Part 170: 11/26-11/27: Hey, I Like My Family As A Friend!

Part 160: 11/26-11/27: Hey, I Like My Family As A Friend!



Anon: he went down easy
Anon: So did he do it or not!?
Anon: Execute accomplices too!
Anon: Just like Akechi-kun said!

Music: Suspicion



We might be hearing news about the birth of the Shido administration by the end of the year. I wish Akechi-kun would run for office! He’d get more votes than all those incompetent politicians!

Oh god, what an idea.

I don’t usually care about elections, but it’s exciting when people are so into it!



Music: Disquiet



We’ll get to it later, cat.




The Phantom Thieves are old news! I’m talking about my blog being attacked! Hmph. All I did was praise my film critiques under another name. Just a little bit of acting. Somehow, the internet found out and hates me now. And the jeers get worse when I explain myself. Perhaps this is a sign. Perhaps I’ll move on from critiquing films to the next stage of my career.

at this asshole, goddamn.



The United Future, a new party led by Masayoshi Shido, is garnering a great deal of support. They have been winning the hearts of voters with powerful speeches and easily understood rhetoric.

“Because they’re all fucking sheep, the lot of them.”

Hmph. Just you watch! We’ll have you in tears before long!





Let’s head into the Velvet Room real quick, we need some matching Personas.

Music: Aria of the Soul



Let’s make this Sarasvati from Hecatoncheires and Dakini.





Uhhhhhhh

Accident (Watch this)



Well, that’s never happened before.




UM



OH JESUS



I will become a new mask for you and grant discipline to your soul.

Not what we were looking for. In fact, kind of disappointing, considering we already have one of this Persona. Oh well.



Oh, ya think!?

Scathach is the Scottish warrior woman who trains Cu Chulainn in Celtic mythology. While looking this up I discovered that Cu Chulainn fucks. That is all.

Anyway, this is the incredibly rare occurrence of a fusion accident. I say incredibly rare because this is the first time it’s happened to me in two playthroughs. The result Persona, which I believe is chosen from a pool based on the level the original Persona was supposed to have been, does not gain any experience from Arcana Burst but will inherit any skills the original Persona would have.

It’s fine, the Persona we were fusing wasn’t terribly important, it’s just kind of annoying.



Anyway, let’s move on. This Baphomet is three levels above us, so previously we would have been unable to fuse it. But if we try now that we’ve maxed Strength...



However, given your circumstance, I may be willing to expressly facilitate your rehabilitation.



If we pay a fee we can fuse above our level. However, I have no earthly clue what the actual formula is. Based on some GameFAQs posts I dug up it seems like the rule of thumb is a flat ~50k fee to start, increasing by another ~50k for every five levels after that until 20 levels above, when it jumps to ~20k per level. Is this right? Well, immediate testing seems to reveal that it’s not! Fusing one level above gives me a sum of 44k, which is close enough to 50, but going as high as 14 levels above gives me a sum of 99k, which is nowhere near what it should be if that was accurate. It’s possible it’s based on the skills the result Persona knows, but I’m not sure how that works because for three different Personas I got two with the same sum and one with a wildly different one. I think it’s highly likely, though, that it’s also based on how high the result Persona’s level is in the first place. The Japanese wiki I usually consult for information on weird technical data like this is failing me here, so I guess it’ll just be a secret lost to time.

I eventually decide not to fuse it even though I’m fucking rich because I want to save my money and also because I don’t want to blow the game’s difficulty wide open just yet by fusing way above my level.



Anyway, let’s fuse this Byakko from that Scathach we found and Queen Mab!



Mine roar causeth all beasts to bow down…! I shall be thy mask!

Aww jeez, the tiger only talks in olden speak.



Byakko is the White Tiger, one of the four symbols of the Chinese Constellation, along with Seiryu (Azure Dragon), Suzaku (Vermillion Bird), and Genbu (Black Tortoise). It represents the west, the season of autumn, and the element of metal.

Music: Disquiet



Whaddya wanna do today, Maaku?





R-Really? Eh, I guess I can’t complain too much since you’re gonna be hanging with me. Do you have some time? I think I wanna talk…



Let’s do it in your room.

Phrasing, jesus.

Music: Alright (Elp Version)



She said she wants to go back to school next year, but she might not have the money…

In case this confuses anyone, high school in Japan is not compulsory. You have to pay to go. It’s also why entrance exams are such a huge staple of Japanese media.

While I’m on the subject, it’s a little weird that all the recent Persona games have had school on Saturdays for the protagonists, even if only a half day, as that stopped being mandatory in 2002. Some schools have brought them back to help meet the country’s rigorous education requirements, but it’s kinda weird that it’s just a staple.

As for me, I… I’m gonna go back.




