Part 16: Entry Thirteen: June 16, 2009

Entry Thirteen: June 16, 2009

Mood: Social!
Music: When The Moon's Reaching Out Stars

I never thought I'd say this, but it's really great to have some time off from fighting monsters from another dimension. I've been doing a lot of socializing lately, so let's talk about that some, faithful blog of mine.



For instance, I ran into Yukari going into school the day after the full moon.

Yukari: Do you think Mitsuru-senpai saved Fuuka because it was the right thing to do, or was it just because she's a Persona-user and we need her? Well, whether or not she joins us is up to her...sorry to bring this up out of the blue.

Fuuka's been on all our minds lately. She doesn't really seem like the type who'd enjoy doing the sort of thing we do in SEES.



After school that day, I went to go see if I'd finally gotten rich.

Man: I have some unfortunate news regarding your investment. Things are not running as smoothly as planned. It still has the potential to turn a profit, but...I would require an additional 10,000 Yen to get things back on track. Are you willing to increase your investment by this amount?

Well, of course I was.

Man: I'll be in touch once your fortune has been made.

It's not like we're short on money, what with it being strewn about everywhere in Tartarus.



Afterwards, I went to go hang out with Bebe at Fashion Club.



He wasn't talking too much, so I got the feeling something was up with him.



Bebe: Uh...last night...my dear aunt...was taken away by ze angels!

Bebe was on the verge of tears, so I tried to get him to calm down.



Bebe: S-sorry, gomenasai...she was ze reason I was able to come to Japan...and now, she 'as been taken away...she 'elped me so much, and I could not do anything for 'er...I was 'olding zis inside...because I know zat crying will not 'elp...



Ugh, seeing him like that made me want to just take his hand an--...




...and engage in some manly arm wrestling to get his mind off his troubles.





Of course.

Bebe: Sorry, gomenasai. I can't work today. Sayonara...

I went back to the dorm after that.



Yukari met me as I came in.

Yukari: Mitsuru-senpai and Akihiko-senpai are going to the hospital to see Fuuka today. I wonder how she's doing...

Since Mitsuru was out, we couldn't go to Tartarus, so I went to the cafe instead. I think I'm getting horribly addicted to that Pheromone Coffee.



Speaking of Mitsuru, I ran into her the next day before school.

Mitsuru: You might like to know that Yamagishi and Moriyama are healing up well. We'll need to invite Yamagishi to the dorm and explain what happened. We could definitely use her help.



After school that day, I went to hang out with Yuko for awhile, since I figured too much Bebe at once would result in fanciness poisoning. Yuko mentioned she was tired, so I asked what was up.



Yuko: But seriously, I have been feeling kind of down lately...Mr. Ekoda wanted to speak with me. He wanted to know why I turned in a blank quiz.




I was about to assure Yuko that I had absolutely no issues with the length of her skirt, then add that perhaps it was in fact too long, but she kept on going.

Yuko: Who cares about Classic Literature anyway?! Besides, I didn't do anything wrong! Right, Minato-kun?!

I know the right answer to that kind of question: agree without fail.



Yuko: Doesn't he realize we're only teenagers?! Now's the time to enjoy life! Who cares about stories by a bunch of dead guys?! Maybe I should be a science major. Then I wouldn't have to take Classic Literature...wait! Then I'd have to take Physics!



Yuko: My reputation as an "intellectual" would be ruined!

Once again: agree without fail!



Yuko: I didn't mean to trick you! ...Is my nose getting longer? You're so gullible...you shouldn't believe everything people say.



Yuko: Three pages?! Is he serious?! What does he expect me to say?! But I guess I have no choice if I want to graduate. Otherwise I'll have to repeat his class. I can't wait to celebrate graduation with everyone, especially the team...and you too, Minato-kun. Or am I getting ahead of myself?



Woohoo! Foot in the door, baby!




I guess Junpei was right...





...I really AM "da man"! Or I would be if my life wasn't such a goddamn mess.



Junpei met me at the door that night. Fuuka was the topic of conversation once again.

Junpei: Man, I wonder when she'll be ready to come along...
Yukari: Hey, don't just assume that she'll be joining us...I hope they're not trying to push her into it.



The next day in class, I got a text message from Akihiko.

Fuuka is being released from the hospital. We'll talk to her this evening. Come to the command room as soon as you get back.




