Part 4: 4/11: That's Gonna Scab

Part 4: 4/11: That's Gonna Scab

Music: Suspicion

When we last left them, Maaku and Vulgar Boy were just entering this castle.




It should be… It said “Shujin” on the gate… What’s goin’ on here?



The sign was for the school, right?





Look at this weirdo in the knight costume. Real fuckin’ elaborate, you dork.



Who’re you? You a student? Man, your costume’s impressive… Is that armor real? C’mon, don’t just stand there. Say somethin’.

Music: Desire





...This shit’s real.



These cut-ins are a really great addition. I won’t be able to show them all off because they’re pretty frequent but I’ll try to at least grab one if I see it’s new.

We gotta run!



Stop standin’ around and run!






Oww… Y-You’re gonna break my bones, dammit! The hell you think you’re—Aagh!
Take them away!

Maaku’s vision goes dark...



Hey! Wake up!

Music: Disquiet




Yeah, more or less. Looks like this ain’t no dream… Ugh, what’s goin’ on!?



Dammit, where are we!? Is this some kinda TV set…?




In the distance, more cries of agony can be heard.

Whoa… Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa… You’re shittin’ me, right…?



Music: Tension



Isn’t there some way outta here!? C’mon, we gotta do something!

We get a brief moment to interact with the cell here. Emphasis on “brief.”



Hey, should we hide in here and trick the guards? It prolly wouldn’t work like it does in the movies though… Huh? You hear that?

Music: Desire




Your charge is “unlawful entry.” Thus, you will be sentenced to death.
Say what!?



Huh? Wait… Is that you, Kamoshida?




Are you trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven’t learned your lesson at all, huh? And you brought a friend this time… because you can’t do anything for yourself.
This ain’t funny, you asshole!
Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you don’t understand the position you’re in at all. Not only did you sneak into my castle, you committed the crime of insulting me—the king. The punishment for that is death. It’s time for an execution! Take him out!






Sakamoto shoves one of the soldiers over...

I ain’t down for this shit! C’mon, we’re outta here!



...and promptly gets punched by another.




Maaku makes a valiant effort to fight the knight off, but to no avail.

Just go! Get outta here…! These guys are serious!
Oh? Running away, are we? What a heartless friend you are.
He ain’t a friend.



Look, you hurt Maaku’s feelings. You should apologize, Sakamoto.

C’mon! Hurry up and go!
What’s the matter? Too scared to run away? Hmph, pathetic scum isn’t worth my time… I’ll focus on this one’s execution...



What an amazing, despicable, punchable face.





Awakening (Absolutely watch this)




A peasant like you isn’t worth beating. I’ll have you killed right now.

Music: Blood of Villain



Hm?









No, I don’t wanna die!
Hahaha!




The voice calls out to us again, and we see the butterfly once more…

(I totally forgot about this scene when I said Philemon only makes one appearance)



Another voice, deep and male this time, rings forth in Maaku’s head.

Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing.









Everything turns purple, and Maaku starts screaming in pain.



Vow to me. I am thou, thou art I…





Maaku stops screaming...



...because there’s a fire in his eyes.

Execute him!



What was that…?






The blow knocks off Maaku’s glasses...





Hmph…





A burst of wind through the room knocks the knight off balance before he can strike.




Suddenly, a strange mask is attached to Maaku’s face.



Music: Awakening (Listen to this)

He tries to rip it off...



Um



Oh jeez



OH JEEZ







Blood becomes flame, and flame becomes the stuff of nightmares.






The fire rises from Maaku’s body and becomes a figure of its own, standing behind him.



It’s got a cravat and a dope top hat, and it’s here to party.




With a wave of his hands, Maaku sends the guards flying.





...Holy shit, Maaku.

Music: Will Power (Listen to this)





If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis.



Hmph, very well...
Who the hell are you...!? Guards!





The guards turn into strange pumpkin creatures.

You’ll learn the true strength of my men!





Let’s use a skill. Arsene knows a light Curse skill, Eiha, right off the bat, so let’s use it. It costs 4 SP, but we don't have to worry about skill costs right now at least.





