As usual, my commentary is in italics, except for dialogue.
Last time, the doctors warped back into their patient's memory, after acquiring some roadkill odour to hopefully get their childhood memories simulated.
Act 3
They warp into the last working memory, and the memory gauge automatically fills up. The football doesn't have to be prepared either. Rosalene takes one last look at Johnny's room before leaving.
At the white void, the doctors take a closer look at the ball, and begin to talk.
Dr. Watts: To think that this little thing's causing us so much trouble...
Dr. Watts:...I just want to kick it to outer space.
Dr. Rosalene: I suppose all we can do now is to send the signal and hope.
Dr. Watts: (looking at Rosalene) Well... ready?
- Rosalene turns to Watts, and the scene cuts out. We switch to Johnny's room in the present, where Rosalene lights up a signal. The doctor notices this, and releases the odour to Johnny. We cut back to the white void, where the screen suddenly shakes.
Dr. Rosalene: Something's happening...
Dr. Rosalene: (looking at Watts, exclaiming) Quick, send it again!
- She sends the signal again. The screen begins to shake, and turn red.
Dr. Watts: What the--
- The screen shakes even more. We cut back to Johnny's room. Lily notices something with the heart monitor and calls out to the doctor.
Lily: (exclaiming) Doctor, something's wrong!
Doctor: (angrily exclaiming) What?!
Doctor: (moving towards the heart monitor)...Take over for me, Lily.
- The doctor and Lily quickly swap positions. The doctor silently examines the heart monitor for a moment.
Doctor: His condition has been de-stabilized... Intake levels must be reconfigured.
- The doctor begins working on the monitor. The scene cuts back to the white void, which is shaking violently and pulsing.
Dr. Watts: (exclaiming) What's happening to this place?!
Dr. Rosalene:...It's been de-stabilized.
- Rosalene runs up to Watts.
Dr. Rosalene: Get out.
Dr. Watts: (curiously) What?
Dr. Rosalene: Get out of his memory. Now.
Dr. Watts: (stretching out his limbs forward) What're you talking about?
Dr. Rosalene: If the system doesn't restabilize soon, the shock might permanently damage whoever's in here.
Dr. Watts: You've got to be kidding m-(looking at Rosalene, angrily exclaiming) Why aren't you getting out, then?!
Dr. Rosalene: (angrily exclaiming) I can't, Neil!
Dr. Rosalene: If both of us get out under this state, all our work will be reset.
Dr. Rosalene:...There won't be enough time to redo all we've done before Johnny--
Dr. Watts: (angrily exclaiming) Oh you freakin'...
Dr. Watts:...Don't pull that contrived crap on me!
Dr. Watts: (stretching out his arms, annoyedly talking) This ain't a movie and you're no hero, you're just being a moron!
Dr. Rosalene: (stretching out her limbs forward) Then why are you being one, too? Get the hell out of here!
Dr. Watts: (angrily exclaiming) Screw that! If you're gone, they'll probably pair me up with Alistair!
Dr. Watts: (looking away from Rosalene, facepalming) Do you know how badly he smells?!
Dr. Watts: (stretching out his arms, angrily exclaiming) Worse than the roadkill!!
Dr. Rosalene: (looking away from Watts) Damn it, Neil... This is what I get for helping you cheat through the entrance exams.
- The scene cuts back to Johnny's room, where the doctor is still working on the heart monitor. Eventually, he fixes it. Lily hears the alarm being turned off, and is curious. She ponders asking the doctor for a while.
Lily: Doctor...?
- The doctor turns away from the monitor and towards Lily. He's silent for a moment.
Doctor:...I think we're okay, for now.
- The scene cuts back to the white void, where the reddish tint fades out. We shift to the doctors, who are still arguing angrily with each other.
Dr. Watts: (angrily exclaiming)...and guess what? Your carrot cake sucks!!
Dr. Rosalene: (turning away from Watts) Wait a minute...
Dr. Watts: (stretching out arms, annoyedly talking) Yeah! And, at the last Christmas party, you--
- Watts suddenly stops, and looks around.
Dr. Watts:...Oh.
Dr. Rosalene: (turning to Watts) C'mon... let's go before that happens again.
- Watts turns away from Rosalene in embarrassment.
Dr. Watts: (scratching his head) Um, you know that I didn't mean to.......Y'know, call you a moron, right?
