Part 190: 12/21/09-12/22/09

12/21/09

Exam results were back, and were everything I could have hoped.



Edogawa gave another one of his weird lectures today on magic.



Today, we’ll finally talk about magic right here in Japan.
Though I’m sure you think you’re familiar with it already, you probably aren’t.
The view that magic is a dubious subculture is becoming more common…
But what is swept into the corners of society today was once central to Japan.
It could even be said that magic was invented in Japan.
After all, Himiko of Yama-taikoku was a shaman.
She reportedly used a magic called “Kido” to control the country.
Sadly, we have no way of knowing what kind of sorcery that was…
The same is true for Prince Shotoku, who established a centralized government.
He practiced Onmyodo, so in a sense, he was also a shaman.
With origins like this, magic was naturally woven into the very fabric of Japan.
In the Heian period, for example…
The Bureau of Onmyo was established, for Onmyouji to expel evil spirits and give spiritual advice.
You may be familiar with that from the legend of Abe no Seimei.
Even in the age of the samurai, magicians played their part.
Many generals who studied divination and military tactics could be considered magicians.
Are you all listening? Don’t become mesmerized, now… Eeeheehee.
I’ll test you to see how closely you’ve been paying attention.

Though really, they don’t bother me so much anymore.



Who to call on… Ah, Aelita. I ask thee…
What sorcery was Himiko said to have used?
Kido.
Very good. Thank your kotodama for that one.
The trend of tying magic to the people continued to the Edo period, but…
The new government formed during the Meiji Reformation stamped it out.
Tsuchimikado Shinto, which had been revived during the Edo period, faded away…

Junpei did about how he expected on the exams.



Who cares about test results when the world is coming to an end…?
Either way, it’s depressing news.

Anyway, we’re not that far from the end of the year.



Today is December 21st.
There are less than ten days until New Year’s Eve.
But, for some reason, I’m not scared at all.
Well, maybe I’m scared a little…
But, I’m still gonna fight…
Win or lose, I’m gonna give it my all.

I’m hoping Aigis will be home before Ryoji comes back.



Sure am!
Cool! Let’s enjoy Christmas!

Just as much I’m hoping everyone else comes to the right decision on this.



I have such a hard decision to make…
My teachers used to tell me not to worry about test scores…
This is what they must have meant.

Not that I think any of them will want to run away.



Now, what should I do for Christmas…?

Koro-chan was even kind of down for a while, but he’s feeling better now so I took him out. Ken tagged along.



Koromaru, stop it! Hahaha! Stop licking me!
Hahaha, it tickles!
Phew… I can see my breath. Aelita-san, aren’t you cold?
Do you want to use my jacket? …It might be a bit small, though.
The promised day is almost here.
I… I’m not going to run anymore. I want you to know that.
> You spoke with Ken for a while…
Woof.
> It seems Koromaru is done playing.
Oh, welcome back, Koromaru.
…Ack, quit it! I told you to stop licking me!
C’mon, let’s go home.
> You decide to go back to the dorm with Koromaru.

12/22/09

Elizabeth called. Thinking back on the last time I heard her voice here almost softened the blow of what I knew she was going to tell me.



Good morning. This is Elizabeth.
I am calling to inform you that another human has strayed into Tartarus.
1 this time, I believe. Please don’t delay in carrying out your rescue.
Goodbye, now.
> The call ended.

Anyway we got even more Edogawa thanks to an illness. This time, though, it was really pretty relevant. Maybe even profound.



Ms. Ounishi left early, so I’ll be teaching today in her place.
I think today we’ll learn about near-death experiences.
…There’s no real reason for it. They’ve just been on my mind.
Now, a near-death experience is defined as something an individual experiences just before death.
Is it true insight into the afterlife? Or simply a trick of the brain?
Opinions vary, but it is true that near-death experiences have been a hotly debated topic for some time.
There are a few surviving records of ancient near-death experiences.
According to the writings of Plato, a resuscitated soldier experienced the afterlife as a spirit.
A similar incident was reported in Japan by ethnologist Kunio Yanagita in the Tono Monogatari.
Psychologist Carl Jung wrote that in his own near-death experience, he saw a vision of the earth from afar.
I’m sure you’ve heard our own stories, from famous or infamous individuals.
I have a few first-hand reports with me today… Let me read you some of them.
“I felt as if my soul was detached from my body.” “I met a friend who had already passed away.”
“I saw my whole life flashing before my eyes…”
“I saw the most brilliant light.” “I was bathed in light.”
“I experienced complete and total happiness.” This is called euphoria.

After all, we’ve been near death rather a lot.



