>>14367
"Nice to meet you. If the goal is to solve a mystery and you've declared that it shall be fair, then your anticipation will probably be incorrect... I'm just here to do my job after all, I'm fairly neutral in that way."

I grit my teeth. "Do you really not understand the ramifications of-- never mind, there's something more important to discuss."

I summon Amy in the room.

"Both of you, I'd like you to meet my other guests, Ma'at and Ammit. They will be testing you as the game continues. Should you pass, you will be rewarded. Should you fail, you will face consequences."

The two figures stand silently in the room.

>>14370
"I hope this is just some bonus round type of deal. Last time this happened I got told off for not listening to high school kids and their problems over a teacher."

"Umm.. Just how will they test us? And is it just my imagination or does the one who look like me have no mouth?"

"Bonus games would be an apt comparison. They exist to test the kind of people that you are, not the role you play in the game's world.

You should be glad that Ammit has no mouth. If he did, he would have devoured everyone the moment that he reached the game board. Now that we're all together, we should continue the game..."

Rosa and Maria

"Uu, not Beato!" Maria pleaded to her mother, who barely payed her any mind. "Not the Golden Land! Beato is a witch, not George! The golden land is a place full of magic and miracles. Beato was supposed to take Maria there, but she isn't...isn't..."

Rosa sat on her bed and stared blankly at the wall. The family had taken a break after leaving the gold room. Everyone agreed that they needed a chance to clear their heads. The situation, which had seemed like it was about to take a triumphant turn, looked bleak. If it was determined that Kinzo truly was in a sound mind while writing his will, everything would go to George and, by obvious extension, Eva.

Eva would offer to help her, of course, but all of Eva's favors came with a condition. Rosa couldn't even imagine how many 'conditions' she would come up with for bailing out her company and bringing her out of financial debt. She'd most likely effectively belong to Eva for the rest of her life. Even Maria may end up paying off her debt as she grew older. What else could she do? Refuse Eva's help when it came? There was no way she was going to carry the company with her efforts alone. She needed at least her portion of Kinzo's original inheritance. Preferably more? Try to find some kind of blackmail on Eva? What kind of blackmail would be worth a room full of gold? Murder Eva?

Rosa chuckled out loud at that last thought, probably making Maria think that she was laughing at her. Whatever Rosa was, she wasn't a murderer. One way or another she would find a way through this. She would mold her and Maria's future with her own strength. Everyone in the family always underestimated her for being the youngest child, so this was her perfect opportunity to prove them wrong.

These are the thoughts that Rosa tried to comfort herself with.

Eva and Hideyoshi

Eva sunk back into her mattress. She wore a worried expression that made her look a decade older. Her husband's arm rested comfortably around her face.

"Tell me everything is going to be okay," she says.

"Everything'll be fine!" Hideyoshi responds. "This is all great, ain't it? We got more money than we could throw away!"

"Stop that. You only talk like that when you're talking to children or you're worried yourself. Which means that you don't think that everything will be okay, either."

Hideyoshi furrows his eyebrows. "I'm sure everything will be."

"But?"

"You know what. Those wills probably pissed a lot of people off tonight. The way I see it, they could react in a couple of ways. They could try something to scheme us out of all the money. Some legal tactic or something. That should be easy enough to counter, in theory. We would just have to get our own lawyers to represent George and us. Then again, they'd probably try some manipulative trick that would work before this storm ends, though I have no idea what they'll try. In any case, it's something to look out for."

Eva looks at him with big eyes. "What's the other way?"

"It's your family, Eva. I don't want to be presumptuous. But, it's possibly that they might try to react with some kind of violence."

"You think our George is in danger?"

"No no no, I'm just saying that the possibility isn't zero. All we need to do is keep an eye out. Be friendly and agreeable with the rest of the family at least until this damn storm ends."

"How can you say all that and then imply that we should do nothing? We need to make sure our son is okay!"

