Part 25: 06/14/09 - 06/16/09

Sunday, huh? Let's see...

Current Net Price Tanaka



As you might no doubt expect, the Brand Purse is for use in the same vein as that Perfume from before. It also comes with some more Perfume for the "low" price of almost 6000 Yen.

I nearly opted to not buy this, because who cares, but might as well. Could come in handy at some point I guess.

Iwatodai Dorm



Fuuka has committed the worst possible crime.

Her summer outfit is really bland and not very good! I know its a sundress and all but it's just so blah. I sure wouldn't wear that one.

video game fashion is important okay

It's all my old stuff, but once I had it all in my room. I felt revitalized.
I'm still struggling a bit with the layout, though...



We'll concentrate on those enemies that are still standing and attempt to exploit their weaknesses.
If there are no enemies to fight, or if there is no way to attack them, then we will stand by.
We will be unable to heal or support during this time.
Please consider these factors when you contemplate using Knock Down.

Yeah, Mitsuru is correct with her tutorial this time. Knock Down's drawback is that it hampers the action economy a lot. If someone can't hit an elemental weakness on a standing enemy, they'll just spend their turns critfishing instead. If all enemies are downed, or they cannot knock down any remaining targets for any reason, they will do nothing. At all. Ever. They are functionally on Stand By which... has its uses, but in fights where the action economy matters Knock Down is the wrong choice.

It doesn't matter too much for random Shadows since there your gunning for All-Out Attacks to end the fight quickly and guarantee a Shuffle Time anyway.





And now, the news...

Gotta admit, I wasn't quite expecting the Phoenix Rangers to have a bad time so early on...

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



Probably not a surprise to find Yukari and Junpei at the shrine again this week, hanging out with that Ken kid.

Are you here to see Ken-kun too?
That's right.
Glad to hear it. It's good to see Ken-kun making more friends.



So I talked to him... Not on purpose, I mean.

What? How do you accidentally talk to someone? What does that even mean?!



Why do you come here?
No specific reason... I can just relax when I come here.
How'd you three meet?
Junpei-san came up to me first, actually.
After that, Yukari-san came, and I'd sometimes talk to her too.

So, this is the kind of fun we could have if we stepped outside.



But outside is dumb and for losers, so let's play a dying MMO!

Joy



...my muscles are sore, but i'm sooooo buff!
there's nothing a little endorphins wont cure, rite?



actually, i only went cuz i was so pissed at that bastard! >=/
Which bastard?
...errr sry ^^;; have kind of a dirty mouth today >_>

> Maya blushed.

what i meant was... i was upset cuz of this guy...



i made a small error in my gradebook and now he's all on my ass
"ur s'posed to set an example" he told me!! >=/ stfu old man!
he thinks he's all that just cuz he's a history teacher ffs



if Mr. E starts playin this game too i'm putting him on Ignore! xD



> Maya is confiding in you.

> Your relationship is stronger now!





he prolly uses an abacus! talk about a "history" teacher! xD roflcopter
phew... much better. maybe i'll go take a shower now ::
dun worry! i won't let that old geezer get me down, tatsuya!! ^_^

> Maya's player signed off.

> You decided to log out as well.

Alright, so tonight we'll... hmm...



...Oh, right. I genuinely forgot for a moment that hanging out with Maya uses the entire day. Whoops! Now to just reconfigure these notes slightly...

Want To Be Close (Reincarnation) / Time



But then, that changes again as we get closer to the next full moon.
...By the way, Makoto-kun, what do you think about Mitsuru-senpai?
Not really my type.
That's not what I meant.



...Significantly less than she pushed me to join.

I know it's nice to have her around, especially in battle, but...
It just feels wrong...

Not... really...?



Now then... Junpei's looking shifty, so how about you, Makoto?
Fill in the blank with the appropriate conjunction: "It rained all last week, _____ it'll rain again today."
"And"...
That's absolutely correct! You'd make a great composition teacher someday, Makoto.
You wouldn't use "but" to compare two situations that are identical, and "probably" isn't a conjunction.
So "and" is the way to go.



I sure hope that this is close to ranking up at this point. Once it hits Rank 4...

