Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4: Pursuing My True Self

by Victorio Osaria

I'M NOT DEAD! I apologize for being late again. Very late. This has a bit of a time-skip to allow Daisuke for a two-days recovery; quicker than in the actual game. I need to get back into this...

Sorry, not a lot of Personas talking.

Saturday, April 30, 2011: Balls to the Wall

"...So this guy is killing people with TVs?"

Yu nodded.

"What does he do- like, does he bash them over the head with them?"

"No," groaned Yosuke. "Daisuke, you were just in a TV yourself. How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well, I thought I was trying to be kinda- you know- uh, funny? I guess?"

"Why do I get the feeling this won't be the first time we'll hear that?" snarked Yu.

"Anyway, Ichijo-kun," began Yukiko. "Do you remember anything when you were kidnapped?"

"Actually, I don't remember getting kidnapped at all."

"Really? That's strange..."

"Why?"

"Because when the killer came to me, he -or she- just walked up to the inn and rang the doorbell. After opening the door... I passed out immediately after that."

"Really? He just up and rang the bell? Man, that guy must have some balls to do that."

"And we know how much you love those," cracked Yosuke.

Yukiko snorted.

Daisuke turned to her. "Amagi-san? What's the matter?"

"N-Nothing... Nothing's wrong-*snrk*-I'm sorry... hee... hee..."

"Ugh!" grunted Chie. "Not even the most immature jokes escape Yukiko's ears."

"Getting back to the issue," said Yu. "Daisuke, you said you don't remember getting kidnapped? I'd say that's a pretty hard thing to forget."

"Uh, well you see..." Daisuke scratched his head in embarrassment. "I might have already been asleep when he came to me."

Yosuke jumped out of his seat. "You were what!?"

"I see..." said Yu. "I guess we can't really ask you too much about the details anymore. You wouldn't know anything."

"Ah, jeez. I'm sorry about not being much of any help, Narukami."

"It's fine. You have a Persona, and we need all the help we can get."

"And I'm a team player, so you won't get much complaints from me!"

"I'm glad to hear that." Yu paused for a moment, thinking back to how Teddie described his violent first meeting with Daisuke. "There is one question I have, though."

"Shoot."

"...Where exactly were you sleeping?"

"Uhh, that doesn't sound weird at all," said Yosuke.

"Obviously he'd be in his bed," said Chie. "Right?"

"Wait!" gasped Daisuke. "No, I wasn't in my bed when I fell asleep! I was in Junes!"

Yosuke leapt out of his seat. "Why the hell were you sleeping in Junes!?"

"Uh, heh... It's kinda stupid, really..."

"Tell us! Tell us!" yelled an eager Yukiko.

Daisuke held his head low. "Ugh, okay. I was out shopping for some headphones in Junes, and when I got them, I found the cashier line was way too long. I decided to wait it out by the television section and so I leaned on one of the TVs, and got pretty sleepy..."

"Oh," started Yosuke. "So the killer saw you as an easy target and pushed you into a TV before anyone noticed." Yosuke then gave a sigh of relief; he wouldn't have to live with the possibility that Junes was the site of an attempted murder.

"Pretty much, yeah. I felt someone push me, but before I could shove him back, I was already head-first into the TV screen. That's when I fell into some kind of TV studio and found a scary monster that I punched in the face."

"Teddie?"

"Yeah, that monkey-thing."

"He's a bear," corrected Yu.

"Umm... right."

"Anyways," said Yu as he stood up from his seat. "Thank you for the information, Daisuke. This sheds a bit more light onto the case, however dim that light might be."

Chie sighed. "So our original assumption that all the victims were women was false..."

"However," interjected Yu. "Daisuke does fit the rest of the pattern, however roundabout the connection might be. Daisuke appeared on television, though the interview was taken off the air almost immediately after being shown and became obscure, showing that our suspect must have been familiar with Yamano before her affair with Namatame."

"Wait a minute," began Yukiko. "If the killer pushed Ichijo-kun into a television and Ichijo-kun met Teddie immediately after, then that must mean that Ichijo-kun was pushed into the same TV we all go into!"

Chie gasped. "Oh gosh, you're right! Does that mean the killer knows that we're tracking him?"

