Higurashi no Naku Koro ni TIPS

[kj1980]

Dear Mamiya Ritsuko-sama

Executive Housing, LLC
RE: Attached Estimate


We thank you for your past visit and inquiry to our office. Enclosed is the information packet and the estimated quote for the property that you have requested.

Description

Property name: Palace of Versailles Suite #707
Property number: 14M1421

Property type: Luxury Condominium

Property size: 2LDK
Address: Shishibone-shi Koiwa-cho 2 chome

Walking distance to nearest train station: XXX Line Kokukura Station 5 minutes

Estimated price: 49,800,000 yen
Management fee: 20,000 yen

Others: Southeast corner room, elevator equipped, condominium fitness club membership included.

Thank you for your interest in this property. The area around Kokukura Station are a prime real estate zoned for luxury condominiums. Along with future planned developments, real estate values in and around the Kokukura Station are expected to rise, and this property is not an exception.

As a result many prospective buyers are interested in this property. Hence we would like for you to understand that the selection process for this property will be held under a drawing.

However, we do have an upper-tier group for our customers who wish to have priority selection status. Please feel free to inquire about out "Celebrity Membership Priority Selection Group" to any one of our agents.


Sincerely,


Celebrity Status Manager - Kawahata
Executive Housing, LLC

[LostBlue]

This is not part of the TIPs sections, but summarizes Rena's past as it wasn't fully covered in Episodes 22 & 23

• Reina
  Rena's real name is Ryuuguu Reina (竜宮礼奈). She was born in Hinamizawa and spent her early childhood there.
  
  
• Parents' Job
  Both of her parents are fashion designers. Her mother got a break and was offered a lead position at a large company in the city and thus they move. Her mother became very successful, but her father didn't have the talent her mother had. He was unable to get a job in the city and became a house dad.
  
  
• Akihito
  As the days pasted, Reina's mother's success grew. She often came home late and almost never spent time with the family. She would, however, take Reina out once in a while and buy anything for her. On one such outing the mother brings a man name Akihito with her introducing him as her colleague. A few months later, the mother takes Reina out to an expensive cafe. Reina's childhood dream was to eat as much ice cream as she can and the mother wanted to fulfill that dream. While in her dreamland, the mother asks Reina whether who she likes better: Mommy or Daddy. Reina promptly answers Mommy as she thought it would be rude otherwise because of the treat she was getting. The mother then reveals that she plans to divorce her husband and remarry Akihito. Reina is, of course, crushed and asks why can't Daddy remain as family. The mother responds that she is pregnant with Akihito's baby. Later, the mother's lawyer talked to the father concerning the divorce. Reina is not sure if her father was warned beforehand, but she suspects her mother of never telling him. In fact, her mother refuses to talk or to meet with him and has her lawyer answer all calls. Her father kneels in agony on the floor upon hearing the news. Reina walks up to comfort him but the father asks her, “Did you know about Akihito?” “Yes” and the father slaps Reina. Reina then comes to the realization how naïve she was and hugs her father and cries with him.
  
  
• Enlightenment (translated a portion of Reina's monologue)
  As a girl, I thought I should show kindness to everyone. But that is wrong. There are people you should show kindness to and then there are your enemies. Just because people come to you with generosity, it doesn’t mean you should return that generosity. You have to determine who are your enemies. Who are these enemies? They are the ones that exist who will come to destroy your life, the bad guys. It’s not whether they had bad intentions or not. Much like a weed that grows in a flower garden: a dandelion may not have any sins, but it sucks the nutrients that the tulips need, so you have to pull them out. Even if the dandelion had no sins… they are enemies. The bad guys.
  
  That’s right. That man was a bad guy.
  I should have never accepted him.
  I should have completely devoted myself to reject him.
  
  If I have done so, it might have distance him from my mother.
  If I have done so, my mother wouldn’t have the thoughts it would work out with him.
  If only, ......I put the effort to, my parents’ relationship wouldn’t have been broken.
  
  I cried with my father but, ……the tears we both shed had different meanings.
  To my father, his tears were no doubt for the sudden irrational situation he was thrown in.
  But, me. They were tears of regret that I had the opportunity to make the choices to avoid today.
  
  As my father rubs my cheeks, he opened his mouth to apologize…… but he was unable to do so as we cried together.
  
  Later, the lawyer brought me to my mother. My mother asked to live with her.
  I didn’t know how to answer her as I looked down listening to my mother apologize.
  
  My father knew that I will meet with my mother this day. That is why he gave me this letter.
  
  
• The Letter
  Reina felt the weight of the tear-dried envelope and was determined to hear her mother’s answer. At the lawyer’s office, Reina hands her mother the letter and asks her to read it. The mother takes the letter and sets it aside saying she would read it later. うそだ！ (Lies!) Her mother had no intention to read the letter.
  
  Akihito is my enemy. He deceived me with kindness, the same kindness he seduced my mother, who used to be a loving mother… No, she is my enemy as well. She’s trying to break my family. She’s trying to take me away from my father, my family. She willfully allowed herself to be seduced. She is one of the bad guys.
  
  Reina screams at her mother. “Never show yourself in front of me again, and don’t ever affectionately call me Reina again.” Those were her last words towards her mother.
  
  
• Hinamizawa
  After returning home, Reina gathered all her mother’s belongings and started to destroy them. She can’t remember much what happened afterwards. The pills the doctor gave to her makes her feel dizzy every time she tries to remember. She wanted to destroy all the things that had her mother’s scent, but she wanted to destroy herself even more. Or maybe she just wanted to throw dirt on her mother’s fame by destroying herself. That is when Oyashiro-sama came. Oyashiro-sama said to come home to Hinamizawa. Reina thinks to herself ‘Yes, this is all a Curse. Because the Ryuuguu family abandoned Hinamizawa, this divine punishment came down upon us. Everything went wrong because we left Hinamizawa. I have to return to Hinamizawa. I should have never left. ‘
  
  So they return to Hinamizawa back to their late grandmother’s house where they used to live.
  
  
• Rena
  Reina decided she wanted to start a new life in Hinamizawa. She couldn’t stand the name Reina anymore… It brought too many bad memories (iyana koto いやなこと). So she took out the ‘i’ from her name.
  
  
• Rina
  Even after returning to Hinamizawa, the father was still struck in deep depression. He had a lot of reprisal money from the divorce and never went to seek a job. He meets the show girl Rina who brought back his smile. Rena couldn’t say much about their relationship, because no matter how much she tried, she couldn’t bring back the same smile Rina did on to his face. As the weeks pass, Rena started noticing toiletry and other personal items that where not her or her father’s around the house.
  
  
• Happiness
  Rena didn’t want to be a bother in her house. She felt she shouldn’t be there when Rina was around. So she looked around for something to pass the time with. That became her Treasure Hunt. She finds an old car and makes her secrete place there. For some reason the electricity is still alive at the Dam Construction office so she connects several extension cords to power the lamp she finds and keeps in her car. Here she can find her escape. Here Rena can remind herself that she is happy, to not to think that she’s unfortunate. Satoko-chan and Rika-chan had it worse. They both lost their parents. She still has family. By staying perspective she can protect herself from the bad guys because it was she who allow the misery to fall on her. By saying the magic word Hau~ she can be happy again. She’s already taken out all the bad memories with her ‘i.’ She can become happy again. With all the bad memories (iyna koto いやなこと) gone, all that remains are the good things… ah… then she realizes the good things also being with ‘i’ (ii koto いいこと)…
  
  …………………….

[kj1980]

TIPS Reorganized so Rena's past falls between Ep. 22 & Ep. 23

Full credit for translation: Sushi-Y
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Satoko went to join the children playing in the school yard.
Since I didn't feel like going, I watched Satoko off and stayed behind to watch the house.

......Most likely, she won't be back until the evening.

If Satoko's not around, ...I have ways of spending time without her.

Besides, that's what I wanted to do anyway.

I stick my hand into the deepest part of the mountain of winter futons inside the closet, and pulled it out.

Next, I pack a slightly stylish-looking glass cup full of ice from the freezer.
But the ice made in the freezer has that chlorine smell, and tastes bad.

Rock ice would be the best, but since Satoko kept on questioning me what I'm using them for, I didn't buy any at all recently.

......But if I can deodorize this chlorine taste for eternity just by thinking of a good excuse, then yeah, I can see how it would be worth it to spend the time to think of one.

I fill the cup with mineral water, ......and poured a little bit of it in.

Watching the colored shadow mix into the transparent water is a very pleasant thing.

Apparently, this isn't the correct way of drinking it, but since this way of drinking is just right for me, I don't want to hear any complaints.

This convenient body lets me get drunk even with only a tiny amount.
That's why I dilute a small amount to the fullest.
And thanks to that, I can enjoy a single bottle for a long time. It's not bad if you think about that.

Placing a seat cushion down at my favorite spot by the window, ....I hold the glass in one hand, with the familiar scenery and wind that brushs through my hair as my companion.
A faint sweet ripened aroma tickled my nose.

............Just when I'm about to start enjoying this atmosphere, I sensed the annoying one coming back.

It appears that she doesn't approve of this bad habit of mine, and complains every time I tried to tilt the glass.
As usual, she began nagging noisily.

"......You're so annoying. Be a little more tolerant. What I drink and eat is my choice, isn't it?"
"Y, you can't...! Little children musn't drink alcohol!"

I pretended to ignore her, but she started making a fuss noisily, as if trying to ruin the atmosphere completely.

......At this rate, I won't be able to enjoy getting drunk at all.

While looking at her hatefully, I tossed the glass's content out the window.

"......You want to know why I'm depressed? ...Because the way I'm going to die has already been decided."
Finally, it looks like she too was able to understand why I wanted to drown myself in alcohol.

"You don't have to look so sad like that. I get to die in pretty much an instant, so it's not that scary."
The corpse is probably burnt and in pieces, but since the death comes in an instant, it's in the so-so category.

"............But, ......it's, ...no good again."
"Yeah. ......It's no good again. .........So, when is my death date again with this?"
".....................I think it was, the night of June 25th."
"About 1 week after the end of Watanagashi Festival, huh. .........Well, that sounds reasonable."
"Is it..................... my fault after all?"
"Isn't it obvious? Don't you have any sense of self-awareness?"
"...au-au-au."
She's the one who said it first, and yet gets all teary-eyed when you tell her she's right. ...Ah geez, what an irritating one.

"Let's try again. ...I'm sure in the next dice game, there will be times where we'll keep getting 6s too."

June 25th, huh.

......There's still more than 10 days. ...Let's just relax through it.
There's still more wine anyway....

[kj1980]

It is June, yet the air is filled with the cries of the cicadas already. How is everyone in Hinamizawa doing? This year's Watanagashi Festival is already on the horizon.

As the wood sculpting event last year was highly praised last year, the Hinamizawa Forestry Preserve will again host the event for this year's Watanagashi Festival. So long as the children have parental consent we will be happy to lend our tools and teach them wood sculpting. It will make an excellent gift for the entire family!

Also, we would like to inform the residents that we are involved in the XX Prefecture 4th Forestry Preservation Plan by reforesting the surrounding hills and woods during this summer.

This reforesting process involves cutting down dilapidated and dead trees while planting newer one in order to preserve the beauty of the forest.

The Forestry Preserve is actively searching for volunteers who are interested in helping us out. We come and invite everyone to experience the beauty of nature and wildlife while working underneath the blue skies.

The reforestation plan will begin during the summer break season, so both the kids and their parents can enjoy as well. This will surely help the kids to grow strong and healthy!


The location of the reforestation plan will be the hills and forests around the Takatsudo and Tanikawauchi area.

[kj1980]

Attn: Kuroda Mental Clinic

Going straight to the point, it is assumed that this is an acute case of post-traumatic stress disorder. The patient is subject to tremendous stress following her parents' sudden divorce and being subjected to choose to live with one or the other.