"I didn't say do nothing, Eva! I'm just saying that we should play our cards right here."

Eva fumes. "I'm taking a walk. Don't follow me."

Eva leaves the room and Hideyoshi lets out an exasperated sigh. His wife was an uncontrollable one.

Genji and Kumasawa

"Ohohoho, it seems that we're not very popular tonight," Kumasawa says to her co-worker.

She sits on a chair in the servant's room while Genji stands. After the family realized that they weren't going to give them any information despite how loudly they yelled, the duo returned back to the servant's quarters.

"That is not of our concern. We were given our orders, now we are under the direction of George-sama."

"Why do you continue like this? Isn't your debt with Kinzo-san paid off?"

"It will not be paid off until my orders are complete. As it stands, the master directed me to obey Beatrice-sama, and her final request was documented very clearly in the will we read. I will obey George-sama until the last of my days, if he permits."

"Still, you must admit that things are less lively around here without that girl around. I find myself missing her more and more. Besides you, the only servant I have to talk to is that chef. I don't even think that he appreciates that delicacy of mackerel!"

"Beatrice-sama made her choice. Whether we agree with it or not, we simply exist in the aftermath, to recollect the pieces."

"Oh, Genji-san. I know that you have some kind of heart under that rigid exterior of yours. You miss her, too. Admit it."

Genji shifts uncomfortably in his seat, which is all the confirmation that Kumasawa needs.

Rudolf, Battler, and Kyrie

Rudolf leads Battler into his and Kyrie's room. He had been pretty silent on the way there, occasionally looking back at his son then darting his eyes back ahead of him. It gave Battler an uncomfortable feeling.

"Evening, Battler." Kyrie sits casually off of the edge of her bed. "Now that you're here, maybe my husband will tell me what all of these theatrics are about."

Rudolf offers a weak smile. "Well, it looks like I'm really doing this. No time like the present, I suppose. I don't get to have the two with me that often."

"What's this about?" Battler asks.

"It's about your birth," Rudolf says, grimacing. "Something I should have told you a long time ago. Both of you."

"My birth? What about it?"

"It's just...hey, does anyone else hear that?" Rudolf walks to the door and opens it. He looks both ways down the hallway but his expression doesn't change. "Huh. I could have sworn that I heard something just now."

"Hey, quit stalling, old man. You've got me on the edge of my seat."

"I have to agree," says Kyrie. "Although I doubt you could make this conference any more exciting."

Rudolf closes the door. "You're right. Here goes everything, then."

Everything is right. Rudolf told Battler and Kyrie everything that he had been hiding from them-- about the switched birth, about how Kyrie is Battler's true mother, and most of all about how sorry he was for the whole thing. Neither of them spoke throughout his presentation, but Rudolf could see them wearing looks of confusion and contempt.

"I'm sorry," Rudolf falls to his knees. "I'm so, so sorry."

"How could you?" Kyrie, who normally has such a comfortable shell, completely breaks down. Tears swell at her face. Her hands ball up into fists. If it weren't her husband on the floor, he very well may not still be alive.

Battler doesn't say a word. He grits his teeth, walks out of the room, and slams the door.

Krauss and Natsuhi

"This is bad."

That's pretty much the extent of what Krauss had been saying for the last half hour. Sometimes, he mixed it up by saying that this was 'very bad'. At least his assessment is accurate. Forget getting a portion of the gold, it would take all they had (and more) not to go to jail for concealing the head's death. And since Genji would not give even him any further information, he and Natsuhi have no upper ground in the situation.

"Dear, please remain calm. As long as we stick together, we will be able to bare any storm."

"I don't think they're going to let us stand together in our prison cells. This is very bad. We have to beg everyone for forgiveness, we have to get them to vouch for us somehow. If only we had some leg to stand on!"

