Goddess' Shooting Star (Black★Rock Shooter X Persona 4)

...well. Just finished the BRS anime, and man, that was a trip. I can definitely see, from my limited understanding of the Persona 'verse, why Mato/BRS might qualify as a Wildcard, though.

Edit: The vibration is contagious. Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
 
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Shadows in the Fog
[X] Shake her hand.

She stands on the cliff's edge, a dark shape silhouetted against a curious sky. Yellow light fills the air and falls upon an endless fog as she stands above the precipice leading down into this new realm. Already she can see unfamiliar shapes within the fog, flickering in and out of her view, sometimes distorting the swirling mists in strange ways around them as they move.

There are constructs here too, more modern and less broken than the ones at home. Towers of electronics rising above the churning mists, televisions showing static on all screens between the cranes and gantries scattered here and there.

There is another thing here, not like her and hers, a being she does not recognize, and does not understand. It is not human, yet as it approaches, Black Rock Shooter can see her Self standing in its path.

Fear springs to her lips,


"Mato-!"

It is a perfectly ordinary handshake.

The gas station attendant's hand is a little sweaty, but her grip is firm and confident. Up, down, you let go and give her a respectful nod for good measure even as a headache teases at your temples without warning. The vision in your left eye blurring suddenly as it starts to water at the same moment as your phone twitches in your pocket.

"Thank you, excuse me," you take a step back and away, turning your back on the two and pulling out your phone. The vibration feels strange and the display is dark, illuminating only as you flip it open to see… Nothing.

No messages, no incoming call, just a strange quality to the light as you feel the vibrations continue, pulsing like a heartbeat against your hand as your eye goes fuzzy again, the headache intensifying as your vision turns a flickering blue at the edges. The charm caught between your hand and the back of your phone is vibrating, the pointless and meaningless plastic star is pulsing against your palm, only… That's not quite right is it?

She descended from nowhere, black and white and one eye shining with blue flames.

You clutched the star to your chest, and felt it pulsing as the glow swelled, and your feet left the ground.

You fell, and fell, you kept falling as your eye burned and your self changed.


"I am, Black Rock Shooter."

You grab the base of the sign to keep from falling over as reality roils violently around you and then snaps back into place. Someone is shouting at you, a hand tentatively grasps your shoulder and everything slowly comes back into focus. The ground underfoot is solid, the sign in your grip is solid, the hand on your shoulder is solid, three points to anchor your perceptions.

"-uroi-san? Hey, Kuroi-san! Are you okay?"

You take a deep breath and raise your head, shrugging off Narukami's hand as you turn and watching as he takes a step back.

"I'm fine, just a dizzy spell…" Your eyes narrow as you give the excuse, looking at the grey-haired boy sharply. "The sooner I get ho-, get to my apartment to sleep the better."

"Are you sure you'll be safe to ride like that? I'm sure my uncle would-"

"It's fine, already passing." Your head still throbs, but the blurring effect is dimming and the streets at this hour should be quiet. Yu doesn't look happy at your refusal of his offer, but after a moment he gives a reluctant nod at least.


"Alright… Ride safely?"
You nod, standing, taking one cautious step, then a second, keeping your eyes low to avoid the harsh electric lights overhead. The throbbing ache in your temples recedes somewhat as you make your way over to your bike and remount, the cool spring air easing it further as you make your way back out onto the road into town. The station attendant gives you a wave as you pass her by, and then you're out into the dark again.

-------

[2:24AM]

You stifle a groan at the time as you deposit your phone on one of the three pieces of furniture your new place has at the moment. A high table in the kitchen, a chair to match it, and a futon laid out on the tatami opposite. The headache is still pushing behind your eyes, and while you know that you should wash and brush your teeth after a long day's travel, looking at the clock has rather thoroughly obliterated your motivation to do anything but collapse into bed.

You manage to brush your teeth in between scrounging up a blanket, but in the end, you don't even remember feeling your head hit the pillow.

