Part 170: 11/17/09-11/18/09

11/17/09

We left for Kyoto today.



> The train is scheduled to arrive in Kyoto in the afternoon.
> You hope it will be a memorable experience…

I know Junpei’s pretty down on it but I’ve never actually been here before.

Video- “Kyoto”

Watch

> You rode the bullet train here…

So I’m sure this is going to be a lot of fun.



Huh? Don’t you like it?
I think it’s a beautiful place to have some good memories of while we’re still young.
Is that so…?
Ya know, every now and then, you sound like an old man.
Really?
……
> Up ahead in the senior line, Mitsuru looked depressed…
She came… Thank goodness.
> You transferred to a tour bus after arriving at Kyoto Station.
> The sun has already set…

I mean the inn is super nice.



We’re finally here!
Whoa, nice place!
It IS an expensive area, after all.
Hey, what’s that umbrella for?
It’s for decoration.
…I see. So, that’s the style here in Kyoto, huh?
Say, why don’t we go hang out somewhere together after this?
What kind of reasoning is that!?
Watch yourself around this guy, okay, leader? He’ll go after any girl with a pulse.
Leader?
…That’s no way to refer to someone with so cute a name as Aelita-chan’s.
Oh, and I don’t just go for anyone. I want to get to know you better because… you’re you.
…Though I must say, we’re getting along pretty well already.
Huh? What’s with that chuckle?

I mean I bet I could totally hide Ryoji’s body here long enough for us to be gone after I strangle him to death with that goddamn scarf.



You are a problem!
Ugh, sheesh…
So, where were you guys gonna go at your old school, Ryoji?
…Somewhere interesting, I bet. Kyoto’s so typical, don’t ya think?
Hmm…
…I don’t really remember.
…Are you serious? That’s the highlight of the year!
Really?
……?
> Aigis is looking at the pond in the courtyard…
…Is this one of the open-air hot springs I have heard about?
That’s the courtyard!
Yep, this is the courtyard, AIgis. Wanna go out for a walk later?
Come on, you can talk later. You’re blocking the hallway.
Girls, your rooms are that way. Why don’t you go get unpacked?

Although… why do I care that much? I mean we just hung around a few times, it’s not like we’ve done anything right? So why does it feel like I’m doing something terribly wrong?



We’ll see you later, then.
This way, Aelita-chan.
This way, Aelita-chan.
I’m looking forward to seeing the rooms, Aelita-chan.
…Well, I will see you later.
All right, this has gone far enough!
Junpei and Ryoji-kun, guy’s room!
Aigis, girl’s room! You’re coming with us!
Awwww.
Awwww.

I guess that must be what Junpei feels like every day, what with him being a creeper and all.



Well, us guys had better head off to our rooms…
You should hurry up and get to your own room too, Aelita…
…or else Ms. Toriumi might get pissed off.

Him and that Ryoji…



Every few hours, there’s a surprise. * chuckle *

I’m glad Bebe’s managed to hold his uncle off long enough to come on the trip.



Zis eez great!! KYOTO!!
Eet eez better zan Destiny World!
And see how zis tower stands up wiz only matchsticks…? Sugoi…!
Zat is ze beauty of Japan!

I’m also glad I get more time to hang out with people than I normally do at school.



Hey, what’s up?
Listen to him. He’s thinking about peeping in the hot springs!
Shut up! I was just asking when the girls were going to go in.
And why would you possibly ask about that other than to spy on them?
…So I can imagine it and feel warm and fuzzy inside. Like, “I wonder if they’re in there right now…”?
So you’re not going to peep, you’re just going to fantasize about it.
……
That’s scary, man.
…Could you be a little less rational? I’m going to cry. I’m not kidding. There will be tears.
Just so you know, I would never do something like that.
Look at you, though—you changed into your pajamas!
Shut up! Don’t incriminate me!
Hey, Yukari’s going in!
What!?
Oops, sorry, my mistake.
Kenji…! You better watch your back!

Seriously though what kind of guy would actually do that? I mean not even Junpei would be that dumb. Oh, there are some cool things here, I even found what Ken was asking about.



I also think I found some drinks that crazy girl might be interested in.



I talked with Aki but he’s being dumb, and I’m pretty sure I know why. Well if he’s so worried about Mitsuru seeing us together I’m sure I can find someone else to walk around Kyoto with.



There’s a “trip itinerary.” It might be a good idea to read through it once.
We have sight-seeing tomorrow. I’d want to walk around with you, but…
It wouldn’t be good if we stood out too much, either. This is difficult…

I mean these past few weeks it’s become pretty obvious how he feels about her, not that I have any room to be critical of things like that.



This reminds me of our training trip! Uh… Yasoinaba, wasn’t it?
The inn there was awesome too.
By the way, have you checked out this vending machine?
You don’t see snacks like this back home…
It’s pretty interesting…

And she could sure use a friend right now.



I’m just relaxing here with Keisuke.
I just hope there isn’t any trouble while I’m off duty…
Hey, Hidetoshi-kun, have you tried these cookies?
They’re so good!
Oh, no, I haven’t…
…There aren’t any left.
Aren’t the snacks supposed to be one per person? There should be one left for me…
Oh, really? Oops… I ate them all. Sorry!
…I see.
I’ll just pretend there weren’t any there to begin with.

Hell with it, since he won’t I’ll just have to force her to hang out somewhere when we get home. I’ll make her have some fun if I need to drag her kicking and screaming.



> She looks like a person with no soul.
…Oh, it’s you.
If there’s anything you need to know about the trip, the details should be in the “trip itinerary” right there.