And I mean, sure I hated elementary school, but I met Kana-chan there, so… maybe it wasn’t all bad. The same goes for high school. Even if I hate it, I know something positive will come from it. But… I still have to do the last item on my promise list. “Being OK without you around”… Honestly, I’ve been feeling kinda weird lately… My heart’s been beating real fast when we’re together… Then even when we’re apart, I can’t stop thinking about you…

Uh oh.




By the way, um… can I ask you a favor. It’s a pretty big one. ...Can we skip that last promise?




I know you’re only being strict ‘cause it’ll help me, but… I just… can’t be OK without you around. Life doesn’t feel the same when you’re not with me. I mean, er… not that, but… I dunno…



That makes sense for him though. I mean, he’s basically my dad. But you don’t have a reason like that, so… why are you so nice?



Am I um… the only one you treat like this…?



WOOF

Why, Maaku…?



Don’t date your sister.

Teammates…



Of course teammates would wanna be nice to each other… It’s so obvious! That’s gotta be why my heart’s always pounding so much. It knows how much I care about my teammates! And you, Maaku… my key item!

Yep, that’s it! No other reason! Let’s forget this ever happened! Whew, that was a close one!

From now on, I’m gonna devote every fiber of my being into supporting you guys!
I can feel a strong bond of trust from Futaba...



Here’s a Certified Arist Guarantee™: This ability will never once activate unless you are actively trying to proc it or otherwise playing like a complete imbecile.

Hehehe… It’s gonna be great!




Maaku and Futaba clap their hands together.





Sure, that’s how that goes.




Laters!
I walked Futaba home…

Music: Beneath the Mask





We mushn’t give in… to th’ tyranny of… the ruling parrrrty.
Yeah, yeah. All right. Pretty good speech.
I am strongly opposed to thish! I’m… I’mma drink and drink and drink! Till th’ break of dawn.



If I make it into a good school, they promise to buy back all the games and manga they threw away.
Whoa, you made a contract!? Why did you have to do that…?
Hey, grown-ups lie all the time, just like those politicians you see on TV.
Man… Don’t grown-ups ever get tired of complaining about other people all of the time?



They say it’ll shape the country’s future, but… I dunno, I can’t bring myself to care.
I’d like to address the nation… Tonight, we drink until the sun comes up! Par-taaay!




Stop usin’ big, confusin’ words! I don’t follow what yer sayin’! I love rock. That’s why I convinced Ma to let me move out to the city… I can’t sing like this. I don’t even know what I’d sing about… It’s just not a good time, what with the election and all. The cops rush over here whenever I get too loud…

Poor guy.



So we’re making our donations to the new political party, then? Not surprising, I suppose.
It’s a strategic move so that we don’t miss the boat. We want to be connected to the new government.

Heh, “boat.”



The manifest I am proposing is the foundation upon which we will build the future of this country. Yoshida, Toranosuke Yoshida, will take immediate action for the good of our young people!
Yoshida is taking his election speeches seriously… I formed a partnership with Yoshida as comrades. I should avoid interrupting his campaign.

Indeed, we’re comrades. Good for Yoshida, let’s leave him alone.

(If you haven’t figured it out, you can’t hang out with Yoshida while the election is underway, meaning that if you don’t have him maxed by now, you’re screwed)



Did he really think suicide was the answer? He was just a kid! And how could the police let him die? Their management and supervision must be a mess.
The higher-ups there are all rotten. That whole division needs to be replaced.



*meow*
And the Phantom Thieves’ leader killed himself. People who used to support him were laughing about it. I kinda feel bad for him… Probably overworked himself.



Doin’ that to yer mom and dad… That’s not a good way to go.
Yeah, it doesn’t sit well with me. There was no reason for him to die.
It’s just as much our fault, too! After the shit we said about ‘im!
You’re right, sorry… No one’s ever taken that tone with me before.

I’m coming around on Rural Young Man. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’s still never gonna get with Adorable Woman, though.



It was all thanks to Akechi-kun. But… Oh no! My beloved feels so distant from me again! Where are you, Akechi-kun!?
Somehow, he must know how you feel. He’s run away and gone into hiding!

It would be amazing if, somehow, the entire localization team had revolted and left these characters untranslated. Just have all their text be in Japanese. I’d much prefer that.



No, that’s not what I had in mind. Must be what she wanted… As a show of gratitude, I’ll send over our very best girl. No, please, I insist. I look forward to your continued patronage at the Asakura Agency! ...Hello? Hellooo?



Don’t worry though. Your secret is safe with me. Not just as the admin of the Phan-Site, but as your friend…



The Phan-Site’s gone up in flames, so I need to do something, fast. At the very least, I need to make sure the poll is functional again…

Like Yoshida, we can’t hang out with Mishima right now for story reasons. However, we will be able to interact with him again in this case after we take down Shido. He’s not locked off for the rest of the game.

