Monterio

Available During Chapter 2:

Event 1:

Monterio: Good morning.

What should I do? Should I invite Monterio to hang out?

Invite Monterio to hang out

See who else is around

Monterio: Mhm.

We play a bunch of chance-based games so that I can figure out around how lucky he is. Seems like his luck is average.

Looks like I learned more about Monterio today.

Would you like to give Monterio a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#23 Cuddly Mittens— Soft, padded gloves that exude heat to amplify any physical contact. Great for animal care or simply for better hand-holding.

Monterio: Oh wow, this is a great pick for me. Thank you.

...

Monterio: ...

Chimon: So, everyone knows you're pretty quiet. Has it always been that way?

He nods vigorously in confirmation, giving an amused smile.

Monterio: I didn't say my first word till I was three. Didn't babble a whole lot, either, apparently. I remember my parents telling me later on that if it wasn't for my comprehension skills, they'd have worried that I had a learning disability.

Chimon: So you could understand everything perfectly fine, but you just... chose to stay quiet that whole time? Did you just point at what you wanted and gesture?

He gives me a wry smirk and then walks his fingers across his hands.

Chimon: You want to go out?

He nods, then pantomimes bringing something to his mouth and chewing.

Chimon: You're hungry. That one's pretty obvious, I think.

He nods once more and rests his head on his folded hands.

Chimon: You're sleepy. Ah, I see. That's surprisingly effective. It must've stumped your parents, though. I know I'd be surprised in that situation. My parents said that I talked alllll the time, even before I knew words! Just a whole lot of babbling and grunting and stuff!

Monterio: I didn't really throw tantrums, either. But when I started talking, it was in full sentences. Not often, but at least I gave them something to work with.

Chimon: You really have been this quiet your entire life, then?

Monterio: Well... not my entire life, technically. There were a few years in grade school where I forced myself.

Chimon: Oh jeez! I can imagine it must've been really exhausting, having to pretend to be more outgoing than you really are! Luckily, I'm an extrovert, but the world isn't very good to introverts. I feel like they're treated like outcasts!

Monterio: Yeah, those years where I talked a lot were probably the years I was most well-liked. But it didn't make up for the way it... lacked substance.

Chimon: Not the type to say stuff that doesn't matter to you, huh? I think you said at the beginning that being so silent makes the stuff you do say stand out a lot more. That's a pretty good philosophy to have!

He bites his lip a little and squints, as if contemplating what to say next.

Monterio: It felt like... the things I was saying weren't even recognizable as my own thoughts. It was all just a bunch of useless fluff.

Chimon: Yeah! Maybe if people took more care with what they said, our world would look a whole lot different!

He gets a cloudy look in his eyes as he ponders this. We imagine this new world for a while in silence, until Kana busts in to take him to dance practice. I genuinely have no clue why this guy reached out to me in the first place, but it's smart to try and understand people in this situation.

Monterio's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Event 2:

Monterio: Heya, little buddy. How's your day today?

What should I do? Should I invite Monterio to hang out?

Invite Monterio to hang out

See who else is around

Monterio: Of course! But um, remember, I can't stop chatting for too long, so don't pick anything that requires silence.

To test his mental prowess, I ask to play Shiritori, which works since his code prevents him from staying quiet. We're about even competition, which makes it the most fun.

Looks like I learned more about Monterio today.

Would you like to give Monterio a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#41 Travel Journal— A thick journal packed with record of trips. However, it was actually written using vague knowledge and the rich imagination of someone looking at a world map.

Monterio: Ah! I like this a lot! Thank you.

...

Monterio: It's really frustrating that Kana's code is acknowledging me. I mean, obviously I miss her, but I'm secure with our bond, so it's not freaking me out or anything... But if she can't spend any time with me, that means we can't practice.

Chimon: Do you do any other type of dance?

Monterio: I've dipped my toes in ballet... and she's done some hip hop, here and there. So I guess it's not a total loss, but it's still not ideal... I wonder how many competitions we would've been in during this time we've been trapped. I don't want to get rusty.

Chimon: How long did you do dance before you met her?

