Part 26: 06/17/09 - 06/20/09

Alright, so in my dreams I got a bit of an idea of what we're gonna do today...

Want To Be Close (Reincarnation) / Time



Listening: Really? I guess some students transferred out... But it sounds interesting. I'm tired of going straight home with no extracurriculars...



> The first bell has rung.

Huh, how about that. Looks like we'll get to do what I planned on after all.



...But first, we have a lesson from Edogawa. Swell.

We all need to start somewhere. Rome wasn't built in a day!
The same goes for magic. It's important to learn the basics.
So today, I'll tell you about the origins of magic.
Long, long ago, at the dawn of civilization, man created primitive religions.



That last one, shamanism, is important to the origins of magic.
Shamans would fall into a trance state and act as the intermediary between the worlds, but...
It counts as "magic," where humans can have the power of gods and spirits in their own hands.
This shaman-style magical tradition would later be embraced by witches.
Take the common European witch, as an example.
People today think that witches derived their power from contracts with the devil...



The witches' predecessors were more like maidens serving the gods.
It was through prayer to those gods that they earned their powers.
They learned to control their magic without losing consciousness during their trance states.
That's how they originally awoke to magic.
Originally, Europe was full of religions that worshipped a slew of various gods.
They were generically called "paganism."



...Are you all still listening? No trance states, now... Eeeheehee.
I'll give you a little test to see if you're paying attention.
Get it wrong, and your afterlife won't be pleasant. Pallas aron azinomas...
Who should I pick...? All right, Makoto, I ask thee.

Huh? What? Umm... I actually genuinely sort of clock out a little during these scenes, so I hope it's nothing too difficu--



oh thats easy

Shamanism.
Very good... You'll be born into your next life as a human again.
Now then, paganism and Christianity have a tighter connection to one another than you'd think.
As the Roman Empire grew stronger, so did the population of Christians in the empire.
At first, each religion carried on its own worship separately, but...



A... very unexpected spot to gain Charm 4, to say the least, but I'm certainly not gonna complain too much about it. No, this is... very good, in fact. Very, very good indeed.



But for now, we'll go to the Science Room. Which is adjacent to, but different from, the Laboratory.





Ah good, this is definitely what we were looking for. In we go!

Joy





Do you know him, Fuuka-san?
Yeah, this is the guy I was just telling you about...
...Oh, so this is him, huh?



We're looking for new members to join our club, so I mentioned your name.
I'm really happy you decided to stop by...



Male Club Member: He's supposed to be pleased to meet YOU, Keisuke-senpai. You're the club leader, after all.

O-Oh, that's right.
*chuckle* He always acts like this.



Maybe I should stay club leader for a little while longer...
Hey, Keisuke-senpai, you're a senior, right? You must have finals coming up soon, huh?
No, I... uh...



Nice question dodge...

No, not really.
Well, don't worry. You don't have to be a professional photographer to join this club.
I mean, I'm a novice, and I'm the club leader!
Meeting you like this can't be just a coincidence; it must be fate...
So, if you're interested in joining the Photography Club, just write your name on the sign-up sheet.

> You have been welcomed by Keisuke.

> You have joined the Photography Club and have become friends with the club members.

The Power of the Heart



> A mysterious voice rings in your head...





Joy



So be sure to sign your name on the sign-up sheet.
The Photography Club meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
You're not required to attend every day, just try to come as much as you can.
I'm really surprised we're in the same club.

> After joining the club, you decided to go back to the dorm.

Iwatodai Dorm



There's no proper accosting at the door at all today, it's great.

No, it's not.
But, Junpei-kun gave it to you, right? It'll just go to waste if you don't play it.
Besides, you might have a lot of fun.

Eh, I doubt it. The game sounds pretty boring.



It's strong against ice, but it's weak against fire.
As you know, nothing is perfect. Just keep that in your mind.

In terms of elements, we have an interesting square with our party right now. Junpei has Fire, so he beats Mitsuru. Mitsuru has Ice, so she beats Akihiko. Akihiko has Elec, so he beats Yukari. Yukari has Wind, so she beats Junpei.

