7'Scarlet: True Ending
Mar. 6th, 2021 12:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I had no idea what to expect from this route. The plot was sure...something, but it was overall lovely!
It was a little more ridiculous than I could quite stretch myself to be fully earnest about, but otherwise is a good-hearted, bittersweet coda to the game that tied up a number of loose ends. It does have a central romance, but I was more invested in the platonic relationships, which were really sweet.
I'll say who the romance is about in the first line after the cut, since the game deliberately keeps this hidden until it unlocks.
***
The true route is about: Toa!
***
I mostly just played this without taking many notes, since there was a cat on my lap making it hard to type, so this is probably a bit wrong. (Said cat is currently looking a bit put out that she can't sit on my lap right now)
So! We start near the end of the original Toa path. Kagura, as Catface, has injured Toa's face, and then been captured.
Yusu accidentally reveals Kagura's identity. Kagura explains about only being into killing women, saying "There's still a revenant at the hotel, little Miss Albino. And it's after you."
There's another "everyone is gathered and has to give alibis" scene.
And uurgh I can just tell it's Yua. She's very nervy, and it would explain all the times she went out mysteriously, or was randomly sad. Also since Ichiko seems to attract revenants it would explain the mild femslashiness.
Yuki thanks everyone for being in the Supernatural club with him, and says it's been nice becoming friends and learning things. But as the administrator it's time to shut it down. As everyone gasps to find out it was him, he rambles philosophically about the nature of truth.
Yuzuki says the easiest way to find the revenant would be for everyone to strip naked, but he has no interest in seeing that, and also there's women present. So instead, they'll use a simpler test: revenants catch fire really easily.
Toa: You're going to set us all on fire? D:
Yuzuki: Humans will only be lightly burned :)
Yua: You're all crazy, I refuse >:(
Yuzuki says they'll start with Ichiko. Yuki says he's not in favour of the innocent being burned, and that this is the last chance the revenant has to step forward to prevent that.
And so...Yua steps forward :(
Yua: I'm sorry, Sosuke, I didn't know he was your father.
Sosuke: ...tell us what happened.
She says Sosuke's father tracked her down and attacked her, and she knocked him off the cliff in self defence. Yuki pokes holes in her story and she says it doesn't matter, all that matters is that she did it.
Yuzuki is asked what he thinks, as heir to the town and it's knowledge of revenants. He says he's not following his father, which dredges up Isora and Toa's resentment of him and his family, he doesn't say much to their accusations and they apologise for derailing the conversation.
Yuzuki explains about the Ensupulchers, and why he's not a part of them any more.
Susano: Yes. Revenants are humans, with feelings! Why won't the Ensupulchers listen to them?
Yuzuki: Revenants thirst for murder. What about you, Susano? Do you crave it? If you're truly a revenant, you must have some unfinished business. So what is it?
Susano: That's...that's none of your business!
Yuzuki: Something doesn't feel right. Are you covering for someone? Perhaps Hanamaki?
Yua: Now you're being ridiculous! Ichiko isn't a- What's the point of all this? It was me!
AHHH. FEELS.
AND WHO IS SHE COVERING FOR???
IS IT ICHIKO AFTER ALL???
Yuzuki: There's only one way to settle this. *takes out a knife*
Ichiko jumps in front of Yua to protect her! And then Yuzuki stabs...himself, in the arm.
Isora: You idiot!
He and Hino rush to offer first aid. Yua looks shaken.
Yuzuki: Pretty squeamish for a revenant who has supposedly already killed someone, Susano. I've never seen a revenant that wouldn't shout when they see blood.
???: AAAAAHHHHH
A male voice cries out and says to stop all this.
It's Toa /o\
(Which, ok, yes, it's obvious in retrospect, otherwise why would he have his own special extra ending? I JUST THOUGHT HE WAS EXTRA LOVEABLE)
Sosuke: But...I've seen...him naked? I remember, because of how flawless his skin was.
This was all very intense and I don't remember all of it, let me see...
