05/17 Tu
Clear/Cloudy
The group stood in front of the school's gate as they waited for Kanji to meet up with that strange boy...
"I wonder what kind of plans they made... It didn't seem like he knew that boy very well."
"Well, I think there's something more subtle..."
Chie, don't jump to conclusions just because you want to answer Yukiko's questions.
"Oh, he's here!"
Kanji walked out the building, the mysterious young man arriving soon after.
"I didn't keep you waiting, I hope?"
"N-nah, I just got here myself."
Kanji adjusted his coat as he stammered, then both left...
Huh. That looked... Suspect...
The Investigation Team split in two- Yosuke and Chie tailed Kanji and the weird boy, and Yukiko paired with Yu to stakeout at the textile shop. Yukiko was a bit worried about them...
Yukiko had gotten sodas during the long wait next to the shrine gate. She was a little nervous about what would happen if the killer actually did show up.
Yukiko's a lot more frail than Chie...
"No worries- I'll protect you."
"O-okay. Thanks. ...I'm counting on you!"
Yukiko blushed bright red.
That came out a little different than I'd have liked. Oh, well.
"If the culprit did show up, though, I'd help you all. You saved my life, so I don't want to be the only one doing nothing. I mean... I'm sure there's something I can do..."
Well, these sorts of issues take time to get past. At least she isn't berating herself, even if she doesn't sound very confident...
Yu smiled a little.
"Alright. I'm counting on you, too.
Yukiko nodded and apologized for talking about her fears so much.
"I've never chatted with a boy my age like this before... Chie's never had any problem, of course, because of her personality... But I think she's had more fun hanging out with you and Yosuke lately."
"She's crazy, but she's got a good heart."
"Hmm... And the same is true for me."
Yukiko smiled and blushed little...
Time stopped for just a moment, as an image of a card bearing the number "II" and an abstract image of a robed woman appeared before Yu...
Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou has established a new bond...
It brings thee closer to the truth...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Priestess Arcana...
A small shower of light particles flowed out of Yukiko's smile, and into Yu...
... Oh, right.
"Hey, Yukiko. I think it'd be best if we traded phone numbers..."
"Huh? O-okay, i-if you want. I can't always answer, since I help out around the inn... But feel free to call anytime."
She took it the wrong way again... I'm still pretty bad at this, it seems...
The two new friends exchanged numbers, and talked about many things...
"So, let me get this straight. You hid behind a tree in a suggestive pose, wondered aloud about the nature of the two guys' relationship, then got caught and ran away like in a comedy chase scene, right?"
Chie and Yosuke apologized once more for failing to attain new info, before Yukiko suggested waiting for Kanji to return to his home...
"Huh? What're you guys doin' here?"
Great timing.
"You're those stupid lovebirds I just saw!"
Yu looked hard at the Magician.
"... Lovebirds? Yosuke, did you try something funny?"
Chie shouted at Kanji.
"We are NOT a couple!"
"Why the hell are you followin' me around? What the hell's going on?..."
Kanji sighed and tried to speak more calmly...
"Look, I ain't sayin' this is you guys' fault. But... Dammit!"
The group asked Kanji if anything strange had happened to him recently.
"Huh? Wh-what's this 'strange' stuff? You sayin' I'm strange?!"
Yikes. What a temper.
"You shitheads had better get the hell outta my face, or I'm taking you down!"
"Guys, we run. Now."
Yu aboutfaced and lead off his friends to safety.
The Investigation Team agreed that, while the day was a wash, Kanji was definitely still in danger. Everyone agreed to check on him again tomorrow, and to rest that night...
Yukiko called Yu as he was getting ready for bed.
"I'm sorry to call yourself so late, but... But Kanji-kun's missing!"
"What?"
"I-I had some calls to make for the inn, so I called the textile shop as well. When I spoke to Kanji-kun's, she told me that he left the house and hasn't returned since. She said that this happens all the time, but... What do you think?"
"... This sounds bad."
Yukiko agreed, then decided the best course was to watch the Midnight Channel that night...
"Talk to you later."
She hung up.
Well, fingers crossed...
Yu sat on his couch and stared into the TV, as a faint yellow static filled the room...
A set of changing rooms?
"Hel-LO, dear viewers... It's time for 'Bad, Bad Bathhouse'!"
What. Fundoshi. What.
