. King? Nooooo! I don’t want to go through all that again! Come on, it won’t all be bad! …Well, I guess it might be. You never know!The music stops. Waaaahhh!!! You made him cry again!This roundabout conversation was cut short by the sound of an approaching train.   The King’s Station! The King’s Station!A familiar bird emerged from the train, calling for passengers aboard its galaxy express.  Leaving on a journey? Heading home? This is the line for you either way. This is the Earth-Southern Cross line, that’s right. The train to Earth will be coming next. Don’t get on the wrong one! It’s the train! Come on, before it leaves! -sniff-… Beautiful scenery! Jolly companions! What a wonderful day! Come on, let’s go.The ex-citizens pushed the hesitant King along with them towards the train, and the migrant began to leave as well before turning to face us once more. …Oh, right! …Please, don’t act so familiar. Let me give you a present before I leave! As proof of our friendship. Hmm, give me a minute… What do I have…? Sorry, I can never keep my things straight. Indeed. You’re always picking up useless gew-gaws, and you never put them in order. Uhh… Aah, here we are! I picked this up in Orion’s Belt. …Are you a child? Hey, geology is fun, too! You should try going on an excavation sometime. I bet you’d love it! And you! …? Me? Err… Yes, it is, but why are you giving it to me? I actually meant to give it to you a long, long time ago… I…Before Ryouta could respond to the migrant, he had already made his way into one of the train cars. The conductor approached our group. All aboard for the Southern Cross! We missing anybody? Oh… I completely forgot. We fought The King with all we had so we could all go home, including Nageki, but… Maybe that’s not where he needs to go. What do… What do you want to do, Nageki? I… I want to stay on Earth a little longer. There’s still so much I want to see. Maybe this is greedy of me. Maybe I’m being selfish, like The King. But-- There are still important things that I need to remember. I can’t release memories into the night if I don’t have them. I dunno, kiddo. We never recommend haunting as a deathstyle choice, you know? Too easy to go all black and bitter. You mean Nageki could turn into something like The King? I really don’t think he would do that… If I start turning bad, I’ll get on the same train as The King. Is Nageki not allowed to stay with us, Mr. Conductor…? Like I said, I can’t recommend it. But you said you’ve lost your memories? And mister, you burned up your free pass. You don’t look like you have any other tickets, so you’ll have to wait until they’re reissued anyway. So, Nageki can…! …All right. Yay! I’m so glad, Nageki! For better or for worse, I suppose. This is definitely for better! You wanted to go home yourself, after all. And if the conductor has tried to force you on he would have gotten a taste of my right straight, left uppercut combo anyway! Hey now, I’m not looking for any trouble! Last call for the Southern Cross! The train’s pulling out!The conductor jumped back onto the train and gave the whistle a loud blow. The train climbs upwards into the starry sky. I hope The King and the others have a nice trip! The music stops. Come on, everyone. Let’s go home!We all made our way to the stop, waiting for the next train to take us back home, safe and sound.   I can’t escape mine. I can only go on and make more. But… When I touched his wing… We had quite an adventure this evening, didn’t we? I had a lot of fun with my friends, but I think it’s about time that we returned to where we belong. Who knows what kinds of adventures await us on the other side?
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Sep 1, 2014 16:37
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This game. That element of self-awareness wrapped in utter insanity.
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Sep 1, 2014 16:51
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Huh. There's a separate human station? I figured what with birds taking over big portions of the world they'd just have consolidated to save on labor costs.
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Sep 2, 2014 22:13
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The school bell echoed through the classroom, announcing the end of the day. So that’s the end of the semester… I guess we have spring break now, but we have to plan ahead for exams, so it’s not so exciting. Cooooooo! (Release, aah, glorious release! Until we meet again, loyal friends!) I wonder what kind of class I’ll be in next year? I hope we’re all together again. Hmph, that would promise to be another unpleasantly noisy year. I hope you all will have learned to behave yourselves by then! Coooo! (Okosan is always behaving himself!) You’re the worst of the lot! The weekend? Aside from Sunday morning TV, no. Why do you ask? Umm… I was wondering if we could meet up somewhere. Of course! Gosh, you don’t have to be so formal, Ryouta! I guess that’s true. I’ll send you an email, okay? See you!A loud crashing noise is heard.  Have you two knocked another flask over? I keep telling you not to go running around the infirmary. Merry Christmas! (Miru and Kaku didn’t do anything!) Huh? …I’m sorry, my wing slipped. You’re the last one I’d have expected to see break something, Doctor. …In any case, I’ve lost my concentration now. I think I would do to take a little air. I shall leave early. He seems to be recovering a lot more slowly than me. I wonder if he saw something particularly terrifying in that dream. Anyway, time to clean this up. Could you two get me the broom?  Today, I settle the score! You shall have a front-row seat for the (second) unveiling of my wonderful masterpiece now! Prepare yourself, Isa Souma! The artistic weapon I shall unveil today is-- Your target isn’t here, not-so-young kiddo. Wh-what…!? And hey, what kind of name is that!? I am offended! What rotten luck! This is too much! Where does he live? I’ll break in through his window if I have to! Wait, Anghel… Didn’t the Disciple of the Violet Rose go across the border to train himself in the last chapter? Even if the Snow-Demon sage loses, won’t it take a while for him to find out? ! I see… Yes, that is correct, Edel Blau. This is a terrible contradiction! It stinks of the demon spores… These Demon Spores sure are scary, Anghel! Come on, let’s think about how the Disciple of the Violet Rose should make his fall into darkness, okay? Very well. In accordance with the contract of old! The music stops.   And so, the story of Holiday Star comes to a close. But that doesn’t mean that we’re finished with the game!  Our gallery now has all of the picture books that we saw in Chapter 4, the full picture of our favorite demon King (referred to as the Increased King), and…     We also get a better look at all of the stained glass floors from each bird’s room in the egg! It looks like a couple pieces of the gallery are still missing, but those will appear as we finish the bonus material.  We have a radio show that we can check out, and this one is about the birds’ human designs.  Then we have two new scenes available on this page. By clicking on the black feather, we get…  Albert is the crow employed as Sakuya’s butler. Apparently Yuuya doesn’t care for him… The Super Agent is mobilizing all his resources to investigate this mysterious butler. I guess we get to learn about that mysterious crow we met once before. And the small orange bird on the Story page gives us…  The greatest event in a bird’s high school career--the field trip. A little before everybirdie puffs up their chests with excitement, the professors of St. Pigeonation’s go to do a preliminary inspection. Hitori, Kazuaki, and Shuu walking around Kyoto. It’s a pigeon-oriented tour! We can take a guided tour around Kyoto with our favorite professors! Well, we’ve got a lot to choose from, and nothing standing in our way. What are we gonna see first, guys?
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Sep 3, 2014 16:10
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| # ? May 31, 2024 20:08 |
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And so we've reached the end of the story of Holiday Star. It's been a fun adventure, but the game's not quite over yet! We still have bonus material to go through! What will we be seeing first? Ryouta's radio show, the story of Sakuya's butler, or the Kyoto journey? Also, feel free to share your thoughts about the game and the characters now that more has been revealed! I personally enjoy this game more overall than the first, since the linear story helps to show off Hato Moa's writing skills better than the dating format, but I'd like to hear everyone's opinions.
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Sep 3, 2014 16:12
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