The Hollows Bank (Commission)

Pre-Commission

(Idle)

Carol: I've seen you before, at the entrance to the Hollow...

(Talk to Carol)

Carol: Are you an investigator, too?

No...

Sort of?

Carol: If you can go into the Hollows, then you might have seen my brother inside.

Carol: He's an investigator, and he's been deployed to Hollow Zero on a long-term assignment!

Carol: I forgot to introduce myself — I'm Carol.

Carol from hospital bed A2-1402?

Carol: So you HAVE met my brother?!

Tell her the truth

Carol: So that's what happened...

Carol: I'd guessed as much I suppose. I'm not some eight-year-old kid anymore. My teacher always uses the same excuse, but I'm not fooled.

Carol: It's just, I always thought he'd come back one day if I pretended not to know...

Carol: I have a diary that he left behind. He wrote a lot in it about his exam preparations, becoming an investigator, and about helping people trapped in Hollow disasters...

Carol: I can't remember what he looks like anymore. All these years, I've always seen him in my imagination as an investigator.

Carol: So... He didn't end up becoming what he'd hoped for in the end...

Your brother was good to you.

Carol: No need to comfort me! Thank you for telling me the truth.

Carol: I should say... finding out has only made me double down on my convictions.

Carol: I have to become an investigator so I can go into the Hollows and give my brother a piece of my mind!

Tell her a white lie

Carol: So... is his mission going smoothly?

It'll take some time.

Carol: I see... But that's okay! It's his dream, after all, so of course he's going to go all out.

His dream?

Carol: I have a diary that he left behind. He wrote a lot in it about his exam preparations, becoming an investigator, and about helping people trapped in Hollow disasters...

Carol: So... even if he doesn't come back for a long time, it's okay. I'm glad he's become the person he wanted to be.

Carol: Plus, I'm getting ready to sit my exams once I'm discharged from hospital!

Carol: Perhaps one day, my brother and I will meet inside a Hollow. When that time comes, he's gonna be so surprised.

Carol: Thank you for telling me about my brother! I'm determined to work hard!

(Idle)

Carol: I'll keep working hard to become an investigator, so I can go into the Hollows and find my brother.

Commission

 Find Carol on Sixth Street

---

I just received a missing person request to find Carol, Milo's younger sister. According to her guardian, Carol's last call was made from Sixth Street, based on the background sound heard over the phone. I should contact her if I have spotted Carol...

Sixth Street

(Idle)

Wandering Girl: I don't have enough time... What do I do...?

(Talk to Wandering Girl)

Wandering Girl: Ahhhhh...

Wandering Girl: Whew — that scared me. Thought I was busted there for a second...

Are you Carol?

Carol: Don't tell me you were sent looking for me by my guardian...? *sob* ...I thought today would be the day I'd finally escape!

Carol: I wasn't gonna do anything bad! I just wanted to go to the Association...

Carol: I promise you that I'll come back immediately after visiting the Association. Please, can you help me stall the guardian for a little bit...?

How?

Carol: Let me think... I need to stop by the convenience store first, then head to the corner by the remodeling shop...

Carol: Can you distract her by taking her to the video store? I'll buy my presents and get right out of Sixth Street!

Carol: Here's her phone number. Tell her that you met a girl called "Carol" at the video store — and she should come straight over!

Carol hands over a note with a string of numbers then leaves in a hurry...

(Idle)

Carol: What should I get for my brother?

(Talk to Carol again, optional)

Carol: Could you please call my guardian from the payphone outside the video store? Please...

 Make a call to Carol's guardian...

---

Help Carol shake off her guardian. Make a call from the phone booth and guide her towards the direction of the video store.

Sixth Street

(Interact with the Payphone)

((‍Let's call the guardian first!Let's call the guardian first!Text for Wise / Let's try giving this number a buzz first!Let's try giving this number a buzz first!Text for Belle‍))

You call the number Carol gave you, and the person on the other end asks for the location of the phone booth before saying they'll be right over...

Guardian: Are you the one who said you saw Carol? I just went into the video store but she wasn't there. Do you know where she's gone?

((‍This guardian's like a speed demon...! Better not get too stressed out about lying to her...This guardian's like a speed demon...! Better not get too stressed out about lying to her...Text for Wise / Uh-oh... this is going wildly different than expected!! And it's super hard to lie in front of a teacher, too!Uh-oh... this is going wildly different than expected!! And it's super hard to lie in front of a teacher, too!Text for Belle‍))

I think she's already left Sixth Street...

Guardian: No way. I asked around on my way over here. By my estimations, she must still be around Sixth Street.

She sells seashells by the seashore.

Guardian: Mmm? What's this kid doing...? I'll ask somebody else.

The guardian starts asking people nearby whether or not they've seen Carol. You check the time, Carol should be on her way back now, having purchased all her presents. You gotta come up with a way to distract the guardian.

(Idle)

Guardian: Hello, have you seen a girl around here?

Exhausted Employee: No...

(Interact with the Guardian, optional)

((‍Heddy is nearby. Maybe I could get her to distract the guardian with a flyer?Heddy is nearby. Maybe I could get her to distract the guardian with a flyer?Text for Wise / Having Heddy hand a flyer to the guardian might get her to look away?Having Heddy hand a flyer to the guardian might get her to look away?Text for Belle‍))

 Ask Heddy to keep Carol's guardian occupied!