So. Toa has never killed, and finds the idea unthinkable. Everyone immediately believes this because he's such a sweetie. But he's in increasing amounts of excruciating pain, which is why he's so clumsy. The only thing that's kept him going so long is hugs from Ichiko, though the well of life within him is still dry.
Hino: I would have been happier not knowing that :/
Yuzuki: I've never heard of anything like that before. Normally contact with humans makes the desire to kill stronger.
Toa: It was like that at first. My feelings were very confusing.
Poor baby he must have felt so bad :(
He died as he was driving into town for the concert: he was so tired from overwork he lost control and crashed into the river. He woke in the field of flowers and knew immediately that he was dead, and that his real body is in the river.
It was painful and lonely and scary, but got easier when he told the one person he could trust: his older twin sister, Yua.
I was so focussed on brown eyed secret siblings I missed the blue eyed secret siblings!
There's an old Japanese superstition that twins are unlucky and should be raised separately, and since the village is old fashioned Yua was sent to grow up with her grandparents, going to a different school. She and Toa only saw each other once or twice a month but were still close. She's the one that helped him escape town and become an idol.
When she found out he was a revenant she was determined to protect him.
Yua: I said he should kill me, and survive. He has so many fans depending on him. I'm not important.
Ichiko: Yes you are!
Hino: Exactly! And don't you understand what it would do to him?
(There's been some mild hints at the game shipping Hino/Yua, I can see it, but also Yua/Ichiko 5eva)
Yua noticed Sosuke's dad following Toa and realised he would kill Toa the moment he was sure Toa was a revenant. So Yua killed him first. She cries, apologising to Sosuke, saying she is haunted by the look on his father's face as he fell.
Sosuke says he might as well admit it now: the revenant he witnessed his father kill was Isora's father. Isora, wide eyed, says he had a 'dream' when he was five of his dead father coming back and hugging him and his mother, apologising for leaving them, and then being dragged away by black clad figures.
Sosuke: My father's death was an accident. If I say that, it's true. You, me, Toa...we're all victims of this town. If we don't let go of our hatred now, revenants will continue to rise and be hinted down. Will you end the cycle with me?
;_;
Yua cries and thanks him.
Ichiko: Toa, you came back because you wanted to do a concert for the town, and finally perform as a solo act for your fans. Right?
Toa: Yes. I want to sing for the town I was born in. Then I can let this body go.
Yuzuki: Then we'll make sure that happens. Yusu, what will you do? You're a Ensupulcher, if you want to go to my father, I won't stop you.
Yusu: I keep thinking of all the faces of the revenants we've exterminated...I'm sorry, Toa. We've caused you a lot of pain. Yuzu-chan, let's make new group. The New Ensupulchers!
Yuzuki: That's a stupid name >:/
Awwww. One thing I don't like about a lot of murder mysteries is that they end up making everyone kind of unpleasant so that they're plausible murderers, and the ending wallows in vindictiveness as the bad guy dies/goes to prison. But this is all about love and forgiveness in the face of pain and guilt (except for Kagura. Still really not sure how his path will work)
Toa and Ichiko have a very sweet moment together, but he collapses. So he is left with her in her room while everyone else plans how to make the concert work. They affectionately make out, both because it helps him recover and because they're super into each other. They wish time could stop, but are glad they got this brief time together.
Now they just have to persuade Gamaki to allow the concert without telling her the truth. Sosuke covers for Toa's scratch healing supernaturally fast by putting on an endearingly fake Doctor Persona and a little note tells us his last acting performance was The Turnip in a school play.
I'm way tenser about this than I was about the murder stuff. Let the undead idol put on his rock concert, Gamaki! Yuki manages to talk her into letting Toa sing one song before sending everyone home to safety, which is all his collapsing body can manage anyway. Gamaki says Yuki has the makings of a great assistant talent agent haha.
It seems likely that the Ensupulchers will get Kagura to tell them who the other revenant is (because they can sense each other...Except Toa didn't sense Kagura?) so everyone vows to protect Toa until the concert. The focus is all on Toa as the innocent loveable woobie everyone wants to protect, which is not the usual dynamic around otome love interests, but he is an innocent loveable woobie, so.
