Part 9: 05/01/09 - 05/02/09: Thebel The Garden of Worldliness (Part Two)

Alright, let's see what May has for us. A new month means new opportunity!

Want To Be Close / Time



Well, it IS May already. It's amazing how time flies...
I guess.
So much has been happening...
Ya know, it doesn't seem like the number of Apathy Syndrome cases has been decreasing lately...
We're the only ones who can fight the Shadows, so...
I guess we should train more, so that we're ready if anything like THAT comes up again.
...Me especially. I don't wanna be a burden on everyone else.

Though we skip straight to after school, today's taken up with something else...

Just Visiting



He called me earlier, and asked me to bring him something.
Yup, he knows who to count on.



I'm kind of surprised, but also not really, that Junpei's a member of the good ol' Going Home Club...

H-Hey, I resent that.
*giggle* I'm just kidding. So, what'd he want you to bring?



What's he want that for?
...Well, I don't have practice today, so I'll go with you.
You're coming too, right?
Sure.
Cool.
W-Wait a minute...
What? Is there a problem?
Well, it was ME he asked...

Troubled





...in this room? By any chance?



We came to see you!
But... it doesn't look like anything's wrong with you.
I'm just here for a checkup.



So, Akihiko's visitor here is voiced by Grant George. As far as Persona cares, he was also Boy with Earring/Naoyo Toudou/The Protagonist of Persona 1 in the PSP remake. which is also good and you should totally at least check it out

Yeah, thanks.
Tch... I don't have time for this shit.





A friend from school... sort of.
You know how the number of Apathy Syndrome cases have been increasing?



Hey Junpei, did you bring what I asked?
Of course, Senpai.



Uh, you shouldn't move your arm...
It's nothing. I've wasted enough time already. I need to get back to my training.
Yeah! Gekkoukan's golden boy! He was born to be in the ring!
Sometimes, I really don't get you.
By the way, Senpai, why boxing?
You mean, why did I choose that sport? Well...





...and I don't want to feel that way again.
Besides, I'm curious to see how strong I can get. It's like a game, only I'm competing against myself.
That's an interesting way of looking at it.
Ya know, I'm into games too...
Yeah, VIDEO games.
Hey, they're good for hand-eye coordination!

It's good to know that Junpei is That Guy who uses this as an excuse for why playing video games is totally worthwhile and important honest.

End

Iwatodai Dorm



It may take some time for Akihiko to fully heal, and I don't want anything like that to happen again.
Besides, the number of victims seems to have been increasing.
...I have a bad feeling about that.
We had best muster as much strength as we can.



So, don't worry. Heal, support, attack... Whatever you need, we got your back!
Huh? Which enemy would we attack first? ...The one that's about to die, of course!
Listen, if you don't know what to do, just choose Act Freely.

Disagree very heavily. Act Freely is bad and leads to people coming up with arbitrary complaints that aren't actual complaints. Its real problem is that it's just not as efficient as any of the more dedicated tactics.



This is all Mitsuru has to say right now, so uh, yeah. I guess she did have a point earlier re: Tartarus though. We're not gonna go today, mind you.



Yeah, I think so.
Akihiko-senpai said that guy goes to our school, but I've never seen him there before...





A-And that's the latest word from the man on the street. Now, back to the studio for more news...

So, what to do today? Let's see, it's Friday so...



The arcade seems like a good plan to me. We're going to put this Courage to use sooner than you think, but it's still a bit of a ways away...



Want To Be Close / Time



Listening: Ehh... Not really. But I'm not gonna miss tomorrow's show!



Gossiping: When I hear that jingle, I can't resist buying something... I never miss it when it's on Sunday afternoons. I'm about to go broke!

> The first bell had rung.

Tanaka's show turns up in one way or another in every single Persona game from 3 onwards. Since it's only around once a week, you'd think it'd be easy to forget it exists. You'd be wrong. Very, very wrong...

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



So, what to do today... well, this is our first chance to show Elizabeth around. Let's do just that!

A Date With Elizabeth
really gonna recommend just watching this instead trust me

Joy



This must be a "fountain"...
It makes sport of water, well known to all to be the foundation of life... How wicked!
It's rumored that its enchanting nature grants wishes to those who sacrifice a few coins...
That's a superstition.
...Is that so?
Is it possible that the worth of the coins wasn't sufficient to pique the fountain spirit's interest...?
Fortunately, I anticipated this, and brought a good supply of coins.



I shall make an opening bid to the fountain spirit of 1,000,000 yen.

Um...!

So yeah, uh, Liz is VERY different to Theo...



> The torrent of coins is like a waterfall...

Ah...!



This won't do...
I shall give it more careful consideration before I return here in the near future...





There are some stern-faced gentlemen inside...
And these photgraphs displayed so prominently...
Most Wanted... Reward...



