Persona: The Beautiful

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 20, 2021

Persona: The Beautiful

You thought this was going to be another school year when April 4th rolled around, another year of being a nobody...

You were but one among the faceless masses at the otherwise illustrious Hanataba Academy, winner of Japan's 'Most Beautiful Academy' for years running. An elegant high school nestled in the snowy mountains, its mix of stone gothic architecture and more modern, crystal-clear buildings leaving no question to its pedigree.

Hanataba's stand-out students were called the All-Aces, who together formed the most popular clique at school. As you and the rest of the students walked through the front doors, it was almost impossible to miss them, their presence made the other students part like the Red Sea.

Sakurai Azuma (Japanese order), Head of the Drama Club. The school's elegant and poetic 'noble prince', his dark, red-lined wavy hair and tall, slender figure made the female students swoon. To complete the image, he even had a rose in his lapel.

Maeda Kikuko, Head of the Tea Ceremony Club. A traditional Japanese beauty from a family who, you've heard, can trace themselves back to the Heian period. Ever demure, she was bowing before a teacher as they had a little discussion.

Melissa Lilian (Western order), the gorgeous strawberry-blonde American exchange student, fashionista and cheerleader, and from a rich industrial family too. She hadn't been in Japan long, but had seriously made an impact. Not that she wasn't having some trouble adapting, it looked like she was in a nasty argument with one of the hall monitors, who'd she gotten two of the female followers to flank.

Tsutsuji Eitaro, the cool, stoic star Athlete, Captain of the Archery Club and stand-out football (soccer) player, a towering figure with swept, brown hair tinged silver. Despite being surrounded by adoring fans, he barely acknowledged anyone and kept silent, but you guessed that's what people loved about him.

Aoyagi Himawari, the pretty and perky stand-out singer in the School Choir, with long, pastel hair. Her cheerful self, waving to everyone she could, was seemingly the only one of the six to even consider socialising with others.

Momoi Gakuto, the 'cool nerd' of the All-Aces. Head of the Computer Club and pro gamer, with light blond scruffy hair, glinting glasses and distinctive green sweater, already apparently occupied with something online.

All your life you could never imagine having anywhere near their level of popularity, being merely:

[ ] The Average, with nothing that bad about you, but also nothing outstanding.
[ ] A Wallflower, barely noticed by anyone most of the time.
[ ] A Wannabe, desperate to adapt to the latest trends and styles to fit in.
[ ] Write-in.

As you headed to your first class, you were suddenly stopped and cut off by no less than... Melissa Lilian, of all people.

"Hey nerd, I'm only gonna say this once so listen up, wontcha?" she began as she suddenly pinned you to the wall "Today's your lucky day, we figured we're gonna let you in our little club, if you can pass our... Initiation Rite". As she said that, a flaming blue tarot card flashed for a second in her hand; was it some kind of rare hologram tech she had access to?

"Come on, we're gonna be late!" one of your friends said from the door to your class, not having looked back to see just who it was you were with.

"Urgh, just come to the Prized Pupil Lounge after class, we'll finish this talk then. Better be there, beyotch" Melissa snarled as she strode away, already a gaggle of fans flocking around her.

Part of you froze, feeling this was exactly like a dream come true!
But another part of you, regardless of your elation, did have to wonder: Wasn't this a bit sudden, a bit suspicious? Why only now would the All-Aces take notice of you, much less want anything to do with someone like you?

Well, you at least quickly signed the little card Melissa had given you, with:

[ ] Name and Gender (write-in)

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 21, 2021

[X] A Wallflower, barely noticed by anyone most of the time.
[X] Nakamura Haruka (specific kanji 中村春花) (Japanese name order), Female

So, you sat in your homeroom class, the windows still lightly dusted with the last of the old winter's snow. This was your second year at Hanataba now and, with the All-Aces being third years, you were honestly kinda intimidated.

You were stuck thinking so much about your invitation that you didn't notice your friend trying to get your attention. "Hey Haruka, you okay in there?" came the scratchy voice of your longtime pal, Suzakuin Keiko, a freckle-faced girl with long, shaggy brown hair, part of which she'd dyed bright blue. People would say she could use a makeover, but that's if she could even afford one.

"What? Oh yeah, sorry, had a lot on my mind," you said on reaction, trying to snap out of your thoughts.

"Well, it's our first day back at school, so there is a lot of pressure," came the warmer voice of a boy with neater brown hair, Ito Yuya. You'd known him almost as long as you had Keiko, and while both your parents and relatives had jokingly called you two 'childhood sweethearts', there'd never been anything serious between the two. True, Yuya was no Sakurai Azuma, but still, a girl like you had to consider yourself lucky to even know someone like Yuya.

And that was about it for your friends, as despite this being your second year, they were really all the people you had any real connection with Hanataba. Up till now, it seemed, if your fears weren't true and this wasn't some prank by Melissa.

Speaking of which "Urgh, fuck Melissa. I saw that stuck-up princess trying to accost you in the hall," Keiko groaned, leaning back in her chair, "Just 'cause she's some bigshot foreign blonde she thinks she can just come to Japan and walk all over us," she snarled.

"Ooh yeah, 'fuck' Melissa," some douchebag creeps wolf-whistled in the corner.

Ignoring them and thinking back to that encounter, well you wouldn't call it an 'accosting' really. Still, you decided to stay quiet about this, er, arrangement to Keiko and Yuya, you were kinda worried you'd blow this million-to-one chance if you casually blabbed about your All-Aces invitation.

Keiko and Yuya also didn't dignify those guys with a response, though Keiko had to admit "I mean, I can't say against anything Azuma though, he sure is dreamy..." she sighed, holding her chin in her hands.

"Okay, fun's over, people," came the dead cold voice of your homeroom teacher, Tanizawa Ryouko-sensei, as she made her way in without even glancing at her students. "Now you're all here, everyone better shut it and make their way to the Start of Year Assembly, got that?" she intoned, getting students' attention by tapping her desk with the chalkboard pointer.

You promptly lined up and headed out, no questions needed, but as you entered the hall one of your classmates, who'd been skulking in the shadows before so had slipped your mind, approached and asked you:
"My my, Haruka is it?" said a whisper-thin voice belonging to a lightly smiling girl, with raven black hair and her uniform modified to be longer and frillier, "My wandering eyes couldn't help but spot that you had an invitation you were fiddling with, all the more interesting given your prior chat with Melissa.
Oh, am I intruding? I take it this is a private affair," this girl gasped, as she could see you glaring at her.

"Yeah, I'll say it is," you stated bluntly, pressing down on your pocket with the invitation even more closely. Keiko and Yuya were right next to me yet never even saw this letter, so how did... whoever this is see it? that though pulsed.

"I see, I never truly learned to mind my own business," this girl sighed, shaking her head. "But I've taken enough of your time, so it's only proper I introduce myself. I go by the pen name Colette Claudius, and I'm Head of the Occult Club. If I may say, we're always on the hunt for new members, and we can sure promise a better time than, ahem, those All-Aces," she huffed.

"Y-you seem to have something against them..." you asked her.

Colette just chuckled "Oh it's nothing personal, I just have little patience for the 'in-crowd'," she told you, adding in a hushed tone, "I know who my real friends are. Ah, look at the time, we should really be at Assembly!" she then cut herself off, swiftly waving goodbye to you as she scurried away.

The principal tapped the mic and cleared his throat, beginning with "Students and Staff of Hanataba, once again our renowned institution is graced with another year". Noticing nobody was paying much attention, he quickly switched a more casual "Uh hey, we all excited or what? Best years of your lives, y'know?" with a tug of his tie. That hardly got that much more of a response, other than maybe a distant facepalm.

"Er, anyway, as we say at our fine school-" he then tried to go on, but just sighed and said, "Please welcome to the podium our own Azuma Sakurai, third-year and Head of the Drama Club, not to mention our highest-ranked student in the popularity polls".

The whole room exploded with awe as the dark yet dashing Azuma made his way onto the stage. Brushing his hair aside and taking the mic, he began with, "Thank you Dear Principal, perhaps too flattering an introduction. Now, fellow students, I would say the most important lesson you learn in Theatre is that storytelling and performance are hardly limited to the realm of fiction. All of us, teenagers more than anyone, either choose to play a role or are bestowed a role to play, and at Hanataba we expect no less than for those roles to be played to staggering applause. It is what makes our school... what it is," he smirked, before leaning in closer to the mic and saying, "For even if there is nothing beneath the mask, then should that mask not be crafted to perfection?" Having finished, he bowed and then tossed a rose cavalierly into the crowd, students scrambling to catch it.

Turning to your left, you could see Keiko gushing over Azuma's 'poetry', even though you figured If it was anyone else saying the same thing, Keiko probably would dismiss it as 'flowery bullshit'.

Weird thing was though, though you were all the way at the back of the looming Assembly Hall, you could swear that you felt Azuma make direct eye contact with you for a second. What, no, probably just my paranoia talking, you thought.

