The default name of the protagonist is Hiyoko Tosaka, a name which is definitely at least partially a bird pun.
The game starts by explaining that it has a "powerful visualization module" that can allow "even the birdiest of birds" to appear human when you first meet them. I agree that they should definitely turn on the module that will give me a human face to look at before I agree to make out with a bird.
It's 4/8, and this is the start? of Hiyoko's second year? attending "St. Pigeonation's", the world's greatest institution for gifted birds. She is not a bird, but we're not going to get into explanations about that for now.
The first character we are introduced to is Ryouta Kawara, a rock dove she's been friends with since he was "barely hatched".
Rock doves have a lifespan of about six years.
Hiyoko is a hunter-gatherer, I guess? Ryouta offers to cook for her. He's a good childhood friend pigeon.
Ryouta and Hiyoko are in the same homeroom again. Their professor is Kazuyaki and/or Kazuaki Nanaki, a quail, who is very pretty but seems like he is bad at his job, because he falls asleep while still introducing himself.
Professor Kazuaki attempts to introduce a new student, but the new student is not interested in being introduced to mere peasants. The professor almost lets him get away with that, until Hiyoko astutely points out that if students are allowed to not perform self-introductions, society itself will collapse.
So we are introduced to Shirogane Sakuya, a very fancy fantail pigeon.
He is displeased to have been forced to say his name out loud in front of the unwashed masses. He seems great.
In the hallway, Hiyoko overhears a conversation between unfriendly fantail pigeon Shirogane Sakuya and friendly fantail pigeon Sakazaki Yuuya, an upperclassman who is popular and well-known.
Apparently, they are secretly brothers!!!! Sakuya is cold to Yuuya and stalks off, so Yuuya is the only one who notices Hiyoko.
YUUYA: You're... Hiyoko, right? HIYOKO: How did you...?! YUUYA: I know everybirdie here. Besides, you're the only human.
A fair and valid point. ...so like, are they all four inches tall, and she's like-- you know what, why even bother thinking about that.
After school, Hiyoko notices that Ryouta is missing, and the professor tells her that he went to the infirmary, so she goes to check up on him. Ryouta isn't there, but she does manage to meet a partridge who IMMEDIATELY says some creepy stuff to her, so I'm sure he's an upstanding citizen.
Shockingly, Hiyoko says he has a weird reputation. Dr. Shuu says that Ryouta has already left, so Hiyoko promptly runs for her life.
Hiyoko decides to check out the track club, since she did track in middle school, and anyway, it's fun to watch the birds "hop around". Can't say I wouldn't agree with her.
It's 4/11! They're all talking about clubs today. Apparently Sakuya became student council president upon admission, I guess that's a thing that can happen.
I get my first choice here: Do I want to join track, student council, or the library staff?
I mean... based on the characters involved with those three respective institutions... I guess student council????
I'm not reading an FAQ as I play because lol, like it matters. In otome games I'm usually pretty good at getting noncommittal endings with nobody in particular unless I cheat, but........ this is a game about pigeons, so.
Sakuya called a student council meeting. He makes Hiyoko pick a student council position, since they are literally the only two people involved. Treasurer sounds like asking for trouble, and clerk is awfully sad if you can choose to be literally anything, so I pick vice president. Sakuya is happy about it. He thinks she's got guts.
HIYOKO: (I guess I got bonded with?)
lol, I like how it sounds like it happened without her participation.
We went on a hike. I went to hang out with Sakuya, since apparently we're bonded now, and he threw a fit about being expected to walk places like a peasant.
Then it's May, which is time for our seasonally random sports festival! Sakuya refuses to run, so he decides to be a cheerleader, aka "a general".
I go to the first aid tent to see Yuuya. He's very flirty. The first aid tent is busy because the obstacle course is not designed to accommodate birds, so participants get injured a lot. Tragic. I forgot that Dr. Questionable would also be here, but he appears to be off to one side, taking notes on the performance of the students participating in the sporting events. How... questionable of him!
At the end of May, Hiyoko did well on her midterms. That's probably good, right? Is there another option? idk.
Beginning of June. Yuuya explains the legend of "Brian", the world's most famous pigeon, who began blogging back when "birds were barely intelligent". I see, I see. So this is a dystopian future. That makes sense. It also explains why the only human around seems to be a hunter-gatherer who lives in a cave???
