playerprophet

"Wh... what...?!"

"Look away, Kawara. Looking will only hurt you."

"Ah... aah..."

A raid siren sounds.

Alarm

"Emergency Alert.
Emergency Alert."
"We have entered a state of emergency.
All students please evacuate to the gymnasium."
"Repeat, we have entered..."

"Coo, coo!"
(What is happening? Why is everything red?!)

"I don't know..."

"Bah! Until we know what's going on, there is nothing to do but follow instructions."
"What are you spacing out for, Kawara! Come on."

"N-no...
I-I don't want to leave Hiyoko here alone..."

"Get up! She's gone!
That thing... is no longer Tosaka!"

"It... can't be..."

"Come!"

By the time we arrived, the gym was already crowded with students and teachers.
No one seems to know what's going on, though.
The gym echoes with whispered speculation.

Student

"Hey, did you see the box?"

Student

"Yeah. You had... that... too?"

Student

"Yup. Well... the class rep opened it and I couldn't see, but...
Apparently there was a humans' arm in it."

Student

"Ours had half a leg. It was really gross..."

From the snatches of conversation I hear, it sounds like all the print boxes had pieces of a human corpse in them.
Were they all pieces of Hiyoko, I wonder...?
Nobirdie seems particularly concerned.
Which isn't all that odd: it was grotesque, but it's not like it was a dead bird.
Just some primate...

"Nanaki. This isn't some idiotic disaster drill, is it?"

"We're not supposed to have one until next month."

"Do you suppose it has something to do with that distasteful box?
That was definitely Tosaka's..."
"Bah! Won't someone explain this ridiculous state of affairs already?!"

Yeah.
Someone, tell me what's going on.
This is a bad dream, right?
Someone wake me up... someone...

The sirens stop, and then...

"Is everyone here?
This is Ichijou Mino, the headmaster."

"The headmaster...?"

"It seems we have all gathered together without panic or noise.
Excellent."
"Unfortunately, there has been a natural disaster outside.
This school is a designated evacuation site, so please remain here a little longer."

"Natural disaster? Nonsense.
The weather is perfectly clear."

"Coo!"
(Okosan felt no earthquakes!)

"It's not like we're anywhere near a volcano or anything..."

"I demand an explanation, headmaster!
Just what is going on outside?!"
"Does this have something to do with Tosaka Hiyoko?!"
"Why have you brought us here?!"

"I repeat.
There has been a-"

"No, imbecile!"

The monitor fuzzes and blinks out faster than I could catch images.

The gymnasium erupts in whispered discussion once more.
Well, that changed nothing.
I still have no idea what's going on...

"Are you alright, Kawara?"

"...no, um... yes, I am."

"...this could prove to be a very bad day for us all."

Could prove to be?
It already is.

"Coooo!"
(Mister Nanaki! Hiyoko is missing!)
"Coo!"
(She must have run off somewhere!
Okosan will go look for her!)

"San, no, she's..."
"..."

San is an older breed, much closer to the pigeons of the human era.
Maybe he doesn't understand the concept of death...
Trying to explain would only hurt myself.

"The headmaster has proven entirely unhelpful. What should we do, Nanaki?"

"Well, we can't exactly carry on with class..."

"...I agree with San.
Let's go get Hiyoko."

"Calm yourself, Kawara! To relinquish your sanity during a state of emergency is suicide!"

"I'm fine.
There's nothing wrong with me."
"Sir, we can't just leave her there like that.
May I go back to the classroom, just once?"

"Well... the principal did ask us to remain here. But he didn't say we couldn't leave the gym, now did he?"

"..."

"I'm coming with you. As president of the student council, I have a responsibility to get to the bottom of this."

"...thanks, Sakuya."

"Do not flatter yourself. I am not doing this for you."
"Tosaka was foolish, loud, and had no manners or sense."
"But she never deserved anything like this."
"I swear, by my blood and my name as a Le Bel...
I will find the one who did this."
"You shall be my assistant. Come, Kawara."

"...right."