Why couldn't Jessica have been born earlier? If she had, she would have inherited the gold and all of their problems would be over. They could simply bribe the family members into submission. In a moment of delusion, Krauss had nearly conspired a way to get rid of George and Battler to ensure his own survival, but he threw away the thought quickly enough. Whatever may happen to him, he still cares for his family.

"All we need is something," he says. "Anything to make sure that we're properly protected. Maybe if we could just get on George's good side. Look at me, here I am, ready to grovel to a child."

Natsuhi rests a hand on Krauss's back. It seems that's all she can do.

Gohda and Amy

Gohda waits for your response while the rain splatters on the ground next to you. How had he got so caught up in this family's drama? All he wants to do is cook his damned food in peace.

Last edited at 14/03/26(Wed)15:07:10

Ozaki, Jessica, and George

"I wonder myself," says George. "Rudolf oji-san looked intense."

"More importantly," says Jessica. "How are you holding up, George?"

"Better," he says. He gives a small smile. "I'll feel better once all of this money business is settled. Just thinking about it makes me feel more stressed than I already am. How have you two been?"

"Oh ya know," she glances at her fogged mirror. "Pretty swell."

Last edited at 14/03/26(Wed)15:50:59

>>14385
"Well you know, sore from the crash but otherwise alright."

I check the room for a clock to get the time.

"I'm wondering what type of person Shannon was. George said she was happy, Jessica said differently, and then she goes and kills herself yet she has love, money, and a future. It doesn't make much sense to me. Something is missing, and I want to find out what it is, because it bothers me. I feel as if Shannon is calling out to me.

In your eyes Gohda what kind of person was Shannon?"

You look at a small clock on Jessica's dresser. 7:41.

A soft sets of fingers rap against the other side of Jessica's door.

"Come in!" Jessica calls.

The door opens and Maria walks in. She looks troubled, her face at a fallen position.

"Hey, Maria-chan. What are you up to?" Jessica asks.

Maria doesn't answer. When she sees George, she gives him a hard stare.

"Maria-chan?"

"You aren't Beato! That wasn't the Golden land! Uuu! Uuuuuu! Where is Beato? Uuu!"

Maria runs to George and starts beating her fists against his chest. George just looks confused.

"Where is she? This is your fault. Uuu! She's here every year."

Maria falls to the floor. "Nobody believes Maria. Not even Mama. She's here every year..."

"What can I say? Shannon-san seemed like she had her rough days like the rest of us, but I never even imagined that she would do something like that. Even though we served the same family, she and I were never very close. She often praised my cooking. And now to think that she served as the true master all of this time while Kinzo-sama was dead... I just have no idea. Perhaps our previous servant Kanon-kun could shed some light on the matter. They were much closer, like brother and sister. Unfortunately, he's no longer employed here."

Last edited at 14/04/01(Tue)18:51:23

"Would you mind telling me some about Kanon?"

>>14438
"Hey, don't hit your cousin, none of this is his fault. Here, what is this all about now? By Beato you mean the witch right? You were friends with her or something, you met with here on the island?"

"Beatrice is Maria's friend. Every year, she and Maria gather the Magic Sorciere. Then Beato does magic that would make your brain explode if you could even see it! Her home is the Golden Land and it's magical and everyone is happy there. It isn't just a room with a bunch of stupid gold. And a mortal like Shannon couldn't make George a witch. It takes years of constant practice."

George and Jessica have bewildered expressions.

Last edited at 14/04/01(Tue)20:13:47

"There isn't much to tell. He was always quiet and did his work diligently, as far as I could tell. I knew there was a rumor that he often spied on the family and reported to Kinzo-sama, but I couldn't tell you whether or not it was ever true."

The rain continues pouring in constant streams. "Perhaps we should return to the mansion."

Last edited at 14/04/01(Tue)20:23:38

>>14443
"I see, so you always used to meet her here, but now Beatrice isn't around on today of all days. The same say as Shannon's funeral." I take a pause to make sure Jessica and George are following this. "Well if that is the case then its mentally better for someone other than a stranger like me to explain this. One of you should...explain the truth, with no white lies."