You walk in the fog.

For as long as you can remember… No, that's not right. Ever since The Incident, and maybe for a time before, you've always dreamed of another. A girl who looks like you, but is not you, and the world of endless violence she lives in.

Tonight, you dream of yourself.

You make your way down foggy streets, the shapes of houses looming from the murk alongside stranger constructs. Spars and gantries and flickering lights here and there, an ever-present yellow tone that shines from hundreds of screens to suffuse the fog with a sickly glow. There are
things moving at the edges of perception, shuffling footsteps, muttering words, all sounds bouncing around until you can't tell which way any of them have come from, and can only guess that they are all around you.

You follow a star.

It twinkles in the distance, its blue light piercing the fog, glowing on the mountain-tops beneath it as you walk. White noise begins to fill your ears and you dimly recognize the rhythmic crashing roar of waves striking sand, but beyond that there is a whisper of something, beckoning you on, bearing you down.

You are walking along the coast. Waves break against the sand on one side while the mountains tower over the fog-shrouded houses on the other. Ahead of you, the star is lower to the horizon, dimmed by the mist but not shrouded entirely.

A hand settles on your shoulder. A figure shrouded by the fog speaks to you.

"You are sundered… Craving strength, yet holding it at arms length." The voice is feminine with a strange accent like nothing you've ever heard before and you struggle to answer her, choking on every word.

"What… Do you… Mean?" Every word threatens to strangle you, but the figure pauses for a moment, and you get the faintest impression of amusement.

"Strong indeed… Very well then, if you have need of it, I will lend you what power I may."

A card is pressed into your hand, and you have a moment to see mismatched eyes shine. Blue and gold swallowing you whole-!


You shoot upright, panting, to the grey light of morning coming in through the window and the sound of falling rain outside.

[7:02 AM]

-------

Yasogami High School is a building with a certain air of age to it. As though it hasn't changed since the original mining town was settled all those years ago. A student introduced to you as Konishi Naoki is assigned to show you around for your first day since he's in your class, and then the morning becomes a whirlwind of locker assignments, paperwork, textbook pickups, and uniform checks. Even though it's still close to the start of the year there are quite a few curious whispers as you're introduced to Class 1-B between first and second period, especially when your teacher decides to mention that your transfer is for 'personal reasons'.

The whispers don't stop as you make your way to your seat for your first class, though there is a slowly growing grumble of background noise until-

"Would you SHADDAP already!" You nearly fall off your chair as the boy in the back glares at the rest of the class, his outfit in rather blatant violation of the dress code and his blonde hair giving him an almost stereotypical 'delinquent' look. His glare seems to pass you over at first, but then swings back as you meet his eyes for an instant, bringing a snarl out of him. "What're you looking at?"

You open your mouth to reply, only for a hand to catch your wrist, breaking the moment as you look over at Naoki.

"That's just Tatsumi-san," you can hear him biting back a far less polite honorific as he speaks in a low voice. "You shouldn't get involved with someone like him."

You nod slowly, but at the same time, can't help sneaking another glance back. For all that you're not sure why he did it, he took the attention off you for a bit, and for that, you're grateful.

------

Classes go by, lunchtime gives you a chance to spy Narukami again chatting quietly with an excitable boy and boisterous girl as Naoki continues to show you around. Unfortunately, the rest of your tour and the time it takes to wolf down some bread to fill your grumbling stomach take up the whole of the break, and then it's back to three more classes before the final bell sounds the end of the day.

With your indoor shoes stowed away, you make for the bike racks alongside Naoki, admittedly only half-listening as he gives you some last few points about the town itself.

"You know, if you'd like, I could show you around the town a bit as well? Not that there's much to see around here but…"

You blink, and consider.

[ ] Accept Naoki's offer to be shown around town.
[ ] You see Narukami heading towards the gates, you could probably walk home with him.
[ ] You're curious about that delinquent boy. Take a look around for him.
 
[X] You're curious about that delinquent boy. Take a look around for him.

