07/03 Su
Cloudy
I feel like kinda a pervert buying this, but Tanaka rambled about it being magic... After what I've seen, there might be some semblance of truth to it...
Yu pocketed his phone after placing his order for an Armada Bustier combo from Tanaka's Amazing Commodities...
Yu walked down to the riverbed of the Samegawa...
"Ah, Yu-chan... How nice to see you..."
Yu smiled at the old lady, and the two of them went to sit down near the water...
"But still..."
She keeps staring at my face...
"The more I look at you, the more you remind me of him. His nose was just a little bit lower than yours, and his eyes a bit smaller, and his hair was shorter... Haha, he was a handsome man."
Her loved one, I guess... But then...
"So, he didn't look like me?"
Hisano chuckled lightly...
"Well, maybe not so much in the face, but... Your expressions and the gestures you make, perhaps?... My husband, that is... My husband passed away recently..."
Oh... That was a little thoughtless of me...
Hisano fell very quiet for a while, before turning to face Yu.
"Do I look like Death to you?"
Well, aside from the funeral get-up...
"No, you don't."
"I see..."
Hisano again fell silent...
"... You mustn't become Death."
She's... This is... Well.
"When I'm with you, I feel like he has forgiven me... That can't possibly be true, though... After all, I'm the one who... I'll see you later, Yu-chan."
''What happened...?
Yu thanked Hisano for her time, then left for his home, the old lady sitting still a while longer. A second Death card appeared before him not far into his walk home...
That night, Yu decided to spend time talking with Dojima, Unicorn bringing him a little closer to the Hierophant.
Come to think of it, why does he always pull out that box of cheese crackers when we talk...?
07/04 M
Clear
"... That's it for Pascal. Did you get all that in your notes? Your brains aren't smart enough to retain this by just listening. Make sure you write all this down in your notes! Incidentally... It seems some students have been extorting money from each other at school again. You know... Nothing good comes out of guys your age. You assholes can't even distinguish good from bad!"
Just like you, eh, King Moron?
"You kids are all so indiscreet, you know that!? Let's see... Amagi... No, I think I'd rather go for Hanamura, who seems to be indiscreet! Deductive reasoning or inductive reasoning: Which one uses several examples to draw a conclusions?"
"Damn King Moron... Psst, hey, Yu... Which one?"
"It's inductive, I'm pretty sure."
Yosuke relayed his answer to Morooka, who seemed unusually calm from earlier, and confirmed that the answer was correct.
"... Yu, thanks, dude. You just saved me from some more shit talking."
The weirdest part is that we've actually tried to use this stuff all the time...
Yu found the boy at the Samegawa one more time, and handed him the Tankiriman sticker Nanako had given him...
"... Wow, thank you! This is cool-looking, so I'm sure they'll let me play after I show them this!"
The child ran off.
Wow, why do some many of the people who give wishes to the shrine run so fast?
Chie happened to be walking past...
Come to think of it, I haven't really spent that much time with the other Team members... Strange, it feels like I've been doing a lot of things with them...
"So, you wanna train?"
"Galactic Punt!"
Chie kicked a rock as hard as she could-
Wow... I think she somehow skipped that thing!
After training, Yu and Chie went to Aiya to grab dinner-
"Hey, two beef bowls!"
"I'll have two beef bowls, too!"
... What am I gonna do with an extra beef bowl... Give it to her?
After receiving their orders-
They put multiple orders of the same dish in one bowl? Huh. That's... Economical. Saves on dish washing, too...
Chie promptly shoveled chunks of meat and onion into her mouth.
"Mmmm... The meat and rice just flow through my veins..."
She's got a system... Rice, rice, beef, rice, rice, beef. Huh.
"You look so happy."
Chie bashfully smiled...
"On the happiness scale, it's up there with watching kung fu movies..."
Chie drifted off into her own bliss for a moment...
"I need to work hard and pump myself up, or else I can't pull us out of a jam, right? Especially Yukiko... I need to be able to protect her..."
Chie turned her face back to her food and fell quiet for a moment...
"I hope she's not straining herself. Makes you worry, huh?"
... Well, I'm not shocked she's not really over this...
"I worry more for you."
"Huh? M-me? B-but I'm fine! I mean, I've been training and everything!"
Which is why I think you might burn out, especially if you focus all your attention on her.
Chie composed herself, even as she blushed in embarrassment...
"I'll make myself stronger! For Yukiko, too! So keep it up, Leader! Haha... Me and Yosuke act like that all the time... But we're all counting on you..."
Yu wore a tiny smile and nodded.
"Hmm... Hey, a beef fried rice, over here! Yu, you want anything else?"
Where does all that food even go?
As the two of them walked home together, a fifth Chariot card appeared before Yu...
That night, Yu spent the night talking with Nanako, Virtue bringing him a little bit closer to Justice...
"Um... I lost the paper I was supposed to return to school... What should I do...? The teacher will yell at me."
Well, what do I say to that but-
"I'll help you look for it."
"Really? Thank you, big bro!"
Well, better start looking...
"I'll look in this room- Can you check your room?"
"Yeah!"
Lessee... Well, I checked under the sofa... Well, there's always Dojima's papers...
Yu gently rifled through the papers, finding...
It's her paper, alright. 'Day Requested- Anytime'... And there's a photo of...
Yu called Nanako out of her room and handed her the paper and the picture.
Nanako read her paper...
"It says 'Anytime' on it. So... He can come anytime?"
"That's what it says, doesn't it? I'd never mistake your Dad's handwriting."
It's all rough and yet somehow really regular. It's just like the man himself.
"I see..."
Nanako smiled and giggled a tiny bit.
"And this is... A photo? Oh, this is... Mom... This little baby in the middle... That's me... Dad's smiling..."