And so I exited the gymnasium in Sakuya's majestic wake.
I want to...
I want to know what happened to Hiyoko.
Who did that to her, and why?
Can the evacuation possibly have nothing to do with her?
Why wouldn't the headmaster explain anything?
My head was a raging whirlpool of questions, and no answers.
And I did not yet know what I would find...

"...what is this?"

"A wall.
A huge, grey..."

What had been a clear autumn sky is now blocked off by dull grey.
It's dark, almost like the sun has already gone down.

"A dome, rather... we appear to be shut in from above, as well."

"What... when did they do this, and how...?!"

"I don't think any of us was in full command of his faculties as we came this way. We can't be certain that it wasn't already here."
"...it does seem most likely that it was put in place while we all were in the gymnasium listening to the headmaster, though."

"He did say there was a natural disaster... Maybe this is some sort of shield?"

"A disaster so destructive there's nothing to be done but hide under an enormous grey blanket and wait?"

"Maybe they... didn't give the headmaster the details, to avoid causing a panic...?"

"If that were the case, they would be robbing us of our right to know why our very lives are in danger."
"Is this really a shelter...?
Is there really a natural disaster?"

"Either way, we don't know if there's a connection between what happened to Hiyoko and all of this.
Let's go to the classroom and then tell Mister Nanaki about the dome thing."

"Very well."

"Looks like the other classes left theirs as they were, as well. They're at the teachers' desks."

"Is everybirdie else planning to stay in the gym...?"

"Japan is a country full of fools who have grown lazy through too much peace. I doubt anyone else has dared take it upon themselves to investigate this matter."
"...we're here."

The box is still where I left it.
Inside is-

"...I can't... Sakuya, I'm sorry, could you...?"

"Hmph. No matter."

Sakuya is so good to Ryouta.

"..."
"...what is this madness?"

"Huh?"

"There's...
nothing here."

"?!"

"Th-that can't be right! We left it right here!
It's not like it got up and moved on its own, is it?!"

"Someone came and removed it while everyone was in the gym?
This is life, not some third-rate mystery novel!"

???

"Exactly, Sakuya."

"Yuuya!"

"Salut, Ryouta. I see you're babysitting Sakuya."

"Do not throw my name about like some cheap toy, mongrel."

I suspect here Sakuya's referring to the way Yuuya talks to him, as though they're very familiar. Depending on how well you know a person, you can refer to them in Japanese in a different way. If you're very formal, you refer to someone by their last time. For example, Sakuya almost always calls Hiyoko "Tosaka", same with Nanaki. The next most-familiar would be to refer to them with a suffix, like Hiyoko-chan or Ryouta-kun. Unfortunately, this translation has not kept these in place to help measure their relationships with each other. When you're exceptionally familiar and intimate with someone though, you don't use any suffix and can refer to someone simply by their first name, which I assume is what Yuuya is doing here.

Of course, that Sakuya never refers to Yuuya by his name at all is also pretty sad.

"How cruel! Well, I can't blame you for being tense, given the circumstances."

...I think he'd act like that regardless of the circumstances, Yuuya.

"I am... sorry, about her.
It pains me to think what happened."

His expression clouds.
It's strange. I've never seen him with any expression other than carefree cheerfulness before.

"You'd known her for a long time, right?"

"...yes.
Do you know something about all this, Yuuya?"

"Well... most of this business is still a mystery to me, but I can at least answer the question we face right now."

"The whereabouts of the corpse, you mean?"

"Yeah, that.
As you said, this isn't some third-rate mystery novel."
"Corpses don't disappear, and we won't be having a famous detective show up and find the culprit for us."
"Anyway, the other infirmary assistants and I gathered her up at the chemistry lab."

"The chemistry lab?"

"Wh-what for?"

"For one, well... we couldn't just leave her scattered throughout the school, if only for the mental health of the students."
"Secondly, for the autopsy."
"As you know, we have two things going on at once here.
The only human in the school was cut up and distributed to the rest of the school, and now there's some natural disaster happening."
"I imagine you're wondering if there isn't a connection between the two."

"We are, but... we haven't found anything."

"What do you know?"

