PSYNCIN' IN THE PaiN

## Chapters

* keitAI (B Path)

*-Heal Mizuki's Heart-*
*"Mizuki is mute. By healing her mental wounds, you may be able to get important info."*
—Somnium description
**PSYNCIN' IN THE PaiN** is a dreamworld featured in *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES,* *AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES DEMO,* and the Lemniscate YouTube series, based on Bloom Park.

It is a Somnium world created from Mizuki Okiura's dream by the Psync System. ABIS investigated her Somnium in order to investigate the murder of Shoko Nadami and heal Mizuki's aphonia.

It was featured in the Lemniscate vlog videos when A-set visited the ABIS Office and was allowed to dive into the Psync machine.

## Mental Locks

### Mental Lock #1 - Get rid of the lightning!

The Somnium begins by being presented with **Shoko's Photo** in front of the player. In addition, the **Big Bird Cage**, **Speaker Pillar**, **Gate**, and **Panda Pieces** are also available. None of the choices presented provide any TIMIE, *except* for the choices that progress the Mental Lock.

Two choices clear the Mental Lock: *Pull Out* on **Shoko's Photo** and *Pull Out* on the **Speaker Pillar**. On **Shoko's Photo**, the option costs 20 seconds and provides a 1/2 TIMIE, while the **Speaker Pillar**'s option costs 45 seconds and provides a 1/8 TIMIE. The extra 25 seconds provided in the **Speaker Pillar** can seem unnecessary, and while the 1/8 TIMIE can be useful in a later option, such as the 55 second cages, the amount of time saved in total don't necessarily accommodate for the extra time spent in this Mental Lock, especially when most TIMIEs that could be easily obtained can accommodate for a better time investment with **Shoko's Photo**.

In summary, to unlock Mental Lock #1:

* *Pull Out* on **Shoko's Photo** (20s - 1/2).
* *Pull Out* on **Speaker Pillar** (45s - 1/8).

### Mental Lock #2

In the second Mental Lock, **Shoko's Photo** and the **Speaker Pillar** are unavailable, regardless of which object is used. The **Microphone** and the **Control Room** are unlocked as options during this Mental Lock. Once the Lock begins, a tutorial on how TIMIE work is explained, and the player is free to use the TIMIE at will.

The **Microphone**'s two choices provide random TIMIE from Pool 1, making it an unoptimal object to interact with. The Mental Lock progresses with the **Control Room** when selecting *Open*, which provides a random TIMIE. The other choice, *Knock*, always provides a 1/3 TIMIE, and both choices cost 10 seconds to choose; if the random TIMIE has a remarkably un-useful value, such as [50], [40], or 1/2, it may help to acquire the 1/3 and keep it in inventory, especially if you already have a 1/2 TIMIE (which can be expended on either choice). In the end, the player must choose *Open* to progress from the Merry-Go-Round location into the A Dark Place location.

Once inside, the player is presented with two bird cages. The player's choice in interacting with the cages affects which branch the player will progress.

#### A:Remove the bird cage!

For Branch A, the player must interact with the **Left Bird Cage**. All 3 choices have a random selection of TIMIE that can drop, but the actual value is obscured and the player cannot know what they would earn per choice. Choosing *Peek Inside*, with a value of 10 seconds, can be beneficial if the player wishes to try their luck at gaining a good TIMIE. However, the correct choice is *Lift* at 55 seconds, which is a significant time sink unless a TIMIE from previous segments is used. This choice clears the Mental Lock and branches directly into Branch A.

In summary, to unlock Mental Lock #2 Branch A:

* *Open* on **Control Room** (10s - Random) -> *Lift* on **Left Bird Cage** (55s - Random).

A possible optimal path for better TIMIE can be:

* *Knock* on **Control Room** (10s - 1/3) -> *Open* on **Control Room** (10s - Random) -> *Peek Inside* on **Left Bird Cage** (10s1/2 or weakest 1/n - Random) -> *Lift* on **Left Bird Cage** (55s1/8, 1/3, or strongest 1/n - Random).

#### B:Blow the bird cage away!

For Branch B, the player must interact with the **Right Bird Cage**. All 3 choices have a random selection of TIMIE that can drop, but the actual value is obscured and the player cannot know what they would earn per choice. Choosing *Peek Inside*, with a value of 10 seconds, can be beneficial if the player wishes to try their luck at gaining a good TIMIE. However, the correct choice is *Lift* at 55 seconds, which is a significant time sink unless a TIMIE from previous segments is used. This choice clears the Mental Lock and branches directly into Branch B.

In summary, to unlock Mental Lock #2 Branch B:

* *Open* on **Control Room** (10s - Random) -> *Lift* on **Right Bird Cage** (55s - Random).