Dr. Rosalene: You know that I did, right?
What was the point of this? Wasn't the idea just that exposing the patient to a smell from their past memory would relive their childhood ones, at least in the machine? Why would the doctors have to redo everything, considering they just warped into Johnny's last functional memory just fine? Why would the doctors be willing to stay behind if there was a genuine risk of being hurt? Why does the procedure require a doctor to be present in the memory? Clearly they didn't do anything to actually fix the situation while in there. And of course, they have to end up going at each other viciously, for the sake of...drama, I suppose. So much for them cooperating and not wasting any time.
The doctors warp through the football to the first of Johnny's childhood memories.
At the white void, the doctors take a closer look at the ball, and begin to talk.
Dr. Watts: To think that this little thing's causing us so much trouble...
Dr. Watts:...I just want to kick it to outer space.
Dr. Rosalene: I suppose all we can do now is to send the signal and hope.
Dr. Watts: (looking at Rosalene) Well... ready?
- Rosalene turns to Watts, and the scene cuts out. We switch to Johnny's room in the present, where Rosalene lights up a signal. The doctor notices this, and releases the odour to Johnny. We cut back to the white void, where the screen suddenly shakes.
Dr. Rosalene: Something's happening...
Dr. Rosalene: (looking at Watts, exclaiming) Quick, send it again!
- She sends the signal again. The screen begins to shake, and turn red.
Dr. Watts: What the--
- The screen shakes even more. We cut back to Johnny's room. Lily notices something with the heart monitor and calls out to the doctor.
Lily: (exclaiming) Doctor, something's wrong!
Doctor: (angrily exclaiming) What?!
Doctor: (moving towards the heart monitor)...Take over for me, Lily.
- The doctor and Lily quickly swap positions. The doctor silently examines the heart monitor for a moment.
Doctor: His condition has been de-stabilized... Intake levels must be reconfigured.
- The doctor begins working on the monitor. The scene cuts back to the white void, which is shaking violently and pulsing.
Dr. Watts: (exclaiming) What's happening to this place?!
Dr. Rosalene:...It's been de-stabilized.
- Rosalene runs up to Watts.
Dr. Rosalene: Get out.
Dr. Watts: (curiously) What?
Dr. Rosalene: Get out of his memory. Now.
Dr. Watts: (stretching out his limbs forward) What're you talking about?
Dr. Rosalene: If the system doesn't restabilize soon, the shock might permanently damage whoever's in here.
Dr. Watts: You've got to be kidding m-(looking at Rosalene, angrily exclaiming) Why aren't you getting out, then?!
Dr. Rosalene: (angrily exclaiming) I can't, Neil!
Dr. Rosalene: If both of us get out under this state, all our work will be reset.
Dr. Rosalene:...There won't be enough time to redo all we've done before Johnny--
Dr. Watts: (angrily exclaiming) Oh you freakin'...
Dr. Watts:...Don't pull that contrived crap on me!
Dr. Watts: (stretching out his arms, annoyedly talking) This ain't a movie and you're no hero, you're just being a moron!
Dr. Rosalene: (stretching out her limbs forward) Then why are you being one, too? Get the hell out of here!
Dr. Watts: (angrily exclaiming) Screw that! If you're gone, they'll probably pair me up with Alistair!
Dr. Watts: (looking away from Rosalene, facepalming) Do you know how badly he smells?!
Dr. Watts: (stretching out his arms, angrily exclaiming) Worse than the roadkill!!
Dr. Rosalene: (looking away from Watts) Damn it, Neil... This is what I get for helping you cheat through the entrance exams.
- The scene cuts back to Johnny's room, where the doctor is still working on the heart monitor. Eventually, he fixes it. Lily hears the alarm being turned off, and is curious. She ponders asking the doctor for a while.
Lily: Doctor...?
- The doctor turns away from the monitor and towards Lily. He's silent for a moment.
Doctor:...I think we're okay, for now.
- The scene cuts back to the white void, where the reddish tint fades out. We shift to the doctors, who are still arguing angrily with each other.
Dr. Watts: (angrily exclaiming)...and guess what? Your carrot cake sucks!!
Dr. Rosalene: (turning away from Watts) Wait a minute...
Dr. Watts: (stretching out arms, annoyedly talking) Yeah! And, at the last Christmas party, you--
- Watts suddenly stops, and looks around.