"I told you, this is all a mystery to me, too."
"I suspect that we will have an easier time investigating the murder as long as we're sealed in like this, though."
"The Doctor should be proceeding with the autopsy by now."

"The Doctor? Why him?!"

"You don't trust him?"

"Of course not! I-I don't want to think about what he might do to her...!"
"He might even have..."

Finally Ryouta says what everyone's thinking.

"Hrrm. You suspect the Doctor?"

"Y-yes! Everybirdie knows he's a nutcase! He probably killed her for some crazy experiment..."

"He is an expert in the field.
Who else here could perform the autopsy?"

"But..."

"I know where you're coming from, Ryouta. He's not exactly the most ethically-minded bird around."
"That's why I asked professor Nanaki to come, too. He should be there by now, if you want to go make sure."

"...all right. We'll go later."

So Hiyoko has been gathered in the chemistry lab, and the Doctor and Mister Nanaki are examining her now.
Mister Nanaki might not be the best witness, but he's better than no one, right...?

"We know where the corpse went, then. But why are you here?"

"Me?
I'm investigating. Under my own orders, of course."

"Playing detective, mongrel?"

"That and I have to make sure we didn't miss any pieces."
"Anyway, what are you two going to do now?"
"Personally, I think...
The murder and the evacuation are almost certainly connected."

"I am inclined to agree. The headmaster's refusal to explain the situation makes me doubt his story in its entirety."

"Indeed. So, Ryouta..."

"Y-yeah?"

"I know how you feel. You want to find the one who did this to Hiyoko as soon as possible, right?"

"...yes."

The screen goes black, as it did for Ryouta's earlier inner monologue.

Hiyoko.
Gone for a moment, and suddenly she was turned into this.
Who did that to her?
I'll find them and I'll-

"I'm going to find the culprit, and I'll... I'll..."

I've never felt this emotion before, but now I feel nothing else.
When I find that bird, I'll...

"..."

"My thoughts exactly.
Unfortunately, this school is a mess, and we won't find anything by chasing after her shadow."
"I think we should try to solve both mysteries at once, whenever possible.
Of course, the wall could just be there because of some natural disaster."
"That's about all I have to say."

"Hmph. We didn't need your advice from the start.
You're nothing but talk anyway, mongrel."

"...thanks, Yuuya.
We'll do our best to help."

"Oh, one other thing!"
"You might want to talk to One, in the maintenance office. Tell him I sent you."

"You mean that antisocial cockatiel dandy everybody hates?"

"Yup, him.
Don't worry, he's a good guy."
"He'll be able to help you, and you might find something useful in there."
"Well, that's it for the talky mongrel. Adieu!"

He saunters off toward the staircase.

"What a dreadfully obnoxious man.
I thought he'd never shut up."

"He gave us some good advice, right? We should be grateful."
"Anyway, I don't think we'll find anything else here."

"Indeed.
Hmm... where should we head next?"
"I doubt we would go amiss by visiting the lab, the maintenance office, or by investigating the wall outside."

"Right."

Let's go to the office first.
Maybe this One guy will be able to help us.

"The maintenance office... in other words, the repairman's shop?
I doubt we will find anything useful there."

"Yuuya said to go, right?"

"I doubt the integrity of his advice."

"Jeez, is that anything to say about your own brother? You should be nicer to your family."

The screen shakes.

"My family?!"
"Do you mock me?!
That filthy-blooded mongrel is no relation to me!"

"Woah, calm down."

I guess his elitism is still running business as usual.
We don't have time to waste. We should hurry.

"The maintenance room is... in the corner of the main building, on the ground floor, right?"

The screen fades to black and the music fades with it. There's a knocking sound before we open back up to the... Janitor's closet?

In Japan it's more like a... Janitor's apartment.

"Excuse us!"

"What is this? This doesn't look very educational."

"The handyman pretty much lives here, I think."

"...a dove. And one more."

One is a very glamorous man in a very unglamorous job, but at least students clean their own classrooms in Japan. Take a look at some official art

"Mister One! Hello!"

"What are you doing here? Didn't you hear the alarm?"

