Part 25: Part Twenty-Three: HEADSHOT!

Part Twenty-Three: HEADSHOT!

We'll just say that really long break with no updates was a season finale or something! Yeah! Pretend it didn't happen!

Last time on Persona 2...

At Smile Mall, the Persona 2 crew battled producer Ginji, who had mutated into a Joker after absorbing a massive amount of dark Kegare energy. They weren't able to learn much that they could've have guessed in about five minutes from him, however shortly after wiping the floor with his pasty-faced rear Katsuya recieved a call from the mysterious informant Sneak. Apparently, Sneak had more information, and wanted the team to meet him at Aoba Park.

In a fantastic display of his usual douchebaggery, however, Baofu basically disses Katsuya, who leaves in a huff to meet up with Sneak. Baofu thinks better of it after Ulala essentially threatens to ensure that he'll be taking tinkles through his mouth if he doesn't stop being such a cock. Thus, Maya, Ulala, Baofu, and Ellen get moving over to Aoba Park to lend Katsuya a hand.

Before we do anything, however, we head to Salam and turn in the Smile Mall map, which nets us a hefty amount of cards from a variety of Arcana. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say it saves me a fair amount of negotiation grinding.

There's several other things we could be doing now, such as a new optional dungeon, but without Katsuya they'd be a bit more of a pain in the ass than they should be, so we head directly to Aoba Park after hooking Salam up.

In case you'd forgotten, Katsuya was our Estoma whore, meaning we actually have to fight all the fucking random battles in the park.

This yields a metric fuckload of inconsequential stat boost mutations for everyone, some meager cash and experience, and not much else. This is why we need to get his justice-seeking ass back on the team.

Fortunately, Aoba Park is pretty straightforward, not to mention we've already mapped the whole place when we came here the first time, so it's not long before we start recieving resonance from Katsuya.
You can't handle being a gumshoe, believing people that easily...

Ulala: He went inside here?
Baofu: Dammit! One of these days Suou's going to get himself into real trouble...
The door's open, so we let ourselves in.

Katsuya's on stage striking a badass pose...er...I mean he's investigating.
Suddenly, Sneak reveals himself! Who could it be?!

Is it Farmer Jenkins?!

Is it Dr. Wily?!

Is it some sort of pirate?!

No, it's CHIEF TOGASHI!

I can't ask for you to believe me, but...I wasn't informed about the attack. The organization does not trust me...If you want to shoot, go ahead. But can you at least listen to my story...I want to atone for the sin I've committed.

You've at least heard of Kiyotada Sumaru...That's right...A Shogun Warrior who used to rule this land during the civil war. 20 years ago, when Honmaru Park was built, they unearthed Kiyotada's mummy. That's when everything began. The top leaders of the organization were responsible for the park's construction. Until then, they were just a small local company, but now they are big enough to move this country...All because of Kiyotada's strong curses. To me it just looks like a mummy...They claim to be able to hear voices...They worship the mummy and plan to destroy the entire world outside of Sumaru to create a utopia.


The eradication of Sin by Punishment...The spreading of Jokers and fortunes are solely for that purpose.

Katsuya: One must atone for one's own sins. Being the Police, shouldn't we understand that better than anyone?!
Togashi: The problem is their will and power... You may know that fortune telling stems from an ancient curse called Wang Long...The dragons of Wang Long are underground energy flows called leylines. Since ancient times man has prospered by watching, or sometimes controlling it. They are going to use the dragon for the contrary purpose...the dragons hate Kegare. If amassed in large quantities and released, the dragons will band together to kill it...

Katsuya: Pole shift?! That's impossible! That's the purpose of the Jokers?! That would destroy the New World Order itself...That's nonsense!

Togashi: The Torifune is already made real by rumor. Now, no person can stop the rumors! The only way is to defeat Sudou and Gozen...
Suddenly we hear a familiar voice!

Is it Microsoft Bob?!

Is it Kiera Knightley?!

Is it Boo Berry?!

No, it's Captain Shimazu!

Katsuya: What?!
Shimazu: Your father was an excellent officer. 10 years ago, he was this close in closing in on Tatsuya Sudou. He never figured a friend would betray him. A best friend teaming up with the criminal's father to fabricate charges. (chuckle)

:dramabomb:
Togashi: I knew this would happen ever since I heard his son was in the police academy...I knew all along...You became a cop to prove your father's innocence...And to gain back the family bond which I had destroyed. But at least believe this...your father was a very proud man. He accepted the false accusations in order to protect both me and his family...

Togashi: Eventually our existence will be revealed to the public...no more games!
Shimazu: Hahaha! You foolish old man. That is our intent. Kotodama's revelation takes precaution. A story won't become a rumor if it is too unrealistic. We need realism and publicity...For that, we must make the public aware of our existence, purpose, and power...You have advertised us very well.

Togashi draws his weapon and fires, but...

...Shimazu is quicker. Togashi collapses to the ground.

Suddenly:



Maya and the others manage to corner Shimazu out of nowhere!
Shimazu, however, makes a signal and four heavily-armed SAT men march into the concert hall.
Shimazu: (chuckle) This is how a game should be...The odds are now even. What are you gonna do?
Maya: ...
Katsuya: ...
Katsuya responds by diving to the side and firing, and the battle is on.

Well, the odds are indeed even, but let's see if negotiation will help like it always does.


Well, that was about what we expected.

This is probably the most annoying battle in the game. Both the SATs and Shimazu are absolutely gay for an attack called Aimed Shot, pictured here. This attack kills party members instantly, and it's only stopped by Gun immunity, which I didn't bother picking up as the Gun-immune Personas available to us at the moment are mostly garbage. It's quite possible for all the enemies to use it and connect within the first couple rounds, killing everyone if you don't do any reviving.

They also like to use Hypnotic Wave to put party members to sleep and fuck up your Fusion Spells. There aren't any great tricks to this battle - Katsuya and Maya both have Recarm, so we constantly revive fallen party members and hammer away with Fusions as we can get them off.

Once the SATs go down, Shimazu's not much of a threat at all, and falls with a few single-target Fusions.

Katsuya cuffs Shimazu instead of finishing him off.
Shimazu: It was...to create an "innocent" world...I am...not wrong...

Togashi: Katsuya...forgive me...I was...foolish...Please...stop them...
Katsuya: Yes sir...
Togashi: Th, their hideout is...
Unfortunately, Togashi dies before he can get it out.


Baofu WASN'T a douchebag?! Are we playing the right game?!

Time to head back to the Lair and see what we can dig up.

COMING UP NEXT: Sidequests and the like!