Part 88: 11/25/11-11/27/11

11/25/11

Only a few days until exams start, and this damned fog seems like it's here to stay at this rate.



Mr. Hosoi: Anyway, what is wrong with this weather? The whole town looks like a polluted factory exploded.
But don't even think about calling in sick or skipping your studies. I'll be able to tell if you were really sick.
And that goes double for anyone who failed the last exams!
The eleventh hour is upon you, people. The next test determines whether or not you can go to the next grade.
…Hm, Souji-chan. I've got a question for you.
What does it mean when you're in the "eleventh hour"?

This one was easy as cake, and other clichés.



Mr. Hosoi: Wow! Right, right! It's your last chance!
I'm gonna put this question on next week's test.
I wish you all luck on moving on to the next grade! Study hard!

Rise wanted to talk to me about something, so we headed up to the hill that overlooks town.



> Fog has enveloped the area…
Senpai… I thought about it.
Why my mind just went blank when I heard about Kanami…
I mean, I ran away form showbiz because I was tired of being an idol…
So I shouldn't have any problems…
And yet… I felt so angry about it… Why do you think that is…?
'Risette' is Rise, too.
Yeah… You knew all along, huh…?
Haha, but really… that's how it was.
Risette's name in lights… Idolized by the masses…
That was "me," too…
I didn't want to lose that "me"…
> Rise is smiling sheepishly…
There's no way to become someone else…
I ran away from my plain, gloomy self… Then I ran away from my idol self…
Right now I'm the homicide detective self, I guess?
I would've run away from that as well, if I didn't realize…
I've been trying to become how I wanted to be.
I pick a role… When I'm through with it, I continue chasing the "real me" by picking another role…
…When in fact those roles are all "me."

It's funny how hard it can be to realize such a simple thing.



I'm gonna hang in there… as the complete me.
> Rise spoke her mind, looking straight at you…
> You feel your relationship with Rise has grown deeper…

But it's the simplest things that can elude us sometimes.



I'm glad I came to this town.
I'm glad to have met you, and the others too!
*giggle * Let's go home, Senpai!
> You walked Rise to her house and went home.

11/26/11

The town's really starting to go crazy, I don't know how much longer this damn fog can last before someone gets hurt.



Dark-Haired Girl: Hey… Don't you think that there are more and more people getting weird because of the fog?
I even see people wearing these huge gas masks around town…
Athletic Girl: Yeah, and people are getting sick, too. Haven't there been people saying a lot of weird stuff lately?
Like that the world is ending, and that global warming is because of Original Sin, nutty stuff like that…
Dark-Haired Girl: H-Hey…
What do you think's going to happen if you think someone's sick, but you don't do anything about it…?
I mean… To be honest… Yesterday, my dad…

At least Mr. Kondo isn't letting himself get freaked out.



Mr. Kondo: Are you exhausted from studying for the test around the corner? I hope you're not forgetting something…
Christmas is coming up in a month! Have you found your dates yet?
Hahaha, I've got mine already! Tell ya what! I'll give you guys a Christmas question!
Get it straight, and you'll get a date! Get it wrong… and it'll be a blue Christmas for you! Souji!
Which of the following is considered an incorrect way to spell "Christmas"!?

I mean I don't need to rely on Mr. Kondo's grim prophecy for a date thank god.



Mr. Kondo: Wow, excellent! Souji, looks like you'll be decking the halls with a lady this Christmas!
He's right, the apostrophe isn't necessary for abbreviating Christmas. It's right there in the dictionary.
But, this is a very common misspelling among Japanese people, so remember this!
*chuckle * Nothing beats eating cake with a loved one on Christmas! Mmm, mmm, mmm! De-LISH!
Hahah! I hope you all get a "taste" of what that's like!

Rise suggested that we could go down to Okina for the day and get out of this horrible fog, which was a damned good idea really. I managed to stumble through the fog to Shu's house later.



