"What's up bitches!" Natsuki yelled into the camera as the four girls once again sat around the computer. "It's ya girl, Buffsuki69, and I'm joined with Yuri…"
"Hello everyone." Yuri mumbled, raising a hand to the camera.
"Sayori…"
"Kon'nichiwa!" Sayori said.
"And The Wicked Witch of the West!"
As the two other girls began laughing, Monika heaved out an annoyed sigh as she snapped her fingers. She glanced over at Natsuki, only to see the girl smirking confidently at the brunette. "Haha, nice try, Monika." Natsuki began. "But I expected such an act, and as such, I have come prepared with a second pair of panties!"
With a dull look, Monika snapped her fingers again, causing Natsuki's confident smirk to fade away. "Well shit, guess I should have seen that coming." Natsuki commented, before looking back at the camera. "Anyway, welcome back, everyone, to Doki Doki Literature Club."
"When we last left off, we had a kinda-sorta-almost-nearly sweet moment between MoNatSaYuri and in-game Natsuki." Sayori said. "And we're finally getting to the part where we share our poems."
"Yay." Yuri said without the slightest hint of enthusiasm. "We now return you to your irregularly scheduled terrible idea."
Monika: "I just need to make sure we have enough time."
Monika: "Though you look pretty cozy over there. Ahaha!"
Natsuki: "Eh…?"
Natsuki: "A-Ah!"
Natsuki suddenly notices how close she's gotten to me.
"'I was wondering why it smelled like Doritos and Gatorade.'" Natsuki said. "'It's been making me hungry."
She hastily slides herself a good twelve inches away from me.
MoNatSaYuri: "Alright…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Guess I'll stop here for now."
"Wow, short episode." Sayori said. "We'll see you all next week, que the outro!"
"Sayori, I don't have an outro." Natsuki said. "Outro music costs money, and I don't have that."
I close the book and hand it towards Natsuki.
Natsuki: "You're just giving it back…?"
Natsuki: "Don't you want to know what happens?"
"After the stuff Natsuki said in the last video, more than anything." Yuri said.
MoNatSaYuri: "Ah… Yeah, but…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Monika just said-"
Natsuki: "Don't be dumb."
"'A challenge for you, I know.'" Natsuki quipped.
Natsuki: "Just take it home with you."
MoNatSaYuri: "Eh?"
MoNatSaYuri: "…Is that really alright?"
I say that mostly because I really didn't plan on using my spare time to read this…
Natsuki: "Well, of course."
Natsuki: "It would take forever to finish if you didn't take it home."
Natsuki: "Just finish that one before tomorrow, so we can start the next one."
"'Be sure to tuck it in at night, and don't feed it after midnight.'" Sayori said, impersonating her friend.
"So why exactly do you want to keep reading it with him if you're not into him?" Yuri asked.
"Because as far as I know, only two people in the entire school are into manga, including me." Natsuki said.
Natsuki: "And if it gets bent, I'll kill you."
"Yeah, right." Yuri chuckled. "What are you gonna do, choke out his shins?"
"Yuri, you're in perfect strangling distance, remember that." Natsuki responded.
MoNatSaYuri: "By tomorrow…?"
"'Oh, geez, it took us like two years to read this far.'" Sayori joked.
I only got partway through the volume so far.
I might fall behind on some shows if I try to get through this…
But I suppose that's a necessary sacrifice in exchange for seeing Natsuki's enthusiastic face.
"Aw, if I wasn't as gay as they get, I'd hug you, MoNatSaYuri." Natsuki grinned.
Or am I more scared of what will happen if I don't finish it…?
"You should be." Natsuki said with a sinister smirk.
"Please, what's she gonna do, back a batch of menacing cupcakes at you?" Monika quipped.
MoNatSaYuri: "Alright, then!"
I stand up.
"Oh, right, we were sitting down." Yuri said. "Once again, distinct lack of visuals in this visual novel."
I return to where I put my stuff and carefully slip the book into my bag.
"'It gets folded in half along the way.'" Sayori joked.
"'It drowns in the greases of old pizzas and burgers.'" Yuri added.
