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<<character "ryuu" "Naruhodou" "img/ryuu.png">> <<character "susato" "Susato" "img/susato.png">> <<character "holmes" "Holmes" "img/holmes.png">> <<character "iris" "Iris" "img/iris.png">> <<character "ghost" "Ghost" "img/ghost.png">> <<character "lady" "???" "img/lady.png">> <<preload "img/ryuu.png" "img/susato.png" "img/holmes.png" "img/iris.png" "img/ghost.png" "img/lady.png" "img/cover.png" >> <<set $location to "London">> <<set $time to "9:35 AM">> <<set $lie to 0>> <<set $truth to 0>> <<run memorize('complete', false)>>

<<if not tags().includes("noHeader")>> <div id="header"> <div class="center"><<= $location>>, <<= $time>></div> <div id="header-left-buttons"> <<link 'Journal'>> <<popup 'Journal' 'Journal'>> <</link>></div> <div id="header-right-buttons"> <<link "Back">><<run Engine.backward()>><</link>> | <<link "Restart">><<run UI.restart();>><</link>> | <<link "Saves">><<run UI.saves()>><</link>> </div> </div> <</if>>

<<set $liePercent to $lie / ($lie + $truth)>> <<set $truthPercent to $truth / ($lie + $truth)>> <<if $liePercent >= 0.7>> <<set $path to "hiding">> <<elseif $truthPercent >= 0.7>> <<set $path to "open">> <<else>> <<set $path to "mixed">> <</if>> /* check each time for a first-time truth to maintain consistency */ /* value changes +1, except first choice +4 */ /* path choices 70% < lie is hiding, 70% < truth is open, etc is mixed */

This is for debug purposes: $liePercent $truthPercent $path March 23, 1900: <<if hasVisited("Passage")>><</if>> <<if hasVisited("Passage")>><</if>> <<if hasVisited("Passage")>><</if>> <<if hasVisited("Passage")>><</if>> <<if hasVisited("Passage")>><</if>> <<if hasVisited("Passage")>><</if>> Click anywhere off of the popup to return to the story.

<div id="start" class="center"> @@.big;The Haunting of Naruhodou Ryuunosuke@@ [img[img/cover.png]] [[New Game|Warnings]] <<link "Load Game">><<run UI.saves()>><</link>> <<if recall('complete', false)>>[[Extras]]<</if>> </div>

<div class="no-header"> Please note that this story contains the following: - Gaslighting and manipulation - Ghosts and hauntings - Grief and survivor's guilt - Guns and gunshot wounds - Knives and stabbing wounds - Near-death experiencs - Nightmares Click blue links to continue the story or make a choice. Click gold links to learn more optional information. Popups can be closed by clicking anywhere off of the popup box. [[>> Start the story|Intro 1]] [[<< Back to main menu|Start]] </div>

Your name is Ryuunosuke Naruhodou, and you are being haunted. Your best friend died a few months ago. You know when, because you remember the exact date: January 9th, 1900. But how long it has been since then always blurs in your head, always takes a calculating of days and weeks, trying to remember as you count rows on a mental calendar. You’ve always been bad at figuring out how long it’s been since something has happened, but his death exists as a place and not a time. You can find it, a constant fixed point. You can never remember how far away you’ve gotten from it. Today is March 23rd. You’ve been living at 221B Baker Street for a little over a month, sharing the attic with your fellow exchange student Susato Mikotoba. The flat itself is rented by one Mr. Sherlock Holmes and his daugh— roommate Iris Watson. You and Susato use part of your stipend to pay some of the rent and groceries, along with your time humoring Mr. Holmes on his weirder investigations. Life in London has been expectedly unexpected. But it wasn’t meant to be like this, in many ways. Ever since setting foot in London, you have experienced oddities unexplainable by you or anyone else. A shadow of someone walking across the room in the middle of the night despite you being the sole occupant, lying in bed. A garbled noise that sounded much like disjointed speech, whispered into your ear with no apparent source. You initially accepted these as side effects of difficulty adjusting to such a foreign new place, alone without the one person you trusted most in the world. The issues haven’t been so benign, though. At first you thought that perhaps London is just a dangerous place full of hazards, both human and nature running rampant. A lamp left to rust so badly that it detached from its base five meters off of the ground, shattering by your feet as you walked past. The window of your office in the attic rattled by a gust of wind so powerful that it woke you, despite none of the other occupants hearing such noise from their windows. But these could not account for the frequency of these occurrences and the rather exclusive nature of them affecting you but not the others. You never thought that things could be this... <<susato>>Naruhodou-sama!<</susato>> [[...perilous.|Intro 2]]

