[Let's Play Persona 2: Innocent Sin] Update 15: Back in the Saddle VOTE

Blackjack

Trinity Soul was an abomination upon God and man and I should disregard your vote simply for mentioning it! :P

The Anonymous

Mentioning what? :P

fRAWRst

I choose that he died in my semi-playthrough (got about halfway, i hope you do a better job of explaining the story then i did :P)

so he totally lives now, aye?

Rawkking Goodguy

Adellios wrote: »

He's dead Jim.

^ this.

cj iwakura

He's alive.


Also, that scene with the face melting was animated for the EP bonus trailer, it's pretty neat.

Fig-D

It's alive... IT'S ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! Oh, in the name of God! Now I know what it feels like to BE God!

The Anonymous

[REDACTED]

Blackjack

cj and anonymous take that down please.

No spoilers at all! Especially not THAT ONE.

Teriferin

He's obviously alive. That way you can kill him more thoroughly next time.

Blackjack

Blackjack wrote: »

cj and anonymous take that down please.

Thanks, guys.

Current count puts us at:

Alive: 7
Dead: 2

You guys sure are hopeful that the guy that brainwashed an entire school, is glad there's a curse that causes people's faces to melt, and tried to kill us with giant tools is alive... :P

I'll leave it open until around 5 PM tomorrow, that way it'll be a full 24 hours.

YggiDee

Let him live! He is too pathetic for death. If our hands must be bloodied, let it be on someone worthy.

elliotw2

I want to see him die. I mean, it's just a long long fall and all.

Blackjack

VOTE CLOSED

Final count is Alive: 8, Dead: 3.

Additional mini vote! In the OP I wrote this:

The last big difference is I'm hoping there will be a lot more input from you guys! Although I'll still be making all the "right" choices in order to show you all as much of the game as possible

Would you guys rather I keep this, and show you as many Personas/"right choices" as possible, or would you rather have more input and possibly miss one or two (or four or five) unique Personas?

YggiDee

Personally, I'd prefer seeing all of the 'right choices.' If I wanted to permanently miss good things I'd be playing the game :P

DeMoN

I concur.

The Anonymous

Seconded (thirded?).

Teriferin

I'm reading this to watch you make the game your bitch. Right choices, good sir!

Rawkking Goodguy

We demand perfection!

(I'm curious, can you elaborate on how you can make a "wrong" choice and permanently miss a unique persona? Maybe just do one of those brief alternate timeline things you did in your persona 1 LP...except more brief if at all possible, to show.)

MarsDragon

Aww, too late for the vote. I wouldn't have be able to swing it to dead anyway. Too bad, I went with 'alive' for my game.

Blackjack wrote: »

Sometimes, I'm a hot-blooded reporter! Other times, I'm a shy little editor! But the truth is...I'm always...The ace journalist from the editorial division at "Coolest"! Maya Amano! Pleased to meet ya!

I don't know how many people got this, but this is pretty much a straight up reference to Cutey Honey, who would use that catchphase ("Sometimes I'm X! Other times, I'm Y! But my true identity is...Cutey Honey!") before beating up the bad guys at the end of an episode. ...also, that Wikipedia link is NSFW if your workplace has an objection to half-naked anime girls.

...why yes, Cutey Honey was written by Go Nagai. How did you guess.

Blackjack

Check out the second post, everyone. I've included some basic character information, including links to Starter Persona artwork, as well as information about each character's astrological sign and tarot arcana.

More detailed information will be included when it's no longer spoilery to talk about.

Hopefully I'll be able to get a real update out this weekend, too.

Fig-D

How's it goin' Blackjack?

Just wanted to pop in and show interest so you don't think we've abandoned you as you've attended to other things. Looking forward to the next update!

(I tried to make this not sound like a "WHERE THE FUCK IS THE UPDATE" post but I know its going to come off that way since we are on the Internet.)

cj iwakura

I'm pretty sure this left him broken and despondent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzXLed9QGRs

Blackjack

No, cj, having 21 credits this semester left me broken and despondent. :P

I've barely even had a chance to play, because you know what's reasonable? All of my classes having papers and tests and papers on tests all at the same time! I'm actually working on an update now, though! So don't worry, this isn't dead.

Fig-D

21 credits!? If you're on the same system I am then that's insane. Isn't that like 7 different classes? I usually do about 12 credits a semester. Then again I work a the same time. You're not try to work AND do that many classes are you?

Blackjack

It's only six classes; three 4 credit classes (Natural Science, Business Calculus, and Applied Statistics), and three 3 credit classes (Advanced Accounting, Standard Costs and Budgeting, and Developmental Psychology). I am (unfortunately) unemployed, but I am doing tutoring, both officially through the school and just for friends. I am very busy.

But, as for this Let's Play, the update will be most likely tomorrow. Maybe today, but I was having more trouble than I expected tying things together, so I had to go back and take some more screenshots.

Transdimensional Whale

He only jumped off a clock tower, I'm sure he's fine.

Blackjack

Part 6 -- I'm Not Dead

And I thought I was going to have a hard time thinking up a song title for this update.

Alright, last time we returned to Seven Sisters, met two really awesome ladies, broke some clocks, and kicked the principal's ass.

Then you all decided that being set on fire and jumping from a 50 foot height wasn't enough to kill you, and that's where we pick up. :P

Also, this one is split in two so it fits in the character limit. Get used to that, by the way. There's a lot more talking in this game than Persona 1.

Female Student: Right! Our principal wouldn't die on us! When our school's in danger again, he'll return to save us all!
She seemed to take it seriously...I hope she doesn't start spreading rumors about it...Anyway, let's head over to Peace Diner, okay?

