Persona: The Beautiful

Okay, so some information. I'll be out of town for the next three days, and while I'll probably still have some access to a computer, it's not guaranteed I'll be able to get on SV for long enough to write a full update past this next one (Edit: That and of course University moving out of the chiller first week back.)
So updates may slow down for a little while, but on the bright side that may give people more time to catch up with the Quest.

Also, +1 Education for that Bushranger question.

[X] Lenny Sharp.
[X] You should really be studying.
[X] Something classy and elegant, a neat tweed waistcoat, black-and-white striped v-neck, dark leggings, patterned scarf.

[Your Elegant Clothes Haul give you +3 to Etiquette, +2 to Perception]

"Sorry 'Gumi, gotta study," you said, dragging yourself onto the table for two you were even able to fit in apartment. It was littered with crumbs and pizza sauce stains too, being where you also ate. You plopped some algebra books down along with an early 20th-century novel and got to reading, or at least trying to read over the TV.

"Okay cool, I'll be with my shows instead," Megumi said, at least bothering to turn the volume down a little. You were tempted to sneak a peek and watch anyway, but you kept pinching yourself as a reminder to focus on your homework.

With modernist sentence structure and trigonometry signs swirling around in your head, you slowly opened your eyes to find your head lying down on the table, the morning sun already seeping in through the blinds.

"W-what the?" you said out loud, jolting yourself upright, "D-did I seriously fall asleep while studying?!"

"A simple 'good morning' would've sufficed," Megumi groaned, lifting their barely awake self off the couch.

"W-what's the time?" you stuttered out, looking frantically around the room, "I've gotta have breakfast, I've gotta pack my bag, I-"

"Sheesh, little advice, 'Ruka," Megumi interjected, resting their hands behind their head, "If there's one thing I've learned in spite of college, it's that Ps get Degrees, so don't stress, else you'll end up all grey-haired and wrinkled before you know it".

You stopped to catch your breath and nodded along with Megumi, "Right, I see. Still gotta have breakfast though".

[ ] Just crack a raw egg over heated rice.
[ ] Check to see if you've got any ramen cups still around.
[ ] Grab some take-away as you head to school.
[ ] Stop in at a local eatery, you do kinda need to unwind.
[ ] Write-in.

[+5 Education from Studying that night]

---

It was shockingly cold that morning, so much that when you glimpsed the door to the Velvet Room on your way to school, you chose to duck in as much as to get out of the cold as for Personae.

"Miss Haruka, didn't expect to see you this early," Popo immediately piped up, before he continued, "Oh right, got two fresh new Personae all done for you, and cor these are a fright".

When all the shards came together with the wind, you were presented with the two Shadows you'd struck down the other day.

"I am Hanged Man Argus, Watcher of All," came the voice of the many-eyed peacock that was once Daisuke's Shadow, "None shall escape our sight".

Elements: Resists Wind and Bless, weak to Psy
Strength: |||||
Cognition: |||||
Agility: |||||
Luck: |||||
Endurance: |||||
Skills: Kouha, Sukukaja, Garu

"CHARIOT CYCLOPS, LONE EYE" the hulking, ambushing giant was far more blunt "NOBODY RESISTS".

Elements: Resists Physical, weak to Wind
Strength: |||||
Cognition: |||||
Agility: |||||
Luck: |||||
Endurance: |||||
Skills: Bash, Tarukaja, Bolt Strike

"By the way, Popo," you then asked him "Is there, well, anything more you can tell me about the Gameboard, like what it is exactly, or where it came from?"

"Uh, those are some quite hefty questions, Miss, no offence but it'd be like asking you where the Earth came from," Popo was taken aback a little, but the tiny pegasus soon cleared his throat and said "Quite right, I can see why you'd be wonderin' and all. Okay, to the best I can explain, human wills come into conflict all the time, right? Like, everythin' from little arguments to big whoppin' wars, law and chaos fightin' for dominance, right? So with human psyches all crashin' into each other in everyone's, ahem, Collective Unconsha- Unconsho- Unconciousness, all of the debris gets mixed up together, and that's how we get the Gameboard".

You had to pause to take that all in, before you inquired, "Er, okay, so how does something apparently as important sounding as that end up at some high school in Hokkaido?"

Popo however just looked down. "Um, sorry Miss, can't say. I woulda been on the Gameboard when it got moved there, so my guess's as good as yours. Prob'ly some posh bloke found it and decided it'd look nice in the real fancy school, like Hanataba's supposed to be a pretty top place, right?" he came back with.

"Yeah, so they say. Okay, you gave every All-Ace a Persona, correct? Is there anything you can tell me about them?" you asked instead.

That however just made Popo go wild-eyed, as he started fluttering backwards "N-no Miss, it's not right to pick sides, Miss, Gameboard doesn't like it. Um sorry, but if you're friends with the other folks with Personae, I'm sure you'll find out in no time".