---

Help Carol shake off her guardian. Ask Heddy to distribute flyers to distract her.

Sixth Street

(Idle)

Carol: The guardian's facing the road. She'll see me if I walk over like this...

(Idle)

Heddy: Giving myself a flyer still counts as handing them out, right...

(Talk to Heddy)

Heddy: It's you! Do you want a flyer... no, a whole stack of flyers?!

I have a favor to ask you...

Heddy: I'll do anything as long as you take these flyers off me!

I know who needs a flyer...

Heddy: I'll do anything you want! Just tell me who needs one!

You promise Heddy that you'll take a flyer, and ask her to give one to the guardian as well. Here's hoping that Heddy will work hard to really distract the guardian!

(Idle)

Heddy: You're definitely going to need this! Let me explain everything to you...

Guardian: I... Uh...

(Interact with the Guardian, optional)

(The guardian pays zero attention to Carol! Now's the chance to create a distraction by the trash can to draw the guardian over...)

 Get up to some mischief nearby

---

Kick the trash can hard to distract Carol's guardian!

Sixth Street

(Talk to Carol, optional)

Carol: Could you go over there and make some noise by the trash can to draw the guardian over? Please!

(Interact with Trash Can)

(Hopefully this attracts the guardian instead of a Public Security officer...)

After giving the trash can a vicious kicking, the guardian wanders over after all...

Guardian: Excuse me... Is there something in your life that you're not happy with?

Yes, many things!

Guardian: Well, you shouldn't just kick any old trash can, you know... Kids nowadays, *sigh*...

Not really...

Guardian: I really don't know what kids are thinking nowadays, *sigh*...

(Both choices lead to the following)

Why are you sighing?

Guardian: One of my students snuck out again. I've been looking everywhere but still haven't found her.

Guardian: Perhaps she's got something that she's trying to do...

Guardian: I know she's trying to find her brother. But he's already... *sigh*...

Guardian: She was still really young when her brother had his accident, and was always in and out of the hospital. The only way we could explain things to her was by pretending that her brother was this incredible investigator who was always on a mission inside the Hollows, and that he wouldn't be coming back for a little while.

Guardian: A lie is like toothpaste — you can't put it back in the tube...

Guardian: I watched her grow up. Every time she tries to sneak off to the Association to look for proof, I feel so helpless... But I could never be angry at her... and I don't want to burst her bubble...

Guardian: Carol is a sensitive kid. I'm afraid she'll be upset if she finds out the truth...

Guardian: She has to pass by this street on her way to the Association, so I'll look for her more... Also, can you please stop kicking the trash cans?

By this time, Carol has already left Sixth Street and is making her way over to the Association... Despite helping her shake off the guardian, you can't help but feel a little worried after hearing her story...

 Find Carol

---

Now that you have distracted the guardian, head to the HIA and look for Carol!

Lumina Square

(Idle)

Carol: ...

(Talk to Carol outside the HIA Club)

Carol: Thanks for your help today! Otherwise I definitely would have been taken back already~

Carol is hugging a bouquet of flowers. Despite the smile on her face, it seems like she's hiding her loneliness...

Carol: By the way, let me clarify things! My guardian is actually really cool with me! She's looked after me all these years and I don't mean to make her get worried...

Carol: Today's my brother's birthday. I miss him so much...

Carol: I don't even expect to see him. I just... wish someone could tell me where he is, that's all...

Tell Carol the truth

Carol: Oh, I see...

Carol: I figured as much. I'm not an eight-year-old kid anymore. My guardian always told me the same story, but I don't buy it anymore.

Carol: Will you go with me to the outpost near Hollow Zero?

Sure.

You go with Carol to Scott Outpost...

Carol: My brother isn't some big shot investigator. In fact, what he does might not exactly be what you would consider ethical...

Carol: Before coming here, I thought I'd angrily toss these flowers down the Hollow and curse him out!

Carol: But now that I'm actually standing here, I feel like... I don't blame him at all. I mean, he might not be a big shot or anything, but he's still the best brother I ever had.

Carol places the bouquet of flowers onto the ground, and looks towards Hollow Zero as she quietly hums happy birthday...
You stand with her patiently for a while. She lets out a relieved smile, says goodbye, and leaves.

Keep lying to make Carol feel better

Carol: Huh? You've seen my brother down in Hollow Zero? Then... is he doing okay?

He's doing great! But he can't come back right now...

Carol: I see... It's his dream after all, of course he's going to go all out.

Carol: I have a diary that he left behind. He wrote a lot in it about his exam preparations, becoming an investigator, and about helping people trapped in the Hollow...

Carol: So... even if he doesn't come back for a long time, it's okay. I'm glad he's become the person he wanted to be.

Carol: Also, I've been working on passing the investigator's exam ever since I got out of the hospital. Maybe one day, him and I can meet inside the Hollow. He's gonna be so surprised...

Carol: Thanks for everything~ I gotta go!

As she turns to leave, her eyes seem to glint with determination. No matter what the future holds, let's hope all goes well for her...