Part 6: Part Six: These People Love To Hear Themselves Talk.

Part Six: These People Love To Hear Themselves Talk.

Last time on Persona 2:

Maya and friends, after defeating several of Joker's demonic lackeys in an attempt to stop him from kidnapping a high school student, were knocked out by Joker essentially looking at them funny. He's not really a guy you want to mess with. However, moments later, we hear the sound of a heated swordfight on the walkway where Joker was standing.

Hey, he looks familiar. (Try reading from the beginning if he doesn't, you looker-forwarder you.)


"A young man acting older", eh? I guess that'd explain why Maya and Ulala, both of whom appear to be in their mid-twenties, obsess over this high school senior constantly.





After the Deja Vu Boy leaves, the backup from the police station arrives and Katsuya gives his OFFICIAL POLICE REPORT to his superiors.




Katsuya tells them all about what happened, what with the demons, the Personas, the butterfly spirit, and the poster with the wet lips.

They promptly begin doubting his sanity.

What did you expect, exactly, Kat ol' buddy?


As Katsuya stalks off, having been relieved of duty, Shimazu sneaks in one last . Douchebag.

"Well, actually, Bermuda's sounding kinda nice right now..."

FOR GREAT JUSTICE.



Ma-Ma-Ma-

After Katsuya is verbally castrated by Ulala, we regain control of Maya. Time to interview everyone near the crime scene, starting with Noriko.


(Ms. Smith is another holdover from the first Persona game, where she taught at St. Hermelin.)


She's been attacked by demons, gained the power to summon unholy arcane energies, and nearly been slaughtered by a serial killer, yet she's still worried about that damn party. Ulala is either the most awesome or most stupid character ever.



Nobody else has much to say, and we can't get back into the crime scene, so it's time to head to Kuzunoha.

Welcome to the world map! You control the little green marker, and can talk to the little blue markers. There is an absolute fuckload of dialogue in the various stores and such, so much so that if I included it here this update would take up a whole page all by itself. It's all worth reading, though, so we're going to continue with the story for now and go shopping in the next update

We head out of the Rengedai district and move on to Aoba...

...where we find Kuzunoha in a strip mall. Yes, you can enter all of those places, yes, they're all useful, and yes, they're all full of people to talk to. We're not concerned with that just yet, though.


(Tammy is yet another Persona 1 character.)

Tammy leads the group over to the head of the Kuzunoha agency.



Todoroki describes the rumor-spreading boy...

...and it's somebody we know.

The team tells Todoroki all 'bout it.

Chief Todoroki: The bizarre serial murders, the rumors of the Joker, the sighting of demons...It all makes sense of the rumors are true. I'll accept the request to spread that anti-Joker rumor. It's a good chance to see if a rumor can become reality.
Ulala: You seem to have accepted that quickly. You're not gonna report it to the hospital?
Chief Todoroki: The world is filled with mystery. We can't be held down by "common sense". Well, then...A real man goes by his own rules. First, ask me to spread the rumor.
We're given control of Maya again; nobody has anything of note to say, though Katsuya mentions that if the Deja Vu Boy was asking us to spread rumors, he must believe in their power as well. We head up to Todoroki and ask him to spread the rumor:


Chief Todoroki: If you have any other rumors to spread, get information from the rumormongers. They're everywhere.


Maya logs onto the chat room in order to have a nice talk with "Baofu".

Baofu: -So you're saying I wouldn't believe it? Oh, well...I'll know when I see you. We'll meet at 2X Slash in Aoba, Rabbit. Tell the worker my handle, and do what they tell you...
Katsuya: Sounds suspicious. Should we go?
Well, we lack any better options, so...we talk to everybody before heading off.


Ulala makes my man-tenna read wildly.


On the way out, the oddly-placed huge cat statue catches Maya's eye. Apparently it wants cash.

Maya knows better than to give money to strange cats...

...so she recieves nothing more than an . Her ego smarting, Maya heads over to 2X Slash, a cyber café in the same strip mall as Kuzunoha.

She heads over to the indicated computer, where Baofu sends her a message.

Ulala: Wai...how'd you know that?
The group feels a brief pulse of energy.

The long-haired man sitting at the corner computer stands up and approaches the group.


Baofu seems to alternate between "fucking cool" and "fucking creepy". It's hard to decide which he actually is.

The Persona users follow Baofu to the Parabellum bar in Aoba, where they tell him their story.

Katsuya: We've said all we know. Now it's your turn.
Baofu: From what I've researched, the Joker rumors are taken from some TV show, which then start to spread like wildfire. But before that, not even the "J" in Joker was known to the public. There's just one exception...

Ulala: Who is Tatsuzou Sudou?
Katsuya: The current foreign minister...How would you know? ...A wire tap...? That's illegal.
Baofu: Don't be so stiff. It's been going around that he's been doing some pretty dirty stuff underground. That 10-year unsolved serial arson-murder case...It's an infamous rumor between police and investigators that it was his son.

Baofu: What...you don't know? Well, either way, about this incident. You don't think it was a coincidence, do you?
Ulala: Then the foreign minister Tatsuzou Sudou has something to do with the Joker case?
Baofu: "We" are going to find out about that now. Take me with you. I know where Sudou's son lives. You guys get clues on the Joker. As long as I'm by the next target, I will get closer to the truth. Not a bad deal.
Katsuya: What do you plan to do with the truth? Your objective is blackmail, huh?
Baofu: Hehe...My intentions are honorable, I can assure you. I can't let evil prevail...
Katsuya turns to Maya.

Baofu: You understand what I'm talking about. Well then, let me test something first.
He pulls out his cell phone and dials a number.

Ulala: Hey...what are you trying to do?
Baofu: I don't believe that rumors can come true...So I'm testing it out.
Several moments later...


Ulala: T-then, does that mean the rumor about the emblem is now true!? Then you're alright, Ma-ya!!
Baofu: So whatcha gonna do with the emblem? If you keep it, the Joker will just stay away.

Maya ponders for a moment...


...she looks the emblem over, making sure she's doing the right thing...

...and Baofu watches on knowingly as she does the only thing she can do.


Oh, it's on now.

COMING UP NEXT: We go shopping!