In practice, uh, that really wouldn't happen. Mitsuru has Marin Karin, so she kinda just wins.



You need power, stamina, skill, speed, and luck.
Of course, my Persona is developing along those lines.

So in order to be balanced, you need... the 5 stats? Sure, sure okay.



Yeah. I think so.
Yeah, maybe if we defeat a Shadow, the spirits it ate will return to their owners.
But then again, they might just get digested.

Seems weirdly optimistic, but we've succeeded twice now, so...





...And now, the news.

Wait, there's a live show at Paulownia Mall?! Let's go!

When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars / Way of Life



I don't see Feather Red Hawk, but... this guy can actually be spoken to now.

(He'd be perfect for the company image...)
(But, he's just a high school student...)
(If I trained him, though...)

> The man seems to be mumbling to himself...



You probably remember from a while back, but we needed Charm 4 just to get this guy to even give us the time of day.

Hello there. young man... How would you like to have your dreams come true? I have a golden opportunity for you...
Tell me more.
I'm only saying this to you, so don't tell anyone, okay?
...I can make you rich--guaranteed.



Oh, is that all? We have like 140k lying around right now...

And the best part is, you don't have to do a thing! You'll become fabulously wealthy while you sleep!
Just give me the 20,000 yen, and I'll take care of the rest.
Well, what do you say?

Sold!

Okay.



I'll be in touch once your fortune has been made.

On the one hand, I can't believe Red Hawk lied like that. Blue Swan would not approve!

On the other hand, now we can make 200k by doing absolutely nothing! It's perfect!



Let's have a congratulatory coffee and then sleep immediately. Best not to jynx it, right?

(also tired so cant study anyway)



Ah, but first we'll make plans for a date on Sunday, sure. We'll spend this Sunday with Chihiro. It'll help quite a lot, even.



Want To Be Close (Reincarnation) / Time



Listening: Kirijo...? The Student Council President? You know, the Kirijo Company built this whole school.
Gossiping: I wonder how a company that big was contracted to build a school...

> The first bell has rung.

Since we'll be spending Sunday with Chihiro...



We should also spend time with her today. This is important, yes.

Joy



I'm worried that someone is going to buy that illustration collection...





I was getting grilled in the office...

Troubled

Oh, that money...
I gave it to the teacher in the office...
You were the one who was responsible for that money, right?
That means you were the last one who saw it...



Makoto walking over to Chihiro should be no big deal, but it's Makoto...

Huh...? I just told you...



The teachers are in the office right now, so why don't you go fess up and apologize...
I-I-I... I... I...
Makoto-san...
You're not to blame.
So you agree with me. right? It's NOT my fault! I-I gave the money to the teacher!

So, uh, how about rather than being vague and saying "the teacher" you be more specific and give them a name...?



It's not my fault... so why should I have to apologize...?
...Whatever. Just make sure you take care of it.



Don't worry, I'll keep your little secret... for now.
Wait! You think I...?
N-Never mind...



I-I couldn't stand up to them... But... I... didn't take anything!
We have to do something...
R-Right... We have to do something, just like you said, Makoto-san...



I have to prove to everyone that it wasn't me... So, what should I do?
I-I never expected this to happen...
Makoto-san! I...! What should I do...!?

> You feel as if Chihiro is depending on you.

> Your relationship is stronger now!





Bookworms... Sorry, but I don't have time to stop today...

> You walked with Chihiro until it was time for you to head in a different direction.

Iwatodai Dorm



Most of the dorm discussion stuff hasn't updated since yesterday, so we'll skip most of it.

Not really...
If you get sick or tired, you'll become extremely weak in battle.
You may also pass your illness on to the other members, so please pay closer attention to your condition.



But, she's doing her best.
So I have to do my best too!

Yukari, please, please talk about something else for once.



Especially this year, when forecasters are expecting little rain, the festival is called for...