The assembly over, the moment you got any free time at all you headed straight to the Third Floor, unthinkingly brushing off Keiko as you did so before she could say something.
And there it was, at the end of the corridor up the stairs, the rose-patterned, card-studded, burgundy door amongst the usual pink and gold wallpaper. The All Aces' Prized Pupil Lounge.

Your legs wobbled as you slowly made your way towards it, and after a moment that felt like eternity you gingerly rang the doorbell, only to be met with someone you didn't expect.

"Hi there, welcome to the All-Aces Club! What can we help you with?" came the bright and bubbly voice of a Japanese girl whose looks till reminded you a lot of Melissa, her hair dyed platinum blonde and her skin a deep tan.

"Ahem, I believe I'll be doing the introductions, Reina," the more familiar voice of Melissa barked at this girl, pushing her to the side. Staring down at you now, Melissa went on, "Sorry, you know how hangers-on are like- Oh wait, no you wouldn't. So okay, you're Haruka right? Good, knew you'd show up pronto, though let's face it, it's not like you're in any position to do otherwise".

Before you could reply at all, Melissa then dragged you by your tie into the club lounge. Your first thought upon finally seeing the inside of this place was Wow, this looks more like a penthouse suite than a school room!

The walls were coloured a rich cream, the arching window-frames a deep burgundy, one large enough to cover a whole balcony, and the carpet a mix of glittering gold and deep bronze. You stood on a little platform, with short oaken stairs either side leading you down to where the rest of the All-Aces were waiting, sitting on delicately carved chairs around a circular table. Azuma seemed engrossed in a poetry volume, Himawari was already pacing, Kikuko was sipping tea by herself, Eitaro was tapping his foot, and Gakuto was fiddling with his laptop.

"Er, okay Melissa, ma'am, I guess I'll just get going," the Reina girl gulped as she tried to slink away, but Melissa grabbed her by the collar and spoke directly at her.

"Oh no, Reina, we've still got a job for a Jack like you," Melissa flashed a sharp grin, before turning to you and saying "Oh, a Jack is what you'll be now, at least for the foreseeable future. Come on, did you honestly think we were going to make a total nobody an Ace right away?"

"Melissa, you could stand to be nicer to her, y'know," the pretty young singer Himawari Aoyagi raised her otherwise tender voice, as she then ran up to you and smiled, "Oh hey, you'd be Nakamura-san? It's a pleasure to meet you, though I'm sorry if some of our terms can seem, ahem, a bit arcane".

"Allow me to elucidate," came the dulcet tones of the green-clad, pale-haired computer master Momoi Gakuto, "The six of us here are the Aces, my industrious self the Ace of Wands, the striking Melissa the Ace of Coins, dear Himawari the Ace of Hearts, Azuma the Ace of Spades, Eitaro the Ace of Swords, and the delightful Kikuko the Ace of Grails".

You counted on your fingers trying to remember this all, playing cards not your forte, but you said, "Right, think I've got that".

"It's a genius terminology, one you'd rightly expect one like me to have come up with. But alas, I must credit Azuma as who we have to thank for bestowing us our titles," Gakuto then turned and gave a hand to the Drama Head, who just chuckled and smiled.

"All cool? Right, so a 'Jack' one of our personal posse, anyone else we deem to let in this room with us, but who still couldn't cut it as an Ace. Like Reina here, and of course, hmhm, you," Melissa smirked and prodded you right above your chest. "Hear that, Reina? I want you to start accompanying Haruka, teach her what the duties of a Jack are".

"Oh, of course, aye aye ma'am!" Reina gave a salute.

"Whether Ace or Jack, to even be seen with us, proper grace and etiquette are essential," the almost doll-like Kikuko stood up and focused her scarlet eyes on you, "For you though, we cannot have you dress like a peasant, for are you not in the company of nobles?"

"Though it's not like we are who we are just for how we look," Eitaro gruffly muttered, resting his hand on his chin, "Willpower, discipline, and diligence are a must, even a Jack can't afford to slack off in our group. Never forget, we are the best of the best".

All this, t-then why did you even want me in the first place?! you thought so strongly you almost said that out loud, grabbing your mouth just in time.

"I suppose then you're curious as to why exactly we scouted you out," Azuma said, almost exactly in sync. "It's a long and complicated reason, but I'll start by saying, well Haruka, this isn't the first time we've met, and not just at this school either..."

"W-what?" you gasped, Wouldn't I have remembered meeting someone like Azuma before? I mean, my memory isn't the best, and he certainly speaks with more authority than me...

"Anyway, let's address your appearance, that'll probably be the quickest thing to deal with," Gakuto cut in, changing the topic to something simpler. Using a hologram projector he flashed your own social media profile, one you hadn't bothered to curate in quite a while admittedly, right up in front of everyone, making you jump back.
"I'm one of the boys, so I was hardly raised in the art of makeovers, but I definitely know a thing or two about digital image editing," Gakuto explained, as he asked, "Well then Haruka, what shall your updated appearance be?"

[ ] Faceclaim #1
[ ] Faceclaim #2
[ ] Faceclaim #3
[ ] Faceclaim #4
[ ] Faceclaim #5
[ ] Write-in.

(A/N Edit: Faceclaim 4 link no longer up, so probably for the better it wasn't voted for.)

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 22, 2021

[x] Faceclaim #3

"Alright, good choice," Gakuto smugly grinned as he made some rapid-fire adjustments to your photo avatar. Before, the picture had been pimple-stained, with your hair its usual dull-coloured mess as it drooped all over your face. Now your face was all cleared up and your virtual hairstyle had been neatly tucked and trimmed.

"Ooh, you know what this means!" Reina excitedly hopped up and down.

"Yep, get in here, newbie," Melissa flashed a sharp-toothed smile as she dragged you over to a convenient curtained changing room, Reina and Himawari tailing along after her.

Within, your head was immediately dunked underwater, and you felt several hands scrubbing some rather pungent kind of shampoo and conditioner all through it. Once you were pulled up for air, the other girls smothered you in towels, followed by Melissa yanking on your no longer greasy hair with a brush, snipping your fringe with scissors, and fixing any part that stuck out with scrunchies.

"Ow, geez you guys, you don't have to be so forceful-" you tried to say, but it was then Melissa and Himawari started putting makeup all over your face, starting with a glossy foundation, tweezing your eyebrows, lathering on the mascara and eyeshadow, and pinkening your face with blush and lipstick. After that was the most painful change of all, as Melissa, noticing some flab on your stomach, tightened your bra and shoved you into a corset.

You were spun around like a tornado in your chair, until you were in front of a mirror. "Ta-da!" Reina and Himawari each said and smiled in unison, while Melissa just had a lively smirk on her face, slowly clapping at her own work.

It was, well, hard to imagine what you were even seeing in the mirror, you blinked your eyes and rubbed the glass to make sure your eyes weren't playing tricks on you. The person was staring back at you was certainly pretty, but you were still having trouble processing that she was... you.

"I, I don't know what to say," you gulped, "I never imagined looking like this".

"Better start imagining, dearie, 'cause we've still got work to do if you're gonna hang with us," Melissa said back, pushing back out the curtain into a club room, with you suddenly face to face with Kikuko.

"I told you, you need to sharpen your graces," she spoke down at you, almost sounding like she'd been listening in your prior conversation "Firstly, shoulders up, spine straight, hands together," Kikuko told you as she pulled you up and smoothed your skirt.

"Well, that certainly took a while. But anyway, here's where Azuma and I come in," Gakuto then said from across the hall. "It's been said that nobody has a good online bio, but looking at yours, it is simply more dreadful than the norm. Friggin' dull, like you've lived in this corner of Hokkaido all your life, have the most obvious taste in film, TV and games, and have been through barely any life-changing events to speak of".

"Therefore, we're giving you a chance to rewrite your own history, to play the part you were born to play, so to say," Azuma knelt and took your hand.

"Wait, wouldn't that be, y'know, lying?" you had to speak up.

"Well, that's social media for you," Gakuto quipped, adjusting his glasses.

"Besides, people will always take a thrilling story over a dry reality. I'm in Theatre, I should know," Azuma chuckled, before he pulled out what looked like a collection of scripts. "I understand inventing an entirely new past for yourself may seem a daunting task, so I've gone out of my way to write up several backstories for you on your behalf, each approved by us All-Aces. Take your pick".

[ ] I ran away from my aristocratic but abusive birth parents, leaving behind my childhood friend Sakurai Azuma. My fantasy is to find true love. My interests include singing, dancing, and animals.
[ ] My loving parents died when I was young, leaving me to be raised in an orphanage owned by the Sakurai family. My fantasy is to find out I'm a princess. My interests include acting, writing, and reading.
[ ] I fell in with a bad crowd and had my life fall to pieces, tearing me away from my childhood friend Sakurai Azuma. My fantasy is to have a dashing hero sweep me off my feet. My interests include poetry, photography, and fashion.
[ ] Write-in.

