Part 2: 4/12/11

4/12/11

The ancient Chinese had a curse: "May you live in interesting times." I think I'm starting to get that now. Where do I start? Had an even more bullshit dream last night.

VIDEO- "The Corridor"

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Everything was shrouded in fog, which might have been a good thing because the floor looked really unsettling for whatever reason.





> This is…?
> The area is covered in a thick fog…
> ……
> All you can do right now is proceed forward…

As I moved forward, I heard a voice. It was just as indistinct as the world around me.



> You heard someone's voice…
???: If it's truth you desire, come and find me…
> The voice came from up ahead…

There was some kind of door at the end of the path. I had a bad feeling about it.



The other room was filled with even thicker fog. I hadn't even realized I was carrying it before, but I found a sword in my hands. It felt pretty natural, even though I've not really used one before.



There was someone else in there with me.



???: Hmhmhm… Try all you like…

I could just barely make out where the voice was coming from.



???: I see… Indeed, you possess an interesting quality…
But… you will not catch me so easily…
If what you seek is "truth," then your search will be even harder…

The fog became even thicker…





And I lost track of the voice.



???: Everyone sees what they want to….
And the fog only deepens…
…Will we meet again…?
At a place other than here…
Hmhm… I look forward to it…
> You are losing consciousness…
> ……

The fog was replaced by darkness.



> You can hear someone's voice…
> ……
> It's almost time to get up…
> ……
> You feel like you had a nightmare…
> What could it have been about…?
> ……
> You're starting school today. You should head to the living room for now…

Anyway, I didn't have time to think about some crazy fog dream because it was time for school soon.

VIDEO- "The First Day"

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Okay.
Let's eat.

I noticed Dojima wasn't around.



There was some kind of trouble. He won't be back.
You're starting school today, right?
My school's on the way, so… let's go together.
> Nanako seems somewhat restless…
> You decided to head to school with Nanako.

It was raining pretty heavily. The school zone is in the Samegawa river's flood plain.



My school's this way. Bye.

I was almost at school when some lunatic nearly killed himself on his bike.





Had to hurt.



> That looked painful…
> You should leave him be…

Yasogami High School, eh…



> What kind of student life awaits you here…?



Student's Friend: Yeah, it's King Moron alright… We get to enjoy his long-ass sermons every day for a whole year…
Female Student: Hey you guys, I heard there's going to be a transfer student from the city in this class.
Sitting Student: Huh? Really? A guy or a girl?
…Huh? You look dead today.
Yeah, um… I don't wanna talk about it…
What's with him?
Who knows?

I already don't like this teacher.



I'm Kinshiro Morooka, your homeroom teacher from today forward!
First things first! Just 'cause it's spring doesn't mean you can swoon over each other like love-struck baboons.
Long as I'm around, you students are going to be pure as the driven snow!
Now I hate wasting my time, but I'd better introduce this transfer student.
This sad sack's been thrown from the big city out to the middle of nowhere like yesterday's garbage.
And he's just as much of a loser here as he was there, so you girls better not get any ideas about hitting on him!
Tell 'em your name, kid, and make it quick.

What the hell is this guy's problem?



Hrnh… That's it, you're on my shit list, effective immediately.
Now listen up!
This town is miles away from your big city of perverts and assholes, in more ways than one.
You better not even think of getting involved with the girls here, let alone abusing them!
But what do I know… it's not like the old days. Even here, kids grow up so damn fast.
Every time I turn my back, you're fooling around on those damn phones, checking your life-journals and you're my-places…
> Mr. Morooka goes on and on…

I got a nice save just about then.



Huh? Yeah, sure. Hear that? Your seat's over there.
So hurry up and siddown already!
He's the worst, huh?
Rotten luck for you to get stuck in this class… Well, we'll just have to hang in there for a year.

It seems this guy's a notorious asshole.



Male Student: Sucks to be the transfer student, ending up in King Moron's class on the first morning here…
Whiny Student: Yeah, he won't think twice about suspending you if you get on his bad side.
Then again, we're all in the same boat…
Shut your traps! I'm taking roll, and I damn well expect you to respond in an orderly manner!
> Your life at this new school has begun.
> Will you be able to fit in here…?

