Part 19: 5/18/11-5/19/11

5/18/11

So Kanji's in the TV. We failed.

VIDEO- "The Plan"

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Given the pattern so far, Kanji's already inside the TV...
I wonder what the Midnight Channel really is...
Hmm...
At first, I thought it was one of those "paranormal" things, but when I gave it a try... it was real.
Turns out it's actually connected to another world...
If there's a rumor going around, that means a bunch of people are watching it.
How did the rumor go...? If you stare into a turned-off TV on a rainy night...
No one in their right mind would try something that ridiculous, don'tcha think? Unless someone urged them to.
But if you actually try, it does work. And not just once.
If this rumor spreads and everyone starts watching the Midnight Channel...
It could cause a huge panic...
If Teddie is right, the missing people themselves create the stuff we see.
So it's not random. It's specifically related to whoever goes missing.

There's a lot of this that doesn't really make much sense at this point.



Um, this might be a little off subject, but...
The culprit is probably watching the shows that come on... right?
No doubt. He's probably sitting back and enjoying--
Wait a sec... I bet he IS enjoying it!
He's probably laughing his head off watching the "show" that comes on after he throws people into the TV!
Ahhh, I get it. Yeah, it's definitely possible.
Ugh... Now when I think of the killer, I get this image of a total sicko!
"I wanna see everything about you, Yuki-chan!"
Urgh, ugh, ugh!
Wait, so if people saw Yukiko's show, do you think people were watching what happened to me too!?
Oh, that is IT! That killer is dead meat! I'm gonna leave footprints all over his face!
Guys!
First we save Kanji! Then, we crush the killer!
Finally, we crush the killer and send him to hell!! Got it!?
> You've all strengthened your resolve to save Kanji...

We'd become stronger as a team, and I could feel it.



Heehee...
Ch-Chie, those last two were the same thing...
Uh... I know...

We headed into the TV, but it turned out things weren't going to be so easy.

VIDEO- "The Problem"

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Oh... Yep. I think someone's here.
You think...? Do you know where he is?
I dunno.
We think it's a boy named Kanji...
I dunno...
What's wrong? Not feeling well?
Well, I sniff and I sniff. But I still can't tell where the smell comes from.
Aren't you thinking too much about too many things?
I mean last time, you were wondering about who you really are and how long you've been here.
Your head's empty to begin with, dude. Don't stress out over stuff too much.
You're right...
Whoa... He's seriously down about this...
If you can't figure out where Kanji is, we're in deep trouble.
We can't just wander around aimlessly in a place like this...
I know what might help! You should give me a clue about this Kanji person!
It's just a feeling I have. I think I could concentrate better with it.
Do you have anything that could give me a good understanding of him?

We didn't really know much about him is the problem.



Yeah, it's not like we know him that well.
I just need some sort of hint... Something that tells me what he's really like.
Why don't we ask around and find people who know Kanji-kun personally?
> Teddie may be able to grasp Kanji's location if he gets more information about Kanji.
> But what kind of information does he need...?
> You decide to ask around town about Kanji...

The logical place to start was with his mother. Since it was on the way I stopped by the fox, seemed it had a new wish for me.



> It's written in thin, lady-like handwriting...
Ema: I want to clear my mind of snacks. I want to hate them.
> It seems the fox wants you to fulfill the wish written on the ema on its behalf.

It's funny because while I was asking around about Kanji I ran into the person who made the wish.



Slim Woman: I'm channeling my mental energy in order to control my urges...
I mustn't want snacks... They'll just make me faaaat... Shiroku Store is my enemy...
Remember all that dieting and exercise... Do you wanna have to do all that again?
Must shun the snacks...
Ahhh! Snacks... I want to eat snacks!
*sigh* I wonder if there're any bad-tasting snacks.
Actually, it doesn't have to be bad... Maybe if it were just odd-tasting, I would stop thinking about them...?
I want to distance myself from those Shiroku snacks...
> Perhaps she's the one who wrote the ema request the fox showed you.
> It seems she is looking for a snack that isn't like the snacks that she's currently craving.

I'll need to keep an eye out for some sort of strange snack. Anyway, I talked to Kanji's mom.



Textile Shop Owner: Sheesh, I wonder where he's wandered off to now. He's always like this.
You know, there was a small boy who came asking about him not too long ago.
I talked to him too, but I haven't seen him around lately.
> A boy who talked to Kanji... Could it be the small boy from before?
> ......
> If it was him, and he was with Kanji, he might know something.
> You decide to search for the boy...

Some of the people in the shopping district had seen him around Junes, so I headed down that way.



Customer: Ah yes, I've seen him. He's been hanging around here lately. Even asked me all this stuff about that... incident.
He was just over there a little while ago, but... Maybe he'll be back tomorrow...?
> You decide to return here tomorrow...

Wasn't much I could do, so I headed back to school and played some soccer. When I got home, Nanako wanted to talk to me a bit.



Big bro...
> Nanako is fidgeting.

It seemed like she wanted to ask me something.



Okay! Ummm... well...
> Nanako looks relieved.
Are you an only child?



So you're just like me.
Oh, but I have you now, so...
> Nanako is smiling cheerfully...
A while ago, Dad told me...
That our family won't get any bigger...
But now I have a big brother!
> Nanako beams at you with a smile that covers her entire face...
> Through that smile, you feel your relationship has grown deeper...

Poor Nanako, I can't imagine what things were like before I got here.