"If I may interject," Igor spoke up, "I can at least confirm that you're the first Guest we've had in here for, hmm, at least some time, as you calculate time that is".

So I'm the only one with multiple Persona? you thought, in that case, I can kinda see why the All-Aces sought me out, though how could they tell all that?
"Well, as I calculate time, I ought to be at school by now," you then said as you turned to leave, "Though hey, there's really no need to freak out, Popo".

"Right, so sorry, Miss," Popo said, bowing his head, "Promise it won't 'appen again, Miss. Just that, y'know, Gameboard Empires ain't something to be 'aving a chortle about, and all. Ah, so long Miss, I'll have new Personae in soon!"

"I am thou... Thou art I
Thou anointest a new Knight to defend thy Crown
Thou shalt take the mantle of the Tower Arcana"

"Oh Haruka, one more thing," it was the pilot-stewardess Lauryn who now spoke up, "The All-Aces sometimes give you missions, don't they? I was curious if I could make a request?"

You paused, before saying, "Uh yeah, sure, but you're not gonna make me brainwash my friends or anything, are you?"

Lauryn was silent at first on hearing that, but then giggled and said "What? Oh no, nothing like that. On the Gameboard, if I'm correct, there should be a Galactic Empire among the Empires. I was just going to ask if, in your free time, you could check up on it, give me a status report if you will".

'Galactic Empire' didn't match the description of any of the six you saw, well maybe Gakuto's digital tech empire but only if you really stretched things. "Er sure, I'll keep an eye out," you said before leaving.

---

"Wow, two comas in the first week-"
"Big game comin' up, whole school's on edge-"

As you headed in the front gates, you suddenly spied Yuya fiddling with something. Looking a little closer, you could see it was... an armband?

"Oh hey, Yuya!" You called out as you ran up to him, "Um, sorry I didn't come see you after I got up from that coma, the other day".

"What? Oh no Haruka, there's no need to blame yourself, like I should've said something and came up to you, really," Yuya responded, shrugging and smiling. "Um, but I hear you're still in contact with Keiko, so that's cool".

"Yeah, like I wouldn't just up and leave my two best friends, would I?" you perked up back at him, though inside your head you didn't feel so perky. Looking down at his new armband, you then spoke out "Wait, you're a Hall Monitor now?"

"Well they were short-staffed, and uh you can understand why the other students might be... hesitant to apply for Hall Monitor so soon," his smile kinda faded a little, "So I'm just helping out till Daisuke's back in action, being, er, kind of in a vegetative state right now, and Hotaru's stressed enough as it is."

Oh Yuya, you're just too nice to be a Hall Monitor, you could only think, though the words that left your mouth were, "Okay, well we'd better be getting to class and-"

"What. The. Hell. Haruka?" came Melissa's seething voice from behind you, her grabbing your arm, "Apparently Reina didn't drive it through that thick skull of yours that, as a potential All-Ace, that means no going around talking to dweebs!
Little lesson, if a guy's not at least 7/10 on the hot or not scale, you don't get within three feet of him, got that?" she hissed right in your face.

You turned around, only to see Yuya had backed away into the school building. On the bright side, at least it wasn't Azuma who saw me with him, things could've gotten really awkward then...

---

"Alright, Little Miss Colette, you seem a clever girl, name Pi to its fifth decimal place," your Maths teacher pointed at your classmate and asked.

"Oh why of course, that would indeed be- Damn, I'm into Literature, not Maths," Colette started softly but then hissed, before her eyes wandered over to you "Haruka dear, if would be so kind".

[ ] 3.14159
[ ] 3.14156
[ ] 3.14519
[ ] Whether you know or not, telling her'd be cheating.

After morning classes had ended, you started heading down to cafeteria to have lunch, assuming the cafeteria wasn't now 'too plebeian' or whatever for even a Jack, when... you were almost hit by a rubber ball that rebounded off the walls out of nowhere, just barely catching it in your hand.

"Wow, now that was some Fielding!" came the excited voice of a girl as she raced around a corner, picking the ball out of your hands, Her skin was a remarkably deep tan, more authentic-seeming than Reina's, her short, scruffy hair was a deep black, and regardless of the weather she wore a tank top with her jacket tied around her waist. "By the way, I'm Yamashiro Takako, pleasure to meetcha! Transferred from Okinawa, if ya can't tell".

"Ah yeah, sure," you shook her hand, only to say "Hey, do you really have to play baseball indoors thought?"

"Pfft, baseball?!" she almost spat out, her cheery demeanor vanishing in an instant as she held up a flatter bat "I'm a Cricketer! And 'sides, it's not like any teachers were around".

"...You're an insect?" you could only say.

