@Slack: Haha this game is fun! Tons of in-jokes lol.
@Shiawase_Honoo: Haha yeah I've cleared the game several times too. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. And thanks for the tip about Tsunku! My favorite team for normal battles is Riho, Duu, Daishi and either Fukuchan or Eripon. For boss battles I usually keep Riho and Duu and I change the team depending on my strategy for the boss.
I still haven't beat Berryz :X Need to level up some more before I try haha.
@rndy: Hehe well as we said on the podcast earlier...it's fun even when we don't know what's going on, but it's funnier when we do.
Hopefully my fic will fill in the gaps in the story!
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A Chihuahua in SaitamaTsunku-san has contacted us about the situation. This has gotten really bad, hasn't it, Harunan? I really want to rush over to see you right now, but I have a responsibility as leader of S/mileage to gather all of them first. When I'm done I'll definitely come to your side! Be safe until then! Bye bye!I snap my phone shut, a feeling of warmth and gratitude bubbling up within my heart. Thank you, Wada-san. I had needed the courage to move on. Knowing that I wasn't wholly alone gave me the strength to keep walking, even in this unfamiliar place.
"Right! On to Saitama then!"
~*~*~
Gurgle gurgle... "Ah! A glass after work, that's the life! Master, one more of the same!"
"That's a great attitude you have, little miss!" The grizzled bartender behind the bar chuckled. "With your looks, you will surely become a fine woman in the future!"
The boyish-looking girl grinned impudently, lifting her glass in salute. "Hehe, thanks for that!"
Smiling indulgently at his young patron, the bartender wiped down the counter as he continued making small talk.
"Do you know of the black eggs they make on Mt. Takao? There's a rumor that eating one will extend your life by another 7 years, and guard you against disease. It apparently even has beautifying effects!"
The girl at the bar smirked. "As if I care about
that. I rather have another one of the eggs in the oden you make, Master! That, I can confirm, tastes heavenly!"
The bartender laughs, the sound coming deep from his belly. "Of course! You're still young, so your appetite comes before your looks, eh?"
The girl grins. "Obviously! Speaking of which, I'll have another serving!"
"Coming right up!"
~*~*~
I thought Saitama would be further. Well, not that I'm complaining. But it was also far enough on the road that I had gotten ambushed more than once by those pesky slimes, which I had to dispatch with that skill I had learned yesterday. At least I think it was yesterday.
Time seemed to pass differently here, was the first thing I observed. I was certain that I had closed my eyes for no longer than a few moments, but when I woke up it was already morning, and I felt completely refreshed. The watch I had on me had stopped, and my cell phone, which had miraculously survived the transition, wasn't displaying the time right either. It obviously wasn't broken, since Wada-san had been able to send me a message through it, but time seemed to be working on a different level here entirely. Trying to think about it only gave me a headache, and I abandoned the thought as I trekked across the wide open space, focusing only on the dark blob in the distance that had to be Saitama, according to the nice people I asked back in Hachioji.
My mouth grew drier every time I cast that spell, and I quickly learned to ration my usage of it, saving it for larger groups of slimes, rather than single ones that I could fend off with my cyalume. Surprisingly, it was still sturdy despite all the abuse I was putting it through. I guess things worked somewhat differently in this reality...
By the time I reached Saitama, it was in the early evening, and my throat was worse than parched. Oddly enough, I wasn't actually sweating. I felt tired and sore and thirsty, but not sweaty. What a strange world. My stomach rumbled. Oh, so it seems like I would have to eat in this world too?
Pausing at the entrance to Saitama, which, of course, looked nothing like the real place, I wondered where in the world I would find Kuduu in this city. Granted, dream-Hachioji had been much smaller than the real thing, and I expected dream-Saitama to be the same, but I had to start somewhere...and my stomach was leading me towards the nearest establishment.
The Whitewood Bar. Looks respectable enough, and it was the nearest place. I finger the 10,000 yen note as well as the pocket change I had collected from fighting those slimes on the way. It should be enough for a meal, right?
I push my way into the establishment quietly. There were several patrons around, lounging at tables scattered in front of a stage. A few others sat at the long bar directly ahead from the entrance, and my gaze was immediately drawn to a very familiar back view.
"That's....Kuduu?" It looked like her. It laughed like her, from what little I could hear from here. But what was Kuduu doing in a bar? She is underage! And was she
drinking? Oh gods, what if someone saw her! What if she got Friday'd?
Wait, calm down, Iikubo. We aren't in the real world. This is a dream reality. We aren't actually idols here and I don't think Friday would be here. At least I hope not. Tabloids were bad enough back home. I don't think I could deal with a dream version of it on top of what we have to do here.