"I'm Ryouta and this is Sakuya.
We got permission from our teacher to investigate the building."

"Didn't YOU hear the alarm?"

"No panic, no noise... and no leaving. That's what I do here."

"W-whoa, somehow he seems really cool...!"

"You mean you're too lazy to go to the gymnasium?"

"Don't worry about me. You two go and find your class there."

"No, we're not-"

"Do you mean to interfere with us?
Wretched fool!"

"Umm, Yuuya said we should ask you for help..."

"Sakazaki Yuuya?"

"Yes, him.
We decided to honor his request by coming all the way over here."
"Do you intend to stop us now?"

"Sakuya, where the heck are your manners?!"

Ryouta is adorable because he says 'heck'.

"Uh, sorry... he transferred from overseas and his Japanese isn't too great."

"He certainly has more bark than I imagine he has bite.
Very well, come in."

The door closes.

"What did you say you gentlemen were investigating?"

"Two things.
The murder of Tosaka Hiyoko, and the mysterious wall outside."

"You've been in here the whole time, right?
Do you know what he's talking about?"

"Yes, I got an idea of it from Mister Sakazaki."

"In other words, you know only what you have heard from that mongrel.
Useless!"

"I know plenty about the school itself, though.
My job is to take care of the entire campus."

"Maybe you know what the big grey wall outside is, then?"

"Nope."

The screen shakes.

"Useless wretch!"

"Sakuya, calm down!"
"Though... I'm not sure there's anything we can learn here right now..."
"Oh, wait!
Mister One, could we use your computer? Maybe we can find out what's going on outside!"

"Sadly not.
Everything's been cut off since this morning."

"Even the telephone wires, eh.
This is too thorough."

"I can't think of any reason why they'd need to cut communication systems off if it were some sort of storm protection."

"This has been a wild goose chase, then. A complete waste of time.
Let us go, Kawara."

"Wait. I have a bright and massive piece of advice for you."

"Bright and Massive?"

What?

"If you get stuck, try the headmaster's office."
"I've been almost everywhere in this school, but never there.
You might be able to find something out about the wall if you check in there."

"Of course! The headmaster did not speak to us in person in the gym.
If he was broadcasting from his office-"

"-then he might still be in there!"

Asking him certainly seems like the best way to get some solid information.
We should try that.

"If you need a break later on, feel free to come back here and rest.
Anyone Mister Sakazaki sent is trustworthy."
"I'll get you some notes.
If you find anything, you can come write it down.
You never know what could happen in a situation like this, and you don't want to forget anything."

TIPS

About saving:
Unlike in the Otome route, BBL only lets you save at certain locations.
You may only save in between chapters, and in the maintenance office, so be careful.

Well, I forgot to save a lot anyway. This is probably for the best.

Will do!

"Thank you, Mister One!"

We can come back here later.
For now...
We should check the lab, or the wall.
After those two we can try the headmaster's office.

Whatever's going on at the wall isn't going to be as fun as Shuu and Nanaki in a room being passive-aggressive at each other.

Ryouta knocks on the door before entering, because he's a good boy.

"Excuse us!"

It's always been one of the gloomier parts of the school, but today the lab is downright depressing.

"Hello, Kawara."

"Sir, thank you...
for being with Hiyoko now."

"Of course.
Sakazaki came and asked me to come right after you two left the gym."

"He must have gone past us. How unfortunate..."

The Doctor is lining the pieces of Hiyoko up on one of the lab benches.

"..."

"Must you glower at me so, Mister Kawara?"

"I'm not glowering at you."

"Do you disapprove of me handling her?"

He gives me an evil smile.

You fucker.

"...no, that's not it."

I just wish we had a doctor that wasn't this malicious.

"Are you finding anything, Doctor Iwamine?"

"Not yet, no.
I only just finished assembling her."
"It will take some time...
I will send word to you when I've finished."
"Perhaps you have something else to do while you wait?"

"Very well. We shall not interfere."
"Come, Kawara."

"...right."

"Oh, Mister Kawara. A moment, please."

"Yes?"