Most interesting one of the bunch.
 
[X] You're curious about that delinquent boy. Take a look around for him.

I will always support socialising with best boi, he needs a friend
 
Blue and gold?

I... can't remember anyone off the top of my head who has both of those, but its been a while since I've seen P4.

But it looks like she might have reinforced our connection to BRS. And it looks like at least a chunk of our journey is going to be exploring the duality of Kuroi and BRS as well with the comment of her wanting BRS' strength/power but holding her at arms length as well (probably out of fear of what happens to her should they mix, which fair enough).
 
Blue and gold?

I... can't remember anyone off the top of my head who has both of those, but its been a while since I've seen P4.

But it looks like she might have reinforced our connection to BRS. And it looks like at least a chunk of our journey is going to be exploring the duality of Kuroi and BRS as well with the comment of her wanting BRS' strength/power but holding her at arms length as well (probably out of fear of what happens to her should they mix, which fair enough).
Gold is linked to Shadows and Velvet attendants, one eye being blue corresponds to how BRS herself looks, so....
 
[X] You're curious about that delinquent boy. Take a look around for him.

Hmm... at this point, i can't really contribute much without knowing a lot more about P4 specifically, huh? None of the characters are familiar to me.

Still, if Mato was right about delinquent boy deciding to shoulder some of the burden of attention... he seems like a good guy. Friend material.
 
[x] Accept Naoki's offer to be shown around town.

I was hovering between this choice and Kanji, but sine the Kanji vote seems in the lead anyway, I feel I can afford to vote for this
 
She stands on the cliff's edge, a dark shape silhouetted against a curious sky. Yellow light fills the air and falls upon an endless fog as she stands above the precipice leading down into this new realm. Already she can see unfamiliar shapes within the fog, flickering in and out of her view, sometimes distorting the swirling mists in strange ways around them as they move.

There are constructs here too, more modern and less broken than the ones at home. Towers of electronics rising above the churning mists, televisions showing static on all screens between the cranes and gantries scattered here and there.

There is another thing here, not like her and hers, a being she does not recognize, and does not understand. It is not human, yet as it approaches, Black Rock Shooter can see her Self standing in its path.

Fear springs to her lips,


"Mato-!"
So the TV world is definitely a sperate place from the Otherworld. Always most likely, but it's good to have confirmation. I'm not sure whatever was coming at Mato, presumably whatever was giving her, nor am I sure why BRS was afraid for her, but it's most likely just her protectiveness.
The gas station attendant's hand is a little sweaty, but her grip is firm and confident. Up, down, you let go and give her a respectful nod for good measure even as a headache teases at your temples without warning. The vision in your left eye blurring suddenly as it starts to water at the same moment as your phone twitches in your pocket.

"Thank you, excuse me," you take a step back and away, turning your back on the two and pulling out your phone. The vibration feels strange and the display is dark, illuminating only as you flip it open to see… Nothing.

No messages, no incoming call, just a strange quality to the light as you feel the vibrations continue, pulsing like a heartbeat against your hand as your eye goes fuzzy again, the headache intensifying as your vision turns a flickering blue at the edges. The charm caught between your hand and the back of your phone is vibrating, the pointless and meaningless plastic star is pulsing against your palm, only… That's not quite right is it?
Or not. This seems like something very wrong happened. I can't remember is SRS or if any of the Otherselves had a way of contacting their Realselves or if this is a Persona thing, but this is worrying.
She descended from nowhere, black and white and one eye shining with blue flames.

You clutched the star to your chest, and felt it pulsing as the glow swelled, and your feet left the ground.

You fell, and fell, you kept falling as your eye burned and your self changed.


"I am, Black Rock Shooter."
Huh. Not sure what happened here.
You walk in the fog.

For as long as you can remember… No, that's not right. Ever since The Incident, and maybe for a time before, you've always dreamed of another. A girl who looks like you, but is not you, and the world of endless violence she lives in.

Tonight, you dream of yourself.