Furthermore, the patient firmly believes that she herself was responsible for her parents' divorce, which further promotes her state of self-mutilation. The patient's largest shock stems from sense of betrayal from her own household which she believed was an absolute safe haven. Henceforth, there is a high possibility that the patient will observe psychological defense measures to protect her family.

(For example, she may feel high disdain for any person of the opposite sex approaching her father. She might feel uncomfortable in having other people in her home. Or, she may conduct absurd behavior in order to keep people away from her home. There have been reported cases where a patient would unconsciously bring and pile garbage for the latter example.)

It is highly important that the patient hold daily household communication with her father. By deepening the communication between the patient and her father, it will strengthen their family bond and loosen up her anxiety.

Since the patient only shows signs of acute syndrome in this case, there is a very good chance that she will immediately recover within three months with her father's support and proper medication.

However, it is not uncommon for a patient who seemed to have recovered to have a sudden reoccurrence (flashback) even after ten years.

The father is still young, and there is still a chance for him to re-marry. But, the prospect of her father re-marrying may cause the patient to have sudden flashbacks of her turmoil. This may instigate psychological defense behaviors along with elevated stimuli.

Please explain this part very thoroughly with the father in order to maintain the recovery process and mental care of the patient. Should the father have decided to undergo a second marriage, it is recommended at the minimum that he should hold off in telling the patient until she has reached the capable age of living independently.

Also, the patient's psychosomatic self-mutilation behavior, more commonly known as delusional parasitosis seems to have its own attributes to culture-bound syndrome.

The patient seems to observe the superstitious curse from her home village, which she strongly believes that this was the cause of her parents' divorce. This is thought to be a part of her subconscious defense mechanism, where the mind tries to shove her self-proclaimed fault to her village curse in order to reduce her psychological pain.

If such a strong belief can induce such symptoms such as self-mutilation, then there might be cases similar to these recorded previously. Perhaps prior medical files that document similar culture-bound syndromes may be available at a large medical institution near her local area. It will then be possible to provide better and accurate mental care for the patient by obtaining these case files.



*These B5-sized letters were written on the back of the paper used for writing memos.

The blank side of these letters were written with the following memo:

1 Chuuka-don (Chop Suey Bowl), 3 Shanghai-style Gomoku Yakisoba (Chow Mein), 1 large Cha-han (fried rice)

[LostBlue]

Furthermore, it is important that we take caution concerning her father.

Bearing in mind that she has taken a considerable mental blow by experiencing her father’s divorce, by trying too hard to be cordial to the patient, there is a strong possibility that she may erupt with induced delusional disorder.

As the first step in mental care, one should listen to the patient’s story carefully, and not unsparingly deny them is the basics of the basics, but especially concerning with family, it may be difficult to not respond with some sympathy.

Additionally, the symptoms of delusional parasitosis are widely known, and at times, it is not uncommon for that hysteria to spread entirely throughout a single community.

(Thus, even with the complaints from several people, it does not necessary prove the existence of any parasite. Consequently, it is frequent that the outcries to the Health Care Centers for the extermination of these harmful pests are compromised with nothing but mass delusional statements.)

Nevertheless with this case, the consistency to the details of these delusions are unusually extreme, in the worst case, by labeling this treatment for parasitic care, may result the patients to abnormally seek and mutually harm each other fatally, or possibly allow each other to race to suicidal tendencies with their pessimism views.

Moreover, this induced delusional disorder, otherwise known as shared psychotic disorder*, shows a particularly strong possibility of influencing a convivial companion.

People coming in contact with the patient, must make the patient understand that she is still presently under medical treatment, and take care to caution her to not be influenced by these delusions.

Likewise, individuals who are likely to be influenced include family members and possibly a close person such as a boyfriend are to be noted.


*Translator Note
See: Folie à deux

[Sushi-Y]

The danger of culture-bound syndrome lies in the fact that it can easily trigger delusional misidentification syndromes.

That is to say, in the current case, every time the patient sees something trivial, she will try to interpret it as being a "curse".

And it is believed that as a result of the accumulation of these events in an understandable form, a delusional system is created, ultimately leading to paranoia.

Furthermore, the patient is also exhibiting slight signs of personality disorder.
Of course, it is at a very slight level, and has no hinderance whatsoever on the patient's normal life.

It is not uncommon for even healthy individuals to have primary delusions in their daily lives.
However, since the delusion contents are nonsensical, they are usually ignored by the individual automatically without recognition.

And yet, there exist cases where these events would accumulate despite their incomprehensiveness.
This is said to be largely dependent on the natural characteristics of the individual, and it is believed that the patient shows a relatively strong characteristic in this area.

Now then, I believe that Dr. Kuroda is very much aware that primary delusions are categorized into 3 different kinds of cases.

Delusional mood is the feeling of impending crisis without basis.
Delusional intuition is the feeling of a sense of duty or goal without basis.
Delusional perception is the feeling of a baseless cause against a baseless target.

In the patient's case, it is believed that these incomprehensible delusions accumulate, acting out simultaneously with the culture-bound syndrome, inducing delusional misidentification syndromes, and ultimately causes incomprehensible delusions to become understandable by interpreting them as a "curse".

The comprehensible delusional system then induces understandable secondary delusions, further strengthening the patient's delusional system with the passage of time.

(The delusional parasitosis mentioned earlier can be considered as a secondary delusion)

A common point in all paranoia patients lies in the fact that even after an outbreak, they would still appear perfectly normal, with no changes in their personality.

The patients would also be unaware of their own ailments, and due to their personal interpretations of the delusonal system, there are many cases where a patient would arm him or herself logically, making it extremely difficult for a 3rd party to point out that he or she is having a delusion.

Furthermore, although it may depend on the tendency of the delusions, there are also cases where a persecutory delusion would turn into a persuit delusion or conspiracy delusion, causing the patient to create an imaginary enemy and take up anti-social behaviours.

(For example, there are cases where believers of a religious cult would respond to the cult founder's paranoid visions as a group, shifiting the group into a conspiracy delusion, causing them to take up anti-social behaviours in the name of self-defense. Although no such cases have been reported in Japan yet, it may become possible in the near future)

Luckily, as of now, the patient hasn't reached such a serious condition.
With proper treatments, she should easily be able to make a full recovery.

Please make sure that her father also understands that this is not an unusual case, but something caused by the accumulation of a number of innocent factors that anyone could have.

The patient can be treated only by deepening her bond with her father, but as long as she has her bond with her father, she can definitely be treated.

For the above reasons, if the patient is to return back to her hometown, I strongly suggest that the patient continue to receive guidance from specialized medical institutions even after returning.

Please excuse me for writing such a long article.
I wish to thank you for reading this until the very end.

[LostBlue]

After ending the call with Oishi and stepping outside the phone booth, at that moment.
.........Chills ran down my spine, as I finally came to realize this.

In this darkness, I was standing in a phone booth that stood out tremendously.

There’s no way that nobody didn’t see me.

No, not that nobody didn’t see me, I was seen.

From the darkness, they steadily stared at me with their glowing eyes...
.........there was no way they were human.
An illusion? No. I already know their identity.
......They are in the true sense, the ones who control the Gosanke who rule Hinamizawa.

The level of their eyes are low, ......the vague outline I see were feeble.
......true, it is clear from past records that they are physically frail.

That silhouette which indicated their nonhuman form, was unbelievable unrealistic.
...especially the silhouette of their head was unusual, as there was something protruding, it clearly was not human.

......Their outward appearance, were detailed in one of the scrapbooks I received from Miyo-san.

......Their eyeballs were pure red like blood, ...their bodies smelled of ammonia, ......and in the past, throughout the world they were captured on several occasions, yet......all melted and disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

......what did remained, was the certainty of their “descent”.........

At that moment, that impossible unrealistic silhouette took as step closer..., gently making a real sound.

That sound was brutally realistic, and pulled me back to reality.

“d, ......don’t come closer, you monster!!”

rustle, crack, grattle rattle rattle!!

The gravel on the road, erupt, flying every where, and making a bizarre sound.

Moreover, it gradually chased after me.
......driven by my fear I once again use the same words out of my mouth.

And then this time, the glass door to the phone booth I was just in, started to rattle and shake, BANG!

BANG!

and as if being struck, these monstrous sounds began.

I gave a scream which sounded like tearing silk, and darted.

And after running to the point my lungs felt like exploding, I turn around..... I notice that the jarring presence was no longer there.

............Was I mistaken.........?

There was no way I was mistaken, I definitely heard that sound which kicked up the gravel, that monstrous sound that rattled the phone booth!!

But calm down Ryuuguu Rena...!
......even if you were mistaken, right now settle down your heart.

......either way, ...eventually you will have to fight them.
...The next time they appear, strike back at them... Squash that head with your massive hatchet...! I will protect Hinamizawa, this is my duty. ...I will not allow them to do what they want... !!

scratch scratch scratch scratch... ... scratch scratch scratch scratch.

[LostBlue]

This is not part of the TIP section of the game. This is what happened the night the cops went searching for Rena after her disappearance.

TL note: The red text is how it is displayed in the game. This is all from Rena's point of view.


Even if I turned on the light in this hideout, the light will be reasonably obstructed by the mounds of decommissioned vehicles to seep through. ......Logically, I understood this, but taking precaution upon precaution, I did not turn on the light.

In the salience of this hideout, to not turn on a single light as I hold my breath has considerably filled me with fear.

Probably, if I did something, it would have distracted me a bit.
......but right now, the circuitry in my head has numbed, and I have not the strength to think about from hereafter.

Despite that, I did not have the courage to lie on my side to restore my vigor.
......Occasionally, when I thought I heard a suspicious sound, I’ll straighten up, strain my night’s eye and kill my breath. There was a continuous repetition of that.

Oishi believed in my Sonozaki Conspiracy.
......but, until he has some evidence of the conspiracy, he cannot take any large actions.

And that proof he needs, is most likely something that confirms there is a facility that is researching these parasites but, ......I have no clue to where that facility would be.

I would imagine the Irie Medical Clinic would seem as the most likely place, but I have no proof. I doubt even they will research in a place where I would think of.

Perhaps........., they’re re-using a bomb shelter from the war or something similar where they can place this research laboratory underground.

Come to think of it, ......within the premises of the Furude Shrine, there is a secret building that is not open to the public. I believe it was called the Saiguden.

According to Miyo-san’s research, the Furude Shrine is the central location to the Oyashiro-sama faith.

And, for one of their ceremonies that unusual festival, the Watanagashi, the Saiguden is considered to be extremely sacred, as they keep the festivity equipment there, it seems.

Indeed, the Watanagashi was a medical ritual done to create an immunity vaccine from these powerful parasites.

Therefore, the Festive tools for the Watanagashi, were medical tools then.

If that is so, the Saiguden is such a sacred place, because it is an important medical facility. .........this is suspicious.

Could it be that inside the Saiguden, there is the secret laboratory?
......ah, shit. It isn’t the Irie Medical Clinic. If they’re going to do it, it’s here. Why didn’t I think of this when I was on the phone with Oishi?!

It’ll be good if Oishi realizes this......
Should I go to the phone booth again, and tell Oishi about the Saiguden?

As soon as I thought that, I heard a car engine come closer, and further concealed myself.

There is no way a vehicle will pass by here this late at night.
A terrible premonition warped around my head several times over, causing me to tense up...

Before long, from the direction of the remnants of the Dam construction office buildings, I saw a light, perhaps from the car’s headlights.

Did the car pass by, heading toward the construction office buildings?
......but, nothing is there besides the empty prefabs.

This is not a place where someone will visit at this hour, absolutely not.

As I fix my eyes in the darkness, the car engine stops and the light disappears, in exchange two flickering beams from flashlights wiggle about.

