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  • Locked thread
ArcadePark
Feb 4, 2011

Damn it, It's all your fault!
I've never heard of this game, but I think even insunating or coyishly hinting how this game turns out due to our choice in words still spoils the LP.

However, if the OP is okay with such behaviour, I'm okay as well.

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Avalerion
Oct 19, 2012

If I hadn't been spoiled in the main thread I wouldn't be following this, on the other hand.

JosephWongKS
Apr 4, 2009

by Nyc_Tattoo
I'm expecting all of this - the depression and anxiety warnings at the start of the game, and all the people posting in this thread who claim to have played the game - to be the set up for a huge swerve and for the game to be indeed a saccharine sweet harem game at the end. And those of us who haven't played the game who follow this LP are just kept waiting for the payoff which never ever comes.

JosephWongKS fucked around with this message at 11:15 on Oct 12, 2017

Roar
Jul 7, 2007

I got 30 points!

I GOT 30 POINTS!

Avalerion posted:

If I hadn't been spoiled in the main thread I wouldn't be following this, on the other hand.

The Games thread is a treasure trove of cool info and documentation about this game but if you haven’t checked it out and care about spoilers, avoid it like the plague. There’s a anti-spoilers policy there but even inadvertently it’s incredibly easy to spoil a game like this.

Also avoid the OST beyond the polsy links. A lot of songs there are spoilers too. Just...just don’t look up anything. Ever.

Update after work. I fell asleep and forgot to post last night. :tem:

Roar fucked around with this message at 17:19 on Oct 12, 2017

Roar
Jul 7, 2007

I got 30 points!

I GOT 30 POINTS!
3.

First thing's first - special thank you to Softnum for helping me reduce the time these updates take to write by like 90%. I used to have to write every single line and it took a dog's age.

BGM: Ohayou Sayori!



: “Glad to see you didn't run away on us. Hahaha!"

You gave me cupcakes. You're never getting rid of me now.

: “Nah, don't worry. This might be a little strange for me, but I at least keep my word."

Well, I'm back at the Literature Club. I was the last to come in, so everyone else is already hanging out.

: “Thanks for keeping your promise, Mitayo."

: “I hope this isn't too overwhelming of a commitment for you. Making you dive headfirst into literature when you're not accustomed to it..."



: “Sayori told me you didn't even want to join any clubs this year. And last year, too! I don't know if you plan to just come here and hang out, or what...but if you don't take us seriously, then you won't see the end of it."

Nanaki is the traditional tsundare character and she just loves getting on everyone's case. This is probably due to her age, though there might be a little Napoleon syndrome going on as well.I can't help but admire her spunk, though she does lay it on a little thick at times.

: “Natsuki, you certainly have a big mouth for someone who keeps her manga collection in the clubroom."

: “M-M-M...!!"

Natsuki finds herself stuck between saying "Monika" and "Manga".



BAKA GAIJIN!!

Swiftly defeated, Natsuki plops back into her seat.

: “Don't worry, guys~ Mitayo always gives it his best as long as he's having fun. He helps me with busywork without me even asking. Like cooking, cleaning my room..."

: “How dependable..."

: “Sayori, that's because your room is so messy it's distracting. And you almost set your house on fire once."



I do hope those two things aren't related.

: “You two are really good friends, aren't you? I might be a little jealous..."

: “How come? You and Mitayo can become good friends too!"

: “U-Um..."

: “S-Sayori--"

: “Hmm?"

: “..."



Friends...? With another...g-girl?? :derp:

: “Oh, oh! Yuri even brought you something today, you know~"

: “W-Wait! Sayori..."

: “Eh? Me?"

: “Um... Not really..."

: “Don't be shy~"

: “It's really nothing..."

: “What is it?"

: “N-Never mind! Sayori made it sound like a big deal when it's really not...uuuuh, what do I do..."

Spit it out, Yuki.



I guess that means it's up to me to rescue this situation...

: “Hey, don't worry about it. First of all, I wasn't expecting anything in the first place. So any nice gesture from you is a pleasant surprise. It'll make me happy no matter what."

: “I-Is that so..."

: “Yeah. I won't make it a big deal if you don't want it to be."

: “Alright...well, here."

Yuri reaches into her bag and pulls out a book.

: “I didn't want you to feel left out...so I picked out a book that I thought you might enjoy. It's a short read, so it should keep your attention, even if you don't usually read."

: “And we could, you know...”



This is Steven King, isn't it? I'm gonna wager that it's a copy of Kujo.

As an aside, this game loves ellipses but Yuri is - hands down - the worst offender.


Th-This is...how is this girl accidentally being so cute? She even picked out a book she thinks I'll like, despite me not reading much...

: “Yuri, thank you! I'll definitely read this!"

I enthusiastically take the book.

: “Phew...well, you can read it at your own pace. I look forward to hearing what you think."

Now that everyone's settled in, I expected Monika to kick off some scheduled activities for the club. But that doesn't seem to be the case. Sayori and Monika are having a cheery conversation in the corner. Yuri's face is already buried in a book. I can't help but notice her intense expression, like she was waiting for this chance. Meanwhile, Natsuki is rummaging around in the closet.

I'll be the first to say that I don't know what these clubs generally do, but it seems like Yuri is the only one actively pursuing any sort of literature. If anyone audits this group to find out whether or not they DO what they say they do, they’re all in trouble.



But at the same time, I would feel bad for distracting her from reading. I catch a glimpse of the cover of her book. It looks like the same book that she lent to me...more than that, she seems to be on the first few pages.

This sort of tampers down the gift a little bit. She got us a book that she thinks we might read, sure, but it's closer to being a book she just plain likes and hopes that we will too. Maybe I'm just being cynical, though.

: “Ah..."

Crap--I think she noticed me looking at her...she sneaks another glance at me, and our eyes meet for a split second.

BGM: Play With Me! **New!**

: “..."

But that only makes her hide her face deeper in her book.

Is this second grade? What are we doing here, exactly? You're teenagers. Act like it.

: “Sorry...I was just spacing out..."

I mutter this, sensing I made her uncomfortable.

: “Oh...It's fine. If I was focused, then I probably wouldn't have noticed in the first place. But I'm just re-reading a bit of this, so..."

: “That's the book that you gave me, right?"

: “Mhm. I wanted to re-read some of it.”



: “Just curious, how come you have two copies of the same book?"

: “Ah...well, when I stopped at the bookstore yesterday--"

: “Ah, that's not what I meant...I mean--I...just happened to buy two of them."

A perfectly normal thing to do.

: “Ah, I see."

There's something fairly obvious here that Yuri isn't telling me, but I decide to let it go.

: “I'll definitely start reading it soon!"

: “I'm glad to hear...once it starts to pick up, you might have a hard time putting it down. It's a very engaging and relatable story."

: “Is that so...? What's it about, anyway?"

: “Well...mmm..."

Yuri closes the book and scans her eyes over the back. The book is titled "Portrait of Markov". There's an ominous-looking eye symbol on the front cover.

: “Alright...I just wanted to make sure I don't accidentally give anything away."