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



Anyway, we'll worry about that later. For now, uh, we're not off shopping. Kurosawa et al. get new things in stock at specific levels. Since we're over level 17, we can buy some marginally better armour, shoes etc.

Not weapons though. Liz's stuff and Weapon Fusion outpaces that.



So, instead, we'll just sell all this old worthless crap cluttering our inventory. Portable streamlines this by stacking copies of the same weapon/armor/etc. Vanilla and FES stack items only. Yay.

Portable ALSO makes things sell for more. I don't know why, but it does.



Anyway, here's the Sigma Drive. Say hi to the Sigma Drive.

Now say bye to the Sigma Drive, because we're never seeing it again. Later, loser.



All in all, we leave with 144k which SOUNDS really nice and a lot but, uh, it really isn't. 4x Compendium Prices devours that for breakfast.

Back to school we go!

Want To Be Close (Reincarnation) / Time



Did I notice... what...?



Worried about something?
To tell you the truth...
Oh, forget it. It's private.

These two have... advanced to being needlessly vague about everything. Swell.



Anyway, we were after the Laboratory. Not the Science Room, that's a different thing. They were on the way, so I thought we'd say hi.



This is just a few doors down from the Home Ec room, so we've run past here plenty at least.



And it appears we've stumbled upon... something!

We can't burn it, because that would release harmful chemicals.
Maybe we should just throw it away...

This is too vague and useless. Let's just enter already!



Do you have any interest in this anatomical model?

Not rea-- uh I mean, sure?

We were about to throw it away...
It's old and ugly, and the students think it's creepy. I can't say that I disagree with them, either.
But, if you promise not to make any mischief with it, you can have it.
Please take good care of it.

Uh, it's... going to a good home...?

Well, we're about ready to leave. so if you'll excuse us.



So, that was easy to find at least. Gonna go head on over to Paulownia and give this to Elizabeth.

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



An Anatomical Model is merely a replica of the human body.
I don't understand what people find so repulsive about it... If you ask me, it's rather charming.
Oops... The face came apart...
...Anyway, you have my gratitude. I'll take good care of it.
Please accept your reward.



This is definitely better than the Sigma Drive. It's arguably worth keeping, for at least a little while even!



Most accessories are equivalent to skills, so this one is just Regenerate 1. It doesn't stack with that skill if we have it on a Persona, but that's fine. It's still a 2% HP regen at the start of someone's turn (5% in the original vanilla release). Doesn't sound like a lot, but it'll come in handy I'm sure.



Anyway, hey, we're here and it's during the day. Let's spend time with Liz without spending time!

Our Second Date

Joy



Compared to last time, Elizabeth doing something as mundane as walking down the up escalator seems rather tame...



But, uh, she IS still Elizabeth, so just because the action is tame...

It looks simple, but one false step, and challengers will be mired in an exhausting ordeal...





Please watch your step...! There's a pitfall just ahead.
I don't see one.



It's been placed in the precise center of the otherwise perfectly paved ground...
It's a crafty snare, that goes against the common practice of digging a pitfall in loose soil...

Um, Liz? That's... never mind.

A stairway that tests one's wits. and a pitfall that tests one's inner strength...



I'm very moved by their plight.
Let's continue forth, our thoughts dedicated to the unsung heroes who love this town so very much...



This fragrant aroma--it can't be...!



Cook: Oh, I guess you don't wear those funky clothes for nothing, lady. Well, there ain't a law against takoyaki shops cooking stuff besides octopus. How 'bout it? Wanna buy one? It'll make you smile so wide, your cheeks will fall off!
Cuisine so luscious that one's cheeks fall off...!





Elizabeth still very much has her absurd amount of money, yes. I wouldn't at all be surprised if she had even more than last time.

You're buying that many...?
I have never seen a person who has actually lost his or her cheeks.
This must mean that the ordinary citizen cannot easily buy these--



W-Well, then. Two packages, please.
Cook: Thanks! Here you go, and come again!

One swift fade to blue later...



I must say, I'm surprised to come across this used as an ingredient in food...
Are your cheeks okay?
They seem to still be in place...
And in any event, there are many other delicacies I feel I must try.
I must take care not to lose my cheeks before sampling each and every one of them.

> You finished eating takoyaki.