We can also attack with our physical weapon. In Maaku’s case, it’s a knife.



It did a good deal less damage, you probably noticed. While our starting weapon isn’t great, melee attacks are generally inferior to physical and magical skills of appropriate strength. There are certainly times to use melee attacks, but those moments are rather infrequent.

Music: Triumph





Sweet, Maaku leveled up. He can now cast Eiha a whopping eight times from full SP. If that seems low, just wait. This game somewhat radically shakes up the SP economy established in Personas 3 and 4. Running out of SP is a much greater concern, but we'll get to that later.

Music: Tension




Maaku examines his sweet new duds.

What was that just now…?




Sakamoto just runs up and bowls him over.

You like that, you son of a bitch!?





OK, it’s locked!
Damn you!
Hey…! What was that just now!? And… your clothes…!





“Kamoshida” startles the two by slamming the bars.

You bastards!
God, this’s effin nuts! Anyways, let’s scram! You lead the way!



Sakamoto hucks the keys as far as he can.

Goddamn thieves...! After them! Don’t let them escape!



You think you can get away with doing this to me?



C’mon, let’s get outta here!

Let’s turn around and talk to this “Kamoshida” fellow. What sage words does he have for us?



Hey, we gotta ignore him and look for a way out!

Okay then, let’s go.



Our only way forward, however, is blocked.

It ain’t openin’!? Dammit! Let’s try and find another way through!



Huh? ‘Sup?



Wait, think we can jump across?




Indeed we can.






Further in, we encounter more obstacles that must be jumped or crawled past.




They’ll prolly call for backup if we try and take ‘em on. We should go some other way…!

And so we’re forced to turn around and take an alternate route.




Over there… They’re lookin’ for us, right? I ain’t playin’ along with this anymore! We gotta find a way outta this goddamn place!

The enemies are now blocking the path behind us. No way to go but forward.




Hey, let’s get the hell outta this place!




This ain’t the exit!? What the hell is this place!?




Is, uh… Is he OK…?

Figures wearing strange masks are locked in cages. That’s troubling.



We can’t do anything to lower the bridge for now, so let’s continue forward.



Dammit! How the hell’re we supposed to get outta here!?






Look, the key’s right there!
We’re trying to get the hell out of here…! I mean, you obviously look like an enemy too!
I’m locked up here, so how can I be your enemy!? Help me out!





In the distance, the shuffling of guards can be heard.

They’re catchin’ up already…!



How the hell do we get out…!?
Hey, you two! You wanna know where the exit is? Let me out and I’ll take you there. You don’t want to get caught and executed, right?



I never go back on my word!
This thing sounds like it’s all talk...
If you guys think you can get out on your own, then be my guest!
Whadda we do…?

The shuffling grows closer.

Are you seriously not messin’ with us!?
If you don’t hurry, they’ll catch you.
F-Fine...



Now, where’s the exit, you monster cat!?
Don’t call me a cat! I am Morgana!
Shuddup and hurry it up! You wanna be locked up again!?
A-All right, sheesh! Follow me, and stay quiet!

Meanwhile…

Music: Disquiet



Sakura-san said that Hamiru-kun left the house this morning. Should I contact the police…? No, that’ll just be more of a hassle… *sigh* What did I do to deserve this…?



So, we finally met our starting Persona, and it only took four updates! Arsene is based on Arsène Lupin, a fictional gentleman thief from French writer Maurice Leblanc (yet another connection I just now noticed). The first Lupin story, “The Arrest of Arsène Lupin,” was published in 1905. Lupin was a force for good in that he exclusively targeted worse villains than himself, which is absolutely relevant to the themes of this game.

As our starting Persona, Arsene learns physical and Curse skills. Also, I really like that we now have a Persona that’s not mythological or anything, it’s just straight-up fictional.

Arsene and the protagonist are both voiced by Xander Mobus (and Jun Fukuyama in Japanese), whose most notable role prior to this was… the announcer in Smash 4. Huh.