Part 15: April 30: II. The High Priestess

Yukiko's back!

-New Days-


Feeling better?
Y-Yeah. I'll be coming back to school again, so...That'll be nice.
I caused everyone some real trouble. I'm sorry.
No, "sorry" isn't quite right. What I mean to say is, thank you.

> Yukiko seems more cheerful than before.

My mother's back to work already. The maids are being really supportive, and I think things are going even smoother than before.
I wonder if I was trying too hard. I may have been caught up in the idea that I had to do everything myself.
Ever since the incident...I feel like I can think about these things more calmly.
B-But...it's still kind of embarrassing. You guys saw everything. Even the things I didn't want to admit...
That's only one part of you.
I'd like to believe that.
Yukiko!
Oh, it's Chie!
Well, I'll talk to you later.

> Yukiko has come back as energetic as ever. It's a good thing you were able to save her...

-Specialist-


Mr. Yamada: Ooops! I mean, all of you are cute! No, really! Er, please, don't tell your parents that I said that, will ya? I don't wanna get in trouble. Ahem, anyway, I have an interesting topic for you today. Close your books and take a look at the handout. Sounds like a good time to pick on the city boy, Sanzo-kun.


Valles Marineris.
Mr. Yamada: Wow, you really are from the city!...Well, I guess that doesn't have anything to do with it. Hahaha. The Valles Marineris on Mars is ten times larger than the Grand Canyon! Mars also hosts Olympus Mons, the largest mountain in the solar system. Both the highest mountain and the greatest canyon are on Mars. Isn't that useful information? Since you got me started on canyons, I'm gonna cover some material on their characteristics...


Thanks! Oooh, that smells so gooood. These instant noodles are just the thing to help me through club! How much longer do I have to wait on this?
It still needs a few minutes.
So, why're we here? Oh yeah, we were going to ask Yukiko what happened.
Yukiko-san, I hate to bring up stuff you'd rather not think about, but I need to ask you again.

-Deduction-

Did you recall anything about when you got kidnapped?
No...I thought I might remember something if I let it sit for a while, but as time passes, it only gets hazier.
I think the doorbell rang at the entrance...and someone called for me. But when I woke up, I was already in the castle...
I'm sorry.
No need to apologize. But does this mean her visitor is the culprit!?
I don't know. If it's true, then that's one daring criminal. What kind of killer would ring the doorbell? The police are probably looking for witnesses, but I don't think we can expect much from them. Heh, as if the culprit wore bright yellow clothes at the scene of the crime.
I wonder why whoever it is would do stuff like this.
We won't know until we confront 'em ourselves.
But we can be sure of one thing. It's no coincidence that people keep ending up in that place.
Someone on our side is definitely kidnapping them and throwing them into the TV.
It's murder, all right.
Oh yeah, we never told you.
This guy and me are gonna catch the culprit ourselves!
The police are out of their league on this case, but we got Personas.
Could you lend us a hand?
Huh? Um...
I'm helping out too! I can't believe someone would throw people into a place like that. I'm gonna sock whoever's doing this!
Chie...Let me help too. I want to know why this is happening. Especially if someone hates me so much they want to kill me.
I don't want to run away from myself anymore.
Alright! Then let's all work together and catch this asshole!
Agreed.

> Yukiko joined the group! She'll definitely be a strong asset in solving the case.


But how're we going to find them? We don't have a single lead yet.
I'm the third one to be targeted so far...But I have a feeling this isn't the end of it. If we had an idea of who might be targeted next, wouldn't we have an advantage over the killer?
So we'll outsmart them, huh? Yeah, that might work.
Okay, so let's see if we can figure out what ties the victims together. First there was that announcer, Mayumi Yamano. Second was Saki Konishi...Senpai. Third was Yukiko Amagi. What do they all have in common?
They're all female.
Bingo.
How dare he target females! Now that's unforgivable! The culprit's gotta be some kinda pervert...
Also, what about this? The second and third victims had some sort of connection to the first one.
Hey, that's right. Yukiko and Saki-senpai both had connections to that announcer...
That's true. Then...does that mean females connected in some way to Ms. Yamano's case are being targeted?
I think that's a safe assumption for now. There's another angle we can take, too. If another person disappears...
You think they'd be on that Midnight Channel? That happened right before Yukiko was kidnapped, too.
Yeah, it's hard to tell who at first, but what's important is, it's happened before the victims disappeared. Kinda like a ransom note.
Isn't that kinda the exact opposite of a ransom note?
We still don't know why that happens, but we'll have to rely on it for now.
The next time it rains...

> It seems that the Midnight Channel is your only means of predicting who will be kidnapped next. You must remember to watch it on the next rainy night...

By the way, aren't those done by now?
Whoa, that's right! Chow time!

-Like A Dream Come True-


Hands off the soba, pal! Go get your own if you want some.
Rrrngh...Okay, just one bite, got it?

> The delicious aroma from the udon bowl is drifting your way...

Do you want to try some?
(Try a bite)



> It's too delicious to stop eating...

Aaaack! What the hell are you doing!?
You ate everything...
M-My fried tofu...
I hope you guys understand what this means.
W-Wait wait wait! Stop! I'm sorry! I-I'll buy you steak! It'll be on me!
Y-You hear me? The very best!
Steak!?
My tofu...
C'mon, Yukiko. There's steak in it for us now. We can eat instant noodles anytime we want. Right?
Well...as long as it isn't too fatty.
Okay, we've reached a verdict! You are hereby sentenced to buying us steak!
What wouldn't be too fatty? Filet? Ooh, filet sounds nice and expensive! Filet, filet, filet, filet mignon!
Hey, you've gotta pony up too! You're just as much to blame!

