- Aria: Aaaah... yeah...
- Aria: To make a long story short...
- Aria: Five is actually a monster.
- Aria: See, without my disguise on, she's really just a little monster.
- Meimona: A human disguise!? What the heck!
- Aria: P-please understand!
- Aria: There's no way she could've passed through everything safely otherwise...
- Meimona: Yeah, right! My gosh!
- Meimona: Kaji would undo everything we've worked for if he knew you smuggled some monster kid in!
- Meimona: Good foresight on the disguise, I guess...
- Meimona: Even though I don't get why you brought her here in the first place!
- Aria: Oh, now that'd be a doubly long story...
- Meimona: Lady, tell me, are there any more surprises here that I should prepare my maidenly heart for!?
- Aria: W-well, this would be the biggest one of all! Nothing else I can think of.
- Aria: You've safely crossed the worst hurdle, h-hooray...!
- Meimona: Whew, then... let me just confirm one thing.
- Meimona: So you guys all pretty much met in the monster world?
- Meimona: You, Reed, Nino, and Five...?
- Five: Yeah!
- Meimona: Wahahahahahah! That's crazy!
- Meimona: What's this, almost none of you were in the right place!
- Five: Is it not okay if Five is a monster, Mei...?
- Five: If it's bad, then Five can pretend to not be monster again!
- Five: But... Five doesn't like lying.
- Meimona: Ehh, uhhh... I mean...
- Meimona: It's okay, probably! I think I kinda get it now!
- Meimona: It's not bad to be a monster, Five.
- Meimona: It's just that, humans here are suuuuch scaredy cats...
- Meimona: They would get reaaally spooked if they saw a monster.
- Meimona: Even though Five's a harmless little thing!
Nino: Not bad, not bad. So how and when did you figure it out?
Five: Hey! Nino remembered something! Admittedly, it's one relatively minor detail about Five's identity, but it's gotta count for something!
- Five: Nino remembers Five now?
- Nino: ...Um...
- Nino: Not at all, sorry.
- Nino: I just... somehow knew that you were a monster.
- Nino: But I don't remember our meeting, or what I promised you.
- Five: ...Auuuh...
- Aria: Gee, you're so brutally honest.
- Nino: Sorry! I don't want to lie to a kid, okay!?
- Nino: It's weird, it's like I knew this one thing as a fact.
- Nino: But other than that...
- Nino: There's nothing in my memories about either of you.
- Aria: Then, we'll just talk about ourselves some more!
- Aria: Five, what did you mean when you said you were hurt?
- Aria: Who or what was it that hurt you?
- Aria: That would be what you healed her from...
- Nino: Oh... I guess so.
- Nino: But my ability just heals wounds and stuff.
- Nino: Were you hurt like that, Five?
- Five: Umm...
- Five: No one did anything to Five.
- Five: Five was just... transforming.
- Nino: What does that mean?
- Five: Five... doesn't know a lot about transformation.
- Five: Five only knows... transforming, is... painful.
- Five: There was a lot of pain, everywhere.
- Five: But Nino made the pain go away!
- Five: Nino is good! Nino really helped Five!
- Meimona: Uhmmm, woah.....
- Meimona: Why was poor little Five going through this painful thing?
- Meimona: There has to be a reason, even if it's not something someone did to you!
- Five: Reason... Five knows why.
- Five: Transformation... is for weak monsters.
Five: Recall.
- Five: Because Five is a weak monster...
- Five: Weak monsters... must transform, to not be useless.
- Five: But, it hurt.
- Five: It hurt so much.
- Five: And Five didn't want it anymore.
- Five: Five really didn't want it, but Five also can't stay weak.
- Five: If Five is weak, then...
- Five: Five will lose Five's friends.
- Five: So... Five wanted to be strong, too.
- Five: But it really, really hurt...
- Aria: Ah... it's okay, Five, you're okay now.
- Aria: Nothing will hurt you here!
- Nino: You don't need to recount that if, it's difficult...
- Nino: It sounds a bit too much to force out.
- Meimona: Yeah, no need to think about something that makes you so sad!
- Aria: We won't leave you, Five, no matter what.