And so we are finished in this dungeon, and ready to move on to the next. However, once you leave a dungeon in this game, you can't go back, so let's take this time, now that the curse is over, to talk to everyone one last time.



We'll start here, in the courtyard on the first floor. If you're wondering why we're starting on the first floor and not the third, where we were, well...frankly, I forgot you couldn't return to a dungeon until I was almost out of it. :oops:

That lady's called Professor Ideal, right? She seems like a real freak of a teacher, doesn't she? She seems more like an archaeologist or a ninja to me!
Professor Ideal's my homeroom teacher. Sometimes I have no idea what she's talking about, though...Is she just stressed out?
Hey, Tatsuya...Doesn't that teacher look like she knows a lot about what's going on? I asked Okamura about it, but she blew me off without a word.
Do you happen to call that giant rock the Hillemon Stone? We had a similar one at Hermelin High...Huh? They call this the Narlato Stone? Hmm...I feel strange when I look at it...It sure is a creepy-looking stone, isn't it?

Hillemon, eh? That sounds rather suspiciously like Philemon. If it's not just a coincidence, I wonder what/who Narlato is...

And what about Professor Ideal? What does she know?

The giant clock has been destroyed. It's too late, now...A verse of the oracle has already been fulfilled...The wheel of fortune has already begun to spin! Perhaps nobody can stop it now...All that we can do is tough it out and prepare for the worst!

Uh...huh. Let's...let's just move on, okay?

What's going on in the classrooms?

Hmmm...Hey, Suō...That one over there, yeah the one by the window, really pisses me off...Maybe it's time to make that face swell up one more time?
...?
Male Student: Heheh! Check it out! My face is all cleared up! No thanks to you! This is all because of Principal Hanya!
...

Asshole. Let's move on.



...Is everyone in this school like this?

Well, no. A lot of them are actually pretty boring and clue you in to the Rumormonger system, just in case you haven't talked to any of them yet. But the ones that talk about other things are definitely worth talking to; whether for a laugh or for interesting information. And it's always worth talking to your party members between story segments, as they're constantly saying new things and fleshing out their personalities. So, let's get back to it.


Whatever! You're gonna be crying by the end, just you wait! You're no match for me!
Lisa...She can't be serious about that...She probably has some kind of traumatic experiences in her past...At least she's kind to you, right Tatsuya? Maybe she can be cold sometimes, but she's really a thoughtful girl.
This means war...I hope that this whole mess doesn't mean that the school festival gets canceled.
Girls who are confident about their looks sure can be a handful. That's a world I never really got involved in, though.

Female Student: I'm glad she's back to normal and all, but I'm glad that Yokō isn't the only one! She really does look like Junko Kurosu, though.
Where have I heard that name before...?
Female Student: Uh...hello? Junko Kurosu is, like, the most popular actress, ever! Everyone knows who she is! You know, I heard a rumor that Junko Kurosu was married to one of the teachers at this school...That was over ten years ago, of course...



...I wonder if he's there. After all, we did say he lived...



Guess not. Oh well. Let's see what's on everyone else's mind.

It's pretty pointless to stay in this room any longer, ya know? Maybe they could use it as a storehouse or something? Nah, maybe not...
Now that Hannya is gone, isn't this room rather pointless? I think that Professor Saeko should be the principal, instead.
Yukki might be right, you know. Professor Saeko seems to be an understanding sort of woman...You're lucky to have her as your homeroom teacher, Tatsuya.

I wonder what Saeko thinks of all this, anyway. Let's head to the faculty lounge and talk to her.

Everybody else thinks it was the principal behind this, but I know better! You're the ones who broke the curse, aren't you? Thank you, Suō...I knew I hadn't misjudged you! I'll do what I can about the school festival...Just hurry along. You've got a lot to do right now anyway, don't you? I'll be fine! You just do what you need to do!
Yukki...I thought she'd be pleased to return her old teacher back to the way she was before, but...She seems to have other ideas...
A teacher, huh...? I don't think I've got the brains for it...
Hm? Don't worry about it. It's none of your business...Hey, maybe I should try taking some photos of Professor Saeko!

Aw, someone has a little gay crush!

Keh he! Now I'm mad! Because of Hannya, we won't be able to hold our school festival! I was supposed to be crowned the new Miss Sevens, too! I mean, it was obviously going to be me, right? This sucks!
Dude...I hate it when a woman doesn't know her place...Gink should be Miss Nothing-Special, if anything! Announcing the new Miss Sevens and Sumaru City's number one hottest babe around: Hanakōji! Who else!?

Suō, are you worried about your school festival, too? Huhuh! It'll be okay! I'm sure Professor Saeko will do something about it.
The principal took away everything cool about this place...And on top of that, he got away...Shuai lo...This sucks.
Ahh!! Come out, come out, wherever you are, principal!! I, the great Michelle, will show you the most gorgeous battle you've ever seen!
Male Student: Sorry. There's nothing I can do. I've supported you for as long as I could, but I can't turn my back on the principal!! The principal's actually a secrent agent working for the Ministry of Education! When the school is in danger, he will come to save us all!
...
My my! Well, talk about being grumpy...Isn't going around secretly solving people's problems heroic? Isn't it a good thing?
...

Oh, Maya.