Dr. Watts:...Oh.
Dr. Rosalene: (turning to Watts) C'mon... let's go before that happens again.
- Watts turns away from Rosalene in embarrassment.
Dr. Watts: (scratching his head) Um, you know that I didn't mean to.......Y'know, call you a moron, right?
Dr. Rosalene: You know that I did, right?
What was the point of this? Wasn't the idea just that exposing the patient to a smell from their past memory would relive their childhood ones, at least in the machine? Why would the doctors have to redo everything, considering they just warped into Johnny's last functional memory just fine? Why would the doctors be willing to stay behind if there was a genuine risk of being hurt? Why does the procedure require a doctor to be present in the memory? Clearly they didn't do anything to actually fix the situation while in there. And of course, they have to end up going at each other viciously, for the sake of...drama, I suppose. So much for them cooperating and not wasting any time.
The doctors warp through the football to the first of Johnny's childhood memories.
Which happens to be set in a backyard with playground games. They start speaking:
Dr. Watts: Wow, I can't believe that worked.
Dr. Rosalene: So we actually made it...
Dr. Rosalene:...But now I'm not sure if I'm going to like this place.
Dr. Watts: (forcefully turning to Rosalene) What do you mean? It seems peaceful enough.
Dr. Rosalene: (turning to Watts) Neil, did you notice something odd in Johnny's room earlier?
Dr. Watts: (curiously) Er, what?
Dr. Rosalene: There was something strange in there. Did you not see it?
Dr. Watts: I... I suppose not?
- Rosalene is taken aback by Watts' reply. She turns away from him.
Dr. Rosalene: Nevermind... I just hope I'm wrong.
Aside from Rosalene proving herself to be more observant, the author is really laying the foreshadowing thick here. I'm not sure this was needed, if anything I would have preferred it to have either stuck to subtle cues, or for Rosalene to have directly brought up what clues she got from Johnny's room to Neil instead of merely strongly hinting at it.
The doctors continue out of the backyard, and onto the road. On the way, they run into Johnny's mother talking to someone. Going down the road, they see multiple Johnnys playing with the football, and comment briefly on it. They also note a dead squirrel on the road leading downwards, and Rosalene comments on how she hopes that's the reason for the smell. Going down the lower right road, the scene cuts to Johnny's mother rushing to her car to visit the grocery store. The scene shifts back to the doctors on the road reaching its end within the memory. They begin to talk.
Dr. Watts: Well, this is the end of the road.
Dr. Watts: (turning to Rosalene) And you were saying...?
- Rosalene briefly ponders Watts' question, then turns away from him.
Dr. Rosalene: Nevermind that. Maybe I was wrong after all.
Dr. Rosalene: (looking around) I mean, this place... it's so peaceful.
Dr. Rosalene: The only thing that exists in this memory that could do such a thing would be-...
- Rosalene is shocked, and quickly turns away from the road's end.
Dr. Rosalene: (exclaiming) Shit, duh...
Dr. Rosalene: (turning to Watts) We need to go back. Now.
- Rosalene hurries down the road, but is interrupted by Watts.
Dr. Watts: Wait, what's going on now?
Dr. Rosalene: (angrily exclaiming) Just shut up and come!!
- Both doctors hurry back, and the scene cuts back to Johnny's mother, who enters her car. It quickly cuts back to the doctors, who see Johnny heading upwards with the ball. The scene cuts back to her starting the car, as Johnny runs right behind it.
Dr. Watts: Wow, I can't believe that worked.
Dr. Rosalene: So we actually made it...
Dr. Rosalene:...But now I'm not sure if I'm going to like this place.
Dr. Watts: (forcefully turning to Rosalene) What do you mean? It seems peaceful enough.
Dr. Rosalene: (turning to Watts) Neil, did you notice something odd in Johnny's room earlier?
Dr. Watts: (curiously) Er, what?
Dr. Rosalene: There was something strange in there. Did you not see it?
Dr. Watts: I... I suppose not?
- Rosalene is taken aback by Watts' reply. She turns away from him.
Dr. Rosalene: Nevermind... I just hope I'm wrong.
Aside from Rosalene proving herself to be more observant, the author is really laying the foreshadowing thick here. I'm not sure this was needed, if anything I would have preferred it to have either stuck to subtle cues, or for Rosalene to have directly brought up what clues she got from Johnny's room to Neil instead of merely strongly hinting at it.