"Yes, that would probably be wise."

I'll head back to the main house with Gohda.

Looks of realization fall of George and Jessica's faces-- first Jessica, then George.

"Maria-chan," Jessica kneels down to her level. "Beatrice-- I don't think that she was..."

"Beatrice was Shannon-sama," George said softly. "She probably dressed up like the witch in the portrait and played with you to make you happy. I know that you miss your friend, Maria-chan, but it's Shannon you should be mourning, not a witch."

A look of pain washes over Maria, then anger. Even though it was George who had told her, she glares at you at you.

"Uuu! No, Beatrice is a witch! She isn't Shannon at all!"

The room cracks around you and you find yourself in a mystical garden. Maria's donned in strange clothing and wielding a staff.

"Uuu, pick your weapon," she says. "I won't let anyone make fun of Beato!"

>>14465
"Who's making fun of her? It's entirely possible that Shannon was just Beatrice's piece instead. Her disappearance could just be all a part of her plan and she needed to tell nobody. not even her closest friends. in order to make it work. It's the old Lucifer's whatever.

No matter what the truth is there is no reason for us to fight, Maria. You can believe what you want, just don't throw the blame on to people who are grieving."

"No, Beato is Beato. She would have no reason to take Shannon as a vessel while she was with me.

One time, Beatrice picked up a 100 yen coin from the tea table we were sitting at! But when she opened here hand to show me, the coin wasn't there!This is magic, and she had no reason to use Shannon as a vessel to perform it!"

From far away, near some bushes, you see two dark figures approaching you and Maria. You recognize them as Ma'at and Ammit. You should probably end this before they get too close.

Last edited at 14/04/03(Thu)22:43:52

>>14467
Sighing greatly, as I obviously don't want to deal with this anymore, I say "Makes sense to me. I'm just telling you to handle your problems without hurting other people."

The magical garden dissolves and you find yourself situated in Jessica's room once more. George and Jessica look sympathetically towards you. It seems that you and the cousins set off some kind of temper tantrum and that nothing you said had gotten through.

But it had. The last of the Golden Witch's illusion on the board had formed a huge crack. And who knows what will come through?

As George and Jessica try to figure out what to do about the sack of emotion in front of them, Battler comes in with a bitter aura. It's all he can manage not to slam the door.

He plops himself in a chair.

"Hey, Battler. What's up?" Jessica asks.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Are you sure?" George asks. "I understand about wanting privacy, but..."

"Really, it's fine." Battler looks out of a window. "What a crappy storm. You couldn't get any kind of vehicle out in this kind of weather."

The room turns silence. Maria folds her arms defiantly, Battler stares out of the window, and even George seems to go more solemn as the room grows quiet and he returns to his thoughts.

Last edited at 14/04/03(Thu)23:19:40

Gohda escorts you back into main hall. There doesn't seem to be anyone else in the immediate area.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

I politely ask if Gohda will help me find Kumasawa and Genji.

"Those two? Oh, I wonder where they are, too. I hope they don't expect me to do all of the work. Follow me to the servant's room."

Gohda leads you down a hallway. As you're walking, you see Genji walking from the opposite direction.

"Ah, Genji-san, what are you doing?"

"I have business with the Ushiromiya grandchildren," he says. When he see you, his expression changes slightly, but you can't tell how. "Amy-san, may I speak with you in private for a moment?"

Last edited at 14/04/04(Fri)22:20:58

I politely excuse myself from Gohda and follow Genji.

Genji leads you around a corner, leaving a confused Gohda in the dust. When you're a decent distance away, he turns and faces you.

"Earlier, when speaking of Shannon-sama, you said that you found 'it'. What were you referring to?"

"I am referring to the manuscript she was writing of course."

Genji closes his eyes, pointing his head lower to the ground, appearing genuinely surprised and upset at your announcement.