Monterio: I didn't. That ballroom dance class in town was my first experience with it. I spent a lot of time preparing for it at home, of course, but I was already fully aware of who she was by then. My schedule was pretty empty, and I wanted to keep doing something physical—

Chimon: Keep doing? So you were in a sport before you started dancing?

Monterio: ...Yeah, I was.

Chimon: Which one?

Monterio: Well, here's a hint. Some major teams in Japan include the Nippon Paper Cranes and the Seibu Prince Rabbits.

Hockey

Baseball

Wrestling

Chimon: Uhh... wrestling?

He laughs. Not maliciously, it seems, but if I felt social shame, I'd be embarrassed.

Monterio: You really don't know sports, do you? Wrestling isn't a team sport.

Hockey

Baseball

Wrestling

Chimon: Probably baseball, right?

Monterio: Nope. It is the most popular sport in the country, but it's not what I played.

Hockey

Baseball

Wrestling

Chimon: Oh, wait. I know this one. You were a hockey player.

Monterio: Right on the money. I played hockey for a long time. From around the time I was six to twelve. I still love it.

Chimon: Then why did you stop playing?

Monterio: I'd... rather not say.

I don't like that. Not the fact that he has a secret. It just makes me worry about being in a disadvantageous position. I need to know that he trusts me, because if he doesn't, he's one of the biggest threats in this entire place.

Chimon: Would you feel better telling me in a more private place, or do you just need time?

Monterio: Time... probably.

Chimon: I'm not saying you need to trust me immediately or anything!

Monterio: Oh! No, no, I do, that's not it. It's just a very personal story.

I feel my bracelet loosen in the latex gloves I'm wearing. I used two of the Milton Model techniques. So I broke my code: Use your talent. But being assured of our alliance is worth it. I covered my bases.

Chimon: I'm glad that you trust me. Umm... if it'll solve your problem about rustiness, maybe i can dance the girl parts?

He gives me a chuckle.

Monterio: That would be a help, but our size gap is way too big. Let's just keep playing word games.

Chimon: H-Huh?

Monterio: Y'know, Shiritori.

I hold back a sigh of relief; I wasn't caught. We continue playing Shiritori until Gou comes in, frantically rambling about potentially hosting a Guys Night and dragging everyone into the game room to start planning.

Monterio's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Available During Chapter 3:

Event 3:

He looks a little forlorn, but when he sees me, he gives me a warm smile and a wave.

What should I do? Should I invite Monterio to hang out?

Invite Monterio to hang out

See who else is around

Monterio: Yes, please.

He turns on some reflective, somewhat sad-sounding instrumental music, and I watch him freestyle. I guess this helps me understand his flexibility, but this tempo isn't the best test of reflexes... even so, I guess not every minute needs to be about analyzing his strengths and weaknesses... This can just be... um... bonding?

Looks like I learned more about Monterio today.

Would you like to give Monterio a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#28 Silver Skates— Skates whose blades can be swapped between hockey and figure skating. It's said that these skates are the safest in the industry, ensuring that the person wearing them will rarely ever obtain injuries.

Monterio: Ah! I like this a lot! Thank you.

...

Chimon: You doing okay? You seem down.

Monterio: Do you... miss your family?

I don't, but that's clearly not the answer he's looking for here. I can probably answer without lying.

Chimon: I've been wondering how my parents are holding up... but anyway, are you feeling really homesick today? Oh no!

I open my arms to offer a hug, and he picks me up, taking me by surprise yet again. I really should be used to this by now. His expression seems to only get MORE somber with this action. He sets me down and then holds up a signal for me to wait a second. He rushes off and then comes back with a photograph. It has two parents, a young Monterio, and a beaming toddler, whom little Monterio is carrying.

Chimon: Right, you mentioned having a little brother.

Monterio: ...Minato.

Chimon: How much older are you?

Monterio: Six years. He changed my life forever. Obviously.

Chimon: What's he like?

Monterio: He's very bright, kind of jokey.

Chimon: So like, the type of kid you would expect to get into all sorts of mischief?