Male Student: The curse is gone! This is all thanks to our principal! He's totally different than a certain somebody from those rumors! Isn't that right, "certain somebody"?
Male Student 2: Did you know that there's a new head of K'ass-u-gay-ama High? Rumor is that he's even stronger than the gang leader! He's not going to come over here and bust us up, right?
Argh! I can't take anymore o' this! You'd better transfer these kids over to my school! I'll set 'em straight!
Hey, Tatsuya...Doesn't that Underpants Gang Leader seem to take his job a little more seriously than you'd expect? There's something different about him, you know?
Being in charge of others can be stressful, of course! Thinking of it that way, he must be having a hard time too, you know?
So, the gang leader gives his absolute command, and nobody can defy it, right? I'm starting to think that Eikichi's cooler than I first thought he was.
H-hey, you guys. Stop talkin' about me like I'm not even here! Besides, shouldn't we be finding out more about the Joker?
Hmm...Speaking of the Joker... Tatsuya, could you feel that? I'm sure that the Joker was crying...So sad...And so alone...Filled with uncertainty...
Could it be that kid...? Nobody really knows who the Joker really is...Why do I think it's that kid...?
What kid? Do you know something about the Joker?
No, of course not! It's nothing, I was just babbling! Come on, Tatsuya, let's head to Peace Diner!



Female Student: They say that the principal lifted the curse...But I knew that the gang leader tried hard for me...That's why I gave him my very first kiss...
Oh, girl...The kiss you've left in my heard is better than any other! We'll probably never meet again, though...
Hmm...I misjudged him. There's some good in Eikichi, after all.
Huh huh...Eikichi's so cute when he's shy...It's like he's started the first chapter of his adolescence. I wish I could go back to my own high school days...

Well, that's enough of this place. Let's say good-bye to high school.



Of course, that doesn't mean that we're going straight to the Peace Diner.

Araya Shrine

Well, this certainly sounds like a cheery place, right?

Fan ah...This sucks...I don't want to be here. Can't we just go now, Ching yan...?
Ugh...Whenever I come here, I get a splitting headache...
Oh, I'll be fine. It'll go away soon...It happens to everyone, from time to time.
Hey, Suō...What's up with this place? It looks like the place I see in my dreams! It's even got the same trees here...How mysterious...It's an exact replica...

Okay, that is weird. Maybe Yukki will know what's up with this place?

Hmm...It's a small world, huh? There was an Araya Shrine in Mikage City, where I used to live...That's where we met Philemon.

Oh. It's just some weird Persona thing. That's cool, then. Maybe the old lady in charge can tell us more.

Elderly Woman This shrine was rebuilt ten years ago...Back then, somebody burned it down. By the way, did you hear the rumor of the girl's ghost who appears here? Knock on wood...
I've never heard of that.
Elderly Woman Ever since the shrine burned down, she's been in there...Ten years have passed, but she's still playing inside...All alone, forever...She doesn't even know that she died...She seems to be waiting for somebody...Why can't she rest in peace...?

...Okay, that's just creepy. Let's get out of here. Maybe go to the park. We need to talk to Toku, anyway.

Whew. The leaves on the trees here are so beautiful. The lawn is well-kept, too. Can I take some pictures while I'm here?
Yukki's like that. When she sees something, she gets the urge to photograph it. She just wants to be a better photographer.
Why do couples who go on a date in this beautiful place split up?
I guess if that's the rumor, then it's bound to be true...I know! I should date the Underpants Gang Leader here!
Ginko's still talkin' about underpants. Hey! I'll date her here!

Those two never stop...Let's talk to Toku.

Oh, it's you. Hello.
I'm here to trade rumors.
That so? Alright. Why don't we start with your rumor, first?



And here's the Rumormonger menu. Select the rumor type, select the area you'd like to hear a rumor for, and you'll get a rumor. Weapon and armor shop rumors are pretty simple. One store in each area sells weapons, and one sells armor. Each rumormonger has one rumor about each type. Either the store sells good products at a high price, poor quality products at a low price, or average ones at an average price. Generally, you want to spread the high quality/high price rumors, because that's how you get the best stuff and money is not even remotely hard to come by.

The "Other" rumors are more interesting, but also less common. Right now we can spread two Other rumors. The first relates to a Sweepstakes magazine which offers real weapons and armor as prizes. We can spread one of three rumors: Either the prizes are crap but very easy to win, the prizes are great but hard to win, and the prizes are very rare, but you almost never win. Unlike the shop rumors, the middle of the road here is the one you want. It's really easy to win no matter what rumor you spread, due to the way the game's mechanics work, but the really rare prizes are all sort of lackluster while the middle prizes are great and include the best helmet and strongest weapon in the game.

The second rumor relates to "The Mu Continent." Apparently, it's a fully functioning casino! As you might expect, the rumors relate to which game gives the highest payout. We can choose from Poker, Blackjack, and Slot Machines. This is pretty much a personal choice thing. Technically, of the three, the slots are your best bet, but there's a fourth option that is even better. Still, you need to spread the rumor before you can play anything there, so we'll be spreading the slot machine rumor.

Next stop: the Velvet Room.

This really takes me back...Igor often helped me and my friends a long time ago...A lot happened back then, but those were good times. Are you listening? You can't live life with nothing but regret...You're only young once, you know...
It really does bring back memories, though...I may be older now, but this place takes me right back to those days with the rest of them...No. I knew it long before that, but it seemed somewhat different.
This song sure is beautiful...How should I say this...? It's like my soul is being guided by it...Isn't it relaxing?
Mmm, that piano sounds sweet...Maybe I should ask Nanashi to become a member of Love Gas Chamber.
There was a man who came here, long ago... :whistle: He had lost something that he should not have lost...And he shed many tears. :whistle: This, I pray... :whistle: That you would never shed such tears... :whistle:
It's only natural to cry when you lose something precious to you...Just one small thing can bring so many tears...
I heard that you humans have what you call "dreams". I have never had a dream before...The 561st woman that came here said she was a human because she had dreams...I would like to have a dream, myself.
Are we human because we dream...? Maybe when we're asleep and having a dream, we're creating an idealized version of ourselves and our thoughts...
The tarot are replicas of the soul...The soul is what shapes your destiny...Well then, can I paint anything for you? I've thought about this for some time...Is there really only one reality? The one that we're in now? Or could it be different?