Now, I believe there's someone over in Paulownia who owes us 2,000,000 yen!

When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars / Way of Life



I have some unfortunate news regarding your investment.
Things are not running as smoothly as planned. It still has the potential to turn a profit, but...



That's all? It's still nothing compared to the inevitable profit after all!

Are you willing to increase your investment by this amount?
Yes.



I'll be in touch once your fortune has been made.

Excellent! So, while we wait...



We can spend some time practicing our photography a bit more, I guess.



And we just hit Academics rank 3, so this'll take a while to get anywhere again but that's no excuse to ignore it.

Want To Be Close (Reincarnation) / Time



Today is so light on stuff, we just cut from here right to after school. No gate dialogue or anything. It's always kinda nice when that happens.

Let's see, it's Friday so I guess Bebe is a good choi--



Huh, Fuuka's in the hall, huh? Haven't noticed her before. Might as well say hi, I guess.

It'd be nice if you were hungry too...
I have time.
In that case, would you do me a favor?
I want you to taste the lunch I packed.



Oh, she's the anime cliche joke where the entire joke is that she is a girl but cannot cook.

Somehow, this is meant to be hilarious.

But, today, I think it turned out okay...

> You have a bad feeling about this...



...For reference, this is why I blitzed Courage so quickly early on. Yes, really. You need Max Courage to even consider this.

So... Will you taste it?
Sure.
Oh, thank you! ...Please come with me.

> Fuuka seems excited.

> She takes you to the rooftop.

Joy



Well, it's pretty late so you're probably not that hungry...
Please, just taste it...

> Fuuka gave you the food she made.



Now, I want your honest opinion...
...H-How is it?



Well, she asked for honesty and I think being direct works best here so...

It tastes horrible.



......
Th-Thank you for your honesty...
I'm sorry I made you taste test my cooking...
But, I know that you'll always be honest with me.
I depend on you...

> Your relationship with Fuuka has grown closer.

The Power of the Heart



> A mysterious voice rings in your head...





Joy



> You said goodbye to Fuuka.

> You decided to go back to the dorm.

Iwatodai Dorm



> Junpei has left.

So, uh, today Junpei just leaves which is kind of unfortunate. No one has anything new to say either...



And there's nothing on the telly to boot. What even is today?

At least we can go collect our investment!

When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars / Way of Life



Oh, Junpei is actually at Paulownia Mall. Kind of didn't expect that, but I like the consistency so I approve.



Good luck.
Thanks! I'm gonna do my best.



We ran into a bit of a snag again. Some of the other investors decided to drop out...
Since there are fewer investors, each person's profits will be even bigger! Do you mind investing a bit more?



Another 10k, huh? But we get a bigger ROI...

Are you in?
Yes.



My foolish little apprentice...



...Ex...cuse me...?

*sigh* Ignorance should be a crime.
Sure, you have some positive qualities, but if you remain so naive, everyone Will take advantage of you.
...Stick with me, and I'll show you how to be a winner.

Well, I mean, we still have over 100k so 40 was like nothing.

The real problem is that 100 is also basically nothing. So, we definitely need this guy's advice and assistance!

This Mysterious Feeling



You look familiar...
*sigh* Yes, it's so very difficult being famous... I can't hardly go anywhere without being recognized.



Oh! That's it! You're the guy who sings that insanely catchy theme song!

Allow me to introduce myself...

> The well-dressed man handed you a business card.





I'm afraid I cannot return the 40,000 yen you gave me. but I've autographed my business card for you.
Hold on to that... It'll be worth a pretty penny. Tootaloo.

I really hope Liz wants this for something. She gives ridiculous rewards for the weirdest stuff after all.





I should have charged him extra for a private autograph signing...

> You can hear President Tanaka muttering to himself...



Hey, uh, I can still hear you, y'know...

Huh!? Wh-What do you want!? Quit disturbing me! Shoo, shoo!