In an orderly and just world this would have been the worst thing that happened today.



School Intercom: Attention, all teachers.
Please report immediately to the Faculty Office for a brief staff meeting.
All students must return to their classrooms and are not to leave the school until further notice.
Hrnh. You heard the announcement. Don't go anywhere until you hear otherwise.
Brown-Haired Girl: He's seriously getting on my nerves…

And the prick left, just in time for the sirens to start. Everyone started to freak out.



Excited Student: Ugh, I can't see a damn thing. Frickin' fog…
Rumor-Loving Student: Yeah, like every time it rains lately, it gets all foggy.
Knowledgeable Student: Hey, did you hear? I hear the paparazzi's looking all over for that announcer.
Rumor-Loving Student: Oh yeah. You mean Mayumi Yamano, right?
I heard some guys spotted her at the shopping district.
Knowledgeable Student: Actually, I heard that…
Rumor-Loving Student: Are you serious!?
H-Hey, Yukiko-san. Mind if I ask you something…?
Is it true that announcer's staying at your family's inn?



Rumor-Loving Student: Y-Yeah, I guess not.
*sigh * Sheesh, how much longer is this gonna take?
There's no telling.
I shoulda left before the announcement came on…
By the way, didja try what I told you the other day?
You know… That thing about rainy nights…
Oh… No, not yet. Sorry.
Ahhh, that's okay.
Well… it's just, I heard a guy in the class next door yell something like, "My soulmate is Yamano, the announcer!"

Then there was another announcement, seemed we could go now.



School Intercom: There has been an incident inside the school district. Police officers have been dispatched around the School Zone.
Please stay calm and contact your parents or guardians as soon as possible, and quickly leave the school grounds.
Do not disturb the police officers. Head directly home.
I repeat…
Excited Student: "Incident"!?
Girl's Friend: What, something actually happened?
Brown-Haired Girl: C'mon, let's go take a look!

The girl sitting next to me came up to me before I could leave.



Why don't you come with us?
Oh, nearly forgot! I'm Chie Satonaka. You know I sit next to you, right?
Of course.
Well, nice to meet you!
This is Yukiko Amagi.
Oh, nice to meet you… I'm sorry that this is so sudden…
C'mon, don't apologize like that. It makes me look like I got no upbringing.
I just wanted to ask some stuff. Really, that's all.

Before we could leave, the guy who wiped out on his bike earlier came up to us. Seemed he had something to talk to Chie about.



This was really awesome. Like, the way they moved was just amazing to see…
And… I'm really sorry! It was an accident! Please just have mercy until my next paycheck!
Seeya thanks!
Stop right there! What did you do to my DVD!?
Argh!

Note to self: Chie's kicks are brutally accurate.



My "Trial of the Dragon"…!
I think mine's cracked too… C-Critical hit to the nads…
A-Are you all right?
Oh, Yukiko-san… Are you worried about me…?
He's fine, Yukiko. Let's ditch him and go home.
> He looks like he's in a lot of pain…
> You should leave him be…

I sure as hell wasn't going to get kicked myself. And things just kept getting stranger and stranger.

VIDEO- "The Walk Home"

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What…? Wh-Who are you?
Onlooking Student: What's up with him? What school's he from?
Spectacled Student: Never mind that, he's going for Yukiko-san? Man, you'd think he'd at least wait until she's alone to make his move…
Onlooking Student: I bet you a can of TaP he gets knocked out.
Spectacled Student: No bet. Haven't you heard how difficult the Amagi Challenge is?
Um, s-so… are you coming or not?
I-I'm not going…
…Fine!

Creepy fisheye bastard ran off.



What did he want…? Obviously, he was asking you out on a date.
Huh? Really…?
You had no clue? Sheesh…
But then again, that was way over the top. It was creepy how he called you Yuki all of a sudden.
Yo, Yukiko-san. Turned down another lovelorn fool, huh?
Man, you're cruel… You got me the same way last year.
I don't recall doing that.
Whoa, you serious? So then, you wanna hang out sometime!?
…I'd rather not.

Dude just cannot win.



Anyways, you two better not pick on the transfer student too much.
We're just curious, is all!
U-Um, I'm sorry for dragging you into this…
C'mon, let's go. Everybody is staring.

