>>512523
oh man im i frist?
what hapened last week?

File: Ryo.jpg (79 KB, 700x990)

79 KB JPG

No. You won't let this be the end of it. You're not going to let The Stranger just take over like this. Nobody does this to you. Nobody can take you away from your home, your friends, your love... nobody.

You're going to break out of here. You don't know when. You don't know how. But Stranger's not going to get away with his. You're going to break out of this mind prison, you are going to return to your body. You are going to regain full control. Then, you're going to kill every last Archdemon and destroy the Darkworld for good. Then, you're going to kill the Stranger, because that's what happens when you try to mess with a master delinquent!

Your name is Ryoji Shida. You're a transfer student at Dark Gate Academy, and for so long you thought this was due to a mix-up. But now you realise... this was no mistake. This was fate. It was your destiny to come to this school, to meet these people, to fight these evils. It was your destiny to enter this insane realm of monster and demons and possession, and it's your destiny to end it.

Your name is Ryoji Shida... and you're going to destroy the Darkworld.

“Ryoji... wake up...”

You toss and you turn before your eyes shoot open. You feel the warmth of a soft mattress below you. You pull yourself up, only to whack your head and fall back. There's a top bunk above you.

“Mind your head, Ryoji.”

That voice... what the hell is going on? A moment ago... yes, you're sure of it. You were being pulled into an abyss. The Stranger took control of your body, and he was going to... well, you don't know for sure, his plan definitely involved taking you out of the picture. And yet... as you pat the mattress beneath you, you realise... you're back in the academy. How? Why? What the hell happened?

“When you collapsed, we were all very worried about you. It's good to see you're doing okay.”

That voice again... what did she say? Collapsed? You don't remember collapsing... then again, there's a lot of things you don't remember. You can't see who's talking to you, the blinds are shut and your eyes are still adjusting to being awake.

“Anyway, it's time you got out of bed. Rise and shine, Ryoji.”

“Time I... what? Rise and shine?” you ask, clutching your head. Damn, you've got a throbbing headache. “What do I need to get up for?”

“What else?” the girl's voice asks, as her silhouette makes her way to the window and reaches for the blinds. “Class is starting again, you don't want to be late.”

She pulls the curtains back, as the light from the sun pools into the room, temporarily blinding you. You pull your hand up to your face, shielding your eyes from the harsh sunlight as they begin to adjust to your surroundings. You peek out from the space behind your fingers and catch a glimpse of... silvery white hair. And that hairclip, and that style... no, I can't be. It couldn't be...

You pull your hand away to get the full look at her. “Nina?!”

File: Nina07.png (410 KB, 752x1034)

410 KB PNG

“What's wrong, Ryoji?” Nina asked, with a concerned look on her face. Odd, in the time you knew her in the academy, she was as unexpressive as they came, never having any emotion on her face. She looks completely different with that look on her face.

She takes a few steps towards you and you recoil back, acting on instinct. She pull her hand away and pouts. “Ryoji, you're even paler than usual. You look like you've seen a gh-”

“Don't finish that sentence,” you interrupt, your eyes wide.

Nina sighs. “Well, you must have had a terrible dream to leave you this shaken. Do you want to talk about it?”

A dream? What is she talking about? Everything she's talking about... no, it couldn't have been a dream. It felt so real. No, this is the dream... right? But... this feels real too. You pinch yourself. It hurts. Well... now you don't know what to think.

“You're starting to scare me, Ryoji...” Nina mutters. “Why are you silent? You're supposed to be the one who talks too much, not me. Come on, tell me what's bothering you.”

>I have to get out of here.
>I have to go see the Principal.
>It's... it's good to see you, Nina.
>I... nothing. Come on, let's go to class.

>>512529
>>It's... it's good to see you, Nina.
#dicksoutfornina
y you do this booker?

>>512529
>This is one of the Stranger's tricks
>I have to get out of here

>>512529
>I have to get out of here.

>>512529
>It's... it's good to see you, Nina.

>>512529
>It's... it's good to see you, Nina.

>>512529
>>I have to get out of here.
You're dead Nina

>>512529
>>It's... it's good to see you, Nina.

>>512534
>>512550
>>512551
>>512553
It's good to see you.

>>512547
>>512548
>>512552
Have to get out.

Calling for
>It's... it's good to see you, Nina.
Writing now.

File: 1469633037921.png (52 KB, 249x238)

52 KB PNG

>>512555

File: Nina24.png (568 KB, 850x1328)

568 KB PNG

Nina tilts her head and looks at you strangely. "Okay...? It's always good to see you too, Ryoji. But why are you telling me this now?"

Because you're dead. Because you were stabbed to death right in front of me. I saw you breathe your last breath with my own two eyes.

"No reason," you reply with a smile, as you pick yourself out of bed. "It's just... good. That's all."

Nina gives a small smile as she places her hand on your cheek. "It sounds like something really bad happened in that dream of yours," she remarks.

"Yeah, you can say that again..." you sigh, shaking your head.

"Well, you can tell me all about it after class. We don't want to be late for homeroom... well, I'm sure you do, but it's my job to make sure you aren't."

"Trying to keep me responsible, huh?" you ask. Yes... this is beginning to feel right. That other stuff, it's all starting to fade away. Just a bad dream.

"I wouldn't have to if you were able to keep yourself responsible," Nina replies. "I swear Ryoji, I don't know where you'd be if you didn't have me cleaning up after you."

"Probably at the bottom of a ditch somewhere," you answer.

"Well, let's get going to Class," she replies. "You too, Ken."

Ken tosses about in the top bunk. "Just five more minutes..."

Five minutes later, and Nina ends up forcibly dragging Ken out of bed. Nina waits outside while you boys change out of your pyjamas and get moving onto class.

Everything is starting to feel more familiar to you as you make your way to homeroom, but you can't shake that dream of yours. It already seems so distant in your memory, fading into the ether, the back of your mind as most dreams do, and yet you're still experiencing a strange sinking in your stomach, the vague sense that something isn't right.

You step into the Class 2 homeroom class as Ken and Nina follow behind you. You tilt your head and stare at Nina as she enters. "Wait... we're in the same class?" you ask.

Nina looks back at you, confused. "Yes?"

"Are you sure?"

Nina raises an eyebrow. "Am I... Ryoji, are you feeling okay? Do you need to see the nurse? We've always been in the same class."

"Oh..." you mutter. "Yeah, how could I forget?"

"By the way..." Nina says as she approaches you, handing you a red and white carton of cigarettes. "I got these for you. I know you're running low, and probably want to sneak a quick one in during first break."

You... smoke? Yes... yes, that's right. You're a smoker. "Thanks Nina," you smile.

"Hmm," Nina nods. "It's rare I hear a thank you. You're welcome, Ryoji."

With that, Nina makes her way to a chair in the front row at the front of class... wait, that doesn't seem right...

"Why are you sitting there?" you ask. "Isn't that Saki's chair?"

Nina looks up at you with a concerned expression on her face. "Who's Saki?"

>I... I have to leave.
>I think you're right Nina, maybe I should see the nurse...
>What do you mean, 'Who's Saki'? Saki is Saki!
>She's... nobody, never mind.

>>512568
>I... I have to leave.
I kind of want to stay in dreamland for a little longer but this is probably where the line should be drawn.

>>512568
>>She's... nobody, never mind.
nooker wat you doing?
this is a differnt time line where saks dosnt exest and ninas alive?? damm that stranger lest his nice about it i guse, its a nice dream,
did some one watch gurnen largen?

>>512568
>What do you mean, 'Who's Saki'? Saki is Saki!
>I... I have to leave.
Shit man...shiiiiiit!

>>512568
>What do you mean, 'Who's Saki'? Saki is Saki!
>I... I have to leave.
Saki route is locked in and will remain locked in.

>>512568
>>What do you mean, 'Who's Saki'? Saki is Saki!
>>I... I have to leave.

>>512568
>>I... I have to leave.

File: Saki04.jpg (512 KB, 1000x1467)

512 KB JPG

>What do you mean, 'Who's Saki'? Saki is Saki!
>I... I have to leave.