-Junes Theme-


We're doing our part to spread this town's speciality dish. Plus, we've already got an excellent grill.
That's just a yakisoba griddle! Oh well, steak is steak. It's far from a filet steak though...Yukiko, are you okay with this? It's not too heavy for you?
I'll eat it...I'm still mad.
So, back on topic, I wonder what kind of person the culprit is.

-Deduction-

If you focus just on the announcer's case, it seems like a revenge thing. Maybe it was her lover's wife.
But Misuzu Hiiragi had a solid alibi, didn't she? And it seemed like she was already separated from her husband.
Really? You know an awful lot about this. Okay, what about the second case? Saki-senpai...she found the announcer's body. Assuming the same person killed them both, then why target Senpai?
It was a coincidence.
W-Well, we can't rule out that possibility...But maybe it was to keep her quiet, like she found evidence that led to the culprit.
But the killer just threw the announcer into a TV, right? I don't think he would've left evidence the police--much less a high school student--would catch.
Yeah, exactly...


Ooh, they updated the menu!
Huh? Isn't he that detective?


Ahaha, I-I'm not--Oh, wait! Hey, this is great timing after all.
Dojima-san said that he'll be leaving work on schedule tonight. Could you pass that on to Nanako-chan? Yo! I'm Adachi, Dojima-san's gofer...Err, I mean, his partner.
Are you this busy every day?
Huh? Oh, well, the public seems to be getting a charge out of these cases, but we can't leave it at that.
Sorry to butt in, but could it be that the killer targeted Saki-senpai in order to silence her?
U-Ummm, you sure get to the heart of the matter. Yikes. Haha.
Of course, we're also thinking along those lines. She was killed right after the announcer's body was found. If the killer was trying to silence here, there might've been something at the scene only she would have understood. Which would mean that the culprit may be someone close to Ms. Konishi. Nothing like that points to Misuzu Hiiragi, so...Ooh, I might have stumbled across something here.
W-Wait, were you listening to all that!? Crap! Me and my big mouth...
D-Don't tell anyone I said any of that, or Dojima-san will flay me alive...Relax, kids, the police are on the job. See you!


Augh! My steak's getting cold!
Could you shut up about the steak for five seconds?

> You waited for the two to finish eating, then decided to go into the TV world.


It's Teddie...Then it wasn't a dream.
Are you feeling better, Yuki-chan? I did what you said! I've been a good bear!
Oh, I see. Good boy!
W-Well, this bear's part of the reason we want to find the culprit.
I'm one of the group now too. Let's work together, okay?
Yep! I was thinking the same thing! That's why I got these ready for you, Yuki-chan!


You're right! It's just as if the fog doesn't exist...
Hey, tell me something. How come you have so many pairs of glasses?
Excellent question! Guess what? I'm the one who makes them. I've lived here for a long time. So I came up with some ways to be comfortable here.
I see. But don't you need a pair?
Oooh, good point. Another great question! Listen to this! My eyes themselves are lenses! You didn't know?
Of course not.
W-Why are you being so mean? You act like you're not interested! I'm a really dexterous bear! See how smoothly my fingers move!


What am I even looking at!?


Ow!
Hm? You dropped something.
Oh, that's a pair I kinda screwed up on.
Oooh...
Y-Yukiko?

-Like A Dream Come True-


Looks great.
Ahahaha!
Do you like that one, Yuki-chan?
I want to wear this one. It's even got a nose guard!
Ohhh no you don't!
How bear-y unfortunate. That pair doesn't have the right lenses in. Guess I should've made an actual pair.
Aww, too bad.
Here, Chie. Your turn!
*sigh* Man...All right, fine...
Snrk--Heehee...!
Ahaha, ahahahahahaha!


Y-Yukiko-san? Hellooo...?
There goes one of Yukiko's laughing fits. I never thought she'd do it when someone besides me was around. These stupid glasses are useless for investigating! I mean, what the hell's this nose for, anyway!?
Nice work, huh? That's what happens when you guys leave me here alone and I get bored!
W-Well, I'm glad that she's in high spirits again, I guess...
Oh Chie, the look on your face...Snrk...Hahaha, it was so funny! I-I can't stop...laugh--Heehee! Ohhh, my stomach, ahahaha...

> You decided to go back for today.


I think I might be able to get the 4th and the 5th off.
Really!?
...Really?
What, you don't believe me?
It's always canceled.
N-Not every year!
I know you wanted to go to Junes, but I wouldn't mind going a little further out of the neighborhood.
Really? Can we go on a trip?
Uhh...Well, it might be okay to go on a trip once in a while.
I'm sure it'll be crowded everywhere, though.
Yaaay! We're going on a trip!
Hm...all right, all right. Then we need to think of someplace to go.
How about you? You wanna come along with us?
I want to come.
Yeah! Let's all go together!
Looks like Nanako wants us all to go.

> You'll be going on an outing with the Dojimas during the long holiday.

Let's bring boxed lunches!
Hm? Yeah, good idea. We're always eating side dishes for dinner.
But I can't cook...And Nanako's not good enough yet to make them by herself.


Yaaay, boxed lunches!

> Nanako is pleased. You've been selected to pack the family's boxed lunches...

-Signs of Love-







Here's Yukiko.





Just like her appearance and personality quirks, Yukiko's combat abilities are meant to complement Chie's. She specializes in fire, healing, and ailment removal. Yukiko has the least HP out of the entire team and doesn't get any physical skills, but she also has the team's best SP and Magic, making her Agi attacks very powerful.