That said, Kuduu really shouldn't be drinking, scandal or not. She was too young! I march up to the bar, hoping that she hadn't gotten herself into trouble. Steeling myself, I tap her on the shoulder as she was downing another glass of...
something.
"Oh, Iikubo-chan! How nice to se--"
"Are you drinking?" I blurt out, still staring in shock at the glass in her hand. Kuduu stares at me for a long moment, then bursts out laughing.
"Of course not!" She swishes the pale liquid in her glass, angling it to show me the contents. "See, it's just milk! Only milk!" She downs it quickly, giving herself a milk mustache when she took the glass away, and I could not help but giggle at her face. Kuduu grins.
"There are rules in this world too, you know? Even if it's all just a dream." She pushes the glass away. Ah, so she has spoken to Tsunku-san as well. At my expression, she nods.
"Yes, I've spoken to Tsunku-san. We have to get our colours back, right?" She thumps her chest, jumping off her seat. "Just leave it to me!"
"Thank you. I knew I could count on you." I say with sincere gratitude. Kuduu might be the youngest in Morning Musume, say what you will, but she was reliable and more responsible than others around her, including someone I shall not name...
"Oh, are you leaving already? Here, take this." The friendly old bartender smiles and hands Kuduu a few bottles of mineral water. I thank him, and my younger companion cheekily promises to return as soon as she can. I smile. Kuduu has always been the outgoing and social type.
As we approach the exit to the bar, Kuduu slows her steps. I slow too, matching her, and we stop right before the exit.
"What's wrong?"
The younger girl shifts, scratching at her messy mop of hair.
"Well, when I first came to, a really nice old man helped me out and gave me some money in return for helping out around the house. That's how I could afford to come by here in the first place." She jabs over her shoulder with a thumb.
"I was thinking...if we're going to leave on a journey soon, I should at least thank him for his care if nothing else." She shifts uncertainly on her feet, and I find myself smiling at her. Kuduu was a good kid, even if she
was a brat half the time.
"You don't even need to ask."
"Yay, you're the best! Come on, Gramps' house is to the north!"
~*~*~
"Gramps! I brought a friend! Gramps? It's me, Haru!"
Kuduu barrels in through the fancy entrance like a chihuahua on steroids, and I follow with more decorum. I stop still the moment I enter though, because something was seriously wrong with this place. It was all falling to ruin, just like the way I found Karifuwa when I went to speak to Tsunku-san. Speaking of which, where was my young friend?
"Gramps! Are you ok? Come on, speak to me! Gramps!"
I follow Kuduu's panicked cries and found her next to an old man who was clearly in failing health, slumped on the floor. I kneel beside them, trying to see what was wrong with him, but other than the fact that he was barely breathing and clearly not in good health, I couldn't do a thing to help. I lay a hand on Kuduu's shoulder, and felt it as she set them, obviously making a decision.
"The old guy at Whitewood said that the black egg on Mt.Takeo has restorative effects. I have to get it. It might help Gramps here..."
"I understand." I nod. We might have a duty to retrieve our colours, but we couldn't just abandon this poor old man either. Besides, Kuduu would never forgive me, and I know I wouldn't forgive myself either.
"Mt.Takeo is to the west of Hachioji." I found myself saying, and Kuduu got up, face grim.
"Just let me get something from my room, and then let's go!"
==================================================================
The chihuahua references came from Kuduu's status screen in game, in which her title is "Military-use Chihuahua". I kid you not.
Quite a few of her naturally learned skills has something to with that title, like Bite, or Lick...or just related to her playful tomboy character, like Skirt Flip (lowers enemy defense
).
Remember to talk to the bartender before you leave, he gives 5 bottles of mineral water (restores 1 MP). Of course, I referenced that in the story by letting Harunan note that every time she casts a spell, her mouth gets dry.
Incidentally, all the MP restoring items are drinks (cider, Red Bull, Momoiro Sparkling
).
Also get the box of clips in Gramps' house, located in the upper left of the house, in the room. Using the item in the Special (the double stars tab) Items screen gives you a Clip Infinite item....basically a whip made out of paper clips. It can be combined with 2 bat fangs (drops from the blue bat enemies) to make a better weapon for Duu, or combined with Iron from a Metal Slime drop for an even stronger weapon.
There's also a hidden area in Saitama that I'm not referencing in the story since there's no reason for them to go there story-wise, even if loot-wise it's a good idea. Just go to the exit of Saitama, hug the wall to the right and loop back upwards to get to the area, beat the slime, then you get 10000 yen, a new helmet for Harunan, and 10 Apples in the 3 treasure chests there.
Anyway, yup. Hope you guys enjoy!
Topic: HarunanQuest [5/1 - A Chihuahua in Saitama] (Read 4520 times)