Before I went to do that, though, I decided to hang with Chihiro after school.



Chihiro and I went to the library to study.

Chihiro: I was chosen for this job without my consent...I never asked to be Treasurer...b-but if I didn't join Student Council, I never would've met you, right?!



I wonder if it's a bad sign that I felt myself reaching for my Evoker. All this monster hunting has given me a little bit of an aggressive streak.

Chihiro: I'm sorry...
Student: If you're gonna flirt with each other, do it outside.




Dicks. Library macking privileges should be open to everyone, not just them.

Girl: Hey, not so loud...
Boy: C'mon, gimme a kiss! Please...
Girl: You're so annoying...okay, fine.



Chihiro: Wh-where do they think they are?!

I said they were rude, but I meant that I should be free to flirt with Chihiro as much as I please in the library...



...and I think she didn't understand that I meant it that way.



Student: I say this as a member of Student Council...that kind of behavior shouldn't be tolerated at school! Let's discuss this in our next meeting! If you're on my side, Minato-san, then I have nothing to fear!




Shit. I wonder if I can get a Persona that can unlock chastity belts.





Didn't Zeus fuck everything that moves? Yeah, that'd work. At least I seem to be getting somewhere with her.

Anyway, I headed back to the dorm for the evening after studying with Chihiro and getting massively cockblocked.



Fuuka, the Chairman, and the others were there discussing recent events.




Fuuka reminded me quite a bit of Chihiro.

Ikutsuki: Everyone, you did an excellent job uncovering the truth. I also wanted to let you know that the three girls have regained consciousness.
Fuuka: What a relief...
Ikutsuki: From what I understand, they each came to school around midnight and waited for the security guard to leave. They were attacked by Shadows near the gate, as the Dark Hour began. However, the facts became twisted because of rumors concerning a ghost story.



Fuuka: It's all my fault...
Yukari: Are you kidding? You were the victim!
Fuuka: But I made so many people worry...
Yukari: Hey, don't think like that.



(Or if that leprechaun found out I was sleeping with his sister and cursed me again. Fuck Swift Strike.)

Mitsuru: You saved our lives. You should feel good about yourself. You have a special power that you can use to help others.



Mitsuru: We call it "Persona". You could be a tremendous help to us. Will you lend us your strength?
Fuuka: Are you asking me to join you...? Mitsuru-senpai...
Yukari: You know, we're not trying to pressure you, so if you need some time to think about it...



Yukari: A-are you sure?! If you join, you'll have to live here...
Fuuka: That's fine. I'd rather live here than at home anyway...
Mitsuru: We really appreciate this. We'll have the school talk to your parents, to resolve any issues.
Fuuka: Thank you.
Yukari: Wait a minute, aren't we dragging her into this a bit fast?
Fuuka: Um, it's okay really...



Ikutsuki: We still don't know where they're coming from, but Akihiko is right about one thing...their appearances seem to coincide with the full moon. We'll take that into consideration from now on.
Junpei: So they're kinda like werewolves then, huh?
Akihiko: It's a big advantage to know when to expect them. Now, on the day of the fight we'll be ready to get in the ring.
Yukari: ...

We talked awhile longer, explaining about Shadows and Personas to Fuuka, then headed off to bed while Akihiko and Mitsuru took Fuuka home.



I ran into Yukari the next morning before class.

Yukari: Hey, Minato-kun...what do you think about Fuuka?

Well, she's sorta cute...



Yukari: Doesn't it seem like she was kind of forced into joining us? I hope she'll be okay...



I was pretty tired during class, so I dozed off. As usual, I had a vision in my sleep. This time it was of events right next door, none of which were all that significant...yay, I can spy on girls gossiping with my magical powers. Clearly I'm the next Gandalf.

Girl: Ekoda's in hot water
Other Girl: What'd he do?
Girl: I don't know, but it must be serious. Sexual harassment, maybe?
Other Girl: Hahaha, I can totally see that!



Other Girl: Quiet, she can hear you!
Fuuka: Um...



Fuuka: Moriyama-san?
Natsuki: I heard you started living in the dorms.
Fuuka: Y-yeah...
Natsuki: You seem so depressed...



Natsuki: You could probably use a friend, huh?
Fuuka: Moriyama-san...
Natsuki: Oh, come on. Just call me Natsuki.
Fuuka: ...Thank you.