It seems those lights went inside the prefabs.

......No doubt they were searching to see if I am hiding within them.

Until they went away, I continuously held my breath and watched.

With only the fickle lights which I see from here, I can not tell who they were.

Most likely......they are Sonozaki Henchmen.
They must have learned that I left the house, and have been searching the entire village...

...Why at the time like this, does my face itch, my legs become restless, making me feel extremely irritable? Probably staying standstill in this sweaty humidity is causing the inside of my elbow and the nape of neck to itch irresistibly.

When I scratch at them, an unbelievable loud scraping sound was made, surprising me, and I stopped.

......Normally, when scratching at bug-bites, never does it make such cruel sound!

I guess this is proof that my nerves are becoming sensitive.
...Even when I’m this far away, I am holding my breath in the darkness.
Regardless if I scratched, or even squeezed, they will not know I am here.
......Even so, I will not allow even the smallest sound, and I, for the time being, endured the itchy sensation all over my body,
......but ultimately, my body recoiled and scrape scrape, I couldn’t help furiously scratching my entire body.

When from here on out, for me who would need to continuously live this life in concealment, to be this nervous on my very first night; it is not likely I will last.

I would need to become a bit bolder, to not be moved over something as small as this.
As I think this, I force myself to relax, and without restraint, allowed myself to scratch at the nape of my neck freely, which lifted this discomfort from the sweat that stuck onto me.

Then I notice my hunger.

Now, my stomach started to growl.
...but, this is no doubt proof I feel this hunger because I have relaxed.

But if I do eat, it will get rowdy...
I decided to endure this until the men searching the offices leave.

Hurry up and leave, hurry up and leave.
If you guys leave, I can eat.

......Possibly my continual wishing held some success, as it seems those two lights stop searching the around prefabs.

......but I guess I wished too strongly.

Those lights were now continually fixed in this direction.

...Could it be that they realized I’m here?!
No. They’re walking towards this direction!

I hurried and ducked, and listen carefully through the blanket covering me.

.........Eventually, .........I feel the two’s sturdy footstep approach closer.

Since these footsteps were approaching closer without hesitation, I feared that I’ve already been found.

But, there is no way I was found...
If they knew about this place from the start, they would have not wasted their time searching the prefabs, and if they have found me, then these footsteps wouldn’t be walking as leisurely like this.

......It is just a mere coincidence they are coming this way...

Since I covered myself with a blanket, I had no idea who they were.
I had no idea where they were flashing their lights, and I could not carelessly stick my head out the window to take a peek. Until their presence disappears, I had no choice but to curl up and become like a rock.

As they arrive nearby my hideout, they stopped in their tracks.
...I heard the two talk.

「............She ain’t here.」
「I guess we should circle around. Look around there.」

As their footsteps split away from each other, I recognized that the two were patrolling around the trash mound.

......This hideout is nothing more than a remodeled inners of an abandon car.
Just by taking a glance at it, and it will look like nothing more.
...But, if they peer inside, it will be apparent that this isn’t just a regular abandon car. If they find out, I’ll be a trapped rat...

From their conversation, it is apparent that they are looking for me.
......Then, ...are they the Sonozaki Special Assault Squadron?!
If they find me, .......there is no doubt they will instantly kill me here!

And I already experienced and comprehend how well suited this place is for killing.

Moreover, I killed two people here.
If I could do so, then this should be child’s play for professional amongst professionals like them!

But, while saying that, right now, I cannot do anything.
Utterly, all I can do, was pray they will leave here.

At that moment, I heard a slight BEEP ...a refined electrical sound.

「This is Atsushi, all is well here. .......................yes. ……………The Granariiiies?! Yes, roger that.」
「What happened?」

「It seems Ryuuguu Rena is at the Granaries. There was an eyewitness account.」
「Hey hey... there’s just no hope. What are we going to do?」

「Either way, the boss ordered us to get her at all costs. Even if she fled to Sapporo or even Fukuoka, we have no choice but to chase after her.」
「Impossible, there’s no way we’ll find her. ......Even so, we still gotta?」

「......The boss wants Takano Miyo’s Scrapbook which is in Ryuuguu Rena’s possession. For him to make such a fuss over this, it must be something big.」
「And, what are we suppose to do?」
「We’ll leave a surveillance in front of the Ryuuguu house, and pull out from the rest. Let’s go back and grab some tea.」

Then the two’s footsteps went away until I could no longer hear them, .........and the sound of the car’s engine rang. Finally, I came out of the blanket and looked outside.

The car’s light made a U-turn, and I saw them leave.
Then eventually, even the engine’s sound melted away into the silence of the night.

I spat all the hot air that I’ve stored and stored within myself, and scratch at all the bug-bites around my body which I’ve been resisting, wiped off the sweat that stuck on me, the let out the coughs I’ve held back.

From their conversation, I most definitely heard it. There was no doubt that both of them were Sonozaki Henchmen.

......It completely coincided with the information Oishi told me.
And then they bluntly mouthed that important piece of information.

They declared they were after the 「Scrapbook」.

Until today, I only assumed the reason I was being targeted was because I received Miyo-san’s Scrapbook, it is not because I heard it from someone.
........I might have had the wrong assumption, and forced myself to think this way.

But, it blatantly came out of their mouths!
We gotta get Ryuuguu Rena. They blatantly said from their mouths, reason is because she has Takano Miyo’s Scrapbook!

And then, they also said they will leave surveillance in front of the Ryuuguu House.

......Well, that’s only natural.
If I was on the chasing end, I would most definitely guard there as well.
It’s better that I don’t make the mistake of going home.

............But, ...the matter of fact, they said something more important than any of this.

Yes, that’s............, the fact that 「Ryuuguu Rena is at the Granaries.」

Under normal circumstances, I could have laughed this off by saying they probably saw someone who just looked like me.
.........But, the reality is, the situation is no longer like that.

When Miyo-san is already dead, she was 「there」.
And when I am here, I was 「there」 at the Granaries.

.........Within the contents written in Miyo-san’s Scrapbook, ......this was the most unbelievable part.
They......, separately from the Sonozaki Family underground actions, .........were steadily coming after me...

......Already everything and anything has gone beyond my understanding of common sense.
...Should I fight or should I run, unable to decided, do I stand petrified waiting to be devoured...?

...............No way, No way...
There’s no way I’ll stand here petrified waiting to be killed and devoured.
If I can’t win then I want to run.
If I can’t run then I want to fight.
.........I will become happy, I will! I will not sit here, and have it end...!

But, ...............Miyo-san’s Scrapbook’s 「foretold」 enemy, were approaching closer to me, ready to take their bite.
If I happen to disappear at this trash mounds without anyone knowing,
the me at the granaries will appear, and as if nothing has happen, will take my place sneaking into my life. ......No one will ever see through this.
Not even my father, my friends, no one will realize this, as it takes my place......

Wait, perhaps that only I haven’t just realized this......, and the people around me have already begun to be replaced......?

Yes. .........Even bio-terror that the Sonozaki Family intends to put together, is nothing more than a plan being played in the palm of their hands.

Just like the rats possessed by their members will no longer afraid of cats.
As result, the rats will no longer run even within the sight of a cat.
......That’s why when the cats eat the rats, they can transfer into the cat’s body.
......The rats were only being used by their purpose, and to further this purpose, there’s no way the rats will become afraid of cats.

That’s why the Sonozaki Family are the same.
......They may believe they are moving at their free will, ...but in reality, without knowing their purpose, they are unwittingly helping them.

That is how from ancient times, they 「parasite」. We are, after all, nothing more than a pack of rats.

Almost all of us rats are too stupid and too foolish to recognize their existence, ultimately having this misunderstanding that we live on our free will, and further their cause.
.......However, occasionally, a perceptive mouse will be born.

That perceptive mouse will learn that we are only being used, and at times unveil their existence.
......Of course, even if she unveiled this, no one will believe her so there was no problem.
Before long, the mouse who unveiled the truth will think she was mistaken, then will be swallowed and erased.

Despite this, even more rarely, ......a mouse will appear who not only realize this, but can objectivity prove this.

That is exactly who Miyo-san was.

To them, ......this rare mouse was an extremely dangerous being.
...That is why, when this mouse appeared, they become unbelievably forceful and daring, to remove this threat.

To tell you the truth..., we all know their forceful and bold methods.
......But, the stupid mice won’t believe this and will ridicule this.
......Not knowing they are being led not to believe, they ultimately help them, inadvertently.

.........They erased Miyo-san.

And then, ......switched places with her.

But, they made a mistake with the body of the real Miyo-san being found. That’s why they failed at replacing her.

...............Then, ......will the erase me, and take my place too?

Or possibly, to get close to me, .........they switched places with one of my friends?

......Even when their outside appearance are the same, ......what’s inside will be completely different, something beyond our comprehension... an irregular being.

No, .............it will appear. It already has appeared.

The day after Miyo-san’s death, it appeared.
And then tonight, I appeared at the granaries.
......they will still continue to appear.
They have already given up their guise to chase after me.

Many more, many more, ......will appear...

Then at that moment, from the slopes of the scraps, I heard the sounds of someone coming down.

I crouch down my body once again, and suspiciously observed the direction of the sound.
.............There is only one flashlight. ...There only seems to be one person.

.........Who? ......At this hour...?

Its shadow was very small, ......definitely impossible to be an adult.

Shivers ran down my body...!

The flashlight looked over here, and the footsteps approached straight forward, drawing closer.
.........Unlike the guys before, these footsteps fully understood that I was hiding here.

...No, .......This has to be a coincidence.
...Let me hide one more time. I definitely can get pass this.
I was able to last time. ...Hide, Hide…!!

I covered myself with the blanket, and huddled pretending to be a rock...
But, with unbelievable certainty, the footsteps drew closer.........

And then, .........on this hideout vehicle , ......kong

kong

......as if something was knocking.

My eyes became wide open; my entire body couldn’t restrain from the overflowing drops of cold sweat.
......Unwilling to accept the meaning behind the knocking, my mind went blank fighting with the fear.

But, the knock echoed once again.

.........I felt a light through the blanket.
...Am I, ......completely exposed by the beam of this flashlight...?!

Even so, I still was biting off the fear.
......as long as I don’t move, it won’t lay a finger on me... selfishly wishing, trying to withhold my trembling even to the slightest degree.

「...............giggle giggle giggle giggle.」

That was a blatant laugh.
......It was a voice ridiculing me, who still continued to curl thinking that I haven’t been found yet.

However, ...still I endured it. ......because, because, ...if I come out from here...!!

「......What are you afraid of? ......giggle giggle giggle giggle.」

「u, .......uWAAAAAaAaAAaA!!!」

I threw off the blanket, and faced the person behind the voice.

.........Who was, ......Rika-chan.

...This surly, ......was an impossible encounter at an impossible place.
At this late at night... for Rika-chan to appear here alone at such a place, ......was impossible!

...I instantly understood.

This Rika-chan, ......certainly looks like Rika-chan but, .........however much it completely imitated Rika-chan’s outward appearance, .........I understood that it was an entirely different entity.

Miyo-san, me, ......and now, even Rika-chan... I see...

But before I was crushed by fear, slightly mustering a bit of courage, I daringly opened my mouth.

「...............Rika-chan......I’m guessing...?」

「......Mi~ ...Who else could I appear to be?」
Rika-chan responded the way the Rika-chan I knew well did.

......but, this is impossible.
To visit at this time, at this place, was absolutely impossible...!!

「..........I know ............You’re not Rika-chan, are you?」

「........................」
「......Unfortunately, you will not deceive my eyes. Even if you look like Rika-chan, ...you are not Rika-chan. You are not my friend, Furude Rika. ......Who are you...?!」
「........................」

Rika, for the time being, stood there blankly.
...It was as if she couldn’t comprehend what I said.