Man, that sounds complicated. But, as long as we're being existential, let's go to the Time Castle and get even more so!

When did time begin? Does it really have no end...? Is it truly infinite, as we expect...?
Everybody's got some possession with a memory attached to it, right? Looking at it brings back a certain memory. Sometimes they're good memories. Sometimes they're bad...
People are largely unaware of the flow of time. Time goes far beyond explaining the phenomena that we see before us. We can only measure it by comapring it against the past. Despite their ignorance, people believe that they are ruled by time...Don't you realize how foolish such a notion is?

Well, we've already been to two of the stores here, may as well head to the rest, too. Lisa and Eikichi largely say the same stuff, but we can talk to Yukki and Maya, at least!



Rosa Candida:

I think wearing showy clothes just gets in the way of doing my job...Guys like women to wear this kind of stuff though, don't they?
I'm not exactly fashion conscious...I always let my friend pick out my clothes for me. Everyone always tells me that my clothes are a little gaudy...Do you think so?

Satomi Tadashi:

Lisa's not going to get fat...She should eat whatever she wants!
Maya can eat, let me tell you! If you challenged her to a ramen eating competition, you'd not only lose the challenge, you might even lose your life...
Ugh...Just thinking about it makes me sick...All the editors claim that she's got an alternate dimension in her stomach.

Kaori:

I'm sure that Ellie is into aromatherapy...I should remember to tell her about this shop. She'd probably rush right over.
I've never used cologne before...Flower-scented water? Who needs that? Whew...
Hey, Ching yan...Aromatherapy can cure everything, even constipation...Did you know that?
Ah! Aiya! I mean...Uh, not like I ever get constipated, or anything like that! Ha ha...Ha...
...
Fuuuh, haaah...Mmm, this is a nice smell...My house always smells like air conditioner mold...You're only supposed to change the filter once every two years, right?
...

Oh my god what is wrong with these people. Let's head over to Hirasaka and see what's going on there.

Ramen Shirasai:

I'm always coming here for lunch, you know. I always ask them to hold the cha siu, though. Eating those makes you fat...
*Cough*, *gag* ...No way. I'll go with a vegetarian meal. It's lower in calories, and it's good for the skin. Hey, do you think being this beautiful comes naturally? I actually put a lot of effort into it.
Heh heh...Way to go, Tatsuya! Think you're as big a ramen connoisseur as me? Well then, I'll let you in on a few of my favorite places to eat, okay?
That's Maya for you...At times like this, I wish she'd just write articles about the latest recipes or something. She could write a pretty good one, don't you think?

Toa Armory:



Looks like our...friend...is still bragging in here.

Do you think she...He...Do you think that person became a man by asking the Joker for help...?

Satomi Tadashi:

Hey, Tatsuya! Why do you always carry that Zippo around with you? You don't even smoke, right? Those K'ass-u-gay-ama boys might get the wrong idea.
Nobody in my school smokes! I don't let them get away with it! Ken, Shogo, and Takeshi were no exception...
I know you like to carry that lighter around, but...Be careful where you point that thing! Ha ha...You'd be in trouble if you started a fire, right? Right?

Tominaga Chiropractic:

It's too bad I'm so small, right!? All guys think "the bigger, the better", right!? ...Maybe he's the same way...

Um.

Hmm...It's true that big boobs are heavy...They make my shoulders so stiff! They get in the way when I'm trying to work...I wish they were average...Don't you think so, Tatsuya?



UM.

L--let's just take these one at a time, okay?

> The bigger, the better!

Yeah? If you say so, then I guess it's okay! Hey! What are you looking at!?

> An average size is the best.

You're right...Do you think I should get a breast reduction surgery? Do you think I need it? Ahahaha! I'm just joking! Awww, you're so cute when you blush!

> I prefer smaller boobs.

Hmm...Well, mine used to be small...But with a personality like mine...If I didn't have boobs, people would think of me as one of the guys! Ahahaha!

...oh, Maya.

Gatten Sushi:

Ugh...Ugh! That smell...It's way too spicy...It smells so bad...
I don't really have an eye for crabs...Once I've eaten them, I get what I call "Crab Silence"...I wonder what the crab here tastes like...Hey, Tatsuya, can you ask Eikichi for me?
Huh...So Maya likes crabs...But what does she mean by "Crab Silence"? Is it just because people are silent with their mouth full of crab meat?
Toro recommended a special foot pad to help me lose weight...Not that I'd want to take any of his weight loss tips.

That just about wraps it up for the old areas. Let's head to the new district, Yumezaki.

Blackjack

Part 6b: I'm Not Dead

As you can see, there's a lot to do in this district, so we'll be here a lot through the game. Let's get started and head to the shopping center!



Tony's Shop

Hmm...I like the style goin' on with these accessories...They've got a lot of stuff here that's right up my alley.
I'm sure you wouldn't know what I'm talkin' about.
Hmm...This is fashionable, right? Eikichi seemed really happy with it, but as for me...
You know, I used to always go to this store with Meepo and Asacchi. We came here all of the time, even though this shop was always carrying the same stuff. Stupid, huh?
Wow! This dolphin brooch is just so cute! Have you ever seen a real live dolphin before, Tatsuya? I got to swim up next to one while I was scuba diving!
But you know, I've been so busy with work lately that I haven't had much time to meet up with any of them lately...