"Ryoji, what are you talking about?" Nina asks. She stands up and reaches for your head, trying to check for a fever, but you stagger back. "I... can't stay here. This... this isn't right! It's not... it's not..." you mutter and mumble to yourself before sprinting out the door.

"Ryoji, come back!" Nina calls you after you.

You begin to sprint down the hallway. You're running, but you have no idea what from. Saki... Saki... you brought the name up, but you're having a hard time placing what it means. All you know is that it's important. Was it something from your dream? Are you letting this dream mess with your head so much? You close your eyes, trying to picture it. Saki... you begin to see an image form. A mess of dark brown hair, the deepest blue eyes you've ever seen, and that smile... that smile... it's heavenly. And... it's all yours, isn't it? Yes... you're starting to remember. Saki... you need to get back to-

Soon, the image of the beautiful girl fades away, only to be replaced by a sharp pain running through your head. The ringing and whirring sound that comes with the pain, throwing you off balance and causing you to collapse, clutching your head as you fall to your knees. It's like someone took an electric saw to your skull. You groan in pain as you try to concentrate. What were you thinking of just now? A name... S... S... Sammy? No, that wasn't it...

"Ryoji!" You hear Nina's voice call out as she sees you in your current position. She must have been chasing after you from the moment you left the room. She pulls you to your feet as she places her hand to your head. "You're burning up a fever, Ryoji... maybe you should have stayed in bed."

That's Nina all right, always looking out for you... you've known her for so long. The two of you have been friend since childhood! You grew up together! So... why does she feel like a stranger when she touches you?

"Come on Ryoji, I think it's time I took you to see the nurse," she says with a smile as she takes you by the hand, helpfully guiding your way to the nurses' office. Instinctively, you pull your hand away and glare at her. She looks at you with a mix of shock and hurt.

"Ryoji... what's wrong with you today?" she asks.

>Nina... you're dead.
>Why are you so happy? You were never happy when I knew you.
>What's wrong with me?! I'm not the one that's wrong here!
>I... just have a splitting headache. Sorry, Nina.

>>512604
>>What's wrong with me?! I'm not the one that's wrong here!
>Why are you so happy? You were never happy when I knew you!

>>512604
>>I... just have a splitting headache. Sorry, Nina.
just let us be happy in this dream befor we have to wakr up

>>512604
>>Nina... you're dead.

>>512604
>Why are you so happy? You were never happy when I knew you.
>Nina... you're dead.

>>512604
>What's wrong with me?! I'm not the one that's wrong here!
>Nina... you're dead.

>>512604
>>Nina... you're dead.

File: Nina22.jpg (283 KB, 600x1000)

283 KB JPG

>Nina... you're dead.

Nina's eyes widen as she takes a step back. "I-I'm... what? Ryoji... what are you talking about?"

"You... you died. I saw it, with my own eyes. You, you were bleeding and I was holding you in my arms and... and you asked me something... but I couldn't give you the answer you wanted..."

Nina shakes her head and comes towards you. She embraces you with a big hug, as she wraps her arms around your back and squeezes tight. "It's okay Ryoji... it was just a bad dream. I'm here now."

You frantically shake your head, as you place your hands on her shoulders, lightly pushing her away from you and breaking up the hug. "That's just it, Nina... I don't think it was just a dream. I... I don't think this is real."

Nina gasps. "Ryoji, you're delirious! Of course I'm real! You're starting to scare me..."

You wince in pain as your headache starts to act up again. "No... The Stranger... he..."

"Stranger?" Nina asks. "What stranger? Did you meet a stranger in town yesterday? Did you catch a cold from him?"

"No... he's a demon," you blurt out, unsure of why you said it.

"A demon?"

"Yes, from the Darkworld?" you reply. You don't know why you phrased it as a question, as if she should know what you're talking about. You don't understand the words coming from your lips yourself.

"What's a Darkworld?" Nina asks. "Ryoji, you're not making any sense, you're running a fever, and you're babbling. Stop struggling, I think we need to get you into a nice warm bed, let the nurse take a look at you."

The nurse... no, this doesn't feel like just any fever. Your body is hot, you're sweating like crazy, your head currently has a power drill running through it and you can barely see in front of you with how much your vision is blurring... but you can't shake the feeling that there's something else going on. Of course, that could just be the fever talking...

Nina holds out her hand with a smile, offering for you to take it.

>Take her hand.
>Nina... I need to speak with you in private.
>I don't need to see the nurse, I need to see the principal.
>Run.

>>512635
>>Run.

>>512635
>>Run

>>512635
>>Take her hand.

>>512635
>Run.

>>512635
>>Run.
Kind of curious why we would visit the principal.

>>512635
>Run

>>512635
>Take her hand.
It is too son to run away.

>>512635
>Run.

>>512635
This could be a chance to find out what Nina was for Ryoji, so I'm split between
>Nina... I need to speak with you in private.
and
>Run.

File: The_Stranger03.jpg (150 KB, 850x1043)

150 KB JPG

>Run.

Without thinking, you turn you back to Nina and you run. You run as fast as you can to wherever your feet can take you. You don't know what you're running from or what you're running to, all you know is you have to run. You keep running, through the hallway, down the stairwell, out through the courtyard as you begin to approach the main gate of the academy. You develop a cramp in your stomach and your headache continues to worsen, but you continue to mindlessly run despite the pain... but eventually, it becomes just too much for you to handle, as you trip over yourself, falling face first onto the stone tile floor, and curl up into a ball, clutching your head. Eventually you feel the cold hard sole of a boot stepping on you, squeezing on the back of your head.

"Ryoji... what are you doing?"

That voice... it's your voice. But how can that be?

You look up, pressing against the weight of the boot to see the man standing atop you. A figure in a red hood and cloak, the bottom half of his face covered in bandages. But the top half... those are your eyes. Your hair. This man... you recognise him, but... damn, your head is tearing in two...

"I go all out to make this nice place for you," the man sighs. "I could have just dropped you into some infinite blackness to exist within, but no. I decided to make this nice lovely place for you to enjoy, and what's the first thing you do? You cry about Saki and start to run. Typical... remember when you were tough, Ryoji?"

"I don't know what you're talking about... and screw you, anyway!" you yell back.

"Oh, now there's some of that classic Shida!" the man laughs. "You've been trying pretty hard to reject this gift of mine so far, Ryoji. Here's what we're going to do. We're going to start again. And you're not going to screw up next time."

With that, the man's boot presses down hard on the back of your head, stomping your face into the floor. You black out the moment your face makes it's arrangement with the pavement, only for your eyes to shoot open, as you find yourself in your dorm once more.

File: Nina33.png (609 KB, 850x1133)

609 KB PNG

"Good, you're up," Nina says, as she sits by the edge of your bed. Was she watching you sleep? "I was so worried about you. Collapsing in the courtyard after running away like that... you were delirious. But, you've been asleep for twenty five hours and thirty-seven minutes, so maybe the rest has done you some good."

You... were out for a full day?

"Don't worry, I can tell you're sick," Nina nods. "I won't force you to go to class today. Look, I've made you some food. A little soup always helps when you're sick!"

She's being so kind, typical of Nina. She's always had your back. Ever since you were children... wait a minute... there was something... just before you blacked out...

"Who was that man?" you ask.

Nina looks at you, confused. "I'm sorry?"

"The man..." you repeat. "In the red hood? He was there in the courtyard right before I... I..."

Trying to think back on it is only triggering your headache. Maybe you should take it easy and try not to stress too much...

"Ryoji, there was no man," Nina replies. "We just found you lying there on your own. Now come on, your soups going to get cold."

>Of course, thanks Nina.
>Wait... this still doesn't feel right...
>Are you sure? I could have sworn there was a man in the courtyard.

>>512674
>Of course, thanks Nina.

>>512674
>>Wait... this still doesn't feel right...

>>512674
>>Of course, thanks Nina.

>>512674
>>Wait... this still doesn't feel right...
Feels like it's too late to play along now, lets make Stranger work for his freedom.

>>512674
>This doesn't feel right, but I'll go with it for now.
>Of course, thanks Nina.

>Of course, thanks Nina.

>>512674
>Wait... this still doesn't feel right...
I'm really conflicted about this one.

>>512684
This

>>512674
>Of course, thanks Nina.