"'Suddenly, it bursts into flames.'" Monika continued.
"Guys, stop, please!" Natsuki cried out. "You'll give me nightmares!"
Monika: "By the way, did you remember to write a poem last night?"
MoNatSaYuri: "Y-Yeah…"
"'I put words to paper, at least.'" Sayori said.
My relaxation ends.
I can't believe I agreed to do something so embarrassing.
I couldn't really find much inspiration, since I've never really done this before.
Monika: "Well, now that everyone's ready, why don't you find someone to share with?"
Sayori: "I can't wait~!"
Sayori and Monika enthusiastically pull out their poems.
"'They do it so fast, they catch fire.'" Natsuki joked.
"'The paper gets torn to shreds and confetti rains everywhere." Yuri joked.
Sayori's is on a wrinkled sheet of loose leaf torn from a spiral notebook.
On the other hand, Monika wrote hers in a composition notebook.
I can already see Monika's pristine handwriting from where I sit.
"'Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd assume she just printed it out.'" Natsuki joked.
"Hey, you told me to stop with the Game Grump references." Sayori said.
"Oh, did they make that joke already?" Natsuki asked.
"That's what you get for tackling this game so late." Yuri said. "All the good jokes were taken."
Natsuki and Yuri reluctantly comply as well, reaching into their bags.
I do the same myself.
*Scene fades to black before fading back in on the Clubroom*
"'See the lights are still on the blink.'" Sayori joked. "'We should really call someone about that.'"
Who should I show my poem to first?
[Sayori]
[Natsuki]
[Yuri]
[Monika]
"Okay, guys, you ready?" Natsuki said as she reached across the desk, to which everyone nodded. Natsuki held up another make-shift die, made out of two eraser caps cut at the bottom and glued together with numbers written on each side. "Let's just go as it's laid out." After clasping her hands around the orange die and shaking them around, Natsuki dropped the die onto the desk, looking down at the number. "And that's a one, so we're going with Sayori."
I'm definitely most comfortable sharing it with Sayori first.
She's my good friend, after all.
*Scene fades to black before fading back in on the Clubroom*
"'Man, reading these poems is gonna be really hard if the lights keep flickering like that.'" Sayori joked.
"And that's a problem why?" Natsuki asked.
Sayori: "…"
Sayori: "This is a good poem, MoNatSaYuri."
Sayori: "Are you sure it's your first time?"
"I mean, technically speaking, no." Yuri said.
MoNatSaYuri: "Of course…"
MoNatSaYuri: "It's not that good."
MoNatSaYuri: "Am I the kind of guy who would be writing poems in his spare time?"
"No, but you strike me as the type of loser who'd write song lyrics in middle school." Natsuki said.
Sayori: "Ehehe, I guess you're right~"
Sayori: "But that's why it impressed me!"
Sayori: "Well, to be honest…"
Sayori: "I was afraid that you wouldn't do it seriously…"
Sayori: "Or that you wouldn't write one at all."
Sayori: "I'm really happy just that you wrote one."
"'Ur-hehe-Yeah, I totally wrote a poem.'" Natsuki joked. "'Totally, I didn't just pull random words out of a dictionary and put them on paper in a semi-coherent order or anything. Yep, I def wrote a real poem."
Sayori: "It just reminds me of how you're really a part of the club now~"
(Not to mention the fact that I'm standing in front of you in the clubroom…?)
"Hey, to be fair, several people stand in front of us in the clubroom." Monika said.
"Yeah, like that guy we called to fix the lights." Sayori joked.
MoNatSaYuri: "Er… Well, of course."
MoNatSaYuri: "I'm not really into it yet, but that doesn't mean I'll break my promise."
Sayori: "See?"
Sayori: "It's like I said before, MoNatSaYuri…"
Sayori: "Deep down, you're not selfish at all, you know?"
Sayori: "Trying new things like this for other people…"
Sayori: "That's something that only really good people do!"
MoNatSaYuri: "Thanks… Sayori."
… I'm not sure if Sayori sees the full picture of my motive here.
Then again…
I can't deny that she's part of the reason I joined.
