Part 8: April 16: The Killer Strikes Again

Yo!


I couldn't tell who it was, but if someone's shown up on TV, we can't ignore it. Let's go check it out after school. Maybe Teddie can tell us something.
If it turns out someone was thrown in again, there really might be a culprit behind all this. Even if it is something about that place that's killing the victims...If someone's using that world as a weapon, that's unforgivable.

-New Days-

We need to find the culprit...no matter what it takes! There's no way the police can do it...Who'd believe that the murderer kills people by throwing them into the TV?
Let's bring an end to this.
Yeah...I agree.
You know, I tried sticking my head in the TV last night, the way you did, and it actually worked.
I think I can do that now because I have the same power...Persona, wasn't it? Could be that we got this gift from someone specifically so we could solve the case. Then again, you managed to go inside the TV and get your Persona first...
I feel like, as long as you're with me, I can find the culprit and crack this case. Well, let's do our best!



> You sense a faint stirring of friendship between you and Yosuke...

-Strength of Heart-

Here's the game's first Social Link.



As you spend your days dicking around in Inaba, you'll run into people who will allow you to meddle in their lives in some way. These bonds offer lots of different benefits--some come with social stat boosts, or a salary. Social Links with other Persona users will help make them stronger fighters. At this first rank, Yosuke now has a chance to pull a Downed teammate back onto their feet at the start of his turn in combat.



The Magician: first of the Major Arcana or trump cards in a tarot deck. In tarot readings, Magician signifies action, initiative, creativity, and the conscious mind--aspects of Yang, the masculine principle.






Um, about yesterday--we're sorry we worried you...
Never mind that. Is Yukiko still not here?
Huh? Y-Yukiko-san? Uh...no? At least, I haven't seen her today.
Oh man...What should I do? Hey, is that stuff you were talking about for real? You know, all that about how people showing up on the Midnight Channel is related to that other world.
Oh, we were just talking about that. We're thinking of checking it out later--

-Who's There?-

The person on TV yesterday...I think it was Yukiko. That kimono looked like the one she wears at the inn, and she wore it during that interview a few days ago too. I got worried, so I emailed here last night, but she hasn't responded. I called her earlier in the evening though, and she said she'd be at school today. I-I...
Calm down. We get the picture. And you still haven't heard from her?
No...

> You summed up the information you gained in that other world for Chie.

What's that supposed to mean? Wait, are you saying...Yukiko was thrown in there!?
We don't know yet for sure. We should check to see if she's safe first. Give her another call.


S-She's not answering...
Are you serious? Then is Yukiko-san inside that place?
S-Stop it! Something must've come up, like an errand or something...
Oh, or she might be helping at the inn! She wouldn't be able to answer her cell if that's it!
Yeah, but would she skip school for that?
W-Well, I'll give the inn a call. Umm...I've got the number here somewhere...
C'mon, Yukiko...Pick up...
Oh, is this Yukiko!? Thank god, she's there!
Uh-huh...Uh-huh, I see...Ah, uh. Nah, it was nothing, haha. I'll email you again later...*sigh* She was over at the inn. She said they had a big group reservation and she had to help out. Yeah...Now that I think about it, this has happened before, too. At least once a year. She said she'll be at the inn tomorrow, too.
Oh, for crying out loud, Yosuke! You got me worried over nothing! She was totally fine!
And you were all, "Is Yukiko-san inside that place...?" Hmph.
S-Sorry...But there is a reason we thought that.
Oh yeah? What?
Well...we thought people show up on the Midnight Channel because they're already over in that world. I mean, it makes sense, right? People show up on TV because they're inside the TV. But Yukiko-san's still here, in our world. We might want to see what this is about. Alright, let's meet up at Junes after school.

-Junes Theme-



The advantage of having a silent protagonist. Thank you, Persona 4, for simply summing all this crap up today.

O-Okay, I think that's more than enough about my sorry escapades.
"Seriously, it wasn't just ordinary crying, he was all like A BLOO BLOO BLOO, A BLOO BLOO--"
If I hadn't seen the place first hand...I'd never have believed a story like that.
Yeah, no kidding. Anyways, we need to know what's going on inside...
How? By talking to that Teddie guy?
Yeah. Too bad there's so many customers around...I forgot there's a sale in the electronics department today.
I got it! C'mere a sec.

