And we're back! (You know, the readers are going to miss a hint we'll pick up during our run through the 2nd Class cabin in this playthrough.) Aw, don't worry, they'll get the more accurate version later. (If you say... Screw this! We are going to include the 2nd Class Cabin redo, and that's THAT!) Fine, there are some things I'm doing differently this time...
Warning!: This is based upon a game that's rated M for Blood, Drug
References, Strong Language, Suggestive (read 'Sexual') themes, and
Violence. If any of these things offend you, don't click on the link.
Junpei: All right. Let's open 'em.
Santa: Yeah.
'Junpei put his hand on the door knob for the door that said [Room 92]. Santa moved to the door to [Room 93]. They'd made it through the numbered door alive. There was nothing more to be afraid of. Junpei and Santa looked at eachother and nodded.'
Junpe: 1...2...3!
'In unison, they pushed against tier respective doors. ...And promptly found themselves in a new room. June followed Junpei as he threw open his door. They turned around, and saw that the door on the other side was open as well. Through the door was another person, his mouth agape. It was Santa.'
Santa: Hey...uh... It opened.
Junpei: Yeah... It did...
'Junpei and Santa looked at each other. They had not expected the doors to yield so easily. Lotus's calm voice broke into their thoughts.'
Lotus: Maybe this is all part of Zero's plan? I can't say I enjoy being treated like someone's puppet.
No kidding.
'As she headed for Room 93, Lotus continued.'
Lotus: Well, now we have these 2 rooms. I'm sure there's something in there that will help us get out of here. Let's find it.
Let's "Seek a way out"!
Lotus: Santa and I will search this room. Junpei and June, search the other one.
Junpei: All right.
June: Okay!
----------SEEK A WAY OUT!----------
Well, time to get everything we're going to need for escaping. Like... The matchbox on this table over to the right!
'Junpei looked down blankly at what he was holding, then up at June.'
Junpei: Oh, yeah... How's your fever? You feeling better now?
June: Yes. I'm feeling fine.
'June certainly looked fine.'
(You're going to die!) That's still not cool. (But it's still true...)
'Junpei held his hand on her forehead for a few seconds...It seemed her fever really had gone down.'
June: Are you...worried about me?
- Yeah, I guess I am. -
- Hey, c'mon, it's not like that. -
I really feel like making Junpei sound tsundere again.
Junpei: Hey, c'mon, it's not like that.
'Junpei did his best to act as though he didn't care. His best wasn't very good.'
June: I guess you haven't changed at all, Jumpy.
'She giggled.'
June: By the way...Jumpy...?
Junpei: Hm?
June: How did you end up here?
(...You know what, I'm not going to say anything about that this time.) Good job, Akurei!
Junpei: What do you mean? I told you earlier, didn't I?
June:
There was a man with a gas mask when you got home at night. You inhaled
some white smoke and passed out. When you woke up, you were on D Deck.
Junpei: Yeah, that's it.
June: But is that really the truth?
(Still sounding suspicious to me...)
Junpei: ...What?!
June: Jumpy, are you hiding something from me?
Junpei: No!
(No U!) Now you're directly quoting the meme... Didn't we already do this? (Yeah, but whatever...)
Junpei: Why would I!?
June:
Well, if you think about it, this is awfully suspicious. I mean, why
would 2 childhood friends bump into each other in a place like this...?
(...I remember what you said last time, I'm not losing my nachos! You hear me!)
Junpei: Hey, I could ask you the same thing! Are you hiding something?
(Must...resist...urge to...! But I can't! *munch* *crunch* This June's actually an ancient frozen mummy! The June Junpei knew died nine years ago!) *facepalm*
June: What would I hide...?
(*munch* *munch* *crunch* *chew* *chew* *swallow*) Eating to recover from that uncontrolable urge to spoil stuff? Then again, Akurei could just be trolling us. (...Wait, that bucket is
just as full as when you first gathered that unholy salsa dip!) (Yeah, I activated the unlimited nacho code! Remember? *munch* *crunch*)
Junpei: Well, I dunno. Anything. I mean, you're hiding it. How would I know?
June: You mean, like...the number of men I've dated?
Nobody... (...cares...) ...about... (...that.) (Besides, it's how many men you've had sex with that matters. Most men prefer none.) *ji* (*ji*) (What!? That's the moral standard!) Well, it's wrong. I swear, it's like you've been listening to Daemon too much...
'Junpei's heart stumbled over itself.'
June: Do you want to know?
'He had to admit, he was a little curious.'
June: Don't worry.
'She smiled at him.'
June: Only 18...
'!?'
June: ...Times 0.
Which is...zero. (Hahaha! "You've been trolled! You've been trolled you have probably been told...")
June: Yeah... I guess I just haven't met Mr. Right yet...
("Don't reply to this guy, he is just getting a rise out of you, yes it's true...")