: “...but as soon as she does so, her life gets really strange. She gets targeted by these people who escaped from a human experiment prison...and while her life is in danger, she needs to desperately choose who to trust. No matter what she does, she ends up destroying most of her relationships and her life starts to fall apart..."

As far as I can tell from a semi-thorough Google/Amazon search, this book does not actually exist.

: “That's kind of--!"

That's kind of dark, isn't it? Yuri made it sound like it was going to be a nice story, so that dark turn came from nowhere.

: “Ahaha."



:staredog: Please stop giggling about this weird dark book, Yuri.

: “Are you not a fan of that sort of thing, Mitayo?"

: “No, it's not that...I mean, I can definitely enjoy those kinds of stories, so don't worry."

: “I hope so..."

Yeah... I totally forgot that Yuri is into those things. She's so shy and reclusive on the outside, but her mind seems to be completely different.

: “It's just that those kinds of stories...they challenge you to look at life from a strange new perspective. When horrible things happen not just because someone wants to be evil, but because they have their own goals, or their own philosophy that they believe in. Then suddenly, when you thought you related to the protagonist...they're made out to be the naive one for letting their one-sided morals interfere with the villain's plans."

: “I'm...I'm rambling, aren't I...?"

You are a little bit because I'm not following. I mean, I kind of get what she's talking about with the pursuing ideas from an opposing angle thing, but I'm not sure how that relates to the story she described.

: “Not again...I'm sorry..."

: “Hey, don't apologize...! I haven't lost interest or anything."

: “Well...I guess it's alright, then. But I feel like I should let you know that I have this problem...when I let things like books and writing fill my thoughts..."

: “I kind of forget to pay attention to other people...so I'm sorry if I end up saying something strange! And please stop me if I start talking too much!"

I remember reading once that one of the worst things you can do is to shut someone down when they're genuinely excited about something. You can just see the enthusiasm wither away and it's awful to watch.

: “That's--I really don't think you need to worry...that just means you're passionate about reading. The least I can do is listen. It's a literature club, after all..."

: “Ah--that's...well, that's true..."

: “In fact...I might as well get started reading it, right?"

: “Y-You don't have to!"

: “Ahaha, what are you saying? Just a moment ago, you said you were looking forward to it."

: “..."

This is a snuff book, isn't it? That's why it doesn't supposedly exist and why you're suddenly apprehensive about us reading it together.

: “Let me just get the book..."

I quickly retrieve the book that I had put into my bag.

: “Alright...it's fine if I sit here, right?"

I slip into the seat next to Yuri's.

: “Ah...! Yeah..."

: “Are you sure? You seem a little apprehensive..."

: “That's...I'm sorry...it's not that I don't want you to! It's just something I'm not very used to...that is, reading in company with someone."

Also seriously inside the bubble of an introvert's personal space. We've known Yuri for less than twenty-four hours now.

: “I see...well, just tell me if I end up distracting you or anything."

: “A-Alright..."

I open the book and start the prologue. I soon understand what Yuri means about reading in company. It's as if I can feel her presence over my shoulder as I read. It's not a particularly bad thing. Maybe a little distracting, but the feeling is somewhat comforting. Yuri is in the corner of my eye. I realize that she's not actually looking at her own book. I glance over. It looks like she's reading from my book instead...

Reading over a shoulder is an interesting trait to have, I suppose. Mitayo doesn't seem to mind too much, at least.

: “S-Sorry! I was just--!"

: “Yuri, you really apologize a lot, don't you?"

: “I...I do? I don't really mean to..."

: “Sorry...I mean--!"

Jokes.

: “Ahaha. Here, this should work, right?"

I slide my desk until it's up against Yuri's, then hold my book more between the two of them.



: “Ah...I suppose so..."

Yuri timidly closes her own copy. Once we each lean in a little bit, our shoulders are almost touching. It feels like my left arm is in the way, so instead I use my right hand to hold the book open.

I used to share textbooks with people back in school. It was super awkward and I hated every minute of it, so I'm glad Mitayo and Yuri seem to be enjoying it well enough.

: “Ah, I guess that makes it kind of difficult to turn the page..."

: “Here..."

Yuri takes her left arm and holds the left side of the book between her thumb and forefinger.

: “Ah..."

I do the same with my right arm, on the right side of the book. That way, I turn a page, and Yuri slides it under her thumb after it flips to her side. But in holding it like this...we're huddled even closer together than before.

It's actually kind of distracting me...! It's as if I can feel the warmth of Yuri's face, and she's in the corner of my vision...


Less than twenty-four hours. We've known this girl for one day.

: “...Are you ready?"

: “Eh?"

: “To turn the page..."

: “Ah...sorry! I think I got a bit distracted for a second..."

I glance over at Yuri's face again, and our eyes meet. I don't know how I'll be able to keep up with her...

: “Ah...that's okay. You're not as used to reading, right?”



: “It's probably the least I can do since you've been so patient with me..."

"I understand that you're slow and I accept your flaws."

: “Y-Yeah...thanks."

We continue reading. Yuri no longer asks me if I'm ready to turn the page; instead, I just assume that she finishes the page before me, so I turn it by my own volition. We continue the first chapter in silence. Even so, turning each page almost feels like an intimate exchange... my thumb gently letting go of the page, letting it flutter over to her side as she catches it under her own thumb.

Only a visual novel could make a sensual moment out of reading.

: “Hey, Yuri...this might be a silly thought, but the main character kind of reminds me of you a little bit."

: “You...think so? How does she?"

: “Well, I guess she's more blunt in a lot of ways...but she also second-guesses all of the things that she says and does. Like she's afraid she'll do something wrong. It's not like I can see into your head or anything...but they're kind of reminiscent of some of your mannerisms."

: “I-I see..."

Yuri remains silent for a moment.

: “But Mitayo...that's probably a terrible thing to have in common with her!"



I get what Mitayo's going for but Yuri's right, that's not a very flattering feature.

: “W-Wait! I didn't mean it in a bad way or anything! Sorry, I really didn't know you were self-conscious about that sort of thing..."

: “..."

: “I guess I more meant that it's kind of cute..."

Nice save.

: “A-Ah-- what are you saying all of a sudden...? I...!"



: “...!"

LITBLOCKED

: “I think it's about time we share today's poems with each other. We might not have enough time if we wait too long."

: “Ah..."

Yuri exhales, spared from finishing her thought.

: “Is that alright, Yuri? You look kind of down...I'm sorry if you haven't been looking forward to this..."

: “Ah, it's not..."

: “...It's fine."

"We were, uh, kind of in the middle of something special but it's cool. Poems are cool too."

Yuri releases her hand from the book, causing it to close on top of my thumb.

: “Alright...I guess I'll do some more reading tonight. Or would you prefer I only read it with you?"

: “Um...! I...guess I don't have too much of a preference either way..."

: “Hmm...in that case, I'll read a little more tonight. It'll be more fun to read with you after it picks up a bit, you know?"

: “That's good reasoning.”



Two chapters? Jesus. Is there a quiz on this?

: “Alright!"

I stand up. I make a mental note of where I left off in the book, then slip it back into my bag.



: “Y-Yeah..."

Be careful with the paper, I don’t want you to cut yourself with all that sick edge we laid down.