A possible optimal path for better TIMIE can be:

* *Kick* on **Control Room** (10s - 1/3) -> *Open* on **Control Room** (10s - Random) -> *Peek Inside* on **Right Bird Cage** (10s1/2 or weakest 1/n - Random) -> *Lift* on **Right Bird Cage** (55s1/8, 1/3, or strongest 1/n - Random).

### Mental Lock #3

#### A:Rescue Mizuki!

With the start of Mental Lock #3 Branch A, the only option available is **Torn Paper**. The correct choice is *Piece Together* at 45 seconds and a random TIMIE pool, but if the player wishes to, they can select *Kick Away* for 15 seconds and obtain a [10] TIMIE. This [10] can be used immediately on *Piece Together* or on the final choice, or any high value choice the player wants to hear for fun. Regardless, choosing *Piece Together* transports the player back to the Merry-Go-Round location.

Back in the main map, the **Control Room** and the **Big Bird Cage** are no longer available, and instead the **Panda Ride** and **Parasol** become available. The secret with these new objects is that they are both correct choices: you must select *Stop* on either the **Panda Ride** or the **Parasol**. Both options cost 20 seconds, but the one on the **Panda Ride** gives a random TIMIE, while the **Parasol** gives a 1/3 TIMIE. *Spin More* on **Panda Ride** can provide a [10] TIMIE, and *Ride on Top* on **Parasol** can provide a 1/7 TIMIE, but the cost to obtain them is 35 seconds and 45 seconds respectively, so they're only useful if decent TIMIE can be spent to obtain them.

With either object stopped, two more objects become available inside the Merry-Go-Round itself: the **Merry-Go-Round Horse** and **Mizuki**. From these two, the only one that can clear the final Mental Lock is **Mizuki**. The correct choice is *Hug Her*, which costs 50 seconds. Assuming the player has no TIMIEs, the most reliable way to save time is to choose *Slap Her* for 15 seconds to obtain a [30] TIMIE, which when used at the final choice, saves a grand total of 10 seconds. The other two options cost 40 and 55 seconds each, so spending TIMIE on them for a 1/4 or a random selection is disadvantageous. The best method would be to spend any available TIMIE on the final choice, preferably a [10] TIMIE if obtained.

In summary, to unlock Mental Lock #3 Branch A:

* *Piece Together* on **Torn Paper** (45s - Random) -> *Stop* on **Panda Ride** (20s - Random) -> *Hug Her* on **Mizuki** (55s)
* *Piece Together* on **Torn Paper** (45s - Random) -> *Stop* on **Parasol** (20s - 1/3) -> *Hug Her* on **Mizuki** (55s)

Possible optimal paths for better TIMIE can be:

* *Kick Away* on **Torn Paper** (15s - [10]) -> *Piece Together* on **Torn Paper** (45s[10] - Random) -> *Spin More* on **Panda Ride** (35s - [10]) -> *Stop* on **Panda Ride** (20s - Random) -> *Hug Her* on **Mizuki** (50s[10])
* *Kick Away* on **Torn Paper** (15s - [10]) -> *Piece Together* on **Torn Paper** (45s[10] - Random) -> *Ride on Top* on **Parasol** (45s - 1/7) -> *Stop* on **Parasol** (20s - 1/3) -> *Hug Her* on **Mizuki** (50s1/7)

#### B:Stop Mizuki's tears!

With the start of Mental Lock #3 Branch B, the only option available is **Deflated Balloon**. The correct choice is *Blow Up* at 40 seconds and a random TIMIE pool. Selecting *Eat* can spend 5 seconds to obtain a [30] TIMIE, which can be used on the 40 seconds to save a total of 5 seconds, but generally speaking it's best to simply use your best available TIMIE that results in a value under 30 seconds. Choosing *Blow Up* transports the player back to the Merry-Go-Round location.

Back in the main map, the **Control Room** and the **Big Bird Cage** are no longer available, and instead the **Panda Head** and **Parasol** become available. The secret with these new objects is that they are both correct choices: you must select *Kick Away* on the **Panda Head**, which costs 40 seconds and gives a random TIMIE, or *Breathe On* on the **Parasol**, which costs 45 seconds and gives a 1/7 TIMIE. For the **Panda Head**, selecting *Slap Down* spends 30 seconds for a [10], which can be used immediately; however, this option saves absolutely no time whatsoever if no TIMIE is used on the 30 seconds. For the **Parasol**, selecting *Spin More* (15s) gives a 1/2 TIMIE that drops the *Breathe On* time to 23s, saving 7 seconds; selecting *Stop* (20s) gives a 1/3 TIMIE that drops it to 15s, saving 10 seconds; doing both ultimately can only save up to 5 seconds and is more wasteful of time.