You paused, hesitating to ask this, "Why do all of these have you as my childhood friend?"

Azuma smiled and held you, "Because I was, that part is at least true, don't you remember?"

You started shaking, even sweating, "Um, er, I guess my memory isn't the greatest..."

"Come now, don't you remember growing up with a brown-haired young boy there in your life?" Azuma, looking undaunted, asked you.

"Oh, you mean Yuya?" you blurted out.

"Itou Yuuya, second year? Ah, I see where the confusion comes from," Azuma sighed, muttering something to himself, before he said, "I'm afraid you must've gotten the two of us mixed up. Oh, not to put any blame on Yuuya, when you called him your childhood friend, he must've been too polite or too anxious to correct you, and simply played along. Either way, I'm glad we've gotten that sorted".

"Yeah, now if you're done talking, it's about time we got down to the real reason why we brought this girl here," Eitaro spoke firmly, as he whipped off the cloth from the circular table, revealing what looked like some sort of Gameboard on it.
To you, this Board resembled a weird cross between a hexagonal chessboard, a jigsaw puzzle, and a Monopoly board but with the squares all throughout instead of just along the edges. A good chunk of the board was blank, but you could see at least six bursts of colour on the board, each taking up several Spaces.

"Now this is what makes you an All-Ace," Eitaro proclaimed, "On this Board we play the Persona Game, the toughest competition this, or any other, school has to offer".

"That is one way to put it," Azuma laughed, stepping up to the board, "Each of the coloured spaces you see on the board are called Empires, a cognitive manifestation of the influence, the authority, the power a person wields here at Hanataba Academy. Most students, even teachers, don't have a status grand enough to declare their own Empire, so their Pieces survive the game by clinging to the Players who do".

"Naturally, all us Aces have an Empire, but you, well you're a weird one, Haruka," Melissa started proudly but then her voice dropped, "We've spent ages trying to see if you had a Piece anywhere, but nope, nothing. Obviously, someone like you couldn't dream of having an Empire, but with no Piece, that can only mean you're a Player, like us! Somehow".

Now that she mentioned it, you could see on closer inspection how each occupying Empire on the Gameboard did kinda reflect the personality of each All-Ace. The Theatres covered in roses and vines were unmistakably Azuma, the Colosseums were sporty enough for Eitaro, the brilliant lantern-like pagodas made Kikuko's heritage clear, the crisscrossing wires and Tron-like grid reminded you of Gakuto, the Mega-Malls ringed by desert were American enough for Melissa...

But the last major Empire didn't even feel the slightest thing like Himawari, looking like a tangled sprawl of slums and alleyways, drenched in rain and smog. Ah, maybe I'm just getting these mixed up, you thought.

"Er, you said it took forever to find whether I had a Piece or not, but um, the Board honestly doesn't look that big. Maybe the Pieces are in a box or something?" you asked.
But your query was only met with laughter from the All-Aces, Azuma at least trying to restrain himself.

"Oh no no no, you haven't even seen what makes the Persona Game, well the Persona Game!" Melissa grinned, as she conjured up that same Tarot card she had that morning, and grabbing your arm caused one to suddenly appear in your hand too. She then slammed both your hands down on the Gameboard, and all of a sudden you were overcome by queasiness as your whole world started to spin.

Your whole world then vanished, replaced by a giant corrupted-looking chessboard stretching off into the distance. "Where are we?!" you immediately exclaimed.

"Duh, on the Gameboard, where else?" Melissa, who'd appeared right next to you, said simply. You then saw that somehow her entire outfit had changed, with her now wearing a glittering silver-white gown that reminded you more of a Hollywood celebrity than a student and carrying a... chainsaw.

Before you could even ask, from right behind you a looming fish or stingray-like crowned monster emerged, causing you to nearly fall off balance.
"Teehee, a Shadow already? Wow Haruka, you really are breezing through Initiation," Melissa devilishly grinned, revving up her a chainsaw while simultaneously using a quill to write the kanji for 'Gold' in the air. "Anjou!" she called.
From out of Melissa's soul arose a floating spirit woman clad in deep ruby gemstones for armour and with pointed fleur-de-lys shaped steel spikes jutting off of her like a cactus or rose thorns, her swiftly casting an explosive blast of light resembling a miniature nuke at the 'Shadow' monster.

"Oh right, forgot about you. Guess you need a weapon then, fine," Melissa moaned as she nonchalantly tossed a-

[ ] Spear
[ ] Sword
[ ] Tonfa pair
[ ] Chakram pair
[ ] Write-in

-at you.

"Haruka, can you hear us?" you swore you could hear Gakuto's voice speaking to you from above.

"Listen, a Piece on the Gameboard manifests as a demonic Shadow. But you can counter, it, place it under your control, if you summon your Persona," it was Azuma speaking now, "Write the kanji for 'Lance' in the air to call it forth, and speak, Persona!"

Nearly panicking, you did as Azuma told you, and in a great flashing light, there came a woman's voice:

"I art thou... Thou art I"
[ ] "Hold true to what you know, hold true to who you are, and we shall not be crushed by invading kingdoms. I am Cleopatra!"
[ ] "They placed a ceiling of solid rock over us from birth, but our ladder to heaven shall climb through any earthly firmament. I am Theodora!"
[ ] "We've been played like puppets on strings, but in this new life, no one but us can determine our destiny. I am Oichi!"
[ ] "You're a diamond in the rough, don't let them ever try to stain you. Let's enjoy what time we have to the fullest! I am Antoinette!"
[ ] Write-in.

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 23, 2021

[X] I ran away from my aristocratic but abusive birth parents, leaving behind my childhood friend Sakurai Azuma. My fantasy is to find true love. My interests include singing, dancing, and animals.
[X] Tonfa pair
[X] "They placed a ceiling of solid rock over us from birth, but our ladder to heaven shall climb through any earthly firmament. I am Theodora!"

Above you emerged, from millions of tiles swarming together into one being, a woman clad in a long, flowing cloak of purple, with a sparkling gold crown and mantle, and shimmering silver pearls for strands of hair. Behind her was attached a giant solar disc, embroidered like the wheel of a massive chariot, or like the eye of God.

With an extended hand and a swish of her cloak, your Persona Theodora cast a great blast of eye-bending, multi-coloured circles upon the Shadow you faced, sending it reeling and its essence scrambling for sense. You somehow instinctively knew, likely because this 'Persona' was after all you, that you had just attacked, not with explosive force like Melissa, but with the pure power of the mind itself.

"Alright, you're finally starting to pay back our good generosity," Melissa whooped, but her smug tones soon came back with, "You're still the new kid on the block though, let a real pro show you how it's done". After slashing straight across the Shadow with her chainsaw, Melissa seized the opportunity and had her Persona Anjou (the only figure you knew by that name being the historical Margaret of Anjou) call forth another blazing blast of radiating energy.

It was then you looked down at yourself, only to notice that your clothes and completely changed! Your school uniform no longer in sight, you instead now found yourself wearing-
[ ] A frilly dress that looked like a pastel princess with ballerina shoes and tights, with long bright red ribbons flowing off the back.
[ ] A golden-bronze set of armour that came with a pleated skirt and wing-like designs.
[ ] A checkered white, red and black set of tights, jingling bells attached, with your face turned pale but heavy dark makeup around your eyes.
[ ] Write-in

The fight you'd gotten yourself into hadn't gone on for long, but luck would have it that this Shadow was far from the cream of its crop. Steeling yourself and channeling your adrenaline, you raced forth, leapt up and dealt two concussive blows with the tonfas you'd been given, knocking the royal fish-like Shadow straight out.

Wow, never knew I could be that athletic, you thought, and that developed into Was it just the heat of battle? A surge of power that comes from having this 'Persona'? Or maybe I just never made the effort before?
That rush to your head wasn't subsiding though, as your knees started wobbling, your vision started blurring, and you now couldn't help but feel awfully dizzy.

"Aw sheesh, why in Hell are you suddenly turning to Jell-O now?!" Melissa barked at you, "Seriously, this 'Oh I just got my Persona' bullshit again?"
Her words from that point became a jumbled mess to your eyes, as you then collapsed to the ground.

When you came to, you found yourself in yet another unfamiliar place. Is this another part of the 'Gameboard'? Opening your eyes further, you could see every was bathed in an eerier blue light, and that this place took the form of a:

[ ] Zeppelin cockpit.
[ ] Games room.
[ ] Trophy room.
[ ] Sports commentator booth.
[ ] Mausoleum.
[ ] Write-in

"Welcome," said a voice belonging to a young yet unnaturally thin silver-haired man, wearing a tailored black suit and speaking in a creaky voice that sounded much older than he looked, the only thing distracting about his looks being his sinister expression and extremely long nose, "-to the Velvet Room, a place between dream and reality, life and death, and even beyond the bounds of the Board your grand tournament is held on. This is a place only those who have signed a contract may enter, and when you offered yourself as a Jack to a Hand of Aces, well, you in essence did".