My relaxation ends. I can't believe I agreed to do something so embarrassing. I couldn't really find much inspiration, since I've never really done this before.

: “Well, now that everyone's ready, why don't you find someone to share with?"

: “I can't wait~!"

Sayori and Monika enthusiastically pull out their poems. Sayori's is on a wrinkled sheet of loose leaf torn from a spiral notebook. On the other hand, Monika wrote hers in a composition notebook. I can already see Monika's pristine handwriting from where I sit. Natsuki and Yuri reluctantly comply as well, reaching into their bags. I do the same, myself.

I love how the majority of the group hates this assignment. Only Monika and Sayori - the club president and the VP - are into sharing poetry in any way.

BGM: Okay, Everyone! **New!**



Alright, guys, VOTE TIME - in what order should we share our poem with the girls? This is definitely an important decision that has REAL consequences and not a natural stopping point mixed with obvious and shameless response padding!

I’m just kidding it doesn’t even slightly matter beyond very minor text changes. Feel free to suggest if you want but no pressure.

Roar fucked around with this message at 03:23 on Oct 17, 2017

golden bubble
Jun 3, 2011

yospos

I'll vote A. You should add a competition to see who can make the most coherent poem out of 20 of these word choices. Here's a terrible example


A lucky day begins with the promise of a new Let's Play.
A wonderful daydream, to cheer you on the way.
Roar's promise to complete this inspires fear and hope,
That he won't be lazy about updates, and his computer won't go nope.

Let us go on this adventure, lacking shame about :japan:,
and view anime childhood, as a faceless man.
Maybe this will be a treasure, remembered as a flower among Let's Plays,
or an empty, hopeless topic, when the thread clumsily loses it's way.

Regardless, happiness and tragedy await.

chitoryu12
Apr 24, 2014

Mitayo might actually be the stupidest person at flirting!

geri_khan
May 16, 2009

Fucking blocks... I'm gonna climb the shit outta you!
Thanks to this thread I'm playing this game. Not finished it yet.

... gently caress I'm not even going to say anything else. This is the kind of game that's really pushed my buttons.

And vote Natsuki I guess, even if it doesn't matter.

Roar
Jul 7, 2007

I got 30 points!

I GOT 30 POINTS!

golden bubble posted:

I'll vote A. You should add a competition to see who can make the most coherent poem out of 20 of these word choices. Here's a terrible example


A lucky day begins with the promise of a new Let's Play.
A wonderful daydream, to cheer you on the way.
Roar's promise to complete this inspires fear and hope,
That he won't be lazy about updates, and his computer won't go nope.

Let us go on this adventure, lacking shame about :japan:,
and view anime childhood, as a faceless man.
Maybe this will be a treasure, remembered as a flower among Let's Plays,
or an empty, hopeless topic, when the thread clumsily loses it's way.

Regardless, happiness and tragedy await.

I like this idea.

Also that vote’s over but there may or may not be other poem votes in the future!

chitoryu12 posted:

Mitayo might actually be the stupidest person at flirting!

This is pretty standard flirting for a VN. Males in them are literally always goony as all hell.

ArcadePark
Feb 4, 2011

Damn it, It's all your fault!
I'm a stickler for traditions. Natsuki

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


quote:

“Hey, Yuri...this might be a silly thought, but the main character kind of reminds me of you a little bit."

I wish VN writers wouldn't do this. Either your audience gets foreshadowing or they don't. Spelling it out is just dumb.

Avalerion
Oct 19, 2012

Yuri.

dotai
Dec 30, 2010
Let's give it to Monika first. She's the club president, so we may as well let her get the first look at our poem.

CrashScreen
Nov 11, 2012

We just had a nice moment, so Yuri should be the first person we show it to.

dancingbears
May 10, 2011

You're an idiot,
so start acting
like one.

This looks really good. I'm going to have to play this myself.

Yuri will love our depressing awful poem! At this rate, we'll be married by the end of the week.

inflatablefish
Oct 24, 2010

dancingbears posted:

This looks really good. I'm going to have to play this myself.

Yuri will love our depressing awful poem! At this rate, we'll be married by the end of the week.

Yeah, let's go full Yuri and see how miserable we can end up.

Roar
Jul 7, 2007

I got 30 points!

I GOT 30 POINTS!
4.

BGM: Okay, Everyone!



Yuri seems the most experienced, so I should start with her. I can trust her opinion to be fair.

Not entirely sure what you’re basing that on but alright.



As Yuri reads the poem, I notice her eyes lighten. Yuri smiles dreamily, as if that's a rare opportunity for her. Which itself is kind of funny...after all, isn't this supposed to be a literature club?

: “...Exceptional."

: “Eh? What was that?"

: “...? D-Did I say that out loud...?"

Yuri first covers her mouth, but then ends up covering her whole face.

: “I...!"

: “Uu... (He's going to hate me...)"

I have no idea why she thinks this considering her next few lines.

: “Um...you really didn't do anything wrong, Yuri..."

: “Eh...? That's...I-I guess you're right...what am I getting so nervous for? A-Ahaha..."

Nervous is an understatement when it comes to Yuri. She’s like a mortified chihuahua at pretty much all times.

Yuri takes a breath.

: “So..."



: “Your use of imagery and metaphors indicates you've written a lot of poetry before."

I asked the internet and they told me to make you sad.

: “Really...? Wow, that's a huge compliment coming from you. This is actually my first time, really."

: “Huh...?"

Yuri stares at me blankly, then looks at my poem again.

: “...Well, I know that! I just meant...u-um..."

Yuri trails off, unable to find an excuse. She traces her finger along the words in the poem, as if breaking it down more thoroughly.

: “...Yeah. Okay. This is the reason I was able to tell. It's just that there are specific writing habits that are usually typical of new writers. And having been through that myself, I kind of learned to pick up on them. I think the most noticeable thing I recognize in new writers is that they try to make their style very deliberate. In other words, they tend to pick a writing style separate from the topic matter, and they form-fit the two together. The end result is that both the style and the expressiveness are weakened."

I don’t know a lot about poetry, but this is pretty typical in all forms of writing, so she’s pretty spot-on here.

Once Yuri finds her train of thought, it's as if her demeanor totally changes. Her stammering is completely gone, and she sounds like an expert.



: “There are so many different skills and techniques that go into writing even a simple poem. Not just finding them and building them, but getting them to work together is probably the most challenging part. It might take you some time, but it all comes with practice, and learning by example, and trying new things. I also hope that everyone else in the club gives you valuable feedback."

: “Natsuki can be a little bit biased, though..."

: “Biased? How?"

Really, Mitayo? Have you MET Natsuki?

: “U-Um...well...never mind. I shouldn't be talking about people like that...sorry..."

: “It's fine."

I'm not sure if Yuri is apologizing to herself, to me, or to Natsuki.

: “Do you mind if I read your poem now?"

: “Please do! I'd love to share my thought process behind it..."



BGM: Okay, Everyone! (Yuri) **New!** (Yes, all of the girls have a version of Okay, Everyone! that only plays while their poems are onscreen. It’s a nice touch.)

