Putting aside the new questions it would raise, if Tsumugi had cosplayed their dead friends to convince them to stay, my heart would've shattered (in the best way possible). How would they even react???
hmgmghgh me too my friend
Just for fun, I’m listening to resurrectedreplayer while I write this by pure coincidence - not the most appropriate song but the title fits anyway (the actual track in the game should actually be A Wonderful Story so feel free to put that on if you’d like to instead). also tw for emetophobia
For a moment, Shuichi thought he had been blinded. The figure standing proud at the podium had shifted once again in a bombastic flash of white and yellow, and then his eyes had filled with painful, bitter tears. Somewhere beside him, he heard Himiko cry out like she had been slapped.
“It’s just as I said before! Let’s make this school a wonderful paradise, together!”
“No… no no no no no… no no no no no -”
“Atua says,” Angie Yonaga cooed over Himiko, whose knees had started knocking together, “that it isn’t too late for us all to cooperate! If we can come together now, after all of this hardship, you will all surely be blessed!”
“That’s not - Angie, Himiko.” Maki’s voice shook with effort. It sounded so, so far away, lost to the sound of his [fictional] blood pumping in his ears. “It’s not Angie - you know that -”
“I know,” Himiko babbled, “I know it isn’t, it can’t be, it, it can’t be -”
There was another flurry of clothing, and Tenko emerged from it with a squeal of excitement. “Just like that, Himiko! Finally, you’re expressing yourself - I’m so proud of you! Ooh, even Himiko’s despairing face is cute!”
Himiko let out a pained whine like a deflating balloon and threw up on her podium.
Maki and K1-b0 shouted for her. Shuichi should have - meant to - but his voice had died in his throat. His entire body had shut down in silent horror. Kaede’s presence should have been a comfort to him; a grounding presence. It had been, when they had discovered the first body. This time, it wasn’t.
“We should just stay together!” she said, pumping her fists. “You’ve found the truth of this world, just like you promised. Isn’t that enough?”
The figure Angie had made of her had lacked the warmth of the real Kaede. This imitation should have been the same. So why? Why did looking at her like this make him tremble?
“Even if the truth was just a big lie after all,” Kokichi added cheerfully. “Lies have never been the enemy. Y’know, especially seeing that some of your best friends were lies ~ and that’s the truth! You understand that now, don’t you?”
I failed you, Shuichi wanted to say. The portrait of the real Kokichi Ouma stared him down with that same inscrutable smile beside where Himiko wept. I failed you so, so badly. What would you do if you were here?
… What would he do -
“You bitch!” Shuichi flinched and squeezed his eyes shut, Maki’s shriek ringing in his ears. “I’ll kill you - !”
“C’mon, don’t be like that.” Shuichi didn’t have to look. He didn’t need to look. The strength that voice filled him with was familiar - and a goddamn lie, like everything else. “You don’t have to think hard about it. Let me take the responsibility of the decision off your shoulders, like a real hero should.”
He shook. He opened his eyes despite his better judgment, and the wavering, blurred figure shot him a winning smile and a thumbs-up. Shuichi choked.
“Hey, Shuichi? Harumaki? Let’s stay together. I want us to stay… together.”
I don't think I've ever seen Kaito's 2nd FTE with Kaede and nOW I'M EMOTIONAL AAAAAAAGH KAITO WHY
It’s all laid out there!!! His entire character route!!! Everything is right there!!! Once you know what’s going to happen it’s beautiful it also painful gfghgh oTL
(Originally posted as a reply) "Tenko, who I never got to know that well, was already putting aside her own bias this early in the game to work with Kaito for everyone’s sake." ...Funny thing about that, but in Act. 4 here (the frame where Kaede and Shuichi peek out the door), if you pause earlier it looks like Kaito and Tenko are genuinely and cheerfully getting along. It's minor, but I just think it's really interesting for the two of them specifically to have an interaction like that.
Perfect. 8’D It’s tricky to answer replies when I’m not home.
It really is cute but strange - we only ever see her as hostile with guys but they do look like they’re at ease with each other there... Maybe it’s just a question of understanding a man’s intentions? She did seem to ease up a bit on Shuichi after flipping him, and I still haven’t seen their FTEs yet...