But, ......that silence, was long.

If she really didn’t understand, enough time has passed for her to break this awkward silence, ......yet she remained mute.

Then, ............finally, ...she threw off her sheep’s skin.

「......giggle, ......giggle giggle giggle giggle giggle.」

It laughed.
.........To notice that it wasn’t Rika from its absolute disguise of her outward appearance, it laughed at that amusingly.

「...............Who, .........are you!!」
Without responding to my question, ......it, for the moment, continued to laugh on by itself.
And then, ......looking at me, ......with these eyes Rika-chan will never show, peered at me and said.

「I have lived a long time in this world but .........this is the first that someone has noticed that I am not Rika. I’ve always thought you were a perceptive one ever since we first met, but......... well done. giggle giggle giggle...」
「...............!!!」

......It blatantly put to words what my heart feared the most..., I believed it was certain that I was shocked.

What was said was frightful; There was no way to misinterpreted what was said, ...as if any doubt need to be left written out, ...it deliberately mouthed these words.

「But I will dare to call myself Rika. .........I, do believe that my given name is Rika, as it’s been so long.」
「......huh......... ...by long, .........how long.........?」

「Nothing spectacular. Only about 100 years or so.」

「.........ha, .........huh?! What are you saying!!!」
I felt the contradiction.
Knowing that the one before my eyes is not Rika, I was refuting the existence of that very being.
......As long as this sentiment continues to embedded in the human mind, ...people never acknowledge what they don’t understand forever.

...That is why, 「they」 are never acknowledged by humanity.

「You do not need to be afraid. You are inside the car. I am outside. ......Respectively, neither one of us can do anything rash to the other. I believe that this is a convenient distance for us both, no? However hundreds of years I may have lived, Furude Rika is merely just a small child. I do not believe I can overwhelm you by force. .........Rather, I am the one uneasy that you might frenzy and jump at me.」

......To me, this being that looked like Rika was nothing more than eerie, however, when I realized that it only came to converse, my mental stability settled a little.

But, .........at this late night, at this impossible place, ...what did it want to talk about?
I am sure, I was a cooked goose. ......therefore, now I had no choice but to bravely stand this ground.

After waiting to see how I will react, ...it opened its mouth.

「............You are afraid of something. .........Am I correct?」
What a sarcastic way of putting it.
......With Rika-chan’s adorable face, I could not believe it can smirk in such a twisted fashion.
That’s why, I crushed all the emerging feelings of fear in my heart, and firmly responded.

「.........Yes. Why, thank you.」
「I see. ..............What are you afraid of?」
「......You......know that well enough!!」
「...............giggle giggle.」

It said, we were mutually protected from each other, divided by the car but.
It was evident that I was obviously cornered.
......While I stayed in here talking to it, its henchmen could be encircling me. ...As I realize this, I listened more carefully to my surroundings...

「Don’t be afraid. I came here to save you. ...giggle giggle giggle.」
「Save...? ha, huh......How would you do that...?」
「You are, ...just a little sick. With a small bit of medicine you’ll feel better. .........Would you be interested if I said I brought that medicine?」
「...med, .......medicine.........?」

That thing, who looked identical to Rika, ...fumbled around its pockets, and took out a small case.

Clicking the case open, I peered to see what was inside.
......When I saw what was inside, I, couldn’t help screaming.

「......a syr.........syringe...............?!」

No person would be walking around with a syringe. Already everything and anything has become absurd.
......but, in Rika-chan’s hand there was a syringe. There was no other way to look at this...!

「Yes. This shot will make you feel better.」
「Feel better, you say?! HA!! I know. It’s that, isn’t it?! The drug that killed Tomitake-san!! The parasites that have that primal power!! The terrible shot that will renew Maggot Breakout Syndrome!!」

「The shot that Tomitake had, huh? But this is different. Okay?」
It giggled.

That laughter wasn’t what was scary.
......What was scary is that it frankly acknowledged the truth behind Tomitake-san’s death!!
And, it frankly acknowledged the direct 「cause」to why Tomitake-san was led to Maggot Breakout Syndrome!!

「.........You also plan for me to die that way, don’t you! And then, ......the Rena that appeared at the Granaries will switch places with me settling everything... ...That’s your ulterior motive, isn’t it?! Who will take that shot!!」

「..................well, I thought you will refuse. It’s definitely suspicious.」

「You know, don’t you...... ...Then what are you going to do?! ...Are you going to attack me in a group and forcefully give me the shot, like you did with Tomitake-san?!」

The result of Tomitake-san’s autopsy was before he met his critical end, it was apparent that he was fending off several opponents according to the bruise marks on him.
...Meaning, there was no mistake that the shot was forced on him unwillingly.

「......I would like to assault you and give you the shot, ...but I’ve never done it successfully. That’s why I’ve given up doing so forcefully. ......So, I will leave it up to your free will. 」
「You got to be kidding!! Who will take such a creepy shot!!」

「.........I also was troubled by that. How I can humor you to take this shot. It’s impossible to give it to you forcefully, and you’ll won’t understand either. ... Ultimately then, I have no other choice but to leave the decision to you.」
「There’s no way I will listen to that!! Who will fall for such an obvious trick!!」
「..................well, you reacted the way I anticipated. Not that I expected anything.」

It gave out a long sigh, making a belittling gesture as it proceeded with a bitter smile.
......As if saying... I gave you this chance to be save, can’t comprehend that you low life...!

I wanted to retort back giving in to the taunt, yelling out I’ll take that shot, but that is exactly what my adversary would want me to do.

「Hurry up and go home to your friends, and tell them you failed to give me the shot!! I will not lose! I will thoroughly resist to the end!! And then......I will take hold of that less than 1% chance of victory, and make sure that I will destroy you all!!」
「............I see. ..............Then give it your best shot. It’s a doomed world anyway. ...giggle giggle giggle giggle.」
「......doomed......?」

「It has nothing to do with you. It does no good for the frog inside the well to hold any interest to what is outside the well, right? giggle giggle giggle.」

Coming along this far, what deep words it hurled...
I tried desperately to comprehend what this terrifying entity who mimicked Rika’s appearance was running its mouth with.

「...Wha, ...What do you plan to do with me!!」

「I will do nothing. Do as you wish.」
「.........eh?」

...That response took me a bit off guard.

...As far as I know, the words do as you wish, have the meaning of liberation or indifference, even if used by a person of evil intent, these were not words of malicious meaning.

Or......, could this be taken in an entirely different way...?
Reading deeply into words two and threefolds, it said these words once more.

「Live as you wish. ......I have no more interest with “this” Ryuuguu Rena. I will hope that things will go better with the “next” Ryuuguu Rena.

......at the very least, I will pray the “next” Ryuuguu Rena will not be as particularly perceptive. ...giggle giggle giggle giggle.」

That was... as terrifying as a judge sentencing a death penalty.

「Before, I also ran about trying to fix every slight disparity as it occurred. ......but after a while, I became tired of it. .........I have no more interest in “this” Hinamizawa. I’ll go look for the “next” Hinamizawa. ...but, you only have “this” Hinamizawa. That’s why, you should do your best to live. 」

I understood that one after another horrifying words were being said.

It was a blunt forecast of doom, ......a revelation that a terrible end is closing in on reality...

Already another one of me has been prepared.
And then......When I disappear being swallowed by this maelstrom of Fate that I can not contest, ...it, unsympathetically, was prepared to have everything replaced.

What people feared the most, is losing their meaning to their life.
.........When someone says even if you’re gone there will be someone to replace you, there is no moment where worthlessness of one’s life is felt more.
That is no different to an indirect death sentence!

The thing that looked like Rika, clamped the syringe case shut, and placed the case in its pocket.

Then it turned its heels, and started climbing up the slope of the scrap mound.
Then, twirled around for one last time, ......with a devilish smile, ...said with an unbelievably cold expression.

「Well then. ......Good bye, “this” Ryuuguu Rena. ......With the “next” Ryuuguu Rena, let’s be friends, ok?

......for the most part we normally will. .........gigglg giggle giggle giggle! 」
「Th, .........There will not be a “next”Ryuuguu Rena!! I am who I am, I am the only one!! I will not let this go your way! Never, NEVER!!」

Did my shouts that were more like screams reach her?

......The way her eyes looked at me were very cold. ......It was as if, I was nothing more then a reflection of a past image on a CRT screen.

「Having conversations like this, occasionally, is quite amusing, huh. giggle giggle giggle......, Ha ha ha ha... Ha ha ha ha ha, ...Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha......... 」

That laughter eventually faded into the darkness of the night.
.........The being which had Rika’s appearance, but was not Rika, also disappeared swallowed by the darkness.

All that remained was, ......I, alone.

Cast off, indifferent to whenever I disappear,
Abandoned, telling me to futilely resist all I wish, I am here.

A spare has already been prepared, and because I was too perceptive, I am of no use in 「their」 Hinamizawa.

.........Then I noticed that, ......these trash mounds, ...was unquestionably a gravestone prepared especially for me.

I returned to my senses, and came to the realization that this place, nor this hideout, was serving their purpose.

It’s better that I gather my belongings and hurry off to a different place.
They told me to resist all I wish. ...I will do that, damn it damn it...!!

I need to prepare for my move.
Stuffing all my belongings in my knapsack, I need to hurry and leave this place.
Since the flashlight’s beam is too small, I turn on my night stand.

The world of light and darkness distinctively emerged with the newly created shadows.
Then when I went to reeled in my knapsack, ...I was startled.

The palm of my hands, ......were drenched in this icky pure red liquid.
In the darkness, I thought I was just wiping off sticky icky sweat.
......but, that......wasn’t sweat at all......

Then this blood is......what?

I suddenly came to realization.
Just until now, I was scratching and scratching at the bug-bites on my neck, ...and before I knew it, I was pouring out with blood.
The moment I realized that, the affected parts that I peeled off became mixed in with the feeling of pain, and there I was suddenly groaning.
...From the wounds on my neck, I felt the unpleasant feeling of something creeping and squirming, and I once again scratched at my neck trying to dig out that something.

And again my hands were drenched with the thick coat of fresh pure red blood.
......There was no mirror in here so I cannot see but, ......I remembered, I already knew the meaning of squirming.

They steadily spread throughout my entire body, then the inside of my elbows and the back of my knees began to itch terribly.

......If a person was to experience this for the first time, they would think they were bitten by a bad bug.

...but fortunately, ...I already knew this itching.

「............why, ............how...............!」

I detestably mumbled. ......how, right now, here......!

There’s no mistake, ......this is the 「Maggot Outbreak Syndrome 」.

Almost certainly, if I open the blood vessel in my arm with a razor, from inside the vessel, those dirty and disgusting, red-black squirmy things will gush out.

How can that be, I never was injected by that suspicious shot...?!
But, there never was a rule that this had to come from a shot.
...Could it be......that I haven’t noticed I was poisoned...!?
I doubt it was mixed in the food I ate at my house, but when I was at school, my friends and I were close enough to share lunches ......Maybe it was mixed in at that time...!

That Rika-copy which just came by, ......shined her flashlight on me.
So, she must have known that I tore the skin on my neck and was bloodstained.
...regardless, it didn’t panic, ......and said that I didn’t have much longer anyways.

......ah, ......It, ......knew that I didn’t have much longer so........it was smirking and laughing so repulsively...!!

It’s very itchy, but don’t scratch it. The more I scratch, the itching will increase, ...and in the end I will repeat the same mistake as Tomitake-san! Shit, shit shit...!!

[kj1980]

Not entirely a TIPS, but was cut off from the anime. This is Keiichi's past in which he told to Mion, Satoko, and Rika:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keiichi: "It's...about the time before I moved here. Back then...my only skill was studying.

I learned tips and tricks on the game called studying. My grades went up very quickly. At that time, I had this idiotic ambition to study harder so I can look down upon other students.