At the hall, Gamaki tells Toa their boss told everyone to go home. There's no band. But she stayed, because she's been looking after him since the beggining, trying to take the place of his parents, and for some reason felt in her heart she had to stay and watch this performance ;_;
Ichiko and Toa share one last bittersweet kiss, and he says it was his destiny to meet her again, that she is connected to him the way Yua is.
And then, just before he's about to limp on stage...YASU APPEARS with a KNIFE.
He rambles about how he's seen a lot of revenants in his year here, and they are all lying murderers, not humans who can love. He tricked the others into leaving and the Ensupulchers will be here soon.
Yua: I ALWAYS SAID YUSU WAS THE CULPRIT. I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU HURT TOA >:(
She rushes him, and Toa is freed...but Yasu has accidentally stabbed Yua. He collapses, guilt-ridden. As everyone else rushes back in, Yua begs to be allowed to watch the concert before being taken to the hospital. She and Toa share a look of mutual understanding, and Ichiko helps him onto the stage.
Toa sings a capella about stars and humans falling to earth, and the backing music is instrumental even though the voice actor is an actual pop star who already has a song on the soundtrack. Anyway. It's all very bittersweet, and then at the end of the first verse a piano starts to play: Gamaki, wearing a soft, affectionate smile.
Toa reaches the end of the song, and thanks everyone, and then starts to gently dissolve into purple petals. Ichiko runs towards him, and he thanks her, then finally floats away into the sky.
THE END
Well! THAT WAS SURE SOMETHING. Every now and then I'd just be thinking "Look, I do hope the undead pop idol gets to perform his final concert before dissolving into flower petals, but also I just...am having a little trouble...with that being the central conflict..." I can roll with a lot in otome but this was a stretch.
Still, I had feels. More gen feels than romantic but that's ok sometimes. Gamaki and Yua's relationships with Toa were especially lovely. And a bunch of loose ends that had been bugging me got tied up.
Also Yua is FINE and she and Ichiko are going to work through their grief together and then get MARRIED.
Now, finally, to see how on earth they manage a path about the sadistic serial killer brother...
I had no idea what to expect from this route. The plot was sure...something, but it was overall lovely!
It was a little more ridiculous than I could quite stretch myself to be fully earnest about, but otherwise is a good-hearted, bittersweet coda to the game that tied up a number of loose ends. It does have a central romance, but I was more invested in the platonic relationships, which were really sweet.
I'll say who the romance is about in the first line after the cut, since the game deliberately keeps this hidden until it unlocks.
***
The true route is about: Toa!
***
I mostly just played this without taking many notes, since there was a cat on my lap making it hard to type, so this is probably a bit wrong. (Said cat is currently looking a bit put out that she can't sit on my lap right now)
So! We start near the end of the original Toa path. Kagura, as Catface, has injured Toa's face, and then been captured.
Yusu accidentally reveals Kagura's identity. Kagura explains about only being into killing women, saying "There's still a revenant at the hotel, little Miss Albino. And it's after you."
There's another "everyone is gathered and has to give alibis" scene.
And uurgh I can just tell it's Yua. She's very nervy, and it would explain all the times she went out mysteriously, or was randomly sad. Also since Ichiko seems to attract revenants it would explain the mild femslashiness.
Yuki thanks everyone for being in the Supernatural club with him, and says it's been nice becoming friends and learning things. But as the administrator it's time to shut it down. As everyone gasps to find out it was him, he rambles philosophically about the nature of truth.
Yuzuki says the easiest way to find the revenant would be for everyone to strip naked, but he has no interest in seeing that, and also there's women present. So instead, they'll use a simpler test: revenants catch fire really easily.
Toa: You're going to set us all on fire? D:
Yuzuki: Humans will only be lightly burned :)
Yua: You're all crazy, I refuse >:(
Yuzuki says they'll start with Ichiko. Yuki says he's not in favour of the innocent being burned, and that this is the last chance the revenant has to step forward to prevent that.
And so...Yua steps forward :(
Yua: I'm sorry, Sosuke, I didn't know he was your father.
Sosuke: ...tell us what happened.
