Shattered Justice (A Persona Quest)

You aren't entirely certain why you decided to bring along Kyouma. Certainly, there must be easier ways to introduce him to your friend who actually needs to be worried about. You can even think of a few already.

It's just that you don't have the time. The school year is just about over, now, and Akira has continued to be incredibly unhelpful about letting you know where he lives. Never mind just how useful that would be.
I can't imagine having a whole building encased in ice would be good for property values.
So, yes, you have some sort of idea why you're doing this, it's just that you'd rather it be for any other reason than a lack of better options. If only because it would help you with solving some of your other problems, as well.

At least it'll probably be good for Kyouma, in the sense that maybe he'll calm down if he has more people to listen to him. "So, what are your friends like, anyway?" You'd say he's acting nervous, from the way he twists the blue cloth of his jacket in his hand, but he sounds confident enough for you to be uncertain. At the very least, whatever the answer is, he's good at faking that it's the opposite.

At least you probably aren't going to have to deal with his problems just by him making them impossible to ignore.

"It's... hard to describe them." In one case, you haven't really had to, and the other... she defies all explanation. "Akira-san is... quiet. He's not really good with people, but I don't think I know anyone who is. So it probably doesn't matter as much. And Lavenza-san... is an experience." Not quite as much as certain other members of her family, but enough to merit a warning.

And it's enough of a warning to get him on edge. "What kind of experience?"
Where do I even start?
Oh, the stories you could tell... if only you remembered them. "She's not good at... blending in." To say the least. "And when she wants something, she doesn't back down. It's... certainly something." Not necessarily a good thing, but you don't think you have to elaborate that.

You don't have to do anything else to make sure Kyouma is properly wary. You sort of feel bad for the fabric of his jacket, but it seems tough enough to endure the afternoon.

Still, even though Akira will be there, you can't help a powerful feeling of dread as the shape of the mall rises in the distance.

---

"So this is a new friend of yours?" At least Lavenza's gaze isn't solely on you, today. You aren't sure that's really a good thing, in this instance, but so long as she doesn't mention anything... blatant, you think you can just write it off as something less.

You can't really do anything if she decides to, say, blow up the public fountain, but you've known her long enough to understand that it'll only a risk if things have already entered a death spiral. If she decides that's what she has to do, what it'll look like to others will probably be the least of your concerns.

...Still, you're really hoping that doesn't happen.
Amongst other things, we don't want Mitsuru-san to kill us.
"Th-that's right." You've never seen him at a loss for words before. "I'm Kyouma." He looks like he instantly regrets telling her his name. Given that it would help her find him again, you aren't sure you can blame him for that.

"I see. A fine name." While Lavenza has learned how to get around without drawing a crowd, one-on-one interactions still seem to be beyond her.

Given what her job is going to be, you can't help but worry, just a little.

Not that you'd tell her that. You're sure she'd just insist that she'll be just fine on her own. And you'd believe her, too, because anyone with that much power can't have anything that could stand against them, right?
There's a few Personas that might. And sometimes Makoto-san would suggest a fight just because he could.
"I'm not sure you should just... say that," Akira points out. "I think that's something only adults say." And it goes without saying that, no matter how powerful some of you may be, you're nowhere near being adults yet.

"You... may be correct." You're sure this isn't making the situation look any less confusing. You think you may well have to give up on ever having a normal reputation with the mall crowd, at least that notices you beyond 'that one kid who wears orange'. "Still... is there anything you would like to do?"

This might be the first time she's asked you this. Whether this means anything for her progress or not... it feels kind of odd.

Almost as odd as the idea of spending the next year or so without her.

But soon she'll stop being here, and that's not going to change no matter how much you wish it would. Even though another her told you to save the world... you can't change things like this. You aren't sure you're changing anything at all.
Shinjiro-san's almost okay. You can't say that isn't important.
All you can do is answer her question.


[ ] You were actually wondering if she wanted to go somewhere.

[ ] You just wanted to talk.
-[ ] About how helpful she's been.
-[ ] Give Kyouma a more proper introduction, and assure her that, by the time she comes back, he'll be adequately prepared to be friends with her.
-[ ] You know Akira's right here, but you really need advice on what to do about his parents...
-[ ] ...You'll miss her.

[ ] ...There's not really anything you can think of.

"Well, I-" You pause, unable to get the words out. You know what you want to say, so why is it so hard?

"...Yes?" She doesn't know what you're going to say, you're sure, even if a lot of other people would jump to the same conclusion. They don't know Lavenza the same way you do. Reading people is not her strong suit unless they're coming to her about a problem.

"I-I just wanted to say... I'll miss you." There's a few more days when she could be here, you know that, but maybe it's best to just end things here. It was always going to hurt to say goodbye, at least now you won't be alone for it.
At least there's a good chance she'll turn up again eventually. Maybe we'll even find out how she's related to the twins.
"We both will," Akira adds, though you aren't sure he would have said anything if you hadn't gone first.

He probably wouldn't have. He's never been any good at talking to others. Really, none of you are, but most of you at least have the courage to try. A lot of the time, Akira doesn't have even that.

Another reason you wouldn't mind Mitsuru-san turning wherever he lives into a block of ice, aside from the fact that other people probably live there, too, and it wouldn't be nice to expect them to deal with the cold.

Kyouma, for his part, just looks confused, but it was never Lavenza you were bringing him here to meet.

The girl herself doesn't seem surprised to hear this, but it doesn't appear she was expecting it, either. Not that you ever thought you could truly surprise Lavenza with anything. "I see. I will... miss our interactions, as well. They have been quite enjoyable."

Sometimes, you wonder just how old she is. With how she talks, she can't be just a kid. Unless this is anything like that week where Mitsuru-san never said anything that wasn't in fluent French. But even Mitsuru-san got tired of that eventually.
Mostly because nobody understood a word she said, but still...
"You will be coming back, though, right?" Akira checks, sounding more nervous than he has is... in a long time, actually. He'll probably never be the most confident person around, but it still surprises you just how far he's come.

"So long as the world is still there once my schedule has become clear." You don't know if she's joking. You really hope she is.

Kyouma, meanwhile, looks like he's just gotten an idea.

You're probably going to regret this.

---

The end of the school year passes quickly. You don't venture into the library, Akira still firmly refuses to give you his address, and there's no sign of any Shadows, or major breakdowns at the dorm, or anything. It's almost too peaceful.
You're going to regret thinking that.
You enjoy the break for maybe a day or so. After that, though, you start getting bored. You have nothing in particular to read, Maiko is busy with... something, she never actually explained what it was, and when you took a walk and passed Kyouma on the street, he seemed to be researching how doomsday cults get started.

...Sometimes, you really wonder about your choice in friends.

Eventually, though, you find something to worry about all the same, and you decide that the first productive thing you do this spring will be...


[ ] To try and figure out where Akira lives. It's not like you actually need his help for this.

[ ] There's a small girl wandering around near the dorm in the afternoons. You're beginning to wonder about her... (+Empathy)

[ ] You've just about finished the first part of your story. You just need to add the finishing touches... (+Diligence)

[ ] ...Mitsuru-san's overworking herself again, isn't she?