You don't kill them...
I see... So they must be captured alive.
You've sated my curiosity.



It can't be... Is this... A "club"!?
Dancers, dictated by the sway of one's inner passions... A subterranean garden of uninhibited spectacle...



...Such a pity. I had hoped to join in the wild ritual...



Ooh! That was quite satisfying.
But I'm overwhelmed... Everything looks so new and inviting. Everywhere I look, something catches the eye.
...If you wouldn't mind, perhaps you could recommend our next activity?
Karaoke.
Karaoke... is that...?



It seems the time has come to show you my hidden talents...





...Y'know I'm really unsure on whether Theo just casually being able to get the exact temperature is better or worse than Liz dumping in 1mil.



Hm!? Yet another fountain, on the opposite side...

I think it's the quantity of these incidents that does it; if she did the 1mil once, it'd win out handily.

I see... so this place is host to a trinity of fountain spirits.





I'm kind of very disappointed we don't get to see even a little bit of that.



I consider this mission fully accomplished.
This may sound forward, but... I'd like to accompany you again sometime.

> You headed back to the Velvet Room with Elizabeth.

End

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



That fountain... I still haven't made a decision on what to wish for.



And I was so set on it, that thinking of something else is proving to be... difficult.
...Oh! I've finally come up with something.
I'll wish to think of a wish. There... that wasn't so hard.
Now as for a reward, I've prepared something special.



Can, won't. Not because she's bad (whe we DO make her, she'll probably be really good!) but because she's level 20...

She is a charming Persona, combining the looks of a sweet girl with powerful abilities.



So, uh, now that we've kind of got to know Liz and Theo somewhat, let's get weird. And by weird I mean you probably already knew this, but... their names are taken from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. And, uh, associated materials thereof.

Elizabeth is named after Elizabeth Lavenza, the wife and, uh, adopted sister of Dr. Victor Frankenstein. It was the 1800s, but even Mary Shelley knew that was weird so she removed the marriage thing in later versions.

Theo is a bit less clear cut. He's got two potential namesakes, though neither of them are characters from the book. Dr Theodore Bohmer is a character from the 1942 film The Ghost of Frankenstein and the alternative is Theodor con Holst, the first illustrator of the novel. I don't buy the latter, because no Attendant has been named after Mary Shelley herself and that would happen first by far.

...Yeah, and, Igor himself totally falls into this pattern as well being arguably named after Ygor from the 1931 Universal movie. Ygor was an invention for the film, and let's be honest Bela Lugosi did such a great job that it's super-easy to forget that Ygor isn't even in the book. The pattern didn't formally start until 3 though, so I would be surprised if they didn't decide to just run with it when wiping the slate clean.



Uh, anyway. Cadenza is a thing that was cast at some point or another I guess. I can't say I remember doing it but whatever. This nets us some Agilao Gems which is going to prove very important. No, really.



This unlocks another request for a Fusion Skill, but we can't do this one for a while. It clearly requires Jack Frost and Pyro Jack but Frosty is level 8 and Pyro Jack's even higher...

Want To Be Close / Time



Fortunately, despite the last line implying that Liz's hangout takes time, it doesn't. So we can head back to school and see if we can find someone there.

Hmm... How should I deal with this?



Just seeing him makes me smile.

You can see someone else in this corridor too, in fact. I wonder who that could be...



Ah, so THIS is where Mitsuru hangs out, huh?

Yeah. Want to join me?
...Sorry, I'm busy. I'm going to study for a while before I go back.
Make sure you don't neglect your own studies.
I know you have other things to worry about, but studying should be a student's number one priority.

Kind of a shame we can't hang out with Mitsuru right now, but maybe one day. Hmm, so for now...



Sure, Yuko'll do. We don't have a Strength Persona even remotely close to being available right now though. The first one is level, uh, 11...

Joy



And now we can even check out the "proper" version of Wild-Duck Burger. I'm sure this is what you were really interested in, after all.



What happened?
Well, nothing major. Maybe I exaggerated a bit...



But seriously, I have been feeling kind of down lately...
...Mr. Ekoda asked to speak with me. He wanted to know why I turned in a blank quiz.



Getting a bit too real here, game...

Then, he got pissed off! He even yelled at me about the length of my skirt!
Who cares about Classic Literature anyway!? Besides, I didn't do anything wrong!
Right, Makoto-kun!?

Do your school work, Yuko.

I agree.
Exactly.



Doesn't he realize we're only teenagers? Now's the time to enjoy life!
Who cares about stories by a bunch of dead guys!?
Maybe I should be a science major. Then, I wouldn't have to take Classic Literature...
Wait! Then, I'd have to take Physics...



My reputation as an "intellectual" would be ruined. *blush*
That's true.
That was a joke... Y-You're supposed to play along!