"Oh jeez, cricket the sport. Y'know, ducks, Bradman, Tendulkar, Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun," she leaned into your face, before she pulled back and sighed, "Okay, I don't blame you for not knowing the game, not many others in Japan do. I mean, I only heard of it 'cause my family had friends in the Australian navy who used to stop in Okinawa. Been a total pain tryin' to find people here to fill out the team".

"Wow, that's, uh," you struggled for words, "Unfortunate".

"Anyhow, been lookin' for my friend Noto Kaneto, you seen him anywhere?" she just as quickly went back to bright and perky again, "Tall guy, brownish-blonde hair, freckles. Oh, and Vice-Captain of the Football Club and, ahem, 'Jack of Swords' to Tsutsuji, oughta mention that".

"Er, think I recognise the name, but can't say I've met him," you mutter, "Guess I can show you to the All-Aces Lounge, if he's not on the field then that's my best bet".

Leading this Takako up there, as you approached the room you suddenly heard an outburst of angry yelling. Hopefully that was just Gakuto ragequitting some game.
Afterwards, out of the door to the Lounge there excited a boy that matched Takako's description, who as fitting a football player was also quite large, broad-shouldered and thick-thighed, yet despite possibly being Peak Jock he otherwise had a very warm, gentle expression on his face... despite a rather serious bruise on it.

"Yo, Kaneto!" Takako beamed and ran up to him, only to notice the bruising, "Oh shit, that looks nasty, maybe we should get you to a doctor?"

"Huh Takako, oh, yeah the bruise," Kaneto then said, only now seeming to notice it.

"...What was all that yelling about?" you had to ask.

"Er, um, that was Eitaro, like he got kinda mad at me," Kaneto said, rubbing where it hurt, "My Mum's worried I'm coming home from practice too late, and my grades are real bad but it's hard studying, so asked Eitaro if we could end practices a bit earlier, and, well, he started yelling 'bout how 'Compromise is a weakness!' and 'If you want to win, you practice every second you can, no complaints!'"

"And then he hit you?" you asked bluntly.

"Uh, yeah he did. But um, Eitaro's gotta go back to normal soon, I mean, he gets really scary when he's angry..." Kaneto whimpered.

"Wow, that's... totally not how I pictured Eitaro," Takako gasped, "I mean I always thought he was some cool sports champion, but that sounds like some two-bit drill sergeant. I should know, I grew up around them.
Anyway, Kaneto and I oughta get going, was gonna practice, but that bruise could use some major medical attention," Takako took Kaneto with her, "But see ya 'round, Haruka".

"Oh yeah, Nakamura Haruka, think I heard you were one of the other Jacks!" Kaneto brightened up again, "Good to finally see ya, then".

You bid both farewell. Normally such people would be too sunshine-y for you, but man, Kaneto kinda needed all the sunshine he could get, with what it sounded like he was going through, something you wouldn't past Eitaro. He did sic a Shadow on you, after all.

Oh right, Clubs. Let's see, Football... probably wouldn't be the best idea right now, but Thursday should also have:
[ ] Computer Club.
[ ] Kendo/Tea Ceremony club.
[ ] Ryouko said she's holding Class Rep auditions, that might fit a Jack.
[ ] Might want to check up on Yuya, Hall Monitor sounds like a lot.
[ ] Ought to go out Job-Hunting, apartment won't pay for itself, as Megumi's reminded you.
- [ ] Sweets shop assistant.
- [ ] Board/Tabletop Gaming shop assistant.
- [ ] Local Museum guide.
[ ] Gameboard:
- [ ] Eitaro's Ancient Empire.
- [ ] Melissa's Shopping Empire.
- [ ] Azuma's theatrical Empire.
- [ ] Gakuto's Silicon Empire.
- [ ] Kikuko's Traditional Empire
- [ ] That 'Criminal Empire'
- [ ] This 'Galactic Empire', wherever it is.
[ ] Write-in.

Okay, back home, ready to write the next instalment.

How I'll do things next post is that, while you'll audition for Class Rep, you'll stop by the Kendo club to see what it's like but won't get too join yet, and the Gameboard will be scheduled for tomorrow, only so much time in an afternoon.

[x] 3.14159
[X] Ryouko said she's holding Class Rep auditions, that might fit a Jack.
[X] Stop in at a local eatery, you do kinda need to unwind.

['Local Eatery' has given you +3 Etiquette, sneaking an answer to Colette gave you +1 Resolve for rule-bending, plus +1 Education for the right answer.]

You then headed back to your classroom despite it still being free time, as there'd been something you'd been pondering about doing. Your teacher would be holding auditions for Class Rep right now, and perhaps you could get the All-Aces, mostly Melissa, to stop hounding you if you got a position fitting of a Jack.

On top of that, you're hardly a social butterfly and would likely collapse in front of a crowd if asked you speak publicly, so maybe this role could be the confidence boost you so desperately need?

