Shattered Justice (A Persona Quest)

Yukari-san vanishes through the teleporter with Aigis-san, Junpei-san, Morgana, and Akihiko-san, which is not a team you've ever envisioned, but you guess that, given how many people are in the group now, it's as safe to experiment with team composition as it will ever be, even if Aigis-san complains about having to leave Makoto-san's side.
She'll have to get used to it eventually. Most of us aren't immortal.
Shinjiro-san and Chidori-san, while uninterested in being in Tartarus for any reason other than their own safety from a certain pair of assassins that are still unaccounted for, and also maybe avoiding Elizabeth, can at least be used as backup in case something goes terribly wrong.

There has been no progress made on determining a single card game to play. Your current knowledge of card games comes from playing several different chimeras of games your friends know well. Something tells you that, if you were to introduce said games to Futaba, she'd spend more time picking apart the sources of different rules than actually playing, and honestly, you're thinking that you may let her try.

It'd be something for her to do until she gets access to the library again, at least.

Like always, the question comes up of whether it's a good idea to play cards with a telepath. Like always, Mitsuru-san sighs.

"I believe you all would know if I was using my powers to cheat, if only because, at some point, I would have to actually look at my cards." Like always, you all agree she has a point.

Like always, you all expect her to eventually try to cheat. The real question is how long it will take her to reach that point.
Eventually, she'll reach the point where she can win a game without it, and that's when we're all in trouble.
Still, you feel like you should be talking about something other than figuring out exactly what he rules are to the hybrid game you're about to spontaneously discover. Because, really, it's find another topic of conversation, or admit that once you lost in a game of cards to a cat.


[ ] Is now a good time to bring up Makoto-san's issues with the word no?

[ ] Has anyone figured out what the deal is with Aigis-san?

[ ] Does anyone have any idea about Elizabeth? Any idea at all?

[ ] So... what's the plan for if the assassins show up again?

You sit around, and cards are passed out, and you can see bets silently being made on how long it will take Mitsuru-san to resort to cheating. Personally, you wouldn't be surprised if she starts immediately one night, after someone decides to make the rules of the game more complicated than they rightfully should be.

Makoto-san still just seems confused about the whole thing, and more than a little hesitant.

"Are you sure you want to play with the rest of us?" You ask, fully recognizing that the chances of getting an honest answer are perhaps a bit lower than they should be.

He rapidly nod. "O-of course. Why wouldn't I be?" He gives a nervous smile, silently pleading for you to shut up.
Sorry, Makoto-san. But this really is for your own good.
"...Because you always just go along with what everyone else says?" You've never seen him explicitly go against anyone before, and you think that should maybe be slightly worrying.

"He does have a point," Mitsuru-san states, not looking directly at Makoto-san. She hasn't made eye contact with him since that time she tried to read his mind and ended up with a week-long migraine. She hasn't said a word to you about what happened, but you assume it has something to do with Makoto-san's Personas. "You're easily the most agreeable person in SEES... and not in a good way."

"I'm... not sure what you mean."

"You... said something about it being wrong to say no?" Thinking about it, maybe you shouldn't be having this conversation directly before going into Tartarus, but... you guess it's too late now.

"Um... yes? Doesn't... don't most people know that?" He still seems really confused.

Mitsuru-san narrows her eyes. "And why do you think that?"

"Because that's... just the way things are? It's wrong to deny other people things that they want. I mean, that's what everyone in my family says..."

"...Yuki, I hate to tell you this, but I think your relatives just didn't want to deal with having a kid." Shinjiro-san sounds surprisingly sure of this. "Trust me, people don't just say that kind of stuff. Look, if you don't want to play cards, just go sit somewhere else. We don't mind... even if you and Yoshino are the only ones keeping Mitsuru honest."

Mitsuru-san doesn't even pretend to look affronted.
I almost miss when she was all serious, except now she actually remembers to eat most of the time.
...You think, if she starts reading people's minds partway through the game, you'll ask her if she can figure out what the rules are. They've already started slipping from your mind, and the game hasn't even really started yet.

---

By the time the others come back down, you've all begun to look into outright gambling while Mitsuru-san tries to retain order. Fuuka-san just seems amused by the whole thing, while Yukari-san looks glad that she's not involved in any of this.

Shinjiro-san and Chidori-san are still staying behind, as they hold no particular interest in Tartarus, and also you think Chidori-san and Junpei-san might actually be a thing now. Aigis-san, meanwhile, had to be physically restrained from following Makoto-san back through the teleporter. This is probably something you should be wary of.

Still, a nice, large group leaves plenty of people for you to stick near to.


[ ] Stay near Yukari-san.

[ ] Stay near Mitsuru-san.

[ ] Stay near Makoto-san.

[ ] Stay near Koromaru.