In his hands flashed a Tarot card you recognised as the Fool, as he said, "You have embarked upon a momentous journey, yet already-" he shuffled his deck to produce Fortune, "-there has been a twist in the tale, a most rare occurrence. You possess what can only be described a mutant Wild Card, enabling you to copy any Persona or Shadow you come across, though with Theodora the only Persona truly your own". In a flash of fire, he then produced the Devil and Tower, "normally, one's connections with another would be the lifeblood of Persona-users, but unfortunately the people around you seem poised to tear you down".

"Wait, you're talking about Personae?" you spoke up, yet at the same time somehow not surprised about his cryptic warning, "T-then do the All-Aces also know about this place?"

"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say," Igor rebuffed you, as suddenly you were interrupted by a... blue coffin lined with gold propped up next to him creaking wide open.

"Ah, it would seem Lauryn has taken heed of our new arrival," Igor turned his gaze, for within the coffin lay the corpse of a woman, her skin turned blue and her hair gone pale, as her golden eyes suddenly flashed open to gaze right at you, making you flinch.

"Wandering souls end up stuck between this world and the next, hence how Lauryn came to wait here, working as you would say 'part-time'," Igor said, but complicated things again with, "What our work exactly is I'll elaborate on next time, when you find the door back to our Velvet Room on your own volition. All I'll say for now is the services we offer you will be... different from our usual since, if I may be blunt, we aren't accustomed to working with such an... odd case of a Wild Card as yourself".

Before you had any chance to respond, this room flashed a bright white, as you awoke to find yourself on a hospital bed.

Tuesday, April 5th

Groaning as you lay staring at the blank ceiling, the silence was soon broken when a familiar blonde girl burst into the room, although not the first one that came to mind.
"Haruka, you're alive!" came the piercing voice of Reina as she ran up and hugged you tight, "You were unconscious an entire day, we were all totally worrying about you".

"Sheesh, fainting on your first day of school, we almost had a publicity nightmare on our hands," you heard Miss Tanizawa's voice, and turned your head to see her leaning on the doorway, arms crossed. "I kid, I kid, after all I'm not one to let any of my students get hurt while I'm around," she tried to give a smile.

"T-thanks, I appreciate it" you murmured. You were sadly not surprised to see that none of the All-Aces were here, thought were a little hurt that neither Keiko or Yuya appeared to have stopped by.
Honestly, I'm betting everything with the All-Aces was just some weird fever dream I had after the pressure of school got to me, you thought, Gameboards, Personae, hanging with all the cool kids, it just feels like a total fantasy- Wait, that wouldn't explain how Reina knows me though?

"Huh, I see you've been seriously getting into makeup and hairstyling, eh Haruka? That 'Colette' was in here earlier, she said that you looked almost angelic all dolled up", Miss Tanizawa then went on, "Yeah, she sure has a weird way of complimenting people, doesn't she? Well, hopefully higher self-esteem will mean higher grades for you".

Wait, 'all dolled up'? your eyes shot right open, as you tumbled out of bed and grabbed the bedside mirror. No mistake, staring back at you was not your pasty, background-blending past appearance, but the you after you'd been given an extensive, not to mention painful, makeover. Okay okay, so my time in the All-Aces Lounger happened, but that Persona stuff's gotta be a hallucination, right?

"Wow, you're already back out of bed. See, knew you'd recover soon!" Reina cheered for you, giving a bunny-ears-like salute with two of her fingers. "Still, y'know, be careful, wontcha?"

"Oh yeah, Reina," you began, looking at her, "Have the All-Aces said or done anything while I've been unconscious?"

"Um, well ya see..." Reina said yet started umming and aahing, "I'm a Jack so they only tell me so much. Azuma's been pacing back and forth, though has insisted he's fine, and like Gakuto made, er, a few jokes about unconscious bodies, but I know he hasn't tampered with your social media accounts any further. Eitaro, ah, I don't know what came over him, he got real mad and called you a weakling, but Kikuko said that 'going through such hardships are only to be expected in your training'. Himawari's been worried sick about you, though!"

You felt at least little relieved from that last one, but had to ask "...And Melissa?"

Upon you asking, Reina's teeth started to chatter, and you see tiny sweat beads forming on her, but she gulped and said, "Melissa, she, she just laughed and said 'Well what did you expect?' Look, I'm sure she was just blowing off steam, or trying to lighten the mood!" Reina's voice suddenly grew strained, even if she told you exactly what you expected.
"Hey look, Melissa told me to teach you how to be a Jack, so whatever happens. I'm there for you!" Reina suddenly brightened up, anything to lift the mood.

"Gee, thanks," you slowly began to smile, "I, I really appreciate it-" But then your train of thought was derailed, as a mysterious voice resounded within your mind.

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

That strange voice made you stumble back, with Reina rushing to ask, "Haruka! Are you okay?"

"Ugh yeah, fine, just fine..." you said, clutching your head.

"So, all done in here? Then good to see you're ready to go, and meanwhile I have a class to teach," Miss Tanizawa's grin turned cat-like as she ushered you out of the room.

Back in the school corridors, your first instinct was to scramble around trying to find where Keiko and Yuya were, to get some normalcy back into your life.
As you did though, something very abnormal for you happened, you all at once felt the eyes of all the students around staring at you, almost like you were one of the All-Aces. Already you could hear girls muttering amongst themselves in your presence, and some guys were even catcalling you, which you could now say how creepy it was first-hand.

"Oi, leave her alone!" you then heard Colette Claudius bark out towards one of the catcalling students, glaring fiercely at him.

"Tch, whatever, freak," the catcaller snarled as he turned away. It was weird to think this, but you had to thank Colette for that.

Your eyes darting around, you were soon able to spot Keiko's shaggy self at the cafeteria, sitting down with a bento box. You rushed over to her, but for some odd reason she didn't notice you.
"Er, hi, what can I help you with?" she said, some food still in her mouth.

"Keiko, what are you talking about? It's me, Haruka!" you tried to tell her, but it took a second for her to register that.

"Oh wow, Haruka! Hey, glad you're back, er, though I guess I didn't recognise it was you at first," Keiko admitted, looking down at her bento, "Like, there's something seriously different about you".

Wait, wouldn't Keiko already know about my changed appearance from visiting me? you thought, but that thought got worse, did she just... not get around to seeing me while I was in a coma? I'd ask, but, well it's a touchy topic...

You then looked around to see Yuya, who according to Azuma barely really knew you, at a nearby bench. Unlike Keiko, the look on his face told you he knew it was you right away, but he seemed... oddly intimidated.

[ ] Talk some more with Keiko, get some confusion sorted out.
[ ] Talk to Yuya, even if he's not a childhood friend, he's still your friend.
[ ] Talk to Colette, you owe her one after she stood up for you.
[ ] Write-in.

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 24, 2021

[X] Talk to Colette, you owe her one after she stood up for you.
[X] A golden-bronze set of armour that came with a pleated skirt and wing-like designs.
[X] Zeppelin cockpit.

Awkwardly giving a "Well, catch you later!" to Keiko and Yuya, you stepped away only to soon bump into Colette again.
"Oh hey, Colette. I, um, have to hand it to you there, I mean I haven't had anyone stick up for me in, well, a little while," you fidgetingly gave a smile.

Colette laughed. "Oh please, it was effortless for me. Still, you seem awfully perturbed, is there something on your mind?" she inquired.

You gritted your teeth and looked behind you. "Hey, erm, yeah there is. But y'know, mind if we talk about it in private?" you asked, tugging on your collar.

"Ah, I know just the place!" Colette cheerfully clasped her hands together, before taking your sleeve, "We're still setting things up in the Occult Club right now, in preparation for our grand opening this year, and my tired hands would much appreciate someone to help carry the boxes".

Walking up the Hall to the Occult Club, the two of you were stopped halfway by Himawari, of all people.
"Haruka, I knew you'd be alright!" she beamed, raising her hands to her chin, "I mean, it's normal to faint after-" she then stopped, seeing Colette was also there, "After, er, everything that's happened, so don't feel bad, and it looks like you're all okay now".

"Wow, thanks," you were taken aback "Far as I know, you're the first All-Ace to come and check up on me".

Himawari's words seemed to have less effect on Colette.
"What is it you want, pretty girl?" she snarled.

The bright expression on Himawari's face started to fade. "Sheesh Colette, why do you always have to be like that?" she said through gritted teeth, before she turned back to you to hand you an invitation, "Anyway, Melissa asked me to give you this".

You picked up the invitation, which read: Good, you're ready to really get started. First thing tomorrow at school, we're giving you your first real mission to prove you didn't just get lucky. Better be there!

"Strange they wouldn't just get one of their 'Jacks' to deliver this to you," Colette muttered, "Unless of course, they decided to demote you on a whim, Himawari".