Monterio: You'd think, but he's practically the most angelic ten-year-old you could imagine. He really likes learning geology, so he's always digging around looking for cool rocks and crystals.

Chimon: Aww, that's really cute! You've always come across to me like a very nurturing, good-hearted big brother.

He can't help but blush, and he gives the JSL sign for "Thank you."

Monterio: You two would like each other, I think. He'd probably assume you were his age, though.

Chimon: We'd trash talk you. Allllllll the time.

He laughs.

Monterio: Not without me knowing.

Chimon: We'll do it in private! You'll never know!

I start squiggling my arms around and making alien noises. He laughs even harder.

Monterio: Unless you're fluent in JSL, you're not saying anything about me without my knowledge!

Chimon: Is he... deaf?

Monterio: Mhm. I juked out my parents... the fact that I was just late to talk gave them a false sense of security, so we caught on pretty late.

Chimon: Wow...

Monterio: Kana learning JSL without my prompting is one of the first things that made me know that I wanna spend my whole life by her side.

Chimon: Are those two close? Do they get along well?

He nods excitedly.

Monterio: Despite being the baby of her family, Kana's very protective! Very, very protective.

I take some time to think about the fate of any lad who dares to make fun of this kid. Or even just mildly inconvenience him.

Chimon: I'm sure you must be worried...

His body language closes off, ever so slightly.

Monterio: I just... hope he's becoming more independent.

I climb onto his shoulders.

Chimon: I'm sure he's worried about you a lot, but if he's as great as you say, I'm positive that he's handling everything super duper well!

He stands up and starts running with me on his shoulders, making me yell out in alarm. It causes Tozen to come in and check on us, and then Monterio offers to help cook, so we part ways.

Monterio's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Event 4:

He looks angry...

What should I do? Should I invite Monterio to hang out?

Invite Monterio to hang out

See who else is around

Monterio: Yeah... I need a distraction.

We play some video games, just for the hell of it, I guess.

Looks like Monterio and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Monterio a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#46 Vibeat Wearables— A necklace, bracelet, and pin set that vibrate at different registers so that the deaf and hard-of-hearing can experience music.

Monterio: Wow... I'm... speechless. Thank you so much.

...

He's button mashing so furiously that the noise from his controller makes me tear my eyes from the screen. I pause the game, and he takes some time to breathe.

Chimon: Dude, you're not okay. Do you need to rant?

He shakes his head.

Chimon: If you're worried about it being a burden, please don't be. It's totally fine!

Monterio: She... never listens. I used to be better at it... Who would've thought I'd be better at reining her in back when she was a bully? I know she's upset, but if she had just taken a minute to think, she'd probably understand why you did what you did. And— and, and, she's not my only friend! She knows I have a hard time making friends, but I made one! And she expects me to just go along with... ! Agh, I'm too...! Ugh, this is such a mess. This rant is a mess and this situation is a mess.

Chimon: You... think of me as a friend?

He raises his eyebrows at me, almost like a "duh" gesture. I tilt my hat so that it's out of my eyes a little more. I try to search in my heart for anything resembling affection. There's definite surprise, even though I probably shouldn't be surprised. I'm trying to recover the speck of fuzzy heartwarming that arose when he made his choice, but it's buried so deep that I can barely tell it's still there. He sighs.

Monterio: I know... that she'll come around eventually. And I know that at some point, I'll stop being angry, too. But I don't...

He takes a few seconds to really think through what he wants to say.

Monterio: I don't want to lose me in us. Does that make any sense?

Chimon: Absolutely! You don't want your identity and opinions to get drowned out. You don't want to become just "Kana's Life Partner." Being honest, I kind of saw you two as a singular unit, back at the very, very beginning. But you two are both very clearly your own people with different experiences and worldviews. In my line of work, an understanding of what motivates people is pretty important. I may not know Kana very well, but it's obvious from a mile away that her goal isn't to overpower you. She just wants to share your thoughts for you, and this time, she guessed wrong. And it freaked her out. The fact that she doesn't know everything about you scares her, I think. When you're ready to talk to her, I'm sure she'll understand if you just explain what you're scared of.