I didn't mean to trick you! ...Is my nose getting longer!?
You're so gullible... You shouldn't believe everything people say.
Mr. Ekoda asked me to write a 3-page essay, reflecting on my performance in his class...
Three pages!? Is he serious!? What does he expect me to say!?
But I guess I have no choice, if I want to graduate. Otherwise, I'll have to repeat his class.
I can't wait to celebrate graduation with everyone, especially the team...
And you too, Makoto-kun.
...Or, am I getting ahead of myself?

> It seems Yuko has taken a liking to you.

> Your relationship is stronger now!





Bye-bye.

> After saying goodbye to Yuko, you decided to go back to the dorm.

Iwatodai Dorm



I asked some peeps if they wanted to hang out, but the only ones interested were guys...
Man, I don't want no sausage fest...



You had best use your time wisely.
*sigh* You HAD to remind me...

Yeah, uh, midterms start on 5/18 for reference (you can see this at any-time on the Calendar in your room or in the menu!) and... to get the best score possible you need an Academics that's at least at rank 3 which is absurd. It's possible, sure, but it generally requires spending time studying that could be best used on anything else. We probably won't get it (yet) is what I'm saying, sorry.



Some Personas have skills, other Personas have physical abilities.
Remember, it's important to use a Persona that suits your style.

Akihiko's advice here seems really weirdly out of place. Like it would make a lot more sense if this was like Persona 1 or 2 where everyone can change freely, but here it's just a sort-of tutorial that kind of stretches suspension of disbelief somewhat.



Therefore, fighting an enemy by yourself will gain you the most experience.
The more experience you gain from fighting, the stronger you and your Persona will become.

Considering EXP scales, this isn't necessarily as useful as it sounds later. It has a resurgence in a big way far, FAR down the line... but until then, it's just a good thing to keep in mind to potentially grind up other people easier.



Well, those are the best times to go to Tartarus, dude.
You'll definitely kick a lot of ass!



So naturally, they scheduled midtersm right after the break... It sucks!



The Hachiju Hachiya means "88th Night." It marks the beginning of the late dew season. It's widely known that this time of tear is when the best tea leaves are picked. There were many tea parties thrown around town in celebration.

Let's see, it's 5/2 now and according to one quest's description we can really only finish it today so...



You need some? Why would I have pine resin...?
......! Ohhh, okay... You mean the powder we use in Archery Club, right? The yellow stuff?
We use it even in practices, so it runs out quick...
But I think I have some left. Hang on.



What did you need it for, anyway? Got a bow to take care of? Well, whatever.



Well, we could immediately go to Paulownia and give this to Elizabeth there but... there might be a better way.



Like, say, let's go to Tartarus. It IS Saturday and all...

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



And THEN give Elizabeth the Pine Resin!

Ah, no... it must be the pine resin I requested.
It does look like soybean powder, though...



Your reward for this assignment will be soybean powder.
Ah, excuse me. I was just cooking something with soybean powder, so...
...Hmm. Which hand was the pine resin in... my right, or my left...?
They look so similar...
Please accept your reward.



This is an item equivalent of an instant-kill spell. It has its uses for sure, but of course being Expel elemental anything worth using it on is immune.

tartarus_0d01



So, let's see if we can finish off Thebel this time. Since we don't have much left in terms of unique content, this should (appear to) be brief at least!



This is kind of nice, but Elemental Gems have a secret downside that means we probably won't use them all that much. It's worth it just for the functionally free multi-target attack at least.



Once we hit floor 7, Mitsuru chimes in with information that there is indeed a boss fight upstairs... somewhere. Useful!



That's a pretty small Shadow. That means it's probably just one thing... Grave Beetles always come alone...

Mass Destruction / Wiping All Out



Since we crept up on it from directly behind, this was nice and easy to snag at least. Sure enough, it IS a Grave Beetle too!



Thanks to Angel giving us actual Wind capability, we can drop it reasonably quickly as well. As for the cut-ins that will inevitably keep cropping up, they sure look cool... but that's all they do. They don't guarantee your attack to hit (at least here), they don't ensure extra damage, they're just style not substance. Which is kinda disappointing, but whatever I'm super okay with that.



Since we have the quest to get a Beetle Shell active, the Grave Beetle actually does drop it too. I do believe they're guaranteed so long as the quest is active, so you COULD get more than 1. I don't know why you would though...



Oh and from 6F+ we can also encounter these guys. They're basically miniature enemy versions of Yukari, without the ability to heal. They use bows to attack and cast Garu. They do have a weakness that's actually exploitable at least.

tartarus_0d01



On 8F, Mitsuru just gives us good advice and recommends we bail if we're too injured/Tired. While I totally agree with that, I am far too arrogant and overly confident for my own good and almost never do so unless it's actively a liability. You'd think the extra damage received and reduced damage dealt would be incentive enough...