Yeah, I'm glad I got a mysterious psychic vision about this. Woo.



I went to Fashion Club that day, but nothing special really happened.



Afterwards, I went back to the dorm as they were moving Fuuka in. I tried to sneak up and take a peek in Fuuka's room, but Mitsuru saw me and threatened to "punish" me...I figured it wouldn't be the good kind, so back downstairs I went until bed.



That night, during the Dark Hour...



...that weird boy showed up again.



Boy: It doesn't seem so certain, considering the vast potential within you. As a matter of fact, your seems to have changed quite a bit.



I told the mysterious teleporting ghost child that we could be friends. Have I mentioned my life is a goddamn mess recently?

I did mention that if we were gonna be friends, it'd help if I knew what his name was.



Boy: Oh, I see, I need a name...



Pharos: You may call me that if you wish.




Wait, what?




Well, I guess it's not as weird as the online game thing.



Pharos: I'm already looking forward to our next meeting.

And with that, he was gone.



The next morning, I was a little sleep-deprived from making friends with creepy little kids during an hour that doesn't actually exist. Also I ran into Mitsuru.

Mitsuru: Yamagishi will be living in the dorm with us, and starting tonight, she'll be providing us with support during battle. So now I can rejoin the front line. You can depend on me - even though I'm a bit out of practice, I will soon return to my prior form.

It's always nice to have extra people with sharp things around to watch your back.



After school that day, I hung out with Yuko again.

Yuko: Even though I eat lunch everyday, I still get hungry after practice. I consider this an early dinner...I'll still eat dinner when I get home, though. I really have to stop eating between meals, or I'll gain tons of weight once I'm not so busy with the team. Hey Minato-kun, do you think I eat too much?

What I like about Yuko is that she always makes her loaded questions very, very obvious. I said no.



She didn't really look like a fatty to me or anything, especially after meeting Nozomi.



Yuko: You live in the dorm, right Minato-kun? Not to pry, but...you must love being around good-looking girls like Mitsuru and Yukari...

Well, that's true, but they can also kill me with the power of their minds if I get on their bad side, so it kinda balances out. I told Yuko I thought she was cuter than them, though to be honest that's certainly up for debate.



I guess that coffee really does work! It's worth twitching constantly due to caffeine overdose.



Er, that's not a great idea...

Yuko: If I bump into her a few years from now at the Paulownia Mall, I'll tell her then.

Oh, whew.



Yuko: ...I've decided! I'm gonna stop eating between meals! My first goal is to tone up my arms! Did you hear that, Minato-kun? You're my witness.




Y'know, I wonder...





...if I got Nozomi to make a resolution like that, would I get two ranks? It's worth a try sometime.



Back at the dorm after I said goodbye to Yuko, I got a cell phone call.



It was Elizabeth from the Velvet Room letting me know I could go further in Tartarus. Nice to know, but I didn't feel like acting on it just yet.



Fuuka greeted me at the door.

Fuuka: Um, since I'll be substituting for Mitsuru-senpai from now on...just tell me if you want to go to Tartarus. I'll do my best.




Since Fuuka was going to be handling support, Mitsuru was now free to join us in battle. She uses one-handed swords, which bothers me a little because I feel like a poser now.



Mitsuru's Persona is Penthesilea...kinda makes sense that she's an Amazon queen. Penthesilea uses Ice-based magic and resists it, but is weak to Fire. Mitsuru seems to be focused around attack skills, though she can heal as well, meaning she'll be great to have around most of the time.

(And I really mean MOST of the time, because she also learns a variety of status effect spells and has a tendency to use them at irritatingly inappropriate moments. At the same time, her magic damage is comparable only to Minato's, so it's usually worth the annoyance to have her around.)



Fuuka herself can't actually fight...



...because her Persona Lucia isn't appropriate for it. Instead of mainfesting above her head when summoned like our Personas do, Lucia manifests a protective globe around Fuuka from which she can scan our enemies for us. This obviously would hinder her movement in battle, so we're just going to let her handle support.

(Fuuka doesn't use weapons, though you can't change her equipment so it's not like it matters anyway. She does level up, though, gaining experience as Minato does; Lucia even has stats, though they don't do anything. Fuuka also gains new support skills as she levels, and they tend to be extremely useful.)



We didn't go to Tartarus that night; I decided I wanted to take a break for a bit instead, and ended up spending the next day playing Innocent Sin Online.