- Five: ...Yeah... it's... all okay now!
- Five: If Five is with Five's friends, then everything is okay!
- Aria: That's right!
- Meimona: Let's try picking this up on a lighter note instead!
- Meimona: Five, what about after Nino healed you? What happened then?
- Five: Ummm...
Five: Retell.
- Five: Five... told Nino about friend.
- Five: Then Nino promised to take Five home!
- Five: And then Nino and Five met doggy!
- Five: Then Nino and Five and doggy met Aria!
- Five: Then Aria met Reed!
- Five: Then, umm... Aria and Reed took Five here!
- Five: Then Five met Mei! Mei is really funny!
- Five: And there's Mei's funny cat, too!
- Five: And now, Five is with everyone... and everyone is with Five!
- Five: And everything is really fun now! Because being with everyone is fun!
- Five: So now...
- Five: Everyone understands everything?
- Nino: ...Errr...
- Meimona: ...Yeah!
- Aria: Totally...!
- Nino: (Sounds like a lot of details were skipped somehow...)
- Meimona: (Sorry, Nino, that wasn't as helpful as I thought it'd be.)
- Aria: (I-it sure is a nice condensed version of events, haha...!)
- Aria: (But, um, does it maybe still remind you of anything, Nino?)
- Nino: (Uh... of course not.)
- Aria: (Right, huh... )
None of this really rings a bell.
What's even more unhelpful than Aria's recounting of unfamiliar events, is a recounting of unfamiliar events done through the words of a child.
Still, it sounds like this poor kid has suffered a lot.
Although you all want to know more, you're not too keen on making her recall painful times. There should be some better approach to getting information here...
Ludwig: Reminisce on the portrait of Ludwig capturing only a ghost of your goodness.
However, that is not you in the painting.
If you must know how you can tell that this is not a painting of yourself, it is because the depiction is lacking. Indeed, it is no match for your ghastly yet dignified self, and your distinguished, wonderous gait, is not at all pictured.
Thus, this is merely just another one of your kind. A generic, nameless wolfhound.
Bah. You are not fond of this fellow. He is a shameful one.
You do not associate with your kind anymore, for they bring nothing but shame.
Like every wolfhound, you are quite loyal to your master. But unlike the rest, you do not attack anyone unprovoked.
Long ago, on a fiery battlefield, you witnessed how your kind terrorize helpless humans, all because of their masters' orders. And so, you deserted that field alone, despite all the scorn from your kin.
Ludwig: After all, the only master you'll accept is a fair one.
Ludwig's kind come in many sizes and shapes, but only in two colors:
Stark white and pitch black.
These are rimehounds that dwell in snows, and wolfhounds that dwell in forests.
Having tried the cold weather here... it is unpleasant.
You find rimehounds even more difficult to understand after this experience.
Also, white is frankly such a dull color, you daresay.
It is nowhere as intimidating as your beautiful vantablack shadowy self, indeed.
Ludwig: Also shadily sneak and listen to the peoples.
One could choose to join the jubilant group where master is, surrounding the little monster child, or one could choose to stand guard by the human who smells of metal.
A difficult choice, indeed.
But you see, master has taught you that loneliness is most unpleasant. Therefore, you will keep the lone one's company for the time being.
Master will surely be proud.
She has grown fond of this one, after all.
Reed: So, how's "Headquarters" over there?
- E1dolon: HEY bro!
- E1dolon: Guess what I'm doin!?
- Reed: Hello. Don't freak out.
- E1dolon: Wut?
- Reed: I'm asking preemptively.
- Reed: Got a question unrelated to the walls of text you destroyed my phone with.
- E1dolon: What the heck, you didn't even read what I said?
- Reed: I don't have time to respond to every bit of it.
- E1dolon: Ha, you're so lazy!
- E1dolon: ...Or you just don't care...
- Reed: No, that's not it...
- E1dolon: You didn't even try to guess what I'm doin'.
- E1dolon: So you really don't care dude.
- Reed: Hey, don't be upset.
- E1dolon: Psh, I'm not mad!
- E1dolon: Whatever, dumbo, I don't care if you don't!