"Unlikely," said Yu. "If he does know about us, then the killer would have made a horrible mistake in pushing Daisuke into that same TV. It would narrow down our list of suspects to people hanging around the Junes electronics section, an area that's normally isolated due to the high prices-"

"Hey!" yelled Yosuke.

"...making him a large target. But even so, lightning never strikes twice. The killer hadn't come back to the Amagi Inn to kill Yukiko, nor did he go back to the Ichijo estate to kill Daisuke. Both were seen on the news, having returned to their respective homes, yet the killer hasn't done anything to see the job through. It's highly unlikely he would be at Junes ever again, whether he knows about us or not."

"Dammit," cursed Yosuke. "This case is being more strange the more we dig into it."

"Well, we are dealing with supernatural forces." Yu turned to Daisuke. "I almost forgot; here's your glasses."

"Glasses?" Daisuke took the item from Yu's hand. "These aren't glasses; they're more like sports goggles."

"Well, it's appropriate. I told Teddie you were a sportsman."

"So you say these things help me see through the fog in the TV world?"

"That's right."

Daisuke pulled the strap of the goggles over his head, seeing through the indigo lens and adjusting the grey frame. "How do I look?"

"Like part of the team," complimented Yosuke.

Daisuke took off the goggles and placed them in his pocket. "I'm not part of the team until I find out how you got those sweet toys."

"Ah, the weapons," said Yu. "We'll go right now."

"Eh!?" exclaimed Yosuke. "You have enough money for another weapon?"

"Of course. Daidara's weapons are quality-made and at a reasonable price."

"Unlike Junes," Chie added.

Yosuke groaned. "Ignoring Miss Steak-for-brains here, I'm surprised you still have enough pocket money."

"I got a job," Yu answered.

Yukiko beamed. "Really? Where are you working?"

"Well, I've been considering taking a hospital janitor job from the bulletin board in the shopping district, but I don't think I can make the cut yet, so I took a mail-by translating job."

Yukiko was intrigued. "Translating? That makes sense; you lived in America for a while. You must make a lot of money."

"Actually, not really. I probably would if some high-profile celebrity or high-seated politician needed my help, but that happens once in a blue moon. I just answer local questions about linguistics, translate some jokes and phrases for book publishers, and then I send the work by snail-mail."

"Even so, it's impressive."

"Not really."

Yukiko frowned. "I'd like to study abroad someday..."

"So..." began Daisuke. "Are we going or not?"

"...Man,you weren't kidding."

Daisuke gazed in awe at the large variety of weapons hanging on the walls. Damascus swords in one-handed and two-handed varieties, Spanish rapiers and foils, top-notch bows coupled with arrow quivers, iron warhammers and mallets, brass knuckles, naginata and spears, knives; all of them shined and waxed to reflect their brightness upon the customer. He was too distracted by their fineness to even notice the weaponsmith with the unusual scar.

Daidara laughed when he saw the team enter his store. "Ah! I expected all of you to return sooner or later."

"You did?" said Yosuke.

"Your kind seems to increase by one every foggy night. I assume Narukami-kun bought the ougi for young Amagi-san here."

"Eh?" Yukiko backed in fear. "H-How do you know my name and how did you know the ougi was for me?"

"You were on the news, you and your friends always pass by this store while going someplace, and Narukami-kun bought a weapon that was only appropriate for femme fatales to use. Considering Satonaka-chan is obviously much more of a bruiser, you were the logical choice."

"Oh... I suppose that was obvious. All you had to do was look out a window."

"Daidara-san," began Chie. "We're looking for a weapon for our latest recruit. What's your recommendation?"

"Oh? The young lad ogling my art over there, correct?"

The drooling Daisuke didn't hear the old man say anything.

"Oi! Saliva-kun!"

"Huh?" he turned away, finally. "Oh sorry! You mean me!"

"What's your name?"

"I-Ichigo desu."

"Eh? Strawberries?"

"I mean, Ichijo desu."

"Ah, of the venerated Ichijo family. No wonder you were so amazed by my art; you have very distinctive taste."

"Umm... thanks. Er, from what Chie-san said: what's the best weapon for me?"

