The Night Through The Hollow

Pre-Commission

(Idle)

Lily: ...

(Talk to Lily)

Lily: What a coincidence. We meet again!

Is this yours?

The girl takes the photo that was picked up inside Hollow Zero.

Lily: Uh... you...

Lily: I never thought I'd see this photo again... Thank you. Thank you so much...

The young girl's voice chokes up a little.

Is that your dog?

Lily: It's my Lil Mercy. She always went with me everywhere, ever since I can remember.

Lily: I can still remember the first time I went on a long trip with a friend and we didn't come home for two days. When I got home, Mom told me Lil Mercy had run away. I was worried sick and searched everywhere for her.

Lily: When I finally found her, she still seemed to be angry, barking at me and refusing to let me stroke her.

Lily: We were both angry at each other for the entire day.

Lily: Later, Mom said from Lil Mercy's perspective it was probably me who was running away — we'd never been separated before, after all. She probably thought I'd gotten lost, so went out to find me.

Lily: So after that, every time I went out, I would tell her what time I was coming back. And she seemed to understand.

Lily: But as she got older and older, she grew senile and would just lie waiting for me at the door when I went out.

Lily: Until the day she passed away...

Does this have anything to do with you going to Hollow Zero?

Lily: There used to be this rumor about how Hollow Zero had this giant crystal door through which you could travel back to a fixed point in time.

Lily: I want to go back to that day. I hope at least... her final minutes wouldn't be spent waiting for me.

Lily: But are instead spent with me at her side, so she can rest in peace.

Lily: ...I never did find that crystal door.

Hollow Zero is very dangerous...

You're lucky to have made it out of there alive.

Lily: Darla and I ran into something so terrifying back then that we thought we were goners.

Lily: Luckily an investigator found us and took us out, despite asking the whole way back who it was who'd taken us inside in the first place...

Lily: I told them I rode my bicycle in, but they wouldn't believe me!

Lily: But Darla... Ah, she's the friend who went in with me — she's still terrified. She says she'll never go anywhere near a Hollow ever again.

You're not scared after that?

Lily: Me? My real phobia is the endless nagging from school, the Association, and my parents, and endless self-criticism reviews after coming back...

Lily: I'd never go anywhere near a Hollow ever again, if I got to avoid that!

Lily: Ah, look at the time! Gotta get home before my parents —I'm still grounded... and if they discover I snuck out, they'll extend it even longer.

(Idle)

Lily: Thank you for helping me find Lil Mercy...

Commission

 Find the girl skipping class near Howl's Newsstand

---

Go ask the girl why she's skipping class...

Sixth Street

(Idle)

Lily: Ahhh... I got busted playing hooky again...

(Talk to Lily)

Lily: I know you! You're the boss at the video store across the street!

Oh, you know me...

Lily: *ahem* I mean, I'm a regular at the newsstand, too... I know you stop by Howl's every day to support the stall~

Lily: But hey, seeing as you're here too... Maybe you can make Howl's dream come true!

Lily: Howl's always guarding the newsstand, so he never gets a chance to run off and play with other puppers.

Lily: I don't know much about Sixth Street, Manager, but if you've got the time then maybe you could tric— I mean INVITE two dogs over to the newsstand.

Lily: I brought some snacks and toys that you can share with them! Please~ Ple—ease~

Alright, I'll try my best.

(Idle)

Lily: Dogs can be really healing...

 Look for other dogs around Sixth Street

---

Find some friends to hang out with Howl~

Sixth Street

(Idle)

Cute Puppy: Whine...

(Interact with Cute Puppy)

Cute Puppy: Woof?

(ProtagonistProtagonistWise / Belle): (How am I supposed to dognap this dog?)

Yoohoo~ Yoohoo~

The cute puppy remains immune to your "Yoohoo"... Try it again!

(Exit dialogue)

Aren't you just the cutest puppy in the world!

Cute Puppy: Woof! Woof, woof woof!

You successfully tricked the puppy into following you back to Howl's Newsstand!

 Look for other dogs around Sixth Street again

---

Find some friends to hang out with Howl~

Sixth Street

(Idle)

Gallant Puppy: Woof woof!

(Interact with Gallant Puppy)

Gallant Puppy: Woof!

(ProtagonistProtagonistWise / Belle): (How am I supposed to dognap this dog?)

Aren't you the cutest little darling in the whole world!

The gallant puppy is happy to be praised, but sits back down as it wags its tail. It doesn't seem to want to go with you... Try it again!

(Exit dialogue)

Any good kids around who can give me a hand with something?

Gallant Puppy: Woof! Woof, woof woof!

The gallant puppy is such a kind little darling! It hears you asking for help and instantly trots over to the newsstand!

 Go back to the newsstand and talk to Lily

---

The puppy squad is assembled. Go back and tell Lily at the newsstand~

Sixth Street

(Idle)

Lily: Wow... Puppies!

(Approach the newsstand)

There's no other shoppers at the newsstand, so Howl comes out and plays happily with the pups for quite some time...
Lily hands out the snacks to them and once they've all had their fill, the two puppies scamper off while Howl heads back to the newsstand...

Lily: It's so beautiful seeing dogs this happy. If Lil Mercy was still with us, I'd bring her here to play with Howl all the time.

Lil Mercy?

Lily: Lil Mercy is my dog! She always went with me everywhere, ever since I could remember.

Lily: I can still remember the first time I went on a long trip with a friend and we didn't come home for two days. When I got home, Mom told me Lil Mercy had run away. I was worried sick and searched everywhere for her.

Lily: When I finally found her, she still seemed to be angry, barking at me and refusing to let me stroke her.

Lily: Later, Mom said from Lil Mercy's perspective, it was probably me who was running away — we'd never been separated before, after all. She probably thought I'd gotten lost, and went out to find me.

Lily: So after that, every time I went out, I would tell her what time I was coming back. And she seemed to understand.

Lily: But as she got older and older, she grew senile and would just lie waiting for me at the door when I went out. And then, now she's gone...

Lily: Speaking of which... I heard there's some massive crystal door inside Hollow Zero. If you go through it, you can travel back to a fixed point in time.

Lily: I'd like to go back to the day that Lil Mercy died... I'd lock myself at home all day and stay with Lil Mercy so that at least... at least her final moments aren't spent faithfully waiting for me.

Have you seen this crystal door before?

Lily: Nope! Darla and I ran into something so terrifying back then that we thought we were goners.

Lily: Luckily, an investigator found us and took us out, despite asking the whole way back who it was who'd taken us inside in the first place...

Lily: I told them I rode my bicycle in, but they wouldn't believe me!

Lily: But Darla... Ah, she's the friend who went in with me — she's still terrified. She says she'll never go anywhere near a Hollow ever again.

You're not scared after that?

Lily: Me? My real phobia is the endless nagging from school, the Association and my parents, and endless self-criticism reviews after coming back...

Lily: To avoid going through those again, I'd never go anywhere near a Hollow ever again.

Lily: Plus watching Howl make doggy friends today made me feel really relieved... I won't have to cut class so much anymore~

(Idle)

Lily: Oh?

Cute Puppy: Woof woof!

Lily: I'll just snap one more cute puppy pic before I go home...