I explained to them how I'd ended up here in Inaba.



There really is nothing here, huh?
That is what makes it nice, but there's nothing much we can show to people from outside.
Oh! Though, there is something from Mt. Yasogami… I think our dyed clothes or pottery or something is kinda famous.
Oh wait, there's the Amagi Inn! Yukiko's family runs it. It's the pride of Inaba!
Huh? It's… just an old inn.
Oh, no way, it's been in all sorta magazines as a hidden treasure.
It's a great inn! It's been going for generations, and Yukiko here is going to take over someday.
The inn actually attracts a lot of visitors to Inaba. It pretty much keeps this town going.
…I don't think that's entirely true.
So, tell me. You think Yukiko's cute, huh?

It was sort of out of nowhere, and I panicked.



I knew it!
Come on… Don't start this again…
She's really popular at school, but she's never had a boyfriend. Kinda weird, huh?
C-Come on, stop it.
Y-You shouldn't believe that, okay? It's not true that I'm popular or that I've never had a boyfriend!
Wait, no! Wh-What I meant to say was, I don't need a boyfriend!
Geez… Chie!
Hahaha! Sorry, sorry. But this is our chance to talk to somebody from the big city, and you barely said a word!
Hey, what's that?

The discussion was saved from going downhill by the worst possible circumstances.



Spectator Housewife: Wow. Who could imagine THAT hanging from an antenna?
Shopping Housewife: I wanted to see it too.
Spectating Housewife: Uh, you got here too late… The police and fire department took it down just a moment ago.
Shopping Housewife: Well, I think it's terrifying. I can't believe a dead body showed up around here…
Wait… What did she just say? A dead body!?

And of course Dojima was there.



One thing was sure, I did not want to be mistaken for one of these ghouls wanting to see a dead body.



Huh… I should have figured that'd happen.
That damn principal. We told him not to let them through here…
…You know this guy?
I'm Detective Dojima, his guardian. Uhh… Well, how should I say this… I hope you get along with him.
But you three really ought to stop wandering around and head straight home.

It must have been a real mess, because this one cop came barreling out and threw up all over the place.



Adachi! How long are you going to act like a rookie? You want to be sent back to the central office!?
I-I'm sorry… Nngh…
*sigh * Go wash your face. We're gonna go around and gather information!
Was this what that announcement was about…?
What do they mean… it was hanging from the antenna…?
Hey, Yukiko…? Why don't we go to Junes some other time?
Good idea…
Alright then, we're taking off. Starting tomorrow, neighbor, let's do our best!
> The two of them left.
> You decide to head straight home…

Nanako was alone in the house when I got there. The news explained exactly why.



Announcer: Our top story this evening concerns a bizarre case in a quiet suburb.
Around noon today, a woman was found dead near the Samegawa River in Inaba.
> The School Zone is being shown on TV.
> Could this be the incident you heard about…?

It was a real bombshell.



Announcer: The initial results of the Inaba Police Department's investigation have revealed…
Ah! The Inaba Police Department! Th-That's where Dad works!
……

She seemed really upset.



…I know. That's his job, so this stuff happens.
Announcer: The body was found hanging from a large television antenna atop a local resident's roof.
Authorities are uncertain as to why the body was in such a state.
With the cause of death also uncertain, police continue to investigate whether the death is an accident or a homicide.
A thick fog common to the area has slowed their progress, and plans to fully canvas the area are delayed until tomorrow.
> It seems that the local TV station's announcer was found dead near the Yasogami High School campus…
> The announcer, Mayumi Yamano…
> Her affair with a local councilman's secretary had been on the news just the other day.
They found her on the roof? That's scary…

Fortunately, the commercials started just then.



Commercial: At Junes, every day is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products!
Every day's great at your Junes!
Every day's great at your Junes!
> Nanako is looking at you expectantly…

I decided to join the spirit of the thing.



You memorized it already? I'm the best one in my class!
> Nanako sings the song to herself over and over again.
> It seems that she's forgotten all about the scary story.

Who the hell does that? Who hangs a body from a TV antenna? And how does that even work? How do you get a body all the way up there? I know it's none of my business, but… I have to admit, this all feels important.

Next Time on Persona 4: Every Day's Great At Your Junes