>>512676
>>512681
>>512684
>>512686
>>512696
>>512697
Of course, thanks Nina

>>512678
>>512683
>>512684
>>512691
>>512696
Doesn't feel right

Calling for
>Of course, thanks Nina
Writing now.

>>512698
>Playing the Strangers game
come on guys really?

>>512702
>Not voting for the other choice

>>512704
i just got here

File: Nina12.png (267 KB, 500x751)

267 KB PNG

Yes... this feels right. The fog in your head, it's all starting to clear. There's no strange man, there's no nightmares. There's just your good friend Nina, and some coup.

"There's that thank you again," Nina remarks. "Could it be I've finally reformed you into an upstanding gentleman?"

"Let's not go too far," you joke. "I'll always be the master delinquent."

Nina smiles as she gently strokes your hair. "Well, right now you should be the master of getting some rest."

"Your word-play needs work," you smile back.

"And you need rest."

"Okay, okay!" you reply. "No need to hammer it into me, geez!"

"Head up," Nina commands. You sit up and she begins to fluff your pillow.

"This isn't your job, Nina. You're not the nurse, you know."

"I'm your nurse," Nina fires back. "You never could take care of yourself, Ryoji. You need me to take care of you. Now, open wide."

"I don't need you to literally spoonfeed me the sou-MPH!"

As you're talking, Nina goes right ahead and shoves the spoon into your mouth. She pulls it out, as you slurp on the soup. It's damn nice, albeit starting to get cold. "I can finish the rest myself, Nina. You should just get on to class."

"I'm not leaving your side while you're sick," Nina pouts.

"I'll be fine. It's just a cold," you reply. "Besides, I'm already starting to feel better. I think I just needed a good long sleep."

Nina hesitates, before letting out a sigh. "Well... if you say so, Ryoji. I'll be back to check on you during first break, and lunch."

Nina leans in a gives you a quick kiss on the forehead as she makes her way to the door. "Don't forget to get plenty-"

"-Of rest, I know," you sigh. "Have fun in class."

"I can't have fun if you're not there," Nina replies, before heading out the door.

You sit on the edge of the bed and start tucking into the food Nina left behind. Good god, you're starving, but you suppose that comes with being out for an entire day. You can't believe you slept that long.

File: Ken and Nanami.jpg (205 KB, 550x450)

205 KB JPG

You hear some footsteps in the corridor, followed by some giggling. A lot of giggling, in fact. Plus the sounds of two people whispering to each-other. You rise to your feet and make your way to the door to check out what's going on. You step out into the hallway to see Ken embroiled in some passionate kissing with a girl in a school uniform and sporting long pink hair. A happy smiling face, and one you know all to well.

You clear your throat in order to grab the two's attention.

"Oh, Ryoji!" Nanami exclaims, as she breaks away from Ken and begins to turn red. "I uhh, didn't see you there..."

"Guess we've been caught in the act," Ken laughs, as he hugs into Nanami from behind, nibbling gently at her neck. "Good to see you're up and about, man. That fever hit you like crazy."

"Yeah..." you mutter, staring at the happy couple with a confused look on your face. Something about this picture doesn't add up...

"Something wrong, Ryoji?" Nanami asks.

>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?
>This isn't right... you two aren't a couple!
>Why aren't the two of you in class?
>Why do you have to be so lovey-dovey all the time? It's gross.

File: Ryojiventures.png (112 KB, 520x320)

112 KB PNG

>>512712
>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?
>This isn't right... you two aren't a couple!
STRANGERRRRRR

>>512712
>>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?
Clearly the biggest thing wrong here

>>512712
>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?
>This isn't right... you two aren't a couple!
God damn it stranger you're really bad at this.

>>512712
>>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?
Stranger please don't steal Nanami's pirate hat.

>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?
>This isn't right... you two aren't a couple!

FUCKING HELL GUYS, THE IDEAL DREAM WORLD IS LIKE TROPE #1 IM EMBARRESED FOR YOU THAT YOURE FALLING FOR IT

>>512712
>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?

>>512712
>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?

>>512712
>>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?

>>512720
>FALLING FOR IT
No ones falling for it, except that first guy in the thread, some people just want to play along more than others.

>>512726
>Playing along with the evil entity that doesn't want you to fight back and is erasing your one true love from your mind.
Yes that's so much fucking better.

>>512730
>Not wanting to learn more about Nina because this will probably be our only chance

>>512712
>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?

>>512731
>Wanting the false memories of her implanted by the demon who's using them to control us and erase our real ones.

>>512731
>Wanting to know more about something that doesn't matter, at the risk of forgetting about everything that those matter.

>>512730
Some people really like Nina I guess.

>>512731
Get outta this thread, Stranger.

>>512712
>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?

>>512731
This isn't the real Nina though
All the memories Ryoji had of her before the academy were consumed by the Stranger

File: Yamato02.png (1.02 MB, 960x682)

1.02 MB PNG

>Aren't you supposed to be a pirate?

Nanami blushes. "Ryoji, are you ever going to let me live that down? I did that for like a week in our first year! I was... I was really insecure, and I wanted to stand out, but now? I don't need it. It was just a silly thing I did, can we move past it now?"

"You're getting so flustered, it's cute," Ken smirks as he kisses her cheek. "I thought you looked adorable in that pirate costume."

"Yeah, right!" Nanami laughs. "You'd never date me if I was wearing something that goofy!"

"I'd date you no matter what," Ken laughs as he spins her around, and they begin to make out once more. They're so embroiled within their own passion that they've pretty much forgotten about your presence entirely. Just for a week, huh? No... it feels longer than that. She definitely had the pirate costume for much longer, didn't she? You can't even picture her in anything else. Seeing her in a regular school uniform is weird.

You shake your head, and find yourself walking not towards your room, but outside. You step out into the front of the dorm and begin wandering aimlessly. You just feel so... out of it. So woozy. That man in the red hood... did you actually see that, or was it a hallucination. Part of a bad dream while you were asleep that's mixed in with your actual memories due to your delirious state?

Before you know it, you're in the courtyard again, and you hear the bell for first break. Crap... Nina's going to go check on you, and she's going to be pissed if she doesn't find you in your bed. You turn back, quickly making your way back to the dorms, until you hear a voice call out to you, a voice that... for whatever reason, you feel angry hearing. You don't know why, but rage boils up in your mind the second that voice hits your ears.

"Ryoji? I heard you were ill. What are you doing out here... and in your pyjamas?"

You turn around, to catch a glimpse of the white haired boy standing before you, a concerned look on his face.

"Were you sleepwalking?" Yamato asks. "Come, you should probably get back to bed."

>Punch him in the face.
>Sure Yam, that'd be real helpful.
>Punch him in the face.
>Don't worry, I can get back there by myself.
>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.

>>512745
>Punch him in the face.
INSTINCT MOTHER FUCKER!

>>512745
>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.
STTTTTTTRRRRRRRRANNNNNNNGGGGEEEEEERRRRRRRR

>>512745
>>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE

>>512745
>>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.
FUCK YOU

>>512745
Best boy is here
>Sure Yam, that'd be real helpful.

He dindu nuffin, and this dream version of him is probably even better than the original.
Also
>"I'd date you no matter what,"
Hahahahahaha

>>512745
>>Sure Yam, that'd be real helpful.
I want this. I want Yamchan the Rapist to put his moves on us.

>>512741
Can we start picturing everyone in this dreamland as having Stranger's face?

>>512745
>Sure Yam, that'd be real helpful.

>Punching best boy Yamato

>>512745
>Punch him in the face.
>Punch him in the face.
And.
>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.

>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.
THIS IS FOR THE NTR
>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.
THIS IS FOR THE HURTING ALICE
>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.
AND THIS IS FOR GIVING IN TO ONE OF THESE STUPID DEMONS

>>512745
>Sure Yam, that'd be real helpful.
>Punch him in the face.

>>512754
>Sure Yam that would be real helpful

>>512745
>>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.

>>512745
You know what we should do
Jump out the window
Just keep trying to commit suicide till Stranger stops with the bullshit and tells us whats going on and what his plan is

>>512745
>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.
THAT'S FOR TRYING TO NTR US

>>512745
>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.

