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This update? We're blasting through all three of the theater girls (and then some), which will put an end to the months-long free roam segment.
First up to bat is Tsubaki.
[Ogami]
... yeah, it did. Just when we thought that we'd finally defeated the Hive of Darkness...
[Ogami]
Thanks...
----
[Tsubaki]
You shouldn't worry so much! It's common knowledge that when you finally defeat a group of villains, a NEW group will always appear!
[Ogami]
Hahaha... really now?
[Tsubaki]
Yup! And they're always at least three times stronger than the previous group, which just means that the GOOD guys have to get stronger!
[Ogami]
Okay...
[Tsubaki]
And when you hit the next power level and defeat the new group of villains, an even STRONGER group of new villains will appear!
[Ogami]
... wait, doesn't that mean that we're just going to be stuck in an endless loop of ever-increasing strength and pointless eternal battling?
[Tsubaki]
Well, all that only happens in stories, Ogami-san.
[Ogami]
Kind of like how psychic girls and spirit-powered robots only appear in stories?
[Tsubaki]
Of course not. THOSE are based off of naturally-occurring phenomenon, Ogami-san.
[Ogami]
... right. How silly of me to forget.
----
[Ogami]
... I'm sorry. If only I'd done a better job...
I've caused trouble for you too, haven't I... Tsubaki-chan.
By "Talk to Tsubaki," the game apparently meant "BAAAAAAAW."
[Ogami]
But...
----
[Ogami]
I wanna keep wallowing in self-pity!
[Tsubaki]
... well then, you leave me no choice, Ogami-san.
[Ogami]
Wait, what're you-- you wouldn't dare.
[Tsubaki]
Sniff.
[Ogami]
Oh come ON, that's just below the belt!
----
[Tsubaki]
Sniff... please don't keep saying things like that...
[Ogami]
Tsubaki-chan...
Oh god I don't care ANYTHING TO STOP HER FROM CRYING
[Ogami]
Thanks for worrying about me. Thanks to you, Tsubaki-chan, I'm feeling much better now.
----
[Ogami]
Hahahahahahah... you also look cuter when you're smiling, Tsubaki-chan.
[Ogami]
Yeah... somehow, I'm feeling more energetic now. Thank you, Tsubaki-chan.
I imagine that this is one of the reasons why Ogami tries not to resort to the "wallowing in self-pity" act: because he'll either 1) get blindsided by girls who will cry right back at him, or 2) be totally ignored because this theater has VEGETABLES that are more manlier than Ogami.
... of course, every conversation with Tsubaki must begin or end with Ogami ponying up some cash.
[Ogami]
Yeah, let's see... in that case, I guess I'll take a bromide.
[Tsubaki]
Ah... you'll buy a bromide? Thank you very much.
We've got bromides of everyone in the Flower Division, so... please go ahead and choose one.
I KNEW I forgot someone. This SHOULD complete the set if I remember correctly, though I messed up by not buying all the bromides by a certain point in the game. If I'd done THAT, I'd have been able to buy a special bromide of Tsubaki, Yuri, and Kasumi.
... but that doesn't matter because they're only supporting cast. 
[Tsubaki]
That'll be 50 sen~. Thank you for your business!
And yes, you DO get different dialogue just by talking to characters again.
[Tsubaki]
Um, let's see... the Koubu are all broken, so... all that's left is...
[Ogami]
... all that's left is?
----
[Tsubaki]
It's easy! All that's left is...
[Tsubaki]
...
[Tsubaki]
Oh god, I-I think I'm gonna start crying again.
[Ogami]
... your lack of faith in me would disturb me if I weren't already used to it by now.
----
[Ogami]
Really, I thought you'd had some sort of secret weapon or something.
----
[Tsubaki]
If you really want to figure out if we've got any secret weapons or not, then why're you asking me? I'm just a shopkeep.
[Ogami]
Yeah, well, that's about how desperate I am right now.
----
And when Ogami makes to leave...?
Well, this sort of IS a mecha series, so it's a given that COURAGE!!! will be enough to pull our heroes out of any slump.
[Ogami]
Aah, I got it. See you later...
Kasumi is next!
I'm fairly certain that it's required that they say this to Ogami this every time he enters a room.
You know, so that he doesn't forget 1) what it is he's supposed to be doing and 2) what his own name is.
[Ogami]
Not quite... I thought that I'd see how everyone's doing, what with everything that's happened today...