'June
looked a little embarrassed, and scratched the back of her head in a
desperate attempt to seem nonchalant. Junpei coughed quietly in much the
same way.'
("You reply and that's his cue, to start trouble on the double...")
June: Anyway, I'm not hiding anything. Just like you, Jumpy. When I woke up, I was on D Deck...
("While he strokes his manly stubble. You've been trolled, you've been trolled...")
Junpei: Well, you do have a point. I mean, why did Zero pick us? We haven't seen each other since elementary school.
("You should probably just fold! When the only winning move is not to play!")
'June nodded, and for a few moments she had the faraway look of someone in deep thought.'
("And yet you keep on trying...") "Mindlessly replying..." ("You've been trolled!") "You've been trolled!" ("Have a nice day!")
June: "Look for what connects the victims. That will lead you to the culprit." Do you remember Seven saying something like that?
(...Shimohi, you do realize 'you' were the one that's been trolled, right?) Yeah, I know, I just like singing that song! (And... You're hopeless...)
Junpei: Yeah, I do. So?
June: Well, that's what I'm saying. I think this must all have something to do with a classmate of ours...
Junpei: You got any ideas who it might be?
(...) ... (...) Go ahead and eat those disgusting nachos 'till this scene is over. (Yay!)
June: No, nothing...
Junpei: Oh...
Tin-foil hat time...again!
June: Well, if it had something to do with school, then it could be one of our teachers, or maybe the principal...
Junpei: Or the janitor or the lunch lady?
June: No... I can barely remember any of them...
Junpei: Yeah, I know...
'...
...Junpei went back to searching feeling unpleasant and confused.
Elementary school...Elementary school...Was there anything strange that
had happened in elementary school? As he searched the room, he continued
to wrack his brain.'
Okay, next stop, picking up the map of the deck and the dresser key! ...From the bedroom...
Junpei: This isn't a painting. Is it a...map?
June: It looks like a map of the ship's interior.
Junpei: Oh! This is a great find! I think it'll be really useful... Let's take it with us!
'It is now possible to use the map screen.'
'Junpei took one last look at the map, then folded it up and slid it back into his pocket. June looked up as he closed it.'
June: This ship is bigger than I thought.
Junpei: Yeah, it's about 900 feet long.
June: Must be one of those fancy cruise ships.
(Maybe, maybe not...) Still making that implication. Also... [This ship: 7]
Junpei:
Course, it doesn't really look like a cruise ship. Everything in here
is really retro. Even if it's some sorta style choice, there's just too
much.
The Titanic was about that old...
June: Do you remember what Zero said?
It's flashback time again!
Zero:
On April 14th, 1912...the famous ocean liner Titanic crashed into an
iceberg. After remaining afloat for 2 hours and 40 minutes, it sank
beneath the waters of the North Atlantic.
And, this time, it IS something Zero said.
June: Do you think maybe this boat and the Titanic has something to do with each other?
I believe I said something to that effect near the beginning of this Let's Play...
Junpei: Hmmm... That's a good point. I doubt he would've mentioned it if there wasn't a reason...
'Junpei took a moment to look around the room.'
Junpei: Do you think this boat is...
- A replica of the Titanic? -
- The actual Titanic? -
Well, for shits and giggles... How about I choose the opposite response than I did last time!
Junpei: A replica of the Titanic?
June: A replica...?
...! (No silly Code Lyoko jokes here!) I'm still going to say it! Not that kind of "Replika"! (*facepalm*)
Junpei: Yeah. You know, like a copy of the actual boat.
June: Who on Earth would make something like that?
(Oh I don't know, maybe a survivor of the sinking of the original ship who for some reason wanted the real thing, but can't so this was the next best thing?)
Junpei: Fans.
Of the movie? (That's an absurd leap of logic, even for you!)
Junpei: Crazy Titanic fans.
(Oh no! Even Junpei's agreeing with you!) Dude, remember! He. Can't. Hear. Us.
June: No way! Do you even know how much money that would take?
Junpei: No idea. But all they've gotta do is break even, you know?
June: Break even...?
You know, no total losses or gains from a particular project.
Junpei: Yeah. They could use it as a cruise ship. "Climb aboard a piece of history! Sail 'round the world in the resurrected Titanic!"
You know, that could've been the exact sails pitch for cruises aboard the Spaceship Titanic! (Still, sounds like a cool idea. Heaven, you could even make it a "haunted cruise"... *munch* *crunch*)
Junpei: Hell, with marketing like that, they'd probably have more customers then they'd know what to do with.
Maybe even my mom would like to go on a cruise like that! (Oh yeah, your mom does like that movie, heaven, she even watched it during the trip to the ninth circle of hell.)
June: Do you really think people would want to ride on a ship with such an ominous past?
I know I would. Wee!
June: It's the site of the worst accident in history... Over 1500 people died...