"Blah, I just imagined MoNatSaYuri baning Sayori." Natsuki said, sticking out her tongue in disgust.
"Makes you jealous?" Monika asked.
"… Kinda, yeah." Natsuki admitted, causing a bit of a chill to run up Sayori's spine.
Knowing how much this means to her and all…
Sayori: "Yeah."
Sayori: "And I'm gonna make sure you have lots of fun here, okay?"
"Oh sweet, sweet Sayori…" Yuri sighed, shaking her head. "You're too good for this world."
Sayori: "That will be my way of thanking you~"
"What's that thing that keeps showing up at the end of her sentences?" Natsuki asked.
"It's a tilde," Yuri began explaining. "It's basically used to show a change in pitch or tone."
"I always read it as a sing-songy voice." Sayori said.
"'That will be my way of than-king you~'" Natsuki sang in an imitation of Sayori's voice.
MoNatSaYuri: "Alright, I'm going to hold you to that, then."
Sayori: "Yay~"
"'Overwhelming responsibility that I have absolutely no way of living up to!'" Sayori cheered. "'How fun!"
Sayori: "Now you'll read my poem too, right?"
Sayori: "Don't worry, I'm really bad at this."
Sayori: "Ehehe…"
MoNatSaYuri: "We'll see about that."
*A piece of paper appears on the screen, showing Sayori's poem.*
Dear Sunshine
The way you glow through my blinds in the morning
It makes me feel like you missed me.
Kissing my forehead to help me out of bed.
Making me rub the sleepy from my eyes.
Are you asking me to come out and play?
Are you trusting me to wish away a rainy day?
I look above. The sky is blue.
It's a secret, but I trust you too.
If it wasn't for you, I could sleep forever.
But I'm not mad.
I want breakfast.
[Click outside poem area to continue]
"Sayori, I said it before, and I'll say it again:" Natsuki began, looking over at her friend. "How could you write something like this and say 'I'm really bad at this.'"
"Yeah, Sayori," Yuri added. "This is actually pretty good. It's a great usage of personification and metaphor."
"Oh, come on, guys, it wasn't that good." Sayori said.
"It makes me jealous." Natsuki said. "This thing is better than my poems ever will be."
"You're just saying that." Sayori said.
"No, seriously, how are you this good?" Natsuki asked, before clicking off the poem.
MoNatSaYuri: "Sayori…"
MoNatSaYuri: "This is just a guess, but…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Did you wait until this morning to write this?"
Sayori: "No!"
Sayori: "J-Just a little bit!"
MoNatSaYuri: "You can't answer 'just a little bit' to a yes or no question…"
"'Yeah I can.'" Sayori said. "'I couldn't figure out what to write until 1 AM. That's morning and night at the same time.'"
Sayori: "I forgot to do it last night…"
"And you wrote it with such little time?" Natsuki asked. "How are you so good at this, seriously?"
MoNatSaYuri: "Well, at least that makes me feel a little better about myself…"
Sayori: "Don't be mean!"
Sayori: "I still tried my best…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Ah, yeah…"
MoNatSaYuri: "I didn't mean to say it was a bad poem."
MoNatSaYuri: "I came out nice… or, how should I put this…"
MoNatSaYuri: "It sound just like you."
Sayori: "Really?"
MoNatSaYuri: "Yeah."
MoNatSaYuri: "Especially that last line…"
Sayori: "I made eggs and toast!"
MoNatSaYuri: "Even though you were late to school…?"
Sayori: "It's bad to skip breakfast!"
"Oh, come on, it's not that bad." Natsuki said. "I only have breakfast, like, once a month."
"How are you still alive?" Yuri asked.
"Maybe I'm not. Dun-dun-duuuun." Natsuki joked.
Sayori: "I get all cranky…"
"Okay, now Natsuki's starting to make sense." Yuri joked.
MoNatSaYuri: "Well, I guess there's no point in arguing…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Anyway, thanks for showing me."
Sayori: "Ehehe~"
Sayori: "This was so much fun."
"Well, good to know that someone's happy to be here." Natsuki said.
"Oh, don't worry, past me, it'll stop being fun real soon." Sayori joked.
