Part 221: 1/29/10

1/29/10

Aigis came up to me as class ended, she had something to ask me.



……
Do you have time later today?
There is something I would like to tell you…
I’m not sure if I can explain it very well… but…
> Aigis is blushing slightly.
Thank you very much.
…U-Um…
I would like to… show you my room.
I would like you to see how I live, and… um…
> ……
> You decided to go to Aigis’s room.

So, we headed down to her room.



Oh, um… Please don’t worry.
The shells on the floor are only blanks. There is no gunpowder in them…
S-So, what do you think of my room? …Are you surprised?
To be honest… I was hesitant to invite you here.
I have no heartwarming or pleasant decorations…
It’s hard to believe that I once thought this room was normal…
> Aigis looks embarrassed…
But that’s why I wanted to show it to you.
As you can see from the décor, I’m a machine…
That used to make me sad…
…But I figured something out.
There’s something only I can say, because I am unable to die.
What is it?

She… made me a promise.



No matter how or when your life comes to an end…
At that moment, I will be at your side…
You will… remain in my heart.
O-Oh yes… Um…
Will you accept this?
> Aigis gave you something.
> Obtained Charred Screw.
It is… one of the parts that had to be replaced after I collapsed at the Moonlight Bridge.
I asked Mitsuru-san to have it sent here.
I have… changed, since then.

And she gave me a part of her.



I’ll fight by your side and protect you…
This is the proof… I wanted you to hold onto it.
It’s… a part of me.
If to live means to spend time with people you’ve forged relationships with…
Then… I want my relationship with you to be the strongest of all.
My connection to you is my reason for living…
The thing that’s most precious to me… is to be at your side.
> Aigis has an innocent smile upon her face.
> You sense a strong bond with Aigis…

It’s really only fair.



Since she took my heart.



Aelita-san…
I, um… actually have one more favor to ask…
At the base of my neck, behind the knot of the ribbon…
My most important component is located there.
The source of the artificial psyche that makes me who I am…
My emotional engine… the “Papillon Heart.”
It’s extremely delicate, so I am forbidden to expose it outside of the laboratory’s clean room…
I… want you to touch it.
If exposed to your skin oils and cells, your genetic information will most likely be burnt into it.
Even so… I want you to do this.
I want to leave indelible proof in this body of the understanding that you and I have reached…
Not as a memory that can be erased, but as something permanent… Something irrevocable.
> Aigis is gazing at you intently…

And I guess now I’ve left a mark on hers, literally.



Ah…
I’m so happy…
Well then…
> Aigis slowly lied down on the floor…
Oh, umm…
Since you’ll be coming into direct contact with my heart, I…
I apologize in advance if I say something odd, or make unusual noises…
As a precaution, I will cut off motor functions to my arms and legs.
> Aigis seems embarrassed…
Well then, umm…
Will you… untie my ribbon?
> You spent a long time with Aigis.

I think I’m ready now.



The weather’s still cold.
…How are you feeling?
There are only two days left, so you should rest if you need to.
You don’t want to get sick now.
…Spring will soon be here.

I can feel a whole new strength rising up inside me.



Well, well…
It seems that you’ve discovered each of the social links, and formed strong bonds with them all.
In order to have gotten on so well, with so many different people… You must have worn many faces…
Perhaps you’ll find this useful, since you seem to be able to adopt any sort of face…
A cipher like you…
…should have this.
> Obtained Colorless Mask.
With it, you’ll be able to summon… that Persona…
I’m interested to see what kind of Persona results from this… I’ll be looking forward to it.

Well, not entirely new…



Orpheus Telos: I am Orpheus, master of strings…

Sometimes everything old is new again.



> Everyone is playing… On the jungle gym, on the slide, on the benches…
> They are all talking and laughing with youthful spirits.
Huh? Clothes shopping… with me?
Ssh! Not so loud.
Ooh, that sounds great. Let’s go together next time, Mitsuru-senpai.
Go right, Fuuka. Run around to the right.
O-Okay… Huh?
That’s left…! Oh, I meant my right.
Um… Why don’t you just climb the jungle gym?
What? I’m not going to go down the slide head-first. My clothes’ll get all dirty…
…When I was your age, we used to have competitions to see who could slide down in the funnest way.
Like how…?
N-No, Akihiko-san, please don’t take your shirt off…!
Paw.
Woof.
…”Paw” is the command given to ask the dog to put his paw out, then?
Woof.
I see.
> The day of the final battle draws near…
> Everyone is having fun, as if trying to make the most of this moment…
> You spent a pleasant evening with them…