With either object cleared, two more objects become available inside the Merry-Go-Round itself: the **Merry-Go-Round Horse** and **Mizuki**. From these two, the only one that can clear the final Mental Lock is **Mizuki**. The correct choice is *Speak Kindly*, which only costs 10 seconds. There is no need to save up any TIMIE for the final choice, and any other choice for **Mizuki** will assuredly result in wasted time.

In summary, to unlock Mental Lock #3 Branch B:

* *Blow Up* on **Deflated Balloon** (40s - Random) -> *Kick Away* on **Panda Head** (40s - Random) -> *Speak Kindly* on **Mizuki** (10s)
* *Blow Up* on **Deflated Balloon** (40s - Random) -> *Breathe On* on **Parasol** (45s - 1/7) -> *Speak Kindly* on **Mizuki** (10s)

Possible optimal paths for better TIMIE can be:

* *Blow Up* on **Deflated Balloon** (40s - Random) -> *Slap Down* on **Panda Head** (30sUse best TIMIE - [10]) -> *Kick Away* on **Panda Head** (40s[10] - Random) -> *Speak Kindly* on **Mizuki** (10s)
* *Blow Up* on **Deflated Balloon** (40s - Random) -> *Stop* on **Parasol** (20sUse best TIMIE - 1/3) -> *Breathe On* on **Parasol** (45s1/3 - 1/7) -> *Speak Kindly* on **Mizuki** (10s1/7)

## TIMIE Pool

The following is the pool of TIMIEs that spawn during PSYNCIN' IN THE PaiN. Certain choices in the Somnium will drop a random selection of TIMIE from this pool, "**Pool 1**". During the first 3 minutes, the standard spread of TIMIE values start off with the neutral types of TIMIEs being the most common, the larger TIMIE values just below them, and the smallest and most useful range of TIMIEs at around 5% chance of appearing. From 3 minutes to the last 90 seconds, the large-value TIMIEs, [40] and [50], decrease in probabilty from 18% to 7%, while the best TIMIEs increase from 5% to 22%. In the last 90 seconds, the [50] TIMIE is removed completely, and the best TIMIEs increase from 22% to 38%. This makes it so that, the less time the player has to clear the Somnium, the more likely that they'll obtain useful TIMIEs that can dramatically cut down on the amount of time spent.

## Objects of Interest

This particular Somnium is easily organized into its **3 Mental Locks**, with various actions necessary to clear each one. The main part of the Somnium takes place in the **Merry-go-round**, based on the location Bloom Park, but the entire Somnium is not set there. To unlock Mental Lock #2, the player must travel to **A Dark Place**, and once Mental Lock #2 is cleared, the player must leave and return to the Merry-go-round location. There are different objects to inspect in both locations, and are divided as such.

## Hidden Item

* The **hidden item** is located on a park bench on the backside of the merry-go-round. It is available at any time in the Bloom Park area.

## Gallery

Layout of the Bloom ParkMap of the Bloom ParkLayout of A Dark PlaceMap of A Dark PlaceThe ending in Branch A, where Aiba is conforting MizukiThe ending in Branch B, where the raindrop stops
## Trivia

* When Aiba first appears in the Somnium, she crouches on the ground as lightning crackles around her. When Date asks why, she states that she wanted to appear "like a cybernetic assassin from the future," to which Date responds, "If you're gonna do that, do it naked." This is a reference to the movie *The Terminator*, in which a cyborg assassin from the future named the T-800 Model 101, iconically played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, arrives from the future naked and within an electric field in the ground, in the same pose as Aiba.
* In the Japanese version of the game, when describing how time can slow down in the Dream Worlds, Aiba brings up the topic of The Handan Dream as an example, which Date elaborates with the story of the man who lived 50 years in his own dream. In the localized English version, the conversation simply refers to the topic of relativity.
* Choosing *Slap Down* on the **Panda Head** will have Aiba say the quote "I see it! The view from the top." This is most likely a reference to the manga and anime series *Haikyū!!*, where the character Shōyō Hinata says this quote during a volleyball match.
* Choosing *Ride on Top* on the **Parasol** on Branch A will have Aiba run on top of the parasol, to which Date comments that she has "the instincts of a hamster," referencing Aiba's normal form outside of Somnia when she's detached from Date's eye socket.

## Navigation

Hitomi Sagan • Mayumi Matsushita • Renju Okiura • Mama • Shoko Nadami • So Sejima • Moma Kumakura • Rohan Kumakura • Cyclops Serial Killer

## References

1. ↑ Terminator on Wikipedia
2. ↑ "The View From The Top" manga chapter page on Haikuu!! Wiki, plus the official subtitled translated scene for the anime episode on Crunchyroll.
3. ↑ Alex Flagg on Discord: "Shevi if you are talking about the "I can see the view from the top" or whatever after spiking the panda head, yes that is a Haikyuu reference"