>>512745
>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_VL5O_IqL4

File: Saki26.jpg (210 KB, 603x1000)

210 KB JPG

>PUNCH HIM IN HIS STUPID FACE.

As soon as Yamato approaches you, you instinctively wind up your arm before sending a fist flying in his direction, clocking him hard in the jaw. He goes down, and you find yourself launching yourself after him continuing the attack while he's on the ground. "Ryoji! What are you-" he cries out, before being rocked with another punch to the face.

"How dare you!" you growl as you continue to wail on him, having lost all semblance of self-control. "How dare you put your hands on her! You bastard! You never had the right!

"Put my hands on who?!" a distressed Yamato cries out. "You're not making any-"

"Shut up, you piece of crap!" you scream out, driving your knee into his gut. "You lied to us, you captured Alice! You chained her up!"

"Who's Alice!"

"You chained her up! You tortured her like you tortured Raiden, and you were going to do worse! And then... and then! You had the gall to lay your hands on her! To hurt Saki! I'll kill you!"

You continue your vicious onslaught until Raiden is beaten and bloody. You don't know what's happening. You don't know what you're saying, but you can't stop yourself. It's like you're... possesed... like something inside you... took over... why does that sound so... damn it, your head...

You pull you fist back once more, only for it to be caught. Perhaps a teacher saw what was going on and felt the need to step in. Perhaps Nina came to put a stop to this madness... you turn around, only to be horrified as you see the man in the red cloak clutching your wrist. He makes a harsh sound, imitating a game show buzzer.

"Wrong, Ryoji! Try again!"

You wake up in your bed once more. You look over to see Ken sitting in the chair by the bedside desk, scribbling into his notebook, trying to get some studying done.

"Well, you took your time rising," Ken laughs as he looks over at you as you pull back the covers, wide-eyed and sweating. "Tried to get a good lie in, huh? You've barely left that bed in the last two days! Nina's been worried sick, she's making some more soup right now!"

What... how does this keep happening?

"How about it?" Ken asks. "Feeling any better now?"

>You... you're just going to ignore what I did to Yamato?
>You're not real.
>Yeah, I think I am. I think it's all coming back to me now...

>>512781
>You're not real.
Fuck you Stranger.
>inb4 the real way to get out is to accept this shit.

>>512781
>You continue your vicious onslaught until Raiden is beaten and bloody
Now we are the Yamchan.

>>512781
>>You're not real.
Time to break out.

>>512781
>>You're not real.
Enough games

>You're not real.

>You're not real.
Let's just escape now

>>512781
>You're not real.

>>512781
>>You're not real.

>>512781
>>You're not real.

>>512781
>You're not real.
We had our fun, lets get out of here.

>>512781
>You're not real.

>>512781
>Yeah, I think I am. I think it's all coming back to me now...

>>512781
>Yeah, I think I am. I think it's all coming back to me now...
>You're not real.

File: Ken03.jpg (88 KB, 850x972)

88 KB JPG

>You're not real.

No, you're not going to get roped in again. Your memories are flooding back, and you're not going to let yourself get put into a false sense of security again. You're going to cling on tight to your mind.

Ken stares at you, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "I'm not... Ryoji, what are you talking about. Of course I'm-"

"Shut up," you mutter, glaring daggers at him. "You're not. You're a fake, and I'm trapped in here against my will. That man is messing with my head, and he's created all of this, but it's all fabricated. I'm not letting myself get pulled in again."

"Ryoji, I think-"

"Shut up, fake Ken."

"Ryoji, I just think-"

"You're not real. Only real people get to talk."

"I just think that you might be-"

"Real Ken is a much better fisher than you are."

"Dammit, Ryoji!" Ken bursts from his seat. "You've got me! I'm not real! So what? What does it matter? Sure, this is all a lie! I'm scribbling freakin' circles in this notepad for god's sake! I'm just trying to keep you happy, Ryoji! Doesn't this make you happy?"

You shake your head. "Why the hell would this make me happy? It's all a dream!"

"But it's a good dream, that's all that matters!" Ken fires back. "Everyone is much happier here! I get to be in love with Nanami, and she gets to be happy without having to make an idiot out of herself! Do you really want to go back to a world where she can't look herself in the mirror every morning unless she's wearing that stupid costume? I thought you cared about Nanami!"

"I do, but-"

"And look at Yamato! He's alive, he's happy, he never fell to the darkside and hurt anyone! There's no pain in this world!" Ken replies. "And let's not forget the biggest boon of all... Nina! She's here, and she's alive and you can remember her! You don't have to live knowing you let her die! Isn't it amazing?"

"What about Saki?" you ask. "Why isn't she here?"

Ken lets out a sigh. "Saki, Saki, Saki... you're all about the Saki aren't you? I remember when you used to be cool, Ryoji. When you weren't some love-struck moron. Saki isn't here because... well, I couldn't properly capture Saki for the sake of the fantasy. Having her around would have just made you depressed."

"You know what would make me happy?" you ask. "If you let me go back to the real world, back to her."

"Ryoji..." Ken sighs. "I didn't want to be the one to have to tell you this... that's not going to work out. Even if I wanted to give you control over your body again, and I don't... you and Saki are from completely different worlds. Sure, the novelty of getting with the good girl sure was thrilling for a while, but do you really expect it to last? Not to mention the fact that you're haemorrhaging memories... trust me, that story doesn't have a happy ending. Why would you want to go back? Why can't you just let it be some bad dream?"

>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.
>Because all this good stuff isn't real.
>You... you might have a point...

>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

>>512807
>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

>>512807
>>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.
This is a neat line.

>>512807
>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.
Its time to go home.

>>512807
>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

>>512807
>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

>>512807
>You... you might have a point...

>>512807
>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

>>512807
>Because all this good stuff isn't real.
It would be nice if it was. But it's not.

>>512807
>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

>>512819
>"Oh, so I'll just make it bad instead. Alright, thanks, Ryoji!"

>>512807
>>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

>>512807
>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.
>inb4 Ryoji wakes up and he's still in another dream.

>>512807
>>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

File: Ken.jpg (390 KB, 550x702)

390 KB JPG

>Because it wasn't a bad dream. It was the best dream I ever had.

"The hell are you talking about?" Ken asks.

"There was nothing bad about that dream," you fire back.

"There wasn't... Ryoji, in this reality there's no Darkworld. You don't have to worry about it anymore-"

"I never had to worry about it before," you reply. "Not with the friends I had. They always had my back, they always looked out for me, no matter what! Ken, Kosuke, Rini, Akemi, Chihiro, Nanami, all of them! But Saki most of all. Seriously, are you some kind of dumbass, Stranger? How can you stand there and tell me that any dream with her could be a bad one?"

Ken rolls his eyes. "Come on, Ryoji. No need for the lovey-dovey attitu-"

"You had your time to talk, now listen to me," you snap. "In the real world, I met the love of my life. I met a girl who completed me. She filled a hole in my heart that I didn't even know was there. You're going to try to take that away from me?"

"Oh, stop with the rose-tinted glasses, Ryoji! Saki wasn't more special than any other girl. In fact, for the most part, she was a pain in the ass! Always lecturing you, always getting on her high-horse, always dragging you along into crap you never wanted to do! And your friends? They're all miserable! Every single one of them! Each and every one of you literally went through hell! You had to fight of demons, a rogue class led by a mind controlling whack-job and a crazy cult! And when you weren't doing that, you had to deal with all your classmates stupid personal problems! You never had a moment to yourself, you were always having to help someone else-"

"-And I loved every second of it," you interrupt. "Are you telling me that crap's not cool as hell? Fighting demons, whackjobs, crazy cults? Saving the world on a regular basis? I got to do that, and it was amazing! Sure, I act unaffected, like everything's a pain in the ass, but I loved what I was doing, and I loved the people I was doing it with even more. Dark Gate Academy, the REAL Dark Gate Acdemy... that's my home."

Ken glares at you, his face stern and his voice scolding, like a parent to their child. "Do you really want to go back?"

"Don't ask such a stupid question," you reply. "Of course I do."

"Well, too bad. You can't. What I'm doing is for the good of both of us," Ken replies.

"Oh, and what is that?" you ask, crossing your arms.