…Oh, I see. The word "that" was omitted… So it's really saying…
> You began to explain the sentence to him in an easily-understood manner.
…To tell you the truth, I'm not that good with the English language.
I can memorize what's in the textbook and get good grades on tests, but I don't really understand it…
But the teacher doesn't comprehend the difference between reading from the textbook and speaking to people.
Teaching must be a great job. Even idiots can be arrogant when they know more than you do.
…They don't get what it means to learn at all.
That's just how it is.
A student's value is equal to how well he scores on tests… Well, at least THAT'S easy to understand.
> Shu nods.
…About the transfer student I told you about before…
His grades are pretty good… But he can't beat me.
So then, the rest of the class and the teacher make this face like "the transfer student is no good after all…"
…Looking down on him…
And yet, he acts all big, so everyone hates him. Lately, no one even talks to him…
…It's all so stupid.
……
Why do I have to go to school when it's so obviously dumb?
That place…

Kid needs to put himself in the other guy's shoes more often I think.



> You scolded Shu.
Oh… I see. Everyone goes to school against their will…
> Shu thinks deeply…
…Yasogami High looks fun. At least, I get that feeling when I see you.
Oh… but by the time I'm a first-year, you'll already have graduated…
Then there's no point, huh?
> It seems that Shu is slowly opening up to you…
> You feel that your relationship with Shu has deepened.

Still, he's not so much of an ass as I'd initially thought.



Oh, time's up… Be careful going home.
> You finished your tutoring job and went home.

11/27/11

You know something is bad when Tanaka starts cashing in on it.

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> You hear the same song again.
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It's pretty low to take advantage of people like that. Anyway, Rise wanted to talk to me about something so I met up with her at the hill that overlooks town.



And the tofu shop is… Oh, there it is. Haha, it's so small…
I need to remember this scenery…
Senpai… You're leaving in the spring, right?
I've made up my mind about something.
You see…
……
I'm thinking of going back into showbiz this spring.
I am Risette, after all…
And when I consider it that way, I think I can have more fun working.
I know how hard it is for a star to make a comeback after an entire year's absence…
But even then, I want to start over from the beginning.
Do you remember the fan who gave me that letter? And my old manager, Inoue-san…
For my family, everyone, you… And for myself.
> Rise's eyes are shining…
Senpai, this…
I want you to have it, Senpai.
> You obtained Signed Photo.

It's odd to have such an ordinary picture signed this way, but I like it.



But even then, I signed it Risette.
A Risette without a fake smile…
Senpai… I won't make the same mistake.
I won't run away… I won't try to be someone I'm not.
The many Rise's inside of me… I want to cherish them.
I quit thinking about such stupid things!
I mean, in reality, there's no such thing as a real me or a fake me.
As long as you know what you really want to do, no matter how hard it is, you'll be okay.
…I can do it!

And Rise's resolve was made manifest.



Her Persona became Kanzeon, who represents mercy.



> Himiko has transfigured into Kanzeon!
> She can now use the skill Affinity Search!
> During battle, she'll tell you one of the enemy's weak points!
This means… my powers have changed…?
I see… I've become a little stronger.
Thanks to you… being with me…
I want to find lots of different "me"s
And I want to get stronger so instead of running away from them, I'll welcome them with open arms.
I was relying on you, but… I want to be able to stand on my own two feet.
Thank you, Senpai!
I love you!
> You can sense Rise's pure affection…
> You feel a tight bond between you and Rise…

I'm just glad she's happy with who she is. All of them.



Ishtar's a pretty big name goddess of love if I recall my mythology.



Now that I got that out, I'm hungry!
Let's go eat somewhere!
After all, come spring… I won't be able to do that anymore.
Let's go, Senpai!
> You dominated the shopping district with Rise and made it to your house…

Ughh, exams start tomorrow. With this fog, and Nanako in the hospital, exams are really the last thing I need.

Next Time on Persona 4: Stillness