Let's talk, big bro!
Umm... I wanna hear about your school!
> Nanako has begged you to talk to her...
> You decided to talk about various things.
> It has gotten late, so you put Nanako to bed and went to your room.

Hopefully we'll manage to find that kid tomorrow.

5/19/11

Yosuke had checked the weather before school, and had some good news.



According to the weather report, we won't have to worry about the fog for a while.
Let's keep cool, like usual. We can save the day and still keep our skills sharp!
That's a good plan.
Yeah, it's not going to do anyone any good if we get anxious.
Let's be sure to use the time we have until the next foggy day to our advantage so we can save him for sure!

Oh, exam grades were up earlier. I'm pretty happy with the result all told.



Female Student: They posted the test results!
Argh... The awful moment of truth...
Oh well. Wanna check it out?
> You decided to check the test results.

At least I've managed to keep things together school wise.



Wow, nice! Good going, Souji!
You're so smart...

Oh and that dude who was asking about the girl on the roof was around today.



> You tell him what you talked about with the girl on the rooftop.
Male Student: I see, so that's how it is...
...I see.
Ah, sorry! You really helped me out, though! Here, take this.
> Received Goho-M.

Sure enough I had luck at Junes.



Many people from the town come and meet here. It's a very convenient location, isn't it...?
> Wasn't this the boy who met with Kanji some time ago...?
> He may know something about Kanji...
......?
You're asking if anything seemed strange when I spoke to Kanji-kun, yes...?
Hmm. Very well.
It seems to be an urgent matter, so I'll simply tell you.
If you're asking about recent events, then yes, there was something out of the ordinary.
It was something I felt when I was with him... So I told him outright that he seemed to be an odd person.
After I said that, his expression changed all of a sudden... I was quite surprised.
On that basis, I believe his actions were somewhat forced and unnatural, throughout the time I was with him.
He may have some sort of complex... Though I have no proof of this.
> It seems Kanji has a complex or something of that nature...
> Kanji's purported reaction to the phrase "odd person"...
> Maybe this is enough of a clue for Teddie to go on...
> You should report to Teddie as soon as possible.

It was too late to head into the TV today, so I headed back and caught the start of drama practice. It certainly was... dramatic.



I'm going to have the lead role this year!
Can you help me with my part later?
Non-Drama Club Member: Yumi! Your mother collapsed!
There was a call from the hospital!
Huh...? Oh, er... What should I do...? We're still...

I offered to come with her if she needed help with anything.



Huh!? Oh, no, it's okay...
I-I'm going!
> Yumi ran out of the room.
Drama Club Member: The hospital? I wonder what happened...
I think we're all too worried to get any more practice in... Let's call it a day!
> Did Yumi go to the hospital...?
> ...You decided to go see.

I didn't have much trouble finding them.



What is HE doing here!? Why are you here with him!?
You didn't collapse! You lied to me!
I can't believe this! Tell me what's going on!
Yumi's Mother: ...Yumi.
He's the one who collapsed, not me. But I knew you wouldn't come if I told you that.
So, yes, I did lie to you. I wanted you to see him.
Mom... Do you think I want anything to do with that man!?
Yumi's Mother: No.
I know you've suffered a lot. I feel responsible for what happened, too.
But, you see... It was his last request.
...He doesn't have much longer. That's why he wanted to see you...
S-So what? I don't care if he lives or dies!
He's a complete stranger! He's not my father!
Mom, you and I... He abandoned us both!
And now what? Now that he's on his deathbed, he expects us to forgive him?
Don't give me that crap!
Yumi's Mother: ...I've made up my mind. I'm going to stay by his side until he passes away.
Letting him die all alone would be too cruel to think of...



Yumi's Mother: Yumi... I'm sorry. But it's what I want to do.
Th-Then go ahead! It's not my problem!
How can you...!? We've been abandoned, for crying out loud...!
Wh-When did you get here!? Were you listening to me?

What was I supposed to say?



You... Eavesdropping on people's private conversations! You're a real sicko...!
> Yumi seems at a loss.
......
Mom didn't collapse...
When I got to the hospital, it turned out that the person in bed is the man who used to be my father...
......
He abandoned my mother and me... about ten years ago.
He found another woman... He's a dirty sleazebag.
And now he comes crawling back to his "daughter" because he's dying? Yeah, after getting dumped by his bimbo...
Talk about shameless...
*sigh* This sucks so much... I'd forgotten him after all this time...
His name, his face, his very existence. I completely blocked him out!
Even worse, Mom's going to look after him until he kicks the bucket. She's being stupid. How gullible can you get!?
HE left HER, understand? Now he's a hand-me-down from the other woman who dumped him when he got sick.
They're both pathetic...!
> Yumi is trembling with anger...

I mean seriously I had to say something but what the hell was actually going to mean anything?



Shut up! What do you know about me...!?
> Yumi hangs her head.
I'm sorry...
...I'm sorry. I've calmed down.
......
What are you even doing here?
All this... It must be hilarious to watch, huh...?
> In some small way, you were able to help comfort Yumi.
> You feel that your relationship with Yumi has deepened slightly...

I don't get any of this at all but I helped her out I guess.



I'm going home. Let's walk together...
> You walked home with Yumi. She seemed to be filled with gloom.

We're going back into the TV tomorrow. Hopefully Teddie will be able to lead us to Kanji.

Next Time On Persona 4: Sauna