[Kasumi]
Is that so... you're a kind-hearted person, aren't you, Ogami-san.
[Ogami]
Well... it's because this is all I can do right now...
----
[Ogami]
Also, it's because Yoneda shoehorned me into doing it. I just wanted to curl up in bed and have a good cry.
[Kasumi]
To be fair, that is what you ALWAYS end up doing, Ogami-san.
[Ogami]
Well, yes, but if I'm going to break down in sobbing hysterics, I want to be able to do it in the privacy of my own room for once.
[Kasumi]
But it hasn't ever BEEN private, at least not since Kohran--
[Ogami]
RELATIVE privacy, then. As flimsy as a concept as that may be.
----
[Kasumi]
Well, this is all I can do to try and raise your spirits, Ogami-san, but...
We've put up posters for "Dinosaur Island," our production in March...
Would you like to take a look?
[Ogami]
Hmm...
We're putting off the first option until we can get our prerequisite bellyaching session out of the way.
[Ogami]
Kasumi-kun... I'm sorry. This was supposed to be your day off on New Year's Day, and...
[Kasumi]
It's alright. Please do not worry about it.
This was how things ended up after you gave it your all, so...
[Ogami]
But...
----
... y'know, the Flower Division would probably be better off with someone as level-headed as Kasumi as its leader.
[Ogami]
What should come next...
[Ogami]
I don't... even want to lose anymore. I don't want to lose a second time.
----
[Kasumi]
You don't want to lose a second time?
[Ogami]
Yes.
[Kasumi]
...
[Kasumi]
P-Pffft.
[Kasumi]
... er, I'm sorry, that was a slip of the tongue.
[Ogami]
... oh, yeah, thanks a lot, Kasumi.
----
[Ogami]
Yeah... we can't lose a second time... if we lose again, the Imperial Capital will be...
----
[Ogami]
Actually, it'll probably just cease to exist altogether. Y'know, maybe if we negotiated with the demons and allowed them to have the city in return for letting all the humans go free...
[Kasumi]
...
[Ogami]
E-Er, I mean...
----
[Ogami]
I won't let something like that happen!! I'll definitely prevent that from happening! Definitely!!
----
[Ogami]
Thank you, Kasumi-kun. That feeling alone is more than enough to make me happy.
----
[Kasumi]
I DID say that I would do anything, Ogami-san.
[Ogami]
Right then, picture-looky time.
[Kasumi]
ANYTHING.
[Ogami]
Could you let me look at the poster, then?
[Kasumi]
... wow, you HAVE become completely desensitized to the charms of most normal women in order to avoid aggro from the Flower Division, haven't you. I think I might be witnessing evolution in action.
----
[Ogami]
Yeah... I think I'll take a look at that poster.
[Kasumi]
Please, go right ahead. It's the poster for "Dinosaur Island," starring Iris-chan and Kohran-san.
[Ogami]
Huh, so it's going to be an action-adventure genre production this time... somehow, it looks like it'll be a fun play.
[Kasumi]
Because of those two. I think that it will be an extraordinarily amusing play.
----
[Ogami]
That title AND that picture kind of spoil the plot, though. Now we know that there're actually going to be dinosaurs involved.
[Kasumi]
It... wasn't meant to be a secret, Ogami-san. Also, it's a comedy, so there won't be very much plot in the first place.
[Ogami]
No, I mean, we know that there will actually be real dinosaurs involved because Iris features prominently in the picture as a leading character.
[Kasumi]
... oh, that's true, isn't it. Maria-san still hasn't been able to convince Iris that plays are supposed to be fictional, I see.
[Ogami]
You have no idea.
----
And talking to her AGAIN leads to...
[Ogami]
Kasumi-kun... about how much would it cost to repair the Koubu?
[Ogami]
Eh...?
[Ogami]
H~mmm... somehow, that doesn't quite sound right, either...
Oh, right... where DOES the budget for the Imperial Assault Force come from? Having it come solely from this theater's income would be impossible, right?
[Kasumi]
That sort of thing... is what Manager Yoneda does his utmost to secure.
----
[Ogami]
By any means possible?
[Kasumi]
...
[Ogami]
You... don't have to answer that.
----
[Ogami]
I see... Commander Yoneda has it tough too, doesn't he.
[Ogami]
... I'll be heading off now, Kasumi-kun.
[Ogami]
Aah, I know. Then... see you later.
Bypassing the usual "it's Ogami, may I come in" banter...