Poem impressions: I may just have old, bad eyes or I just don’t read enough cursive, but I can’t read this at all. Here.

quote:

Ghost Under the Light

The tendrils of my hair illuminate beneath the amber glow.
Bathing.
It must be this one.
The last remaining streetlight to have withstood the test of time.
the last yet to be replaced by the sickening blue-green hue of the future.
I bathe. Calm; breathing air of the present but living in the past.
The light flickers.
I flicker back.

There we go. Anyways, I like the cadence of this poem but Yuri’s poetry tends to be a little too heavy-handed and gothic for my tastes. I’m a Lit major, not a poetry major – and I don’t particularly like most poetry, to be honest – mostly because most poems end up looking like what Yuri just wrote. No disrespect to them or her, but they’re just generally not my taste.

BGM: Okay, Everyone!

: “...I'm sorry I have such terrible handwriting!"

It’s not terrible, it’s actually nice. I just can’t read it.

: “What?? I wasn't thinking that at all..."

: “But it took you a long time to read..."

: “Ah--well, I just don't read script very often...I actually think your handwriting is pretty."

: “Eh? That's...a relief..."

: “Also, I liked the poem. Even though it's short, it was really descriptive."



: “I usually write longer poems..."

She’s not lying and I wish she were.

: “Not at all."

: “I'm...really glad you like it. I'll be honest...since it's our first time sharing, I wanted to write something a little more mild. Something easy to digest, I suppose."

: “Are you into ghosts, Yuri?"

: “Huhu. Actually, the story isn't about a ghost at all, Mitayo."

: “Really? I must have totally missed the point..."

That makes two of us.

: “Well, I suppose you did only glance over it, after all...but remember that poets often express their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences in their work. They usually do more than tell a simple story, or paint a picture. In this case, perhaps the subject of the poem is only being symbolically compared to a ghost. Lingering in her last remaining place of comfort, unable to let go of the past. And soon to be left with nothing..."

More than anyone else in the group – with the exception of maybe Monika – Yuri seems to know what she’s talking about the most. If it weren’t for her crippling shyness and social anxiety, she’d probably be a better fit for president of the Literature club.

: “...That's a lot more solemn, putting it that way. I hadn't even thought of that...that's impressive."

: “Eh? I-It's nothing, really! Yours was impressive too, so..."

: “Nah...if anything, I could probably learn a thing or two from you."

: “...You think so?"

: “Yeah, of course."

: “Ah...you know..."



You don’t say.

: “But in the end, I enjoyed it. I'm going to keep doing my best for you, Mitayo."

: “Ah...me too."

: “It's nothing, really...well...it makes me happy that you think that. Just remember that it won't be long before you pick up on these things, too."

: “Yeah, maybe you're right. I guess I'll have to keep trying."

: “I'm counting on you."

Alright, I’ll chalk that up as a success. Let’s see if we can go two for two.



: “...?"



Hahaha, wow. Salty right out of the gate. Never change, you little viper.

: “W-What?? Harsh..."

: “What, you expect me to believe that you actually put effort into this? Do you think I’m stupid?”

: “I'm not a writer! Maybe it's not very good, but yeah, I did put in effort. We all start somewhere, right?" If you're still proud of the first poem you ever wrote, then I'd like to read it."

One of the first things I ever wrote was a Star Ocean 2 fanfiction and it is just godawful. It’s still up on FF.net as mostly a message to myself on how horrible writing can be if I let it.

: “!!"

: “Painful to think about?"

: “..."



: “Well, sorry. You'll get better, anyway. I'd tell you what to improve, but you're better off just trying again."

: “Fair enough...well, to each their own, I guess."

: “Anyway, I guess I gotta share mine now...knowing you, you'll probably think it's stupid."



BGM: Okay, Everyone! (Natsuki) **New!**

Poem impressions: I like this. We’re not going to hear it because Natsuki straight up hates our poem, but Monika says that Natsuki’s style is similar to Shel Silverstein, and I can see it. The simplistic style helps drive home harder points then you would expect from the basic prose. I also appreciate that Natsuki writes in a script I can read easily – that can’t be said about all of the girls.

BGM: Okay, Everyone!

: “Yeah...I told you that you weren't gonna like it."

: “I like it."

: “What? Just be honest!"

: “I am. Why are you so convinced that I wouldn't like it?"

: “Well--because!"



: “So people don't even take my writing seriously."

Considering her poem, it’s pretty plain why she thinks that we’re terrible – we opted for something much heavier than her style and it very clearly did NOT suit her.

: “But isn't the point of poems for people to express themselves? Your writing style wouldn't make your message any less valid."

: “Yes! Exactly! I like when it's easy to read, but it hits you hard. Like in this poem. Seeing everyone around you do great things can be really disheartening...so I decided to write about it."

: “Yeah, I understand."

: “But the other nice thing about simple writing is that it puts more weight on the wordplay. Like I set up for a rhyme at the end, but then made it fall flat on purpose. It helps bring out the feeling in the last line."

: “So you did...I guess more went into it than I realized."

: “That's what it means to be a pro!"



: “Didn't expect that from the youngest one here, did you?"

: “Yeah...guess not."

I decide to humor her with that last comment. I don't really care how old everyone is, but if Natsuki is feeling proud then I won't take that away from her.

There’s definitely some Napoleon syndrome there.

Alright, we’re 1-1 on people who think our poem is good or not. What does the childhood friend think of our angst?




: “This is a good poem, Mitayo! Are you sure it's your first time?"

Phrasing.

: “Of course...it's not that good. Am I the kind of guy who would be writing poems in his spare time?"

: “Ehehe, I guess you're right~ but that's why it impressed me! Well, to be honest...I was afraid that you wouldn't do it seriously or that you wouldn't write one at all. I'm really happy just that you wrote one."

The faith in me is inspiring, Sayori.

: “It just reminds me of how you're really a part of the club now~"

(Not to mention the fact that I'm standing in front of you in the clubroom...?)

: “Er...well, of course. I'm not really into it yet, but that doesn't mean I'll break my promise."

: “See? It's like I said before, Mitayo...deep down, you're not selfish at all, you know? Trying new things like this for other people...that's something that only really good people do!"

: “Thanks...Sayori."

...I'm not sure if Sayori sees the full picture of my motive here. Then again...I can't deny that she's part of the reason I joined. Knowing how much this means to her and all...

I originally joined for cupcakes but now I’m here for girls. Poetry is just a…benefit? Consequence? Depends on the point of view, I suppose.

: “Yeah. And I'm gonna make sure you have lots of fun here, okay? That will be my way of thanking you~"

: “Alright, I'm going to hold you to that, then."

: “Yay~! Now, you'll read my poem too, right? Don't worry, I'm really bad at this. Ehehe..."

I really like Sayori. She really strives to see to see the optimistic side of things.

: “We'll see about that."



BGM: Okay, Everyone! (Sayori) **New!**

Poem impressions: See, now this one I like. Light, easy language and a concept that isn’t doused in symbolism.

BGM: Okay, Everyone!

: “Sayori...this is just a guess, but...did you wait until this morning to write this?"

Wow, super rude.

: “No! J-Just a little bit!"

…but apparently it’s true, so I guess I can’t fault Mitayo too much. Still rude, though.