Nanako stayed very quiet and focused on the photo of her family...
"... Why did Dad stop smiling...?"
"Well, I think it's because... He's lonely. And that you're lonely, too..."
And I've been there a long time, once.
"Dad won't smile because I'm lonely...? I see... So that's it..."
Nanako nodded determinedly.
"After Mom died, I was lonely but... I'm not the only one who's sad that Mom's not here anymore... Dad... He was lonely, too... I'm sorry, Dad."
... For a moment there, she looked almost adult... You're so strong, Nanako...
"Thank you, Big Bro... Will Dad ever smile like this again?"
"Yeah... I think he will."
Yu put Nanako to bed and soon after went to sleep himself, an eighth Justice card appearing before him as he drifted off to sleep...
07/05 Tu
Cloudy
I'm not feeling so hot... Maybe I should just... Quietly... Sneak home...
Yu managed to make it to the Shopping District, before...
"Oh... Yu-san. Hey."
Dammit.
"Hi, Naoki. You want to do something today?"
"Sure, okay. You feel like getting some Chinese food?"
Not really. But they've got soup, at least...
Despite his misgivings, Yu felt Makami slot into place, bringing him a little closer to the Hanged Man...
The two high schoolers walked towards the Chinese diner...
"Oh!"
A passing housewife, huh? You're gonna be stupid at us, aren't you?
"Are you coming back from school? You shouldn't be wasting time here! Don't you think your parents are worried about you wandering about, just like your sister did? You're not helping out at the store? I hear your father's having a hard time."
How many things were wrong with that rant?
"... Hmph."
Wow, Naoki actually stood up to a heckler.
"Don't 'Hmph' me. I know it's tough, with what happened to your sister... But in times like these, a family has to unite and help each other out, right? Look, I'm just trying to help you and your family out. That attitude isn't very nice."
Neither is yours- Pretending to be a family psychiatrist? Seriously?
Naoki fell quiet...
"... Stop pretending he's your kid."
I can't just not say something.
"I-it's okay, Yu-san..."
No it isn't.
"I'll be going now. Naoki-kun, keep your chin up, and think about your family!
The housewife left...
"... I'm sorry... It's a little awkward to be around me, huh?"
"It's not your fault. Some people just don't think enough about these things..."
"Yeah?... If you weren't here... I would've been in a predicament. Since my family runs a business here, we have to be on good terms with the neighbors... So I can't yell at them... Thank you."
Naoki looked at the ground for a second...
"I'm sorry. I'm... Gonna go home now. We'll eat together next time..."
"... I'm sorry, too. See ya..."
As Yu made his way home, a fourth Hanged Man card appeared before him...
That night, Yu decided to work as a tutor, Taotie bringing him a little closer to the Tower...
"Huh... I'm sorry, but I'm kinda burnt out tonight. Can we talk next time?"
"Sure..."
He doesn't get math, I guess...
07/06 W
Cloudy
After an uneventful day at school, Yu decided to talk to Kanji...
"Hey, Yu-senpai. You have some time?"
Yu smiled a little...
"...Sure, Kanji."
Yu felt Setanta fall into place, bringing him a little closer to the Emperor...
"You wanna head to my place?"
... Huh?
"Ma said she wanted to meet you."
Oh.
Yu and Kanji headed to Tatsumi Textiles in the Shopping District...
"Gotta warn you- There's nothin' fun here."
Eh, I'll see...
Kanji opened the door to his home-
"Hey Ma, I'm home... Eh?"
Kanji nearly ran back to Yu...
"She ain't here. What's she doin' leaving the store open...?"
"Kan-chan! There you are!"
The guy who runs Aiya? What's he...
"Your mother's in the hospital!"
What!?
Kanji nearly gasped.
"The hospital...?"
"Let's hurry."
"Huh...? Oh, y-yeah... I need to go... And see..."
The Aiya owner told him that he only vaguely knew what happened, before the guys ran to the hospital...
The pair ran through the hospital, finding Mrs. Tatsumi on an aboveground floor...
"Ma! You all right!? You were taken to the hospital!? Someone do this to you...!?"
"Goodness, but you look pale."
"Never mind me!! What about you...!? ...Huh? You're okay?"
Kanji's mother nodded.
"I wasn't taken to the hospital. I took someone."
"Huh...?"
Kanji's mother smiled slightly as a small child walked out from behind her...
"This poor thing got hit by a bicycle right in front of our shop. He hit his head, so I had a doctor examine him. He said there's no damage, thank goodness. The one who hit him was a boy from your school. When he saw the poor child fall, he ran away. Why don't you find him and give him a little scolding?"
Well, that sounds right up Kanji's alley...
"Cut the crap!"
Kanji had a sudden outburst.
"You've got no idea how I felt!"
"Haha, I'm fine. Your mother isn't kicking the bucket that easily. It's not like you to get so worried over such a little thing."
"Shut up, you old cow!"
Kanji ran off...
He... He needs to figure out a better way to express his worry, I guess...
Yu took off after Kanji, who was sitting on a bench near a window...
"... Sorry. Looks like it was no big deal..."
"I don't blame you for worrying."
Kanji stared at the ground.
"Y-yeah? If it's not just me, then... I guess it's okay. Haaah... I thought I faced alla my bad parts back there... But not everything can change just like that, huh...?"
What do I say? He doesn't seem to be in the mood to hear a spiel about how he's started to get better...
"Oh, uh... Sorry for draggin' you around, Yu-senpai. If I'd have been by myself, I mighta been even more scared... Hah. Hope I can repay the favor."
If he wants to be a good friend and tries as hard as he can... I think he'll be there in no time.
Kanji thanked Yu, and left for his home. As he turned a corner out of Yu's sight, a third Emperor card appeared before the Fool...