"Hmm..." Daidara scanned Daisuke from top to bottom. "You have a very athletic build, meaning you may be able to hold some of the heavier weapons with more ease than most."

"So you suggest a bludgeoning weapon, like a club or a mace?" asked Yu.

"Perhaps." Daidara circled around him. "A sports uniform... I assume you understand the importance of teamwork and coordination?"

"Hai," affirmed Daisuke.

"...I think a club is too simple for you, then. You should use something that needs a bit more... flair."

"I don't understand."

"You like balls, Ichijo-kun?"

"Yes, I like balls."

It was finally made apparent to Daisuke how wrong that phrase sounded. Yukiko and Yosuke could be heard holding back giggles.

"...Wait, I didn't mean it like- -"

Daidara snapped his fingers. "I've got it!"

"You've got what?"

"Wait right here." Daidara sprinted to the back of the room and was not seen for a few moments.

"What's he going to get, I wonder?" said Yukiko. Yu answered his question.

"Definitely something spherical."

Yosuke smirked. "Imagine if they were anal be- -"

"QUIET, YOU!"

Yosuke, once again, was not given enough time to finish his sentence before meeting a kick to the face from the spunky dragon.

...They waited for about two minutes after that; Chie and Yukiko were talking about dog-sitting, Yu and Daisuke were examining the weapon racks, and Yosuke sat on an old wooden chair before standing back up again after realizing how old and brittle it was. For those two minutes, the team stood twiddling their thumbs as noises came from the back room. Daidara could be heard swearing profusely, adding to the cacophany of clanging blades, thumping of wood, opening and closing of chests...

"No, that's not it... no, no, no... Goddamn it, where is it!?"

Daisuke was really wondering if the old man was going to need help in finding it. "Hey, Daidara-san? Did you find- -"

*BANG*

"AAH!"

"WHAT WAS- -"

"HOLY SHIT!"

"EEK!"

Sweat dropped from Yu's bangs. ...A gunshot!?

Daidara rushed back into the main hall, alive and well. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, kids! Don't worry! It was... it was just a blank! Yeah, that's it!"

Like hell that was a blank.

"Daidara-san," began Daisuke. "You... you own a gun?"

"I thought it was illegal for civilians to own guns in Inaba," said Yukiko.

Daidara grunted. "I have my ways."

"Why did that gun go off in the first place?" questioned Yosuke.

"I was looking for Ichijo's new weapon when I kinda bumped into my old Nambu... It had a hair trigger."

"You don't have a gun case?" asked Yu.

"Oi, when some lunatic somehow breaks into my shop, you expect me to take my sweet-ass time opening a gun case before he, oh I dunno, starts stabbing me?"

"But you have racks of deadly melee weapons hanging on every nook and cranny in the store."

"Let me make some kind of excuse, will ya kid!?"

Chie took an aside to whisper to Yukiko. "Should we report him?"

"Why?"

"He owns a gun. That's a crime."

"But if we report him, we lose a vaulable asset to the case." Yukiko giggled for a moment. "That, and the fact we're working with a felon is... kind of exciting."

"Wha-!? Yukiko, what's wrong with you!?"

Daidara scratched his head. "Anyways... Ichijo-kun. C'mere."

Daisuke shook away the shock and went up to the counter. "W-What do you have for me?"

After giving a smirk, Daidara quickly picked up a 7-inch high box, which seemed light enough for him to carry, and slammed it onto the counter with a noise rivaling the gunshot, knocking Daisuke back.

"What is in that thing?"

Daidara clicked open the metal latches on the lid, then lifted the door to reveal the contents within: a large, iron ball.

"Figures," snarked Yosuke.

Daisuke put his hands in the chamber around the ball, coldness of metal permeating the nerves in his fingers. When the ball was lifted, he found that the ball wasn't totally smooth; a little metal protrusion came out in one area, being followed by a long metal chain connected to a wooden handle.

"A flail," said Yu. "Interesting."

Daisuke held the wooden handle, swinging the ball around below his waist that was hanging by a chain. A voice in his head gave him instructions.

"Take a look at the wooden chair on your left," said Fudo Myo-oh. "The old man will not miss it."

Before he decided to utterly smash the wooden chair into pieces, Daisuke gave another look at Daidara for acknowledgement.