Well, we've learned from that accident: "Don't build the flood compartments like an ice cube tray.", "Bring lifeboats for ALL of the passengers, even if you think it isn't needed", and "If the ship's about to crash into an iceberg, it's best to hit it straight on rather than let it scrape the length of the ship." Their lives were not sacrificed in vain. It'll be fine!
June: I wouldn't be surprised if you'd get cursed just for going.
Maybe if they're that worried about being cursed, either don't go at all or make some kind of offering to the souls of those who died during the sinking.
Junpei: A curse, huh...
June: Jumpy, do you believe in that sort of thing? You know...curses and stuff?
-I do.-
-No, they're a load of crap.-
Hey! Niyagi, give me my DS back!
Junpei: Sorry, but I can't really say I believe in that kind of stuff.
'Tact was not one of Junpei's many better qualities.'
You said it.
Junpei: What about you...? Nah, I guess that's kind of a dumb question.
June: Yes, I do believe in curses.
Well, in the most sensible way possible, diseases and the micro-organisms that cause them could be poetically described as curses...
June: In fact, I think it was a curse that sunk the Titanic.
Like I said the first time, maybe in the form of ancient viruses or the like...
Junpei: What?
June: A curse sank the Titanic.
It's the return... (...or "rerun"...) ...of... Tin-foil Hat time!
June: The curse of the Egyptian mummy.
(*looks up* Is that where the Monster got the idea of that "Egyptian mummy" idea?)
'Junpei couldn't understand how June had maintained a straight face to say that.'
June: Supposedly the Titanic carried the mummy of the Priestess of Amon-Ra...
Wait a minute! *scours the Internet* Okay, my research was inconclusive, but still. I'm not sure if ancient Egyptians actually mumified their priests or priestesses...
June: ...Which was stolen from a pyramid.
(Hold it! I recall the pyramid's being constructed for the Pharaohs...) And smaller ones for their loved ones. (Well, at least it makes more sense than playing children’s card games.)
June: And they say that the mummy had a history... Everyone involved with it died mysterious deaths...
Like I said the first time, most likely due to ancient viruses or bacteria, which could be interpreted as a "curse" of sorts...
June: Come on, I'm sure you've heard of it before... "Those who open the coffin will be forever cursed"...
(Yeah, but it could also just be lies cooked up to try to prevent grave robbing.)
June: Haven't you ever heard that one?
Junpei: So you're saying the Titanic sunk because of that curse...?
June: That's right!
Oh dear, I dread to think what sort of horrible things Daemon would spout if he ever heard this...
'June's eyes had lit up with excitement, like a child with a new toy.'
(I don't know if anyone noticed the first time but, Shimohi tends to react to hearing or talking about crazy insane theories like that...) Which is why I did that whole "Marry me!" joke the first time.
Junpei: Hmph. That's stupid.
(Well, we didn't need to have Daemon for that, Junpei did it for us!) No, I think Daemon's verbal sludge would be much worse than that.
Junpei: I don't buy it.
June: It's true!
Junpei: How can you be so sure...?
June: That mummy wasn't just a normal mummy. It was really mysterious...totally unbelievable...
Junpei: What is so unbelievable about it?
We know why, but tell us anyway for the readers who... (For some reason.) ...Decided to read this post before the all twenty posts before it.
June: Well, supposedly, she was really pretty.
Junpei: Pretty?
June: Yes.
Junpei: But...she was a mummy.
June: That's right. She wasn't all shriveled up or rotten or anything. She looked just like she was alive.
Junpei:
Ohhh. I get it. It's that thing... I don't remember the name...Where
your body turns into some kind of wax? If a dead body is put in the
right sort of environment...The fat in it turns into something kinda
like candle wax, right? And--
June: Yes, saponification. But that's not what it was.
Junpei: Huh?
June: That's not it. She wasn't wax.
(*looks up* What? Not bringing up that crazy theory with the lady faking being a mummy?) Nope, no need to do that this time.
Junpei: Then what was it?
June: They say...that she was frozen.
Junpei: What...? Frozen?
(No, this has nothing to do with that Disney movie!) Now that I've read the TV Tropes.org page, I really need to see that movie. Especially with the Internet shipping Elsa and Jack Frost...
June: That's right. The whole body was frozen solid...You know how a human body is more than 60 percent water?
Indeed. (And that's why Bloodbending works.) (You said that last time.) I know, that doesn't make it less true.
June:
Well, all of that water was frozen. The story says that from the time
of its discovery, all the way through to when it got put on the
Titanic... And even though it was carried through the desert... Her body
never melted.
(Again, I'll bring up Shimohi's "curse equals disease" theory...is there a kind of ice that doesn't melt at the usual temperature?) That's a reference to the novel Cat's Cradle...right? (So...the Titanic sank because it was infected with Ice-9!) Then why are all the things not frozen to death? (...Good question.)