You feel a rough tug on your arm and almost lose your footing as you’re yanked sideways away from the road. You feel the too-close rush of wind from a carriage moving far too quickly, the horses screaming as they continue to flee in terror from some unseen danger, careening down the wet stone pavement a few meters further until one of them loses its footing. One goes down, taking its partner with it, and finally the carriage comes to an abrupt halt. The cries and shouts die down as onlookers carefully approach the vehicle to ensure its occupants’ safety. You watch as a man is helped out, dazed and pale. <<holmes>>Mr. Naruhodou. Mr. Naruhodou!<</holmes>> You snap your head toward the source of the sound. You’re standing practically glued against Mr. Holmes’s side, his arm keeping you firmly closeby. He must have been the one to yank you out of the way. His usual cheerful demeanor is gone, replaced by unusual, pure concern. Maybe there’s even a little fear in his eyes. Odd to see that there; he’s usually keen on lowering his hat brim to prevent you from knowing what shape his terror takes. <<holmes>>Did the carriage hit you?<</holmes>> <<ryuu>>I don’t... think so?<</ryuu>> You look to your right side. You aren’t in any pain, and there’s no sign of the carriage having caught on any of your clothes. You suppose this means you’re okay. <<ryuu>>I’m fine.<</ryuu>> Mr. Holmes doesn’t seem to believe you entirely. He carefully puts one hand on your shoulder, then your arm, and neither causes any reaction in you. <<ryuu>>Mr. Holmes. I’m fine.<</ryuu>> <<holmes>>You stumbled for a moment. I would prefer to ensure that this was from my sudden pull and not from the carriage striking you.<</holmes>> You suppose you should be grateful for the concern, but... you’re [[fine|Intro 3]].

<<ryuu>>I’m okay. Look, see?<</ryuu>> You wave your right arm and shake out your right leg to prove that nothing is wrong. You look stupid. <<susato>>Naruhodou-sama, that was—<</susato>> Susato approaches you from behind, one hand gripping the hem of her shawl to her chest. She had been the one to call out first, probably noticing the carriage before anyone else. Not that you could be sure, since you had hardly heard a thing before being pulled to safety. For all you know, other people could have been screaming and you wouldn’t have noticed, too caught up in thinking about an incident from last week. <<susato>>Are you okay?<</susato>> She repeats Mr. Holmes’s unnecessary concern. You appreciate it nonetheless. <<ryuu>>I’m fine, no injuries.<</ryuu>> She watches your face for a moment, before quickly snapping her attention to the runaway carriage. The rider has disappeared into the crowd of worried passersby, and you didn’t get a look at who had been actually controlling the horses. Susato seems to be looking for the carriage driver, too. <<susato>>That carriage...<</susato>> <<holmes>>An omnibus.<</holmes>> Mr. Holmes continues to watch for a moment, before starting in the direction of the crowd. He keeps a grip on your arm and you’re pulled along awkwardly. Embarrassing. People in the crowd part for him after a double-take, recognizing the Great Sherlock Holmes approaching the scene of a possible crime. You slide your arm out from his hand and he lets you go without a fuss. A few people had looked at you with suspicious eyes, and you don’t feel like being framed for something [[again|Intro 4]].