The old man nodded in approval.

*CRASH*

"AH!" screamed Yosuke. "Dude, what the hell!?"

"Daisuke!" yelled Chie. "That's not yours!"

"You break it, you buy it," said Yukiko.

"Relax, kids," said the old man. "That thing was an eyesore anyway. I'm not gonna miss it."

"Daisuke," began Yu. "At least give us some warning next time, all right?"

Daisuke held the ball of the flail so as to not accidentally hit anything else. "But... but Fudo Myo-oh told me to- -"

Yosuke sped to hold his lips shut. "YOU IDIOT! NOT IN FRONT OF- -"

"Something I should know about?" questioned Daidara.

"Nonononononono!" assured Chie.

"Nothing at all!" assured Yukiko.

Daidara chuckled. "'Fudo Myo-oh,' eh? Not many people believe in the old gods anymore... I'm glad some people haven't forgotten the old traditions, though I don't recall the Ichijo family ever worshiping ol' Fudo..."

Daisuke's nervousness was steadily more apparent as he began stuttering. "Er, uh well, ah- -it's just... Persona- -what!?"

"Hmm?"

"What he means," began Yu, saving the poor sportsman. "Is that his mentioning of the god Fudo Myo-oh is nothing but a persona to strangers thinking that the esteemed Ichijo family is entirely traditionalist. As you can see, Daisuke is really into modern sports and isn't totally used his family's lifestyle."

Daisuke cooled down. "Y-Yeah! That's it!"

"Nice save," whispered Yosuke. Even Chie and Yukiko were impressed.

"Jeez, how can he stay so calm like that?"

"He's being so... cool about this."

"Ah, I see..." Daidara seemed to have bought it, but he began to ask another question. "Is there any reason why you're buying another piece of my valuable artwork for yet one more person?"

This time it was Yu who was nervous. "...Cosplay."

"You already said that."

"...Group cosplay. For... conventions. Like Comiket."

Yosuke started pulling his hair apart. "Dude, don't lose it now!"

Surprisingly enough, Daidara seemed to have fallen for it once again. He raised his arms out in submission. "All right! Sure. Comiket. It'd be nice to have a bunch of otaku students flaunt my masterpieces around. Might get more customers to my store..."

Yu nodded. "We will. We'll be the best cosplayers you've ever seen, and all the otaku, historians, and weapon-connosieurs alike will come flocking to your metalworks shop like pigeons to bread."

"HA! Now you're using similes! Great language you have, Naru-boy!"

"...Now if you'll excuse me, Daidara-san, I believe we must leave now."

He smirked. "Sayonara, then." He turned to Daisuke, who was still holding the flail mace. "Hope you only swing that thing around chairs and shadows- -not people! Don't want your family to get a bad rep- -or worse: I'd be sued!"

Saying their goodbyes, the team exited the shop, with everyone except Yu breathing sighs of relief.

"Man, that was a close one," remarked Yosuke.

"I had a really bad feeling he was onto us," said the still-nervous Daisuke.

"You were really cool out there, Narukami-kun!" complimented Yukiko.

"Man, I thought we were done for sure there," sighed Chie.

Yu stopped in his tracks, with the others pausing in unison.

"Hey, Yu?" Yosuke walked up to him. "What's wrong?"

"Daidara..." Yu turned to face the team. "I'm sure he knows."

Everyone else was taken aback. Yosuke chortled with apprehension. "Ha ha... What are you talkin' about? You totally fooled him!"

"I don't even think I fooled him the first time."

"W-What makes you say that?"

"His overly bombastic tone, his seeming total lack of suspicion... I could tell he's a very intelligent and experienced man. He batted an eye when Daisuke mentioned 'persona,' and spoke the word 'shadows' twice, once for both times we all went here."

"It's... it's gotta be a coincidence."

"Not only that, but during the time I went to his shop alone to get Yukiko's fan, he 'coincidentally' had just finished a specially-made pink ougi. It was like he knew I was coming... I didn't mention it before because I didn't think it was too important, but now..."

"Are you saying Daidara actually knows about... about Shadows? About us?"

"I can't say for certain. Do you remember when I faced your Shadow? When I had nothing but that dinky golf club?"

"Don't call it 'dinky.'"