'June
and Junpei talked a little more, and then went back to their
investigation. But even as they did, his mind went back to what she'd
told him. Ice that wouldn't melt, even in the desert...Could such a
thing really exist? No, even if it did, it wouldn't really be "ice"
anymore, would it? The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt.
Like he'd eaten his ice cream too fast...'
That's strange. (Both of our heads are fine after thinking about it.) (That's
because you're a demon, Monster! Shimohi, I'm not so sure about...You
have gotten ice cream headaches from drinking cold milk before.) I didn't say this last time, but that is absolutely true. Moving on, time to get that key from the dresser and then the stuff from the other room...
June: Jumpy, where are you going?
(Oh, I was wondering, why aren't you hitting the search button when picking up items here?) As I recall, I already did that the first time we went through this room. No need to waste the readers time repeating that stuff.
Junpei: Um, I was thinking of going over to Lotus's room...
June: Why...?
To get the rest of the stuff needed to solve this room's puzzle, why else? ("boom-chika-wow-wow") (*facepalm*)
Junpei: What do you mean "why"? I'm just gonna go check up on them. Is there something wrong with that?
June: Well, no... Come back soon!
Junpei: Sure thing. I'll leave the rest to you.
June: Sure. Leave it to me.
'All right, off to the other room...'
Let's see now, pick up the candlestick...
Lotus: A candle with a candlestick. This might come in handy...
No, I KNOW this WILL come in handy! Now to light this sucker with the matches...
Junpei: I know. If I use these matches to light the candle...
And we have a lit candle, on to the dark bedroom!
Junpei: Awesome. With the light from the candle, maybe we can take a look around over there. But...it gets so hot when I hold it... I wanna put it down...
Lotus: Well, why don't you set it on top of the dresser? It's flat there. At least it won't fall over.
Junpei: Oh, yeah... Good idea.
Santa: Hey. It got pretty bright.
Lotus: Now we can look around a little.
Let's see. On the bed is the shower curtain... What?
Junpei: Huh?
Dang it! I thought if I picked up the key last, we could look around at the room some more! (You sure that candle wasn't infused with oil or something?)
Junpei: Hey, what the hell?! It just got dark all of a sudden...
Lotus: Maybe the candle got blown out? We should go see.
Nope, more like the candle burned out. (See what I mean with the oil!) (Where did you get such a strange idea like that?) (HunterXHunter!) (Of course...) Well, better pick this thing up...
'There's a candlestick covered in melted wax on top of the dresser.'
Junpei: Hey... What's this... The top of the candlestick looks kinda weird...
Lotus: You're right... It's all bumpy.
And now, time to unlock that dresser drawer!
'Let's see if this...yes!'
Junpei: Yes! It worked!
(Of course it worked.) Open the drawer and get... a "plate". (More like a puzzle piece, really.) Now to the display case for the next piece...
Santa: Well, this is a display case. Check it out, these plates and shit look really expensive. You wanna take a look?
Next, apply key to keyhole...
'Let's see if this candlestick key will do anything...'
Junpei: Yes! It opened!
Santa: All right, pull that shit open!
(Okay, Sir Swears-a-lot...) And now we've got puzzle piece number two!
Santa: Hey, Junpei, you got a minute?
'Santa had shown up out of nowhere, and gave Junpei no small start.'
Junpei, dude, Santa was there just a few seconds ago telling us to; and I quote, "Pull that shit open!" It was clearly established where he was and you're still surprised? (*ding*)
Santa: Here, take this.
'Santa pulled something out of his pocket. It looked like a bookmark. It had a [4-leaf clover] in it.'
Junpei: What is this...?
Santa: I found it in-between some of the cushions on the sofa.
I would call it a couch, but whatever...
Santa: Pretty sure it ain't gonna be any help to us, but I figured we might as well hang onto it anyway.
Junpei: Then why don't you hold onto it?
'Santa gave him a wry smile.'
Santa: You know what I hate most in the world? I got 4 things: Hope, Faith, Love, and Luck.
Junpei: "Hope", "Faith", "Love", and "Luck"...?
Santa: Damn straight.
Junpei: And you...hate these things?
Santa: Yeah, you got a problem with that?
Junpei: Uh, not really, but...
'Junpei tried to figure out how best to phrase what he wanted to say.'
Junpei: What does a bookmark have to do with any of that?
'Santa scratched the back of his ear, and looked awkward.'
Santa: Well, see, each leaf on the 4-leaf clover has a meaning to it, okay? And that meaning is pretty much those 4 words. It's like...a flower language. Well, I guess it's not a flower is it? So a leaf language, I guess. Yeah, you could call 'em leaf words.
Junpei: Leaf words...
'Junpei looked at the bookmark. Hope, Faith, Love, and Luck...'
Santa: So...yeah. I want you to take it, okay? Just touchin' it gives me the creeps.
Just like the taste of... (We already mentioned your aversion to mint last time. Are you still sure you're not some kind of fairy or elf?) (Well, Shimohi 'does' like berries and milk. Among other things...) I wonder that sometimes myself...