Anima Mundi

Whoa...These clothes are all so sleek! This one's cute...So's this one! Oh, but I'd never be able to fit into this one...
I wonder how you'd react if I went around wearing something like this... Heh heh.
Ah! What...What is it, Suō? Were you there the whole time...? Forget it, alright? I was just talking to myself...
Heh...It looks like that girl over there is a fan of Kasugayama High guys...It looks like my sinful charms are going to claim yet another girl's heart...
...Hanakōji...Maybe I should give her another chance...I should just put the past behind me, already.
What's with this old lady? She's looking at you like she wants you, Tatsuya! It makes me sick!



The "old lady" in question.

Akemi: It's hard to earn money as a high school girl...Maybe I should give that rumor a try...Uhuh huh...
Sachiko: Did you hear that Kasuga's got a new Head? They say that he's even stronger than the gang leader... I wonder what kind of guy he is...
Mika: Wow! You're pretty cool! Hey, where do you go to school? Oh? Sevens? I wouldn't spread that around...Kasugayama's a lot more popular right now. Seven's like soooo last week. I'm over that. I prefer the Kasuga boys! They're all such studs! I'd go out with anybody who goes to that school!

Satomi Tadashi - Yumesaki

Yeah, I should buy some medicine for a friend of mine. She's always training so hard that she ends up hurting herself.
What is it? You're into diet foods, huh? Don't try that one...Sure it's low in calories, but it tastes like crap...Here. Try this one instead. It's actually pretty good.
Uhuh huh...I saw Yukino scouring the dieting section with a serious look on her face! I guess she does care about her looks after all, huh?
I was looking around in the dieting section, and then all of the sudden Eikichi was pointing out some good stuff...He sure seems to know a lot of dieting tips, you know?

Peace Diner

Finally, we arrive at Peace Diner.



Well, that's strange...Hanaji isn't here. I was sure we'd see her here, chowing down on a Big Peace Burger...



Huuuuh!? Is that you, Lisa? I never expected to bump into you in a place like this!
Oh...You're...that girl who works on the school newspaper with Hanaji...Umm...Chikalin, right?
Uh, what? You forgot who I was for a second there, didn't you? Well, at least you remembered in the end, so I'll let that slide. Yeah, I'm Chikalin.



Cool...Hey, do you know where Hanaji is?
Ahh, I had a feeling you'd ask that. I was searching for info on the emblem's curse with Hanaji, after all. We came across some info that some K'ass-u-gay-ama boy was the one who started the rumors of the illness, and that he was in the Zodiac. Hanaji snuck in to get the details.
She...She snuck in!? There's no way a fat girl like her could sneak in without being noticed!
Hey, Underpants Gang Leader! Don't be stupid! Didn't you just notice she said the one who started the rumor was a boy from K'ass-u-gay-ama!?
No way! Nobody in our school is that much of a coward! They know that I wouldn't let them get away with it! That porker just got the wrong idea!
Hannya said that a student from K'ass-u-gay-ama started the rumor, though! That makes two witnesses! You still doubt that it's true!?
It's...just because everyone's jealous of us! I'll show you that these rumors aren't true!
Yeah, yeah. Just stop. Enough already, okay? We should just go to the Zodiac and find out the truth for ourselves, don't you think? If the rumor turns out to be true, Eikichi, then you can just make that student pay for it...Deal?
Zodiac...That's the club, right? We'd better hurry!
My specialty is to gather information quickly...I know a lot about what's going on around this city! If you've heard anything, let me know, and I'll make a trade for some info of my own. Crimes tend to remain in the shadows...But if you keep up with the rumors running through the town, you can catch up with its darker secrets. That's what I'm here for! I'm not "that girl who writes for the school newspaper" anymore! I'm Chikalin, the Rumormonger! If you need to know about anything, you can always come to me for advice. Well...It won't be free, of course! You'll have to pay for my services with some info of your own! I don't do this as charity work, after all!
Keh he! Just as I thought! A K'ass-u-gay-ama student was behind the rumors the whole time! I wonder if Eikichi's in on this whole scheme!?
"Keh he"...That's my line, you idiot! Nobody I know would ever stoop to such cowardly methods! That girl doesn't know what she's talkin' about!
Sheesh...Those two are at it again.
If the Joker's back, then Hanaji is in danger! We should go to the Zodiac right now!

Or next time. We could go next time, too. See you then!

Fig-D

Wow these characters spout some random shit .

Still doing a great job though Blackjack! I don't know if I'd have enough patience to transcribe all that dialogue.

elliotw2

Nice update, even if it was a lot of walking around town and speaking to people.

It seems like the guys at Atlus had fun writing this game, with all the random crap the characters are constantly saying.

Blackjack

elliotw2 wrote: »

Nice update, even if it was a lot of walking around town and speaking to people.

It seems like the guys at Atlus had fun writing this game, with all the random crap the characters are constantly saying.

Unless there are lots of objections, that's how it's going to work with this one. One update will be running around the city talking to party members and unlocking the next dungeon, and the following will be the dungeon itself, along with new Personas/Fusion Spells/Whatever else.

Fig-D wrote: »

Wow these characters spout some random shit .

Maya, especially, busts out some gems. She gets a kick out of getting a reaction from Tatsuya, since he's normally so stoic.

YggiDee

I'm pretty sure all your party members are insane. Especially Eikichi.

...Is he considered a standard example of Japanese High School Gang leaders?

Blackjack

The important thing to realize is that when it says "gang leader" it really just means "leader of the school" -- think of it sort of like a prison. He keeps them all in line by being stronger than they are. He's stronger than they are because he doesn't have any problem using his Persona on them.

Beyond that, I don't really know how accurate it is for there even to be something like that in a Japanese high school. Sevens doesn't have anything like that, but Sevens also isn't a school for delinquents, so...