Nothing much happened, though. (I hate it when this happens.)



I ran into Yukari the next day before class.

Yukari: So I guess it's true that fewer cases of Apathy Syndrome occur after each of our missions, but then that changes again as we get closer to a full moon. By the way, Minato-kun, what do you think about Mitsuru-senpai?)

Well, she's kinda cu--



Oh.

Yukari: Don't you think she sort of pushed Fuuka into joining? I know it's nice to have her around, especially in battle, but...it just feels wrong.



After school that day, I remembered my investment and went back to talk to the man who talks like a woman at Port Island Station.

Man: We ran into a bit of a snag again. Some of the other investors decided to drop out...since there's fewer investors, each person's profits will be even bigger! Do you mind investing a bit more? Just 10,000 Yen more. That should be plenty!

...Well, hell, why not?



Man: Have you not yet realized that you are being decieved? Everything I've said has clearly been suspicious! ...Ignorance should be a crime. Sure, you have some positive qualities, but if you remain so naive, everyone will take advantage of you.



Well, I was already learning: this guy himself seemed suspicious.



Wait, he did look kinda familiar...




Oh, THAT was it.



He handed me his business card: President and Executive Producer Tanaka



I could barely restrain myself from using my Evoker to pistol whip him for implanting his fucking song in my head.



Oh, that's fine, I'll just go into the enormous school-dungeon full of horrible tentacled monstrosities and make more. No sweat.



Tanaka went over and sat on a park bench, then started mumbling to himself as if I wasn't even there.

Tanaka: That little brat! Doesn't he realize he's in the presence of a star?! I should have charged him extra for that autograph signing...

I asked him what he was talking about, adding that internal monologues are usually, y'know, internal.



Tanaka: D-did you overhear me talking to myself? You'll forget it ever happened if you know what's good for you. I belong to a powerful talent agency. I'm practically a celebrity...I have an image to maintain. Don't even think about telling someone "He took my money!" or "He called me a little brat!" Capiche?!

I told him I got it...



...and he kept on acting weird.

Tanaka: Silly me! I've let you in on my secret, haven't I? Tee hee hee. Don't tell anyone, okay?! Please! I'll lick your shoes clean if you want me to!

I agreed to this...



...but he thought I was agreeing to not tell anybody. I actually wanted him to lick my shoes.

Tanaka: A verbal agreement is considered a contract, and I'll sue your pants off if you breach ours! I've got your adorable little face etched into my memory.




Hey, wait! I don't want a Link with this guy! He's creepy!




...My life is a goddamn mess.

Tanaka: You're a diamond in the rough, my boy. All you need is a little polishing and you'll sparkle. I usually take my breaks here. I'd be happy to mold your young mind whenever you wish.

I went back to the dorm and hit the sack after that, wishing I could meet someone normal just once.



Speaking of people who aren't normal, today after school I had Fashion Club with Bebe.



We ended up going out to eat afterwards.



Bebe: I was able to come 'ere because of my aunt, but...my uncle did not agree wiz ze decision! He eez yelling at me to come 'ome now, like ze mafia. If I go 'ome...my uncle might never let me return 'ere!




Oh lord.

Bebe: But no matter 'ow 'ard I try to convince him, 'e will not listen. I 'ave got to know you well, Minato-sama...I cannot say "Sayonara" like this!




What country is this guy from, anyway?





He sounds American to me. Wonder if I'm right.

Anyway, I'm back home after hanging with Bebe, blogging like a villain. Before I go though, I've got a few questions for you all...

First, I need a new weapon. One-handed swords are getting boring, and Mitsuru already uses them. You guys should pick something else! The police station currently sells two-handed swords, bows, and fist weapons.

Also, which links should I work on now? Here's the list:

Magician: Kenji, the classmate
Chariot: Kazushi, the track star
Hierophant: Bunkichi and Mitsuko, the bookstore properietors
Emperor: Hidetoshi, the head of the disciplinary committee
Hermit: Maya, the MMORPG player
Temperance: Bebe, the foreigner
Hanged Man: Miako, the grade schooler
Justice: Chihiro, the treasurer
Moon: Nozomi, the Gourmet King
Strength: Yuko, the Track Team manager
Devil: Tanaka, the "celebrity"
???: The thin boy in the striped shirt

Coming up in the next entry: Linkage, plus some Tartarus action!