Santa: Take the damn thing, all right!?
'Santa pretended to shiver with disgust and shoved the bookmark into Junpei's confused hands. Junpei...'
<<What do you want to do?>>
-Take it.-
-Don't take it.-
This time... We'll take it.
'...Decided to take it. After all, why shouldn't he?'
(Because it might be...) (Aw, come on!)
Junpei: All right, sure, I'll take it.
'He shoved the thing into his pocket, and gave Santa a last, confused look.'
Santa: Phew. Man, I feel a lot better now. That thing was a real pain, you know?
Junpei: Do you really hate those 4 words that much?
Santa: Yeah, well, they can all betray you, you know? Hope, Faith, Love... even your destiny...
*sigh* Given my experiences with a certian abusive "gaming group", I can see how... (And... Shimohi's back in the dumps... Quick! We need some mac-beef-and cheese! Stat!) *LOL* (What?) Oh... never mind... *smiles*
'What had happened to Santa, Junpei wondered. How had he become such a bitter person?'
(Well... it could be your former friends taking sides with a bully against you, it could be your sister burned to a crisp in an incinerator, it could being born with dangerous powers you can't control...) (What!?) (What was what?) (What you said just then!) ("Being born with..."?) (Never mind...)
'For a moment, they looked at each other.'
Santa: Well, that's not my only reason.
Junpei: What?
Santa: That's not the only reason I hate the 4-leaf clover. I just can't bring myself to like the number (4).
(So... He hates Clover?) I get it, because her bracelet number is four.
Junpei: What, worried about the Four Horsemen?
...of the Apocalypse...! (Conquest, War, Famine, and Death. You know the drill... *munch* *crunch*)
Santa: Nah.
Most likely, in the original Japanese version, the reason was because one of the words for the number four sounds like the Japanese word for "death".
Santa: C'mon man, that's just silly. Maybe back in the Dark Ages that kinda crap scared people, but this is the 21st century, and I'm a 21st century guy.
Junpei: Then why do you hate (4) so much?
Santa: 'Cause it's a half-ass number. Not the best or the worst. That's why.
Junpei: ...What.
Santa: (9) is a way better number.
(Hint, hint...) (What are you trying to say!?) (Nothing.)
Santa: So what it it's last place, right? Least it's not some lameass middle number.
'Santa's explanation made no sense.'
(Insane troll logic, ladies and germs!)
'Junpei was even more confused than before.'
Santa: You play?
Junpei: Play?
"Let's Play"! (*facepalm*)
-You mean like...gambling?-
-What, you mean like play the stock market?-
Well, gambling is a kind of game. (Even though you tend to have huge memory problems when it comes to the rules of gambling games...) Hey, I can't memorise everything!
Junpei: You mean like...gambling?
Santa: Uh, yeah. Of course. What else would I mean?
Junpei: ...
Santa: In baccarat, the best possible hand totals (9). They call it "Le Grande".
(Didn't we hear something like this when...?) We were going through the Casino in the last playthrough? Yeah...
Santa: But the lowest, most worthless cards, the 0s, they call "monkey".
Junpei: Just like the guy in charge of this game, huh?
Oh! Zero had better get some ice for that burn! (Not the ICE-9, though...)
Junpei: Zero's a monkey...
(!) Hold it, remember? (Right, my nachos. *munch* *crunch*)
'Santa blinked, utterly stunned. Then he began to laugh.'
Santa: Ahahahahahahahahaha! Ha...! Oh man, you're totally right! The guy who trapped us in here is sure one hell of a monkey...
'That was when Lotus spoke up.'
Lotus: You know, if you think about it, the Nonary Game is really a lot like baccarat.
'Apparently, she'd been listening.'
Indeed.
Lotus: Of course, it doesn't use any of that stupid [digital root] junk.
Hey! I just happen to like that "stupid digital root junk" thank you very much!
Lotus: You just drop the tens digit, and that's it. Still, it does have the same idea of your final number needing to be a single digit.
Santa: Oh... Yeah, I guess you got a point.
Lotus: And in both games, whoever has (9) wins.
(*ji...*) (Why are you staring at Santa?)
Junpei: The person who makes (9)...wins?
Lotus: Did you forget already? Don't you remember what Zero said?
Flashback time... yet again...
Junpei: The exit is hidden, but it is there. Seek the exit... Seek the door that carries a [9].
(Well, for once that Junpei/Zero confusion isn't there.)
Junpei: So, if we wanna get off this boat...We have to make a team whose numbers have the digital root of 9...
Santa: And only the people in that team are going to make it out alive...
Lotus: Of course! That's why it's called the [Nonary Game].
Junpei: What...?
Santa: Huh?
Lotus: You don't know? [Nonary] means something derived from 9, or Base-9.