The doctors continue out of the backyard, and onto the road. On the way, they run into Johnny's mother talking to someone. Going down the road, they see multiple Johnnys playing with the football, and comment briefly on it. They also note a dead squirrel on the road leading downwards, and Rosalene comments on how she hopes that's the reason for the smell. Going down the lower right road, the scene cuts to Johnny's mother rushing to her car to visit the grocery store. The scene shifts back to the doctors on the road reaching its end within the memory. They begin to talk.
Dr. Watts: Well, this is the end of the road.
Dr. Watts: (turning to Rosalene) And you were saying...?
- Rosalene briefly ponders Watts' question, then turns away from him.
Dr. Rosalene: Nevermind that. Maybe I was wrong after all.
Dr. Rosalene: (looking around) I mean, this place... it's so peaceful.
Dr. Rosalene: The only thing that exists in this memory that could do such a thing would be-...
- Rosalene is shocked, and quickly turns away from the road's end.
Dr. Rosalene: (exclaiming) Shit, duh...
Dr. Rosalene: (turning to Watts) We need to go back. Now.
- Rosalene hurries down the road, but is interrupted by Watts.
Dr. Watts: Wait, what's going on now?
Dr. Rosalene: (angrily exclaiming) Just shut up and come!!
- Both doctors hurry back, and the scene cuts back to Johnny's mother, who enters her car. It quickly cuts back to the doctors, who see Johnny heading upwards with the ball. The scene cuts back to her starting the car, as Johnny runs right behind it.
- We hear the sound of the car hitting him. The scene goes black, and the doctors move towards the hurt Johnny, as his mother steps out of the car and runs to check on him. The doctors speak.
Dr. Watts: I don't understand...
Dr. Watts: If he was unconscious, how could we be seeing this here when he never did?
Dr. Watts: Still, I'm just impressed that he survived.
Dr. Rosalene: Actually... he didn't.
Dr. Watts: (turning to Rosalene) Er, what?
Dr. Watts: I don't understand...
Dr. Watts: If he was unconscious, how could we be seeing this here when he never did?
Dr. Watts: Still, I'm just impressed that he survived.
Dr. Rosalene: Actually... he didn't.
Dr. Watts: (turning to Rosalene) Er, what?
Dr. Rosalene: Didn't you see it in his room, Neil?
Dr. Rosalene:...Johnny slept on a bunk bed.
Johnny: (exclaiming from afar) JOEY!!!
- Johnny runs up to his hurt brother.
Dr. Rosalene:...Johnny slept on a bunk bed.
Johnny: (exclaiming from afar) JOEY!!!
- Johnny runs up to his hurt brother.
Johnny: (anxiously) Joey?? Can you hear me?
Johnny: Joey??
Johnny: (forcibly turning to his mother) Why did you hit Joey, ma??
Johnny: (forcibly stretching his limbs) Why did you hit him?!
Johnny: (turning back to Joey, angrily exclaiming) Joey?? Wake up Joey!!
Johnny: (angrily exclaiming) WAKE UP!!
- The blackness fades out, and more people gather around the sight of the accident. Watts ponders the situation.
Dr. Watts:...Joey.
- A moment of silence passes.
Dr. Rosalene: Even though they were young...
Dr. Rosalene: To lose a twin brother...Not to mention how their mother must feel.
Dr. Watts: At least Johnny had the beta-blockers erase the memories.
Dr. Watts: Not like he remembers it, much.
Dr. Rosalene: (turning to Watts) Fuzzily unlinked, not erased.
- Watts turns to her, and she looks at the accident.
Dr. Rosalene: Somewhere in there, the aftermath of those memories probably lingered.
Dr. Watts: What about their mother?
Dr. Watts: I don't think she took the beta-blockers.
Dr. Rosalene: (looking at Watts) She seems to have gone a little cuckoo.
- A moment of silence passes. Rosalene turns back to the accident.
Dr. Rosalene: At least, I don't really think she called Johnny "Joey" as a nickname.
Dr. Watts: (turning to the accident) But if she then takes Johnny for Joey, what about Johnny himself?
- Rosalene ponders the question for a moment. Then she turns to Watts.
Dr. Rosalene: I don't like it here. Let's move on.
