Part 24: Part Twenty-Two: Mally Mall the Mall Mally Mall, Mall? OR: HE'S ACTUALLY UPDATING?!

Part Twenty-Two: Mally Mall the Mall Mally Mall, Mall? OR: HE'S ACTUALLY UPDATING?!

Last time on Persona 2...

The Persona team - Maya Amano, gunslinging ace reporter; Ulala Serizawa, hard-punching Avon lady; Katsuya Suou, hard-boiled detective; Baofu, man of mystery, wiretapper, and full-time asshole; and Ellen Kirishima, stabby stabbing fashion model - is hot on the trail of the New World Order, a mysterious organization that threatens Sumaru City. Thanks to a tip from Ellen, they went after Wang Long Chizuru, a popular fortuneteller who turned out to be evil; who would've thought? After battling Chizuru, they retreated to their hideout to exchange notes with Nate Nanjou, a friend of Ellen's who had went to explore a NWO laboratory. However, the NWO was on to them, and the place was a shambles when they returned.

Knowing it was no longer safe there, the team moved to Baofu's hideout, where they caught wind of a seminar at Smile Mall intended to purify the Kegare, or sin, from the citizens of the city. The team, however, knew better - there was something up with this seminar, and they were going to find out what the deal was.

First, however, they had a couple errands to run:


For instance, we'd recently completed a map of the Sumaru TV station for the wealthy foreigner Salaam. Let's see if he's pleased.
Oh, you brought me a map of a new place! I live to collect maps. Let me see...This IS a very unique map! Please, trade it for my card!

This is actually not that big a deal - 30 Tarot cards to several Arcana, along with some Free Tarot. Still, no need to look a gift horse in the mouth, plus the rewards get much better later on.
Before we go...



...we pick up maps of Smile Mall. No, I have no idea why he'd want a map of the mall, but if he's willing to part with more cards for it...

We also head back to Sumaru TV briefly to present the security guard with the remains of Reiko Kashima.
Defeating Reiko Kashima during all that chaos, you are incredible! Much more impressive than a security guard. Here...

You can't take it? Don't worry about it. It was actually our job. I've got to at least do something in return, right?
This is one of each type of Incense Card - STR/TEC/VIT/AGI/LUC, along with the ALL Incense Card which adds five to each stat when used in summoning a Persona. Not too bad, especially considering how pathetic Reiko was.


Speaking of pathetic, as nice as Shaka was, he's just not going to cut it with his lack of fusion-friendly spells. Therefore, we need a new Persona for Ellen, and Sif fits the bill nicely, especially when we use a Spell Card to add the Maha Garula spell to her. Time to head to the mall...

...which is honestly nothing special. Smile Mall is a pretty straightforward dungeon.


We take some time to learn a new fusion, thanks to Sif - Wind-Water-Maha Garula makes Maximum Tempest, and since not much of the stuff here resists Wind, it serves us well throughout.

Typically I try to avoid posting too much random battle crap, as I assume the reason people read Let's Play threads is to avoid that kind of stuff. However, these guys bear special mention. They're fairly weak; they do very minor amounts of physical damage, and have Aques for moderate amounts of Water damage. However, that's not why they deserve to be mentioned; see, they also have a technique called Fucking Hula of Misfortune...well, it's just Hula of Misfortune, but it's a little hard to resist describing it whenever I mention it. Fucking Hula of Misfortune steals your money. A nice, big chunk of your money. And you don't get it back. Ever.

As you can imagine, Estoma's a godsend here, as are Fire fusions in order to wipe these guys out.

We come across the women's room on the fourth floor, but there's not much we can do with it, sadly.

We also finish up the map of Smile Mall as we make it to the fourth floor; this is significantly more of a pain in the ass than it looks, trust me.

Not soon after that, we find the Seminar Hall, conveniently enough.

Katsuya: This building's design is somewhat outdated. If we can find an air duct, it's possible for us to check what's happening inside, but...The question is where it's located...

Suddenly, Maya has another of her flashbacks.
Katsuya: Huh? It's in the women's restroom on the 4th floor? How did you know that, Miss Amano...? I see, it's another of your deja vu...hmm...
We head back over there and get ready to infiltrate the Seminar Hall.

Ulala: Hey guys, you can come in now...We found it.

Once Katsuya stops being such a huge wuss, the team climbs into the vent and heads through it to get a look at the Seminar Hall.

There, we see Ginji standing in front of a strange machine.


We listen to Ginji's lecture while Ulala cops a feel on Baofu.