Ah, I see... It's derived from the Latin prefix "nona", which means 9. While we're at it, the prefix for 1 is "uni".
Hence why a certain vehicle with only one wheel is called a "unicycle".
Lotus: You know, like the unicorn--the horse with 1 horn. 2 is "bi"...like binary.
Or "bicycle". Speaking of which, I know of this one binary joke. "There are only 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary and those who don't." (That doesn't make sense!?) (*facepalm* "One-zero" is binary for "two"...)
Lotus: Binary means composed of 2 parts.
In this case, one's and zero's.
Lotus: 3 is "tri". I'm sure you've heard that one plenty.
..."tricycle", "trinity", "triangle", "Triforce"...
Lotus: Like trio, triple, and triangle...
Well, "trio" slipped my mind. But there's a variant on "triple", "triplets"!
Lotus: You get the idea.
Yes, we do.
Lotus: After that you have quart, quinti, sext, septim, and so on.
(Heh-heh... You said "sext"...) (Now it's a Beavis and Butt-head joke... Grow up you little Monster!) (Never!)
Lotus: And of course the prefix for 8 is "octo", like octopus.
(Or the "Octomom", the welfare queen who had octuplets even though she has two other sets of kids she was taking care of before...) Dude, that's not cool. Implying that everyone on government assistance is mooching off the system...
Lotus: It's called that because it has 8 legs. Get it?
Yes, yes, we get it! (Can we move on already!?)
Junpei: I see... So then "nona" means (9).
'Lotus nodded.'
Lotus: So, how many of us are trapped on this ship?
[This ship: 8] (That'd be 9. Duh!)
Santa: That'd be 9.
Lotus: And what are the bracelet number we have?
Junpei: They go from 1 to 9.
(Well, actually...) *points to eyes, then Akurei's nacho bucket* (Fine, I won't say so now.)
Lotus: And our time limit? How many hours did we have?
"Nine Hours" it's in the freaking title for crying out loud!
Santa: Zero said 9 hours...
Lotus: And finally...to get out of this ship?
"Seek a door that carries a..." ("q"!) ..."9" but close enough for government work. (I think the Monster's playing tricks on us.)
Junpei: We need to find the door with a [9] that's hidden somewhere in this ship.
[This ship: 9] Speaking of "nine" those two words have been said nine times!
Santa: By making a team with the digital root of 9...
'Lotus nodded again.'
Lotus: And there you have it. The number (9) is everywhere in this game. He's got a real theme of (9)s for the whole thing. No wonder it's called the [Nonary Game].
'... ...Somewhere far away, Junpei heard the creak of stressed metal. It sounded almost like Zero laughing at them...Or the sad, desperate scream of a pig headed to the slaughterhouse.'
Which reminds me... Pork Bowl! We miss you! (Yeah, yeah, but the piggy's flesh was very tasty. *munch* *crunch*) Let's see... Where was I...? Oh right, shower curtain! To the shower in the bathroom of Lotus and Santa's room...I think.
'There's a curtain rod running along the ceiling.'
Junpei: Let's put that shower curtain on those hooks.
Okay, now to get to the other side of that curtain and open it!
Junpei: Let's try spreading the curtains...
And... That white tile with the green vertical stripes on it!
'There's a hole in the curtain. If I look at it from a ways back...I can see a single tile. All right, from here I can see what tile it is... Looks like it's... [5th from the top and 3rd from the right].'
Close the curtain and what the game said!
'Might as well put it back.'
And now to tap on that tile...
'All right, looking through this hole, I can see...A white tile, [5th from the top and 3rd from the right]. Let's have a closer look, shall we? ...Hm. Nothing strange here...Nope. The thing's not budging.
Junpei: Hmm... Well, then that means...
Time to go to June's room! Away!
Santa: What's up?
The ceiling! No, seriously...
Santa: You're going back already?
Junpei: Well, I can't just leave June there by herself.
Santa: Hmph. What, you think you're her knight or her protector or something? You're creepin' me out.
Junpei: Whatever, man. I'm going.
Like I said, to this bathroom! ...And that one tile!
Junpei: Here it is! ...Yes, this one's loose! I think I can get under this with my nails, and...yes!
We have the third puzzle piece! Now to put this thing back together! (Again, in Lotus and Santa's room.)
Junpei: Uh...yeah. Why don't we go back to the living room?
June: Okay. Let's go back.
And to that puzzle! (You said that already.)
'The exit. Lotus and Santa are in the room on the other side.'
Junpei: I'm gonna go check up on them...
More like finish that puzzle in their room.
'There's a tile in the frame. So I guess I'm supposed to put tiles in the empty spaces...'
Junpei: All right! I'm gonna give it a shot!
Let's see... switch the right-side panels, rotate the upper right panel, once, twice, then switch the top panels, once again rotate the upper right panel, and ta-da!
Junpei: Yes! I did it!
'There. Picutre, complete! Aaaand there goes the frame.'