My first priority is to visit something called a "manga cafe" and obtain the foodstuff known as a "smoothie bar."
This "smoothie bar" allows for an infinite combination of flavors by mixing various ingredients...
Just thinking about it gives me a sort of electric tingle across my tongue.

> You decided to show Elizabeth around the eateries.

I'm sure she's paying for this.

...She IS paying for this, right?



Oh my... Are you feeling well?
Now that I think about it, you haven't eaten much since our seventh meal...

Even if he didn't pay economically, the price for spending time with Elizabeth is still very steep...

In any event, I have to thank you for the tasty experience.
If you don't mind, I'd very much enjoy accompanying you again.

> You headed back to the Velvet Room with Elizabeth.

End

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



The fascinating rides, the dangerous traps... and of course, the cornucopia of curious cuisine.
The people's lives there were quite different from those at Paulownia Mall the other day.
So that I might not forget what we saw, I'd like to recreate some of the dishes we tasted.
First, I must hunt for ingredients... Haha! This will be so much fun!
As for your reward. I've again prepared something special.



Its looks remind one of a beautiful beast... yet she, too, rises the sea of your soul...
I wish I could gain a greater appreciation for what your soul is like.



As you no doubt expect, we can't fuse Empusa yet. She's only level 23, so she's slightly below Pale Rider at least.

But since we can't even make Hua Po yet and she's level 20...



Anyway, let's hang out with Kaz again. He's the closest we have to being maxed, that we can advance right now, and today isn't a day that Chihiro is available so we can't blitz that problem.

Joy



Wh-What is it, Coach? You have a scary look on your face...



J-Just practicing, Coach...
...That's enough practice for you. Come to the Nurse's Office. The rest of you, get back to work!



Member: Kazushi, did something happen?
Yeah, right...!



I know you have something to do with this, Makoto-kun. Sorry, but follow me.

What? I didn't injure the guy. It ain't my fault he's dumber than a bag of hammers and thinks making an injury worse is a good idea!

i mean sure i didnt stop him but...

> You head to the Nurse's Office with Yuko.

Troubled



You're throwing caution to the wind, young man...
That blabbermouth!



P-Please, I need to practice...
Kaz...



Take some time off, Kaz. Practice can wait until you're fully healed.
No! I don't have time!
Huh? What's your hurry? Don't be so rash!
Makoto, you've been hanging around with Kazushi lately, right?
You must know something...

> Look away.

Makoto...
W-Wait! This doesn't concern him!



I don't want you to get dragged into this... so I'll come clean.

> Kazushi is trying to protect you.

> Your relationship is stronger now!





One fade to blue later, since we already know all this and all.



I need to practice! I have to win or else...
I know how you feel, Kazushi, but...
Young Man's Voice: So, that's why.

Joy



JV: If it's just the individual competition, then I don't have to worry about him bringing us down.
...Why are you here?
Varsity: I'm worried about Kazushi...
Guys...
...I'll let you keep training for now, and we'll see how things go...



And, I want you to go home today. Your mother will be upset if I let you stay.
S-Sorry, Coach. Everyone... I...
...We're done here; now, get back to training, everyone.

> After practice, you decided to go back to the dorm.

So, uh, is Toriumi really the only member of staff we've seen for more than like a fraction of a scene that isn't abysmally bad at her job? It sure seems like it!

Iwatodai Dorm



no

I know the next full moon is still a ways away, but the Shadows are getting stronger.
Besides, I need to train Polydeuces. So. whaddya say?

still no



She cannot enter into battle.
Her job is to support everyone on the front line with her ability to detect enemies and provide enemy information.
As for Lucia's attributes, her strength and endurance are both low.
She doesn't have any resistances, but she doesn't have any weaknesses either.
Well, that's all I can think of for right now. I look forward to fighting Shadows with you.

Lucia does actually have stats, for all the nothing it matters. She's even got HP and SP; technically speaking, Fuuka has the worst in both for obvious reasons. Logically speaking, it literally doesn't matter and so Yukari has the worst HP.



As you may be aware, its attack power and accuracy level are only adequate...
However, I think it is tres magnifique!
A one-handed sword is a refined, sophisticated weapon.
You should consider wielding one.