Pretty straightforward tragic backstory telling here. It does effectively recharacterize Johnny's mother's odd nickname for him as something way more dark, and explain why Johnny blocked his childhood memory, but doesn't address the issue of Johnny still being a cipher with largely negative traits, thus making empathizing with him hard. Had he been defined better as a character, this would have been a huge, hard hitting moment. Alas.
Johnny: Joey??
Johnny: (forcibly turning to his mother) Why did you hit Joey, ma??
Johnny: (forcibly stretching his limbs) Why did you hit him?!
Johnny: (turning back to Joey, angrily exclaiming) Joey?? Wake up Joey!!
Johnny: (angrily exclaiming) WAKE UP!!
- The blackness fades out, and more people gather around the sight of the accident. Watts ponders the situation.
Dr. Watts:...Joey.
- A moment of silence passes.
Dr. Rosalene: Even though they were young...
Dr. Rosalene: To lose a twin brother...Not to mention how their mother must feel.
Dr. Watts: At least Johnny had the beta-blockers erase the memories.
Dr. Watts: Not like he remembers it, much.
Dr. Rosalene: (turning to Watts) Fuzzily unlinked, not erased.
- Watts turns to her, and she looks at the accident.
Dr. Rosalene: Somewhere in there, the aftermath of those memories probably lingered.
Dr. Watts: What about their mother?
Dr. Watts: I don't think she took the beta-blockers.
Dr. Rosalene: (looking at Watts) She seems to have gone a little cuckoo.
- A moment of silence passes. Rosalene turns back to the accident.
Dr. Rosalene: At least, I don't really think she called Johnny "Joey" as a nickname.
Dr. Watts: (turning to the accident) But if she then takes Johnny for Joey, what about Johnny himself?
- Rosalene ponders the question for a moment. Then she turns to Watts.
Dr. Rosalene: I don't like it here. Let's move on.
Pretty straightforward tragic backstory telling here. It does effectively recharacterize Johnny's mother's odd nickname for him as something way more dark, and explain why Johnny blocked his childhood memory, but doesn't address the issue of Johnny still being a cipher with largely negative traits, thus making empathizing with him hard. Had he been defined better as a character, this would have been a huge, hard hitting moment. Alas.
The doctors leave the scene using Joey, who is now a memento.
Absurd mementos strike again! In fairness, Joey's body being a memento isn't too unbelievable, except for the part where human bodies have not served as sources of memory links or mementos before. Else, it would be easy to just touch River and fill the memory gauge in every memory she appears. Basically the entire memory link and memento system feels very arbitrary the more you go through the game.
Absurd mementos strike again! In fairness, Joey's body being a memento isn't too unbelievable, except for the part where human bodies have not served as sources of memory links or mementos before. Else, it would be easy to just touch River and fill the memory gauge in every memory she appears. Basically the entire memory link and memento system feels very arbitrary the more you go through the game.
The doctors comment on how it doesn't have to be prepared, and warp to his next childhood memory. Oh, and they also write a note about it.
They end up in his room during a stormy day outside. Joey talks as soon as they warp in.
Joey: (excitedly) Dude, you should totally give this series a try.
- The doctors turn towards the conversation. Joey continues.
Joey: (looking at book) I mean really, it's just wicked awesome. I've already plowed through three books straight!
John: (turning backwards to face Joey) What's it called?
Joey: (looking at Johnny) Animorphs.
Joey: (excitedly) It's about this group of kids turning into animals to fight mind controlling slugs!
John: (turning away from Joey) Meh, I don't like that weird alien stuff.
Joey: Why not? It's great!
Joey: (turning back to book, excitedly speaking) Instead of going to boring school, they get to turn into tigers and maul big bad aliens!
Joey: (very enthusiastically) They're all like "rawr rawr! RAWR RAWR RAWR!!!
Joey: (turning to Johnny)...And then they pick up lasers!
Joey: (turning back to book, enthusiastically talking) And it's all "pew pew! PEW PEW PEW PEW!!!"
Joey: "Pew pew pew pew pew--...
John: Stop that.
Joey: Heehee.
Joey: Just watch, Johnny...
Joey: One day, I'm gonna be a famous writer.
- Johnny turns to look at Joey again.
Joey: I'll write the coolest novel on the block, and every kid will get my book for free.