Speaking of which, our status as Dead means that, were certain Confidants to be at certain ranks, we could not progress them: Kawakami, Ryuji apparently, and probably Makoto and Futaba too. Really just any event that involves school heavily is a no-go, with one major exception that we’ll get to eventually. One of Futaba’s previous ranks involved her going to Shujin, which I’m assuming is an obvious no-go. I also assume that we can’t do any of Makoto’s ranks that take place in the student council room. I have been told that someone did get locked out of progressing Ryuji, which is probably due to his Rank 8, which takes place at school and has you interacting with the former track team. Finally, there are multiple mandatory scenes for Kawakami in between ranks that must be seen to progress her Confidant, all of which take place at school. The scene with the Takases after Rank 8 and the scene in class where her will to teach is reinvigorated after Rank 9 have to be seen to move on to the next rank, so you’re screwed if you haven’t seen them yet by now.

Also, to answer my question last update about how you contact Ryuji or Makoto since they hang out at school: Ryuji goes to his “day off” hangout spot, the Shibuya arcade, while trying to interact with Makoto results in the two of you meeting by the subway platform.











Yeah, about that…




Music: Break it Down (Elp Version)



Is this philosophy? I’m not sure if I like this writer. He seems a bit condescending…



I wonder if these old philosophers had many friends… They’re always talking to people, but I dunno…

Morgana just calling this dude a loser, wow.

At any rate, reading about different ways of thinking must have made you smarter.

Maaku gains Knowledge +3.



Anon: What a sore loser
Anon: we do need new authority…
Anon: The truth’s lost to the void
Anon: Akechi got the last laugh!

Music: Disquiet



Here’s what we’ve got for you today! This Hot Water Pouch! With the 2 pack, you can survive the freezing winter!
Be careful not to burn yourself!
And it can be yours… For the incredibly low price of 9800 yen!



Whatever.



Have you decided on your plans for today?



Are you sure we have time for that…!? What is your goal here?



Hm… You are correct. A nice break is necessary at times. How does your schedule look today? I wish for you to join me if possible.



Thank you. I would like to enter Mementos again today. I believe that place holds the truth of the human heart.

Oh, joy. Mementos.

...Let us go.



Where does this passage even go…? It feels as though I’m being sucked inside merely by gazing upon it.

Music: Confession/Secret



It is ugly… yet beautiful as well. That duality is what makes humanity such an interesting subject… As you know, I have been confused recently about the reason for my art. Did I want to be recognized, or did I want to capture true beauty? Was it due to my talent, or just my upbringing? ...Each answer would seem correct at first, yet only prove itself false upon a more in-depth examination. Maaku… When my mother was painting the “Sayuri”… what do you think she was thinking about?




But you are probably right. However, I believe that was not the only thing she thought about. “It seems the “Sayuri” was meant to impart something with me… and all others who view it, for that matter. Love, regret, loneliness, anxiety, calm… and hope. All of the emotions my mother felt, conveyed plainly to the viewer. That is why it has such a profoundly unique impact on those who see it.




And yet… that painting has kept me going this whole time. During particularly difficult nights, it was there to soothe my sadness. It acted almost as a ray of light cutting through the somber darkness… I had wanted to create a similar beacon of hope for others… but it seems I lost sight of that goal. Look. This world is a dark, unrelenting place, Maaku. But that is why I am going to wield my brush again… To give hope to all those who see my paintings.




Now, I will use my art to paint over the blackness of this world. It shall become a vivid realm, full of hope… I expect it will be a most beautiful sight to behold. Perhaps you will see it someday, Maaku…
I feel like my bond with Yusuke is growing deeper...




Hm, this radiant light growing within me… It must be the light of hope. ...I shall paint it.

It seems Yusuke has discovered his raison d'être. How nice.

I can sense Shadows in the area… We should leave Mementos…



...Kawanabe-san.

Music: Suspicion

On your way home? You clearly have time on your hands, Yusuke-kun. I’m on my way now to prepare for the competition. Speaking of which, do you plan on entering?
Indeed I do.
Your pride may not be too pleased with the outcome. After all, the winner’s spot is not simply yours for the taking. I suppose whether you ultimately opt to enter is entirely your decision though. The more the merrier, yes? Hahaha!

Maybe it’s just the fact that we haven’t hung out with poor Yusuke in quite some time, but was “inability to accept defeat” really one of his defining hangups?



That no longer matters to me though. I am going to enter my painting merely so others can be exposed to it. Well, I will talk to you later, Maaku. Farewell.

Music: Beneath the Mask




Time for spooks!

Music: Break it Down (Elp Version)



Whoa, why are you reading that…? Whatever you do, just don’t read it out loud, OK?



Ah, these stories are way too spooky for me. Don’t talk to me about any of them, OK? Although… you do seem a lot more dependable now that you’ve read them.

Maaku gains Guts +3.