Part 140: 10/3/09-10/4/09

10/3/09

The operation’s tomorrow, I must confess I’m a bit amped up.



I wonder why.
I cannot explain why, but our highest priority should be eliminating the remaining Shadows.
The moon will be full tomorrow.
I shall accompany you in battle.

I’m less amped about the upcoming exams.



If this class doesn’t do well, it’ll be my fault, so you’d all better study hard!
Well, let’s open to page 125. “The younger generation is creating its own language in cyberspace.”
…I’m no computer nerd, but I’ve mastered the “leetspeak” you all use online.
It’s useful!
I’ve even come up with my own Internet slang.
Not only is it totally unreadable, it’s impossible to tell whether it’s gibberish or real sentences!
With my flair for cryptology, I could be a government spy… Yeah… That’s what I’ll shoot for!

Shinjiro seems more determined than ever to push me away, I’ll have to talk to him about that when we’ve got more time.



……
You shouldn’t waste your time like this. Go be with the others.
Don’t hang around me…
……

Should be plenty of opportunity after we’ve beaten whatever shows up tomorrow.

10/4/09

Stupid. So damn stupid.

Video- “Shadow Ops”

Watch

> Fuuka has summoned Lucia and is searching for the Shadow’s position…
> Everyone is watching, but Shinjiro and Ken are nowhere to be found…
I’ve located the target…
It’s in the plaza in front of Iwatodai Station!
This will be the 10th…
…Only a few left, but let’s worry about them one at a time.
…Assuming they come one at a time. * giggle * Just kidding.
…Yukari-chan, how did you know!? I sense two of them!
Are you serious!? Me and my big mouth…
…Where’s Shinji?
He just notified me that he’ll meet up with you later.
I didn’t ask any questions.
…Figures. He’s always played by his own rules.
It’s okay. At least he’s coming, right?
We should move on.
Indeed, we can’t wait for him.
Wait, Ken-kun isn’t here, either…
Hey Junpei, go get him. That’ll be your punishment for last time.
Punishment…? What is this, kindergarten?
* sigh * That little shit is more trouble than he’s worth.

We were treating this all like it was some big game.



We’ll determine our formation once we arrive.
Let’s go, then!

Like as long as we defeated the Shadows, everything would turn out fine.



> Two giant shadows appeared at the roundabout in front of the station…
There they are!
This is the way we go to school! We’ve gotta protect this place…
It seems like they’ve been waiting for us.
…Where’s Amada?
He wasn’t in his room, so who knows…
Dammit, Shinji… Where are you?
Um, I think we should hurry… They look like they’re about to make their move.
Alright, let’s decide on a team and engage the enemy!
Once it’s decided, we’ll head over immediately!

Akihiko joined Yukari, Aigis and I in meeting the Shadows head on.

Video- “Strength and Fortune”

Watch

I’ll keep you informed! Please be careful!

Just like every month they were far stronger than anything we’d seen so far.

Boss Battle: Fortune and Strength

Before the fight even starts, Strength does something annoying and makes Fortune untargetable.



You can’t attack it right now… Concentrate on the one whose Arcana is Strength!

We see the fight’s real gimmick when the enemy gets their first turn. Fortune will use its signature move, Wheel of Fortune.



In this phase Wheel of Fortune is filled with status effects. Depending on where it lands, it will cause either Fear, Distress, Panic, or Rage to Strength or your whole party. Stopping the wheel while the pointer is in the middle of any red wedge should ensure you don’t get hit by a bad status. Strength mainly uses status effects and physical attacks herself, and if you can stick her with a status like Fear with the Wheel you can quickly burn her down with critical hits. Once she’s down, Fortune becomes targetable and changes up its tactics.