Sayori: "Monika's the best!"
A moment of silence passed over the club members, and Monika looked between the three girls with a cocked eyebrow, before gesturing to the screen with the line waiting to be read. "Well?" Monika asked. "What are you guys waiting for? Aren't you gonna read the line?"
MoNatSaYuri: "Ah..yeah."
"Hey, don't just ignore that line!" Monika said.
"What line?" Natsuki asked. "I don't know what you're talking about, M."
"You-you…" Monika stuttered, before heaving out a sigh. "Never mind."
Sayori: "But next time, I won't forget."
Sayori: "And I'm gonna write the best poem ever!"
MoNatSaYuri: "Well, I guess I look forward to it."
*Scene fades to black before fading back in on the Clubroom*
"'I've also been taking ninja classes in my free time, see!'" Sayori joked.
Who should I show my poem to next?
[Natsuki]
[Yuri]
[Monika]
"Alright, next up is…" Natsuki began, before dropping the makeshift die once again. "Yuri."
*Scene fades to black before fading back in on the Clubroom*
Yuri: "…"
"'Oh, why hello, I didn't see you there.'" Yuri said.
"Course not, the lights keep going out." Sayori joked.
Yuri "Mm…"
"'I'm pretty sure the word you're trying to read is 'marshmallow.'" Natsuki joked.
Yuri: "…"
Yuri stares at the poem.
"'Maybe if I stare at this piece of paper long enough, people will think I'm reading.'" Sayori joked.
A minute passes, more than enough time for her to finish reading.
MoNatSaYuri: "Um…"
Yuri: "Oh!"
"'Literature club! Now I get it!'" Monika yelled in an impersonation of Yuri.
Yuri: "S-Sorry…!"
Yuri: "I forgot to start speaking…"
"'You lowly earthlings can't pick up on my telepathic broadcasts.'" Natsuki joked.
Yuri: "U-Um!"
MoNatSaYuri: "It's fine, don't force yourself."
Yuri: "I'm not…"
Yuri: "I just need to put my thoughts into words."
Yuri: "Hold on…"
"'The mouth and the brain haven't exactly been on speaking terms lately.'" Yuri joked.
Yuri: "…Okay."
Yuri: "This is your first time writing a poem, right?"
MoNatSaYuri: "Er, yeah…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Why do you ask?"
"'Because you just handed me a picture of a dog.'" Natsuki joked, causing the rest of the club to burst into laughter. "'I don't think you quite understand how this works.'"
"'Oh, that's where I put that!'" Monika laughed. "'No wonder Sayori liked it so much.'"
Yuri: "I'm just making sure."
Yuri: "I guessed that it might be after reading through it."
MoNatSaYuri: "Ah, so it's that bad."
Yuri: "No!"
"'It's my favorite breed of dog.'" Yuri joked. "'I love dalmatians.'"
Yuri: "…Did I just raise my voice…?"
Yuri: "Uu, I'm so sorry…"
Yuri buries her face in her hands.
I couldn't help but notice that it's been several minutes and we really haven't gotten anywhere.
It might take Yuri a while to get used to new people…
MoNatSaYuri: "It's fine, I really didn't notice."
"'Though I think someone in the next hemisphere might have.'" Monika joked.
MoNatSaYuri: "What were you saying?"
Yuri: "Right…um…"
Yuri: "It's just that there are specific writing habits that are usually typical of new writers."
Yuri: "And having been through that myself, I kind of learned to pick up on them."
Yuri: "I think the most noticeable thing I recognize in new writers is that they try to make their style very deliberate."
Yuri: "In other words, they tend to pick a writing style separate from the topic matter, and they form-fit the two together."
"I'd like to form-fit to you, if you know what I mean." Natsuki joked.
"No, I don't know what you mean." Yuri said. "Is that an innuendo? Are you inviting me to have sex? Or are you saying you want me to wear you like a bodysuit?"
"Hey, give me a break, There's not a lot to joke on here." Natsuki said.
Yuri: "The end result is that both the style and the expressiveness are weakened."
Once Yuri finds her train of thought, it's as if her demeanor totally changes.
Her stammering is completely gone, and she sounds like an expert.