It took a while for Himawari to have any response to that, but she eventually said "No, of course not. Besides, that'd be quite the formal process, it's not something they'd just do behind my back". Colette had to roll her eyes at that though.
"Okay, see ya tomorrow, Haruka, we're looking forward to... things," Himawari gave one last grin and wave before heading off.

"Well, with her gone, the Occult Club now, hmm?" Colette leaned up to you.

You grunted as you heaved a stack of boxes around, not having been told exactly what was in them, but you thought you could see dangling spiders and hear heavy books and a crystal ball sliding around within. The near total lack of light in the Occult Clubroom didn't help, and when you tried to clean a cobweb out of the way, Colette insisted on having it kept there.

"Okay, just put it down there and... perfect!" she smiled at you, hands clasped to the side, before she sat down on a rickety chair, a second chair set aside for what looked like an old stuffed rabbit, one of its eyes missing, and offered you tea. "It's Kashmiri Chai! Oh, and don't tell anyone, but I used to have a horrid coffee addiction, and I'm afraid that wouldn't fit with my image. But anyway, I believe you said you had something to talk about?"

"Uh, yeah, well I'm trying to process... the fact that my friend Keiko didn't come see me when I was in the hospital room, for like an entire day. I just, ah, don't know how to feel about that," you finally found the words.

"Ah, I see," Colette murmured, idly stirring her tea, "I suppose you could look on this positively, that Keiko was so worried about you that she was scared to even see the condition you were in. Most noble of her. However-" her good cheer faded, "More cynically, and I suppose you could tell I'd say this, it's just as likely that one of the All-Aces ordered Keiko to go nowhere near you. Cutting you off from your previous contacts is a common tactic used by hierarchies to keep their subordinates in line, after all".

You almost fell out of your own chair upon hearing that. "What? Oh, come on! Like, most of the school friggin' adores the All-Aces, so there'd be a huge scandal or something if they really did act like that," you blurted out.

"Oh, how naïve, that's what good PR is for," Colette giggled at that, then said in a low tone "I've seen this happen before. And think, was the makeover they gave you just to make you more respectable in their company? No, it was also about controlling you, about telling your mind that your identity is theirs', not your own".

You were left stuttering, wanting to say something but not finding the words.

"Not I'm saying you look bad now, quite the contrary. I will at least credit Melissa her beauty know-how, even if it's not a look I'd ever go for myself," Colette at least had to add.

You anxiously then raised your phone, opening that social media profile that'd been edited. "They had my online bio changed, making me lie about who I am and who I've been, said they had to erase my dull, normal life. I guess this would... only support your case," you said.

"Huh, I ran away from my aristocratic..." Colette began reading, but in the end had to laugh, "This is Azuma's work I take it? Hah, people may swoon for his performances, but as a scriptwriter he's still a novice. So, I take it you never really did know him until you came to Hanataba?"

"Well, he says I did, that I just got him confused for another guy I know," you blushed, having to rethink everything.

"My, dearie me," Colette said, dipping a biscuit in the last of her tea, "Afraid the bell's about to toll, but Haruka, if you ever need an ear to talk about your problems, please know you can confide in me. After all, disturbed if not broken souls are typically attracted to the occult, so I've had to play Agony Aunt for quite a few of my clubmates in my time," she patted you on the back.

"Oh, er, t-thank you," you said, only to hear that throbbing voice in your head from before:

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

"The Occult Club opens on Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, so please, feel free to, hmhm, embrace your dark side," Colette grinned, then stood up to curtsey.

The bell for the school day's end soon came, and you headed out the front gates for the first time as a second-year student, though of course it would've been the second time if not for, well, your coma.

Hanataba was in Kuchinashi City, a pleasant enough place nestled in Hokkaido's mountains, and for trade and tourism it made a convenient halfway stop between Sapporo and Hakodate. Despite its distinguished air, like many Hokkaido cities it was relatively recent by Japan's historical standards, only dating back to the 19th Century. You could tell this from not just its more vintage European-style buildings that lined the main streets, but also said streets' grid-like layout. You wondered if that might've played a part in why Melissa chose to transfer here.

While Hanataba Academy was clearly what the town was most known for, it's not as if there weren't other points of interest. There was a food arcade where the wafting aroma of steamy eel, miso, and udon was balanced with the sweet scents of mochi and ramune, there were several good nature-walks on the outskirts, if perhaps not the most stunning Hokkaido had to offer, and of course your basics like cafes, izakaya, a cinema, a town library, a video arcade, a local museum, and so on.

Honestly though, you didn't feel up to any of that right now, your thoughts were largely occupied with just getting back your place, as you desperately needed to relax after everything you'd gone through. Said place being:

[ ] Your parents' house, and they were very much your birth parents unlike that fake bio. Good thing they didn't tend to check your social media accounts.
[ ] At a little apartment you'd started renting.
[ ] At your aunt's place.
[ ] At Keiko's place, which made your earlier encounter all the more awkward.
[ ] At Yuya's place, which it'd be better if Azuma didn't find out about.
[ ] In the room above a part-time job you had (write-in said job).
[ ] Write-in.

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 25, 2021

QM's Note: While it's a little dry and technical, I'll be titling updates by the Social Link featured in it, since I was rereading Persona: Another Calling and kinda wished there was an easy way to remember which update had which Social Link Event in it.

[X] At a little apartment you'd started renting

There was one last event that came up before you could get to where you were staying, when you noticed Kuchinashi's Local History Museum had a strange side door in it that had never been there before, to your knowledge. the door glowed a translucent blue, and you could see a glimmering butterfly slowly fluttering around.

Biting your lip yet unable to take your eyes off it, you gently pushed it open only for your whole self to become shrouded in a deep blue haze. Next thing you knew, you were back in that Velvet Room, just like Igor had invited you before.

"Ah, glad you could make it," he began, clearing his throat, "Now as promised, it is time I divulged to you this room's purpose. You wield the power of Persona, the mask you wear from within to face the blunt force of the world, but you in particular face the uphill battle of defining your psyche by others, and in turn having them define you. It is likely that this is what has resulted in your aberrant Wild Card, the power to pull forth mirror images of the Personae and Shadows you encounter".

From behind you, a tiny little creature stepped up, resembling a:
[ ] Pegasus Pony.
[ ] Cartoon Pig.
[ ] Plump Pigeon.
[ ] Write-in.
- its face covered in soot, and said, in a squeaky yet scruffy childlike male voice, "Hello there Miss, my name's Popo! My usual residence is out on the Gameboard, but Mr. Igor says he permits me to visit his Velvet Room.
You might be wonderin' why I popped me head out? Well, granting folks Personae happens to be my thing, so since you can, if you'd like to use any of your friends' or enemies' Personae, just ask me and I'll have it in a jiffy".

It was then Lauryn stepped up, having gotten dressed in a pilot's scarf, goggles over her head, and a stewardess uniform. "But your friends' didn't get their Personae last night, they've had a while to train them, so replicating them at the same level of power is unlikely. But that's how I can help, I can Supercharge a Persona by revving our Engine capacity here, our Airship acting as a lightning rod".

"Of course, said energy must be generated somewhere," Igor followed on, "If you desire these more powerful Persona, you must embrace the world around you to form Social Links with others. It is from these such cognitive acceleration must be gained".

That definitely took you aback though. "Wait, you mean socialise?! Okay, I really think you've gotten the wrong person for this".

Igor had to laugh, "'Gotten the wrong person'? It is you who chose to step into this room. As for socialisation, have faith in yourself, and surely your Fool's Journey won't remain at Zero".

"Alright, Miss," Popo started up again, "It looks like you've already got two Personae queuing up and waiting for you". The winds around him then blew a stack of shogi pieces together, congealing to form a copy of Melissa's Anjou, and that fish-like Shadow you'd faced earlier:

"I am Strength Anjou, let us stain the gardens of war with red!"

"I am Emperor Forneus, we shall arise from the depths!"

"If you would seek entirely new Personae though," Igor went on, "I will offer my service, to fuse two or more Personae, separate parts of yourself, into one. Of course, you have yet to have the chance to wield the Personae you've been given, so perhaps next time?"

With the words 'next time', the world around you began fading again, until you were standing back in Kuchinashi, just outside that History Museum.
What the- you thought, Ugh, better just get back to my place.

The apartment block you were staying was a somewhat austere building, built from now moss-stained red timber and with basic white door and window frames.

"Hey Megumi, I'm back," you called out, upon walking up the stairs and throwing open your door. The apartment wasn't much, being small, cramped, and thanks to your roommate Megumi, quite messy, though at least there was enough space for a little balcony.

"Oh hey, new girl," said roommate nonchalantly replied, lying on the couch, and flicking through streaming services when there were a bunch of assignments piled up around them. They did have to turn to you to say, in a softer voice, "Sheesh, heard you were out cold for a day. That must've blew, especially on your first day back, hope you're feeling better. Course I'm in college, so I understand what it's like to get seriously conked out".