My parents and my teacher both praised me as my grades went up. It felt really great.

I began to saw how little and cheap those jock kids were that took pride in excelling how fast they could run the 50 meters or how well they can swim. The sensation of looking down on them was exciting so I studied even harder.

By then, my grades were not only the top of the class, but began to scratch the top of my entire school. Hence, I began megalomaniacally feel that I was the most important guy in the entire school.

I was this dull and idiotic guy that would mock on the rest of the kids playing in the school yard as I sneered down at the from the window.

...As my grades went up, adults around me also began to expect more from me. They suddenly began to set my future by urging me to get into a very prestigious school. I was also self-conceited that going to that school was a given for a person of my intelligence.

But...the sensation of looking down on them began to fade away in contrast to the amount of studying that increased.

People around me also began to treat me less praise. My classmates quickly began to lose interest in my grades as a nuisance, while my teacher began to put more pressure on me to study harder. I basically began to lose the enjoyment of studying.

Besides, I didn't like studying at all in the first place.

I was just this normal brat with less-than-average athletic skills and mediocre fighting skills, who suddenly jumped on my newly found gift in which I could say I was better than anyone else. It just so happened that the gift was studying; if the gift was being able to ride a unicycle or cup-and-ball toy, I would've tried hard in excelling at them just the same as I did with studying.

Once I reached that feeling, I suddenly lost the interest in studying all together.

That's right. I was just a spoiled dickhead who wanted to be praised by everyone for being able to do something better than anyone else. ...Hence, I did all of my summer homework on time and I volunteered to help cleanup afterschool just so I can get praise from the teachers.

So once the teachers stopped praising me, I began to lose interest in life.

Back then, my parents would give me allowance based on my grades. Because of this, I had tremendous cash in my pocket even for kids at my age.

...I don't know if it I enjoyed this from the start or I was just lashing out my feelings and anger towards something else, but it was around that time that I began to get interested in model guns.

Shooting at cardboard boxes was fun and all. At least shooting an inanimate cardboard box still fell under morality. It could be deemed as relieving stress by shoving my anger towards a cardboard box.

But I quickly began to yearn to do something that would get me into deep shit.

So when I read the warning label on the model gun that read "Please do not shoot at people," I immediately wanted to start shooting at people. Why did I do something that people shouldn't do? That itself explained how primitive and childish I was at the time.

It was sort of a reactionory antipathy towards my parents who constantly bickered me to go to secondary school even when I have lost all interest in studying. If I hated it, all I had to do was say it straight to my parents that I hated studying. ...But as a little twerp that I am, I had no guts to go up against my parents.

I opened the door to my internal brutality by objecting my anger through shooting at kids younger than me.

Oh, what a thrill it was. The sweet sensation of what deep shit I'm doing with my own hands. Of course, I had nothing against the victims that I shot at. If there was no one around, that set the ground for my next victim.

I had no intention of hurting them. I felt joy at just hitting a person one or two rounds from far away. But there was this one girl who didn't realize anything even when I shot at her. It was probably because the pellet was striking where she had more clothes on or something. ...I began to get pissed so I started shooting her with more and more bullets until she realized she was getting shot at. It immediately escalated into peltering her with multiple rounds of pellets.

'I did an extremely good thing by studying really hard. So, I can also do a very bad thing on the same level to cancel that out. That creates an equilibrium balance.' That was the type of unbelievably self-centered mindset that went through me to justify my stupid action.

'I've been through all this shit and kept it all inside me. What I'm doing is my given right. So, a person who has no shit going through their lives like me are allowed to get shot and injured.'

...How selfish, conceited, and childish!

Fuck, all this anger is starting to weld up inside me towards myself as I say this from my mouth. If I was there at that time now, I would immediately jump and kick my own ass with enough strength to break several molars out of my mouth.

The incident became known escalated into what was known as a serial child assualt case. I had this ugly smirk as I listened to the principal warning the students about these incidents in his morning address.

In the pamphlet handed out by the PTA, it outlined that students should keep a sharp eye on their school routes. As time progressed, adults began to volunteer to do a neighborhood watch during after school and students were to walk home together in groups.

As the shit I was doing began to balloon into something larger, I began to remember the similar catharsis that I felt when my grades began to climb. You can say I was hooked in this 'game.' I didn't even for once think I was gonna get caught, nor did I have the intention of quitting it at a certain point either.

One fateful day.

...I saw this little girl alone in a narrow and dark street all by herself. A very little kid. ...Was she going to her friend's house, or was she going to the store to help on her chores? I didn't give a damn.

'It's all plastered everywhere in the school that kids shouldn't be outside by themselves. How careless of her, and she deserves it - it's all her fault.'

With the same selfish quibbling...I assaulted her.

She realized that she was being attacked as I shot several rounds into her back. It's obvious that a person would turn around and see if one was being attacked from the behind.

I was used to showering my victims with pellets so I continued to fire rounds at her even as she turned her head towards me.

A normal kid would run away screaming "ouch ouch!"

But her reaction was a first for me....




She was screaming at the top of her lungs, rolling on the ground back and forth as she covered one of her eyes...

That was when it hit me.

It struck her in the eye.

Until that exact moment, I did not for once think what would happen if these BB pellets strikes a person into their eyes. It easily penetrates a thick cardboard box...

In any case, the way she was hurting was not what I had expected. It was right then and there I finally realized that what I have been doing a horrific thing.

The little girl saw me, so I couldn't take her to the hospital as that would jeopardize me. I couldn't do anything....so I left the crying girl all by herself and ran away from the scene.

'Was the girl okay, I hope she didn't go blind...'

I didn't have the appetite to eat dinner as all these thoughts went through my head.

At home, I took a household medical book from the bookcase and read through how the eye functions. I read it to try to ease myself to what extent an injury to the eye will not cause permanent blindness. It was a vain act obviously as even if the little girl did not lose her sight, it was still a very brutal assault.

...That night, I couldn't sleep as I broke a high fever. The first one to hand down my punishment was not my parents, the school, or the police. ...It was my own body.

Early next morning....I woke my parents who were still in bed and confessed everything. My parents were at first in shock in disbelief, but once they placed the pieces together of my sudden interest in model guns and rebellious attitude, they realized the matter immediately.

My mom began to cry and my dad beat the shit out of me.

We didn't wait for dawn to break. I went with my parents to the nearest police station...and turned myself in."

[kj1980]

I forgot how many years ago that was.

There was this village whose surroundings was very beautiful. At the time, there was this proposal to sink the village for a new dam project and they held this mass protest against it.

The same village lobbyists also had a nature sightseeing tour so that people from other areas can get a first-hand experience on nature. The village might sink underwater never to be seen again. So, I booked a tour on whim in order to get a glimpse on this wonderful nature that could forever be lost.

But when I got there, the place just took my breath away. The air was so clean and clear, and the surrounding nature was indeed very beautiful as they said it was. Since then, I was hooked in that place's awe-inspiring nature. ...I fell in love with the area so much that I was very glad when I learned that the dam project was put into indefinite hiatus.

The place that I went at the time is where I am building our new house.

There was this beautiful field blossoming with flowers. There were two cute little girls playing in that field. Both of them hand long straight hair and they were like angels. I guess they were neighbors/best friends or the like. I still remember how they looked. One was calm and a tad precocious for her age, where the other was a girl who showed innocence in her face. I'm sure both of them will grow up into a fine young lady.

The two were playing in the fields as if they were dancing. When I asked them if this was their usual playground, they replied that they were playing in hopes of a newcomer to move here to this village. Then I saw a sign that read "Lot For Sale." That's when I began to think that this place might be a great place to live.

Sure, there is nothing here and things might be a bit inconvenient compared to the city. But...I sincerely believe that if we are to start a new life together as a family again, this is the place that would be the best for us. Yes, there were a lot of things that happened back in the city...but the past is the past, it is best we move on. We learn from our mistakes, and let us rebuild our ideal family life in this village.

So I'm kinda hoping Keiichi, that you would grow to love the life in this village as I do.


....You do?
If you like it here, then I'm happy too.


I'm also happy that our family relationship has been improving dramatically since we've moved here. Back in the city, we all were living in our own separate ways. ...So I am truly happy that we're able to rebuild it from scratch. Come to think of it, we've never had this much conversation before, have we?


Oh yeah, Keiichi,

Are there two angels with long hairs in your school? Their age...I'm certain that they are both much younger that you.

There's a girl who has short hair? Hmm...nope. I don't think that's it.

Why you ask?

Oh it's nothing. I just wanted to use them as models for my portraits. And make them wear cute costumes....ahem! B-basically, it's just for my artistic interest, nothing more. So if you happen to see them, let dad know 'kay? You'd better, all right-?!

kapow punch crash kyupi~n

Arg ouch gaf?!

[Sushi-Y]

"...............Soon ......tomorrow is going to be it."

"Hmm? ...............Ahh, you mean our death date?"
"............It ended up the same way this time too."

"I don't know about that. .........It's very similiar, but there are some things that were different too. ......Keiichi, remembered what happened before too."
"......That's impossible. There's no way he could remember, no, there's no way he could know them."

"*giggle*.... The more you say it's absolutely impossible, ...the more it makes one think that this is really a miracle, you know?"

"It's all over now anyway."
"Is it really over, I wonder?"

"It will soon end. Everything, will end. ......That's right, when the cicadas cry."

....Is it all going to end anyway?

The more times you throw a die, the closer the total will get to the average.
When you throw a die 100 times, during the process, even if you get a miracle of 6s coming up continuously, it's still all average when you total everything up in the end.

...It's just something enclosed by a preestablished arrangement.

But, if you throw a die 100 times, the minimum and maximum number still ranges from 100 ~ 600.
Even though the more throws you make, the more likely the future will try to converge at one average value, the truth is, the more throws you make, the more possibilities for the future there will be.

If you throw the die 100 times, you'll get about 500 different futures.
Throw 1000 times, and you'll have 5000 different futures.
Won't there also be one ending among them where I would actually finish from this neverending dice game?

......The miracle that Keiichi showed me, it was something that opened my eyes and taught me that it's definitely not a waste of effort to continue throwing the dices.

Don't give in to something like an average value.

"..........................."

"............That view of your back sure is irritating. .....I can feel a ton of sorrow from it saying "it's no good again anyway", you know."
"..........................."
"......It's not just you, .......I'm also thinking that it's not going to work out this time anyway.... ...But you know, I won't give up until I have thrown the last die. Keiichi taught me that. Something's different this time. ......That's why I'll try to believe in that."
"...............Rika is, .............really a strong person."
"Yeah well, I'm way younger than you anyway."


".........Uun, ...mumble mumble......, .........Rikaa...?"
"......Mi~."
"You're still up at a time like this, ...*yaawn*..... you mustn't stay up so latee...."
"......I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep so I was just looking at the stars. I will sleep now."
"Please do that.......... ......Good night Rikaa......."
"......Good night, Satoko."

[kj1980]

Summer 2005

The tires of the car began to rattle as the road turned from asphalt to gravel. The incessant cries of the cicadas seeps through the shut windows.

Most people would open their car windows and let the billowing natural air in along with the sounds of the cicadas. However, people also have become spoiled. They would rather keep themselves cool with the air conditioning turned to max rather than hearing the cicadas.

Usually rains would begin to pour during this time of the year. But, June came along right into summer without any rain this year. ...I remember that the weather twenty years ago was also similar in which that June jumped right into summer as well.

Akasaka: "The air around this area is still clear as I remember it."

Akasaka's friend: "Indeed it is. The winds and the sunshine here is nice. Perhaps if it had a chance, this place would've become a UNESCO World Heritage Site like the village in Gifu. What a waste..."