Now the wedges do damage to either you or the Fortune. There are two configurations, the one shown and one with a single blue wedge that’s a bit larger than any one of the three shown here. Both in theory will work out if you land in the middle of a red wedge, but it’s tricky to time it so make sure you’ve got mediarama to patch up the damage the party will take. Fortune will rarely cast garudyne instead of the wheel, take advantage of it being silly if it does. This fight can end up being kind of a slog, take advantage of buffs and debuffs to get through it quickly and safely.

Dammit, if only we could have beaten them faster…

Video- “Revenge”

Witness the Tragedy

* sigh * Man, talk about exhausting.
This time, those two who call themselves Strega did not interfere.
It must be because we have Chidori.
Anyway, I’m glad everything went well.
But what happened to Shinjiro-senpai and Ken?
……
The Chairman doesn’t seem to be too concerned, so he went home.
Yamagishi, where are those two?
I’m sorry, I haven’t been able to locate them yet.
Let’s return to the dorm, and then go from there.
……
…Akihiko, are you listening?
Today is… October 4th, huh…
…And?
Just go back without me, I’m gonna go look for them for a while.
Senpai…?
…What’s wrong?
Akihiko…?

I’m supposed to forgive, huh? That’s what you said, right?



You came…
……
I’m surprised you abandoned the operation.
…Do you know why I asked you to meet me here?
Two years ago today… October 4th.
That was the day my mom died here.
They called it an accident… but it wasn’t.
I saw the whole thing…
You murdered her!!
……
…Since then, it’s been one bad thing after another…
And all I get from people is sympathy, no matter where I go.
What’s the point in living…?
I even thought about killing myself… but Mom wouldn’t have wanted that.
…That’s why I decided that I had to find her killer—YOU!
You said once that you wanted to forget what happened on that day…
So, when I found out it was a full moon today, I knew I had to confront you.
…Today, Mom is watching over me.
I’ll make you remember what you did to her! I’m gonna kill you!
……
Do it.

So I can forgive Akihiko for not telling us what was going on, even though we could have been searching for you two from the start.



> You returned from the strip mall…
Huh? No one’s here…
Anyway, why was Akihiko-san acting so weird?
What’s so special about October 4th?
October the 4th… * gasp * That’s right!
I was so caught up in the operation that I didn’t realize it…
This is the day Amada’s mother was killed!
You serious!?
Yamagishi, I need you to find the two of them immediately.
There’s a good chance that they’re together. Akihiko must have already realized that…
I-I understand.
> Fuuka summoned Lucia and began searching…
Umm… What’s going on?

He probably thought he was helping you, not telling us what had happened.



…we’re the ones who killed Amada’s mother.
What…?
It was two years ago, when we were pursuing an unusual Shadow that had escaped into the city…
We were in a residential area, but the Shadow was all we were thinking about…
Aragaki was still new, and he momentarily lost control of his power…
Unfortunately, there was a casualty:
Amada’s mother.
No way… Are you shittin’ me!?
Then, to Ken-kun, Senpai is…
Amada volunteered to join us. But, now that I think about it…
I found them! They’re at Tatsumi Port Island!
They’re together, and another Persona-user is nearby…
Akihiko?
No… it’s…
It’s a member of Strega!
That’s not good.
Ugh… It’s an absolute nightmare!
Senpai!!
C’mon! We gotta follow her!
O-Okay!

And it’s not Fuuka’s fault she couldn’t detect them while the Shadows were still alive, I can’t blame her for that.



I won’t stop you.
You’re right… I wanted to forget.
That’s why I left the group, and tried to suppress my power…
But, nothing I did could erase the memory…
And now, I find myself here—the last place I want to be.
……
It’s my fault… This is what I deserve.
But… let me give you one warning.
Warning…?
If you decide to take my life, you’ll end up like me.
Just remember that…
Is that supposed to change my mind…?
Even if all you have now is hatred, one day you’ll regret it.
Shut up! That’s a load of crap!!

As for Ken, I guess I can understand how angry he is. If I knew whose fault it was that I’m an orphan I can’t see how I would have anything but hatred for them.