You make your way down foggy streets, the shapes of houses looming from the murk alongside stranger constructs. Spars and gantries and flickering lights here and there, an ever-present yellow tone that shines from hundreds of screens to suffuse the fog with a sickly glow. There are
things moving at the edges of perception, shuffling footsteps, muttering words, all sounds bouncing around until you can't tell which way any of them have come from, and can only guess that they are all around you.

You follow a star.

It twinkles in the distance, its blue light piercing the fog, glowing on the mountain-tops beneath it as you walk. White noise begins to fill your ears and you dimly recognize the rhythmic crashing roar of waves striking sand, but beyond that there is a whisper of something, beckoning you on, bearing you down.

You are walking along the coast. Waves break against the sand on one side while the mountains tower over the fog-shrouded houses on the other. Ahead of you, the star is lower to the horizon, dimmed by the mist but not shrouded entirely.

A hand settles on your shoulder. A figure shrouded by the fog speaks to you.

"You are sundered… Craving strength, yet holding it at arms length." The voice is feminine with a strange accent like nothing you've ever heard before and you struggle to answer her, choking on every word.

"What… Do you… Mean?" Every word threatens to strangle you, but the figure pauses for a moment, and you get the faintest impression of amusement.

"Strong indeed… Very well then, if you have need of it, I will lend you what power I may."

A card is pressed into your hand, and you have a moment to see mismatched eyes shine. Blue and gold swallowing you whole-!
So here, I'm guessing that Mato is acting as a Persona, and she's following BRS. But then she's found by something else, something from the Velvet Room? I'm not totally clear what that is, but whatever they are is impressed by Mato. Sundered... was she broken from BRS by accepting the Persona? Not good if true.

As for school, teacher was a dick. Why she changed schools is Mato's business, not the classroom's. That delinquent might not've done it for Mato, but good on him for shutting up that nosey class.

It does say interesting things about Mato. She's pretty much rejected all offered help up to now, but she's okay with something indirect like this, and isn't afraid of confrontation either. Probably won't be good for Mato's social life to hang out with this Tatsumi guy, but he's got Mato's attention, so I'm all for seeing where this goes.
 
Or not. This seems like something very wrong happened. I can't remember is SRS or if any of the Otherselves had a way of contacting their Realselves or if this is a Persona thing, but this is worrying.
That star charm was what originally allowed her to enter the Otherworld. She bought two matching charms, giving one to Yomi. When Yomi disappeared, she found Yomi's charm, and that was what first properly connected her and BRS.

Huh. Not sure what happened here.
Remembering what happened when she merged with BRS in the OVA. Her memories of that event up until this point have been fuzzy outside of dreams.
 
I feel it should be noted that Dead Master was also able to pull Yomi into the Otherworld, though we don't get to see how in the OVA. It doesn't seem to have required the same methods BRS used, just severe emotional distress, but then it also might have. shrugs
 
That star charm was what originally allowed her to enter the Otherworld. She bought two matching charms, giving one to Yomi. When Yomi disappeared, she found Yomi's charm, and that was what first properly connected her and BRS.

Remembering what happened when she merged with BRS in the OVA. Her memories of that event up until this point have been fuzzy outside of dreams.
Ooooooh. So Mato, up until now, has only been vaguely aware that anything beyond 'normal' was involved in the Incident. And now she's at least partly starting to remember. Probably not going to affect much beyond her agility to deal with the Otherworld, but as people from back home start showing up... could lead to a few things.
 
Also just generally speaking, the otherworld is fucking terrifying, or at least the parts of it around Mato's hometown are. It's a blasted landscape littered with ruins and regularly rearranged on a geological scale by the clashes of its frequently-mute as well as superhumanly fast and powerful inhabitants.

The fact that Kuu preferred to live there instead of the real world in the Anime is basically just a testament to how fucked up her life was.
 