She says Sosuke's father tracked her down and attacked her, and she knocked him off the cliff in self defence. Yuki pokes holes in her story and she says it doesn't matter, all that matters is that she did it.
Yuzuki is asked what he thinks, as heir to the town and it's knowledge of revenants. He says he's not following his father, which dredges up Isora and Toa's resentment of him and his family, he doesn't say much to their accusations and they apologise for derailing the conversation.
Yuzuki explains about the Ensupulchers, and why he's not a part of them any more.
Susano: Yes. Revenants are humans, with feelings! Why won't the Ensupulchers listen to them?
Yuzuki: Revenants thirst for murder. What about you, Susano? Do you crave it? If you're truly a revenant, you must have some unfinished business. So what is it?
Susano: That's...that's none of your business!
Yuzuki: Something doesn't feel right. Are you covering for someone? Perhaps Hanamaki?
Yua: Now you're being ridiculous! Ichiko isn't a- What's the point of all this? It was me!
AHHH. FEELS.
AND WHO IS SHE COVERING FOR???
IS IT ICHIKO AFTER ALL???
Yuzuki: There's only one way to settle this. *takes out a knife*
Ichiko jumps in front of Yua to protect her! And then Yuzuki stabs...himself, in the arm.
Isora: You idiot!
He and Hino rush to offer first aid. Yua looks shaken.
Yuzuki: Pretty squeamish for a revenant who has supposedly already killed someone, Susano. I've never seen a revenant that wouldn't shout when they see blood.
???: AAAAAHHHHH
A male voice cries out and says to stop all this.
It's Toa /o\
(Which, ok, yes, it's obvious in retrospect, otherwise why would he have his own special extra ending? I JUST THOUGHT HE WAS EXTRA LOVEABLE)
Sosuke: But...I've seen...him naked? I remember, because of how flawless his skin was.
This was all very intense and I don't remember all of it, let me see...
So. Toa has never killed, and finds the idea unthinkable. Everyone immediately believes this because he's such a sweetie. But he's in increasing amounts of excruciating pain, which is why he's so clumsy. The only thing that's kept him going so long is hugs from Ichiko, though the well of life within him is still dry.
Hino: I would have been happier not knowing that :/
Yuzuki: I've never heard of anything like that before. Normally contact with humans makes the desire to kill stronger.
Toa: It was like that at first. My feelings were very confusing.
Poor baby he must have felt so bad :(
He died as he was driving into town for the concert: he was so tired from overwork he lost control and crashed into the river. He woke in the field of flowers and knew immediately that he was dead, and that his real body is in the river.
It was painful and lonely and scary, but got easier when he told the one person he could trust: his older twin sister, Yua.
I was so focussed on brown eyed secret siblings I missed the blue eyed secret siblings!
There's an old Japanese superstition that twins are unlucky and should be raised separately, and since the village is old fashioned Yua was sent to grow up with her grandparents, going to a different school. She and Toa only saw each other once or twice a month but were still close. She's the one that helped him escape town and become an idol.
When she found out he was a revenant she was determined to protect him.
Yua: I said he should kill me, and survive. He has so many fans depending on him. I'm not important.
Ichiko: Yes you are!
Hino: Exactly! And don't you understand what it would do to him?
(There's been some mild hints at the game shipping Hino/Yua, I can see it, but also Yua/Ichiko 5eva)
Yua noticed Sosuke's dad following Toa and realised he would kill Toa the moment he was sure Toa was a revenant. So Yua killed him first. She cries, apologising to Sosuke, saying she is haunted by the look on his father's face as he fell.
Sosuke says he might as well admit it now: the revenant he witnessed his father kill was Isora's father. Isora, wide eyed, says he had a 'dream' when he was five of his dead father coming back and hugging him and his mother, apologising for leaving them, and then being dragged away by black clad figures.
Sosuke: My father's death was an accident. If I say that, it's true. You, me, Toa...we're all victims of this town. If we don't let go of our hatred now, revenants will continue to rise and be hinted down. Will you end the cycle with me?
;_;
Yua cries and thanks him.