: “You can't answer 'just a little bit' to a yes or no question..."

: “I forgot to do it last night..."

: “Well, at least that makes me feel a little better about myself..."

: “Don't be mean!"



: “Ah, yeah...I didn't mean to say that it was a bad poem. It came out nice...or, how should I put it…it sounds just like you."

”I’m not saying it’s BAD, I’m just saying it looks like you wrote it in five minutes. It’s a compliment, really!

: “Really?"

: “Yeah. Especially that last line..."

: “I made eggs and toast!"

: “Even though you were late to school...?"



: “I get all cranky..."

This is an important lesson to remember. Breakfast is important, kids!

: “Well, I guess there's no point in arguing...anyway, thanks for showing me."

: “Ehehe~ this was so much fun. Monika's the best!"

She really is.

: “Ah...yeah."

: “But next time, I won't forget. And I'm gonna write the best poem ever!"

: “Well, I guess I look forward to it."

Alright, three down. Now, just Monika remains.



: “Having a good time so far?"

: “Ah...yeah."

: “Good! Glad to hear it! By the way, since you're new and everything...if you ever have any suggestions for the club, like new activities, or things we can do better...I'm always listening! Don't be afraid to bring things up, okay?"

: “Alright...I'll keep that in mind."

Of course I'll be afraid to bring things up. I'm much better off just going with the flow until I'm more settled in.

: “Anyway...want to share your poem with me?"

: “It's kind of embarrassing, but I guess I have to."

: “Ahahaha!"



: “We're all a little embarrassed today, you know? But it's that sort of barrier that we'll all learn to get past soon."

: “Yeah, that's true."

I hand Monika my poem.

: “Great job, Mitayo! I was going 'Ooh' in my head while reading it. It's really metaphorical! I'm not sure why, but I didn't expect you to go for something so deep. I guess I underestimated you!"

Thank the Goons. I’m a firm group B supporter.



This is also an important life lesson.

: “That way, it always counts when I put in some effort."

: “Ahaha! That's not very fair! Well, I guess it worked, anyway. You know that Yuri likes this kind of writing, right? Writing that's full of imagery and symbolism. Unlike Sayori, who likes using simple and direct words to describe happiness and sadness...Yuri likes it when readers are left to derive their own meaning out of it. It's very challenging to write like that effectively. Both allowing people to get something out of it just by feel...or letting them deeply analyze all of the nuances."

The problem that can occur with Yuri’s writing is that it can stretch too far into pretentious, though. Not saying that she’s reached that point, but it’s not too far off.

: “It can take years of practice, which I'm assuming Yuri has at this point. I never really asked, though..."

: “I'm sure I'm nowhere near her level yet."

: “Don't worry so much about that! You do your own thing."



: “I'm sure I'll end up trying different things a lot. It could take a while before I feel comfortable doing this."

: “That's okay! I'd love to see you try new things. That's the best way to find the kind of style that suits you. Everyone else might be a little bit biased toward their own kinds of styles...but I'll always help you find what suits you the most! So don't force yourself to write the way everyone else wants you to write. It's not like you have to worry about impressing them or anything."

: “Ahaha!"

: “Ahaha..."

Ahaha! Why are we laughing?

: “Anyway, do you want to read my poem now? Don't worry, I'm not very good..."

: “You sound pretty confident for someone who claims to not be very good."

: “Well...that's 'cause I have to sound confident. That doesn't mean I always feel that way, you know?"

As mentioned in previous updates, Monika’s the ‘cool girl’ – this is an interesting insight into her character. She always has to feel ‘on’ – but at times, it could be little more than a mask.

: “I see...well, let's read it, then."



BGM: Okay, Everyone! (Monika)

Poem impressions: Monika, more than any of the other girls, tends to write long poetry that won’t easily fit onto one screenshot. If my fantastic photoshop skills aren’t up to par, here’s a slightly easier to read version.

quote:

Hole in the Wall

It couldn't have been me.
See, the direction the spackle protrudes.
A noisy neighbor? An angry boyfriend? I'll never know. I wasn't home.
I peer inside for a clue.
No! I can't see. I reel, blind, like a film left out in the sun.
But it's too late. My retinas.
Already scorched with a permanent copy of the meaningless image.
It's just a little hole. It wasn't too bright.
It was too deep.
Stretching forever into everything.
A hole of infinite choices.
I realize now, that I wasn't looking in.
I was looking out.
And he, on the other side, was looking in.

Anyways, I like Monika’s poetry. It flows a lot more like normal language to a cadence than a regular poetry. It makes it seem more natural – more real.

BGM: Okay, Everyone!


: “So...what do you think?"

: “Hmm...it's very...freeform, if that's what you call it. Sorry, I'm not really the right person to ask for feedback..."

: “Ahaha. It's okay. Yeah, that kind of style has gotten pretty popular nowadays. That is, a lot of poems have been putting emphasis on the timing between words and lines. When performed out loud, it can be really powerful."

Most of these poems – and all poetry in general, to be honest – are stronger when performed. With limited exceptions, actually reading poetry lessens the impact of the piece.

: “What was the inspiration behind this one?"

: “Ah...well, I'm not sure if I know how to put it..."



: “It's been influencing my poems a bit."

: “An epiphany?"

: “Yeah...something like that. I'm kind of nervous to talk about deep stuff like that, because it's kind of coming on strongly...maybe after everyone is better friends with each other. Anyway..."

: “Here's Monika's Writing Tip of the Day!"

: “Sometimes when you're writing a poem - or a story - your brain gets too fixated on a specific point...if you try so hard to make it perfect, then you'll never make any progress. Just force yourself to get something down on the paper, and tidy it up later! Another way to think about it is this: If you keep your pen in the same spot for too long, you'll just get a big dark puddle of ink. So just move your hand, and go with the flow!"

: “...That's my advice for today!"



Again, this is more worthwhile writing advice in general.

Anyways, that’s everyone. Anyone poetry’d out, yet? I certainly hope not!


BGM: Ohayou Sayori!

: “Phew..."

I guess that's everyone. I glance around the room. That was a little more stressful than I anticipated. It's as if everyone is judging me for my mediocre writing abilities...Even if they're just being nice, there's no way my poems can stand up to theirs. This is a literature club, after all. I sigh - I guess that's what I ended up getting myself into. Across the room, Sayori and Monika are happily chatting. My eyes land on Yuri and Natsuki.



As they read in tandem, I watch each of their expressions change. Natsuki's eyebrows furrow in frustration. Meanwhile, Yuri smiles sadly.


: “(What's with this language...?)"

: “Eh? Um...did you say something?"

: “Oh, it's nothing."

Natsuki dismissively returns the poem to the desk with one hand.

: “I guess you could say it's fancy."

”This pile of poo poo sure does sparkle.”

: “Ah-- Thanks..."



: “Cute? Did you completely miss the symbolism or something? It's clearly about the feeling of giving up. How can that be cute?"

Uh oh, the hackles are officially up.

: “I-I know that! I just meant...the language, I guess. I was trying to say something nice..."

: “Eh? You mean you have to try that hard to come up with something nice to say? Thanks, but it really didn't come out nice at all!"

: “Um..."