Yuri: "Of course, that's not something you can be blamed for."
Yuri: "There's so many different skills and techniques that go into writing even a simple poem."
Yuri: "Not just finding them and building them, but getting them to work together is probably the most challenging part."
Yuri: "It might take you some time, but it all comes with practice, and learning by example, and trying new things."
Yuri: "I also hope that everyone else in the club gives you valuable feedback."
Yuri: "Natsuki can be a little bit biased, though…"
"Stones and glasshouses, babe." Natsuki said.
MoNatSaYuri: "Biased? How?"
Yuri: "U-Um…"
"'Crap, crap, where's my script for this?'" Natsuki joked.
Yuri: "Well…"
Yuri: "Never mind."
Yuri: "I shouldn't be talking about people like that…"
Yuri: "Sorry…"
MoNatSaYuri: "It's fine."
I'm not sure if Yuri is apologizing to herself, to me, or to Natsuki.
"If it's that last one, apology accepted." Natsuki commented.
MoNatSaYuri: "Do you mind if I read your poem now?"
Yuri: "Please do!"
Yuri: "I'd love to share my thought process behind it…"
Yuri smiles dreamily, as if that's a rare opportunity for her.
Which itself is kind of funny…
…After all, isn't this supposed to be a literature club?
"Well, yeah, it's supposed to be." Natsuki said, sending a scowl over at Monika. "But one of us didn't get the memo."
*A piece of paper appears on the screen, showing Yuri's poem.*
Ghost Under the Light.
The tendrils of my hair illuminate beneath the amber glow.
Bathing.
It must be this one.
The last remaining streetlight to have withstood the test of time.
the last yet to be replaced by the sickening blue-green hue of the future.
I bathe. Calm; breathing air of the present but living in the past.
The light flickers.
I flicker back.
"… Yep, still don't get it." Natsuki said.
"God, what was I thinking when I wrote it again?" Yuri muttered. "It's been so long… Um… Okay, remember how you said Eagles Can Fly was about giving up?"
"Yeah?"
"Kinda the same thing here." Yuri said.
"So you two picked the exact same theme for your poems on the exact same day?" Monika asked.
"Hey, great minds think alike." Natsuki shrugged.
Yuri: "…"
Yuri: "I…I'm sorry I have such terrible handwriting!"
MoNatSaYuri: "What?"
MoNatSaYuri: "I wasn't thinking that at all…"
Yuri: "But it took you a long time to read…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Ah-"
MoNatSaYuri: "Well, I just don't read script very often…"
MoNatSaYuri: "I actually think your handwriting is pretty."
Yuri: "Eh?"
Yuri: "That's…a relief…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Also, I liked the poem."
"Well, I didn't." Natsuki said, causing Yuri to roll her eyes. "The symbolism was way too vague, to the point where the poem's entire meaning just flew over my head."
MoNatSaYuri: "Even though it's short, it was really descriptive."
Yuri: "It wasn't too short?"
Yuri: "I usually write longer poems."
"Actually, if it went on a little longer, it might have had a chance to make its meaning more clear." Natsuki commented.
MoNatSaYuri: "Not at all."
Yuri: "I'm…really glad you like it."
Yuri: "I'll be honest…"
Yuri: "Since it's our first time sharing, I wanted to write something a little more mild."
Yuri: "Something easy to digest, I suppose."
"Well, thanks for being considerate, but we don't normally eat paper." Sayori joked.
"Dude, you kidding? That's stuff's delicious!" Natsuki joked.
MoNatSaYuri: "Are you into ghosts, Yuri?"
"'Why, yes, I'm actually dating one right now.'" Natsuki joked.
Yuri: "Huhu."
Yuri: "Actually, the story isn't about a ghost at all, MoNatSaYuri."
MoNatSaYuri: "Really?"
MoNatSaYuri: "I must have totally missed the point."
"You see, this is what I'm talking about." Natsuki said. "Your symbolism was so vague it almost wasn't even there at all. I can see it now that I know it's there, but I can't know it's there if I can't see it, you know?"
"Well… I guess that makes sense." Yuri said.