Akasaka: "But thanks to that there are no irritating tourists around here. See, it makes it a much more smoother ride. ...Why do tourists forget about pedestrian traffic laws when they are in rural areas? Move over to the side, sheesh, I tell ya."

Akasaka's friend: "Ahahahaha. Akasaka-senpai, do you still do outdoor activities?"

Akasaka: "Not as much as I used to. There's not much free time in this job for that."
Akasaka's friend: "Ahahahahaha. Same here. ....Oh hey, there he is."

The person I was supposed to meet with recognized me and waved his hand before I honked my horn. It was a young fellow on a motorcycle with a backpack on his shoulders. You can tell that he was prepared for a campout with his gears. Akasaka and his partner stepped outside of the car and shook hands with the young man.

Young man: "It's nice to see you again, sir!"

Akasaka's friend: "Yo. How's everything going on your end! Here, at ease. This is Akasaka-senpai. He took care of me back in college."

Akasaka: "Hello, my name is Akasaka. A man names Oishi was also supposed to come along today, but he had to undergo an emergency check-up and wasn't able to come. Anyhow, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Young man: "It's an honor sir!"

Akasaka's friend: "So, Akasaka-senpai, where shall we go first?"

His name is Akasaka Mamoru. He is a veteran police detective from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. By this time, he was already at a career level where he can see his retirement just a bit over the horizon. But, his sharp instincts and eyes have not retracted a single bit. His well-built muscular body and fearless aura against violent crimes can be well seen from the spectacular police duties he has built through experience.

His connection to Hinamizawa goes back to almost thirty years. In 1978, he was in the Public Safety Division in the Metro Police Department. He first came to Hinamizawa back then while undergoing an investigation for the kidnapping of former Minister of Construction Inukai's grandson.

There, he met Oishi and....Furude Rika. Furude Rika predicted the fate of her own death. ...Akasaka regrets to this day that he was unable to save such a little girl from her death. He learned of the Great Hinamizawa Disaster on TV and met up with Oishi soon thereafter. They pledged to uncover the mystery of the the cruel fate that fell upon the little girl and the serial murders of Hinamizawa. Unfortunately, Hinamizawa was off-limits to the people for a long time. As a result, the past twenty years for Akasaka and Oishi were painstaking. Their sole reliance were based on publishing what little information they've accumilated so far and the occasional tips and clues from former residents of that area. ...But the lockdown on Hinamizawa was finally lifted. However, they were unable to come to Hinamizawa immediately due to Akasaka's busy work schedule and Oishi's degrading health. In fact, Oishi was also supposed to come today as well, but he was called in for an emergency health check-up at his local hospital. Hence, Akasaka was the only one to come here today.

The other two were Akasaka's juniors from his university. One was an officer in the Ground SDF and the other was his subordinate. The latter was involved during the lockdown phase of Hinamizawa and was quite knowledgeable of the surrounding area.

Akasaka takes out a scrapbook from his bag. The sides were all dented and one can tell that this book was very old. Akasaka flipped through the pages, thought for a second, and told them their first stop.

Akasaka: "Alright, please take me to the Onigafuchi Marsh first."

Young man: "No problem. Right this way sir!"

The young man propped up his bike and waited for the two to get back to their car. After honking their horns to signal that they were ready, they headed their way to the Onigafuchi Marsh...

When the forest opened up, they came upon a very absurd area where the ground was sealed in heavy concrete. This was supposed to be where the marsh was, but there was not even a single drop of water in sight. All the water was replaced with concrete. ...This was how the current Onigafuchi Marsh looked like in the present day.

Akasaka: "Hahahaha. Not even a single drop of water."

Young man: "I was told that they've sealed the marsh in the early stages right after the Great Disaster. This place was already covered in concrete by the time I arrived here."

Akasaka: "Let's go down there and take a closer look."

Akasaka got off of his car and walked to the center of the concrete-filled marsh. This was not a parking lot nor a heliport. ...It was just a huge empty concrete space right in the middle of the forest.

Akasaka: "...So this is the place conspiracy theorist say that it is a landing spot for UFOs."

Young man: "Really? I've never heard of that."

Akasaka: "Well, that's what is written on occultish websites. They claim that this is the place where our government conduct meetings with aliens. But with such an empty concrete space like this in the middle of nowhere, I can't blame them for such rumors to be flying around."
Young man & Akasaka's friend: "Wahahahahaha."

This marsh was the place where the volcanic gas erupted from back in June of 1983. The deadly mixture of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide engulfed the entire town in the middle of the night and annihilated the residents of Hinamizawa in one night. The town was put into lockdown and the SDF in charge of this area sealed the marsh with concrete.

Akasaka: "But the conspiracy theorists have some of their points which can't be dismissed as well. Any geologist would tell you that sealing off the site with concrete is absolutely useless."

Young man: "Hmm...that's true. I've never heard of anyone trying to prevent a volcano from erupting by pouring concrete into it's volcanic crater. On the other hand, our country is known for doing weird construction jobs with tax payers' money."

Lately, websites dealing with the supernatural and UFOs has had a significant increase in the topics of the Great Hinamizawa Disaster. It is well known by now that the cause of the Great Hinamizawa Disaster was due to deadly volcanic gases emerging from a magma chamber. In 1983, a similar natural disaster occurred in Lake Nyos, Cameroon. This showed that such a rare natural disaster can indeed occur anywhere on Earth.

Recently however, rumors began to fly around here and there over the internet about another possible explanation. They say that the Great Hinamizawa Disaster was just a government cover story and that the real cause was due to a biochemical terrorist attack by aliens. Why did such a rumor began to spread now...? Conspiracy theorists claim to back up their explanations from a secret document known as File No. 34. The name File No. 34 was given by someone posting on the internet message board, but the name stuck since the naming of the file sounded like a government conspiracy.

It is not known how they obtained these documents. They posted scans and pictures of the documents, but what was written on it were ridiculous at best. Some added their own notes claiming it to be the real thing, so it is doubtful if such a document really does exist or not. But the contents of this File No. 34 is worth noting. However, since this stuff was posted on the internet, it should be taken for a grain of salt as most of the stuff is more like an urban legend.

The File No. 34 was a notebook written by a nurse named Takano Miyo who worked at a local clinic in Hinamizawa. No. 34 was most likely named after her name. They say that this woman was also a researcher who sought to explain the local demon myths of the area. The contents of this notebook states that the Great Hinamizawa Disaster of 1983 was prophesized in advance.

According to her research, she claims that an UFO crashed landed in Hinamizawa a long time ago and sunk into the Onigafuchi Marsh. The UFO had parasitic bacteria from space which began to infect the residents of the area. The infected villagers showed signs of extremely violent behaviors fit for the word "demon." Takano Miyo insisted that this was the explanation to the myth about demons spurring out of the marsh. A lone alien who survived the crash realized that the earthlings were becoming erratic because of their intergalactic bacteria, and decided to show themselves to the villagers to help them out. ...This is the explanation of the appearance of the Oyashiro-sama. The alien was able to cure the villagers with highly advanced technology but was unable to eradicate it thoroughly. Since the villagers looked up to the alien as some sort of diety, the alien utilized its status to hand down specific rules to the villagers in order to contain the disease. The bacteria took a liking to Hinamizawa's habitat, so if the carrier of the disease left Hinamizawa, the symptoms came out again. Hence, the rule of not to leave the village was made. These all then lead to the hermit legends of the Onigafuchi Village. The weird practices and miracles that they performed were all due to the advanced technology that they received from the alien.


Akasaka's friend: "Wahahahahaha. Those conspiracy theorists do indeed have a colorful perspective on things don't they? Remember that prophecy thing by Nostradamus? They all said that the world was gonna end in 1999, but nothing happened past July. All those TV shows built up the drama but it was just business as usual after that. Irresponsible I tell you."

Akasaka: "But, Takano Miyo did indeed seemed to have foreseen the Great Hinamizawa Disaster in advance. Look at this page on this scrapbook."

Akasaka's friend: "You must be joking. Ahahahaha.... ........Akasaka-senpai, is this for real...?"


As time passed, the parasitic nature of the bacteria stabilized and became nothing more than a commensalistic symbiont in the human body. Aliens and the bacteria began to wither away from people's minds...However, it is claimed that the alien lived on for hundreds of years with the protection of the gosanke. It lives to this date underneath the secret lairs of the Furude Shrine. The alien was able to manipulate the bacteria living inside of the villagers body and was able to maintain control in the village all this time. The alien wanted to reclaim the power it once had and began to research how to bring re-awaken the long lost powers of the bacteria...etc. etc...

Anyhow, things get much weirder from here. Cutting to the chase, the real reason for the Great Hinamizawa Disaster was that it was that the alien's was researching how to spread the re-awakened bacteria in a global scale in order to conquer Earth. The Japanese government had this secret government agency which dealt with such extraterrestrial matters, and they received special training from Area 51 in the United States....etc. etc... And this government agency moved in to stop this alien from it's plan to take over the world by locking down this village and killing off the residents of this area through the use of biological weapons.


Akasaka's friend: "Wahahahaha! Hey, wasn't there a Hollywood movie that was similar to this? It was the one with the black guy as the lead character...what was the title...M.I. something!"

Akasaka: "Yeah I know. Reading this thing to gives me a headache. However, the write of this bunch of bull, Takano Miyo, was mysteriously murdered in June 1983. Right before her death, she gave these scrapbooks to one girl as if she knew that she was going to be killed very soon."


That girl's name is "Girl A." ....However, some fanatical mystery buffs proclaimed that they were able to track and narrow it down to a girl named "Ryuguu Reina." Hence, it became known as the "Ryuguu Reina Theory."

Ryuguu Reina inherited Takano Miyo's intentions through her death. She tried to fight against the planned invasion by holding the school hostage and demanding the local police to uncover the alien's plot. Of course, no one believed her and it was assumed that she was in a state of paranoia. Back then, it was assumed that Ryuguu Reina was misdirected into believing Takano Miyo's mystery rants and unfortunately fell into a state of paranoia which lead to her aggressive action.


Akasaka: "When she held the school hostage, Ryuguu Reina told the local police that the alien controlling the gosanke was plotting a massive bioterrorism in the near future. And the very next day, the Great Hinamizawa Disaster occurred."

Akasaka's friend: "You've gotta be kidding! Couldn't it be just some kind of coincidence?"

Akasaka: "I don't know. According to conspiracy theorists, the immediate lockdown of the area by the SDF itself have inconsistencies here and there. Sealing off this marsh with concrete is just one example. And according to some of the SDF members who were involved in the lockdown at the time, they proclaim that they witnessed several people conducting some kind of secret research unrelated to geology. Of course, those who dismisses such accounts brushes these accounts as some sort of precautionary measures to keep unauthorized people off limits of the area."

Akasaka's friend: "I'll have to agree with the people who dismisses these accounts."

Akasaka: "And people also look at why it took such a long time for this lockdown to be finally be set open once again. In contrast, the lockdown of the Miyakejima Islands of Tokyo for their volcanic gases lasted only 4~5 years. The natural disaster that happened in Hinamizawa was one that was exceptionally rare, yet the lockdown lasted for over twenty years."

Akasaka's friend: "In Miyakejima Island, the residents strongly lobbied the government for their return to their home island. However, in the case of Hinamizawa, there were no residents alive who wished to return in the first place. Perhaps the government waited until they were absolutely certain that it was safe?"

Akasaka: "Hmm. How about this one? The SDF members that were involved in the lockdown of Hinamizawa had there blood samples taken in the subsequent months. Some of these members were discharged without any explanation once some kind of result came in from those samples. Some of them believe that they were using the members of the SDF as a human test subjects to see if they would get infected or not."

Akasaka's friend: "I think they were just checking up on the members' health since it was an area where the gas disaster occurred. Besides, normal corporate warriors also have their own annual physical check-ups too, and they take blood samples there as well."