……!
There is no reason for him to feel regret…
That is the nature of revenge.
Is it not permissible to kill those who are themselves killers?
…Th-That’s right.
Whaddaya want?
The loss of Chidori has posed a bit of a challenge for us…
But, we cannot simply ignore your meddling.
> Takaya took out a gun…
You bastard…
Do not fear. This life is but a stepping stone.
Salvation shall be yours…
What!?
> Shinjiro stepped between Ken and Takaya…

So one day, maybe I’ll be able to forgive him.



You cannot defy fate… Whether or not it comes at this boy’s hand, you will die tonight.
……
What’s he talking about!?
You’ve been taking those pills for some time now…
You don’t have much longer.
That’s bullshit!
Listen to your body… You know it to be true.
……!
What does he mean…?
You’re going to die…?
…No matter what I do?
That’s not fair!!
All this time! I’ve been waiting for this!!
The cause of death is not of importance.
Besides, the breath of life is faint in you as well, child.
…After killing him, you were planning to join him, were you not?
……
Ken, don’t…

Though that day is not this one.



A slight change in timing shouldn’t matter too much.
> Takaya quietly pointed the gun at Shinjiro…
Go to hell!
Ugh…!
N-No…
Now then… With what life you have left, answer me this…
There is one like Chidori among you, is there not?
This has enabled you to locate and defeat those we wish to protect.
Now tell me… Which one of you is it?
If you don’t expedite your answer, then this will hurt you more than it hurts me.
Ugh… ah…
* gasp *
……
…What’s the matter?
Cat got your tongue?
Th-There’s… no one…
……
> Takaya reared up to again kick Shinjiro in his wounds…

As for that Strega filth… I guess this doesn’t really change anything. We’d have hunted the rabid dog down whether he’d done this or not, and it’s not like revenge will make anything better.



It-It’s me!
Is that true?
…Yes.
That’s the only reason they let me join.
Ken… no…!
Agh!!
…Quiet. You had your chance.
It doesn’t matter anymore… I’ll never have my revenge.
…I have no reason to live…
…I see. So, you have achieved resolution.
How enviable…
Then, you shall be first.
Rest peacefully…
> Takaya aimed the gun at Ken…
Mom…

I think we’ve all learned the price of damned revenge from tonight.



……
What…?
…Huh…!?
* cough *
> Shinjiro stood in front of Ken, taking two bullets to the chest as a result…
…What is the meaning of this? Why would you risk your life to save the child?
A…Ah…
Shinjiro-san…
Shinji!
* sigh * And now your comrades arrive. Is there any moment of joy they won’t intrude upon…?
Perhaps another time, then…

And even though he didn’t ask me to, I can forgive Shinjiro.



Shinji, hey! Hang in there!
……
> Chasing after Mitsuru, you see Akihiko and Ken…
> You also see a blood-covered Shinjiro…
Shinjiro!
Senpai!
Shinjiro-senpai!
No…
Ken…
……
Heh… Why the long face? Isn’t this… what you wanted?
It’s alright… Give yourself time… Let your anger be your strength.
You’re still just a kid, Ken… You got your whole life ahead of ya…
So don’t waste it… Make it your own… Okay?
But I… I…!
…Aki. Take care of ‘im…
…I will.
……

I mean how can I be mad at him for being, well, him? None of those are the hard parts of this.



This is how… it should be…
* cough * * cough *
* gasp * * gasp *
* gasp *
……
Ah…
The hospital… W-We need to get him to the hospital…
Y-Yes, let’s waste no time…
……!
It’s the Dark Hour… until it ends, the doctors won’t be…
No…
Then is he not going to make it!?
Ah… Ah…
Aaaaaaaaagh…!
> …By the time Shinjiro was taken to a hospital after the Dark Hour, he could no longer breathe on his own…
> The doctor’s prognosis was that there was no chance of him regaining consciousness…
> That night, no one spoke a word.

The hard question is, how can I forgive myself? How do I erase this unforgivable sin of still being alive…?