"If I told you, you'd just get angrier," Ken sighs. "But trust me, it's for the greater good. You're just going to have to sit here and wait. Might as well enjoy the world I made for you while you're at it."

Ken shakes his head, and sits back in his chair and begins doodling circles in the notebook once more. Looks like The Stranger stopped speaking to you, leaving you trapped in here.

Dammit... you suppose if you want out you're just going to have to force his hand somehow. But what could possibly do that?

>Kill fake Ken.
>Kill yourself.

>>512857
>Kill yourself.
Finally

>Knock Ken out.

>Kill Ken
Then
Kill yourself

>>512857
>do neither
just enjoy the dreamworld as much as possible while you wait for Saki

>>512865
Abit late for that bro we kinda already made our huge speech
We really should just end this dream

>>512857
>Go find Nina, then kill her
We can't risk illing Ken and forgetting all about him, killing Ryoji is just as dangerous, what can we lost if we kill Nina, we already forgot about her anyways. and is going to be dramatic as fuck

>>512874
Changing this. We already forgot about her. Let's lose them again.

>>512874
Also changing to this

>>512874
I'll back this, can't risk forgetting anyone that's still alive.

>>512874
Backing

>>512874
You got some serious guts huh Anon?

>>512857
>>Kill yourself.
What could possibly go wrong?

>>512874
Lets see what happens.

>>512874
Supporting

>>512874
Makes sense, This

File: Nina08.jpg (549 KB, 850x1103)

549 KB JPG

>Go find Nina, then kill her

You hate to do this. You really, truly hate to do this... but it must be done.You know there's only one way you can grab his attention. Killing yourself would probably be a bad idea, and if this fake Ken is made up of your memories of him, killing him may end up erasing them. You don't want that. But there is one person here who you can kill without forgetting... because you already forgot them in the first place. You close your eyes, take a deep breath, and begin to search for Nina. She's the one who shouldn't be here, she's the greatest fake of all. This version of her is completely false, not born from any memories of her, as you don't have any memories of her left outside of her last moments.

You leave your dormroom and step into the dorm's common room, where you see Nina in the kitchen making soup. She sniffs the broth and scrunches up her face, before adding a little salt. You don't have a weapon. How are you going to do it? With your hands? Even with a fake Nina, a pure figment of the imagination, you don't know if you can bring yourself to strangle the life out of her. You take a few steady steps towards her, and her smile fades. She looks up at you, and soon you see the Nina you knew. The Nina you remember from her last days.

"I know why you're here, Ryoji," she says. "You moved fairly quickly towards killing me."

You stagger, taking a step back. "How did you... oh, this is Stranger talking, isn't it?"

"No," Nina replies, he face expressionless. "This is Nina talking. You can't just kill me Ryoji, it won't solve anything. For one, I'm already dead."

"Don't be stupid," you fire back. "How could it not be Stranger talking. All of this is Stranger talking. The entire world is Stranger talking."

"Except me," Nina replies. "Stranger can't remember me, Ryoji, and yet I'm here. Any memory he takes, he forgets just as much as you do. So why would I be here?"

"He clearly tried to add you," you reply. "Made a piss-poor effort too. You were smiling and cheerful, nothing like I remembered you."

"Yes... because you remember me so well, don't you Ryoji?" Nina asks. Her facial expression doesn't change, but her eyes give way to intense sadness. "If you want his attention, go ahead and kill me. But first... could you take my hand? I want to show you something before we say goodbye forever."

No, this could be a trap... you could take her hand and next thing you know, all you memories are gone. It's just Stranger trying to trick you again, right? Still... how can you be sure? Everything's so messed up, maybe it's not a trap?

>Take her hand.
>Kill her.

>>512925
>>Take her hand.

>>512925
>>Kill her.

>>512925
Im going to fucking regret this so fucking much
>Take her hand.
heh, and the reoccurring line in the OP is "Just wanna hold your hand"

>>512925
>Take her hand.

>>512925
>Take her hand.
Can't follow through with my own write in.
I am sorry.

>Take her hand.

>>512925
>>Take her hand.
This sounds like a terrible idea but here goes!

>>512925
>>Kill her.
We're gonna mind of steel lads.

>>512925
>Take her hand.
God damn it Booker you fuck.

>>512925
>Kill her.
I'm sorry, Nina.

>>512925
>Take her hand.
Stranger/Nina raises an interesting point at least.
There's only one way out of this and booker is going to railroad us back onto it whatever we do isn't he

>>512963
I trust booker enough to know that he'll fuck us if we deserve it

>>512963
Never Ever

>>512925
>Kill her.

>>512925
>>Kill her

File: Spoiler Image (405 KB, 869x1000)

405 KB PNG

>Take her hand.

You feel like you might regret this, but you can't bring yourself to do what you were planning to do without at least hearing her out first. You hesitantly reach out and accept her hand, and as soon your skin makes contact, you find that you're no longer in the common room of the Dark Gate Academy Class 2 dormitory. No... you're on a very familiar street. In fact, it's the one you grew up on. Nina continues holding your hand as you look over to see a small boy with short white hair throwing rocks. Yep, that's you all right.

"What... what am I doing here?" you ask, looking at the teeny tiny version of yourself. You must be about eight years old.

"Just watch," Nina replies.

"Do I really have to watch younger me? I look like such a little turd. Who am I even throwing rocks at?" you ask.

"Let's take a closer look," Nina replies, pulling you by the hand.

As you come closer you see two other kids running away from the barrage of rocks. Huh, guess you were a real bully back then. That comes as no surprise, you always were a little troublemaker.

"Get the hell out of you, you bullies!" the younger you calls out as he chases the other kids off. "And don't you ever come back, or you'll have to deal with me, Ryoji Shida, master delinquent!"

"T-thank you..." you hear a meek voice call out. You look down to see a small girl cowering on the ground, looking more than a little roughed up. The girl in question has silver hair... and is sporting a gold hairpin... oh.

"Hey, don't mention it!" the young you says to the girl, as he hunkers down to her level. "I'm just sick of kids like that running around on my turf, and picking on some innocent girl who doesn't deserve it."

"W-wow... you're like a hero..." the young Nina sniffles as she fixes herself up.

"Hero?!" Mini-Ryoji protests. "Don't get me wrong! I'm no hero, I'm a master delinquent! I just... I don't pick on little girls."

"I'm probably older than you," Young Nina giggles.

"Yeah, well you're still a little girl!" Young Ryoji replies. "Besides, I can't let them mess with you, Nina."

"N-Nina?" she asks. "H-how did you know my-"

"Our parents are friends," you reply. "Your folks brought you by on a few of their visits to my house. I... well, I kinda hide in my room when there's visitors... but I saw you there!"

"Oh... you're from the Shida family?" Young Nina asks. "It's very nice to meet you..."

"Ryoji!" Young Ryoji replies. "Didn't you hear my catchphrase?"

"Catchphrase?"

"Yeah, I've been working on it," the boy laughs. "I want to make a name for myself as the world's greatest hell-raiser, and I can't do that without a sweet catchphrase! Ryoji Shida, master delinquent!"

The Young Nina rises to her feet and dusts herself off before giving a bow. "Well, it was very nice to meet you. Ryoji Shida... my hero."

>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.
>Why are you showing me this crap? What's the point?
>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?

>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?

>>513001
>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.

>>513001
>>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?

>>513001
>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.
>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?

>>513001
>let go of her hand and make a break for it

This memory is made up for all we know, its unlikely the Stranger could remember it either

>>513001
>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.
>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?

>>513001
>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.
>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?

File: 1472218847765.jpg (35 KB, 495x375)

35 KB JPG

>>513001
>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.
>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?
I thought I was ready.

>>513001
>>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.
>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?
Already having a catchphrase at such a young age is impressive, if it's true.

>>513001
>>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.

File: Nina34.png (997 KB, 850x1201)

997 KB PNG

>Your hero? You must be real disappointed in me now.
>How can I see this? Wasn't this memory eaten?

"Ryoji..." Nina mutters. "You did your best. I could never be disappointed in you. As for the memory... that may be harder for you to believe."

You shake your head. "I'm prepared for any lie The Stranger throws my way."

