Part 121: February 1: The Best Way to Avenge a Death

-Snowflakes-


Brr...It's so damn cold. Can't believe it's February already!
Oh, you know how exams are next week? What do you say we go skiing this time for real once that's all over?
We do have those holidays coming up, after all. You've gotta see what Inaba has in the winter!
Are the others free?
I asked around, and everyone seems like they're free. They all said their schedules were open, anyway! Hehe, it'll be this winter's last hurrah! Let's use this to say goodbye to those exams, too! I'll shoot you an email once the plans are nailed down. Make sure you don't catch another cold, okay?

-Specialist-


Ms. Sofue: Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to sigh...When I see a snowy landscape, I just can't get those beautiful pyramids out of my head...Huh? Don't tell me you don't know what the pyramids really used to look like...You don't, do you, Mr. Genjo?


White.
Ms. Sofue: Good for you. Yes, the pyramids were white. The pyramids, when first built, were covered in beautiful white limestone casing stones. However, the outer limestone was stolen, revealing what it looks like now. When I see a white landscape, I can't help but think of that tragic history. Those robbers! If I was there then, I would have cursed them! Hoho, just kidding.

-Junes Theme-

The shadow world has one last challenge before we head into the endgame, and Sanzo's friends all have shiny new Personas to break in. Let's ride.


I'm glad that Nanako-chan's all better!
Yeah, seeing her so cheerful puts my concerns to rest. It looks like she's truly better.
She had a lot of fun playing hide-and-seek, too! We should play again sometime.
I'm down for that! She found me first when we played last time. I need a rematch!
Nana-chan's a genius at finding people! She found me quickly, too!
Wasn't Naoto-kun the last one to be found? Where were you hiding?
M-Me? Well, err...
She was in a refrigerator! Completely untraceable!
N-No wonder you're a detective...
I-I'm sorry! Aside from being a detective, I've always loved hide-and-seek ever since I was a child...
...Advancement exams, huh...I think there was something like that last year, too...
Kanji, do you have the handouts from first semester? From the tests before I transferred here?
Why would I hang onto that stuff? I threw 'em out a long time ago.
Oh, I received them from our teacher. I'll make copies of them later.
Yes! Thanks, Naoto-kun!
Do you need them too, Kanji-kun?
U-Uh...I don't need to rely on stuff like that to pass tests!
Dude, are you guys okay? Don't get so flustered over something like a test.
You'd better pass, and pass it good! Otherwise, we won't be able to enjoy that ski trip over the holiday.
Oh, Yosuke-kun. I brought you the copies you asked for of my notes.
Whoa...! You had to bring that up right now...
Hee! Looks like we might have to worry about Yosuke the most! You'd better not drag everyone down.
This'll be our last surprise chance to do something awesome this winter! I'm gonna make tons of memories with Sensei!
It's not a surprise! We've been planning this thing forever. It's gonna be completely normal.
Then again, we do have to take advantage of Sanzo while he's still here. Let's all pass our tests and have fun!
Let's go, Senpai.

-Studio Backlot-


(Pat its head)

> He seems to be enjoying it...

Oh my...Foxy...Could it be...?
*yip*

> Obtained Lord Flauntleroy.

Really!? You're really giving me this, Foxy? Somebody pinch me! I must be dreaming!
*yip*
Whoah...
I understand exactly what you're trying to tell me! I'll become an amazing prince, beloved by all! A great prince...And once I have everyone's love...I'll be a KING! A PIRATE king!
......
What...!?

Sorry for skipping the vote this time. I had to jump through a few more hoops than usual for today's fighting, and I didn't want to delay things any longer than necessary.

These are the boys' Cheer Squad Outfits:


Hm? Did you change, Senpai? Is that an ouendan costume? You really make that outfit work.
Osu! I changed into a cho-ran! Let's start up a badass rumble!
I feel pretty manly. I haven't worn a hachimaki since field day in grade school.
Your voice is too small and weak! You gotta use your diaphragm, Yosuke!
Shut up, Teddie! Don't yell right in my ear!
Oh yeah, you changed too, Sanzo-kun. Whoa! An ouendan uniform. You must be pumped. You look too good in it. Your Persona kinda looked like this, too.
Should I call you Captain?
Osu! Done changing!
Oh, sorry. Was I too loud?
Wearing this gets me all fired up...I feel super manly when I'm wearing cho-ran!
Hey, you changed too, Senpai.
Ah, a tasuki, long hachimaki, and a cho-ran...That's an ouendan uniform!
It looks amazing! You're the manliest man in the manliverse!
Osu! I might start calling you Captain!
Look at me now! I'm part of a Japanese cheering squad! Go! Go! Sensei! Ei! Yah! Toh!
Ugh...You actually look too cute.
Hehehehe...I'll capture the hearts of everyone watching TV!
You changed outfits, Sensei!
Wow, you mean business, wearing the hachimaki and everything.
It looks great, Sensei. It kinda reminds me of your first Persona.
Oh, the memories...

This is Chie's Track Suit, Yukiko's Ceremonial Kimono, and Naoto's Detective Costume. The last two are brand new for me. It turns out Croco Fur gets new stock as late as today! I tend to forget about side stuff when the shit hits the fan in early November.