"In any case, it wasn't the best weapon to take on a giant disco ninja-frog."

Yukiko snorted. "Pfft... 'disco ninja-frog?'"

Chie started to laugh too. "Oh man, now I regret not going in with you guys the first time. Yosuke's Shadow must've been hilarious."

"What's 'disco?'" added Daisuke.

"All right, enough ragging on my Shadow- -even Jiraiya's getting mad in here- -can you get to the point?"

Yu continued. "The golf club was a very weak weapon against your Shadow, and so it took almost all of my spirit for Izanagi to bring any amount of potential damage out of it; I was running on fumes by the end of the battle. But when I had first slain Shadows with the Kage-Dachi... it took little to no effort."

Yosuke and the others began to take glances at each other. "Hey, now that you mention it, I never had any experience in using kunai, but the Shadows started dying as soon as I stabbed it. Jiraiya and I didn't feel any weaker."

"I never used an ougi before in my life," started Yukiko. "But not only did Daidara's craftsmanship make it easy-to-throw precisely, it also cut through every Shadow it passed with ease."

It was Chie's turn. "It took a couple of tries for Tomoe to help my kicks to get better, but my gauntlets killed every Shadow in one hit whenever I did a backhand."

Next was Daisuke. "And I... smashed a chair."

Yosuke furrowed his brow. "Wait... you're not saying...?"

Yu nodded. "I don't believe Daidara is any old man with a penchant for smithing antique weaponry. I think Daidara actually makes weapons that are especially made for the warding and elimination of Shadows."

"You can't be serious."

"And I also doubt he's making these weapons specifically for us. He's a very old man. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that... maybe long ago... there were other Persona-users that came here, or that Daidara made the weapons and sent them to said Persona-users."

With this conclusion, the whole team bowed their heads low in wonder and shock. Everyone thought that they were unique, that they were gifted with a supernatural power that no one else had. The thought that there may have been other Persona-users in the world singed that feeling of uniqueness by a margin, especially Yosuke, but it was then that Chie came to her own conclusion.

"So what?"

Everyone was surprised by her nonchalant response.

Yosuke snarled. "Chie, that's a pretty big deal to know that there really might have been others like us."

"Yeah, but they're not here. We are."

Chie, like the star of an action movie, leapt away from the group to make her inspirational statement.

"So what if there were others like us before? They aren't here anymore, and so they have nothing to do with the case! We're still the only ones who can stop this crazy killer, and we can't go sulking around because apparently we're not that different from everyone else! We never were, and our Shadows proved that!"

To the surprise of everyone, Chie leapt up and kicked the air, easily grabbing their attention.

"Old man Daidara, whatever his agenda is- -he's helping us, and offering help whenever he can. And I'll be damned if I don't take him up on that offer! We shouldn't be suspecting him! We should thank him for the tools we need to lay the smackdown on Shadows and finding the killer so we can lay the smackdown on him! Don't think... feel."

Yukiko and Daisuke started clapping immediately after Chie's speech ended.

"GO CHIE!"

"LET'S KICK SOME SHADOW ASS!"

Yosuke groaned. "Did she seriously quote Bruce Lee at the end just for the hell of it?"

Yu shrugged. "Well, she's right. No use dwelling on this issue. We have to stop the culprit ourselves, whether or not there are any other Persona-users."

Yosuke sighed, lifting a smile. "Yeah... Ah, what the hell..."

He joined in on the cheering alongside Yukiko and Daisuke. Chie was bowing theatrically, saying "thank you, thank you," "you're too kind," and such. Yu let the others have their fun before he began to check the time.

"Guys, it's getting late."

Yosuke begins to check his own watch. "Shit! Mom's cooking pork loin tonight! I gotta run!"

Chie chased after him. "Oi, Yosuke! You're not leaving without sharing some of that with me!"

"Goddamn it, Chie!"

Yukiko reached out a hand to her friend. "Chie! Is it okay if- -" before she could finish her sentence, Chie had already chased Yosuke beyond her audible range.

Yu turned to see Daisuke standing in one place, face flushed and eyes forward to Chie and Yosuke's running path.

"Don't you have to go home, too?"

Daisuke broke out of his trance. "Hm? Oh! Right, right..."