"So you found that... Despite the way she presented herself, I feel that Shannon-sama was a deeply unhappy human being. Growing up, she possessed so much sorrow, so much rage, and with no one source to direct it, she took to writing to sooth her own spirits. By completing her work, she participated in a form of catharsis for herself. The manuscript you found was never finished. I have no idea what she was feeling as she wrote it, or why. I implore that you keep all of this to yourself, Amy-san."

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)18:38:24

"Genji, please give me an honest answer do you think that Shannon willingly with no involvement from anyone else killed herself?"

"I do not claim to know Shannon-sama's motivations. However, I do not believe she is one to be easily coerced. Her decisions were always her own. That's all I know for sure."

"If you'll excuse me, I should deliver these correspondences to the grandchildren."

I thank Genji for his time, and promise to keep what he just told me a secret.

I then set out to find Kumasawa. I'll head to the kitchen.

You hear a knock at the door.

"Come in!" says Jessica.

Genji walks through the door.

"Hey, Genji-san."

"I have been instructed to give you these," he says. He pulls some pieces of paper from his pocket. They look like they all have scribbling on them. "One for Maria-sama, George-sama, Jessica-sama, and Battler-sama. There is one for Ange-sama as well, but as she was unable to attend, I will give it to Battler-sama's parents to give to her when they return."

Genji has everyone's attention now. He disperses the papers to the cousins who curiously start reading over them.

If you tried hard enough, you could probably read over one of their shoulders, or you can wait and ask once they're done.

You walk to the kitchen, but it seems empty.

I'll head back to the servant's room.

>>14507
I casually take a peek at whoever is closest to me by standing slightly behind them.

You walk to the servant's room and catch Kumasawa dosing off. What a shameful servant.

I'll politely wake her up and ask her if she is willing to talk about Shannon.

You peek at George's note.

'Dear George,

If you're reading this, that means that I'm dead. When I discovered Kinzo's gold, I created multiple drafts of a will in case this should ever happen to me. After you and I became close, and after I found out what a kind person you are, I knew it was only right to name you the successor to the Ushiromiya headship. Do this for me, George: carry on your family's legacy. Make it into something that you would have truly been proud of. Don't let anyone, especially your parents, stand in your way.

And most importantly, do this: have a great life. Fall in love again. Get married. Have a family. Don't worry so much about what everyone else thinks about you-- it weighs you down way too much. Don't get too caught up with mourning me-- wherever I end up after this life, I'll be happy.

--Shannon'

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)20:09:52

>>14516
I take a chance and see if I can see any of the others.

"Shannon-san? I don't know what this little old maid can tell you, but ask away, child."

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)21:14:33

I'll ask her about Shannon, and what she thinks about Shannon as person, and if she believes that Shannon would actually kill herself.

You try to peek over Maria's shoulders, but she notices and voluntarily hands it to you. "Uuu! It's a letter from Beatrice! Maria said so!"

'To my closest friend Maria, Witch of Origins:

Guess who's freeee? That's right, I managed to cast off the pitiful spell that dumb old Kinzo used to keep me here! Maybe I'll visit that old coot in the afterlife! Where should I go? Paris? New York City? There are so many places that I can bring my magic! It makes me excited to be the endless witch.

...It's not all bright and cheery, of course. I cast off Kinzo's spell, but if I get close to this island or to his spawn again, I'll be bound once more. It's with a heavy witch's heart-- hey, it turns out that I have one of those!-- that I tell you that we can not see each other again. At least not for a long time.

That Ange girl still has a lot to learn about magic, so make sure you drill some lessons into her, okaaaaay? I won't accept her being wishy washy about the whole deal! And yadayada, do well in school, brush your teeth, meet a nice guy when you're older (or girl, don't let me tell you how to live your life) and carry everything that I've taught you.

Yours truly,

Beatrice the Golden'

"Uu! Isn't it great? Beato is free!"