"This isn't a lie, and this isn't The Stranger talking," Nina sighs. "It's me. Nina. When... right before I died, I..."

"What?"

Nina pauses and hesitates. "Let me show you something else. Close your eyes."

You do as you're told, as you're soon taken into another memory. You see yourself, smoking on a rooftop. You're a good bit older than you were from the last memory, now you must be about middle school age. Next to the young Ryoji is Nina, smoking as well.

"I can't believe you, Ryoji."

"What?" Ryoji protests, puffing away at the cigarette.

"One last semester before I move on to high-school, and what did you do? Go and get yourself expelled on a whim!"

"It wasn't a whim!" Ryoji says. "Some jerkbag challenged me to a fight on my territory! You think I should have just let that slide? I've got to defend my standing as the school's master-"

"I don't care about your stupid territory! I don't care about your stupid gang of one, and I sure as hell don't care about your master delinquency!" Nina snaps. "What I do care about is the fact that you picked a fight you didn't need to fight, beat a kid black and blue, and got kicked of school! What am I supposed to do now?"

Ryoji shrugs. "Come on, Nina. We live next door, I'm sure you can survive a semester without me before you ditch that place."

"Still..." Nina pouts, before taking a drag of the cigarette. "It would have been nice to have my boyfriend around for those last few months. Who am I going to eat lunch with now?"

Her... boyfriend? Oh... no. No.

File: Nina28.jpg (469 KB, 847x1200)

469 KB JPG

"Don't worry about it babe, we live two doors away from each-other. I'll have to find a new school to tear up, but it's not like we'll be all that distant."

Nina drops her cigarette to the floor and stamps it into the ground, putting it out. "It's just... I really wanted you to be around as much as possible, because... I got into that high-school I always wanted."

"Ooh, congrats," Ryoji rolls his eyes. "Now you get to waste more money on a school that's no less a dump than any of the others."

"Will you stop complaining about schools for five seconds and listen to me?" Nina snaps. "That school... it's on the other side of the country... and it's a boarding school. I'll have to move away after this semester..."

"Crap, Nina..." Ryoji mutters, feeling guilty as tears stream from Nina's face.

"I'm sorry Ryoji, but... we'll have to break up..." Nina mutters, her voice cracking. "I don't think either of us can keep a long distance relationship."

"Nina..."

"I love you, Ryoji. I really do," Nina cries. "I've loved you since the day we met, when you saved me from those bullies... but you've become quite the bully yourself now, haven't you? You're selfish, you pick fights, and you don't care about anyone but yourself!"

"That's not true!" Ryoji fires back. "I... I care about you!"

"Then why didn't you show it?!" Nina yells, as a tense silence fills the air. "I... I'm sorry Ryoji. I hope that... when I'm older, when we're both older, and I've graduated... we can be together again. But for now..."

Ryoji crosses his arms, and lets out a sigh. "Whatever. Just know this Nina, the second you graduate, I'm coming to find you. And when I find you, I'm going to marry you."

"Ryoji..." Nina mutters. "I don't believe you, but I love you... and I'll miss you."

With that, the young Nina walks off, as your past self is left smoking alone, an angry scowl on his face.

>Nina... I'm so sorry.
>Stop, this is getting too painful. Can you please just tell me what's going on?
>I was such an ass back then, wasn't I?

>>513105
>>Nina... I'm so sorry.
OH. WELL THEN.

>>513105
>Nina... I'm so sorry.

>>513105
>Nina... I'm so sorry.

>I was such an ass back then, wasn't I?

File: 1471672317120.gif (530 KB, 500x275)

530 KB GIF

>>513105
>Nina... I'm so sorry.
Fuck sake Booker I play this quest for the waifus, not the feels.

File: [RG Genshiken] Gintama - (...).jpg (37 KB, 704x528)

37 KB JPG

>>513105
>>Nina... I'm so sorry.
Why must you do this to us.

>>513105
>>Stop, this is getting too painful. Can you please just tell me what's going on?

>>513105
>Nina... I'm so sorry.
>I was such an ass back then, wasn't I?

>>513105
>>Stop, this is getting too painful. Can you please just tell me what's going on?
I dunno, this just feels like a bit of a stretch for me to believe that easily. Even if it were true, it wouldn't really matter now though so maybe going back to trying to break out is a good idea.

>>513105
>Nina... I'm so sorry.

>>513105
>>Nina... I'm so sorry.
Thanks booker. I'm dead now. I have become a skeleton

File: Nina30.png (211 KB, 380x620)

211 KB PNG

>Nina... I'm so sorry.

Nina shakes her head. "It's okay... I've come to terms with it. I know you never loved me as much as I loved you. You never truly loved me at all."

"Nina, I-"

"You were boisterous, you were selfish, and oftentimes you were downright mean. That promise to marry me, it was an empty one, wasn't it?"

"Nina..."

"Wasn't it?"

You sigh. "Yes."

"It's okay to admit Ryoji," Nina replies. "I always knew in my heart it was true. Don't feel bad, you were a different person back then. You've changed. You're more caring, considerate, compassionate. I'm proud of how you've grown, Ryoji... though I am disappointed I wasn't the woman to change you."

"I don't know if this is true or it's just The Stranger poking around in my head. If it's The Stranger, then screw you. But if it's true... the I truly am sorry."

"It's all true, Ryoji..." Nina mutters. "I have something to admit to you. Before I died, I... I placed a part of myself within you. A piece of my soul, transplanted within your mind. I'm long dead now, my body decomposed, but my spirit... my memory remains within you, buried so deep that you couldn't even notice me, that none of the memories could come to the forefront with The Stranger still occupying space. This is me, the real Nina you're speaking to... or her spirit at least."

"So, you're like a ghost?"

"I'd prefer to think of myself as the angel on your shoulder," Nina replies.

"And I take it Stranger's the devil?" you ask.

"Yes..." Nina sighs. "You see, this world he's created... it's my fault. He built it around me, around my spirit and the memories of me in his attempt to trick you, to keep you content while he controls your body."

>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?
>This is ridiculous. I don't believe you. This is just Stranger messing with me.

>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?

>>513175
>>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

>>513175
>>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?

>>513175
>>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

>>513175
>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

>>513175
>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

>>513175
>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

>>513175
>>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

>>513175
>>This is ridiculous. I don't believe you. This is just Stranger messing with me.

>>513175
>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

>>513175
>>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

File: Nina25.jpg (56 KB, 836x1396)

56 KB JPG

>You... placed your spirit in my mind? Where'd you learn to do something like that?
>Okay... then surely you must know how to get out, right?

Nina looks down at her feet. "I suppose it's time I confessed one other thing to you... please, don't be upset by this."

"You're making it sound like it's something I'm going to be upset about," you reply.

"That night, when we smoked on the rooftop... that was the last time we properly spoke. After that, I tried as hard as I could to hate you... but no matter what, I couldn't help but love you, and as I left for high-school, I found myself missing you. I found myself wanting to go back to you, and after a year in that horrible boarding school, I was fed up. So... I did what I thought you would do. I went out of my way to get expelled. I became brash, uncaring, cruel to people in the process. I had hoped that this would mean I could go back, attend a highschool closer to home... but no. In fact, my parents wanted to teach me a lesson by sending me to another school, even further away from home. A supposedly fine academy that I had been accepted into... Dark Gate."

"That's how you ended up transferring there?" you ask. "That's not that upsetting."

"That isn't the confession," Nina sighs. "I was just building up to it."

"Oh."

"I arrived at Dark Gate Academy, and I went through the same introductory process as everyone else. It was hell. I saw so many of my new classmates torn apart in short order, and all I could think about was you. How much I missed you, and how much I wanted you to be at my side. So..."

Wait, you think you're seeing where this is going.

"I made a wish."

Oh... shit.

"I wished that you could come to the academy, that you could be with me... and to my surprise, my wish was answered."

"Nina... you didn't," you shake your head.

"I'm afraid I did," Nina replies, staring at you with sad, tearful eyes. "You coming to the Academy wasn't a mistake, Ryoji. It wasn't a clerical error... but it wasn't fate, either. It was me. I brought you here out of selfishness, and I sold my soul to a demon to do it."

"But... how?" you say, staggering back. "You... you couldn't have! You weren't possessed by an Archdemon when you died."