Wow, you know it's been one out-there week when I'm genuinely thinking of running for Class Rep, you thought as you headed back, I never would've even considered it last year, huh, and this week's not even over yet. A meteor could hit the school as it'd be as probable as anything else that's happened...

Entering your class, you saw that, er, you were the only student who'd bothered to show up. The long-haired, bare-legged Tanizawa-sensei, sitting on top of her desk and slowly kicking against its side in rhythm, hopped down to the floor and looked straight at you.

"Well, this sure makes my job way easier," she laughed, taking and shaking your hand "I originally thought I'd have to sit a bunch of half-hearted, or way too full-hearted, auditions by a bunch of wimpy kids, ah no offence. Then I'd have to somehow get the whole class interested in actually voting for Rep, having to sift through a bunch of hi-larious votes for Satan or whatever. But congratulations Haruka, thanks to you I can cut the crap and just appoint you, so welcome aboard!"

"Er, thanks, Tanizawa-sensei," you muttered, then drew a deep breath, "But I haven't, y'know, actually done anything yet".

"I know my class," Ryouko retorted, not bothering to make eye contact with you, "Trust me, it's all downhill from you. Knowing some of the other students, they would've showed up to audition stoned or something".

"Miss Tanizawa," you trembled at what you were about to say, but your teacher was laid-back enough that she'd likely just laugh it off, "You, um, don't seem to like teaching much, do you?"

"Hah, you're only now just noticing that?" she grinned, before explaining "Look, it's nothing personal, it's just, well you see, being a teacher wasn't exactly my dream job, as you can imagine. Hell, I'd hate to meet the poor soul for which it was.
I mostly took the job because I wanted to teach Japanese overseas to meet hot foreign guys easier".

"Oh, really?" you said, relieved her response had been nothing at all harsh, "Okay then, so what would your dream job be?" was your attempt at conversation.

"Pfft, dunno really," she sighed, holding her head in one hand, "My specialty is Modern Literature, so um, writer, journalist, lyricist, critic, something along those lines. All I know is not teacher, or at least not a teacher stuck in Hokkaido of all places. You got a dream job, kid?" she asked, one eye looking at you.

That wasn't easy to answer, to say the least, with you eventually coming up with:
[ ] "You're right, it's too hard to think of one"
[ ] "I don't see why I should have to decide when I'm only in high school"
[ ] "Yes" (Write-in)

"Heh, good answer," Ryouko replied, thought you had the feeling she'd react like that regardless of what you said.
"Oh right, you're Class Rep now," she said, finally remembering why you were here, as she handed you a stack of papers, "Right, basically you'll be resolving any problems that come up in class, updating the Student Council on how our class is going, and organising events and fundraising for them. Got all that?"

Honestly sounds like I just became Substitute Teacher, not Class Rep, you thought, "Ah yep, all got".

"Wow, at this rate I should be clocking off in no time," Ryouko smiled, tossing her hair back, "But seriously Haruka, I'm kinda proud of you. Like you've seriously stepped up your game in the first week alone, got picked by the All-Aces, taken much better care of your appearance, gone from quiet kid at the back of the class to Class Rep, if you were my daughter I'd be weeping with joy for you. Er, not that I'm old enough to be your mother, let's make that clear".

Yeah, of course it looks like I'm going great from the outside, you internally seethed, but just said "Haha, it's nothing really".

"Like at the rate you're going, you'll be Principal here before you even graduate. Oh by the way, as your first act as Class Rep, you got any Vice-Rep picked out yet?" Ryouko then asked.

Hearing that, at first you just muttered "Er, you see.." I can't pick Keiko or Yuya, much as I'd want to, the All-Aces would throw a fit.
[ ] "How about Colette? She could probably use more socialisation" Yeah she hates them, but I doubt the Aces even care about her.
[ ] "Shouldn't we leave this up to a class vote?"
[ ] "I don't think our class is big enough that it needs a Vice"
[ ] "This sounds like something I should be given more time to think about"
[ ] Write-in.

"Great, that all over with, I'm off," Ryouko then scooted to the door and picked up her coat, "Look forward to working with you, Haruka. Well, much as I look forward to anything here really, heh. I'd offer to drive you home, but I only have a bike, plus I guess you'd still be interested in some of the Clubs on going right now".

"Yeah, I was thinking of checking out the Kendo Club," you told her.

"Huh, Kikuko eh?" Ryouko muttered, before she started giggling like someone way younger, "Look forward to getting your arse thrashed by Japan's own Miss Perfect then. Er, anyway, see ya Haruka!"

"I am thou... Thou art I
Thou anointest a new Knight to defend thy Crown
Thou shalt take the mantle of the Priestess Arcana"

(QM's Note: This update was going to have been longer, but it's getting way past bedtime over here for me, so I'll just leave it here for now.)