But, see, it really isn't. In fact for a lot of trash Shadows I just kite them around at this point and see what I can get out of it. Sometimes it's useful. Others... it's, uh, Medicine.



Absolutely nothing of substance happens on the 9th floor so we'll skip to the 10th!



Definitely going to want to active the Terminal Point just in case...

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



And then take this thing back to Elizabeth!



It is by far one of the most lucrative things we can do at this stage after all.



Anyway, uh, how about that boss fight?

Magician Dancing Hand x3 (Portable)

Master of Tartarus / Danger Zone



Yeah, uh, no. These guys are kind of easy compared to the Venus Eagle. Honestly, there's only one reason I reckon they aren't the other way around...



That they're weak to Strike sure doesn't hurt, but it does mean we'd normally need to ditch Orpheus and pray that Bash gets inherited on fusion for it to be viably exploitable. But! Ara Mitama comes with it by default!



As for what these guys can do, they can cast all the single target first tier Elemental spells.



...And apparently they can cast this? That's the meanest thing about this fight, right there.



Tentarafoo is a multi-target ailment spell that has a base 25% chance to inflict Panic. Fortunately, it isn't quite as mean as it is in later Persona games since this just closes off skills and that's basically it here. But, uh, that can potentially be bad enough if it hits Makoto.



Anyway, my main plan for these guys is really simple. Knock 'em all down, don't All Out Attack, make sure Yukari doesn't ruin anything and hope to God that Junpei doesn't miss and kills one.



Thankfully, the AI obliges provided thigns go as planned. This makes the remaining two hands waste their turns getting back up and then we knock 'em flat onto their... palms?... again and then we do AOA and end the fight. Nice and easy.

At least that's what we WOULD do if I didn't have a cunning plan...



They give okay EXP and 3 Mazio Gems is potentially nice. Resistance-wise, they're relatively tame there being immune to Expel/Curse (for sensible reasons) and resistant to Fire/Ice/Elec/Wind. That's it. They have 220HP and 120SP so we can't realistically run them out of spellcasting anytime quickly.

End

tartarus_0d01



A dumb thing about vanilla and FES is that it doesn't tell you if your party members level up following a boss fight. So you have to manually check and, sure enough, they did. This is pretty important since now Yukari and Junpei can actually hit weaknesses sometimes. It's kind of hilarious that Yukari learns her first three skills at levels 4, 5 and 16 though.



Fixed treasure on this floor is a pair of higher-end SP restoratives. Once again, I feel like this is weirdly paced and doesn't necessarily make sense. It's fitting for the boss fight and all, but maybe like 5 Snuff Souls would've been more level appropriate? Not like I'm complaining all that much though!



From 11 onwards, we get some new Shadows added to the rotation again. We'll see them in time, I'm sure.



As an added bonus, we find a rare treasure chest that gives us a Juzumaru as well. I will need one more before I'm satisfied enough with this, though...

Mass Destruction / Wiping All Out



Floors 11 onwards add this one new Shadow. Yep. One. It's two humanoids that are connected by skewers which is kinda hardcore I guess?



They can do this which is pretty mean. Even meaner is the AI explicitly cheating with its targetting here.



Trance Twins ARE weak to Fire and Junpei has Agi now, but he'd never used it before.



Neither aspect of this winning plan was exactly known by the AI at the time...

tartarus_0d01



On the 12th floor, Mitsuru tells us where the next boss fight is. Exactly. Impressive! I also think the dialogue here got messed up and this should be on the 13th...



Ah well, while looking for the stairs leading on up to the 13th, we find this. A Traesto Gem might be useful at some point as a quick means of leaving Tartarus without finding an Access Point.



On the 13th floor, Mitsuru decides to get vague again. This is why I'm pretty sure the dialogue here is backwards. It's really clearer the other way around after all.



Ah well, it's not like it matters too much. At least the 13th lets us find a nice piece of armor.



It's flatout better than anything else we have AND gives a Strength boost? Definitely giving this to Junpei then.

Speaking of armor, there is some... special armor around the middle of the block (from 6+) that I'll definitely go back and get because it's worth seeing.



Anyway, we'll worry about that later! For now, the 14th floor awaits and with it the boss fight against... one Shadow? Well, this should be easy.



...Ahahaha noooo. At this point, everyone is Tired, I'm missing a key element to make this fight viable and I don't want to get Sick today so we're going to just bail. Having the Terminal Point active will save time getting back here later though!





The Voice Someone Calls





You again?
It's been a while. Are you well?



Be careful. A new ordeal awaits you...
What kind of ordeal?



You must prepare for the ordeal, but time is of the essence... I'm sure you're aware of that, of course.