Umebayashi Megumi was a stick-thin young adult who still hadn't changed out of the suit they wore to college, though they'd rolled their trouser legs up all the way past their thighs. They'd told you they honestly couldn't care about gender, you remembered they'd cited several anime and manga characters to explain being non-binary to you, but honestly their long, flowing dark green mane of hair was easily more glamorous than many women you knew (despite being somewhat tangled due to neglect).

Admittedly, you were nervous a couple of days ago when you found out your roommate was already in college, but so far they'd been a nice enough person, even being okay with you sleeping in the apartment's one bed while they took the couch, though you could joke about how they barely moved from said couch.

"Yeah, thanks," was all you said in return, sitting down beside them while they chuckled at some old sitcom they had on.

"You hungry? Want any of these chips? They're caramel-flavoured," they said as they passed you the bowl, before thinking "Oh, know what, I should totally order in pizza tonight! No wait, maybe tacos, hmm, whadda you think 'Ruka?"

"Er, well," you began, wondering how much money Megumi exactly had left, "I guess pizza, since it was the first one you said?"

"Cool, and ooh, you okay with anchovies?" Megumi piped up, you just nodding in return. You reminded yourself Megumi was like this even when sober.

"So uh, other than going comatose and stuff, how was your first day, er days, back?" they then asked, that question really sending you scrambling for an answer.

Not good, I've fallen in with a really bad crowd, and my friends have been driven away! "Fine, just fine" was the difference between what you thought and what you actually said.

"Man, I'd be fine with 'fine', compared to the shitload of work my professors' have been given me," Megumi sighed, "I guess being a community college they seriously feel the need to compensate".

You spent the rest of the night chatting about nothing much in particular, Megumi only getting in like a paragraph of their essay, and as you later chowed down on the pizza you were grateful you were having takeout over Megumi's own recipes. they could cook you guessed, it's just that their tastes and sense of what foods worked together were... bizarre, to say the least.

And then you saw what Igor had said about building social bonds:

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

Wednesday, April 6th

The next morning, your arrived at school early, perhaps conscious about the classes you'd missed yesterday, only to find that when you walked in the front door you'd immediately run into the same hall monitor, with neat black hair and a few freckles, who Melissa had been arguing with the other day.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" you began, only for the monitor to just smile.

"Ah, Miss Nakamura, no need to fret, in fact I appreciate you coming to school so early," he said before sighing, "You wouldn't know it from Hanataba's reputation, but we get more than a few latecomers, if not truants.
Oh, and on behalf of the school, I of course apologise for your fainting spell yesterday, something like that should not have happened on our watch, especially on the first day back," he then bowed deeply.

"No really, it's alright," you tried to tell him, "I'm... fine now, that's what matters".

"Really? Why, that's good to hear," the monitor was relieved, "Well, I expect to see you around, oh, and you may refer to me as Ozaki Daisuke, makes things easier," he waved goodbye.

Wow, he's actually a lot nicer than I pictured, you thought, I guess Melissa must've done something really bad to rile him up back then.

Your first class proceeded as normal, a standout question Miss Tanizawa asked you out of nowhere being "Okay Nakamura, now you're back in action, name the author of No Longer Human."

"Ah, what? Er..."
[ ] Natsume Soseki
[ ] Osamu Dazai
[ ] Yasujiro Ozu
[ ] Write-in

Of course, when the break came, you automatically knew the All-Aces would be expecting you.
Quickly scarfing down the leftover pizza slices you'd taken with you, you then made the trek up to the Prized Pupil Lounge. However, it turned out they'd came to you, as you were approached by Melissa directly by the stairway.

"Okay newbie, time to really prove yourself to us," she flashed a sharp grin.

The two of you entered the Lounge, where the rest of the All-Aces were already waiting. Come on, are they in here all the time? Don't they have Clubs and stuff to run, food to eat?

"Alright, your first real mission, straight from me" Melissa spoke up, pointing to the Gameboard "Guess you know how everyone here, well everyone except us, has a Shadow on the Gameboard?"

At your nod, she immediately went on "Well, there's a guy who's been a real shit to me lately, so you and I are gonna track his Shadow down and remind him who's boss around here".

"It is imperative we as All-Aces maintain our influence over the student body, that's the role we've been given, after all. You see, plays need directors, stories need authors, and subjects need a monarch, so any would-be rebels should be stamped out swiftly," Azuma monologued.

"Can't have some little upstart upsetting the hierarchy, can we?" Gakuto smugly chimed in.

You tensed, already expecting the worst, "And who does this *gulp* Shadow belong to?"

"Hey, we didn't bring you in here for you ask questions," Eitaro stated bluntly.

"Yeah, you seriously need to know his name? Okay, fair's fair, it's that Hall Monitor narc Daisuke Ozaki". She then cocked her head, "What are you worried about? It's not like we're gonna kill him or anything, we're just gonna get him to shut up a little".

Himawari had something to say, "I mean, if he has a Shadow, then he's clearly hiding something. Like, those monsters are someone's inner darkness, a genuinely good person would never manifest one".

You instantly looked back at the door, you'd be ready to bolt if it weren't for Melissa's grip on you, or if you didn't lack the Resolve. So you just stood there, quivering as you looked down on the Gameboard, letting it sink in that even if you told Melissa no, that the All-Aces' status and influence was enough that they could turn the whole school against you if you refused, get you expelled, hound you through town...

"Fine, I'll do it," you snarled beneath your breath, as a deeper voice echoed within your head:

"I art thou... Thou art I
Thou shalt take the mantle of the Fool Arcana"

The Great Gameboard's checkered hexagons weren't as featureless as they first appeared, the landscape ascending and descending into rolling hills and deep valleys, and forming staircases that went all over the place.

"We call this neutral territory No One's Land," Melissa said, eyeing you closely, "And your job is to help our Empires fill it in", she then gestured to the neon malls in the distance upon the word 'Empires' .

It was right there, at the border of Melissa's Shopping Empire, where you saw the very Shadow that'd been described to you. Ozaki's Shadow looked like a mutant peacock strutting around, but with a host of actual eyes on stalks instead of tail feathers, a searing visor where its eyes usually should've been.

[ ] Overwhelm the Shadow with Theodora's radiance.
[ ] Go for a double-Anjou beatdown.
[ ] Freeze it in its tracks with Forneus.
[ ] Write-in.

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 26, 2021

[x] Pegasus Pony
[x] Overwhelm the Shadow with Theodora's radiance.
[X] Osamu Dazai

[The correct answer, Osamu Dazai, gives you +1 Education]

"Argus, the Watcher. Typical a Hall Monitor would keep their eyes glued to everything. I'm not so brutal as to try ripping its eyes out myself, but, hmhm, that's just me," you heard Gakuto's voice come crackling from above.

And with that many eyes, ambushing Argus the Shadow was right out, it immediately setting its gazes upon you. It was quick to send a wave of blinding light your way, with Theodora able to negate the damage by floating down in. You mentally ordered your Persona to retaliate with her own psychedelic eye waves, the multi-coloured flash sending the Shadow's eye-feathers into disarray.

Okay, going good so far, you thought, until you heard the clattering of armour behind you. Swerving around, you saw that while you'd launched your first blow on Argus, a second lumbering Shadow dressed in what looked like Greek or Roman armour, History wasn't your specialty, had approached you, a single great eye poking out from within, about to swing a giant club right down at you.

"-The Hell?" Melissa exclaimed, her eyes widening as she looked up at this attempted ambusher, "Like, I was gonna stay back and let you prove you could hang with us, but then this creep tries crashing our party. Grr, I'll deal with him, you just stick to the first Shadow I like told you, capiche?" she barked, whipping out her chainsaw and calling for Anjou.

But with that Cycloptic Shadow behind you, sending out AoE shockwaves with a strike of its club on the ground, and the beams of light emanating from Argus' eyes, it was hard to come up so fast with another plan of attack. Being on the edge of Melissa's Shopping Empire though, you noticed a flashing neon sign pointing into it, likely advertising one of her cognitive malls or hotels.

Pointing your left tonfa at Argus, you got Theodora to send another psychic blast at it while you tried to climb up the railing around the sign. Meanwhile, Melissa tried sawing off the Cyclops' legs while she got Anjou to try blasting it in its eye, but this Shadow proved quite enduring physically, as it swatted Melissa away along the ground with a strike of its club.

Hauling yourself up to the top of the billboard, your arms already aching, you reached the part of the sign where the big neon arrow was attached. Hoping Melissa could be persuaded to overlook what you were about to do, you struck the joints connecting the neon arrow twice, kicking it over as it creaked. This proved enough to send it crashing down, and with Argus having tried to fly after you, the Shadow was in the perfect position to get struck down by the falling advert, getting slammed back to the ground.

Speaking of Melissa, while her face had been bloodied and her hair messed up, she'd gotten back on her feet and, this time, tried sawing along the gaps in the Cyclops' bronze armour, followed by her suddenly switching to carry a double-barreled shotgun as she went and blasted the Shadow right in the eye. Anjou then double-teamed it by shoving one of her many spikes into its exposed spine, sending it roaring and toppling.