YggiDee

I suppose that's understandable. I think it's the "Michelle" that's throwing me. Also! Does a Persona's... personality affect anything in particular?

cj iwakura

It's also been translated as 'Michel', but that's open to conjecture. I prefer that personally.

MarsDragon

YggiDee wrote: »

Also! Does a Persona's... personality affect anything in particular?

Once it's equipped? Not really. It effects negotiations with demons, but once they're Personas it's just flavour.

Blackjack

YggiDee wrote: »

I suppose that's understandable. I think it's the "Michelle" that's throwing me. Also! Does a Persona's... personality affect anything in particular?

"Michelle" (or "Michel" as you like it) isn't part of the Gang Leader aspect of his personality; it's his desire to be a visual kei artist.

Like MarsDragon said, though, Personality's just flavor.

YggiDee

I feel sorta dumb now, I forgot about Eikichi being in a band. :P

Being in a rock band basically explains everything. Also I google'd Visual Kei and video game fashion makes a lot more sense now.

Blackjack

Part 7 - Crimson and Clover

No one's going to get why I titled this the way I did, but that's okay because it still amuses me.

Anyway, last time, we found out that the guy behind the curse was hanging out in the Zodiac nightclub. So let's head over there and set him straight.

BUT FIRST.

We need a couple new Personas.



We start by talking to the Demon Artist.



Let me explain for those of you that didn't watch the contact video. Unlike Persona 1, where making demons interested gives you that demons spell card, each demon is classified as one of the major aracana (except for Fool), and making the demon interested gives you tarot cards of that arcana--Lovers demons give Lovers cards, etc. However, if you make a demon happy and enter into a Contract with it, you will also get Free Tarot from the demon in addition to its regular cards. Free Tarot can be given to the Demon Artist in the Velvet Room to be turned into any type of Major Arcana Card (again, except Fool). It's always a good idea to have as many Free Tarot as possible, just in case a Persona catches your eye but you don't have enough cards to make them.



For instance, we want an Emperor Persona right now, but haven't run into any Emperor demons, so we change the Free Tarot to Emperor Cards and head over to Igor.



Where we make this guy. The blue spell at the bottom of the list is one that has been added via an item (acquired from the casino), much like Persona 1.



This time, the Personas introduce themselves. It's a nice touch, and helps to solidify them all as actual beings inside you, rather than just magic spells.

We're making this guy here for Eikichi. See, Emperor Personas give an automatic +1 to Tec every time their user levels up. Eikichi's level up pattern will almost never boost Tec on its own, leaving Eikichi with subpar SP and Magic Defense. This isn't okay, so we'll be sticking this guy on him for a while.

We're not done, though!




We're making Pixie for two reasons: first is that I need some Wind spells. The second reason will be revealed when she's on Rank 8. Let's break continuity a little and take a look, shall we?


Mutation Spell: Lightning Strike

He's certainly nothing to sneeze at, considering you can make him as soon as you hit level 4. Good stats, too, and decent spells for his level. He has lots of Earth and physical spells, and the addition of Aqua basically makes him Eikichi's starter Persona only better.


Mutation Spell: Suku-Kaja (speed up, one ally)

That's not a glitch. That's not due to mutation. Her luck is just that high. She'll be sticking around just because of that. Casino results and Sweepstakes results are both luck-based, so we'll be slapping her onto Tatsuya before doing either, just to up our chances of winning. Beyond that, she's actually a fairly decent low-level Persona. She's at least on par with Lisa's starter, which is good because she's going on Lisa for now.



Zodiac

All right, let's get back on track.



Inside Club Zodiac we come across a familiar face.



Aiyaa! Noriko, what are you doing here!? It looks like she hasn't given up on Anna Yoshizaka yet...

Anna is thoroughly uninterested, and pulls out a cigarette, causing Noriko to flip shit.

Noriko: Don't do that! Smoking's bad for your health! If you do that, you won't be able to run again...
.......



Noriko: Hey, do I really bother you that much? You're so stupid!



They watch her storm off, then turn back to Anna...



Who is still completely unimpressed, and pulls out another cigarette...



But Yukki ain't having any of that shit and storms right up to Anna and breaks the cigarette in half.

Cut that out...Trying too hard to look cool is not cool.
...Who're you?
Me? I'm Yukino Mayuzumi. A photographer...in training.
What do you care what I do? ...Would you just get out of my face?




Anna has not yet learned not to fuck with Yukki.

Only if you start listening to the advice of others. Otherwise, it's your own fault.
...What a load of crap.



...You're not gonna change anything. I'd hate it if you went through all that trouble for nothing.

And with that, she leaves. Surely this was a one off appearance, and she won't be important at all.

Anyway, because one character has left, another must make an entrance, and so it goes.



Big Trouble

Shit Status: Real.