- Reed: Okay, uh, fine... I'll humor you.
- Reed: What are you doing over there?
- E1dolon: Nooo I said you gotta guess!
- Reed: Aaaalright. Fine. No problem.
- Reed: I hear clicking...
- Reed: You're on a computer?
- E1dolon: Heheeeeeeyeah you betcha!
- Reed: Uh, that doesn't narrow it down, actually.
- Reed: Which computer is this?
- E1dolon: Definitely not one of the shitty work ones, that's for sure.
- Reed: Oh, so you're not doing homework.
- Reed: Even though it would be good if you were.
- E1dolon: Whoa, hell no, are you kidding me!?
- E1dolon: This is muuuch better than that mindless crap!
- Reed: Mindless?
- Reed: Wait, are you just...
- Reed: ...Gaming right now?
- E1dolon: BINGOOOOOO!
E1dolon: GAME ON
- E1dolon: Dude you have no idea how much butt I'm kicking!
- E1dolon: If Galactic Princess Simulator had a butt kicking counter that shit would be overflowing like crazy.
- E1dolon: Kick butts so hard the buttkicking counts in the freaking negatives!
- Reed: Seriously...
- Reed: You've got all the free time in the world, huh.
- E1dolon: If only I had a good team tho.
- E1dolon: Everybody else is, like, braindead.
- E1dolon: Or aged in the single-digits-years-old range.
- E1dolon: Like, man...
- E1dolon: If only the best teammate ever wasn't outta service, huh?
- E1dolon: Am I right bro???
- Reed: I have no idea what you're on about.
- E1dolon: Uuugh, Reed, I'm saying...
- E1dolon: You need to get the fuck in here!
- E1dolon: We'll tear 'em a new one together!
- Reed: Oh. No.
- Reed: Wait, I mean... yes, but no.
- Reed: Yes, as in later, but no, as in not soon.
- E1dolon: Aw c'mon! Why not!? Did you get lost out there?
- E1dolon: Heheh, forgot that you literally got a map built into you or something?
- E1dolon: If you hurry up, you can probably make it before this round ends bro!
- Reed: Uh, god.
- Reed: It's not that easy.
- E1dolon: Uhhh... so you're not lost?
- E1dolon: Did you forget the house key??
- Reed: No. Those are things that would happen to you only.
- E1dolon: Whoa, that's not true!
- E1dolon: I haven't lost the new spare yet!
- Reed: "Yet"?
- E1dolon: I mean... you never know, right?
- E1dolon: Just accounting for all possibilities.
- E1dolon: But I'm good with it now! Won't lose it if it has my fave keychain.
- Reed: Jeez...
- Reed: Look, I'm just in a pretty tough spot out here.
- Reed: And so... there's something I need to ask.
- Reed: But don't freak out when you hear it.
- E1dolon: Uhhh... mmm'kay.
- E1dolon: What's up with you?
- Reed: Ok. So.
- Reed: Hypothetically speaking.
- Reed: Is there enough food to last you for two days at home?
- Reed: Again, just hypothetically speaking.
- Reed: Not like I'll be gone that long, but you know.
- Reed: This is just in case.
- Reed: So-
- E1dolon: WHAT THE HELL BRO.
E1dolon: Freak out.
- Reed: Damn it.
- Reed: I said don't freak out.
- E1dolon: There's NOTHING here.
- E1dolon: You know what I've been eating? NOTHING!
- Reed: There's fucking fresh produce in the fridge.
- Reed: And I think we haven't run out of juice yet.
- E1dolon: Yeah? That's a big load of NOTHING.
- E1dolon: Now I MAY have to crack open ONE emergency instant noodles cup...
- E1dolon: And I only have ONE left that I was saving for a SPECIAL day...
- E1dolon: But there is NOTHING besides that.
- Reed: This "nothing" is called ingredients, goddammit.
- Reed: So can't you just... make yourself something?
- E1dolon: ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY NOT.
- Reed: Language.
- E1dolon: DON'T GIVE ME THAT CRAP NOW!!!
- E1dolon: I've never never never cooked and you know it!
- E1dolon: I don't wanna eat raw veggies, or whatever...