"Mmm... allow me to give you a hint."

"A hint?"

"You suspect me of foul play, do you not?
In light of that, I shall leave it up to you whether you decide to believe me or not."
"Anyway, I think you have missed something very important."

"...?"

"One might say that you have forgotten something."

The music fades.

"Perhaps you should bear that in mind, hmm?"
"You're just a little bit off. But, I'm sure you'll find the answer yourself if you keep looking."
"Hohoho... isn't it beautiful, Mister Kawara?
The sound of your life crumbling apart around you."

"..."

"I take it it does not suit your tastes. Very well.
He was rather fond of the unusual, himself...
a pity."

He...?

"Well, then. You can handle the outside investigation, and I, the... internal. Hohoho.
Good luck, Mister Kawara."

"Right... thanks, Doctor."

The screen goes black.

He's definitely enjoying himself.
What a psycho...
What did he mean when he said I was missing something?
Or maybe he was just trying to lead me astray...
Better not to worry about it for the time being.

"What were you talking to Kawara about, Doctor?"

"Nothing important. I was just giving him a little emotional support, and encouragement."

"I see...
That's good then."
"I'm sure you'll remember not to cause any trouble for my students, Doctor."

We step outside once more.
The grey dome remains, blocking out the morning sky.

"Hmm... Let's go get a closer look at it. We can't see much from over here."

"Indeed."

"..."
"Iron, maybe...? It's quite firm, at any rate."

"Maybe it is some sort of shelter..."
"Hmm, my phone's out of range.
Maybe this wall is blocking the signal...?"

"That seems likely."

There's some sounds as Sakuya smacks it.

"...it sounds thick, and dense.
Trying to break a hole in it would not be practical."

"Maybe there's an emergency exit or something?"

"We should check.
We still don't know whether or not we are completely sealed in, after all."

"Right. Let's walk around the perimeter."

Look at you boys, sleuthing, like buddy cops.

"Doesn't look like there are any doors or anything..."

"Indeed, it appears to be identical all the way around.
Do you suppose it is ventilated?
I can't say I fancy the prospect of suffocating under this thing without even knowing why it's here."

"I'd think an emergency shelter would have some sort of airflow built in, yeah..."

If not, then... we're in deep trouble.

"Hrrm."

"What are you looking at?"

"Up there. Is that some sort of hatchway?"

He points upwards.

"Ah!"

He's right. About twenty metres up, there's a joint or something of a different color.

"That does look like it might lead outside. Let's go look."

The screen fades to black, and we hear the fluttering of wings as our boys presumably fly up to take a gander. (See what I did there.)

"...I don't see any sort of latch. Can we open it by hand?"

"Hmm... yeah, maybe there's a switch or something somewhere."

"It does not seem like we can do anything here now. Let us remember its location and return here later."

"I don't like to think about it, but...
if there really is such a terrible disaster out there that this is the only option, maybe it would be better to leave it shut, anyway."

"Indeed. Let us move on."

The screen goes black.

We still don't know what's going on outside...
I've got enough on my mind just thinking about Hiyoko, but...
I'm worried about my family outside, too.

"I hope my mother's okay."

"I suppose we've finished the first stage of the investigation now."

"Yeah. We've got a better idea of the situation... I guess."

The Doctor's working in the lab,
the grey dome covers the whole school save for some small hatch,
and we can use the maintenance office as a base.

"Mister One did say..."

"Indeed, he suggested we visit the headmaster's office."

"Yeah. It's on the first floor.
Let's go."

Ryouta knocks on the door.

"Headmaster! Sir!"

"Are you within?
We demand entry!"

Rude even to the headmaster?
I wonder if the Doctor is the only person in the entire school he actually respects...

"No reply. Let's go in."

"Wait, Sakuya, that's-"

There's a sound effect as Sakuya tries the door.

"...hrrm."

"It's locked...?"

"Bah! Where is that old geezer?"

"Maybe he's pretending to be out so we'll go away?"

"Indeed... he never was the type to walk about the campus.
Or perhaps he has locked the door from the inside and he plans to stay inside until the siege lets up."