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)21:27:54

>>14534
"Yeah..."

I see what how the others are doing. What emotions do they all have etc.

"Shannon-san was such a sweet girl. I'm going to miss her terribly, you know. I used to give her all kinds of mystery books to read when she was a little girl. It was a delight when she would talk to me about them. Still, you could tell that she had a fair set of problems as well. She felt as if the world had wronged her in some grand way. I think she was right. Sure, she had a lot of gold, but what was she going to do with it? How was it going to make her happy? The poor girl had little else besides Genji and me. The only other fun she had was playing with Jessica and the other cousins when they would come over for the conference. She took a special offense when Battler stopped showing up about six years ago. As for death... it's never something that I expected, but it didn't surprise me as much as it would have if it were someone else, I'm ashamed to admit."

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)21:53:35

"Do you know how she felt about George?"

Battler is reading his note with a confused expression. His eyes keep moving around the page. Jessica reads her note with a solemn look. You see tears swelling at her eyes.

She puts her letter down. "Shannon-san...you dummy..."

She puts her note down on the table where you can see it. Your up-side down reading skills finally come in handy!

'Jessica,

If you're reading this, it means that I'm dead'

The letter is very similar to George's in its contents, wishing her a good life and telling her to move on. A passage of interest does pop out, however:

For a long time, I wondered if I was more Kanon or Shannon, and, at least at the time of writing this, I think that the answer has shown itself to me.

The end of the letter reads 'Yours truly, Shannon.'

>>14546
I guess I'll see if I suddenly get to read Battler's letter as well.

"Ohoho, They planned to be engaged for quite some time, but don't let anyone know I said so. As for how she felt about it, you'd have to ask that child herself."

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)22:40:25

"But I can't? She is dead? Right?"

Battler sees your curious glance. "Here, since you read everyone else's, why not?"

'Ushiromiya Battler,

Six years ago, I looked out from the Rokkenjima dock and watched you and your family leave until your ship became an infinitesimal speck in the waters. You waved at me until I couldn't see anything else but the setting sun in the sky. Years passed and I still held the hope that you would come back, waving just as you had on that day. I'm nineteen at the time of writing this, well on my way to becoming a woman, and if you do read this, the girl that you knew is dead.

Goodbye, Battler.

The one and the only,
Beatrice the Golden'

"Man, I don't get that letter at all," Battler lays back in his seat.

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)22:52:31

"Of course," says Kumasawa. "I'm speaking hypothetically, forgive me. I just mean to say that I have no special insight into that child's mind."

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)22:54:56

>>14552
"Really? Seems kinda like there was something between you two years ago, but she moved on. Frankly there is some hostility in these words. What does it mean by six years ago anyway, did you go some where?"

"Kumasawa, who do you think sent that letter with the riddle at dinner?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Battler reads over the contents of the letter once more. "We used to play together six years ago, then I stayed away from the island for a while because I was pissed at my old man. This is actually my first time back in six years.

I used to say all kinds of embarrassing things back then, didn't I? 'I'll come back riding a white horse' and other cliche things. Stuff that dumb kids say."

>>14558
"Ah I see, well that explains that."

I take a look to see what the others are doing, and wait for them to continue talking or for something to happen.

"Shannon-sama instructed the letter to be delivered during the family conference after her death," Kumasawa explains. "Any more than that, I'm afraid I can not say. And believe me, the adults tried to get much more than that out of me, ohohoho."

"You wouldn't lie to me would you Kumasawa?"

"What? You don't trust a little old maid?" Kumasawa laughs. "If that's all, I would enjoy returning to my secret nap."

Last edited at 14/04/05(Sat)23:43:07

The cousins share the contents of their letters, but nobody except for Maria seems very enthused about the topic.

Battler suggests playing cards and the rest agree. You're invited to play as well, if you wish.

I thank her for her time and leave the servants room.