"Tonight, I'll introduce a superb site for those searching for sublime love that surpasses the seperation of the sexes! Rrr!"
So he was like that. Even so, this is...
"I'm your host, Kanji Tatsumi, serving you this scandalously special sneak-in report!"
... Really...
"Goodness gracious, just imagine the things that might happen to me there! Ooooh!"
... SOMETHING.
"Well then, let's get this show on the road! Tootaloo!"
... And here I thought Yukiko's was awkward and uncomfortable.
Yu's phone rang- Yosuke had called.
"H-hey! What- What was?"
"Calm down."
"But that was completely over the top! Though, yeah, it really was Kanji..."
"We guessed right, but he still slipped through our fingers. We gear up and rescue him before the next foggy night..."
"Well, in any case, that place that was behind him? What was it? A 'superb sight for those searching for sublime love'? I just don't get it!"
"I'm guessing it's his "Castle". The other world must've reacted to him, like Teddie said."
"Great. We better hurry and come up with more of a plan tomorrow."
The group met up after school- They all agreed that Kanji was probably already inside the TV... After some speculation about the nature of the Midnight channel, they agreed that they absolutely had to save Kanji.
"Still, it's bad that there's a rumor going around about it- That means more people are watching it..."
Yosuke sighed.
"No kidding. People always act as if spreading word around magically make things like this true. If it really is, word'll just spread faster and faster."
Yu was a little solemn...
Yosuke spoke up.
"Y'know, if the killer is doing this, he's probably watching the 'show' that comes on and laughing his head off. 'I wanna see everything about you, Yuki-chan~!'"
Nice pervo voice, Yosuke. That come natural to you?
Chie was incensed.
"Ugh, ugh, ugh! Wait! If he saw Yukiko, then, what he saw me, too...? Oh, that's it! I'm gonna leave footprints all over his face!"
She threw herself into a battle stance!
"Guys! First, we save Kanji! Then, we crush the killer! Finally, we'll crush the killer and send him to hell! Got it!?"
Yu saw a third Fool card appear before him for a moment...
Yukiko failed to stammer a laugh.
"Ch-Chie! Those last two were the same thing!
After leaving school-
And calming Yukiko down form another fit...
The team met with Teddie in the World Inside the TV. He could confirm that someone was inside his world, but couldn't say exactly where...
"I sniff, and I sniff, but I still can't tell where the smell comes from."
Yosuke suggested that he might have too many thingson his mind to be effective at the moment.
"Your head's empty to begin with, dude. Don't stress out over stuff too much."
Eloquent as always, Yosuke. What's better than a bear having an identity crisis? A bear hiding an identity crisis!
Teddie sighed...
"You're right..."
Chie was a little taken aback.
"Whoa, he's seriously Down about this..."
Teddie suggested that he might be able to track Kanji better if he knew more about him. Yu nodded.
"We'll just have to snoop around town a little, I guess. Let's split up after we go back."
The others agreed.
Well, who knows him better than his own mother?
Kanji's mother told Yu that her son had been incredibly interested in that small boy he met recently.
"You know, the one with that hat."
Yu decided to hunt for the slender young man...
Where haven't I checked...?
Yu approached a woman who was shopping at Junes...
"Oh, that short boy in that fancy hat? I've seen him around here a few times, but he seems to have left already. So sorry."
Guess I'll just come back tomorrow...
Yu opted to attend basketball practice. After basics, Mr. Kondo had them gather at the fore to introduce...
"Your new team manager! Now you guys won't have to take turns doing all the work anymore."
Aside from being a bit sexist... We weren't taking turns anyway. It was all me and Kou, ever since I've shown up...
"Go on, girl. Introduce yourself."
The girl adjusted her long, vaguely pinkish brown hair.
"... Ai Ebihara."
Mr. Kondo opted to leave at that exact moment.
"Have fun, kiddos!"
"... I'm gonna tell you guys straight up. I'm not lifting a finger for this team. I wouldn't be caught dead watching out for a bunch of sweaty guys."
Kou asked the obvious question of why she'd join at all.
"I've missed too much school. They'll only let me move up if I manage this team. But don't expect me to put any effort. Mostly, I'm not even gonna be here. Well, seeya. Or not."
Wow. She's rather... Cold.
Kou just sighed and shook his head as Ai walked out of the gym.