Joey: (turning to Johnny) I'll make us rich, and buy both you and ma really big houses.
John: How would you get rich if you give away the books for free?
Joey: (excitedly) Free for the kids.....the parents'll still have to pay, of course!
- Johnny turns away from Joey.
Johnny:...Yeah, I'm sure the parents'll be thrilled to give you money.
- Joey is silent about Johnny's words. He asks him.
Joey:...What, you're still mad about the other day?
- A moment of silence passes.
Joey: Aw c'mon, I called first dibs on the train fair and square!
Joey: What happened to your prize anyway?
John: I gave it away.
Joey: To a hobo?
John: (turning to Joey, angrily speaking) Look, it's not just about that day!
- John turns away from Joey.
John:...You know ma always favoured you.
Joey: (excitedly) Hey, that's not true!
John: Remember last Christmas?
John: And last Easter, and the time we went fishing, and-..
Joey: (angrily) Okay okay, you know what, you can have my train if you want!
John:...Really?
Joey: (excitedly) Yup!
Joey: (turning to Johnny) I mean hey, by your reasoning, she'll just get me another one, right?
- Johnny is angry to hear this, and turns away from Joey. A moment of silence passes.
Joey: Listen, Johnny...what difference does it make who "owns" what?
Joey: Everything that's mine, is yours too.
Joey: I mean, we both get to play with it, right?
- Johnny is stunned to hear Joey's words.
Johnny:...Yeah.
Joey: Right!
Joey: I mean c'mon, you're my twin brother, dude.
Joey: You're like a part of me.
Joey: (excitedly) Oy, let's go confuse the neighbors!!
- Joey heads out. Johnny cautiously follows him, then stops to ask him.
Johnny: Wait--... in the rain?
Joey: (angrily exclaiming) Yes in the rain! C'mon!!
- Johnny leaves, and the scene shifts to the doctors. Rosalene slowly walks towards the toy train and sees him leave.
This scene hints at Johnny taking over Joey's habits and interests, in some weird, twisted way to "remember" him. This becomes especially creepy when you consider that it's implied that Johnny's mother treated Joey as her favorite.
Aside from that, while Joey was just introduced to us, he already seems far more likeable than Johnny as a character. I wonder why the story didn't focus on him? Perhaps the writer couldn't figure out how to write a romance involving an enthusiastic and charitable guy? Not that the romance he DID write is any good...
The memory gauge fills up, and the doctors leave using the toy train as a memento.
Joey: (excitedly) Dude, you should totally give this series a try.
- The doctors turn towards the conversation. Joey continues.
Joey: (looking at book) I mean really, it's just wicked awesome. I've already plowed through three books straight!
John: (turning backwards to face Joey) What's it called?
Joey: (looking at Johnny) Animorphs.
Joey: (excitedly) It's about this group of kids turning into animals to fight mind controlling slugs!
John: (turning away from Joey) Meh, I don't like that weird alien stuff.
Joey: Why not? It's great!
Joey: (turning back to book, excitedly speaking) Instead of going to boring school, they get to turn into tigers and maul big bad aliens!
Joey: (very enthusiastically) They're all like "rawr rawr! RAWR RAWR RAWR!!!
Joey: (turning to Johnny)...And then they pick up lasers!
Joey: (turning back to book, enthusiastically talking) And it's all "pew pew! PEW PEW PEW PEW!!!"
Joey: "Pew pew pew pew pew--...
John: Stop that.
Joey: Heehee.
Joey: Just watch, Johnny...
Joey: One day, I'm gonna be a famous writer.
- Johnny turns to look at Joey again.
Joey: I'll write the coolest novel on the block, and every kid will get my book for free.
Joey: (turning to Johnny) I'll make us rich, and buy both you and ma really big houses.
John: How would you get rich if you give away the books for free?
Joey: (excitedly) Free for the kids.....the parents'll still have to pay, of course!
- Johnny turns away from Joey.
Johnny:...Yeah, I'm sure the parents'll be thrilled to give you money.
- Joey is silent about Johnny's words. He asks him.
Joey:...What, you're still mad about the other day?
- A moment of silence passes.
Joey: Aw c'mon, I called first dibs on the train fair and square!
Joey: What happened to your prize anyway?
John: I gave it away.
Joey: To a hobo?
John: (turning to Joey, angrily speaking) Look, it's not just about that day!