Wandering through lives aimlessly...Though not satisfied, there are no efforts made for change. The one thing to do is begrudge others! That is sin! That is Kegare! That's how the Joker consumes people!!

Ulala says what's on all our minds.

That is why we have Wang Long Chizuru! We have Wang Long fortune telling! It is for the common man!

Even Maya is freaked out by Ginji's babbling, and it takes a lot to freak her out.

Ginji: If you believe Mistress Chizuru's words and touch this statue, you'll be cleansed...now, be reborn into innocence!
Ellen: Is that...the same machine Nate said he saw...?
Katsuya: It absorbs humans' sins...that can't be...

But it can be, as we see when a volunteer touches the statue and is drained of Kegare.


Er...is anybody else weirded out by this?

Looks like Maya is. Also, the fuckers stole her catchphrase!
Ulala: Ma-ya, they stole your motto?!

Catch Sasaki, or destroy the machine...Either way, with all those people, they are going to get mixed up in it!

Maya quickly formulates the best plan ever.



Hey, shut up, I wanna see Maya burn things
Katsuya: No...I meant...
Ulala: Oh...ah...Now this is a big surprise. With cops like this, this country really is finished...I see...

Baofu proceeds to do his douchebag thing, and points something out.
Ellen: A fire alarm...All we have to do is cause a panic, and we wouldn't even have to burn anything. Though I would kind of like to see it.
Baofu: We can also burn trash or something at the duct. It'll be better than just an alarm.

Katsuya finishes shaping the plan, and the guys head off together to charge in.

Ulala: If you ask me, there's something wrong with you guys for being able to stay so calm at a time like this...
Ellen: Don't worry. You seem so...natural. I'm envious...I hear women are more likable if they're a little air-headed.
Ulala: Gee, thanks.
It wouldn't be an update if someone didn't take a shot at Ulala.

The girls return to the Seminar Hall.

Katsuya: If it were that easy, no one would struggle. Stop confusing these people with your foolish superstitions...
Baofu: Exactly...There is much we want to ask you. You best worry about you, rather than the machine.

Not sure if a lawyer'll help you now, buddy.
Baofu: Will someone please shut this guy up? Amano, you know what to do...
Maya dashes in front of Ginji, draws her guns, and takes aim...


...then blasts the glass tubes holding the absorbed Kegare on the sides of the machine open.

The Kegare proceeds to flow into Ginji with a life of its own.
Ellen: Uh...what just happened there...? Is he alive...?
Ulala: Oh man! Did you see that?! It just went inside that guy's body!
Katsuya: Hey, are you alright?!
Suddenly, Ginji rises from the ground!


Ginji summons Joker, who's gotten even more nasty since the last time we dealt with him.
Katsuya: A Persona born of sin...no wonder if keeps gaining power...
Baofu: So it's on a completely different level than before...Keep your guard up!

We're sent into a battle with Ginji, who starts off by summoning four blobby Shoggoth minions.


Neither Ginji nor his Shoggoths are very responsive to conversation, so...

...we blast them all with Maximum Tempest. This is a bit of a unique battle - the Shoggoths themselves are pretty weak, but they usually attack by blowing themselves up, dealing decent damage to both the party and Ginji.

When he runs out of Shoggoths, Ginji raises them again with Sama Recarm, and they proceed to blow themselves up again.

Ginji's also got a variety of Earth spells, so we spend most of the battle being pelted by rocks.

He can't really take a hit, though, and he's weak to Wind, so Cyclone Slash does a hefty amount of damage. A few shots and change and he falls.

Baofu: Damn...this isn't good...

Ulala: But they're doing the same thing all over the place, right? What are we going to do...
Ellen: There are too many of them...Before they do any more damage, we should expose the New World Order publicly.


As Ellen calls Nate to spread the word about the NWO, Katsuya recieves a call from Sneak.
Katsuya: I want to ask you one thing. A penthouse was attacked...was it you?
Sneak: ...I guess it would be pretty hard to believe me..very well...Next time, I will show myself. Do as you wish...

Baofu: Is it him?
Katsuya: Yeah...He wants us to meet him at the Concert Hall in Aoba Park.

Katsuya: You may be right...But, I have to find out if he's really trustworthy...


Miss Amano...I'll be going now...

Baofu: Heheh...I never thought of him as a friend...Besides, he only irritates me.
Oh Baofu, you're such a douchebag. As always.


Ulala finally stops taking Baofu's crap - you go, girl!


With that said, we decide to go to Aoba Park and chase after Katsuya.

COMING UP NEXT: Wait, so who IS this Sneak guy anyway?