Yuri: "Well, I suppose you did only glance over it, after all…"
"I thought he took a long time to read it?" Monika asked.
"'Maybe if I stare at this paper long enough, people will think I'm reading.'" Natsuki joked.
Yuri: "But remember that poets often express their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences in their works."
Yuri: "They usually do more than tell a simple story, or paint a picture."
Yuri: "In this case, perhaps the subject of the poem is only being symbolically compared to a ghost."
"Oh, I see now." Natsuki began. "You're trying to say you feel dead inside, right?"
"… That… Isn't entirely inaccurate." Yuri muttered.
Yuri: "Lingering in her last remaining place of comfort, unable to let go of the past."
Yuri: "And soon to be left with nothing…"
MoNatSaYuri: "… That's a lot more solemn, putting it that way."
"I absolutely refuse to believe this idiot knows a word like 'solemn.'" Natsuki said. "I barely know that word."
MoNatSaYuri: "I hadn't even thought of that…"
MoNatSaYuri: "That's impressive."
Yuri: "It's nothing, really…"
Yuri: "Well…it makes me happy that you think that."
Yuri: "Just remember that it won't be long before you pick up on these things, too."
"Yuri, I've been reading your poems for about a year and a half now, and I still don't know what half of them mean." Natsuki said.
"Well, maybe it's a problem with the audience rather than the writer." Yuri responded.
MoNatSaYuri: "Yeah, maybe you're right."
MoNatSaYuri: "I guess I'll have to keep trying."
Yuri: "I'm counting on you."
"'Five, six, seven…'" Sayori said, impersonating her purple-haired friend.
"She's just putting hashmarks on his forehead." Natsuki joked.
"I mean, he does have the face of a white-board." Yuri said.
*Scene fades to black before fading back in on the Clubroom*
Who should I show my poem to next?
[Natsuki]
[Monika]
"Okay, now then…" Natsuki muttered, once again reaching for the die. "Odd number for me, even number for Monika." With that, she once again dropped the die on the table, looking down at the number before turning her attention back to the screen. "Oh, joy, critical failure, we're checking out Monika's." As Natsuki clicked the option, Monika let out a huff as she crossed her arms.
*Scene fades to black before fading back in on the Clubroom*
Monika: "Hi, MoNatSaYuri!"
MoNatSaYuri: "Having a good time so far?"
"I was, but then you showed up." Natsuki said.
MoNatSaYuri: "Ah…yeah."
Monika: "Good! Glad to hear it!"
Monika: "By the way, since your new and everything…"
Monika: "If you ever have any suggestions for the club, like new activities, or things we can do better…"
Monika: "I'm always listening!"
"Well, now that you mention it, I do have a few ideas on who we can fix some things here." Natsuki began. "It all circles back to getting rid of the current president."
"Natsuki, I am two heads taller than you and I have the powers of a god." Monika said, scowling at the pink-haired girl. "Watch. Your. Tongue."
"Well, I would, but it's kinda hard to see my face without a mirror." Natsuki joked.
Monika: "Don't be afraid to bring things up, okay?"
MoNatSaYuri: "Alright…I'll keep that in mind."
Of course I'll be afraid to bring things up.
I'm much better off just going with the flow until I'm more settled in.
Monika: "Anyway…"
Monika: "Want to share your poem with me?"
"No, I just came over here because I felt lonely." Natsuki snarked.
MoNatSaYuri: "It's kinda embarrassing, but I guess I have to."
Monika: "Ahahaha!"
Monika: "Don't worry, MoNatSaYuri."
Monika: "We're all a little embarrassed today, you know?"
Monika: "But that's the sort of barrier that we'll all learn to get past soon."
MoNatSaYuri: "Yeah, that's true."
I hand Monika my poem.
Monika: "…Mhm!"
Monika: "I like it, MoNatSaYuri!"
"Of course you do," Yuri began. "It could be one word and you'd call him the next Shakespeare."
MoNatSaYuri: "Really?"
Monika: "It's a lot cuter than I expected."
Monika: "Ahahaha!"
MoNatSaYuri: "Oh jeeze…"
Monika: "No, no!"