- John turns away from Joey.
John:...You know ma always favoured you.
Joey: (excitedly) Hey, that's not true!
John: Remember last Christmas?
John: And last Easter, and the time we went fishing, and-..
Joey: (angrily) Okay okay, you know what, you can have my train if you want!
John:...Really?
Joey: (excitedly) Yup!
Joey: (turning to Johnny) I mean hey, by your reasoning, she'll just get me another one, right?
- Johnny is angry to hear this, and turns away from Joey. A moment of silence passes.
Joey: Listen, Johnny...what difference does it make who "owns" what?
Joey: Everything that's mine, is yours too.
Joey: I mean, we both get to play with it, right?
- Johnny is stunned to hear Joey's words.
Johnny:...Yeah.
Joey: Right!
Joey: I mean c'mon, you're my twin brother, dude.
Joey: You're like a part of me.
Joey: (excitedly) Oy, let's go confuse the neighbors!!
- Joey heads out. Johnny cautiously follows him, then stops to ask him.
Johnny: Wait--... in the rain?
Joey: (angrily exclaiming) Yes in the rain! C'mon!!
- Johnny leaves, and the scene shifts to the doctors. Rosalene slowly walks towards the toy train and sees him leave.
This scene hints at Johnny taking over Joey's habits and interests, in some weird, twisted way to "remember" him. This becomes especially creepy when you consider that it's implied that Johnny's mother treated Joey as her favorite.
Aside from that, while Joey was just introduced to us, he already seems far more likeable than Johnny as a character. I wonder why the story didn't focus on him? Perhaps the writer couldn't figure out how to write a romance involving an enthusiastic and charitable guy? Not that the romance he DID write is any good...
The memory gauge fills up, and the doctors leave using the toy train as a memento.
They arrive at a carnival somewhere. The doctors jab at each other briefly, then look around. Johnny, Joey, and their mother are at a whack a mole stall. Interacting with them starts a brief scene where Johnny fights over not winning the toy train, and his mother eventually gets him to relent. Watts also teases that he'll call Rosalene a "dumpling." The doctors can then play the game themselves, and in fact have to, to get a memory link.
This is probably the strangest memory link yet. Why do the doctors have to play a game to generate it? Isn't the memory of Johnny playing it enough? Argh, this weird system...
This is probably the strangest memory link yet. Why do the doctors have to play a game to generate it? Isn't the memory of Johnny playing it enough? Argh, this weird system...
The game is fairly simple, as you would expect. You aren't even required to do well to win the memory link, you can just randomly smack holes and still get it.
Moving on, the doctors can interact with the fruit sellers, and have a brief argument about how tomatoes are fruits. They can also interact with someone boasting about their "smallest ferris wheel" for their second memory link. The third memory link comes from interacting with Johnny and his family in front of a fortune teller's stall. They inform his mother that one of them will be a lawyer, and the other, a doctor. She's very happy to hear this, and promises to give them both treats. In fact she's so happy she forgets to pay the fortune teller!
The doctors now move to the southern part of the carnival, where they can interact with Johnny's family again. The two kids briefly argue over pickled olives, then Johnny decides to run to the playground to play. They get a memory link and write a note about pickled olives. Turns out it was Joey who liked them first. The final memory link comes from a stage near where his family was sitting.
Moving on, the doctors can interact with the fruit sellers, and have a brief argument about how tomatoes are fruits. They can also interact with someone boasting about their "smallest ferris wheel" for their second memory link. The third memory link comes from interacting with Johnny and his family in front of a fortune teller's stall. They inform his mother that one of them will be a lawyer, and the other, a doctor. She's very happy to hear this, and promises to give them both treats. In fact she's so happy she forgets to pay the fortune teller!
The doctors now move to the southern part of the carnival, where they can interact with Johnny's family again. The two kids briefly argue over pickled olives, then Johnny decides to run to the playground to play. They get a memory link and write a note about pickled olives. Turns out it was Joey who liked them first. The final memory link comes from a stage near where his family was sitting.
At the playground, the background music and the sounds of the crowds fade out a bit. The doctors follow Johnny as he sneaks out of the carnival, and onto a cliff. Where does he head to next? And what secrets does this memory hold in store? We'll find out next time!
Next: In Which Children Meet.
Next: In Which Children Meet.
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