Akasaka: "Yeah, I understand your statements too. But then, here's another interesting theory. There are some who proclaim that there was no deadly gas emitted during the so-called Great Hinamizawa Disaster."

Akasaka's friend: "No emission of volcanic gases? How so?"

Akasaka: "Basically, as stated, there was no volcanic gas. The gas disaster itself is a some sort of government coverup. It's like that movie made by Steven Spielberg. You know, the one where the humans make contact with UFOs?"

Akasaka's friend: "Now that's what I call a typical example of conspiracy theorists' way of explaining things. So, what kind of basis do they have to say that there was no emission of volcanic gas?"

Akasaka: "Well, a bunch of conspiracy theorists and mystery buffs came to Hinamizawa as soon as the lockdown was lifted. According to them, the hydrogen sulfide in the volcanic gases should've caused some corrosion in metallic objects and have should've caused major damage to the surrounding wildlife. However, they found no such signs of such disruption, which they proclaim that there was no volcanic gas to begin with. ...But since this village was abandoned twenty years ago, I doubt that they would've found anything to begin with."

Akasaka's friend: "Hahaha. Well, there's the internet for you. Don't believe everything that's on it! ....Akasaka-senpai, please don't tell me you are buying into these things....are you?"

Akasaka: "At first I had my doubts as well. But lately, I'm beginning to think that there might be some truths to some of these."

Akasaka's friend: "You, believing in UFOs? Oh come on!"

Akasaka: "Well, what if this scrapbook is indeed the real File No. 34?"

Akasaka's friend: "Huh?"

Akasaka: "This scrapbook was the one that was in Ryuguu Reina's posession at the time of the school hostage incident of June 25, 1983. It was assumed to be lost during the confusion of the Great Hinamizawa Disaster. However, Oishi's old friend was able to locate it in the evidence storage at the prefectural police headquarters."

Back then, even Oishi thought of the idea of aliens to be preposterious. ...But after reading this again after the Great Hinamizawa Disaster, some of these seem to hold vital clues.

The alien part, we can probably disregard these as bullshit. But her theory of parasitic microbes causing the symptoms seen in Hinamizawa's past, also known as "the Oyashiro-sama's Curse" is a bit intriguing. Of course, there is no proof that such microbes exist, so this still remains at the theoretical level.

Akasaka: "According to Oishi, he says that the gosanke were trying to bring back the old traditions to Hinamizawa. They were researching how to bring back an old but deadly microbe in order to uphold their power. And perhaps that the Great Hinamizawa Disaster was an experiment that went wrong."

Of course there are also information from the internet cannot be dismissed as just a theory or a myth. For example, the mysterious death of the village clinic's head doctor. And the mystery of Furude Rika's gruesomely mutilated corpse...

There was an underground research lab beneath the village clinic where Dr. Irie was forced to do microolgical research, but he gave into his own misdeeds and committed suicide. ...Furude Rika is thought to have been brutally murdered as a sacrifice for some sort of ritual ceremony.

However, their experiment went wrong. ...Instead of the microbes becoming the parasites of the villagers, they became killer viruses. And so that is how the village virtually became extinct in one night...

Akasaka: "For one thing, at least we know that this was just not a gas disaster. We cannot disregard the fact that right before the disaster, one girl did say that a bio-terrorism would occur. There's also the fact that Ms. Takano Miyo made the scrapbook as well. If the Great Hinamizawa Disaster was an unprecedented and unforeseen natural disaster, then the existence of these two are quite extraordinary. And upon reading this File No. 34 there are things written here that shouldn;t be just shoved off to the side."

Akasaka's friend: "So...the Great Hinamizawa Disaster was not a rare natural occurrence, but was in fact a bio-terrorist act by some cultists?"

In the Heisei era, everyone in Japan knew about the shocking news where a doomsday cult group had researched making sarin nerve gas and unleashed its deadly domestic terrorist acts. But in the Showa era, the idea of a single cult group being able to carry out such a terrorist act would've been scoffed at, moreso it would've never crossed the minds of anyone to start with.

Akasaka: "Some also say that the long lockdown by the SDF is actually a long research effort to uncover that killer virus...but I have my own doubts here."

Akasaka's friend: "Hahahaha. Well, at least this story sounds more credible compared to aliens and UFOs. The idea of cultists and domestic terrorism is sounds more rational in our day and age."

Akasaka: "Or perhaps maybe there really was an UFO. ...When Ryuguu Reina was taking the school hostage, one of her demands to the police was to have them pull out the wreckage of the UFO from the Onigafuchi Marsh."

Akasaka's friend: "Whatever..."

Akasaka: "Well, you can say 'whatever,' but look. We're standing on the marsh itself right now, and there is no way for us to check if there is any since it is all enclosed in concrete several meters thick. This is all due to a construction effort in which numerous geologist say that it is a futile attempt to contain volcanic gas."

Akasaka's friend: "Well then, the only way to prove Akasaka-senpai's theory is to find a single survivor of Hinamizawa and try to uncover if that person has that microbe in him or her."

Akasaka: "Sadly, that is more difficult than ever. After the Great Hinamizawa Disaster, there was a massive witch-hunt scare of people from Hinamizawa (see: burakumin). People from this area are quite mum and do not wish to disclose where they came from.

Right after the Great Hinamizawa Disaster, there were numerous reports of people who were from the Hinamizawa area that began to show erratic behavior. When these people began to show eccentricities and began to commit suicide in strange ways, there was a massive scare within Japan for people from Hinamizawa and began outcasted former residents of that area in a sort of social witch-hunt. The government was practically useless in protecting privacy at the time, so the former residents of Hinamizawa began to hide their background to prevent their own backlash. (see the manga Onisarashi-hen)

Akasaka's friend: "Then it's a dead end."

Akasaka: "Yet as a cop, it is my duty to never give up. ...There's just too much evidence that points that the Great Hinamizawa Disaster was not just a natural disaster. If I can just grab a hold of one vital evidence, just one, I think I can start reeling in the truth behind all of this."

Akasaka's friend: "Yeah, but it has been over twenty years ago. The truth might be laying somewhere very deep within the darkness."

Akasaka: "That's true. ...Even as I now stand here in the 21st century, but I don't think I'm going to find any answers here."

What happened in Hinamizawa, June of 1983?

The only factual evidence that I have is that Ms. Takano Miyo mysteriously died and she left behind a scrapbook proclaiming that a bio-terrorist attach would occur. A young girl took a school hostage shortly thereafter proclaiming the "prophecy," but no one took it seriously. The head village doctor committed suicide. The little girl whom the villagers revered as a reincarnation of the Oyashiro-sama, Furude Rika, was found gruesomely mutilated.

What is the truth behind this scrapbook? Do the contents of this scrapbook really list the attempt to unravel a huge conspiracy? Or is this just some ramblings of an eccentric mystery buff as it was brushed off back then?

If this scrapbook is true, this all would've been averted by just listening to the heeds of one girl. If this is all false, then who created this disaster like a pre-meditated scenario?

After that infamous sarin nerve gas incident, the terminology known as "mind control" which was used by the cultists came into the spotlight. In contrast to "brainwashing" which is a short-term effect which forces a person to commit certain acts, "mind control" is a long-term form which is induced upon the victim over a course of time. Over time, the victim begins to believe that what he or she must do is right and acts upon it as his or her own act. It is a form of character altercation which is far more serious than brainwashing.

The cultists induced fear and anxiety to its members through revelations of doomsday. At the same time, they are also given ways and means to salvation, which began to penetrate within them into obedience on their own recourse.

This above said formula is quite similar to how Ryuguu Reina became a puppet of the File No. 34. Then would that mean that Ryuguu Reina was a victim by someone who "mind controlled" her? And did some cultists who tried to manipulate her with mind control also try to instigate doomsday on their own to authenticate their own cause? Would that mean that this File No. 34 is some sort of religious text for such a cult?

As I fall deeper in deciphering what is real and what is not...I reset my mind to figure out if there is anyone might be laughing in amusement at this disaster. If taken that into mind, then this scrapbook is a script. It's a stage script which plays out a tragedy in which several thousand villages loses their lives in one night. It's a demon's script where they observers laugh at the deaths of human lives.

Who the hell wrote this script? And who the hell performed this? Someone was laughing while it played out.

Damn it...!! ...What the hell happened in Hinamizawa, June of 1983!!!

[kj1980]

Forgive me for my early leave from this world.

Please understand the reason why I chose to end my life on my own rather than wait for my time to come as my mind dilapidates.

Henceforth, I am able to write to you this letter. My worst fear was the inability of no being able to leave anything behind as my consciousness deteriorates by prolonging this useless life.

However, I was still unable to leave anything behind. I was unable to leave this world with any achievements or results of my own. My research was not forgotten after my death, but was forgotten while I was still alive. It hurts me deeply as I write knowing that I must pass away from this world recognizing this.

I want you to surpass your grandfather. Achieve the pinnacle where your grandfather could not.

I don't care which field you go into. But leave your name for the world to remember. If you cannot achieve this, leave a great accomplishment and result for the world.

Being a human, death will come for you as well. Being a human, a time will come where your body will be cremated into ash. It is fate that the body will turn into ash.

But if you will be able to leave behind a huge accomplishment, your name will continue to live on long after you turn into ash.

People call those whose continue to live without their body as gods.

Your grandfather wanted to become like that, but wasn't able to.

I want you to become a god.

[LostBlue]

After dinner, Satoko, Hanyuu, and I watched TV.
Amongst the Variety Programs, there was a comedian exciting the crowd. We also laughed out loud.

「Ho ho ho ho! He got exactly what he deservedー！！」

「Au-au-au, but, that seems like it hurt a lot...」
「……Miー。Nipa～☆」

From my eyes, after dinner the three of us were sitting together in this happy circle, but in reality, only the two of us, Satoko and I were there.

The only one who can see Hanyuu is me.
Satoko obviously could not.

Every time Satoko says something, Hanyuu also responds in agreement.
Of course Satoko can not hear those responses, but when Hanyuu is in a good mood, she responds often.

The situation was like, a person on TV asking questions and replying to that, it was a quasi-communication that neither will ever have.

…In other words, it was like a make believe communication between the two.
Besides myself, Hanyuu is unable to express herself to other people, so she eventually learned to play in this way.

That’s why, every time Hanyuu is with our Club, along with everyone, she laughs and gets excited with us.

……If, Hanyuu could speak with us in a normal way, would she be accepted as good friend in our group?
…Thinking of that will most likely hurt Hanyuu, so I avoided doing so.

But if all the miraculous tales passed down the Furude Family through old documents point to Hanyuu, then from ancient times, Hanyuu has to have shown her powers to quite a few number of people.

…However, now, her existence cannot be felt by anyone other than myself, let alone her supernatural powers even if setting aside the “super.”

Why Hanyuu has lost that type of power, she will not talk about.

I expect that modernization and the passage of time have lost of position of gods, thinning Hanyuu’s power and existence.

Then there was the legend, where if within the Furude Family if girls were born 7 generations straight, Oyashiro-sama will revive.

…Without doubt with my generation has brought a person Hanyuu could finally converse with.

…From humanity’s standpoint, would that be considered revival of Oyashiro-sama?

This Oyashiro-sama existence that the Villagers worship, and this existence which Hanyuu advocates, at times do not match.

From that posture she taking, laying flat on her stomach together with Satoko, resting her chin while enjoying the television, she can’t be, nope, nope.

[Sushi-Y]

When Furude Rika first learned of the existence of her family, she had no doubt that she was in a 4-person family.

The family that she naturally sees. Her father, mother, and me.

For the new-born Rika, the fact that I am an existence that can only be seen by her is probably something she never even dreamt of.

My appearance is different than that of a human being.
Even though my form is made to look human, the horns just couldn't be hidden.