Hiyah! Look! Don't I look awesome!? This is great! You totally understand me. This outfit is classic Chie! Oh yeah, you changed too, Sanzo-kun.
Wow, that look really suits you. Were you in the ouendan at your last school?
If you were to cheer me on, I'd feel so pumped! Fiiiiiight!
Oh, I changed into a tomesode. This is pretty formal.
Hehe, tomesode are much more formal than the kimonos I usually wear. This makes me feel more mature.
Oh, how do you like your new outfit, Sanzo-kun?
A tasuki, and hachimaki...That must be an ouendan uniform!
You look perfect in it. I'd love to wear that. I've always wanted to walk around with a hachimaki on my head like that.
Oh, this is a detective outfit. A deerstalker hat, and an inverness coat...The trademark attire of Sherlock Holmes.
I loved Holmes so much as a child. I didn't think I'd be wearing his outfit now...You know me well. Thank you for giving me this outfit to wear.
You have changed your attire as well. That's a choran, a longer gakuran. I wonder...Is it supposed to be an ouendan outfit?
It suits you very well. You have a Persona that looks similar, right?
Perhaps you look good in it because it resembles your heart.

-Burn My Dread: Reincarnation-

Golden Chains and Orichalcum are both on the sixth level of the Magatsu Mandala.






Feel that mighty wind!



Youthful Wind heals about 170 HP.






This is how a man does it!



There's a brief traditional-flute-and-drum sting, and then enemies randomly fall over. Or not.








Let's see what pops out!





Kamui Miracle will randomly:
--Restore all HP and SP;
--Inflict Down and/or Dizzy;
--Inflict other ailments;
--Do nothing.

It will randomly target all allies, all enemies, or everybody.




Underestimate me? This is what you get!
I'm gonna power up to reach new heights in the Legend of Teddie! First off, since we're dealing with Shadows...I'm gonna Shadow box!
...Teehee.
Mmmm, it's nice not to be so pressured. But we'll be in trouble if we let our guard down against the Shadows. If you get tired, Senpai, we should go back to the entrance right away!




All right! Let's keep going!
Heheh. It's kinda...nice. All this stuff about getting stronger, and protecting the town and junk...




The Teddie Legend never dies!
Oh yeah, just so you know--Things've been going pretty well between me and Naoki-kun lately. He's been by Junes a bunch. He keeps saying how crappy the food is while stuffing his mouth. You should come next time too. Let's all grab some grub together!











WE'RE PAINTING THE ROSES RED





























Alright, I can't watch any more of this.







Fortunately Sanzo and Rise can still get things done.




Haaaaww-WAtaa!
A world inside the TV...Why would such a place exist?
You tend to forget, with the glasses on, but the fog's as thick as ever...It's kind of mysterious.




Well done, everyone!

After every twenty-one chests you open, you'll start to hear eerie rattling chains echoing through the dungeon. If you open another small chest without leaving your current floor, you have a chance to see this:



> Open this box?

(Hell yes)
What's this? I have a really bad feeling about this...You shouldn't open that! You got that, Senpai? Don't ever open that!

> Will you really open it?



> Something jumped out of the box!





Greet the Reaper.



The Reaper is level 85, and can do pretty much whatever he likes: Dynes, physicals, Hamaon/Mudoon, Element Break, all sorts of stuff. I've stumbled on him twice before now, and had my ass completely handed to me both times.

This time, however, the ass will be in my hands.


























An act of self-defense!




Don't think! Feel!





One slight downside to Shield of Justice: it takes precedence over the kids' immunities. Chie already nulls Light on her own, but now her shield is gone and she's vulnerable to whatever the Reaper does next.
















Turn to scarlet!






Truly magnificent!

Wait, that's it? That was three lousy rounds! I only attacked four times! (I used Burning Petals twice, but the pictures of the first attack came out crappy.)

Sure, I wanted to win and all, but that was just pitiful.





The Totsuka-no-tsurugi--Izanagi's very own "Ten-Span Sword." This is the strongest basic attack Sanzo can ever get. Since I use basic attacks maybe once or twice a day, this divine blade is still crap compared to Sanzo's trusty shovel.

The Reaper can drop very powerful weapons for all the kids. He also drops Godly Robes, armor which grants +10 to all stats, and very rarely the Omnipotent Orb, an accessory which nulls all elements except Almighty. You can farm the Reaper if you're patient. After four failed attempts to open 22 chests and pull him out today, I am not patient. Besides, we have a schedule to keep.


*siiiigh* I think I'm running low on beef...I wanna go to Aiya. I crave their meaty qing jiao rou si!

I feel the need to recap here.

--I spent an hour combing the first five floors of the Magatsu Mandala for monsters that only appear on the sixth floor.
--Meanwhile, I leveled up that shiny bird Persona, Horus, to access his card skill, Absorb Wind. Right after the battle where he got it, Shuffle Time gave me an Absorb Wind card.
--I also looked for the Reaper, because I read once that he shows up more frequently in the Mandala. As far as I can tell, this is not true.
--Eventually I gave up on that and found a trick where you count out twenty opened chests, save your game, then go to the fifth floor of Yukiko's Castle, which always has two chests. This trick still took ten reloads to work.
--All told, the Reaper took another hour to find, and five minutes to defeat. He dropped 1,300 yen, and a sword that is useless to me.
--After that, I got my brain back in gear and finally found where all the Solemn Machines and Minotaur IIs were hiding. Slapstick ensued, as documented above.
--It turns out Golden Chains and Orichalcum are standard loot. I could have completed those quests the moment I got them.

I just...I can't. If I wasn't trying to stick to Persona music substitutions, I would definitely have used Yakety Sax for today's debacle.



> It's from Teddie...

Sensei!
Moviesmoviesmoievsmoovesmoovs
Thereee's a nEw 1 outtt i Want 2 seeeee!
It's cAlled Orso Rosso!
I haerd the name n waz all
"O YEH! I GOTZ 2 SEE THIS"
If you Ever wanT to see it, tell ME n I'Ll go w/ you!