You leave the servants room and see a gloss start to cover everything in the halls. The gloss is stained gray and covered with cracks that twist and turn around the halls and on the ceiling. Ange, the Game Master, appears in front of you.

"The illusion of the witch is nearly gone from this board entirely," she says. "I'll be handing over the reins to Ma'at and Ammit, soon enough. Murder comes with the territory of a game master and I'd rather not have any more of a part in it than I already do. I trust them, just like I trust you. We won't be able to talk until the end of the game, so I should ask this of you now: find the heart of this tale. After my family died...it took me a long time to realize exactly what magic was. I was angry. At myself, at Eva, even at my family who, after a dark point in my life, I assumed deserved to die for the people that they were. But you know what's funny? When I think about them--when I really think about the people that they were, I don't see the hyperexaggerated versions of them that the forgeries exploited and profited from. I just remember people that felt happiness, struggles, and sorrow like any other family. It's such a simple, cliche truth, but it took me so hard before I could truly appreciate it. And then... I knew.

It's something to think about, anyways. Any questions before I head off?"

"So the whole point of this long sequence was so that the illusion of the witch will be removed from further content of the game?"

I decline to playing cards and exit into the hallway. If Genji is in the hallway I'll stop him and ask, "Do you still have the key to the storage shed? I wanted to get Amy to try and identify the body before it decomposes."

"Not the entire point, but a part of it. The things I've shown you are all crucial to understanding the heart of this tale."

Genji nods. "Of course. Please, allow me to escort you both."

"I understand I'll do my best not to let you down."

Genji takes you downstairs. It doesn't take long to find the green-haired girl. She's staring absentmindedly out of the window around the area that Genji saw her last.

"If you would, miss, there's something that Ozaki-sama and I would like you to have a look at."

I nod to Genji. "Goodbye Ange."

Genji gives you an odd look, but doesn't last long. Ange should be a common enough name, right? In any case, he didn't care to think about it. After stopping by the servant's room to get the key, Genji takes you and Ozaki to the garden shed. When he opens it up, you see the corpse of a blue haired girl who resembles you. She's soaking wet and water rests everywhere around her. It looks as she had smashed her head on some object.

Last edited at 14/04/06(Sun)23:07:44

>>14580
"Do you recognise this girl, Amy?"

I burst into tears and run over and hug the body. "ERIKA!!!!! NOOOO!!! NOO!! NO!" I bury my head into her chest an wail.

>>14584
I watch over Amy until she gets over herself.

After a 5 minutes or so of wailing and crying I try to compose myself.

"This is Erika my sister." I tell Ozaki and Genji. "I watched as she hit her head on the railing as the ship sunk. I had always hoped that she was still alive after that... that she some how made it...." I burst into tears. "Erika.... no.... no..." I wipe my tears away. "I'm sorry...... I'd... like to return to the mansion on, if that is okay."

>>14589
"I see, my condolences."

I take a last look in the shed to survey it for layout and notable items, before asking Genji to close and lock the door.

You look in the shed. Looks like a bunch of junk. There are some useful garden tools-- a pair of shears and a utility knife that could potentially serve as weapons-- but nothing else that looks stand-out. The layout is a small box with a small window in the back. You might be able to crawl through if you squeezed.

After Ozaki takes a last look at the shed, Genji locks up and escorts the both of you back to the mansion.

"It's not my place, but it appears that the both of you have had harrowing experiences. If you'd like, I can escort you to your rooms for rest."

You do feel noticeably tired. Ozaki looks drowsy as well. Still, the choice is yours.

I'll nod to Genji, while looking down at the ground. I'm still in depress mode.

>>14593
"Thank you, if you could point me to the bathroom first though that would be good. The last time I asked to go to the bathroom I was attempting to solve the clock instead after all."

Genji takes you to a bathroom right across the hall from your and Amy's guest rooms. As you enter the bathroom, you see Natsuhi walking up to the third floor.