He wraps me in a hug, and I open my eyes wide in shock before hugging back like I'm supposed to. When he detracts, he gives me a smile and points to my controller. I unpause the game and we play until the other side of the schism asks for the game room, at which point I leave him to do some ayatori and origami to clear my head.

Monterio's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Available During Chapter 4:

Event 5:

Monterio: Hey! Can we talk?

What should I do? Should I invite Monterio to hang out?

Invite Monterio to hang out

See who else is around

Monterio: Awesome, thanks. Let's go to my room.

After a bit of time idly chatting and not getting to the point, he just listens to me rant about how frustrating school is.

Looks like Monterio and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Monterio a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#34 Link Rings-- Two simple rings. One is black, and one is silver, but each one has a small portion of each other's metal. Meant to be given to someone who you feel has deeply impacted who you are as a person.

Monterio: Wow... I'm... speechless. Thank you so much.

...

Chimon: You wanted to talk... is there a particular reason for that? I've kind of just been going off for a while.

He closes his eyes and inhales deeply.

Monterio: I told you that I needed time... you remember what I'm talking about, right?

Why you chose dancing as your new sport

How Kana changed you

Why you quit hockey

Chimon: You never told me why you chose dancing in particular. Is that it?

He shakes his head no.

Monterio: But I'll touch on that anyway.

Why you chose dancing as your new sport

How Kana changed you

Why you quit hockey

Chimon: You're talking about how Kana changed you, right?

He blushes and fiddles with the flower in his vest's pocket with a shy smile. I laugh a bit at his fluster.

Chimon: I'm just teasing.

Why you chose dancing as your new sport

How Kana changed you

Why you quit hockey

Chimon: Of course I remember. You're really willing to tell me why you quit hockey?

He takes yet another deep breath and then nods resolutely. I clench my fist behind my back, trying to bring the small touched feeling to the surface. It's in there somewhere, I can tell.

Monterio: It... has to do with Minato.

Chimon: Oh, don't tell me that one— or maybe even more— of your teammates made fun of your deaf brother.

He purses his lips apprehensively, but then nods.

Chimon: So you just left, right then and there?

Monterio: No... I... I beat the shit out of him first.

Chimon: WHAT?! You?! But you're so gentle!

Monterio: I'm not proud of it, but it was like something else was steering... something primal.

Chimon: What happened?

Monterio: Luckily, the family didn't press charges. But things got... a lot worse for me. I didn't know why, at the time. I'd just transferred to a new grade school for my last year, since I'd moved houses. And it was suddenly like nobody would treat me like a human. They all just... averted their eyes. I never said much, anyways, but it wasn't fun. It continued that way even in middle school. It wasn't even like I was invisible, because people could be acting completely normal and just walking by would make the atmosphere freeze over.

Chimon: God... that must've made you feel like you were going insane.

Monterio: I chose ballroom dance because I thought it would force someone to acknowledge me— to look at me, even touch me.

Chimon: Did you ever find out what was going on?

Monterio: Yeah. When I was first starting to spend time with Kana, she told me that it was common knowledge that I'd assaulted the cousin of our classmate, and that rumors had boiled up that I was a delinquent in an actual gang. Pretty sure it was revenge. Or just the rumor mill doing its thing.

Chimon: Did you set it straight?!

His eyes widen.

Chimon: Oh GOD, did Kana do it FOR you?!

He grimaces.

Chimon: She did, didn't she?! God, I can just imagine her yelling at the whole school that the dude you beat up was— um, how would she put it?— "an ableist piece of shit!"

He laughs. I'm surprised to find that I derive joy from his laughter.

Monterio: Those exact words! I was... so scared that nobody but my family would ever look at me again, but then I befriended her... and then later I befriended you. All on my own. I don't need anything more than that.

I startle myself by being the one to hug HIM this time, almost like a reflex. He gives me a big ol' squeeze, like a massive teddy bear. I feel... comfort, maybe? I think... I'm getting to the point where even I... can legitimately have a friend.