Kasugayama High Student: You're from Sevens, huh? If you don't go home quickly, that creepy old principal of yours is gonna be mad!
Everybody, that's enough! Try to behave a bit more "elegantly"! You don't want to get me angry, do you?
Kasugayama High Student: Mmmm, Michelle!? It's...It's...Eikichi Mishina!! Nobody's gonna listen to you anymore! You're not the leader of our gang anymore!
What are you sayin'? What's up with all of ya?
Kasugayama High Student: We've got a new head of the gang! Our new head's really strong! All of the gang at Kasugayama High that used to follow you decided to go with Head Sugimoto!
Su...Sugimoto!? Sugimoto, the Head of Kasugayama High...?
Don't you dare fuck with me!
Kasugayama High Student: Eeee!! He, help me...
You punks think that the Head is stronger than your Gang Leader!? Who gave you that idea!? Tell me!!
Kasugayama High Student: I...heard the rumors! "The Head's stronger than the Gang Leader"...Everybody's been saying it!
You went ahead and replaced him when he didn't even know about it...? Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions? If this is all because of rumors...Then this Sugimoto kid's probably connected to the Joker, don't you think?
It's all clear to me now. Nobody can become the top dog at high school that suddenly without using a few tricks!
By the way, did you ever hear anything about "the cursed emblems at Sevens"? Surely you have? Well it seems the rumor came out of K'ass High...You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?
Kasugayama High Student: We're the ones who spread the rumors for the Head! And whatever punishment Sevens got is what they deserved...
Keh he! What gives? What did Sugimoto have against our school anyway!?
We're gonna hear that from Sugimoto himself! Hey! Where's Sugimoto now!?
Kasugayama High Student: In a secret club area...
A secret club? I'm gonna beat him to a pulp for letting this get outta hand!
Wait a second, Underpants Gang Leader! Hey, did a girl named Hanaji come in here? She was doing some research about the cursed emblems...
Kasugayama High Student: I don't know any Hanaji...But some girl named Miyabi Hanakōji went into the secret club to meet with the Head...
What!? Did you just say Miyabi Hanakōji? Hanakōji went to see Sugimoto!?
This...This ain't happenin'!



Uh...Eikichi? Where are you --



...oh. Oh, okay.

Aiyaa! The Underpants Gang Leader went off on his own...
But who cares about him!? It's Hanaji we have to worry about! Aren't we gonna go after her too?

We sure are. We have a little bit of talking to do first, though.

If the rumor is that "the Head is stronger than the Gang Leader"...Eikichi's gonna be in trouble...
Hey, Ching yan? Why did Hanaji want to keep her real name a secret from the Underpants Gang Leader? Maybe it's just like he said...Maybe they did used to date after all? But I was sure that he was lying about it...
Anna Yoshizaka...That girl's eyes remind me of the way I once was...She's just like me, before I met Professor Saeko...



OOh, a maze full of good stuff! Let's spread that!

Of course...this early in the game "Maze" is used kind of lightly. MAPS!

The Good Stuff:
Agi Card x1
Jio Card x1
Dia Card x1
Bufu Card x1
Garu Card x1
Aqua Card x1
Magna Card x1
Medicine x3
Free Tarot x1

I've heard about the secret club, but...It's all just so weird. I mean, they have clubs at school, but we're there all the time, you know? When exactly did this town get so strange...?
It doesn't seem like Eikichi's here. He'll be in trouble if we don't find him quickly, huh?
Masked Guy: Well, not having any leg hair anymore is nice, but...is it really necessary to have to get rid of it to enter the assembly? It's such a pain, you know? In the bottom of a boxed lunch I bought at a convenience store, I found the invitation card...I was shocked! Am I being watched?
Masked Girl: Yesterday, somebody stuck the invitation card in my bag...It's like, somebody's watching me? It seems weird, but the meeting's mandatory...If you don't go, there's rumors of "that" happening...So, I've got no choice but to go...
An assembly hall, huh...? But what kind of assembly? It looks like they were called here by someone, but...I'm still pretty curious about it.



Trish's...could it be?



Well I'll be damned, it is!

This is called a healing fountain...If we pay enough money, Trish will heal us up. The prices that she charges are pretty steep.
Aiya! Who is this girl!? She's so cute!
So, that door was actually connected to this room...What kind of place is this, anyway?
Passing through the world requires a little "give and take"! Oh, wait! This is your first time here, right? I should introduce myself! I'm Trish! I'm the fairy that protects this healing fountain...I'll heal whatever wounds you might have!



It's not free, of course! Passing through the world requires a little "give and take"! You can recover, if you've got the cash! It's dangerous beyond that door! Someone's got to be there if people are hurt! That's why I'm here! If you're not a tightwad, then you'll recover ight away!

We've been avoiding fights by contacting most things, to keep Eikichi roughly equal to us in experience, so we don't need healing right now.

Huh? You're not going to heal, then? No! This is unacceptable! Get out!

Speaking of Eikichi...



Reaching the third floor, gives us this message. Once again, it's a "SAVE, FOOL!" type warning.



He's behind this door.



But it can't be that easy, of course. Let's find a mask.



Let's check in the staff room again.

Masked Youth: Did you give the card they sent you to the lady to get your mask so you can participate? You do know that you can't enter the secret club without a mask?
A lady? A mask? Cards? Something smells fishy about this! Something's definitely going on here!
Hmm...I'm worried about Eikichi. We really need to get into that secret club somehow...
That dumb gang leader isn't here either!? He really is causing trouble for the rest of us...How can he be that selfish!?
Masked High Schooler: Whoa, I forgot to take the mask they gave me! I thought I'd be in trouble, but I was saved by the ones in that cardboard box!



Awesome, let's go. But first, Yukki has an idea.

You can handle a sword, right? I had a friend who was good with swords a long time ago, but you seem to be just as good as him. You're probably confident enough to fight with your bare hands, huh?
Sure.
Hmm, just as I thought. So how about this? Next time, let's try a contact together, okay?

Yep. This is the "one extra bit" to contacts I mentioned earlier. In addition to having four individual options, up to three characters can work together to contact the enemy. Not all of them are unlocked right at the start, though. Tatsuya and Yukki, for instance, don't have a combination until this dialog. And even then, they'll only have a combination if you choose that you're able to fight without a weapon.




The screen then fades to black, and the sounds of fist fighting fill the air.





Now that we have a mask, we can get in.



Where we find Eikichi being beaten up pretty severely.