: “Hmph. If I was looking for suggestions, I would have asked someone who actually liked it. Which people did, by the way. Sayori liked it. And Mitayo did, too! So based on that, I'll gladly give you some suggestions of my own. First of all--"

: “Excuse me...I appreciate the offer, but I've spent a long time establishing my writing style. I don't expect it to change anytime soon, unless of course I come across something particularly inspiring. Which I haven't yet."

These two sure are getting heated over poetry.

Though, to be fair, it’s more than that. This is about style in general, and they’re obviously interested in writing or they wouldn’t be in the Literature Club to begin with.




: “And Mitayo liked my poem too, you know. He even told me he was impressed by it."

Eh.

Natsuki suddenly stands up.

: “Oh? I didn't realize you were so invested in trying to impress our new member, Yuri."

BGM: Poem Panic! **New**

Please leave me out of this. :(

As an aside, if you’re not already listening to the BGM tracks, listen to this one. It’s ridiculous and adorable and reminds me a little of the Darkseed 2 circus theme.


: “E-Eh?! That's not what I...! Uu, you...You're just..."

Yuri stands up as well.



: “Huh! And how do you know he didn't appreciate my advice more?" Are you that full of yourself?"

: “I...! No...if I was full of myself...I would deliberately go out of my way to make everything I do overly cutesy!"

You’ve got to be seriously antagonistic if you’re able to get Yuri yelling at you.

: “Uuuuuu...!"



: “Is everyone okay...?"

: “Well, you know what?! I wasn't the one whose boobs magically grew a size bigger as soon as Mitayo started showing up!!"

:staredog:

: “N-Natsuki!!"

: “Um, Natsuki, that's a little--"



: “I-I don't like fighting, guys...!"

Suddenly, both girls turn towards me, as if they just noticed I was standing there.

: “Mitayo...! She-- She's just trying to make me look bad...!"

: “That's not true! She started it!"

NUH-UH, YOU STARTED IT

: “If she could get over herself and learn to appreciate that simple writing is more effective...then this wouldn't have happened in the first place!"



: “The meaning should jump out at the reader, not force them to have to figure it out. Help me explain that to her, Mitayo!"

: “W-Wait! There's a reason we have so many deep and expressive words in our language! It's the only way to convey complex feelings and meaning the most effectively. Avoiding them is not only unnecessarily limiting yourself...it's also a waste! You understand that, right, Mitayo?"

: “Um...!"

: “Well??"

: “..."

How did I get dragged into this in the first place?! It's not like I know anything about writing...but whomever I agree with, they'll probably think more highly of me!



Frankly, I think that they’re both wrong, but this fortunately isn’t my decision. It’s yours!

VOTE TIME – who should we side with?

*Natsuki (Simple words and ideas have a bigger impact)
*Yuri (Expressive language provokes stronger feelings)
*Sayori (stop fighting guys :( )

Roar fucked around with this message at 03:31 on Oct 17, 2017

Adlai Stevenson
Mar 4, 2010

Making me ashamed to feel the way that I do
Natsuki

Could we be the bigger person and try to mediate? Well, sure, by why pass up an opportunity to push the Objectively Better poetry style?

geri_khan
May 16, 2009

Fucking blocks... I'm gonna climb the shit outta you!
I do tend to be overly wordy and to aspire to excessive eloquence.

So Natsuki is probably right.

PassingPie
Aug 18, 2013

Roar posted:

: “Well, you know what?! I wasn't the one whose boobs magically grew a size bigger as soon as Mitayo started showing up!!"

:supaburn:

It's nice that they gave each girl her own version of that tune. Natsuki's in particular sounded... well, overly childish and simplistic. I'm sure that's what they were going for based on what we've seen of her personality and taste in poetry but I still laughed out loud having heard Yuri's version first. That's quite a contrast. :downs:

Even so, Natsuki has the right idea. Not that I'm an authority on poetry or anything.

someone awful.
Sep 7, 2007


Sayori is the vice president. She should mediate this poo poo (and then we don't have to get involved!).

placid saviour
Apr 6, 2009
I know nothing of poetry, but I appreciate Yuri padding her bra enjoying our poem. :)

Ferrovanadium
Mar 22, 2013

APEX PREDATOR

-MOST AMMUNITION EXPENDED ON CIVILIANS 2015-PRESENT
-WORST KDR VS CIVILIANS 2015-PRESENT

I have no idea where this is going but I think we need to get Sayori to step in and tell them to chill out

chitoryu12
Apr 24, 2014

Sayori really needs to get this club to chill a little.

Since we don't actually get to see our completed poem, who wants to take a stab at writing what it could be using the words Roar selected?

Avalerion
Oct 19, 2012

Sayori. I honestly don't get poems, beyond that they are supposed to rhyme, so this argument feels super dumb. :psyduck:

GuyUpNorth
Apr 29, 2014

Witty phrases on random basis
Let's ask Natsuki just because I went all the way on excessive eloquence of effulgence on my playthrough last night, of course Yuri dug it.

ArcadePark
Feb 4, 2011

Damn it, It's all your fault!
Yuri

Because :emo:

That philistine Natsuki wouldn't understand the deep meaning of our poems, that is the futile existance that is us.

inflatablefish
Oct 24, 2010
We need to get Sayori to make both of them grow the gently caress up.

PlasticAutomaton
Nov 12, 2016

Artoria Pendonut


Sayori, save us!

Anaxite
Jan 16, 2009

What? What'd you say? Stop channeling? I didn't he-
We can't simply have someone save us all the time. And Natsuki has a point.

King of Bleh
Mar 3, 2007

A kingdom of rats.
Sayori should mediate, because this is a dumb argument.

dotai
Dec 30, 2010
Natsuki is a better poet, and I'm sure that she won't lord this over Yuri's head forever.

Miz Kriss
Mar 17, 2009

It's only an avatar if the Cubs get swept.
Save us, Sayori!

Synthbuttrange
May 6, 2007

Hearing Natsuki's poem in game is pretty great because it drops from a multi layered club theme to a simple plunka plunka one xylophone rendition when her poem comes up.

also SAVE US SAYORI

Roar
Jul 7, 2007

I got 30 points!

I GOT 30 POINTS!
5.

BGM: Poem Panic!



I'm glad this won because it's my personal opinion – they’re both being pretty dumb about this. Sayori, bail me out here.

: “N-Natsuki..."

Natsuki glares at me, drying up any words I had in my mouth. So instead, I turn to Yuri.

: “Yuri..."

: “..."

But Yuri's expression is so defenseless that I can't bring myself to say anything to her.

BGM: Music fades out.

: “...Sayori!"



: “...Yeah! Everyone's fighting is making Sayori uncomfortable. How can the two of you keep fighting when you know you're making your friend feel like this?"

: “Mitayo..."

: “Well... that's her problem! This isn't about her."

: “I-I agree...it's unfair for others to interject their own feelings into our conflict."

: “Yeah, unless Sayori wants to tell Yuri what a stuck-up jerk she's being."

BGM: Poem Panic!

You're not helping!

: “She would never...! It's your immaturity that's made her upset in the first place!"

: “ Excuse me? Are you listening to yourself? This is exactly why...exactly why nobody likes--"

Woah, woah, now! Too far!