"Can't say I expected different, knowing Ai. Well, hey. Let's go get our grub on!"
Kou was extremely happy to be eating with Daisuke and Yu. He talked a little about his relationship with his family, and the last time he bailed...
"Heh, just the other day, I was at one of those high society gatherings. Can you imagine me at one of those things?"
"I'll admit, it does seem a little outta place."
"No kidding! Sometimes, you just gotta laugh at yourself."
Kou smiled a little at Yu's comment.
"Just don't tell anyone I eat here or talk like I do. To my family, I'm supposed to be the prim-and-proper Kou-sama... Besides, my time spent like this might be gone soon. We're an old-fashioned family, so the Ichijou name goes back a long way. My dad was looking to be the last of them, but they weren't going to let the name die like that, so they adopted me instead..."
What? He's adopted?... Unexpected, but, whatever, I guess...
"But then my dad DID have a kid after all. A girl. I guess she is kinda a little sister to me..."
Siblings in all but name? Where've I heard of that?
"Her name's Sachiko. She's almost two, and she's really cute, y'know?..."
Kou hung a little limp.
"... C'mon, cheer up, man. You're eating great food with your best friend and that weird guy you just met! What could be better?"
Kou laughed. He talked a little about how much better it was that the successor of his family would be a blood member, but he seemed really torn on all of it...
Before the conversation picked up again, Yu saw a fourth Strength card appear...
I guess they trust me a bit, huh?...
Yu decided to talk with Nanako that night. He felt Angel fall into place, making him just a little more receptive to Nanako's point of view...
Nanako fidgeted around, like she was incredibly nervous...
"Go ahead and ask. I'm your Big Bro now, right?"
Nanako sighed in relief.
"Okay. Well, umm... Are you an only child?"
Nanako stared dead straight at Yu...
"Nope."
"Hmm... Then, um, do you have a little sister?"
"Of course. That's you."
"Little sister..."
Nanako giggled happily...
I'm glad she got that one. It'd have made me pretty sad if she hadn't...
"A while ago, Dad told me that our family wouldn't get any bigger. But now I have a big brother!"
She's so happy that I'm around... Am I really that impressive?
Yu smiled almost as much as Nanako did, as a second Justice card appeared before him for a moment...
Yu and Nanako talked all about their school lives to each other, until it was time for Nanako to go to sleep...
05/19 Th
Clear
Yosuke told Yu on their way to school that it'd be a while before the next foggy day...
The school posted the test scores during the lunch break.
Wow, that high? I'm shocked.
Yu had scored the highest in the second year.
Great, now everyone's eying me like I just cleared twenty stories...
Yu smiled awkwardly...
It took her long enough, but I'm happy that girl's wish was fulfilled, and she could ask that guy out. The Fox should be happy, too...
There he is, just like that woman yesterday said...
Yu approached the short boy with the blue hat he had seen with Kanji in the West Entrance of Junes...
"Hmm? Well, considering the apparent urgency of the situation- Yes. Something did seem off with him. So I simply told him out of the blue that he seemed like a odd person."
No one does that, you know.
"He suddenly became very withdrawn and timid. I would assume this might mean he has some sort of complex, but I have no concrete proof of this..."
Right, so Kanji has a... Complex. I think this might be something Teddie could use...
... A little later. Maybe I should let the others do some digging themselves.
Yu had made his way back to the school, in time to approach Ai...
"... You want to do something sometime?"
What the hell am I saying.
"... Fine. Skip your afternoon classes tomorrow- We can do something then."
Yu nodded.
Why did I agree to that.
Yu went to the Shrine to calm his nerves...
The Fox yipped in excitement to see him, and was quite happy with the looks of the offertory box...
Yu saw a second Hermit card appear before him for a fraction of a second.
You're letting me pet you, y'know. You and I both could use some blood pressure regulation.
Yu reached out to the Fox's head...
"... Thank you, Nanako."
Yu turned the small paper medal with his portrait on it over in his hands.
"You earned it for being so smart, Big Bro!"
Nanako giggled a little...
This book's actually somewhat interesting. The protagonist seemed completely ineffectual at first,but his resolve to improve really makes him inspiring...
Yu closed up his copy of "Off Today"...
05/20 F
Clear
Why did I agree to this.
Yu was dragged along to Okina City by Ai during the lunch break.