Mid-June. Hiyoko arrives to find that Okosan and Sakuya are fighting, although she pauses to reflect on how they flipped a bunch of desks, and also Ryouta, and Ryouta looks weird upside-down.
Apparently, Sakuya was sneering at Okosan for being a "stupid mongrel who thinks only about imaginary pudding". Hiyoko is outraged!
HIYOKO: That's terrible! HIYOKO: I mean, Okosan is a nutcase and I don't know what he's saying half the time, but he really does like pudding!
Again, an astute observation from Hiyoko.
I have her yell at both of them. She throws them out the window. Well... they are pigeons, so.
lololol I chose to go check out the school store in my spare time, and Yuuya catches Hiyoko looking at nesting materials and asks if she's thinking about "settling down"
HIYOKO: I'm a high school student!! YUUYA: Yeah, but doves reach sexual maturity in just a year, so
It's early July, so it's Tanabata~~ I mean, obviously.
Some of the birds have left notes with their wishes. Ryouta wants his mom and himself to be healthy. Sakuya leaves a French proverb. Yuuya wishes someone well. Professor Kazuaki is very concerned about his sleep schedule.
Mid-July. Today's swimming class is with upperclassmen for some reason, and "all these damp, tight-clinging feathers are making my heart race..."
Yuuya is trying to be nice to his little brother, but Sakuya is not interested in nice, and they challenge each other to a swimming race. They demand that Hiyoko be the judge, but also want to know in advance who she thinks will win, so I say Yuuya. Sorry, Sakuya! I have the impression that he's an athletic bird for some reason!
HIYOKO: (They're both so fast! Even though their skeletal structure isn't designed for it at all!)
Summer break! Hiyoko goes to the student council room to help Sakuya clean up after the last class. He tries to order her to do all the week, and I reject that nonsense. Pick up a mop, noblebird.
Anyway, summer break isn't exactly a laidback time for a cavewoman like Hiyoko, so she has to keep in shape so that she can continue to hunt for berries and set traps for sabertooth tigers and whatnot. She decides to go for a jog
during which she passes a bunch of broken-down ruined skyscrapers
and then ends up in some Japanese manor house. Her "paleolithic instincts" are failing her and she has no idea where she is. Fortunately, she meets somebirdie!
An "intimidating sparrow" is bemused that this intruder on her property is a student at St. Pigeonation's, which is two hours from here. She offers Hiyoko a ride on her scooter!
HIYOKO: (It's a little small, but we should both fit... I think...?)
If there isn't art out there of a human girl huddled on the back of a tiny, bird-sized scooter with a bird in the driver's seat, this fandom is fucking failing. The sparrow's name is Azami, and she sells takoyaki, apparently.
HIYOKO: You're a very... cautious... driver. AZAMI: Carve it into your soul, kid!
I see.
Azami is very safety-minded, having had someone close to her die.
HIYOKO: (I'm sure you know what you're talking about, but at this rate I might get home faster by walking.)
Almost certainly, considering the average human stride, and the probable speeds this cautious sparrow is driving her sparrow-sized scooter at.
HIYOKO: Do you think we'll get there by dawn...? AZAMI: Carve it into your soul! The speed limit for scooters is 30 km/h! HIYOKO: We're not even going that fast! AZAMI: Obeying traffic laws is my credo! HIYOKO: Isn't it illegal to ride tandem? AZAMI: That rule is for humans.
Let's get a summer job, why not! There's an opening at a cafe, owned by a dignified elderly parakeet named Kenzaburou. He wasn't expecting a human to apply, but she'll definitely be able to move boxes and stuff, so why not. Coincidentally, Ryouta also was going to apply to the job, but Kenzaburou can only hire one, so fuck off, bff!
Her first customer is a budgie named Rabu. She greets him with a weird comedy bit that doesn't make sense unless you are Japanese.
After a few days, she's headed home late one night after a night out on the town ("Alone, of course. Riding the waves of life on your own is what we humans are all about") when she is surrounded by some punkgeons.
What the fuck am I looking at.
They bully her for going to a fancy rich bird school and try to mug her. She's not sure she can fight three whole pigeons at once! But fortunately, Azami swoops in ("I'm a passing takoyaki lady!!") and beats the crap out of them ("Speak softly, and drive a Sherman tank!")
HIYOKO: (She's so cool! I think I'm in love...!)
Fair enough. Hiyoko offers to treat her to something at the cafe sometime as thanks, and goes home pondering how she wants to be just like Azami when she grows up.
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