You'll forget it ever happened if you know what's good for you. I belong to a powerful talent agency.
I'm practically a celebrity. I have an image to maintain...
Don't even think about telling someone "He took my money" or "He called me a little brat"! Capiche!?
Quiche?
Very funny. You may be cute, but you're no comedian.



...Silly me! I've let you in on my secret, haven't I? Tee hee hee.
Don't tell anyone, okay!?

Your secret is that you're a dick? Dude, you're a (local) celebrity. That's... the world's most open secret.



Alright.
S-Seriously? You promise? I'll make you swallow a thousand needles if you're lying!
A verbal agreement is considered a contract. and I'll sue your pants off if you breach ours!

He's technically not wrong...

I've got your adorable little face etched into my memory.

> He seems to have taken an interest in you.

> You've become acquainted with President Tanaka. the Executive Producer of a TV shopping program.

The Power of the Heart



> A mysterious voice rings in your head...





This Mysterious Feeling



I usually take my breaks here. I'd be happy to mold your young mind whenever you wish.

> After saying goodbye to President Tanaka. you decided to go back to the dorm.



Here, Tanaka is available on Tuesday and Saturday nights. If I remember right (maybe), then in the vanilla OG release, he was only around Sundays.

Turns out I did not remember right. Not much of a surprise since Vanilla is the version I'm least familiar with:

Tendronai posted:

I looked it up cause I couldn't remember either - originally he was available for four days, but it was at the Port Island station. So daytime only.

This change just makes working around Tanaka easier, but doesn't affect overly much overall.

Want To Be Close (Reincarnation) / Time



Gossiping: She's going overseas after she graduates. Probably so she can run the Kirijo Company later...
Listening: Wow, that's crazy. She's so different from us...
Gossiping: The funny thing is, I hear she still lives in the dorms. I wonder why... Maybe her parents were strict when she was growing up.

> The first bell has rung.

Loyalty and A Shadowy Meeting



I was just told by the Chairman that he'll be stopping by this evening.
When you get back, come to the 4th floor meeting room.
Oh, um... okay.
I'll see you all later.

Tranquility





Oooh, good dog!

> Yukari and Fuuka are playing with a dog.

Oh, hi.
Hey, you're back!
What's with the dog?



Koro-chan, go say hi!



I've seen him sitting by the steps of the shrine.



So, another dog comes running in and starts barking at our cute little new albino Shiba Inu friend.



And it seems they're not alone.



...? Whaddya mean?
He used to belong to the priest at Naganaki Shrine. Every afternoon, the two of them went this way for a walk.
That explains it...



He passed away...?
Oh, you haven't heard the story? It was about six months ago...





And he goes for a walk every day, just like when his owner was still alive...

> The woman seems to be very talkative...

...Oh shoot, I have to get going! My son will be back soon!



...Huh?
What's wrong?



...Bye, Koromaru.

...Oh, nothing... Sorry.
Wait, isn't the Chairman coming today?
Then, we should go get ready.

Troubled



I wanted to let you know how my research has been going.
This concerns those Shadows that have been appearing during full moons.
I want you to listen closely; it might be hard to follow.



This, we've known for a while. It's like their class or order.



And...?
Oh, sorry. ...Ahem.
Those four Shadows belong to categories I through IV, in order of their appearance!
They may have looked different than the more common ones, but the classification scheme still applies.
Is that something we should be excited about?



Eight we haven't seen yet.
That's exactly right, Fuuka! You're quite sharp.
Oh, uh, okay... But, what are they after?



They don't kill their prey; they feed on their minds.
It can be considered predation, but is it really? Is there an underlying intent behind their behavior?



...This is interesting.
But, no matter what, we still have to beat the rest of 'em.
...I agree. That's about all we can do at this point.
Eight more, huh? Lucky us.



We... really don't know that for sure? We don't know how strong the Magician was, since it got ganked in a cutscene by something that burst out of Orpheus...

We'll manage. We've got plenty of time.
What about Tartarus? Why does it even exist...?





> But, the Shadows that appear when the moon is full...

> You wonder what their purpose is...