BGM: Music ends abruptly.



: “--"

BGM: Daijoubu! **New!**

: “Natsuki! Yuri! You guys are my friends! I-I just want everyone to get along and be happy! My friends are wonderful people...and I love them because of their differences! Natsuki's poems...they're amazing because they give you so many feelings with just a few words! And Yuri's poems are amazing because they paint beautiful pictures in your head!"

: “Everyone's so talented...so why are we fighting...?"

: “Be-Because..."

: “Well..."

: “Also! Natsuki's cute and there's nothing wrong with that!"



: “Big and beautiful!!"

That’s the spirit!

: “..."

: “..."

: “Sayori..."

Sayori stands triumphantly. Monika stands behind her with a bewildered expression.

: “I'll...make some tea..."

Yuri rushes off. Natsuki sits down with a blank expression on her face, staring at nothing.

: “So, this is why Sayori is Vice President..."

I whisper to Monika. She nods in return.

: “To be honest...I might come off as a good leader, and I can organize things..."



: “I couldn't even bring myself to interject. As President, that's kind of embarrassing of me. Ahaha..."

I mean, to be fair, you did try to interject. You just didn’t do an amazingly good job of it.

: “Nah...it's not like I can blame you. I wasn't able to say anything, either."

You just got here. It’s not your place to do so.

: “Well...I guess that just means Sayori is amazing in her own ways, isn't she?"

: “You could say that. She might be an airhead, but sometimes it's weirdly suspicious that she knows exactly what she's doing.”

: “I see~"



: “I would hate to see her get herself hurt."

: “That makes two of us...you can count on me."

She's our best friend. Have a little faith in us, please.

Monika smiles sweetly at me, causing my stomach to knot. Such a genuine person really does make a good President, regardless of what she says. If only I could get the chance to talk to her a little more...

Well, our friendship is just starting. I’m sure we’ll get our chance sooner or later.

Alright, so here’s the thing – if I go on from here, this update would be way shorter than I’d like…and honestly, all of the responses have interesting character development. This is the conclusion we’re going with, but since I had a lot of spare time this morning, I’m going to include the other two options as well. Am I not merciful?

I have no intentions of doing this for every decision in this game, so don’t get used to it. Unless, of course, I do in fact do it for every decision in this game. Only time will tell!









BGM: Poem Panic!



BGM: Music fades out.

: “Natsuki. You're right that I liked your poem."

: “See??"

BGM: Daijoubu!

: “Wait! That's not an excuse for you to be so mean! You shouldn't pick a fight just because someone's opinion is different."

: “That's not what happened at all!"

That is one hundred percent literally what happened. We were all there, Natsuki.



: “Mm...I understand. Yuri?"

: “Eh?"

: “You're a seriously talented writer. It's no secret that I was impressed."

: “W-Well, that's..."

: “But here's the thing. No matter how simple or refined someone's writing style is...they're still putting feelings into it, and it becomes something really personal. That's why Natsuki felt threatened when you said her poem was cute."

: “I...see...I didn't notice that I...I-I'm sorry...uuu..."



: “Yuri means well, and if you just told her how you felt...then this wouldn't have happened in the first place."

: “Are you kidding? That's exactly what I did! It was her that--"

: “Natsuki, I think that's enough. You both said some things that you didn't mean.”



: “Nnn...!"

Natsuki clenches her fists. In the end, nobody has taken her side. She's trapped, at this point being defiant only because she can't handle the pressure. I end up even feeling bad for her.

: “U-Um! Sometimes when I'm hurt...”



: “Sayori, she doesn't need to--"

: “You know what? I'm going to do that. It'll spare me from having to look at all your faces right now."

Without warning, Natsuki snatches her own poem up from the desk and storms out. On her way out, she crumples up the poem with her hands and throws it in the trash.

My daughter is ten years old and she is leaps and bounds more mature than Natsuki is.

: “Natsuki..."

: “She really didn't need to do that..."

I look across the room. Yuri has her chin buried in her hands while she stares down at her desk. I gingerly approach her and sit in an adjacent chair.



: “Everything alright?"

: “I'm so embarrassed...I can't believe I acted like that. You probably hate me now..."

Why in the world would I hate you for having a fight with someone else? I’ve never understood this thought process.

: “No--Yuri! How could anyone not have gotten frustrated after being treated like that? You handled it as well as anyone could. I don't think any less of you."

: “Well...alright, I believe you. Thanks, Mitayo. You're too kind. I'm thankful to have you a part of this club now."

: “Er-- It's nothing."

: “One more thing...um, that one thing that Natsuki said..."



You mean about your allegedly bigger honkers? Is that what you mean, Yuri?

: “I would never do anything...so shameful...so..."

: “...Eh? What thing did Natsuki say?"

: “--! U-Um!"

I honestly can’t tell if Mitayo is actually curious or if he’s just trolling Yuri but I approve either way.

: “Well, never mind that...I-I'm going to go make some tea..."

: “Ah, good idea. Make enough for more than one person, okay?"

: “Y-Yeah."

And finally...








BGM: Poem Panic!



BGM: Music fades out.

: “Um...Yuri! You're really talented."

: “Eh? W-Well..."

BGM: Daijoubu!

: “But Natsuki has a point! I think that..."

I wrack my brain in an attempt to back myself up.

: “I think that conveying feelings with few words can be just as impressive as well! It lets the reader's imagination take over. And Natsuki's poem did a really good job at that!"



: “It did, didn't it?! Ahah! Shows how much you know!"

:jerkbag: She's even a graceless winner.

: “T-That's not..."

: “Natsuki...I think that's enough."

: “Huh? Me? But she was so mean to me...!"

Natsuki's voice whines.

: “Look...what we talked about yesterday was right. Writing is a really personal thing. And sharing it can definitely be hard.



: “Even small criticism can lead to something pretty heated."

I glance over my shoulder. Sayori is nodding vigorously.

: “Yeah, so you don't need to feel threatened. You're a great writer, Natsuki."

: “Ah--"

Natsuki's voice gets caught in surprise.

: “...Thanks for noticing."

She finally mutters that, barely audible.

: “Yuri..."

: “...?"

Yuri looks at me dejectedly. With a face like that, I can't help but feel bad for her as well.

: “I'm sure that Natsuki didn't mean everything she said. So you don't need to feel threatened, either."

: “Well...If you say so..."

: “Hey...! It's not like you need to apologize for me, Mitayo. Sheesh."

Well, it wasn’t clearly obvious that you WERE going to, so I mean…

Natsuki takes a breath.

: “I...the thing about...uu..."

Natsuki glances around the room.



Unsurprisingly, Natsuki has a harder time with it than she boasted. Sayori and Monika look away.

: “Hmph. Anyway...!"



: “That's all."

”Everything else, though? Entirely true.”

Natsuki looks away, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

: “Yeah! You're naturally beautiful, Yuri!!"

: “Sayori?!"

: “...I-I'll go make some tea..."

: “Ehh? I was just trying to help!"

: “I'm sure she appreciated it, Sayori."

I pat Sayori on the shoulder.