"I know..." Nina sniffles. "I... I found a way to separate the demon from the host without killing them, but..."

"But what?!" you demand to know. "This is useful to me, I need to know what you did!"

"It wasn't worth it," Nina replies. "The process I went through, it removed the demon, but while I didn't die on the outside... it had killed me on the inside."

Is that why she was so expressionless by the time you met her again? "What does that mean? How do you die on the inside?"

"By the time you met me again, my body was little more than an empty husk. That's no hyperbole on my part either, Ryoji. Do you know what it feels like to have your soul die?"

"No."

"And I hope and pray that you never do."

File: Nina29.png (418 KB, 750x750)

418 KB PNG

"Fine, then do you at least know how to get out of this mind trap?" you ask.

"Of course I do," Nina says. She closes her eyes, as a sword materialises in your free hand. "You were right on your first guess, Ryoji. Stranger built this world around me, killing my spirit and erasing all of these memories of me for good is the only way to get out."

"I... I can't do that!" you shout. "I can't kill your spirit! I just got these memories of you back, I... I can't erase them again! Dammit Nina, why did you have to show me this?"

"I'm so... so sorry, Ryoji." Nina bites her bottom lip as tears flow freely down her cheek. "Showing you that... that was my chance to be selfish for a change. I wanted to have one last moment with you before... before you did what you must."

"I'm not going to kill you, Nina!" you fire back. "Not after this!"

"You have to," Nina replies, placing her hand gently on your cheek. "Stranger is tearing at the seems of you mind to maintain this world, this illusion, stay here any longer and there's no telling what memories will be lost to you."

"Nina..." you mutter, unable to prevent the tears streaming down your own face.

"I had my last moment with you," Nina smiles. "Now's the time to say goodbye. I love you Ryoji, but it's time you move on. End it, please."

The sword trembles in you hand as Nina stares at you expectantly.

>Kill her.
>No, I won't do it.

>>513242
>Kill her.
>"I'm sorry Nina."

>>513242
>Kill her.
Fuck.

>>513242
>>Kill her

>>513242
>No, I won't do it.
FUCK YOU STRANGER, WE'RE RYOJI SHIDA, MASTER FUCKING DELINQUENT

>>513250
Also forgot to add.

>"Goodbye..."

>>513242
>>Kill her.

>Kill her.
>"I'm sorry Nina."

>I won't kill you because I know that Saki and my friends will definitely find a way to get me out of here

>>513242
>Kill her.

>>513242
>>No, I won't do it.
I can't help thinking it's all been a trick by Stranger to try to keep us quiet. 'Sides, we already know that Ryoji doesn't break out, though that might be too meta to use as an actual reason.

>>513242
>No, I won't do it.

>>513242
>No, I won't do it.
In episode 3 we are freed anyway. I don't see how killing Nina would help here.

>No, I won't do it

>>513270
>>513279
>stay here any longer and there's no telling what memories will be lost to you."

We are losing our memories the longer we stay here. I would rather have most of our mind then none of it.

>>513242
>>No, I won't do it.

>>513268
Changing to this

>>513268
You know what, changing to this.

>>513242
>>Kill her.

ALL RIGHT PEOPLE YOU DONT GET IT
THIS ISNT WILL WE BE SAVED
THIS IS WILL WE BE SAVED WITH OUT MEMORIES
IF WE DONT KILL HER
WE FORGET SHIT
IS THAT FUCKING CLEAR
ALSO
SHE'S A FUCKING GHOST
WHATS THE POINT OF NOIT KILLING HER

>>513268
She can save us, but we won't remember her because the stranger is ripping our memories apart.

>>513242
>Kill her.
Goodbye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV_g76ThygI

>>513242
>Kill her
She is already dead.

>>513297
A very exaggerated way to make the point but, well, thanks for making the point anyway

>>513268
Voting for this

>>513268
>My friends will come into my head to save me from myself
Sure genius that will work.

>>513304
Samefag GTFO

>>513309
What the fuck are you talking about, I'm not him. I just changed my mind.

>>513312
I don't trust 1 post IDs without trips

>>513317
My mistake. I thought you were blaming everyone who replied to him for samefagging.

>>513250
>>513251
>>513252
>>513259
>>513264
>>513269
>>513292
>>513299
>>513300
Kill her.

>>513255
>>513270
>>513273
>>513287
>>513290
Won't do it

>>513268
>>513289
>>513291
>>513304
Write-in (Won't do it)

If I count the Write-in as "Won't do it", we're at an effective tie. I'm not going to roll to break the tie on such an important decision. I'm going to give more time for a decisive answer to be reached. If any of you want to argue your points, now is a good time to do it.

>>513322
I deleted my no vote, so write

>>513322
the deleted one is already counted. You are duplicating a vote.

>>513323
Ah, so the tie has been broken. Calling for
>Kill her
This next update will be fairly lengthy, so stay tuned.

People please, I understand it's sad, but look at the facts.

Nina is dead, she doesn't have a body and she's been dead inside for even longer.

We will be saved, theres no question of that, but if you want to remember why we're being saved, to remember why we need to defeat Stranger, and to remember Saki. Then we have to honour Nina's request.

If we don't kill her, we are putting ourselves under the Strangers thumb. Honour her memory and final wish and kill her to get out of this crap, keep as many memories as you can, there's nothing we can actually do to save her, let alone save her without hurting ourselves more against her will

>>513332
>>513334
Changing my vote to kill, final time.

>>513332
That's just your way of seeing things though. I'm still skeptical on whether this Nina is actually Nina or just Stranger trying to keep us quiet. Killing her already won though so I'm definitely not going to argue it, lets just see what happens now.

File: Nina19.jpg (1.05 MB, 1024x1280)

1.05 MB JPG

“I'm so sorry Nina...” you mutter, tears streaming from your face.

“It's okay, Ryoji... I'm sorry too,” Nina cries. “I love you. Goodbye.”

And with that, you shut your eyes and drive the blade through the heart of Nina. Through the heart of the girl you had failed time and time again. You wish you could go back to when you and her were just kids, tell your younger self to do it all differently, maybe drop the catchphrase while he was at it, but that can't happen. Nina made a habit out of looking after you, of saving you from yourself, and with the last existing moments of her spirit, she does it yet again. Nina Nagata, the girl you forgot. She always saw you as her hero... what a terrible hero you turned out to be. No matter what she did, she was never able to change your ways. And now... she's gone from your mind forever.

You're glad you could let her have her last moment with you before going. You happy to know she had that. And while your memories of her may disappear, her spirit will always be inside you. Nina Nagata, the girl who saved you.
You open your eyes, as Nina, with a simple smile on her face, dissolves into blue dust, vanishing in the vacuum of your mind. The world around you follows, dissipating from your view, until it's nothing but a black empty space featuring you... and a man in a red hood.

“What the hell?” Stranger cries out as you charge at him. “How the hell did you get out?”

File: The_Stranger.png (358 KB, 850x566)

358 KB PNG

You land a punch square in his jaw, causing him to stagger back. “Listen up, you piece of crap. Nobody, and I mean nobody, tries to cage Ryoji Shida, Master Delinquent! There isn't a cage big enough to keep me in! No matter what you try to do, I'll always find a way out! Not because I'm strong, not because I'm smart, but because I have heart. Because I want everything just a little bit more than you do. You try to mess with me? Mess with my head, Stranger? Too bad. I win. Every time.

“I can't deal with this right now!” Stranger protests. “On the outside, I'm busy fighting your stupid rescue party and-GAH!”

Stranger clutches his head in pain as he falls to a knee and grunts. “I... I don't need the distraction!”

“You're feeling it, aren't you Stranger?” you smirk as you place you boot on the back of his head and press down. “You're losing control, aren't you?”

“What?!” Stranger exclaims. “No, I can't be! Not yet! Just give me one second, you idiot! I'm so close to-”
Mocking him, you make a buzzing sound. “BZT! Wrong! Try again.”

With that, you stomp on his head. As you do, you feel yourself being consumed by a flash of pure white light.
As the light dies out, you feel a breeze against your face. You feel ground beneath your feet. You're standing on you own, you're outside... and you're control of your body again. Also... you're light-headed. Very light-headed in fact. You also seem to be full of bullet holes. That can't be good. As you try to work out just what the hell is going on, you hear the voice of some kid behind you.