The bathroom is connected to a small dressing room. You walk inside.

Genji directs you to your room. When you walk inside, you spot Natsuhi walking up to the third floor. You hear Genji's footsteps move back down the hall.

Last edited at 14/04/07(Mon)00:08:51

>>14598
I do my business, then remember I wanted to see the damage I caused in person. I leave the bathroom and head to the Guesthouse.

You reach the guest house-- what remains of it, anyway. Shards of glass litter the walkway and pieces of your plane lay scattered in surrounding grass. Still, it looks like most of the plane's main structure came out pretty well. The wings are ripped off, the cockpit is completely crushed, and the engine is lounging in the yard, but the back of the plane came out fine. The same can't be said for the guest house, with the second floor almost completely fallen on top of the first. On top of that, everything's cluttered in dust and debris.

>>14601
I return to my room and go to sleep assuming nothing happens.

Ozaki walks back to his room and drifts to sleep in his bed, dreaming of mysteries and mayhem.

Goodnight, Ozaki. Do sleep well.

I'll leave my room and go upstairs to the third floor, quietly, trying to prevent people from noticing me, and take a look around, too see if I see anyone, or hear anything.

You walk up to the third floor and see Natsuhi fiddling with some kind of device in front of the door. On closer inspection, it looks like a radio.

"Why is it that no matter what I do, you refuse to work?" She sighs.

"Natsuhi-san." I quietly call out to her, as to not startle her. "I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier today. I was out of line and I shouldn't have said those things. I think the shock of watching my sister die in front of me took its toll on my psyche. I'm sorry I said those things." I bow to her in apology.

"Amy-san..." she looks up at you, but she doesn't seem to carry any spite. She looks back down and continues fiddling with the radio. "The tevision went out some time ago. Genji-san gave up trying to get this thing to work, but I won't. Even if I have to work on it all night, I will accomplish this using my own power. I won't wait for the storm to end. I'll make sure that your family is okay-- and that whatever family Ozaki-san has knows that he is. I won't let something like a storm stop me. Kinzo-sama once told me that I have the One-Winged Eagle engraved on my heart. That's why, no matter what happens at this family conference...no matter what has happened...I won't give up!"

The radio cackles.

"Hello?" Natsuhi speaks into the receiver. "Hello, is anyone there?"

"...all Nii-jima residents should stay inside and lock..." It goes out.

"It's only a transmission," she says, looking defeated. "About the typhoon. It seems that it's pretty bad out there."

The radio comes back to life. "...dangerous...murder..."

"That wasn't about the storm," she says. She fiddles with it but it refuses to come back to life. "What in the world?"

Last edited at 14/04/07(Mon)23:15:25

"Thank you Natsuhi, but I fear it is already a hopeless venture. My sister as you know already washed up on the shore. Ozaki and Genji already showed me the body in the shed."

I then address the radio broadcast. "It sounds like something bad is happening on Ni-jima. It is a good thing Rokkenjima is a separate island."

She nods, still fiddling with it. "So, you found out about that. I'm so sorry for your loss, Amy-san.....If only I could get higher... well, I'm certainly not going to brave going on the roof in the middle of a storm. You should get some rest. I'll do the same, shortly. As you said, we're a separate island. We'll be safe."

Last edited at 14/04/08(Tue)00:41:23

"Thank you Natsuhi, I'll that in a little bit. I want to watch the rain for a bit, it gives me melancholy feel. If that is alright with you I'd like to just sit in the parlor for now."

"I'm afraid that my husband talking with his siblings in the parlor room. I was present as well, but sitting there with so many eyes...in any case, the air in that room was growing stale. The conference is likely to be going on until very late."

"I see, I'll just head to bed then after getting a glass of water."

I bid goodbye to Natsuhi and head to the first floor. Depending on if she follows me or not I either go to the kitchen, or go to the parlor's door and see if I can hear anything without being noticed.