Lotus: Wh-What's this?
Santa: Wadda you mean "what's this"? Pretty obvious, isn't it? It's a hole in the wall. Like a hidden safe or something, you know? Anyway, let's take a look. I think there's something inside.
And, we've found the Mars key!
'Junpei messed around a bit with the key he had, and looked blankly at the picture that slid down.'
Santa: What's the deal with this picture anyway...
'Santa had only been mumbling to himself, but it drew Lotus's attention. She looked at the picture, and paused.'
Lotus: I...I think I've seen this picture before.
Same here, but I know I've seen it before... (And... It's Tin-foil Hat Time once again!) (Oh God, please help me...)
Junpei: Where?
Lotus: In a book. There's a British biochemist named [Sheldrake]. He as a rather interesting theory. I saw this picture in his book.
Junpei: What's this interesting theory?
Lotus: [Morphogenetic field], which relies on the theory of [morphic resonance]...
Santa: Man, I can't deal with this. Just listening to you talk about it is giving me a headache.
'Santa put his hands on his head, as though he were in great pain. Lotus merely arched an eyebrow in his direction and continued.'
Lotus: It's not a difficult concept to grasp. In essence, he states that the "shapes of living organisms and their behavioral patterns are transmitted through a field not visible to the eye"...
Kind of like data being transmitted from one computer to another through the "magic" of the Internet!
Santa: Uh, what part of that isn't difficult, exactly?
'Lotus did not look pleased.'
We are not amused.
Lotus: All right, how about this... Theory of the Telepathic Mechanism.
Junpei: Telepathy?
Lotus: Yes, telepathy. Well, perhaps not exactly telepathy, but... It is close enough, for a simple approximation.
'Santa suddenly burst into laughter.'
Santa: HAHAHAAHA! Are you serious!? Telepathy? Who do you think we are? Kids from the 70s?
Nah, I was born after that decade.
Santa: I can't believe someone would actually do serious research on something like that.
Lotus: Yes, I agree.
'Lotus's response was surprisingly curt. Junpei had expected at least some conflict.'
Lotus: I read the book, but I can hardly say I understood it. I'm in no position to defend or condemn anything it said. It was probably just someone latching on to a statistical out-lier from some study and turning it into a ridiculous theory. There's no scientific merit to any of it, I'm sure. But even so... I...
Junpei: ...
Santa: ...
Yes, what is it?
Lotus: Anyway, I saw a picture like that one in his book.
'Lotus indicated the picture they'd all been looking at. After a moment she walked up to the strange picture, examined it, and then spoke.'
Lotus: Hey... What do you think this picture looks like?
'Santa answered first.'
Santa: Wadda ya mean? Isn't it just, like...abstract, or something like that? It's just black and whtie scribbles. There's no meaning there. That's it.
Lotus: What about you, Junpei? Does it look like anything to you?
Junpei: Hmm... I guess it look like...
-A man's face.-
-Butterfly.-
-A koi.-
-A dog.-
-A small boat floating in a lake.-
-Funyarinpa.-
(Oh yeah, I remember what we had Junpei answer the first time.) "Apologise to the Funyarinpa!" *LOL* I know what it actually is... (Try spelling "god" backwards.) But... Niyagi, can you pick something this time? (Let's see, none of those describe what I actually see, but... Maybe the small boat?) Well, let's see what kind of a response we get from that...
Junpei: A small boat floating in a lake? That's the front of the boat, and there are the oars sticking out...
'Junpei pointed to what he was talking about.'
Lotus: Nope. That's wrong.
It's a dog.
'Lotus smiled triumphantly.'
Lotus: This is a dog.
Told ya.
Lotus: See? Like this...
'Lotus pointed out parts of the picture, and eventually a dog took shape in them. It looked as though she had a point.'
Because she does have a point.
'It was a dog.'
We know!
'Santa also nodded in agreement.'
Junpei: So? Now we know what it's a picture of, but... I don't see how that helps us.
'Lotus nodded, and began to speak.'
Lotus: A TV show from Great Britain did an experiment once. They took 2 similar pictures. Both of them were difficult to identify, initially... But once you'd figured out the answer, you couldn't see it as anything else.
I know that from experience. (Then why did you answer wrong the first time?) Because I thought the whole deal with the Funyarinpa was funny. (Of course...)
Lotus: The first picture was a woman wearing a hat. The other one... Well, to make it easier...Let's just say it was this picture of a dog. So. Their experiment...
'First, they sent the pictures to other parts of the world where British radio and television didn't reach. To Ireland, the U.S., Africa, Europe, etc... Then, in each country, they gathered a number of test subjects. All in all, there were roughly 1,000 people. Those 1,000 people were shown the 2 pictures, and asked "What does this picture look like to you?" The results, in of themselves, where not terribly interesting... [9.2% of the people saw the lady in the lady picture. [3.9% saw the dog in the dog picture. Then, 2 days later... They broadcast a new show. During the 30 minute show, they broadcast the dog picture, and its solution. The audience was estimated to be 200,000 people.'