<<holmes>>Where is the driver of this omnibus?<</holmes>> You stop paying attention to Mr. Holmes, and look toward the omnibus itself. The horses still flail about as they attempt to stand up, but their reins and the equipment keeping them connected to the omnibus gets in their way. Some of it looks broken, and one of the horses might even be injured. A few men attempt to calm the great animals, to no avail. You approach carefully while Susato follows behind you closely. <<susato>>Poor things...<</susato>> <<ryuu>>Do you think they’ll be okay?<</ryuu>> <<susato>>They might be put down if their legs are broken. Oh, that’s so sad...<</susato>> <<lady>>Young man, stay away from that!<</lady>> A sharp voice turns you quickly, and you reach out instinctively to grab Susato’s arm to protect her. There’s no need, though. Just one run-of-the-mill London woman, clutching her parasol nervously in her hands. <<lady>>Keep away from that omnibus. You too, young lady.<</lady>> <<susato>>Why? Is there something wrong with it?<</susato>> The woman opens her parasol and hurriedly approaches, but all she does is usher you and Susato away and back toward the crowd. She keeps her parasol low over you and herself, as if trying to block out someone’s view. <<lady>>You two are students from the Japanese Empire, correct? I heard from a friend.<</lady>> <<ryuu>>Uh. Yes?<</ryuu>> <<lady>>Good, good.<</lady>> <<susato>>I apologize for my bluntness, but what are you doing?<</susato>> The woman keeps moving you away from the crowd until you’re standing at the edge, far enough from the omnibus that you can't easily get back to it. She finally stops, and when you search her face she has a convincingly worried [[expression|Intro 5]].

<<lady>>And I apologize for my rudeness. You two must not stay near that omnibus. It has... a terrible feeling of anger. Especially toward you, young man.<</lady>> <<ryuu>>...<</ryuu>> <<ryuu>>What?<</ryuu>> <<lady>>I can’t explain it well. I heard a rumor a short time ago... you are haunted by a ghost or spirit of some manner, are you not?<</lady>> You stare blankly at the woman. <<lady>>Mr. Holmes’ home has become a strange focus of odd occurrences, and I hear that you are the frequent victim. Oh, I’m so sorry, this is very impolite of me to pry, but—<</lady>> <<susato>>Yes, it is.<</susato>> Susato plants herself firmly next to you, and the woman withers a little under her glare. <<lady>>I promise I have no ill will! I’m worried for you! I, ah, dabble, you could say, in some, well, communication with those who no longer exist in our world—<</lady>> <<ryuu>>You talk to ghosts.<</ryuu>> That sounds incredibly stupid and very dangerous. <<lady>>Last week, one of such communications warned me of a danger against you, young man! I was told that a spirit follows you, intent to cause you great harm!<</lady>> <<susato>>Why would anyone or anything tell you about this?<</susato>> <<lady>>I haven’t the slightest clue. I asked to know if there were other restless souls in London who wished to reach across and be heard, and this is what I learned!<</lady>> The woman fidgets nervously under you and Susato’s suspicious [[looks|Intro 6]].

<<lady>>Please, I mean no harm to you or Mr. Holmes by this. I was frightened by what I learned and, well, I couldn’t just stand here and let something happen if I had known it might lead to—<</lady>> <<holmes>>Mr. Naruhodou, Miss Susato! Who might you be conversing with, without me?<</holmes>> Mr. Holmes has noticed your absence, and is rather panickedly making his way back to you. Outwardly, nothing about him would seem different, but you’ve gotten to know the man’s silent expressions of worry. <<lady>>I apologize, Mr. Holmes, I’m not anybody at all.<</lady>> <<ryuu>>She was warning me that I’m being haunted by a spirit, and I shouldn’t get near the omnibus.<</ryuu>> Holmes stares. <<holmes>>Oh?<</holmes>> <<lady>>I’ll, um, I’ll be leaving now. Good day to you, Mr. and Miss Student. Good day to you, Mr. Holmes.<</lady>> And with that, she’s gone. <<susato>>...<</susato>> <<susato>>What a strange woman.<</susato>> <<susato>>How did she know so much about us?<</susato>> <<holmes>>What did she say?<</holmes>> <<susato>>She said that there were odd things going on around 221B Bakers Street. Why would anyone know anything about your house, Mr. Holmes?<</susato>> <<holmes>>Ah. Well. It seems that some of the occurrences have not gone unnoticed by our neighbors. I imagine one or two may have gossiped, adding their own superstitions upon retelling, and who can resist another tale about the Great Sherlock Holmes?<</holmes>> He tries to smile and do a funny movement with his hands. He does not succeed in making you or Susato [[laugh|Intro 7]].