"Hey... Who am I talking to right now?"

You turn around to see some black-haired boy in a red tracksuit staring at you, surrounded by a few other kids and... is that Alice. Struggling to collect yourself, you say the only thing that makes sense.

"The name's Ryoji Shida, master delinquent... who the hell are you?"

And then you collapse.

File: Ken02.jpg (594 KB, 800x1135)

594 KB JPG

You hear the beeping of a heart monitor. One that matches the rhythm of your own heart as you feel it pounding in your chest. You slowly open up your eyes as you're treated to the very boring view of a plain white ceiling, but a ceiling you know pretty well. The mattress you're lying in is one you know pretty well too. That broken ceiling fan, the faint traces of various foul odours, the sounds of glass beakers clinking, then falling, then shattering... you know exactly where you are.
This is that dump you call home.

“Rise and shine, sleepy-head,” a boy's voice calls from your left, a voice that brings a big smile to your face.
You turn your head in that direction to see Ken sitting in a chair next to you, leaning back. “Good to see you're finally awake.”

“Happy to be awake,” you yawn. “How long was I out?”

“Are you talking how long you were in that bed, or how long has it been since the Endless Night? Because you've been asleep for little over two days.”

“And how long was I...”

“Let's put it this way,” Ken replies. “It's September.”

“September?!” you cry out. “You mean I missed the whole Summer?”

Ken shrugs. “Yeah, you missed a lot. We're going to need to catch you up quick. It... it's real good to see you, man. I missed you.”

“Missed you too, buddy.” You stretch out your arms. “So, you're on watch I take it?”

“Well, right now I am,” Ken replies. “We've all been working in shifts to watch over from you. I took over from Akemi about half an hour ago. Guess I got lucky on the draw, huh?”

“Taking shifts, huh?” you ask.

“Yeah... well, not all of us. A certain someone insisted that she stay by your side on a more permanent basis.”

File: Saki17.png (273 KB, 719x572)

273 KB PNG

“A certain...?” you ask, before Ken directs you to look behind you. There, sitting asleep and drooling in the chair right by your bed, is the single most beautiful girl you've ever seen. Her arms are stretched out towards the edge of your bed, she was likely holding your hand tightly right up until she finally fell asleep.

“You should have seen her when the rescue team brought her to us,” Ken explains. “She rans right for you and held you as tight as she could. Nobody else could come near you, she was that focused on protecting you.”

“I bet she was...” you say, as you slowly reach out your hand and lightly stroke her cheek. You examine every inch of her face, every inch of the face The Stranger denied while he had you trapped in that prison.
Saki Kobashi, your reason for going on.

You give a soft smile as you gently stroke her face... until her eyes shoot open. Oops, looks like you disturbed her sleep. You stares at you, wide-eyed and completely flabbergasted. “R-Ryoji...?” she manages to get out.

Probably your time to speak now. The first words she'll hear from you since you left. Damn, what do you say to someone like that at a time like this?

>Hey Sak. Sorry I kept you waiting.
>I know, I know, I've skipped enough classes this semester. I'll try to make it up to you.
>I... I love you, Saki.

>>513432
Fuck it, all of them.

>>513432
>I... I love you, Saki.

>>513432
>>Hey Sak. Sorry I kept you waiting.
They're all good lines!

>>513432
>>I know, I know, I've skipped enough classes this semester. I'll try to make it up to you.
>>I... I love you, Saki.

>>513432
>>I... I love you, Saki.
RYOJI'S BACK, RYOJI'S BACK, TELL A FRIEND

>Play dead

>>513432
>Who are you?

>>513432
>Hey Sak. Sorry I kept you waiting.
>I'm home.

>>513432
>I... I love you, Saki.

>>513432
>I know, I know, I've skipped enough classes this semester. I'll try to make it up to you.
>I... I love you, Saki.

>>513443
Changing to this

>>513432
>>Hey Sak. Sorry I kept you waiting.

>I... I love you, Saki.

>KISSES AND HUGS

>>513443
Changing to this too

>>513443
For trolling, right?

>>513432
>>Hey Sak. Sorry I kept you waiting.

>>513455
It wouldn't be Ryoji otherwise

>>513435
>>513437
>>513438
>>513445
>>513447
>>513452
I love you.

>>513436
>>513444
>>513450
>>513457
Kept you waiting

>>513437
>>513447
Skipped classes

>>513443
>>513449
>>513453
Who are you?

Calling for
>I... I love you, Saki.
Writing now.

>>513443
Supporting

>>513481
I can live with this but the lack of a tadaima vis a vie I am home is saddening.

File: Saki20.png (151 KB, 500x681)

151 KB PNG

Sometimes, it's only the simple things that need to be said. Why mince words, why complicate it, why bother with a quip. This is the girl you love, right before you, with a little drool on her lip that she's yet to wipe off, and you're going to tell her that.

Saki just stares at you for a few second, before viciously mobbing you. She wraps her arms around you and she presses her lips up against yours, getting a single word out in between ever quick a frantic kiss.

"You're... the... worst... Ryoji... you... had... me... so... worried... and... and I... I... I love you too!"

Tears of joy stream from her eyes, as she falls forward and you fall back on the bed, her face buried in your chest as she clings to you as tightly as she possibly can. "I knew it..." she sniffles. "I knew that we could find you, I knew that if we kept looking... Oh Ryoji, I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too Sak," you reply, clinging your close, stroking her soft, wonderful hair as you try and fail to contain your own tears. "I promise... I'll never let something like that happen again. I'll always be by your side."

"And I'll always be by yours," Saki answers back. "I... I just want to cling onto and not let go!"

"I have no objections to that," you chuckle.

Saki looks up at you and plants another quick kiss on your lips. "I have a lot of those to give you. I have to make up for lost time."

"Am I going to have to take you out on a date every night this week to catch up?" you joke.

"Ryoji!"

"I'm kidding, Sak... I'm gonna do that anyway."

"I... guess I should give you two some more time alone," Ken replies.

Saki looks over at Ken, before letting out a sigh. "No... it's okay, Ken. As much as I'd love to hog Ryoji to myself right now... I think he should talk to everyone else first."

Saki helps you up, as you rise out of the bed. You remove everything attached to you, including your bed-gown. You have the pleasure of seeing a red with embarrassment Saki handing you your usual clothes through covered eyes.

You get dressed, putting on your pants and your shirt, but for some reason, it feels like you're missing something. Something that's currently hanging over Saki's shoulders. She smiles as she removes the green jacket and hands it over to you. "It's about time I returned this," she giggles, as you take it and put it on. "That's a terrible jacket by the way."

"Thanks, Sak."

File: SakiRyoji.png (278 KB, 450x810)

278 KB PNG

"Are you ready to meet your awaiting audience?" Saki smirks, as she folds her arms.

"As always," you smirk back.

"Then let's go... oh, one more thing!" she exclaims, as she stands on her toes and plants another kiss on your lips. "Still making up for time."

Saki's hand feels so soft and warm as you walk alongside her and Ken back to the dorms. Back home. And it appears a certain someone foresaw your arrival. Standing out the front of the building is Sayeka Ohko... the girl who sealed your fate. You can't say you weren't upset about what happened during the Endless Night. You understand why she didn't tell you the full consequences of feeding the Stranger during that battle, but it still hurts that she didn't trust you to make the right decision on your own. Still... there's no telling how much she's suffered lately. Last time you saw her, she had been recently blinded.

As she hears your footsteps approaching, she stands in your path. "Ryoji..." she mutters, completely unable to say anything else. She doesn't know how to approach this reunion, and honestly? Neither do you.

>It's okay, Sayeka. I forgive you.
>Why didn't you tell me?
>Hug her.

>>513536
>Hug her.
>How you been?

>>513536
>Hug her.
>It's okay, Sayeka. I forgive you.

>Hug her.

I MADE A PROMISE I'D VOTE FOR THIS

>>513536
>It's okay, Sayeka. I forgive you

>>513536
>Hug her.
Plain
And
Simple

>>513536
>>Hug her.
She's earned a hug.