- E1dolon: But I mean, it's okay, right?
- E1dolon: It's no problem, if you just...
- E1dolon: Just, just, come back home already!
- Reed: I can't do that right away.
- Reed: Would you try to bear with it for a little more?
- E1dolon: Reed are you for real.
- E1dolon: I just died like five times dude.
- E1dolon: What are you doing, ruining my K/D record.
- Reed: Whoops. Sorry.
- Reed: There's really nothing I can do about it.
- Reed: But I can explain why that is the case, so...
- E1dolon: Reed I'm gonna actually scream into a pillow if you're for real.
- Reed: ...Well, I guess...
- Reed: If doing that will make you less upset, then...
- E1dolon: REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!
God, the neighbors will complain again, won't they.
You're not upset at her, though. In fact, you feel kind of guilty here.
You're truly not upset with her, but this is all just a bit... worrisome.
She's the last person who can be left alone for this long.
You should've known better, and not have let it come down to this. This situation, in your book, is a colossal screw up.
Staying by the side of family should've been the priority, no matter what.
Ludwig: Comfort metal boy.
And she begrudgingly accepted it, but under one condition.
Word for word, "buy me something good", she demanded.
Well, at least the spooky big dog is giving you a comforting nuzzle in these trying times. As if to say, it's not your fault.
It's not helping much, but it's better than nothing.
Reed: Join the group.
- Aria: Ah, you're done with your call, Reed?
- Reed: About that... Aria.
- Reed: You said you wanted to buy something, right?
- Reed: Do you still want to do that?
- Aria: Huh? C-can I!?
- Reed: Err. Yeah. Sure.
- Reed: Could you... help me get an apology gift later?
- Aria: ...Get a what...?
- Reed: Since I'm going to be so delayed in going back, and my si-
- Reed: I mean, headquarters is pissed off about that.
- Aria: I-is that so...
- Reed: Please don't ask about it.
- Aria: Reed, wow...
- Aria: Well, I can try to help, I guess!
- Reed: I'd appreciate it.
Still, you continue to wonder what sort of powerful person could push him to this extent. Your curiosity is overflowing, but also... your happiness!
You'll maybe finally get to own something from HUMANS, after all!
If there was a counter for Aria's happiness, it would be in the negatives - is how a certain wise yet immature person would've described it.
- Reed: What's going on with you guys anyway?
- Reed: We're here to rest, but you were all being so damn loud.
- Meimona: Aw, man, you missed that whole talk!
- Meimona: Well, too bad, no one's gonna rehash everything for you.
- Aria: D-don't be that way, Mei!
- Aria: Reed, it's a long story, but...
- Aria: We were hoping Nino will remember us, if we talked about how we all met.
- Aria: That's the gist of it.
- Reed: ...Huh.
- Reed: Is it going well at all?
- Meimona: Ehhh, maybe!
- Aria: There's been some progress, but...
- Five: Hey, Nino!
- Five: Nino now knows about Five again... right?
- Five: Then, Five was wondering...
- Five: When is Nino going to take Five home?
- Five: Can Five go home now?
- Nino: Oh, listen.
- Nino: There's no way that I-
Nino: Don't be stupid.
Clearly, you've nearly broken the last straw for that furious, overprotective lioness behind you. You are but mere prey, and she must feed her young. You'd better carefully word your answer, or hell will be unleashed upon ye.
Also, because Five is really way too nice to you, and you don't want to make her sad by being too blunt again. Yeah.
so the team is literally an edgy teen boy bossed around by his NEET sister, who both happen to be kids of a deranged scientist, a girl who dresses like a cosplayer because she resorted to thievery and called her cat her boyfriend to not worry her mother, an archangel, after she left home a bit too early, an orphan young woman who’s the clingy and awkward daughter of a seer in a land that doesn’t accept her due to a past war, and pretended that she was one of them due to said seer living there, and adopted a poetic prose-speaking dog for companionship, and an 18-year old amnesiac who can’t remember his identity or past life(s), but can still remember things important to his identity as a weeb and other forms of pop-culture, and also adopted a kid from said clingy-awkward girl’s homeland by saving the kid’s life.
silently stickying this comment
Now that I read this, I realize just how good you are at making such unique characters. Every single one is identifiable based on appearance alone, and all have unique personalities to boot. You're amazing at character creation
I’ve just realized that the amnesiac weeb not only speaks, but thinks dramatically too.