Also just generally speaking, the otherworld is fucking terrifying, or at least the parts of it around Mato's hometown are. It's a blasted landscape littered with ruins and regularly rearranged on a geological scale by the clashes of its frequently-mute as well as superhumanly fast and powerful inhabitants.

The fact that Kuu preferred to live there instead of the real world in the Anime is basically just a testament to how fucked up her life was.
So BRS is having a bit of a vacation in the TV world? Or at least a good change of scenery? That's kinda nice.
 
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[X] You're curious about that delinquent boy. Take a look around for him.

I can throw my interpretation of events into the ring, I suppose. BRS hadn't entered the TV World yet, but Mato being within the perceived bounds of the city allowed her to continue following events occurring within the city limits. The Nightmare Fuel Gas Station attendant appears to have the same role as she did within Persona 4 at least to some degree, and while BRS is able to notice it, Mato's decision to shake her hand is having consequences. As prior said, the initial ones seem to be a deepening of the link between Mato and BRS, beginning with the moments in which she first came face to face with BRS slowly entering her memory.
Mato's dream as, well, herself leaves me inclined to think that BRS hadn't entered the TV World yet, and is remaining on the city outskirts. I suspect that will change, given the events at school, but back to that in a sec. Whatever form our Nightmare Fuel Gas Statin attendant takes within the TV World is still difficult for Mato to full observe. However, it would appear that Mato's prior trip to the Otherworld has given her a measure of resistance to it's effects upon non-cognitive entities. She is able to resist the fog, as well as interact with the entity to a limited degree.

As for my guesses... Given the prior comparison of an Otherself to a highly protective Shadow, I think that BRS is going to make her way into the TV World very soon, and given the state of the TV World, there might not be much to fight other than random shadows. She might try to communicate with Mato, though given the nature of dreams, that's going to be hit or miss.
Two other thoughts are first that if Mato can somehow find a way to reliably communicate with BRS while asleep, BRS could become... I suppose the equivalent of a Social Link for Mato? Second, if Mato would somehow manifest a Persona with BRS still in existence, it might manifest as armor or some form of modification to BRS's gun and sword. The first feels interesting, it could possibly be a route for the two to bond more closely, and maybe even BRS becoming a proper Persona. Or perhaps even something more esoteric. The latter option is more spitballing than anything else, but if Mato is a Wild Card, then BRS's state of closer to shadow than Persona suggests that she would be modifying her equipment to more closely manifest the powers of different Arcana than an individual Persona. I am not acquainted with BRS lore beyond a quick TvTropes skim, and know nothing of SMT lore beyond Persona 5 and vague bits of 3 and 4 from TvTropes skimming.
 
I can throw my interpretation of events into the ring, I suppose.

Interesting takes... You've got a few things right, clever. You've got a few things wrong too but that's honestly to be expected given how early on it is and how little has been directly revealed.

There is another meaning to the shape of the terrain within the Otherworld/TV-World.

And the figure you encountered on the beach was most likely not the gas station attendant. You would be able to at least assume that much based on the different eye colors and the fact (which I did not at all convey in text) that their voices do not sound alike.

EDIT: (Incidentally, while the TV-World takes on different shapes and aesthetics from the Metaverse of Persona 5, they are fundamentally the same... Hm... Let's call it the same Layer of reality.)
 
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They're both in the Collective Unconsciousness, yeah, or 'Sea of Souls' for the shortened term (P1 was too, I guess).

I guess one thing that does concern me about this Quest is that Persona Quests, specifically ones using the day-by-day format of 3 onwards, can end up getting really long and be quite the commitment on the author's part, something I say from personal experience. My own Persona Quest ended up 300,000 words long at completion, and it was quite briskly paced and shorter in scope compared to others.
Then again, I guess you could say that really long stories on the web are kinda SV's thing

As for school, teacher was a dick. Why she changed schools is Mato's business, not the classroom's. That delinquent might not've done it for Mato, but good on him for shutting up that nosey class.

Hehe, ooh boy does Persona school get worse, even in P4 arguably
 
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