Monika: "It kind of makes me think of something Natsuki would write."
Monika: "And she's a good writer, too."
Monika: "So take that as a compliment!"
"I'll take it as an insult." Natsuki said. "Can't believe you'd compare my writing to this idiot's dribble."
MoNatSaYuri: "Ahaha…"
MoNatSaYuri: "If you say so."
Monika: "Yep!"
Monika: "By any chance, have you read anything by Shel Silverstein?"
MoNatSaYuri: "Eh?"
MoNatSaYuri: "Maybe a long time ago…"
"Wow, he actually knows that name." Yuri commented. "That's a step up from what we usually expect of him."
Monika: "He's famous for telling all kinds of stories in just a few simple words."
"If that's the comparison you were going for, why not use Doctor Seuss?" Natsuki asked. "Name one person who doesn't know that guy."
Monika: "His poems can be funny, endearing, or even sad…"
"Doctor Seuss hits all at once." Natsuki said.
Monika: "And sometimes they're only a few lines long."
Monika: "They might even feel like they're written for kids, but if you think about them…"
Monika: "They can express views of the world that would apply to anybody."
MoNatSaYuri: "I see…"
MoNatSaYuri: "So you're saying that Natsuki is kinda like that?"
Monika: "Sort of."
Monika: "Maybe she's not an expert…"
"Bitch, I'm the fucking queen of these poems." Natsuki said.
Monika: "But you probably won't find much filler in her poems."
"Give it a few days." Yuri said.
Monika: "They might be easy to write, but they're super challenging to get the meaning through."
Monika: "So I can see why it would be your kind of poem to explore!"
"Hey, don't suck his dick in the classroom." Natsuki said.
MoNatSaYuri: "I'm sure I'll end up trying different things a lot."
MoNatSaYuri: "It could take a while before I feel comfortable doing this."
Monika: "That's okay!"
Monika: "I'd love to see you try new things."
"'Like murder!'" Sayori said. "'Wooh-wee-wooh.~'"
Monika: "That's the way to find the kind of style that suits you."
Monika: "Everyone else might be a little bit biased towards their own kinds of styles…"
Monika: "But I'll always help you find what suits you most!"
Monika: "So don't force yourself to write the way everyone else wants you to write."
Monika: "It's not like you have to worry about impressing them or anything."
Monika: "Ahaha!"
MoNatSaYuri: "Ahaha…"
Monika: "Anyway, do you want to read my poem now?"
Monika: "Don't worry, I'm not very good…"
"You can say that again." Natsuki said, earning a glare from Monika.
MoNatSaYuri: "You sound pretty confident for someone who claims to not be very good."
Monika: "Well…that's 'cause I have to sound confident."
Monika: "That doesn't mean I always feel that way, you know?"
MoNatSaYuri: "I see…"
MoNatSaYuri: "Well, let's read it, then."
*A piece of paper appears on the screen, showing Monika's poem.*
Hole in Wall
It couldn't have been me.
See, the direction the spackle protrudes.
A noisy neighbor? An angry boyfriend? I'll never know. I wasn't home.
I peer inside for a clue.
No! I can't see. I reel, blind, like a film left out in the sun.
But it's too late. My retinas.
Already scorched with a permanent copy of the meaningless image.
It's just a little hole. It wasn't too bright.
It was too deep.
Stretching forever into everything.
A hole of infinite choices.
I realize now, that I wasn't looking in.
I was looking out.
And he, on the other side, was looking in.
Monika: "So…what do you think?"
"You can make the whole thing better if you changed the ending." Natsuki said.
"Really? How so?" Monika asked.
"Move it closer to the beginning!" Natsuki said. "Do-ho-ho-ho-ho!"
So remember how I said I was using the Game Grumps' videos on DDLC to write these transcripts? Well, no joke, my dice rolls gave me the exact same sequence of characters as in their videos. I think God decided to make writing this story easy on me.
And then after I wrote that sentence for the first time, the power cut out. God is definitely a dick.
So anyway, all I really have to say about writing this chapter is that I had to google the meaning of Yuri's poem because, yeah, her poems are pretty vague about their meaning.