<<susato>>Mr. Holmes, did you—<</susato>> <<holmes>>Certainly not, I have not told anyone.<</holmes>> <<susato>>Did Iris possibly—<</susato>> <<holmes>>No, no, she would never use such material for her publishing. I believe that there is simply a rumor flying about that our abode may be haunted, and someone with an affinity for the supernatural has woven a story which she believes is a message from the great beyond.<</holmes>> <<susato>>Isn’t... that dangerous? Talking to the dead?<</susato>> <<holmes>>Well, it is impossible, so I don’t suppose it’s dangerous in that it can directly cause harm. But, as we have just seen, it can lead some to beliefs and actions which may cause harm.<</holmes>> <<ryuu>>You don’t believe in ghosts, Mr. Holmes?<</ryuu>> <<holmes>>Ghosts are a remnant of the guilt held by the living, Mr. Naruhodou. I believe that they hold power over people. I do not believe that the dead directly whisper into our ears during a séance.<</holmes>> <<holmes>>Do you believe in ghosts, Mr. Naruhodou?<</holmes>> [[> No, of course not.|Intro 8][$lie += 4]] [[> Yes, of course.|Intro 8][$truth += 4]]

<<if $lie > 0>> <<ryuu>>Of course I don’t.<</ryuu>> You are a big, massive liar. <<holmes>>Good, good, standard regret will suffice in teaching you a lesson, no need for ghosts to do that! With any luck, the rumors of our dear home being haunted will abate with time and everything will return to normal.<</holmes>> <<else>> <<ryuu>>Of course I do.<</ryuu>> Mr. Holmes looks concerned again. <<holmes>>I see. However, I can fully assure you that there are no ghosts haunting 221B Bakers Street, and the house is perfectly safe. Do tell should you see anything... suspicious. Thieves and such do enjoy emulating the supernatural to avoid detection, and I can hardly afford to replace my household goods at my pay!<</holmes>> <</if>> Holmes turns around at some shouting, and you notice a few policemen in their tall black hats approaching. It seems that they’ve arrived to order the crowd to disperse. <<holmes>>Ah, good. There should be no further need for me here. Shall we continue home, then?<</holmes>> You sigh and look in the direction that the strange woman from earlier hurried away. You suppose you should be concerned that strangers are gossiping about you, but you’re more interested in knowing what it is that people are saying about you being haunted. Mr. Holmes and Susato start off down the street though, and you follow them to avoid being left behind. <<susato>>What a strange woman.<</susato>> <<ryuu>>At least she meant well.<</ryuu>> <<susato>>It’s uncomfortable, regardless! Approaching a stranger to warn them of being haunted?<</susato>> <<ryuu>>Well, she thought it was serious, right?<</ryuu>> <<susato>>Naruhodou-sama, does that not bother you?<</susato>> <<ryuu>>Not... exactly? It’s weird for sure, but I don’t think she was trying to hurt us.<</ryuu>> <<susato>>I’m unsettled. How did she know so much about us?<</susato>> <<ryuu>>I guess there’s not that many Japanese exchange students in London right now, and we are staying with someone as well-known as Mr. Holmes.<</ryuu>> Susato huffs, but doesn’t continue the conversation. Holmes, for whatever reason, decides to fill the silence. <<holmes>>Do the Japanese enjoy ghost stories as well? I’m sure you’re aware now, but the British are fascinated by them.<</holmes>> <<susato>>I... see. I do remember a few of Iris’s stories concerning ghosts...<</susato>> <<holmes>>The topic is foolish at best and dangerous at worst. It’s best to avoid such talk. Many so-called mediums are charlatans, profiting off of the curious and grieving. They are an unscrupulous bunch.<</holmes>> <<if $truth > 0>> Mr. Holmes glances at you. <<holmes>>Do stay away from them.<</holmes>> <</if>> You think about the strange woman the whole way home, wondering what ghost could have warned her of [[Asougi|Night1 1]].