: “Well, now that we're past that...everyone's read each other's poems, right? I hope that it was worthwhile for everyone! Especially you, Mitayo! And to be honest...it's a nice change of pace from the lazing around we got a little too used to. Ahahaha!"

Oh, hey, she actually does mention that they don’t things in this club. I never really noticed this line during my normal playthrough.

: “Ah, so my joining the club was responsible for ruining the atmosphere..."

: “No, not at all, not at all! There's still time before we go home. So we'll all relax for a bit. Of course, besides chatting, we do literature-related things in the clubroom...so maybe you can take the chance to pick up a book, or do some writing. After all, that's what the club is for!"

: “I disagree, Monika!"

: “Eh? About what?"

: “That's not the most important thing about the literature club! The most important thing..."



:allears:

: “Ahaha, of course...well, I guess that's why you're the Vice President, Sayori."

: “Ehehe..."

In the end, though, Monika's right. Being in the Literature Club probably means I can't spend all my time doing nothing. But in the end...I guess it's been worth it so far.

We've done remarkably little in this club so far so I don't see why not.









All three paths merge at this point. Remember, the last two scenes didn't actually happen - we went with the Sayori option.



: “It's just about time for us to leave. How did you all feel about sharing poems?"

: “It was a lot of fun!"

: “Well, I'd say it was worth it."

: “It was alright. Well, mostly."

: “Mitayo, how about you?"

: “...Yeah, I'd say the same. It was a neat thing to talk about with everyone."

: “Awesome! In that case, we'll do the same thing tomorrow. And maybe you learned something from your friends, too.”



We, uh, sure are focusing on poetry in this club. Are there other forms of literature that we’re going to focus on or what?

: “..."

I think to myself. I did learn a little more about the kinds of poems everyone likes. With any luck, that means I can at least do a better job impressing those I want to impress. I nod to myself with newfound determination.

: “Mitayo! Ready to walk home?"

: “Sure, let's go."

: “Ehehe~"

Sayori beams at me. It truly has been a while since Sayori and I have spent this much time together. I can't really say I'm not enjoying it, either.

: “Sayori...about what happened earlier..."



: “You know, between Yuri and Natsuki. Does that kind of thing happen often?"

”Do they usually make boob-related accusations?”

: “No, no, no! That's really the first time I've seen them fight like that...I promise they're both wonderful people. You don't... You don't hate them, do you??"

Again with this. I’ve honestly hated very few people in my life – Yuri and Natsuki would need to do a lot more than be mean to each other to join that list.

: “No, I don't hate them! I just wanted your opinion, that's all. I can see why they'd make good friends with you."

: “Phew...you know, Mitayo...it's nice that I get to spend time with you in the club. But I think seeing you get along with everyone is what makes me the happiest. “



: “That's--!"

: “Ehehe~ Every day is going to be so much fun~"

: “Sigh..."

It looks like Sayori still hasn't caught onto the kind of situation I'm in. Sure, being friends with everyone is nice, but...does it really need to stop there?

We’re getting some indications that he’s up for love. I mean, we’ve been there all along, but Mitayo is finally joining the party.

: “We'll just have to see what the future holds, Sayori."

I pat Sayori on the shoulder. I said that more to myself than to her, but it's easy to use Sayori as an internal monologue sometimes.

: “Okay~!"

Yeah...Let's do this!

BGM: Dreams Of Love and Literature



Alright, boyos. Poem two, electric boogaloo. Do you want to stick with angst, or switch it up a little bit? A recap of the words are available below.

As an added incentive, I’ll give an extra vote to anyone who writes a haiku using at least three words from their chosen group. It has to be coherent – just 5/7/5ing the words themselves doesn’t count.

VOTE NOW: A, B, or C?


quote:

GROUP A
Happiness, sadness, death, tragedy, alone, love, adventure, sweet, excitement, fireworks, romance, tears, depression, heart, marriage, passion, childhood, fun, color, hope, friends, family, party, vacation, lazy, daydream, pain, holiday, bed, feather, shame, fear, warm, flower, comfort, dance, sing, cry, laugh, dark, sunny, raincloud, calm, silly, flying, wonderful, unrequited, rose, together, promise, charm, beauty, cheer, smile, broken, precious, prayer, clumsy, forgive, nature, ocean, dazzle, special, music, lucky, misfortune, loud, peaceful, joy, sunset, fireflies, rainbow, hurt, play, sparkle, scars, empty, amazing, grief, embrace, extraordinary, awesome, defeat, hopeless, misery, treasure, bliss, memories

GROUP B
Cute, fluffy, pure, candy, shopping, puppy, kitty, clouds, lipstick, parfait, strawberry, pink, chocolate, heartbeat, kiss, melody, ribbon, jumpy, doki-doki, kawaii, skirt, cheeks, email, sticky, bouncy, shiny, nibble, fantasy, sugar, giggle, marshmallow, hop, skipping, peace, spinning, twirl, lollipop, poof, bubbles, whisper, summer, waterfall, swimsuit, vanilla, headphones, games, socks, hair, playground, nightgown, blanket, milk, pout, anger, papa, valentine, mouse, whistle, boop, bunny, anime, jump

GROUP C
Determination, suicide, imagination, secretive, vitality, existence, effulgent, crimson, whirlwind, afterimage, vertigo, disoriented, essence, ambient, starscape, disarray, contamination, intellectual, analysis, entropy, vivacious, uncanny, incongruent, wrath, heavensent, massacre, philosophy, fickle, tenacious, aura, unstable, inferno, incapable, destiny, infallible, agonizing, variance, uncontrollable, extreme, flee, dream, disaster, vivid, vibrant, question, fester, judgment, cage, explode, pleasure, lust, sensation, climax, electricity, disown, despise, infinite, eternity, time, universe, unending, raindrops, covet, unrestrained, landscape, portrait, journey, meager, anxiety, frightening, horror, melancholy, insight, atone, breathe, captive, desire, graveyard

Roar fucked around with this message at 03:35 on Oct 17, 2017

Logicblade
Aug 13, 2014

Festival with your real* little sister!
I'm up for C'ing what happens.


quote:

Again with this. I’ve honestly hated very few people in my life – Yuri and Nanaki would need to do a lot more than be mean to each other to join that list.

I think that's supposed to be Natsuki

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

[B]

Kiss cute animes
Papa's just too old to grok
This doki-doki

as an aside, if you want a Polsy YouTube link to play automatically when it's opened, you can add "&autoplay=1" to the end of the URL

Roar
Jul 7, 2007

I got 30 points!

I GOT 30 POINTS!

Logicblade posted:

I think that's supposed to be Natsuki

Very true and very fixed, thank you!

Really Pants posted:

as an aside, if you want a Polsy YouTube link to play automatically when it's opened, you can add "&autoplay=1" to the end of the URL

Huh, I tried that when I first started but I must have tried to put it in the wrong place. Works like a charm now, thanks. Gonna go back and fix it in previous updates :tem:

inflatablefish
Oct 24, 2010
Secretive desire
A vivid lust for pleasure
An extra cup size

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CrashScreen
Nov 11, 2012

I tried to write a haiku to share but now I relate with Yuri even more, so I want to vote to write as someone like-minded. C.

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