Ichiko: Toa, you came back because you wanted to do a concert for the town, and finally perform as a solo act for your fans. Right?
Toa: Yes. I want to sing for the town I was born in. Then I can let this body go.
Yuzuki: Then we'll make sure that happens. Yusu, what will you do? You're a Ensupulcher, if you want to go to my father, I won't stop you.
Yusu: I keep thinking of all the faces of the revenants we've exterminated...I'm sorry, Toa. We've caused you a lot of pain. Yuzu-chan, let's make new group. The New Ensupulchers!
Yuzuki: That's a stupid name >:/
Awwww. One thing I don't like about a lot of murder mysteries is that they end up making everyone kind of unpleasant so that they're plausible murderers, and the ending wallows in vindictiveness as the bad guy dies/goes to prison. But this is all about love and forgiveness in the face of pain and guilt (except for Kagura. Still really not sure how his path will work)
Toa and Ichiko have a very sweet moment together, but he collapses. So he is left with her in her room while everyone else plans how to make the concert work. They affectionately make out, both because it helps him recover and because they're super into each other. They wish time could stop, but are glad they got this brief time together.
Now they just have to persuade Gamaki to allow the concert without telling her the truth. Sosuke covers for Toa's scratch healing supernaturally fast by putting on an endearingly fake Doctor Persona and a little note tells us his last acting performance was The Turnip in a school play.
I'm way tenser about this than I was about the murder stuff. Let the undead idol put on his rock concert, Gamaki! Yuki manages to talk her into letting Toa sing one song before sending everyone home to safety, which is all his collapsing body can manage anyway. Gamaki says Yuki has the makings of a great assistant talent agent haha.
It seems likely that the Ensupulchers will get Kagura to tell them who the other revenant is (because they can sense each other...Except Toa didn't sense Kagura?) so everyone vows to protect Toa until the concert. The focus is all on Toa as the innocent loveable woobie everyone wants to protect, which is not the usual dynamic around otome love interests, but he is an innocent loveable woobie, so.
At the hall, Gamaki tells Toa their boss told everyone to go home. There's no band. But she stayed, because she's been looking after him since the beggining, trying to take the place of his parents, and for some reason felt in her heart she had to stay and watch this performance ;_;
Ichiko and Toa share one last bittersweet kiss, and he says it was his destiny to meet her again, that she is connected to him the way Yua is.
And then, just before he's about to limp on stage...YASU APPEARS with a KNIFE.
He rambles about how he's seen a lot of revenants in his year here, and they are all lying murderers, not humans who can love. He tricked the others into leaving and the Ensupulchers will be here soon.
Yua: I ALWAYS SAID YUSU WAS THE CULPRIT. I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU HURT TOA >:(
She rushes him, and Toa is freed...but Yasu has accidentally stabbed Yua. He collapses, guilt-ridden. As everyone else rushes back in, Yua begs to be allowed to watch the concert before being taken to the hospital. She and Toa share a look of mutual understanding, and Ichiko helps him onto the stage.
Toa sings a capella about stars and humans falling to earth, and the backing music is instrumental even though the voice actor is an actual pop star who already has a song on the soundtrack. Anyway. It's all very bittersweet, and then at the end of the first verse a piano starts to play: Gamaki, wearing a soft, affectionate smile.
Toa reaches the end of the song, and thanks everyone, and then starts to gently dissolve into purple petals. Ichiko runs towards him, and he thanks her, then finally floats away into the sky.
THE END
Well! THAT WAS SURE SOMETHING. Every now and then I'd just be thinking "Look, I do hope the undead pop idol gets to perform his final concert before dissolving into flower petals, but also I just...am having a little trouble...with that being the central conflict..." I can roll with a lot in otome but this was a stretch.
Still, I had feels. More gen feels than romantic but that's ok sometimes. Gamaki and Yua's relationships with Toa were especially lovely. And a bunch of loose ends that had been bugging me got tied up.
Also Yua is FINE and she and Ichiko are going to work through their grief together and then get MARRIED.
Now, finally, to see how on earth they manage a path about the sadistic serial killer brother...