Kanji's mother came up from behind Yu just as Kanji left...
"That boy... We were both going home... He didn't have to run away like that. Oh... You're Yu-kun? You came to the store that time. I've been hearing a lot about you from Kanji. 'Senpai this' and 'Senpai that'... He must really like you. I'm sorry to have made you both come all the way here. He hates hospitals, you see..."
"Hm?"
"His father... My husband died here. Kanji happened to be somewhere else when he collapsed... So I think he was scared today. Haha, but it's good to see you. He's always had trouble getting along with people. He didn't have any friends like you before."
Hmm... Well, his attitude didn't help, but I'm guessing...
"Because of his hobbies?"
"Oh, he told you? He would always rather play house instead of catch, or go to home ec instead of P.E. So he never had any male friends, but the girls didn't acceot him either.
Like I saw before... 'Won't someone... Anyone please accept me!?'
Kanji's mother continued.
"After a while, he started getting into fights every day and bleaching his hair...
Bleaching his hair? I can't say I'm surprised, but I can't imagine him looking good with dark hair for some reason...
"I was worried about him... But lately, he seems to be having fun. Please take care of him."
"Oh course- He's my underclassman, and my friend."
Mrs. Tatsumi smiled gently, and the two left...
As Yu walked out of the hospital, he passed by a hallway, where he spotted...
... Yosuke? What's he doing here? And who's that girl with the big forehead...? ... Let's leave them be.
Hmm... What to make...?
Yu pulled out a few sweet potatoes and started prepping them.
Daigaku-imo sounds good. It always feels weird deep frying things without a coating, but it's kinda nifty.
Yu pulled the crisped sweet potatoes out of the hot oil and tossed them in the sweet sauce.
Nice and crispy.
07/07 Th
Cloudy
Kanji'd never admit it to anyone else, but I'm betting he's got something of a sweet tooth...
Yu called his friend to the roof, where they shared lunch.
"Wow... This is sooo, good! My own mom can't cook this well... Mind making my school lunches from now on?"
I wouldn't mind... But I don't know what that'd do for you're reputation...
The Man-yoshu, huh? Well, it is Tanabata...
"I think it was Kakinomoto no Hitomaro who wrote the most Man-yoshu poems about the Tanabata festival, wasn't it?"
"Right, Yu-chan! It was a whole 137 of them!"
Good that I got it right... But still, that puppet...
After classes, Yosuke meet up with Yu...
"Yo. If you're free, wanna go somewhere?"
I think I've let Yosuke stew long enough after all the stuff that's happened...
Yu agreed, Pyro Jack bringing him a tiny bit closer to the Magician...
The Secret Headquarters, huh...?
Yu and Yosuke enjoyed a quick snack of takoyaki at the Junes Food Court...
"Hanging out with you here every so often isn't that bad. Even if we're short on cash, I can always score a little discount here. Though, it's a small price to pay in exchange for that..."
Suddenly, a teenage girl's voice sounded from nearby...
"Oh, there you are, Hanamura!"
"... For example."
Yosuke stood up out of his chair as a pair of girls approached him...
"Hello there, Senpai. What's wrong today?"
"You better say something to that blockhead manager! I told him I can't come in on Saturdays or Sundays. But he's saying I have to be here since we're low on staff. And if I don't, he'll fire me!"
Insulting a guy's father is a great plan!
The other girl backed her partner up-
"Isn't there some kinda law against that!?"
"Er, but... Didn't you guys say you could work weekends during you interviews?"
"Well, yeah. They wouldn't hire us if we didn't!"
"... Alright, I got it. I'll try talking with him... But you don't want to get fired, right? It'd make it easier for me to strike a deal if you could show up every now on then on weekends..."
What? Why? They clearly don't have any interest in actually working...
The girls said they'd think about it, then marched off...
What's even wrong with them?
An adult woman then came up to Yosuke...
He's gonna be at this for a while, I'm guessing... Well, lessee... 'Wiping All Out', 'Mass Destruction'... I feel like something super-Engrish-y, so I think I'll go with 'Key Plus Words'.
ENTER KEY to accelerate- ignition turned on it's about the time to drive to truth
A short while later, Yosuke finally returned to the table...
"Phew, I'm beat... I'm not the complaints department..."
"Man, you're incredible."
"Huh? Dude, it's nothing but trouble!"
Yosuke laughed sheepishly...
"Geez... Everyone's just trying to take advantage of me as the Junes kid. Maybe I wouldn't mind if I was free, but we have the murders to deal with. I don't have time for this. Can the police really handle the killer? Can the law really convict whoever's behind this...?"
Yosuke sighed and looked directly at Yu...
"Once I started worrying about that stuff, I knew I couldn't bother with anything else. I have to do what I can..."
Well, I've been trying not to let this take over my life... It's not really that easy, of course...
"That's the spirit, Yosuke. I'm counting on you."
"Hey, don't get carried away! You make me feel like I said something crazy... Haha... I never thought I'd be talking about serious stuff like this. Before I moved here, it was all small talk... Stupid, trivial things. I thought that was fine. It's only with you guys that I talk seriously like this."
I dunno- You looked pretty somber and serious with forehead girl at the hospital.
Yosuke continued.
"I dunno why, but I feel like... I don't have to lie... Especially with you. You've already seen the worst of me and all."
Yosuke broke into a small smile.
"But well... Thinking about it now, if someone had to see that, I'm glad it was you. It's a bit late now, but... Thanks for going in with me that time."
"Well, what else was there for me to to that day?"
Yosuke laughed and smiled sheepishly...
The two talked for a while after that.
I wonder if I should ask him about that girl... Nah, not today.
As Yu bid his friend farewell and left for the elevator, a fourth Magician card appeared before him...
That night, Yu decided to work as Shu's tutor, Taotie bringing him a little closer to the Tower...
After a few lessons about English grammar, Yu sat down for tea with Shu...
"... To tell you the truth, I'm not that good with the English language. I can memorize what's in the textbook and get really good grades on tests, but I don't really understand it..."
"To be fair, Japanese is one of the hardest first languages to learn from. I only know as much as I do because I had to live in America for a while when I was young, 'cause of my folks..."
"Huh? Really? My teacher could learn from you... They don't really comprehend the difference between reading from the textbook and speaking to people. Teaching must be a great job. Even idiots can be arrogant when they know more than you do... They don't get what it means to learn at all."
But that's life in general.
"I wish I could tell you otherwise, but, well, that's just the way it is. Too few people really think about how they talk to others..."
Shu sighed.
"A student's value is equal to how well he scores on tests... Well, at least that's easy to understand... About that transfer student I told you about before... His grades are pretty good... But he can't beat me. So then, the rest of the class and the teacher make this face like 'the transfer student is no good after all'... Looking down on him..."
Shu frowned...
"And yet, he acts all big, so everyone hates him. Lately, no one even talks to him... It's all so stupid."
I getting a feeling like someone's... Projecting? Roleplaying? Is that what it's called
"... Why do I have to go to school when it's all so obviously dumb? That place..."
"You're not the only one who feels like that."
"Oh... I see. You're right, everyone goes to school against their will... Yasogami High looks fun. At least, that's the feeling I get when I see you... Oh... But by the time I'm a first-year, you'll have already graduated... Then there's no point, huh?"
Shu and Yu talked for a little while longer about lighter subjects...
Huh. I guess that Witch Detective series got a show... Sounds like it's one of those series that gets big with younger kids and teen males, huh? Like that... Melodious? Nona-something?
"Oh, our time is already over... Well, thank you. I'll see you next time!"
"Yeah... Next time."
As Yu left the Nakajima household, a fourth Tower card appeared before him...
07/08 F
Rain
Rainy days... They always get me down.
After an uneventful day at school, Yu decided to check with the Fox to see if the wish on the ema had been truly granted...
"*Yip! Yip!*"
As grizzled as he looks, the guy can be awful cute.
Yu sat under the Shrine's awning and stroked the Fox for a little while, before heading home, a fifth Hermit card appearing before him on the way home...
The rain isn't letting up... It's supposed to last till tomorrow, too...
Yu decided to work at the hospital that night, Pazuzu bringing him a little closer to the Devil...
Geez, the draft in these halls makes such creepy noises...
Yu polished off the last inch of the window he was cleaning, before Sayoko found him and dragged him into an empty hospital room...
She's being uncharacteristically quiet...
Yu and Sayoko stood in silence for what seemed like a very long time...
... I can't take it anymore.
"... Did something happen?"
Sayoko turned to face Yu, looking almost contemptuous.
"... Stop it. Do you think you're some kind of counselor now?"
... Well, now that you mention it...
Sayoko sighed.
"I'm sorry... There's no point in taking it out on you... I just got a call from the hospital I last worked at. The patient I was assigned to... Died. He was till just a little child..."
Oh... That's not...
"He always said he wanted to go to school... But it looks like he'll never get that chance... You know, he proposed to me... I told him I'd think about it when he became an adult. But I... I forgot about him! When I transferred here, I was so busy... I thought about him once in a while, but soon I just forgot... He was fighting for his life that entire time!"
Sayoko started sobbing...
"What am I doing...?"
It's hard to know what to say in this kind of situation...
"... I don't think you should blame yourself."
"I do... Of course I blame myself... Why did I transfer...? When a paitent gets better, I get left behind... But now, I'm the one who left a patient behind... There should've been something I could have done..."
... There's nothing I can say to all this... I wish I could...
The room again fell silent for what seemed like eons...
"Oh, I'm sorry, Yu- Maybe you should head home for tonight... I'm glad you came today..."
"... Take care."
Yu tried to wear a faint smile for the nurse, and went home, a sixth Devil card appearing before him as he exited the building...
07/09 Sa
Rain
... Well, at least I know what everyone's doing this time. Chie and Yukiko are having a 'BFF' Day, Kanji's decided to do some heavy lifting at the textile shop, and Yosuke's snuck off after Forehead Girl again.
Yu sighed as he put his 200 yen into the capsule machine...
It rained all the way home... That's two days now. I'd better check the the Midnight Channel.
Yu saw Nanako to bed and went to his own room...
The fog's settled in...
Yu pulled his hand away from the curtain and stared at his television, as a pale yellow glow emanated from it...
It's blank... I thought as much, but it's still a relief to know for sure.
Yu decided to head to bed right after the screen faded...
07/10 Su
Cloudy/Clear
... Why do I have this terrible feeling of dread all of a sudden?
Yu pulled himself up out of bed. After getting dressed...
Those're... Police sirens. What happened?
*PI-PI-PI! PI-PI-PI!*
Chie?
"Hello?"
"D-d-did you hear yet!? They found a dead body just outside the shopping district!"
"What...!?"
"I don't get it! I mean, we... Look, we're all meeting at Junes. Come over right away!"
"Right..."
Yu closed up his phone and barreled out the door of his home...
"Oh, over here!"
Chie waved Yu over to the usual table at the Junes Food Court...
"Yosuke went over to check out the scene. He should be back soon..."
Almost as soon as Chie finished speaking, Yosuke ran out of the elevator and towards the table, gasping from a run...
"Yeah, it was murder, all right. The body was hanging upside down on an apartment's rooftop railing..."
What the hell... What'd we...
Yukiko shook her head.
"But... How could that be...?"
"That's not all. The victim this time... It was King Moron."
"What?"
"K-King Moron...!?"
"You mean THAT King Moron!? Senpai's homeroom teacher?"
Chie visibly quivered a little...
"W-why!? What on earth's going on here!?"
"How am I supposed to know!? But I talked to a guy who saw it!"
Yosuke, yelling doesn't... Dammit, I can't say it.
"It's true... There's no mistake."
Kanji was incensed.
"Gotta be shitting me... Ain't the killer targeting people who get shown on TV? I ain't never see King Moron on the Midnight Channel, or any other programs!"
And a rooftop railing... For some reason, that doesn't sound quite like the other two locations...
Yosuke sighed.
"Why...? Why did this happen...!?"
"I thought we finally figured some things out... Were they all just a big coincidence...?"
Chie sounded heartbroken...
"Maybe the Midnight Channel doesn't have anything to do with this..."
Yukiko... Don't you get sad, too...
"I don't really know what to say..."
"Dammit! We came so far, and now we're back to square one!? Were we in over our heads, trying to catch a culprit that even the police couldn't find...?"
... No, I'm not letting ourselves down like this.
"It's too early to give this up!"
"Damn straight, Senpai! We started this thing 'cause the police can't tell their asses from their elbows. We give up now, and that shithead's gonna be on the loose forever. This ain't the time for bitching and moaning... We just gotta keep on keepin' on."
... Damn.
"Kanji-kun..."
Yukiko seemed impressed as well...
"Ha... Big talk from someone like you, Kanji."
"Wh-what's that s'posedta mean!?"
Yosuke sighed.
"I know... We're dealing with a murderer here. But we've all risked our lives to get this far..."
... Can't believe I'm doing this, but I gotta say it.
"We can't back down now. We've come way too far... And we promised Teddie, too, didn't we?"
Chie got herself pumped.
"Hey, that's right! Maybe Teddie knows something about this!"
Yosuke smiled wryly.
"Well, since moping around won't do us any good, let's go see him!"
The Team nodded and marched to the elevator.
Chie was the first to notice...
"Huh? There's staff here?"
... What? There's never anyone in the electronics section! What's going on...?
"Huh. That's unusual..."
Yosuke walked up to the workers...
"Hi there. Did something happen?"
One of them, a woman, responded first.
"Ah, Yosuke-kun."
The man of the pair continued.
"Great timing. Did the manager tell you anything about this?"
"Hm?"
"There's been this weird mascot around our department for quite a while now... Is there some kind of campaign on today?"
Yosuke stared...
"Mascot...?"
"He said his name was... Uh, what was it? Terry? Eddie?"
No... No... No.
" Well, there are no customers around, so I guess it's fine... I better get back to work."
The two employees left...
Yosuke stared at where the employees had stood.
"Please don't tell me..."
Chie looked to her left...
"Whoa, h-he's here!"
... A message chair? That's... One of the weirdest things I've ever seen.
"Ahhhh... This really hits the spot..."
"Wh-what the...? I mean, how'd you...?"
Yosuke nearly panicked...
"It took you guys long enough! I've been waiting."
Yukiko expressed concerned surprise...
"Teddie, are you okay on this side!?"
Kanji was incredulous.
"How did you even leave your side!?"
"Of course I can come out. There's an exit. It just never occurred to me to use it before. But spending time with you all sparked my curiosity about this world! I did wonder if it was a good idea, but my feet started moving before I could decide. And when I thought about it, I had nowhere to go, and it was a waste to go back. So I waited here for you! Oh, someone asked for my name. So I told them, 'I'm Teddie'."
Chie stared at the ground...
"So that's why..."
Yukiko had a flash of inspiration.
"Oh yeah, there's something we need to ask you! How long have you been here, Teddie? Did anyone enter the other world?"
"I stayed until the fog settled back in on my side, but no one came."
What?
Yosuke seemed to agree.
"You're positive? You really didn't sense a single person?"
"I just said that I didn't! I was there all by myself, like always. Hmph!"
"And your nose wasn't clogged or anything...?"
"Grr... Aren't you listening!? I was utterly, totally, and 100%, alone! That's why I came over here! But I can understand if you don't believe me. My senses aren't that good lately anyways..."
Teddie...
"I believe you."
"Ooh...! Sensei's heart heart is radiating pure kindness...!"
Chie sighed a little...
"Well, it's true that the Midnight Channel was blank last night. And even before that... Teddie says he didn't sense anything, right? Does that mean... King Moron was never on that side?"
Yosuke pressed his fingers to his forehead...
"Hmm... What's going on?"
"Hey, hey, I wanna go somewhere!"
Kanji raised an eyebrow.
"Huh? Now ain't the time, dude... You seriously don't plan on going back, do you? Where do you wanna go, anyway?"
Teddie jumped out of the chair.
"I want to give this to Rise-chan!It's for her."
Teddie handed Yu a pair of glasses...
Pink. Really pink.
"Rise-chan will probably back us up from now on! So I'm gonna fight alongside you with everything I got! Don't think of me as the same cute little Teddie! I'm an all-new model! I have a powerful attack, an unbeatable defense, and a winning smile! Today begins the New Legend of Teddie!"
... A legend? Wait...
"Wow... A new legend...!"
Yukiko's eyes shined...
Suddenly, a fifth Fool card appeared before Yu...
Suddenly, a bunch of children gathered around the Team...
"Uh-oh, people are starting to stare... Keep it down, willya Ted!? C'mon, let's go somewhere else!"
And with Yosuke's words, the Team returned to the Food Court...
"Okay, just to make sure, I'm gonna ask you one last time. Nobody was over there, except for you, until the fog came back. Correct?"
Teddie nodded.
Or sorta throws himself forward, considering the lack of a neck...
"That's what I've been saying."
Chie sighed.
"He didn't show up on the Midnight Channel either..."
Kanji spoke up.
"What's up with that?"
Yosuke closed his eyes in confusion...
"No clue... But I think we can be sure now that King Moron was never thrown into the TV."
Chie responded.
"Then what, he was killed over here? Why not throw him into a TV, like all the rest?"
That's a hard... Wait.
"Maybe they couldn't throw him in?"
"They couldn't...? Well, they've done it a bunch of times already, but I guess everyone screw up sometimes..."
As Yosuke mulled over his thoughts, Yukiko added her own-
"Maybe the culprit thought he couldn't kill any more people by throwing them into TVs. I mean, we prevented his last three attempts in a row."
"Ah, I get you... That could be it!"
Chie was a little more hopeful sounding, while Kanji...
"So they snuffed someone on our side to make sure it worked. Dammit... If that's true, then we have no way of preventing more murders unless we catch the killer!"
But if that's the case-
Chie quickly responded to her underclassman...
"We need more clues... I wonder if Rise-chan's up and around yet?"
Right...
Yu nodded.
"She saved us in there with her abilities... And we need to see how she's holding up, besides."
The other Team members nodded.
Then, Teddie gasped a little in exasperation.
"It's so hot out... I'm taking this off."
... What!?
Yosuke jumped in-
"Wait, you're not talking about your head, are you!? Cut it out! There's kids watching! They'll be scarred for life if they see an empty mascot walking around. Have a little consideration, man."
Yukiko giggled a little.
"I'm glad you're back to normal, though.Your fur's all fuzzy again!"
Kanji's eyes practically shined...
"C-can I feel it...?"
"No!... Actually, I'm no longer a hollow bear! Mwahaha! I trained and trained, hoping to someday score with Chie-chan and Yuki-chan... And now, I finally have an inside!"
... Does he even know what he's saying? When and where could he have learned any of the details?
Chie sighed.
"Yeah... Good job with that."
Yukiko was frustrated...
"Come on! Can't we give it a rest with the whole 'scoring' thing!?"
"Dude, you're hollow. Taking your head off isn't gonna cool you down!"
Umm, Yosuke...
"But I just told you! I'm not hollow anymore!"
Yeah. That. But what the hell's inside him...?
"Ugh... It's too hot. I can't stand it... So hot..."
Teddie reached for the zipper on the back of his neck and pulled, then lifted his head off...
... What.
Teddie revealed a human form beneath his mascot's appearance, his short but thick blonde hair bouncing in the wind...
"Ah... Much better..."
Teddie grabbed his can of Cielo Mist and took a quick swig of it...
"Ahh... Now that hit the spot!"
... Oh my god. Why is he so pretty!?
"Hey, Chie-chan, Yuki-chan."
"Y-yes...?"
Chie and Yukiko were both nearly speechless...
"Do you have anything to wear? I'm basically like a newborn at the moment..."
... Well, I guess that makes sense.
"T-Teddie? Is that really you...?"
"Umm..."
"... Wait, did you say you're like a newborn!? Th-then don't take the bottom part off!"
I never thought I'd see the day when Chie and Yukiko blushed at just the sight of Teddie... This is a weird day.
Chie continued-
"You need some clothes, right? C'mon, let's go look around..."
And with that, Teddie grabbed his head as the girls led him to the elevators...
Kanji was incredulous.
"That's... Teddie...? He said he's not hollow anymore... So, like... He grew himself a body in there?"
"What kind of creature would do that!? I mean... What IS he!?"
Don't act like that...
"He's Teddie. He's friendly and tries to be helpful, and beyond that, I don't think it matters."
But I might need to take a good, long look at a mirror tonight... There's some questions I need answers to.
Yosuke sighed.
"Yeah... Then again, this is hardly the first bizarre thing we've seen... And I gotta admit, it's probably better than him walking around in his bear suit."
Though I wonder why he looks like a stereotypical foreigner...
"Oh, right. We should probably go check on Rise..."
"Oh! Yeah, I was so shocked that I lost track of what we were talking about. Let's head over to Rise's place. As for Teddie... He's with the girls, so he should be fine."
"Alright then- On to Marukyu."
The guys decided to hang out in front of Shiroku and grab a snack while they waited for the girls to return with Teddie...
"Mmmm-mmm! It's finally the season for Topsicles again!"
The selection's pretty slim here, though... Well, they've got pineapple, so whatever...
"Dude, how many're you eating? You're gonna get a stomach ache."
As Kanji pocketed the third Topsicle wrapper of the day, Chie and Yukiko found the guys...
"Sorry we're late..."
Yosuke sighed.
"How'd it take you that long to find clothes for Ted?"
Suddenly, a blonde boy in a fancy ruffled shirt and dark pants walked up from behind the girls...
"Whoa...! I-is that you, Teddie...?"
"Oui, monsieur! How do I look?"
"C'est magnifique."
Yu smiled wryly.
"Ugh, don't encourage him."
That's my job. The leader needs to be pleasant, doesn't he?
Chie continued.
"I have to say, it totally blew my mind, but he's Teddie alright. This guy had to make it a huge ordeal... Everything was new to him, so it turned ino a big mess. He was so excited in the women's section that he started blabbering... Hey, you can't just go around doing whatever you please when your in this form, got it?"
Teddie looked at his feet and shuffled them awkwardly...
"Well, he can't help it. It's his first time in our world."
Yukiko smiled a little as Chie sighed.
"All right... You don't need to get all mopey like that. I never said I won't forgive you!"
"I'm so glad! I was worried that you wouldn't like me anymore."
WELL.
"How could anyone not like you, Teddie?"
Chie giggled a little.
"Man... If you can behave yourself, you'll be pretty cute."
"Is he cute...? What do you think, Kanji?"
"Huh? What're you asking me for?"
"Well, I was just wondering if he was your type."
Come off it, Yosuke. Kanji's only interested in Mysterious Hat Boy.
"Ohh... I get it. What you're really asking is... 'Will you please beat the shit out of me, Kanji?'"
... Oh, wow.
Yukiko broke into a laughing fit...
"It ain't funny, Yukiko-senpai."
"S-sorr-heehee..."
Chie sighed.
"You'll have to forgive Yukiko. She's helpless once she gets this way..."
"Oooh, please, everyone! Don't fight over me, baby!"
Where did you learn that kind of line?
"Shuddup! You picking a fight with me!?"
And with that last outburst from Kanji, Yukiko nearly collapsed in laughter.
"Geez... Oh well."
Yosuke pulled a 1,000-yen note and handed it to Kanji...
"Here, Kanji. Get whatever ice cream you want, just share it with Teddie. We're gonna head for the tofu shop- Wait here until we get back."
Aww... Look at Yosuke, being all good senpai-ish.
Teddie's eyes practically glowed.
"Wow, you're rich!"
"I can't just take this from you!"
"Think of it as a welcome-back party for Teddie. Just don't go around making a racket."
"Wow, Yosuke, what's gotten into you? You're acting like a real senpai all of a sudden. Oh, I get it! You may say differently, but you're still nice to Teddie. Aw, I'm glad Yosuke's developing into such a mature adult. Someone who doesn't let trifles bother him."
Oh, crap. When Chie talk like this, she's probabably done something...
"What...? You're worrying me, Chie."
"Oh, it's about Teddie's clothes, that's all. We didn't have the money for them, so we charged the rest to you."
"... Charge? WHAT!? You put it on my account!? Ah, what the hell, Chie!? I never said you could do that!"
"What else were we supposed to do!? This stuff was expensive, even for Junes!"
"You seriously charged it to me? Wh-why would you do that!? You know I've been saving up to buy a motorcycle!"
Yosuke on a motorcycle... I guess it'll never happen at this rate...
"Oh, that? You don't need one."
"What!?"
"C'mon, baby. Stop fighting over-"
"Shaddup! This is your fault, y'know! Grrr... You listen here, Ted... You better take really, really, REALLY good care of that. If you put even a single tear in it, I'll make your next set of clothes out of the bear hide you took off!"
And with that, Yosuke and Chie devolved into one of their shouting contests.
Yosuke can be kinda an ass, sometimes, but why is Chie mostly only mean to Yosuke? Or did I answer my own question?
"Yo, Teddie. Don't let it get you down. Let's go get some Topsicles."
Teddie gave a chipper smile as he and Kanji left for further down in the Shopping District.
Yukiko sighed amd faced Yu.
"Let's go on ahead... I think they're going to be a while."
"... Yeah."
As Yu and Yukiko walked in front of Marukyu, a boy walked out of the shop...
Hat kid. Why's he always around...?
"Ah, I had a feeling you'd come."
Yukiko was surprised.
"You're...!"
"Are you here to ingratiate yourself with Rise Kujikawa now?"
At that time, Yosuke and Chie walked up from behind the other two Team members...
"Geez... Why did the clerk even let them charge it to someone else...? Huh? W-wait, you're that guy we saw with Kanji...!"
"Precisely. I don't believe we've met since then- In fact, I don't believe I've ever introduced myself. My name is Naoto Shirogane. I'm investigating the multiple murders that have occurred here."
... So, this is the kid that Dojima got drunk over... I thought so. Now I just have confirmation.
"Mind if I ask you a few questions on the subject? The latest victim, Kinshiro Morooka... He was a teacher at the school you all attend, correct?"
Quite the formal language.
"Yeah, he was. Why?"
"The public is focused on the fact that he is associated with the second victim's school... But in truth, that's irrelevant. What intrigues me is the inconsistency. This Morooka... Has never appeared on television. What do you make of that?"
Wow... He's right where we are, and he doesn't have half the facts...
"... How are we supposed to know?"
Yosuke stared confusedly at Naoto...
"We, we'll leave it at that."
As Naoto walked off, we stopped next to Yu.
"For my part, I'd like to solve this case as quickly as possible. I'll be keeping an eye on you all. Well, until we meet again."
And then he left.
Yosuke shook his head a little.
"Who is that guy...?"
"It felt like he completely saw through us... He even knew about the TV thing."
As Chie finished speaking, Rise walked into view.
"Oh... Hi."
"Rise-chan! Are you okay now...?"
Rise nodded to Yukiko.
"Good, good..."
"Hm? Are you all here to check up on me?"
"Well, yeah..."
Why so sheepish, Yosuke?
"Oh, um... Do you guys have a moment? There's something I want to tell you. Follow me. My Grandma's taking care of the shop today."
Rise lead the four second-years to the Shrine...
"Yeah, I remember being at my house... When I came to, though, I was already in the other world."
Chie hung her head.
Still no real information on the killer..."
Yosuke questioned Rise a little more.
"We met this weird kid named Naoto a second ago..."
"Oh... He's come to the shop several times. He asked me a lot about the incident. I didn't tell him anything about the other world, though... I figured it'd be a waste of time. Actually, he asked me about you guys, too, but I just made up some stuff. Like 'They found me unconscious on the roof at Junes'."
"Well, I guess that's close enough to the truth..."
Rise fidgeted a little.
"Um... So... Um... I-I really appreciate what you did for me... Thank you sooooo much! I love you guys!"
Whoa, she got all bubbly out of nowhere!
"Huh...? Aww, you don't have to thank us!"
Chie sweated a little bit.
"Dude... She's so cute... Man, it's finally hitting me that you're the real deal. You really are Risette."
"Well, I know I sounded gloomy and all from stress, so... I-I thought you might not like me that way. Do I... Sound weird? Oh, but I guess it sounds more 'natural' this way to the public... I'm sorry... I've practically lost touch with what the normal me is like."
Chie laughed it off-
"No need to apologize. Just do what comes naturally."
Yukiko smiled.
"I think everyone has multiple sides to them. You don't have to force yourself to decide on just one."
No kidding. That's why the other world is even a thing.
"Haha, it sounds convincing when Yukiko says it."
"Huh...? R-really?
Rise was quiet for little bit.
"... Thanks. Haha... I'm glad you're the first people I got to know here."
Oh, that's right!
Yu pulled out the pair of glasses Teddie had given him earlier.
"I almost forgot- You'll need a pair of Teddie Glasses. You don't need to take them, but..."
"... Senpai, would you be struggling without my help? I can help you in that world, right? With my power... So, wouldn't it be better if I joined the Team?"
"... Thank you."
Yu handed the glasses to Rise, as Yosuke gave her a sort of congratulation...
"These are kinda like proof that you're one of us..."
"Yeah. You remember how foggy that world was, right? These'll let you see through most of it, and will keep you from getting exhausted as easily in there."
"I see... I do remember you all wearing glasses over there. Thanks, Senpai! Now I 'm part of the Team, too!"
Suddenly, a sixth Fool card appeared before Yu...
Rise smiled and continued.
"I'll be going to Yasogami High starting tomorrow. But I don't have any friends yet, so don't ignore me, alright? I do owe you my life, so... You know..."
Don't blush like that. You make me feel like I might be Yosuke when you blush like that.
Yu smiled.
"Leave it to me."
"W-wow... I didn't realize you were so cool, Senpai!"
Yosuke spoke up.
"Sure is a rough time to transfer here, though. The kidnappings, King Moron's death... All that, and exams are soon, too. Ugh... Exams... Now I'm depressing myself. I wonder if there's any chance they'll be canceled..."
Chie sighed.
"I doubt it. They always hold exams, rain or shine..."
"Haha... I almost got killed by monsters. Compared to that, exams are nothing."
What a way to put it.
Yosuke nodded.
"Alrighty then, let's discuss the case some more at our Special Headquarters."
Just then, Kanji walked up.
"Yo, how's it going? Dude, Teddie ate five Topsicles... Though, if you count the ones I had before, that makes six, so I still win."
Yosuke closed his eyes.
"No one asked..."
"We're all done talking already! Let's go, Senpai!"
Rise walked right up next to Yu...
We're almost touching... What do I do here?
"Uh... When did you get so chipper?"
Rise looked right at Kanji.
"Do you go to Yasogami, like Senpai? I'll be starting there tomorrow, so I hope we get along, too."
That's right, they're both first-years. They'd probably appreciate someone they can have lunch with without heading for the roof, at least...
Kanji's eyes opened wide for a moment before he collected himself.
"Huh? Oh... Cool. Uh... What grade are you in?"
Yukiko barely held back a laughing fit.
Yosuke looked questioningly at Kanji.
"So where's Teddie?"
"He's over there, finishing up his fifth Topsicle. What are we gonna do with him?"
"... Well, I guess I'll take him home."
Yu nodded.
"... If anyone asks, let's say his family name is Kumada."
That night, Yu watched the news with Nanako...
A story about King Moron's murder... I still think there's something off about him being next to an apartment's water tower, compared to the first two locations...
"... What's wrong? Was it someone you know? ... He died?"
Nanako looked at the floor, somewhere between nervous and frightened...
"I'm here with you, Nanako. I'll never, ever let someone like that hurt you."
"I'm alright... Thank you, Big Bro."
The news continued a little longer on the case...
"Dad won't be coming home again today..."
Hmm...
Yu held both his hands out in front of himself, and 'moved' his thumb from his left hand to his right!
"Huh!? Do it again, do it again!"
And with that, Yu moved his thumb back from his right hand to his left!
"Wow! Hey, how did you do that? Tell me, tell me!"
Yu spent the night showing off simple magic tricks to Nanako, before deciding it was time for them both to call it a night...
Yu found himself in an eerie yet soothing blue glow...
The Velvet Room...
Igor chuckled.
"Welcome. It's been quite some time... Do not be alarmed. You are fast asleep in the real world... I have summoned you, within your dreams."
No sense in questioning it now.
"How are things proceeding...? Are you gradually drawing nearer to a solution to the mystery...?"
"I... I don't really know right now."
"Indeed. The fog clouding your path is thick..."
Margret nodded.
"The season has changed, but your future is not yet closed. In time a path will open to you."
"Our true reason for calling you here tonight is to provide a new form of assistance to help you achieve just that. Fusing Personas... You've been using our services diligently. The aid we shall provide henceforth is an advanced form of fusion- I speak of the power to fuse four or more Personas at once. I am quite certain that this will enable you to command even stronger powers..."
... Huh. I wonder if I had to prove myself to them... What all do they know, anyway?
Igor continued...
"Now, your journey will soon reach its climax. And as a result, many challenges- Which I cannot foresee at present- Await you. Most interesting..."
Igor gave another chuckle...
"Well, until we meet again... Farewell."
Yu's Level: 37
Current Personas:
Mithra
Unicorn
Taotie
Gdon
Setanta
Pazuzu
Pyro Jack
Ganga
Oni
Virtue
Makami
Yamata-no-Orochi
Social Links:
Fool: Rank 6
Magician: Rank 4
Priestess: Rank 4
Empress: Rank 4
Emperor: Rank 3
Hierophant: Rank 7
Chariot: Rank 5
Justice: Rank 8
Hermit: Rank 5
Strength: Rank 6
Hanged Man: Rank 4
Death: Rank 2
Temperance: Rank 5
Devil: Rank 6
Tower: Rank 4
Star: Rank 2
Moon: Rank 6
Sun: Rank 6
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