Hey, hey! You seem to be doin' fine, "Gang Leader". You must be angry now that you're just a piece of shit? Maybe I should pull off your pants, huh? 'n show everybody your underpants?



Oh, by the way! If you use that Grim Reaper of yours...Well...You know exactly what I'll do to this girl here, huh?
Kasugayama High Student: Without your Grim Reaper, you're just a lousy wimp! What was all that about "Don't pick on the weak"? That was all just 'cause you were weak! You broke into this assembly, but I knew you didn't see this comin' at all! It's a good thing you came!
Ahh, you're pretty worn out...Does this chunk of lard really mean that much to you?
Cut the crap...This has gone far enough! If you've done anything to Hanakōji I'll make all of you bastards pay!!
Huh!? What're ya talkin' about? Hanakōji's right h...
Stop! Don't tell him! I'm begging you! Don't!!
Dyhahahahaha!! Don't tell me he doesn't know!? She IS Miyabi Hanakōji!
Are...you serious!? Is it really you, Hanakōji?
I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!
Why...? Why didn't you tell me!? I...I...
Because I wouldn't be able to look at you! Eikichi, you...You were the one person I couldn't tell!
You two used to go out? You and the fatso, a couple! That would be a perfect match, huh?
Shut up! Ever since that time, I've done whatever I could to be worthy of Hanakōji!!
......!!
Worthy? Of her!? Dyahahahaha!!
You bastard...You can mock me all you want...But don't you dare laugh at her!!
You do know what kind of position you're in? If not, check this out!



What a douche.

Ugh...Sugimoto!
Damn that Sugimoto!! I'll use my Persona to...
Wait! If we interfere now, we'll only hurt Eikichi's pride as a man! It might be hard to watch, but...This is something he needs to settle himself!
How can we sit and watch...? Fan ah! It's not right! Tatsuya, we have to save both of them!



Mayuzumi's right. He can handle this on his own.



I know, Sugimoto...I don't stand a chance agains you. But please, leave her out of this.
Looks like you finally see it my way! Dyahahahaha...Alright then! I could beat you with one arm tied behind my back...And you couldn't fight back with both of 'em! Now you'll know how humiliated you made ME feel!
You bastard...You're still holding a grudge because of the time I pulled down your pants in elementary school?
Naturally! It was all your fault, I...the girl I liked totally rejected me!
Maybe she rejected you because you were just a little punk who went around bullying weaker kids...
Lies! All of it, lies!! It was your fault! Everything was your fault!



Captain Douchehole slashes at Eikichi a few times, but he keeps getting back up.

Huff, huff, huff...Damn it!! The Head should be stronger than the Gang Leader!!
Well, because of what you did...I'm not the leader of a gang anymore!!
...What!?
And just 'cause the Head's stronger than some gang leader doesn't mean that you, Hiroki Sugimoto, are stronger than Eikichi Mishina!! This time, you deserve a beating rather than just getting your pants pulled down!

Fade to black, insert sounds of pummeling.



Main Theme B

Uhb...Fuhgib meh...Jes' blease don' show d'em my unduhban's!!
I don't know if I made Sugimoto realize his mistake...Maybe what I did made me just like him...I was always telling everyone "don't bully the weak", and thinkin' of myself as some kinda champion of justice...But it was all just talk, nothin' more. Using my Persona to attack others didn't really prove anything...I wasn't really bein' a man.
Aiyaa! What happened to the old you? The narcissistic one? You seem to have, umm...Well...Gotten kinda cool!
Yeah, yeah! Without using his Persona, Eikichi proved he's a real man!
I'm just sorry I didn't realize it earlier...I guess from now on, I'm not a gang leader anymore.
Uhh, hey...Hanakōji...Are you okay...? Well, obviously not, huh?
I'm sorry, Eikichi! I got you into this mess...I'm really sorry!!
Hey, I'm just fine! I'm more concerned about your wound there...
Don't! Don't look at me, Eikichi...I'm so sorry!!

And with that, she runs off.

You'd better come clean with us...Or having your pants pulled down will be the least of your problems.
Urbb...I'll dalk! I'll del yuh ebrydin'!
Why did the students at K'ass High spread a rumor that the emblems at Sevens were cursed?
Da...Da sduden' body prezuhdin' as'd me do...Da bass judgemen' on Sebbens...D'en da Massa Jokuh gabe me bowers!
Yasuo...I rejected him back then...So he moved on to Sugimoto!?
What was the purpose of having all of those people attend an assembly? What kind of "assembly" was it?
Massa Jokuh gabe all o' d'em d'eir ideal dream...Da'day was da dime do hab 'em join up, I 'eard. An' anodder din'...I 'eard d'at a new leader, Lady Scorbion was subbosed to abbeer ad da assembly. I juss 'eard 'bout it da'day...D'ass all I know...Blease lemme go...
It doesn't seem like you're lying...Okay, I'm gonna forgive you. Just as long as you never deal with the Joker again!
Now the rumored mastermind is finally unveiled...THe student body president of K'ass-u-gay-ama High's the one we're after! We'll catch him and force him to tell us everything!



Next time. Ish.

Translation, if anyone needs it:

Ugh...Forgive me...Just please don't show them my underpants! Urgg...I'll talk! I'll tell you everything! The...The student body president asked me to...to pass judgement on Sevens...Then the Master Joker gave me powers! Master Joker gave all of them their ideal dream...Today was the time to have them join up, I heard. And another thing...I heard that a new leader, Lady Scorpion was supposed to appear at the assembly. I just heard about it today. That's all I know...Please lemme go.

fRAWRst

"Bloodied" Eikichi has got to be my favorite face. Psycho goth dude at its finest.