That's why, no matter how much I try to smile, it's clear that I'm not one of mankind.

But if the new-born Rika sees me naturally, maybe she won't mind these ugly horns?

That faint expecation came to fruit.

Just like how a chick believes the first thing it sees to be it's parent, Rika believed that I was her family without any doubt.

Even if I have horns on my head.

That's why, from the day that Rika believed me to be her family, Rika and I became the closest buddies in the family.

For Rika, I am a playmate that's closer to her than her parents, and for me, she is the first social partner I have had in a long time, longer than I can even remember.

We always spent our time together, I think.

However, her family, especially her mother, denied my existence strongly.

Since my existence, which Rika saw as a natural member of her family, was denied so many times... Rika became distant from her mother.

Things that children should be learning from their mothers through playing was not learned by Rika.

That's why I thought that I should be her mother instead, and taught her many wisdoms and skills passed down from the past.

............Ironically though, for some reason, that only caused her mother to become even more displeased.

Speaking of which, didn't she used to fight with her mother a lot about the way she refers to herself?
The fact that Rika doesn't call herself "watashi" (feminine "I" in Japanese), but "boku" (boyish "I" in Japanese) is most likely my fault. (note: the speaker uses "boku" too)

Other than having a poor relationship with her mother, Rika was a pretty normal young girl back then.

Her personality was just like Satoko's.
An energetic young girl who loved to run about the wild mountains and pulling pranks.

...............But, in June of 1983,

...Rika was robbed of her life.

We're not asking for any more happiness than for Rika to fully enjoy and revel in her life as she grows up.
...My power is only able to search for a path that leads there.

It's true that the tragic fate couldn't be overturned no matter how many times we repeated it.

...That's certainly a sad thing, but......... after falling to the bottom of a well that you cannot climb out of, it's not a bad thing either to look for the things that you can enjoy.

It's true that Furude Rika's life is buried inside a deadend of fate, and can be described only as tragic.

But... for me to be able to stay with Rika for longer than her original lifespan, I also felt a slight happiness there.

Of course, Rika's not the only one I'm with.
Although they won't respond to my calls... It's really enjoyable to be able to stay with Satoko, Mion, and Rena and Keiichi during their activities.

Although I cannot join them, but... we were together.

[kj1980]

Criminal A: "This is the plane ticket. Don't be late. We'll split the money over there."

Criminal B: "Thanks, thanks. Here's yours Mamiyan."

Rina: "Kyahahaha, thanks! I've always wanted to go to Sapporo!"

Criminal A: "...You sure that Houjou doesn't know about this?"

Rina: "Don't worry about it, that guy is dumb like a brick. The only thing big about him is his dick and his attitude."

Criminal A: "Heh-heh-heh. Is that so?"

Then, all of a sudden, several screeches of car tires were heard nearby. The man jumped up and peeked through the curtain slit on the window.

He saw three black cars parked roughly in front of the apartment. Dozens of yakuzas started to step out of the cars. Some of these men looked up into the window. He thought that they saw him so he immediately shut the slit in the curtain.

Criminal A: "Fuck! Our shit is blown!! Spread out, run!!"

Rina: "What the--- you're serious?! Why does it have to be today!"

Criminal B: "Mamiyan, shut yer yap and let's go!! They are gonna kill us if they catch us!!"

The loud footsteps and the angry bellows of the yakuzas began to close in from the nearby emergency stairs.

[LostBlue]

To Teppei, coming to Hinamizawa agitated him with cold sweat.

For the time being, this summer or even until the year’s end, he’ll live here and obverse the situation. To Teppei who can only live at gambling dens and at amusement quarters, this Hinamizawa home was a nice retirement house.

His mistress Rina, suddenly disappeared.
On top of that, rumors has it that she stuck her hands in extremely dangerous grounds.

……He’s heard that they already caught and killed her.

The fact that he and Rina were living together was well known within this area.

That’s why, many believed he knew everything about this matter, and mistakenly believed that he has been awarded big money with something, or has done something to entangle himself with these dangerous people.

It has made his living in Okinomiya uncomfortable.
Furthermore, he despised the fact that Rina secretly planned something with other men, so he left Okinomiya.

Leaving Teppei with only Hinamizawa to return to.

Long ago, the house where he and his wife lived in, has been neglected ever since they moved in to Satoko’s home and is no longer fit to live in.

…In any case, he didn’t have the key.

However Satoko’s home is probably still being lived in even now and he would be at ease with Satoko doing all the house work. Teppei cannot cook nor did do the laundry, and naturally, he not care to.

Rina was rebellious at times, so next time if he had to live with someone, he thought about having a bitch that will obediently follow his commands like a pet, and in Teppei’s eyes, Satoko filled that exact role.

Since she’s still an immature little brat, she couldn’t satisfy his needs, but it could be quite pleasurable if she washed him.

Come to think of it, Satoko’s mom who died in that accident was quite the beauty, wasn’t she?.

If he keeps her for 4~5 years, Satoko might grow up to a beauty beyond recognition.
While thinking of those lower halves’ needs, he returned home.

The house was locked, so he thought she must be shopping wandering around the shopping district, so went to find her, and forcefully brought her back.

Once the door opened, it was filled with dust.
It seems this past year, she’s been sleeping over at her friend’s place, and left the house as is.

Teppei selfishly blew up in anger.
He yelled at her, saying that it was her job to tend to the care of the house while he was away.

He hit her and kicked her, and she rolled across the floor.

……As he did this, Satoko’s face, returned to the one Teppei well remembers back in 1982.

Satoko without making any complaints became obedient, and he ordered her to first clean the house.

His new place, and his new girl.
This new life, may have agitated him with cold sweat, but has started off quite well.

As Teppei’s mood was well, he wanted to show off, and called his friends to play mahjong. He wanted to show off his new pet, who brought him Sake and snacks.

He told her, since she was a pet, to walk on all fours, but she refused.
But, as soon as he made motion to hit her, she readily obeyed.
Everyone laughed, and said they were envious. He was in a good mood.

But, Teppei’s good humor was soon pinched.

「My name is Chie from the Okinomiya School District…! Is Hojou Satoko-san there?」

He first thought it was insurance, or some type of annoying sells call, but it was a young women on a visitation notice. On top of that, she introduced herself as a school teacher.

「Agh? Who the hell are you? Why the fuck do you want to see Satoko?」
「Today, Hojou-san was absent from school, however, I did not receive any calls from her, so I came to visit her as I thought something might have happened.」

「Aaagh…？ Schooooool…？」
「Yes. Is Satok-chan here? I would like to speak with her for a little bit.」

「Aagh, …she has a cold, yes yes. …Satoko has broken out with a fever with a cold.」
「I would like to give her some handouts, is it possible to speak with her for a little bit?」

「You moron. Did you not hear what I fucking said? Satoko has a cold! She groaning in pain!! How could I let you see her, damn idiot!!」

Inside, he knew this was troublesome.

To Teppei, Satoko was neither more or less than a pet, and the concept that that she had to go to school was absent to begin with.

Moreover, he didn’t except for a teacher to push her way to the house just because she was absent for a day. His discomfort was extreme.

Teppei hated those fuckers, the school and teachers who acted so importantly.

「I see… Will she be coming to school tomorrow?」
「The hell would I know！！　Obviously, we won’t know until tomorrow！！ You shit-for-brains！！」

「……………………Is,…is that so. …I understand. Then, give my greetings to Satoko-chan…… Excuse me…」

For now, he was able to chase her away, but it seems quite troublesome if he doesn’t let Satoko go to school

Teppei only plans to live here for a short while, so he wanted to avoid needless trouble.

Meaning, from now on, he can’t simply hit Satoko anymore.
Violence is Teppei’s greatest form of communication. With that forbidden, has made without a doubt made him displeased.

With his displeasure increasing, he wanted even more so to let his anger on Satoko, but if he hit her, it would surely leave a bruise.

If she is bruised, then he can’t let her go to school

If she doesn’t go to school, then that bitch teacher will come again. ………Shit.

Furthermore, that night the Child Service Centre came.

……No doubt that bitch teacher reported it.
That bitch, next time he sees her, he’ll rip that face so that even her own parents won’t recognize her…！！

Pretending that he mend his relationship with Satoko which probably scared Satoko into willingly act friendly and she had a cold.

…With just yesterday and today, would someone submit this easily from a little threatening?

Teppei once again reconfirmed what a convenient pet Satoko was, at the same time ……the Child Service Centre glaring at him, he felt that from now on, things will become difficult…

「…AAGH, damn it, what’s up with this！！」

[Sushi-Y]

No.
____ [Year] __ [Month] __ [Day] (___)

Subject ___ Houjou Satok-san's case
Visitor ____ Maebara Keiichi, 4 others (Relationship: Friends)

・ There has been a claim stating that since Houjou Satoko-san is being abused by her uncle, she should be placed under temporary protection. (Already being dealt with?)

・ The fridge is going to be cleaned, please clean out all personal items before today evening.

[LostBlue]

Teppei thought, Satoko would have a bit more money.

But in reality, Satoko didn’t have a dime.
When asked how she lived up to now, she answered she was in care of her friend, so she didn’t need money of her own.

Teppei had some bad money he made from gambling.

For the time being, he had a bit saved up so there was no problem, but to Teppei that money was for his gambling and pleasure, not to spent on living expenses making him displeased to the extreme.

But, there no way for Satoko to have no money. Teppei thought so.

Teppei’s wife, in other words Satoko’s aunt, must have taken the deposit book which contained considerable amount of money from Satoko’s parents who have died in an accident.

That aunt died last year, and Satoshi has also disappeared.

Meaning, as the remaining member, Satoko must have that bankbook.

But, no many how many times he threaten Satoko, she repeated that she’s never received anything like that.

Definitely, he thought it must be hidden somewhere, so Teppei interrogated Satoko until he was convinced. If he hurt Satoko, bruises will remain, and that bitch teacher or the Child Service Centre will become suspicious.

That’s why he didn’t hit Satoko.

He slammed her with words and insults, and frighten her by hitting and destroying objects or furniture.

This type of intimidation was, of course, something Teppei was good at.

But, Satoko kept hysterically answering she didn’t know, so it really seemed true that she didn’t have it.

With Satoko acting like a small frighten animal after Teppei completely destroyed the living room, he finally become convinced.

……Then, where is the bankbook? Two ideas came to Teppei.

First, is the Aunt stashed it somewhere like a secret savings, and it still remains hidden there.
The other, is after the Aunt died, Satoshi stole it, and again hid is somewhere.

In either case, he concluded that it was hidden somewhere in this house.

Ordering Satoko to clean up the room be ravaged, Teppei began to prowl inside this not too small two story house.

……Certainly, by this time, Teppei began to feel the Satoko was too much trouble.

The floating rumor was, Satoko’s parents must have left quite amount of money.

And the Aunt selfishly hoarded it all.

Since she was a miser, like a dog who brought anything home and stashed it away faithfully, probably, the bankbook was still left completely untouched.

If he can get his hands on the collected money, he started to think it wouldn’t be bad moving to a different place. He had some connections with the gambling dens near the granaries.

There were still had to be people he took care of that still owed him.
Perhaps he’ll stay with them asking to return his favor. They will at least lend him a place to sleep.

Certainly it was easy having Satoko doing all the housework, but being watched by the school and the Child Service Centre, undeniably made him anxious.

To Teppei who recognized that he is a cluster of violence, from here on out, he knew there is no grantee that he will not raise his hand on Satoko.

…As he thought about this more, he became driven by the impulse of wanting to strike defenseless Satoko full hardly.

To Teppei who only knew the joy of submitting a target who resisted, he wanted to see how far he can abuse Satoko before she started to resist, as his last joy here.

His displeasure still remained since Chie’s visit, and before he knew it, the rule of senselessly wrecking Satoko before he left was made within Teppei ……