Shattered Justice (A Persona Quest)

In all honesty, passing around a Persona might not be the best way to get to know a person, but it'll probably get you something better than Rakshasa.

"You want a new Persona?" Narukami-san sounds more curious than anything. "What sort of Persona do you want?"

Well, Rakshasa works as basically an extension of your current skillset, but... "I'd... like a few more options. The one I've got's just more electricity, and that works, but..." Having a second Persona means that a lot more possibilities can be open at once, and you just don't think you've been making the most use of that.

Narukami-san looks down at you, in a way that makes it seem like he's trying to stare at your very soul. "...I have just the thing."

The Persona he hands you is an Empress. Yaksini. Physical and Ice-based abilities, including one very similar to your Psystrike Link, and a power to improve both of them. "I grew out of her sometime back," He admits, "But it feels like she suits you, doesn't she?"

Yaksini reminds you more of Mitsuru-san than of yourself, but then, you think that may be the point of this. Even if it's Psi they rely on you for... well, you can make Psystrike Link more powerful with this Persona, too. It's an expansion on your abilities that makes sense while still giving you more options.

"...Thank you, Narukami-san."

---

The next Labyrinth is a Group Date Cafe, and you get the feeling that Hanamura-san kind of wants to die right now.

"Can't this just be over with?" He complains.

Yukiko shakes her head. "It's your fault, anyway."

"You have no proof that I was involved with any of it!"

Narukami-san glances at him. "When we were making suggestions, you were staring at your paper and snickering."
Pretty damning evidence, really...
"Circumstantial evidence!"

Meanwhile, Teddie-san is talking to Rei. "Now, Rei-chan, you remember what you're supposed to say now, right?"

She nods, a bright grin on her face. "Group date, ho!"

"Okay, now you need to yell it when we go into the Labyrinth." She gives a decisive nod in agreement.

...You wonder what it says about you that you almost wish expeditions to Tartarus were a bit more like this.

---

Everything is pink and it makes you kind of want to throw up a little. Why is it so bright?

"Welcome, stray lambs. This is the second year Class 2's display." And why is there a grating mechanical voice from nowhere?

Naoto-san looks up. "Is that... a recording of some kind?"

"It sounds mechanical in origin," Aigis-san agrees. "But I cannot see any speakers that it may be coming from." As if a world like this would bother with mundane things such as speakers.

"Hello to everyone. Both those I'm meeting for the first time, and those I'm not meeting for the first time. This display uses state-of-the-art technology to find your destined partner with a few simple questions. You can participate if you wish, or you might choose not to."

Something tells you that you won't actually be able to choose not to.
Yeah, it's... sort of a thing...
"Right. Because being able to choose things has been such a big deal so far." It sounds like Shinjiro-san agrees with you, though you're sort of surprised he's come into the Labyrinth with the rest of you. You'd have thought he'd stay back with the Navigators.

Makoto-san blinks. "I don't see a problem with it." You can't say his response surprises you at all.

"Of course you wouldn't..."

Either way, the voice doesn't speak up to clarify things.

You think that might actually be a good thing.

After all, you wouldn't want to be distracted from the group of Shadows behind the next door.


[ ] When fighting in this Labyrinth, you'll focus on magical attacks.

[ ] When fighting in this Labyrinth, you'll try to stab things.

[ ] When fighting in this Labyrinth, you'll focus on your Link skills.

There's a lot to learn inside this new Labyrinth. Things like not to touch the spikes along the side of the halls, or risk being drained of all magic.

"Why are those even here?" Satonaka-san complains. This is far from the first thing she's complained about in the Labyrinths. You have your doubts that it's going to be the last.

"Why is anything here?" Yukari-san points out. "At least I don't see any FOEs..."

(Those won't show up until later.) Rise-san agrees. (Actually, when put against the other Shadows here, the ones on this floor feel comparatively weaker than the ones in the last Labyrinth were.)

You're not sure how much chance Rise-san has had to examine the Card Soldiers in detail, but you're going to take her word for it, for the time being. At least unless Fuuka-san says anything to the contrary.

"Still, the Shadows in this Labyrinth are stronger than the ones in the last one. You should be careful!"

Well. It's not like you've ever not needed to be careful here.

---

Another thing you're picking up on is that Links are fun. You hit something, someone else hits that thing, and then the element you were attacking with hits that thing again. It's almost like you're playing a game with the Shadows' lives.

Not that you like thinking of it that way, but really, there's just so many things you can do now.

None of which you're doing at the moment, because Yukari-san dropped some of the resin she uses for her bow, and has had to double back for it. You aren't sure how long she'll be gone, but it's been generally agreed upon that none of you want to leave without her.

Junpei-san is sitting off to the side with Hanamura-san and Narukami-san. "So, what do you guys do with your Personas? I mean, you don't exactly live anywhere near Tartarus..."

"We're investigating a murder case," Narukami-san says as simply as possible. "Someone's been using a world full of Shadows to kill people, and there's no one else like us in Inaba who can try and stop it."

"A murder case? When'd that happen?"

"It was... back in April." Hanamura-san doesn't sound very enthused about the current subject. "Or... the first two were. And then our teacher died right before exams... I mean, I didn't like the class, but he didn't deserve that..." Very, very uncomfortable.

On the other side of the room, Chidori-san is sketching. You aren't sure if it's the people or the place she's focused on, but either way, it might be best not to disturb her.

Naoto-san and Mitsuru-san are talking with Zen and Rei about something, but you can't hear their conversation from here. You can't quite see what Akihiko-san and Shinjiro-san are doing, but you get the feeling that they're in the middle of an argument about something, possibly one that started before you were all even in the Labyrinth.

Kanji-san is off completely by himself. You think he may be sulking because Koromaru doesn't let him pet him.

For just waiting for Yukari-san to find a dropped item, there's a lot of activity going on around here. Maybe you should join in on some of it.


[ ] You should rescue Hanamura-san from the horrors of an awkward conversation.

[ ] If you're careful, you should be able to live to see what Chidori-san is currently sketching.

[ ] You want to listen in on Naoto-san, Mitsuru-san, Zen, and Rei right now.

[ ] Akihiko-san and Shinjiro-san are fighting again. Why does this keep on happening? It's nice to know some things never change...

[ ] You should go talk to Kanji-san. Maybe he has something interesting to say. Besides, Nemi has nothing but good things to say about him.