"Don't tell me you're feeling envious of Yosuke."

"Envy!? Wha-why would I feel envious?"

"Nothing."

"Well, I do like pork loin, but that's not what... Er, I gotta go!"

Daisuke ran in embarrassment, leaving Yu and Yukiko alone.

"Yukiko-san, you want me to accompany you going home? It's getting a bit dark."

"Huh!?" Yukiko's eyes widened at Yu's offer. She never walked home alone with another boy before... "Um... well, I um..."

"Amagiya inn isn't very far, so it shouldn't take us long. Just hoping the killer or some random thug doesn't jump you." He chuckled after saying that. "Not that that might actually be a problem; we've already proved the killer doesn't strike twice and that you can handle yourself in a fight."

"B-But that was in Mayonaka! I can't fight in the real world!"

"You have an ougi meant for concealed carry assassinations, and now you know how to use it. I think you'd be fine."

Yukiko was visibly becoming frustrated. "Then why did you offer to take me home in the first place?"

"Because," Yu began to wipe his hand through his hair in a suave, gentlemanly manner. "I wouldn't want you to accidentally... burn Amagiya with your... Amagidyne."

Yukiko lost it right there. "...HAHAHAHAHA! Oh God, that was worse than Teddie's puns! M-My stomach...!"

"If it was that bad, I don't think you would have laughed so hardly."

She cupped her mouth shut. "Hmhmhm! HA! Oh... yeah, I think you're right." She started to calm down a bit more. "Was that supposed to be some kind of 'sweet move' from the 'mysterious transfer student?'"

"If it was, you'd probably be in my arms already."

"That sounds kind of overconfident."

"Well, I was a real lady killer in my old school."

Yukiko's eyes turned dark. "Oh my God... you're the murderer."

"What!?" Yu, knowing how naive Yukiko can be, shook his hands in reassurance. "Y-You've got it all wrong, Yukiko-san! A 'lady killer' is a term to describe- -"

"...Someone who's good with women. I get it."

"Wait, wha- -oh."

"I really got you there, didn't I?" giggled Yukiko. "Guess the mysterious transfer student Narukami Yu isn't so cool-headed after all."

Yu gave a smiling sigh of relief. "Yeah, you got me."

"I supposed you really assumed I didn't know what that term meant. I'm at the top of the class; I'm not always so air-headed."

"Now you're the one sounding overconfident. What makes you think I won't beat your rank once tests arrive?"

"I'd be happy for you to take my place. It would get all this attention of the 'Amagi Challenge' off my back."

"Huh. Then I guess I'll intentionally score low so all that attention's still clinging onto you."

She laughed again. "You're mean."

Yu shifted his eyes. "Not always."

Suddenly, a vibrating sensation came from his pocket. Quickly, without Yukiko noticing, he used sleight of hand and fast glances to see that the tarot card glowed with the Priestess Arcana; a new bond was formed.

"So, are you gonna take me up on that offer?"

Yukiko stopped to think, still feeling a bit apprehensive. After a few seconds, she gave in. "Okay then, Narukami-kun. You can take your Princess home."

"Who said you were my Princess?"

"You're just a royal escort. Not a Prince."

"I'm fine with that."

"Besides, I was wondering if I could have your advice on cooking."

"Cooking, huh? I could help with that."

"Then let's go. Ah- -no handholding."

"Got it."

The pair walked along the road connecting Junes to the inn, passing by the sunset seen across the horizon of Samegawa. Nothing but idle chat about cooking and lame puns came out of their mouths. All the while, Yu was thinking about his own bonds with everyone, as well as the bonds of others over the course of their journey. He had been rooting for Yosuke and Chie to get together, but now Daisuke, who had an obvious crush on the latter, was in the mix. It was strange; despite his former 'lady killer' status, it was only now, when a killer was loose, that Yu is starting to become interested in actual romantic bonds; not just his own with Yukiko's, but as well as how the inevitable later members of the team would come together. Maybe not at all. Maybe all he really cared about was making his Personas stronger.

I wonder what ships are going to sail?

Izanagi rose in his mind. "I remember when I... or rather my namesake, was entangled in such affairs. It did not end well."

Very reassuring of you. Thanks.