Some have attempted to make direct recordings of near-death experiences.
Researcher Kenneth Ring has tried to quantify near-death experiences with a Weighted Core Experience Index.
Modern efforts have led to a new theory of near-death experiences, which goes like so…
If an individual who is dying denies that fact…
He eventually realizes that death is a reality that he must accept, and becomes angry.
As a result, he’ll try to do anything he can to extend his life.
But the futility of this leads to depression.
In the end, he accepts his fate.
Although we may initially deny death, we’ll accept it in the end. That’s just how we humans are.
…Is everyone listening? It’s not ever day you’ll hear a lesson like this… Eeeheehee.
How about a little test, to prove you were listening…
Get it wrong, and memories of your life at school will disappear… Athah gabor leolam adnai…
Who should I pick…? All right, Aelita, I ask thee.
What is the feeling of happiness in a near-death experience called?
Euphoria.
Good work… That is correct. You’ll have a happy school life.
Some people say a near-death experience awakens one’s higher consciousness.
Whether or not that’s true, there is an observably lower fear of death in those who have been through one.
Perhaps this is because near-death experiences are surprisingly free of pain and suffering.
But this is not to say I’d want any of you to seek one out… Use the time you have here wisely, okay?
…That’s all for today. Class is dismissed.

Even if he is wrong about fighting death being futile. Anyway, Yukari and I swung by the café after school.



I’ve been into drinking it lately, and people have been saying that I’ve gotten cuter lately.
I mean, “Tell me more,” right?
> Yukari laughs merrily…
I-I’m thinking about looking for a boyfriend.
You won’t have a problem.
Y-You think so? Haha… I sure hope so.
> Yukari seems embarrassed…
I’ve been thinking a bit.
Finding someone to care for, and loving them with everything I’ve got…
…And even if I do lose that person someday, I want to be able to cherish that sadness, too.
No, I want to really cherish being with them to the point that I won’t even have time to feel sad when they’re gone…
I mean, no matter how sad I’ll be, my memories of being with them will never disappear.
It doesn’t suddenly make the happiness I felt when I was with them a lie…
Heh… I swore that I’d never get married, but I’m surprised at how my mind’s been changed so suddenly…
I didn’t think it was possible to change that much…
I… like the new me.
Th-Thanks. I think it’s because of you…
> You sense Yukari’s affection…

I’m certain Yukari will find someone like that for herself, though I’ll be pretty jealous if she manages it before I find my own answers in that area.



I’ve been invited to a group date, so I wonder if I should go…
I’ve always declined these offers before, so it feels kind of awkward to suddenly say yes now…
Hmm… But what do you do on a group date…?
…Oh, wanna come with me? I’ll feel more reassured.
…Wait, never mind. Akihiko-senpai will definitely get angry at me.
> You spent time chatting with Yukari…

Speaking of Aki, he is just so bad at this.



I don’t have any plans. Do you?
Nope.
I see… Well, have a good time, then.
You never know how many more holidays we’ll have.

Or maybe he misheard me or something, I don’t know. Anyway, Ken wanted me to take him down to the alley at Port Island. You know, that one…



I’d remember things like what my mom would tell me…
…I think I was scared to remember those things.
I couldn’t handle that I’d never hear them again…
> Ken looks off into the distance and smiles.
Aelita-san…
I’ve always pushed myself to be more than I am, because I wanted to hurry and become an adult.
I never cared about myself or my own feelings…
But, it’s a little different now.
I want to take care of the things I have right now…
That’s how I think when I’m with you…
It slowly dawned on me… This may be what Shinjiro-san was trying to tell me…
I-I want to give you this.
…Please, accept it.
> Obtained Silver Key.
That’s the key to my house.
I m-mean, my house is long gone. But I’ve been holding onto that key all this time.
I’ll hold onto this.

He’s entrusting me with some of his cherished memories of his mother.



> Ken looks serious…
I…
I’ve started thinking about what it means to be “left behind…”
I still think that my mother must’ve had regrets.
She… She died, and left a kid behind, after all.
But I had a lot of good memories about that house.
My mother left them for me…
That key… is filled with those memories.
I wanted to give it to you, because you remind me of those times.
> Ken speaks hesitantly, but you hear the sincerity in his voice.
I… rewrote my essay about my dreams for the future.
I said that I want to be able… to protect the people closest to me.
I want to be able to use my powers the right way.
It’s not just my Persona abilities…
I need to find out what I can personally do for the people I hold dear.
…And I wish that those people will always be able to be happy.
I’m… happy right now.
Thank you… This is all because of everyone, but you most of all.
> Ken nods reassuringly…
> He looks more like an adult than usual…
> His face is truly that of a fine young man.
> You sense a deep bond between yourself and Ken…

There’s a good chance this is as close to being a parent as I’ll ever be. I mean even if we save the world, even if we all survive, who knows what all this has done to me?



I had Death itself sealed inside me, after all.



Aelita-san.
I want to help you and everyone else out more.
I know I’m still unreliable, but I’m sure that there must be something that I can do too…
So please, rely on me more.
> You spent a long time talking with Ken about all sorts of things…

It ended up being too late to head to Tartarus, so we had to delay our rescue a day. Nothing to be done about it, I’m afraid.