(Okay, and what's this supposed to be useful for?) You'll find out, someday...
'After another 2 days have passed, they gathered a number of reasearch from subjects from areas where British TV and radio did not exist. This time, they were only about to find a sample of roughly 850 people. Naturally, none of them were people who had participated in the 1st test. They were, however, given the same test, and the same 2 pictures. The results...were shocking.'
(I can't believe I'm going to use one of your catchphrases but, "Define 'shocking'...")
[10%] of the people saw the lady in the lady picture. The previous test had yielding a [9.2%] success rate--the change was not statistically significant. The dog picture, however, produced a very different result. The percentage of people able to successfully find the dog grew from [3.9%] to [6.8%]. A very significant increase.'
Lotus: So, do you understand? Do you realize the significance of this experiment? There was no way the second group could have seen the picture.
Maybe... (But then again, they could've heard about the experiment second-hand from those who were involved with the first experiment.)
Lotus: They lived far away from Britain, and couldn't have seen the picture.
(I want to test something... *googles "abstract dog picture"* Nope, how about if I add "psychic test" to the key words...) What are you doing? (I think the Pansy's trying to google that dog picture...)
Lotus: But even so, it was only the success rate for the dog picture that went up. Why? How did that happen?
Statistical anomaly?
Lotus: What does it mean?
(Absolutely nothing, by the way, I couldn't find that dog picture on google.)
'Lotus looked back and forth, from Junpei to Santa and back again. Normally calm and collected, she looked now as though she were very nearly possessed, and there was something manic about her manner. Santa took an involuntary step backward. Junpei didn't budge, and stared straight back into Lotus's eyes...'
Junpei: Does this have something to do with that "field" or whatever it was that you were talking about earlier? ..."A field not visible to the eye"... So if more people know the answer...Than that information will pass through the field...
Lotus: ...
Junpei: ...
Lotus: ...
Junpei: ...
(Say something already!) "I know, you know, we're not telling the truth." ("I know, you know, you just don't have any proof. Embrace the deception...") "...Learn how to bend..." ("'Cause your own inhibitions tend to...")
Lotus: Pssyyyych!
"...you out in the end!" (Hey! You two did a similar TV show reference the last time we went through this room!)
'Her manner suddenly shifted, and Lotus smiled broadly at Junpei and Santa. He waved her hand dismissively, doing the best to laugh the whole confrontation off.'
Lotus: Oh, I was just kidding. You really shouldn't take me so seriously. Well, I mean, the things I just told you about are true. They really did happen. but the results of that experiment really aren't anything to go by. They could have easily falsified them. In the end, I'm sure they were just in it for the ratings. They are a TV station, after all.
'At last, it seemed that Santa had gained control of his composure.'
Santa: R-Riiight! Man, I gotta admit, you had me there for a minute! I, uh, really thought you were serious...
Lotus: *Giggle* Of course not! Like I told you before, I'm sure it's all just pseudoscience.
Santa: O-Oh, okay, right! Ha ha ha hahahaha!
'Santa and Lotus laughed, and gave one another jovial claps on the shoulder.' Junpei, however, didn't feel so much like laughing. Something felt...wrong...unclear... ...'
Lotus: All right, enough nonesense. We've got the key. Let's get out of here.
(Finally!)
Santa: Word.
...To your mama!
'Lotus and Santa walked away from the picture. ...But Junpei stayed, staring at the picture of the dog. "A field not visible to the naked eye"... [Morphogenetic field]... The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt.'
Okay, time to blow this proverbial popsicle stand!
Santa: All right! Let's go to the hallway! I'll go get June. You guys head to the door!
Lotus: Okay.
Junpei: Roger that.
And now, to unlock the Mars door. I hope...
Junpei: Yes! It unlocked!
Lotus: Good job, Junpei!
Santa: Good, now we can get going. C'mon, what're you guys standing around for?! Let's get outta here!
Time to tap on the door to actually open it!
June: Come on Jumpy, let's go!
Junpei: All right. Let's go!
----------YOU FOUND IT----------
'They stepped thorugh the door to find themselves in a wide hallway. Junpei, June, Lotus, and Santa stopped for a moment, and looked at their surroundings. A short distance away, a metal grate extened across the width of the hallway. They took hold and shook, but it refused to move. Nearby was a pair of elevators.'
Well, back at this scene again... *shiver*
'It took only a few button presses to determine that the elevators would no respond to their efforts. The could only assume the elevators were not powered. There was only one door left.'
Junpei: Well, looks like we don't have any choice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We...have to stop here for now. (Next time, maybe, a return trip to the dreaded kitchen!) (Either that or we're going to skip the kitchen to when we get to the large hospital room.) Either way, we'll see you next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment