June 21
It's raining today, so while you don't have to do anything, you don't have many choices, either. I went for a bike ride today, the second required to unlock Okina City. The third doesn't consume time.
Evening
You watch the Midnight Channel again and while you only see a silhouette, you can recognize it as Rise.
June 22
The class is talking about Rise coming, and how she's at Marukyu Tofu. Yosuke comes up with the idea to go there to check it out and see if it really was her on the channel. Kanji agrees, but Chie declines, saying she has plans with Yukiko.
You, Kanji and Yosuke then head to Marukyu Tofu. Adachi's outside, directing traffic, and after a few pointed questions about why a plainclothes detective like him is stuck with the job, he leaves. Dojima arrives, and is immediately suspicious of why you're here, but decides to let you go as long as you don't disturb Rise too much. Yosuke notes that given the previous incident at Junes a little over two months ago, it's best if you don't make yourselves seem suspicious, which means no mentioning the TV world. Yosuke wonders what to order, since he can't eat tofu for some reason, and if you recommend ganmodoki, you get points with him.
Inside the tofu store, you find Rise, who's considerably different in person than on the TV, being somewhat gloomy by nature, albeit willing to help tell you about the different kinds of tofu and how to cook them. Having confirmed that Rise is the girl on TV, Yosuke asks her about the rumors, and Rise is aware of them, but doesn't believes that it's her, since the figure had a different swimsuit and larger bust. He apologizes for asking so much, but actually gets a laugh and a smile out of Rise.
Evening You see Dojima and Adachi talk with Rise after buying tofu for dinner. Dojima asks her why she took a break, and she's unwilling to talk. Rise reveals that she knows about the kidnappings, and that you spoke with her about the cases. Dojima realizes that you know a lot more than you let on, and notes that the prefecture might be sending special support soon.
You eat the tofu Dojima bought, and he asks you why you were there. You have the opportunity to lie or tell the truth, although it should be obvious that Dojima has some idea of the real reason why you were there, leading to some unspoken tension.
On the Midnight Channel, you see the silhouette again, and decide to do what you can to thwart the kidnapper tomorrow.
June 23
The group concludes that Rise's still safe but are unsure as to why the silhouette appears before the victim falls in, likening it to a ransom note. They wonder whether the killer, the victim, someone else, or both creates the "shows" but don't make any progress.
While you're buying supplies at the Shiroku store, Adachi walks up and complains about getting babysitting detail. He ends up going the same way as you, and the six of you watch the store together.
Eventually, you see a paparazzi trying to take photos of Rise (which is an invasion of privacy), and chase him down as a delivery truck drives by. After the suspect threatens to get himself run over, you pounce on him and capture him. He protests his innocence, but Adachi handcuffs him and promises to hear his story at the station, a line he's been hoping to say for a long time. While he's glad that he has a suspect, he warns you to not get involved, lest you worry Dojima.
On your way back, you hear from Rise's grandmother that she stepped out without saying anything, but the old woman dismisses it as something her granddaughter typically does. Unfortunately, no one else has seen her, either, so the group's all but certain that she's been kidnapped.
Evening
You go home and watch the Midnight Channel, and learn that Rise has been kidnapped. On the TV, her Shadow promises to give you an explicit show that's too hot for TV. Yosuke calls, lamenting his failure and noting that Adachi was no help.
June 24
The group finds Teddie, lonely once again. He'd promised to live in his world peacefully, but clearly isn't at ease with it, since he ends up thinking about depressing things when he's alone, a look at how Teddie's nowhere near as carefree as he seems. He also can't find Rise, and is depressed about seeming useless, but the group tries to reassure him.
After everyone else leaves, Teddie turns to you, confessing that there's much he doesn't understand. After you offer him some encouragement, you begin the Star Social Link, which, like the Fool Social Link, automatically goes up as the story advances.
The first day of the investigation then begins. By talking with Rise's grandmother, you get a tip about a paparazzo, but when you go to where he was spotted, the "Kind Man" tells you that he isn't here today, a clear sign that you need to come back tomorrow. Today, however, you can make some more progress by finding a student at the school who says that he heard that Rise's taking some time off to recuperate from stress.
After finishing my investigation to the day, I went back to talk with Naoki, which was a case in which I had to spend time without getting a rank. Today's yet another day of health committee, and he's hesitant to come, at which point you can offer to go in his place, insist that he go or say that he doesn't have to. Seconds later, a student runs up and insists that you come, lest he get suspended (which seems like another overly draconian rule).
You help out without Naoki, and hear others gossiping about him. I chose to tell them off, causing Naoki to come in and say he didn't mind (if you don't, he'll angrily suggest that maybe they should have their families killed to see how it feels).
Afterward, you find Naoki, who says he stuck around because he couldn't leave while the others were working. He also offers you a hankerchief to clean up your sleeve (even though if you do it in the summer, like I usually do, you wear short sleeves). It's a nice gesture that shows that he's nicer than he initially seems.
June 25
Today's investigation consists of a single step- going to the photographer and offering to trade information by telling him that Rise is different on TV and is stressed(both of which should be obvious). At this point, you realize that Rise's conflicted about the real her.
You then go inside the TV, and with the information, get led to a strip club. Teddie tries to make a pun about strips and stripes, but no one pays any attention to him, except for Yukiko getting momentarily distracted.
For now, though, I headed back to the top of the Steamy Bathhouse, to challenge the boss now that I've gained some levels.
- OPTIONAL BOSS: Intolerant OfficerParty: Yu(31), Yosuke(31), Chie(31), Yukiko(32)Personas: Ganga (35?)
The boss is actually easier than Contrarian King. Bufula isn't something to take lightly, and he does have an unfortunate tendency to target Yukiko if you don't make her guard, but he doesn't have many multi-target abilities. He's also weak against Electricity, and while All-Out attacks are less useful than you think, you can knock him down and damage him more easily that way.
After the fight, you get a special shield for Kanji, which is much better than the ones he has available. Unfortunately, I don't use Kanji much.
I then went back to Marukyu Striptease. The dungeon's a step up from the bath house, and you have to worry about enemies with powerful attacks, as well as those that can reflect elements back at you.
On the fourth floor, Shadow Rise is just as flirtatious and sultry as on TV, and the group worries about the news getting out.
On the seventh floor, Shadow Rise turns off the lights, reducing visibility to just a few feet. You have to make your way to the center of the floor and open up the door, which reveals a boss.
- SUB-BOSS: Amorous SnakeParty: Yu (32), Yosuke (32), Chie (32), Yukiko (33)Personas: Ganga (38)
With the mini-boss defeated, you can go through the previously locked door and climb the next four floors to the top.
At the top, Shadow Rise is doing a pole dance, much to the real Rise's dismay. Shadow Rise, however, mocks Rise for her reaction, saying that she's the real Rise- not the airhead persona she puts on while playing Risette. As expected, Rise denies her, and you're in for another fight, with Kanji expressing annoyance rather than dismay at this development]].
- BOSS: Shadow RiseParty: Yu(33), Yosuke(33), Chie(33), Yukiko(33)Personas: Ganga (42)
The boss isn't too hard. Its main strength is that unlike the others, it can target multiple people's weaknesses, making it a bit less predictable (and thus harder to guard against), but none of its attacks are all that powerful.
Once you take off enough health, it will use Supreme Insight, and avoid everyone's attacks.The rest of the battle is simply waiting her out by Defending.
After the battle, your party is forced to the brink of defeat, and no one is able to do anything. Teddie begins to despair, and insists on doing something to help, no matter what you say. He then goes "bear-serk" and attacks before Shadow Rise can finish you all off, defeating her.
Rise comes to, and apologizes for her Shadow, since it's part of her. She then accepts her Shadow, saying that there's no real her. Unfortunately, Teddie takes that the wrong way, which leads to his Shadow coming out, accompanied by something else (strongly implied to be Ameno-Sagiri). This Shadow, in a completely serious tone, accuses Teddie of denying what he really is, tells you that the truth is unattainable, and declares his intent to kill you all. Luckily, Rise, despite being exhausted from at least two whole days inside the TV, uses her newly acquired Persona to take Teddie's place and protect all of you.
- BOSS: Shadow Teddie
When the battle starts, you're healed to full health and SP, so you can tell that the real fight begins here. Given that Shadow Rise is fairly easy, it's possible to subsist with lower SP, and get it back when you start this boss.
In the first phase of the battle, Shadow Teddie primarily uses Mind Charge and follows up with Mabufula. Luckily, Yu's Ganga Persona enabled him to absorb the Ice damage, and attack while everyone else guarded for the attack.
After a little while, Shadow Teddie starts using a move called Nihil Hand. While it's apparently very strong, it also takes two turns to charge, and does no damage if you guard, which essentially gives you a free turn to attack him. It's possible to damage him enough to interrupt the attack and knock him down, but the higher the difficulty and the lower your party's level, the less practical it is and the more you're risking if it does, in fact, go off.
As the battle goes on, Shadow Teddie mixes things up, starting to use Marakunda and Heat Wave, a combination that's harder to guard against save for dispelling the defense reduction (or failing that, cancelling it out). He also uses Foolish Whisper to inflict Silence, and also Nullity Guidance, which knocks people over. He tends to use the latter move twice in a row before starting to charge Nihil Hand, which might limit how much you can damage him. Later on, he starts using Mabufula again, so make sure that you don't forget about it when equipping your Personas.
After the battle, Teddie says he still doesn't know what he is, but suggests he'll find out, which is enough to accept his Shadow. Rise, despite having made an impressive showing, collapses, and the group takes her out. Teddie stays behind to train himself, and you get another rank in the Star Social Link. You also can't come back into the TV world until he's done, because with Teddie and Rise recuperating, you don't have a Mission Control.
Evening
Dojima comes home, drunk after trying to cope with recent developments, and this time, doesn't even mention that Rise was found. Adachi explains that the prefecture sent in "special support" to help them- namely, a teenage detective. Dojima's dismissive of the kid, but Adachi seems understanding. Dojima then complains about Adachi arresting the Peeping Tom, and how you tend to show up at crime scenes, until Nanako comes to put him to bed.