> Eight of them remain...

> You still have a long road ahead of you.

End

It really feels like this should auto-end the day, all things considered.

Iwatodai Dorm



So, naturally, that doesn't happen.



We'll continue to progress up Tartarus.
We have to do our best... If we do, we'll win. If we don't, we'll lose.
Heh, it's as simple as that.

Not really...? We could absolutely try our hardest and still lose.

In theory, anyway.



It'll be tough to defeat them, but not impossible.
If you train consistently, we can win.
So, keep up the hard work.

Let's see, Elizabeth wants something to clean glasses with and Ikutsuki's here now.



Well, I have something, of course, but... you don't wear glasses.
...Aha! Now I see clearly. Get it? Heh heh...
It's not for your glasses...
It's for a friend! Right?



goddammit ikutsuki

Well then, by all means, take this.
It looks dingy, but it works very well, in fact.
Your friend's glasses will shine like the sun!



We'll take this to the Velvet Room in a little bit, but first what does Ikutsuki actually want to talk about?



Do Shadows devour human minds for some unknown purpose?
Or is it simply for their own sustenance?
We must learn more about them.



Then let's do it, man!



Do you think we'll ever know the answers?

I'm sure we will eventually learn things about Tartarus, yeah. It's more a question of "when," not "if."



Lately, divorce is becoming more common, sometimes happening immediately after the honeymoon. What causes this? We'll report, right after these messages.

I'm no expert on divorce, but I feel like that kind of turnaround is more the exception than the norm.

Anyway, let's take this wipe over to Liz.

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



I see... This is no ordinary dirty rag.
Fine microfibers, maximum flexibility and absorbency, and an ideal size... It's perfect for wiping glasses.
Yet, if I'm not mistaken, this stain here is soy sauce...
Which means that although it was made to wipe glasses, it can polish off other things, too.
Thank you very much. Please take this back with you.
I never have the occasion to wear glasses or wipe off any soy sauce, so...
Please accept your reward.



At least from something as simple as this, we recouped our "loss" from Tanaka and then some for good measure.



Speaking of the President, though, he's here tonight since it's a Saturday. We might as well say "hi." We don't have a Devil persona right now (Vetala is the first and you may recall he's level 24...), but that doesn't matter.

This Mysterious Feeling



You should be glad that you're such a handsome boy.
Alright, let's add a new word to our vocabulary today. Repeat after me!
"Placebo"! The stress is on the middle syllable.
......
I love those smoldering eyes of yours! You'll never succeed in life without skepticism!



Eliminate those unsightly lovehandles without lifting a finger!
It's a miracle breakthrough that will make you feel fabulous!
Enjoy a relaxing drive while taking in the beautiful scenery!
Our incredible supplement will help you get the most out of life!
These are part of our unique line of products.
Is that legal?
Oh yes, of course. I'm free to sell them as I please!



So, uh, as you may have noticed both of these seem like wrong answers but gave us the "correct" response anyway. Strictly speaking, if we were to play along with Tanaka that DOES give points towards the next rank...

We may not be providing tangible benefits, but we do provide peace of mind.
People will pay handsomely for that, you know.
Take emergency supplies, for example... People feel safe just because they have them.
But, it's merely a false sense of security.
...That's it for today's lesson. You can pay me back when you make your first million.

> You received somewhat questionable advice from President Tanaka.

> You feel like you understand him a little better now.



Tanaka is a special link. Every level has a point requirement of 0. No matter what we say, every time we come visit him, he will rank up.



We probably won't blitz this to max at the earliest opportunity though. We need to work social stat stuff around it, of course.

If you go back on your word, I'll upload your picture to an internet dating site for former prison inmates!

> President Tanaka left.

We don't get any studying done tonight, unfortunately. Not because it's not doable - no, we could - but because we're Tired from the RNG dicking me over. Again.

Twice in four days. I hope this doesn't become a recurring pattern. I could just reset to not get it to happen, sure, but I'll just roll with it for now. It'll be fine.