I mean that’s what friends are for, right?

11/18/09

Trip’s been fun so far, we saw a bunch of cool historical stuff.

Video- “With the River”

Watch

> Today’s itinerary: Visiting historical sites.





> You went sightseeing around Kyoto aboard a tour bus…
> Visiting the places in person was much more exciting than seeing them in photographs.
> In the afternoon, everyone went their separate ways at the Kamogawa near the hotel.
> After everyone returned to the inn…

It’s weird though because I’m sure I saw Yukari and Mitsuru go off somewhere together.



We should probably head back. We don’t want to miss curfew.
……
The later it gets, the more crowded the Shijou becomes.
Why are you still concerned about me?
Our days of fighting together are over.
We have no common goal to fight for, no enemies to defeat… no reason to be friends.
…That’s not true…
We’ve reached our conclusion… Why should we continue on?
Everything I believed in was a lie. And in the end, I failed to…
You failed to what?
To protect the most important person in your life? Is that what you’re trying to say?
You said you were atoning for what the Kirijo Group did in the past, but that’s not true.
You were only fighting to protect your father.
That’s right! I fought to protect him, and look what happened!
My trust for the Chairman blinded me, and I feel right into his trap! There was nothing I could do!
My father placed the onus of responsibility all upon himself.
And ever since the incident, he looked as if he was dead inside.
I fought so that he could release the shame and guilt that burdened him so!
……

I mean they don’t usually get along well.



Right!?
Ngh…
I’m sorry.
But, we don’t know that for sure yet.
……
Hey, did you know that I used to live around here?
After my dad died, my mom spent all her time throwing herself at random men…
I couldn’t stand to see her acting like that, so I used to come out here to the river bank to get away.
……
My belief in my dad was all I had…
Your father was only doing what he thought was best…
Yes, but it was still wrong. So he fought to the end to try and make it right again. He never gave up.
He believed Shadows were dangerous, and they needed to be stopped, even if it meant losing his life…
That’s why I fight.
I want to eliminate the Dark Hour and fulfill my dad’s final wish.
Fulfill his final wish…
That’s all I—no, we, can do.
…Right, Senpai?
Yes…

Then again it’s a good thing if they’re getting along now.



It’s not over yet. Nothing has been decided.
We must put an end to this.
For the sake of my father… and yours.
Senpai…
Yukari, will you stand with me until the end?
…Of course.
Well, I guess we should take a bath together now.
T-Take a bath together?
Yeah, in the outdoor hot spring back at the hotel. It’s really nice.
Now that we have everything out in the open, there’s nothing left for us to hide!
…Nothing?
H-Hey, stop blushing! I didn’t mean it like that!
Anyways, we should really get going. It’s already past curfew.
> After watching Yukari leave, Mitsuru looked toward the sky…
There is no need to worry, Father…
I am not alone.
…And I’ll never look back again.
> The resolution in Mitsuru’s heart has awakened a new Persona…

And Mitsuru all of a sudden looks like she’s alive again so I guess something major happened.



…Please watch over me.

I’m just so glad to get a chance to relax for once.



Fuuka noticed the same thing I had earlier.



It seemed strange for them to be so cheerful together that way…

And Aigis saw them heading to the bath together.



Aki must have seen it too, because he was so happy…



I don’t know what happened, but as long as she’s feeling better, I’m relieved.

So much work to do, I’m going to have to drag Yuko back and force her to dress up so I can tell her she looks perfectly fine.



Wearing your yukata, I see! You look great in it.
I bet I’d look better in it if my skin was a bit lighter…
…I took mine off just now because I looked so out of place in it!

I mean how often do you get an opportunity to do stuff like this?



Ah, sorry…
I… thought you were someone else.
Girls in yukatas are so adorable!
We should wear ours into the baths. We sure did sweat a lot today…
Yeah… Today’s tour wore me out.
I was looking forward to the sightseeing, too…
Some of the older tourists even passed out…
It’s a good thing you were there, Keisuke.
What a debacle.
Even the tour guide passed out…
I was impressed at the way you took control, Hidetoshi-kun!
Are you thinking about becoming a police officer?
Hm…? Well, I’d never given it any thought before…
…Anyway, come on, let’s go to the baths.

Then I need to fight off Ryoji.



Of course, having you here with me makes it much more enjoyable.

After which I have to bring Junpei up to speed on current events.



If I was her, I wouldn’t be having much fun, either.

And then there’s Bebe’s problem, which yeah he can sort out himself.



You are truly ze epitome of Japanese beauty and elegance!
I… tried to put mine on, but… It came off…
Ze string, it got tangled up, and… My clothes came off!
But you, you look great in ze yukata! I’m jealous!
I wanted to play ze evil magistrate…
I wanted to trap and defeat ze pesky heroes!

Oh and I might need stop Kenji getting killed, which honestly I’m not sure he deserves.



Hey, you’re in your yukata. I didn’t know you’d changed already.
I’m not sure I know how to put one on by myself…
What? You want me to help?
Alright, just for you.
Um…
I always suspected this about you, but you’re an idiot, aren’t you?
No, I’m not.
……
Then what are you?
…What are my choices besides “idiot”?
…Are there any?
Just go put on your yukata! Look at Aelita-san! She looks so cute.
You need to be more girly, like her.
…That’s it, I’m not wearing it anymore!

I guess most people wouldn’t think this was relaxing but it sure beats fighting to the death in a huge clocktower filled with monsters and puddles of blood so I’m not complaining one bit.