"Ah! Refreshing. Just knowing that everyone else is still stuck at school makes it feel great to be out here."
Crapcrapcrap what to I say.
"You know, you really shouldn't ditch class like this."
"Yeah? Then what's your excuse, smart guy?"
Ai fidgeted a little.
"I-it's not like I do this all the time. Besides, since they started keeping track of my attendance and behavior record, I've been a goo girl."
Oh, no. Is she one of those people who can just flip their emotions on whenever they feel like?
"Well, enough small talk. We'll start with clothes, then we'll hit jewlery and shoes, and maybe some cell stuff if there's enough time."
Shopping? All the way out here during school hours for that?
"... Alright, I'll come. Fine."
"Of course. Why else would you be here? Well, time's a'wasting."
I will never forgive Crocofur for using those stupid paper bags with those strings that slice into your fingers when you try to carry them.
Ai turned at Yu as they walked out of .
"It's nice to have a personal servant! I can buy so much more this way.
It was a damned gold card. Either she's a thief, or her family is loaded. And possibly a bunch of thieves.
"Got money to burn, huh?"
Yu was doing his best not to sound caustic.
After all, my folks are loaded, too...
"Well, I guess you could call my family 'new money'. We don't have status or history, but we do have money. Daddy made a fortune in land speculation."
Ai glanced at her phone.
"We'd better get going, or we won't make it back before class ends."
Ai sighed a little.
"Soon as school gets out, I'm number one on the guidance counselor's list. He has to check on my attendance and behavior, and sometimes he tops it of with a lecture. It's a major pain."
Ai looked a little more directly at Yu.
"But I'm out here having fun, and all the teachers are totally clueless. How stupid can they be?"
I dunno about 'stupid'. 'Absentminded' or 'unhinged', maybe.
Ai looked around a little...
"I... Had more fun than usual today. You're different. I like you."
What. When did she decide this.
"I think I'll keep you around, but now we'd better get back to class. Don't worry, next time, we'll go after school."
Time stopped for a moment, as a card bearing the number "XVIII" and an abstract image of the moon appeared before Yu...
Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
It brings thee closer to the truth...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Moon Arcana...
A wave of light particles flowed out of Ai's face, and into Yu...
Ai winked at Yu before turning and leading him towards the station...
... Well, she's interesting, at least.
''So, this lady asked the Shrine to make her hate snacks. Odd, but okay, fine. Who do I know that like things that're more unusual than you'd think...?"
Deciding not to dwell on the ema's request, Yu went to work at the Daycare overlooking town. He felt Sylph make him just a little better-suited for the upcoming job...
These kids are insane and possibly evil.
Eri had shown up early, and made a little smalltalk with Yu before they went their separate ways...
That night, Yu spent a precious moment together with Nanako, his Persona allowing him to understand her just a little more...
05/21 Sa
Cloudy
Yu overheard a couple of girls talk about a mail-order program that came on on Sunday mornings on the way to school...
After school, Yu again went to his job at the Daycare, Sylph readying his mind just a little more for it...
Yep, still terrifying.
Yu survived another day of children pulling at him from all directions. When Eri showed up to take Yuuta home, he asked when his father would return, then, when Eri couldn't answer him, he ran off with as friend...
Eri sighed softly.
"I guess he wants to see his father..."
"Well, probably. He is a little kid, after all..."
"Yeah, even if he came home, he'd just be alone with me, the stranger who barged in half a year ago..."
Eri half laughed, half sobbed...
Eri vented her frustrations with her husband to Yu...
"As bad as it is that he left you so quickly, he does keep in contact... Do you love your husband?"
"I... I don't know anymore... Even so, there's not really any reason for me to get a divorce, either... Oh, don't tell my husband, 'k?"
Eri laughed a little at herself...
She's not really smiling though...
Yu saw a third Temperance card appear for just a moment, as he waved the young mother off...
Sensei's actually gotten a lot better. I'm surprised by how sincere this book is...
Yu's Level: 15
Current Personas:
Cu Sith
Apsaras
Titan
Angel
Sylph
Social Links:
Fool: Rank 3
Magician: Rank 3
Priestess: Rank 1
Hierophant: Rank 2
Chariot: Rank 3
Justice: Rank 2
Hermit: Rank 2
Strength: Rank 4
Temperance: Rank 3
Moon: Rank 1
Sun: Rank 3
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