One-handed swords are... okay. They're not my preferred weapon type, but they do a good enough job. I do prefer them early on to two-handed swords but now that we have two-handers that can actually hit things...



You need to train every day to keep pace with them.

Not only is this untrue, it's super unfeasible and actively a detriment. Very quickly. Do not take Akihiko's advice.



Don't get me wrong, Mitsuru-senpai has a nice voice too. It's just that Fuuka's is just so calm and soothing.

Junpei, my man, no. Have you heard her talk? She has the right inflections and tone for an ASMR video but the completely wrong volume.



She can do anything...
I'm so jealous...

Yeah, Mitsuru's pretty cool.











hey where are you going come back cmon it wasnt that bad



But be careful of dehydration, even during the rainy season. It's going to be a scorcher!

Let's join our field reporter in the stadium now. Next on Action News: All the action in the world of sports!



Back in the world of importat stat grinds, Monday means we can take photos of ourself again. Still not at Charm 4 though. Getting there...



Academics, meanwhile, exists. It's still languishing at 2, but it does take forever and a day just to get anywhere. This is clearly by design to stop you from grinding it up quickly for exams and ignoring it the rest of the time but man.



It could, at least, be less tedious about it.

Want To Be Close (Reincarnation) / Time



From now on, you'll be able to go to Tartarus without me.
Okay.
If Yamagishi's present, you can go to Tartarus.



Unlike the last time Mitsuru told us something about Tartarus availability, this one IS accurate and not a garbled mess.

I'm worried something may happen... So, please keep that in mind.



Anyway, that's all we have today so let's hang out with... well, Chihiro's right there but she can wait a little bit. Andre does have a bit of an important personal issue to deal with.

Troubled



Want to go somewhere to eat after zis?
Sure.
Arigatou gozaimasu! Zank you very much!



Zere eez somezing I need to talk to you about.

> You decide to go to a restaurant with Bebe.





I was able to come 'ere because of my aunt, but...
My uncle did not agree wiz ze decision!



Man, your uncle is a jerk.

If I go 'ome...
...my uncle might never let me return 'ere!

I rescind the classification of jerk. He's almost certainly a dick of the highest order.

Then stay.
I would love to stay in Nihon...





But, no matter 'ow 'ard I try to convince him...
...'e will not listen.
I 'ave got to know you well, Makoto-sama...
I cannot say "Hasta la vista" like zis!

> Bebe has shared the troubles that are on his mind...

> Your relationship is stronger now!





I'll see you at school, okay!?

> You decide to go back to the dorm.

Yeah, I'll see you there Andr-- Bebe.

Iwatodai Dorm



There's very little we can do at the dorm today. Everyone just recites the same lines as yesterday, except Akihiko has this one thing.

Gonna start bodybuilding, eh?
Well, I have some leftover stuff for beginners, from back in the day.
Here you go.
It's the "Ama-Pro" brand.
It's specially formulated for guys who are just starting out.



A lesser person would see "Ama-Pro" and just think of it as a contraction of the general term for the product.

I see "Ama-Pro" and sigh heavily because it's a mediocre pun.



Experts predict less skidding on rainy days.

So let's go give this new powder to Elizabeth.

The Poem For Everyone's Soul



So this type of protein does exist...?
Then the name "protein" doesn't have anything to do with "professionals"... I see.
Thank you very much. I am sure this is valuable, so please take it back with you.
As a result of this request, my master has ordered me to drink an entire bottle of protein in one go.
Well, what's done is done... And this way, I might be able to go professional someday.

I really can't picture a buff Elizabeth without it feeling wrong. I dunno, that might just be me?

Please accept your reward.



But this is decisively not weird. We could buy these from the Antique Store but they're really good and worth using sometime. It's an itemised Matarukaja, which is just as good as it sounds. Damage up on everyone immediately is wonderful and I can think of a few places where I could use one of these.



But that's all we can accomplish here today, so let's go drink some coffee to get prettier.



And Academics finally lurches over the finish line to rank 3. It's finally halfway there!

...But, man, I realise something with this newfound intelligence. I think we need a new hobby. I've been able to narrow it down to three things but I can't decide from there.

Should we take up Art, Music or Photography?