Both Shadows struck down, each dissipating into dusky spores, you yourself almost could've collapsed from exhaustion. It didn't help that Melissa, rather than congratulating you on your victory, instead said, "Oh, I see, you think you can just cause property damage to my Empire! Why I... oh, you singlehandedly beat the Shadow I assigned you to," her raging tone slowly deflated, as she then cleared her throat and had to admit "Er, good work, maybe I was kinda quick to doubt you. Damn, I'm not used to giving compliments," she hissed at herself.

The mood still tense, you tried to laugh a little and said, "Well, guess having that Cyclops thing barge into the fight really threw things out of whack".

That however made Melissa stare at you, "Ugh, I shouldn't expect a newcomer to know this, but that was no random Shadow. The armor it was wearing is exactly what the Shadow pieces in Eitaro's Empire all wear. So, either he's so cognitively deficient that he can't keep his own Pieces in line-"

That doesn't sound like Eitaro, you thought, leaving you to gulp at the other possibility.

"-Or, and let's put this nicely, he still isn't 'convinced' by you, and that resentment's showing up on the Gameboard," Melissa just crossed her arms, but shrugged and said "Or, maybe he sent that Shadow to help out, but it was so dunderheaded that it attacked the wrong people?"

"Yeah, if only," was all you said.

"'Kay then, let's just get back to the lounge. After that brute beat the shit outta me, I'll probably have to spend hours in the makeup chair before I can get back to looking presentable," Melissa groaned.

[ ] "Er, I'm sure you'll be looking prettier in no time!"
[ ] "Really? You look barely that bruised right now, honestly..."
[ ] "Actually, the battle-scarred, blood-stained fighter look kinda suits you..."
[ ] Write-in.

Melissa didn't know what to say at first, "Er, thanks, I guess".

You didn't know how to feel. On one hand you heart raced a little, as you thought Did I just have an actual conversation with her, with one of the most popular kids in school, and not just her barking at me? On the other, Wait, why the Hell am I seeking approval from Melissa, of all people, what with how she and the other All-Aces have been treating me?
Either way...

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

"Daisuke the Hall Monitor had better turn out alright, in the end, after all this..." one final thought came to you.

Appearing back in the Prized Pupil Lounge, you on impulse blurted out "Where's Eitaro?!"

The first to stare at you was Gakuto "Ahem, what's the need to know?"

"One of his Pieces had the bright idea to ambush us while Haruka was trying to complete my mission!" Melissa snapped, glaring down at Gakuto.

"Ah, I see the confusion," Azuma spoke up, stepping in between Melissa and Gakuto, before he looked your way, "You see, Melissa here is the newest of the fully ordained All-Aces, so it'd seem she hasn't had time to adapt to... a certain custom of ours.
We don't just use the Gameboard to ensure that every Piece within our beloved School remains in its place, but also, in the spirit of competition, as a means of settling any disputes that arise between us Aces, without having to resort to shouting matches or more brute force," he finished saying.

"Indeed, when you gather multiple great minds within a single room, tensions... are inevitable" Gakuto followed on, but then had to sigh, "Of course, so far it's also been inevitable that either Azuma and Kikuko will win every single Persona match. Huh, and I thought I was supposed to be the Pro Gamer".

Kikuko coldly laughed, "Typical that Gakuto would be unable to distinguish videogame combat from the pressure of battle in the real world. Hah, the coddling of modernity".

"Yeah, well, I still have the High Score on Featherman Dance Spectacular," he hissed, pushing up his glasses.

"Right, so back to our original question, hmm?" Melissa came back with.

"Ah right, Eitaro and Himawari have been sent to do crowd-control, clearly the school will need the reassuring words of its Top Idol and Sports Champion to not descend into hysterics at the second fainting spell within a week," Gakuto replied.

"My congratulations to you, Haruka, we didn't even need to check the Gameboard to know you had succeeded in your mission," Azuma slyly smiled at you.

"Don't get comfortable, an elite's path requires constant vigilance and ceaseless discipline," Kikuko gave you an icy glare, sheathing a katana even.

"Still, we must reward you, we aren't slavers after all," Azuma said more warmly, though you guessed anyone's voice was warmer than Kikuko's right now, "Here, take this, I assure you Haruka that money is no object" as he handed you 100,000 Yen.

[ ] "Wow, thank you!"
[ ] "Uh, thanks" Guess it'll help with my expenses...
[ ] "Know what? Keep the change" I don't need your pity money...
[ ] Write-in.

- The Fool has Journeyed to Rank 2 -

Gritting your teeth, you dashed down the stairs in fear of the worst. Sure enough, a whole crowd of students had gathered around the main hall, all of them gazing downwards.

Pushing through the throng, you went pale as you looked down to see the prone body of Daisuke Ozaki, his eyes utterly expressionless and the rest of him not moving an inch.

"Students of Hanataba," you heard Eitaro speak up from the foot of the stairs, "Please remain calm, we assure you this is a situation that will be taken care of. This young man will be swiftly escorted to our medical wing, so keep strong in your hearts and know all is well".
As expected, Eitaro's public speaking voice sounded little like his snarling private one, something much more appropriate for the school's famed Sports Champion.

'Young Man'? He was only a year younger than you, you fumed internally.

"So, let's see some smiles, hmm? With all your best wishes, I'm sure Daisuke will be better in no time, and there'll be no more weird fainting attacks," Himawari put on a cutesy smile and fist-pumped the air.

You could've gone up to Eitaro right now, pulled his collar, and asked him why the hell he sent a Shadow at you for... But yeah, like I have the resolve to go up to the toughest guy in school and tell him to quit his bullshit.

Well, at least you had Clubs to look forward to. Honestly, the Occult Club, even if it was only helping unpack, was probably the first school club you attended in ages, other than the Go-Home Club of course. So, um, in the spirit of this 'Social Links' deal, you guess you should check what else was available:

[ ] The Drama Club.
[ ] The Football (Soccer) Team.
[ ] The Kendo Club.
[ ] The School Band.
[ ] The Computer Club.
[ ] Er, Miss Tanizawa's hosting a cram session in the Library.
[ ] Ah, just find Reina, you could use a friendly face right now.
[ ] Find Keiko, you're not gonna let the All-Aces say who you can and can't hang out with.
[ ] Find Yuya, you felt wrong just leaving him there the other day.
[ ] Write-in.

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 27, 2021

[X] "Uh, thanks" Guess it'll help with my expenses...
[X] Ah, just find Reina, you could use a friendly face right now.
[X] Find Keiko, you're not gonna let the All-Aces say who you can and can't hang out with.
[X] "Really? You look barely that bruised right now, honestly..."

You thought to just quickly check on how Daisuke was doing as he was carted by his classmates off to the sick ward, it was only, well, fair of you. You didn't have much time to look at him though before the sickbay's doors were closed to you, but what you did notice was that the colour hadn't returned to his eyes.

"It's a shame," you heard a voice behind you say, turning around you saw that it was none other than Morikawa Hotaru, Student Council President here at Hanataba, a greasy brown-haired boy recognisable by the Stetson and star badge he wore, "Daisuke was a big help in keeping the school orderly, I'm gonna have a whole lead on my plate without him".

Other than his feeble cowboy attire, Hotaru was probably most known for, well, becoming SCP after the untimely death of the previous one, so having a bunch of fainting spells was the last thing he needed on his hands.
Said death happened a year before you started high school, so all you knew about the former President was her name, Rokudo Rin, and that she'd been no less than an All-Ace, though you doubted the surviving All-Aces would divulge that much info on her to a Jack.

"I, well um-" you stuttered out, finally managing an "I'm sorry".

"What? Oh no, don't be, you had nothing to do with this, after all" he told you, words that really made you wince. "Well, er," he tried desperately to sound authoritative, "You stay, ahem, safe out there, won't you?"

You just nodded and walked away, right now you needed almost anything to take your mind off things.

And then you thought, Well if the All-Aces are done with me today, how 'bout I go meet with Keiko this time?

At the end of next class, after the History Teacher dressed like a Tudor noblewoman asked you "Okay Haruka, you've certainly blossomed haven't you? Now, which of these four was not an Australian bushranger?"
[ ] Ben Hall.
[ ] Mary Ann Bugg.
[ ] Captain Thunderbolt.
[ ] Lenny Sharp.

-you immediately spoke to Keiko before she could leave "Hey, Keiko, really sorry I haven't spoken to you more often. Do, do you wanna hang out again sometime?"

"Huh?" Keiko slowly turned around to face you, "Oh, er, really Haruka? I er, saw you were now hanging out with the All-Aces and thought 'Oh, guess Haruka probably wouldn't have time for Yuya and me anymore'. But yeah, if you wanna, 'course we can hang out".

"Wow, thanks a bunch" you smiled, finally relieved to have that weight off your chest "I'm, er, well I kinda have to say, I don't think being around the top clique in school is really my sort of scene," That's putting it mildly.