----
... it's time to see what kind of advice Ayame can give us.
[Ogami]
Um...
[Ogami]
Yes... it's somewhat embarrassing, but I'm not sure what I should...
[Ayame]
And if this all means that we will have to provision new Spirit Armor units, then... it'll be a national problem.
[Ogami]
Yes...
----
[Ayame]
Mostly because there won't actually BE much nation left if we don't have any units left to field.
[Ogami]
... that IS true, isn't it.
[Ayame]
On the bright side, the Imperial Assault Force and its assorted division have been a national problem ever since their conception, so it's not like the overall situation has actually gotten any worse.
[Ogami]
I... can't really deny THAT charge, either.
----
[Ayame]
I will talk to Lt. General Yoneda about the Koubu. It seems that he has some sort of idea.
However, Ogami-kun... may I give you some advice?
[Ogami]
... yes'm.
----
[Ogami]
Does that mean that I can make boneheaded decisions as long as I don't falter while making them, Ayame-san?
[Ayame]
That assumes that you had actually STOPPED making boneheaded decisions at some point in time, Ogami-kun.
[Ogami]
T-Touché.
----
That shouldn't be a problem either, since the only thing they really ever worry about is ensuring that they don't accidentally KILL Ogami while maiming or otherwise verbally castrating him.
[Ogami]
Um... about the last battle...
... well, shit.
[Ogami]
... I'm sorry.
[Ayame]
There's no need for you to blame yourself. Your opponents were Kouma, so... it couldn't be helped.
Six years ago, we also struggled during the Kouma War...
[Ogami]
..........
----
[Ayame]
... on foot.
[Ogami]
I KNEW you were going to say that.
----
----
Well then, there's nothing left for us here.
[Ogami]
Now then... I should get going...
[Ayame]
Ogami-kun... those girls are feeling that same anxiety over losing the Koubu.
Do your best to act cheerful, okay?
If you're unsteady, you'll only make those girls needlessly anxious.
You'll have to think of what comes next on your own... hang in there, Ogami-kun.
[Ogami]
... understood.
[Ogami]
As a Captain... what should I do from here on out?
KNOCK KNOCK.
[Tsubaki]
Um... Ogami-san. Are you back in your room already?
[Ogami]
Aah, Tsubaki-chan. It's not locked, so come on in.
[Yuri]
Right, right! Frowning just doesn't suit you. You should smi~~~le... alright?
[Ogami]
Hahahahahah... but, well, sorry. I'm not feeling it right now...
[Kasumi]
In that case... we tried thinking about how to win against those enemies, too.
[Ogami]
Eh... really? Did you come up with any good ideas?
[Ogami]
You can't... talk about it now?
----
[Ogami]
(Hot damn, if THAT isn't horribly vague and/or suspicious, then I don't know what is.)
[Ogami]
(... buuuuut other than that, I don't see anything wrong, so I'll accept their offer.)
----
[Ogami]
... I got it. I'll set aside some time tomorrow.
----
----
KNOCK KNOCK
[Ayame]
Ogami-kun... may I have a moment?
WHAT HORRIBLY FRIGHTENING COINCIDENTAL TIMING.
[Ogami]
Ah... okay. Please come in.
[Ogami]
Nope...
[Ayame]
Shall we... go out tomorrow? We should spend some time alone together... every now and then.
... buh?
[Ogami]
Eh...? Ah, yes...
... ... buh?
[Ayame]
In that case... I'll be waiting in my room tomorrow afternoon.
Good night, Ogami-kun. Don't stay up too late now, okay?
...
So, wait, after blushing at the prospect of being alone with Ayame (who had just asked him out to lunch), his train of thought suddenly snapped back to something actually pertinent to the problem at hand?
... wow, he might actually be taking his work seriously.
[Ogami]
But... what should I do? I mean, Tsubaki-chan and the others invited me out, too...
Of course, this doesn't help the fact that he'd just booked two pseudo-dates in the same time slot. Way to go!
[Ogami]
Well, it should be alright... for now, I should... get to sleep...
----
----
[Ogami]
Come to think of it, I've been invited out by both Tsubaki-chan and the others AND by Ayame-san, huh.
Now then... what should I do...?
And this leads us to a minor path split.
1) Should Ogami go with the three theater girls, or...
2) Should Ogami accompany Ayame?
I'll give you guys until, oh, Wednesday at midnight (EST) to vote for one of those two possibilities.
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