-New Days-


Hey Chie, stand over here. Make a wall with me.
A wall?



> Something bit you!


Shhh! Not so loud, you idiot!
D-Dude, is that a bite mark!? Are you okay!?
I'm fine.
That's good...Sheesh, that stupid bear must've done it.
Hey, you! We know you're in there!


No, it's not a game! Can you sense anyone inside there right now?
Who's "anyone"? I'm a lonely little bear like always. This land feels so bear-ren...
Shut it!
So there's no one inside? You're sure?
I-I'm not lying! My nose is running as good as ever!
...I'm gonna go warn Yukiko anyway.
Since she'll be busy this weekend helping out at the inn, I doubt she'd go anywhere alone, but still...
Yeah...You'll walk with her to school on Monday, right?
Sure, I'll go pick her up at her house.
Maybe we'll find out more on tonight's Midnight Channel. Cross your fingers that this is all a misunderstanding...What's your cell number? I'll call you when I watch it tonight.


Alright, don't forget to watch tonight.

> Was it really Yukiko who appeared last night? You need to watch the Midnight Channel again tonight...

-Deduction-


And we've still got nothing that points directly to a suspect...
We don't even know if this is a homicide.
Well, what else could it be? There's no way a body could end up like that by accident!
...I know. We haven't found the cause of death for the first vic, and now we've got a second one just like it. If this is a murder case, there's no doubt we're dealing with a single perp. But if that's true...what the hell is going on?
You know, I thought at first this all spun out of that love triangle.
No. That singer--Misuzu Hiiragi--has a solid alibi. She was performing overseas, and her phone records prove it. And remember, the only reason the scandal went public was because Hiiragi herself broke it to the media. No one would put themselves under suspicion that way if they had murder on their mind.
Got a point there...
Same with Taro Namatame, her husband. No matter how much we shake him down, nothing links him to the murders. He's been working in the city for the past six months. Seems he was here recently because of the scandal, but he was swamped with work back home at the time of the incident. There are eyewitnesses and other evidence placing him at his office the night that Mayumi Yamano died. And we can't find anything that shows Yamano making contact with Namatame before or after her disappearance...
You hear Namatame's career has also been killed stone dead? He's been fired from his position as secretary. He's practically as much of a victim as the Yamano girl.
Yeah, I agree. Then we have the second case, regarding Saki Konishi. She's the one who discovered Yamano's corpse...But I don't buy the killer shutting her up as a possible motive. She was killed well after she reported the body, and the culprit didn't hide her. It's like they were meant to be found. The only other connection is that she attended the same school as the daughter of the inn where Yamano was holed up. But that hardly points to a motive. Coincidences like that are common in a town as small as ours.
Yeah...I heard about that angle on the news, too.
What!? Is the story about the inn out already?
Okay, I got it! How's this? Maybe there was something about the corpse that only Saki Konishi knew! And our perp killed her to keep whatever it was from leaking out!
...Either way, all we can do now is keep investigating anyone involved with the victims. Our perp...It has to be someone in Inaba.
YEEEAAAAAAAAwait hang on sorry
Ooh, is your detective's intuition at work?



Sure enough...



...the worst happens.


Good evening!! Tonight, Princess Yukiko has a big surprise--I'm gonna go score myself a hot stud! Welcome to "Not a Dream, Not a Hoax"--Princess Yukiko's hunt for her Prince Charming! And I came prepared: I've got my lacy unmentionables on, stacked from top to bottom! I'm out to catch a whole harem, and the best of the lot is gonna be all mine! Well--here I goooo!





-Zone Time-


That was Yukiko-san for sure! It looked like her--I mean, she even said her name! But didn't the stuff she was saying sound weird!?
And she looked like she was on some low-budget TV show...Was it like this before, too? What's going on!?
Try to contact Chie.
Y-You're right! Let's get her to contact Yukiko-san! Tomorrow's Sunday, so let's meet up at Junes first thing in the morning!

> You promised to meet up with Yosuke tomorrow...You decide to go to bed early tonight.
Geez, Gramps, it's not even 1 o'clock.