Nino: Let her be hopeful, but still be realistic. Say you'll help her to the best of your ability, but you can only so that if you know where, and probably who, you're meant to go and find. Ask Five about her "home".
Five: Talk about Five's old home and friends in the lab. Does Five remember anything about where it is? Perhaps a drawing would help.
Reed: Since you're the only human with any real knowledge of the human world, does any of that ring a bell?
Everyone: Try to relax.
Aria and Reed: Go shopping.
Meimona: Do you wanna go with those two? It could be entertaining.
Five: Start drawing with the crayons and invite Nino to join Five. Nino and Five drew in the monster world, so it could help Nino remember Five. Recreate Nino's bad drawings to help him.
Nino: Try to not be awkward with the little lady. Fail to do that.
Five: Maybe try drawing the fun swing set, or the flowers Nino gave you and ate?
Ludwig: Sneak around like a ghost boy, and phantom the strange small creature.
Boyfriend: Don’t be catty, say what you think of your name, and interact with the new people.
As someone whose acted like "Oh yeah I definitely want to be friends with you!" just because the other person clearly wants to be friends but I don't want to hurt their feelings (little young Taki not realizing that whenever the other person figures out the truth it'll probably hurt them more [with an increased amount depending on how long it takes]) like 2-3 times when I was rather young, just know fictional character who can't read this that I stand by your blunt honesty.
Obviously the situations different but still.
The panel with "E1dolon: GAME ON" has notes on a researcher with "unnatural unparalleled performance when it comes to resea" (probably research), who based on the fact that apparently two publications were rejected, one which had a "questionable source" might be referring to the same researcher talked about in a book in the library in Icicle Bay Getaway, which means that researcher might have some plot significance. I was about to go looking for the page where Aria gets (what I think) is a butcher's knife, since I was wondering about the significance since it seems it was confirmed Selene used a butcher's knife. Then I found this page https://oceanfalls.net/p/1397 where it was already confirmed, and I probably just forgot or didn't notice. I have to wonder if Reed or Eidolon has some tie (I doubt it), whether metaphorical/thematic, or in some other way.
(Ran out of characters again)
Back to the panel, the "final sighting" is very ominous, is it related to the researcher (I forgot if the book in the library back at? It has the exact same date as the "Terre news daily"
Also, the "Unlike the body, the soul can be guided" using anything related to "guide" feels significant since part of Kaji's whole shtick was "guide", and winged purposes almost seem to be tied to concepts or perhaps in the case of guide https://oceanfalls.net/p/9152 seems to be tied to fate itself in some way.
Once again back to the panel, what is being compared in the Ven Diagram? It doesn't seem to to be tied via red string to anything with readable text. The only thing on the notes that seems to compare something is the soul and the body, but that Ven diagram is comparing 3 things. So even then there's still something unknown being compared.
What does the text on the Selene poster say in English, and what does the code in the bottom left corner do?
The code is likely fictional, but likely influences some of the technology in Oceanfalls and is likely experimental, due to the unstable nature of code having Reed’s sister need to use it carefully. It’s probably for his arm due to the OKS in the text, with nothing confirmed. The text roughly translates to “Selene is a taxpayer, Cool dinosaur and Space Princess Adventure: Let’s pay taxes!” Finally adding some moral ambiguity to the human side in Oceanfalls. Also, the one string likely means that the Venn Diagram was newly formed or is a distant part of the theories featured on the board. Mind, Body and Soul are a common trio in phrases, and could be the parts of the diagram, though there are no confirmations.
Also sorry for this being late, there is also the concept of logos, pathos, and ethos.
Now that the new update is up, I'm coming back to this comment to say: WOW!!!!! You mentioning the trio of Mind/Body/Soul just from a nondescript Venn Diagram is awesome.
Taki reminded me of it by mentioning "Unlike the body, the soul can be guided“.