Keiko had to laugh at you "Are you serious? Most students here would friggin' kill to be part of the All-Aces, hell, even just to spend a day with them," she sighed "Like with Azuma- Hey, that reminds me, could you set up a meeting with Azuma for me? Oh please!"

You had to take a step back "Er, hate to crush your dreams Keiko, but ahem, you know how they say never meet your-" you began, but looking into her pleading, watery eyes, you then groaned "Okay, I'll see if I can arrange something. I'm still what they call a Jack, so I can't make any guarantees".

"Oh thank you thank you thankyou!" Keiko exclaimed, before she coughed and tried to calm herself down "I mean, I guess joining the Drama Club would've been the most obvious option I had, but nah, I'd make a lousy actress, just don't have the right cognitive- well, whatever, to see myself with a different personality and place".

"Oh I don't know, can't say till you've tried," you offered a wry smile.

"Y'know actually," Keiko then crossed her arms "I think I can see why you'd be so dispirited. I forgot you'd also be dealing with Melissa all the time, man that must be a headache!"

"Melissa, well she's..." you began, but for a second weren't sure how to continue, settling for "She's complicated".

"I'll say," Keiko muttered, before she looked to both sides and then leaned towards you to whisper "To be honest, I was afraid for a second that she'd roped you in to pull some kind of prank on me, try and get me to lower my guard".

You twitched when Keiko said that you, but then tried to smile and shake your head "What? Of course not!" If Melissa wanted to get back at you, she'd probably try to wipe your brain or something.

"Oh good, good to hear," Keiko said before checking the clock, "Er, bit short on time, but you know me Haruka. My workload's a bit heavy, but I'm available Wednesdays and Saturdays, and of course free on Sunday, same as last year!"

"Okay, great to hear," you waved goodbye at her, thinking to yourself, Boy, good thing we broke it up before one of the All-Aces could see us together. When I meet up with Yuya again, it'd have to be on the complete other side of town from Azuma.

As Keiko headed out, that voice rang in your head:

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

As soon the school bell rang, you walked out the front door only to see Reina in the crowd.

You both spotting each other, she ran up to you and said "Oh hey Haruka, sup? Melissa was talking 'bout me taking you shopping, says a Jack needs to have an up-to date wardrobe, so like, awesome huh?!"

You just giggled and thought, I could use some cheering up, and Reina seems the right girl for that, "Sure, lead the way" Though I'm not doing this at all because Melissa wants me to.

"Cool, I know just the place!" Reina smiled and took your hand, adding "I 'spose Melissa would probably drive you down to Sapporo, even fly you down to Harajuku, to get ya somethin' totally fancy, but um, that'd be a little short notice of me personally".

You ended up heading out into town to stop at a local department store, rummaging through what clothes shops it had. "Er, perhaps we could just find an online catalogue on our phones, I mean it's what I usually do when I need to buy clothes," you spoke up.

"Yeah, but you can't immediately try them on that way," Reina said, adding "Like, I know there's apps and stuff so you can see how you look, but you can't feel the fabric or sniff the fragrance like that".

After a montage of various outfits she placed on you, some too small, some too loose, some too gaudy, it finally came time to pick your style "Okay Haruka, time you made the call on what to stack in your wardrobe. Don't worry, this first time's on me!"

"Er, okay, if you say so..." you muttered.
Your sense of style was hardly the best, before this you'd just worn the plainest, most practical clothes, or kept lunging around in your school uniform. Why the hell would the All-Aces even care what I wear outside school? But well, you sure didn't want to disappoint Reina, she seemed genuinely into this, so you perked up and went with:

[ ] Something cool and rebellious, leather jacket, ripped jeans, that sort of thing.
[ ] Something cute and girly, with a frilled skirt, puffed sleeves, big bows, and a pink and blue colour scheme.
[ ] Something classy and elegant, a neat tweed waistcoat, black-and-white striped v-neck, dark leggings, patterned scarf.
[ ] Something quirky and mismatched, like a skirt over trousers, sandals, a beret, turtleneck, a pink-and-black colour scheme.
[ ] Ah, Reina's having fun and seems to know fashion, let her decide.
[ ] Write-in.

"Cool, looks great!" Reina smiled and gave a thumbs up, though you got the feeling she'd have said that no matter what you picked. "Still, we're not done yet, oh no! Next, we gotta sort out your makeup and perfume collection!" she continued, grabbing your arm and dragging you to another aisle.

The perfume brands you got introduced to mostly just reminded you to brush up on your French and German, you'd mostly just stuck to deodorant before, and as for makeup you barely knew a thing beyond foundation and a little bit of eyeshadow and lipstick. "Ugh, guess we can't ask for too much progress in one day. Still, here's a neat tip, do you know you can use lipstick as nail polish, and some people will be totally fooled?!" Reina said, only allowing herself a pinch of unenthusiasm.

You then sat down at the food court and slurped miso soba and a latte, Reina was cautious about having too much at first, but couldn't resist herself and begun piling various topping onto a hot dog, coupled with a thickshake.

When her mouth was free of enough food and cream to form complete sentences, Reina said "Gotta admit something to ya, Haruka. While I learned fast, if I do say so myself, I'm kinda newer than you'd think to this whole fashion thing".
She started flicking through her phone till she got to a picture from a few years of a rather plain, black-haired Japanese girl. "Believe it or not, but that's me! Like, I knew I had to start trying new styles sometime, but it wasn't until I saw Melissa that I thought, yep, I know who I wanna look like!" she beamed.

Really, Melissa, you serious? you thought dourly, but just said "Honestly, your past self looks better than I used to. You should know, you helped with that, ahem, makeover the other day".

"Wow, you mean that? Still, didn't really stick out from the crowd at all" Reina said, but then deflected with "Um, look, I'm totally not like obsessed with Melissa or anything, I've got heaps of other style icons. Like there's, er, Kujikawa Rise-"

"Who's she?" you had to ask.

Reina could've spat out her drink "C'mon, you mean you didn't grow up listening to Rise? I mean like, yeah, her peak of fame was a few years back, and I guess only dedicated fans really listen to her anymore and, oh God, I keep picturing her as a teen girl but she'd be like mid-twenties now".

"To tell the truth, I don't think I'd really developed a music taste back then," you said, muttering "Hell, I still haven't".

"Okay then, here's a newer name, Takamaki Ann!" Reina came back with.

"Oh, the model and actor who came out as non-binary," you immediately picked up, Think they also had something to do with those Phantom Thieves a few years back, "Yeah, that really caused an uproar, I guessed because everyone thought of them as peak feminine. I mean, my roommate's non-binary, but the worst they had to go through were a few arguments with their parents," Also nowhere near as snazzy a dresser, sorry Megumi.

"Yeah, but like sh-they still look great! I mean, was kinda sad when they cut off their twintails, but they can really rock the pixie cut and red-and-black suit, plus they still dress feminine sometimes," Reina said, "Plus, because of her I know 'Anne' can be a boy's name in some languages, like Dutch and stuff".

"Studios keep casting them in female roles though," you sighed, Still a way cooler actor than some people I could name.

Upon noticing some shops around were starting to close, Reina then blurted out "Oh geez, it's getting late. I should really get going, 'specially since Jacks don't get their homework done for them. Guess photobooth stuff'll have to wait till next time. See ya soon!" she smiled and waved goodbye.

"Hey, thanks for, um, paying and all," you returned the wave, knowing you should really get going, but not before hearing that voice again.

-The Magician has Journeyed to Rank 2-

Back at your apartment, Megumi greeted you with a casual "Yo, what shakin' sis?'

[ ] Spend some time with Megumi, you do have a clothes haul to show off.
[ ] Phone your parents, their work should be over now.
[ ] You should really be studying.
[ ] Get to bed early, you could use the energy tomorrow.
[ ] Watch some TV, it looks like Megumi's found something good.
[ ] Surf the net, you might wanna hunt for part-time jobs.
[ ] Write-in.

(QM's Note: If you're wondering why I had Ann come out as non-binary, especially when Haru explores androgyny more, I guess it's because I felt it'd have the most impact, as Ann's probably the most gendered character out of the thieves. That, and an model-actor coming out as NB would probably cause a bigger media impact than a CEO's daughter.)

ArlequineLunaire · Feb 28, 2021

[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]

Thursday, April 7th

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-"

"-But man, is Eitaro handsome"

"Big game comin' up, whole school's on edge-"

"-So wait, Takamaki Ann's what now?"

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.

ArlequineLunaire · Mar 3, 2021

[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.)

Persona: The Beautiful

100k Words Special: Best Girl Poll

Higashizawa Reina

Maeda Kikuko

Suzakuin Keiko

Melissa Lilian

Yomogi Tsubasa

Lauryn

Aoyagi Himawari

Colette Claudius

Sakurai Tomomi

Yamashiro Takako

Aimoto Koyomi

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)

Modern Middle Norn (Art by AriaMPDEoL)