Your name is Takashi Wakui. You are a sixteen-year old, Japanese high school student living in a world where half of humanity possesses Personas—manifestations of inner souls as demons, spirits or deities. In the past, you had been one of the unlucky ordinaries lacking a Persona. Then a game called AETHER was forcibly installed on your smartphone. Initially it appeared to be little more than a piece of nasty spyware, extremely persistent and impossible to remove.
Then it sucked you into to a realm called the Blackened Void, where you fought Shadows and gained your first Persona--Ippon-Datara of the Fool Arcana, the degraded blacksmith demon god. Now you are the Wild Card of the 22nd Century, capable of wielding Personas of each Major Arcana. Turns out AETHER is more than a simple, reality-immersive game; it is an accursed phenomenon superimposing itself over an otherworldly realm, consisting of vicious monsters, decrepit ruins and glamorous treasures. And to make matters worse, you and several others have been condemned as its chosen Players.
For what purpose does the game exist, what mysteries lie within and how will you Players achieve victory?
Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Persona%202129%20Quest
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TwilightThorn
Mechanics: http://pastebin.com/UqzmF3tv
Character Sheet: http://pastebin.com/a7NpUNnY
Persona List: http://pastebin.com/tDFHYrAA
Spell/Skill List: http://pastebin.com/7K1f7ma5
Takashi's Stats: http://pastebin.com/eE9p7qAb
[8:45 am, 25-Apr-2129 (MONDAY)]
“As you are all aware, the Inter-House Spring Sports Competition will be taking place tomorrow.” Veleis-sensei snaps her titanium fingers, forcing a picture of a series of chrome-colored buildings to appear on the virtual whiteboard. The entire class leans forward, eyes squinting at the tiny text displayed on the side. “All students from the middle school and high school level will be attending. Like last year, the competition will be hosted at the Silver Town Fitness Center.”
“Sweet,” Some guy a few rows in front of you mutters. “That place sells the best lunches.”
“Is that what you should be thinking…?” A girl next to him mumbles.
“We have decided to allocate an entire day for the competition. That means there will be no classes or afternoon clubs occurring tomorrow.” Veleis continues.
A cheer, only kept within acceptable sound levels by will of academy regulations, erupts from Class 5-3. Takauji is pumping his fist in the air. Akikazu groans and rests his head on his desk. You shrug your shoulders and stare straight ahead. Just because there aren’t classes doesn’t mean you won’t be busy tomorrow.
“Don’t think that slacking off is acceptable.” Veleis reminds, with a voice as cold as her armor plating. She Huh, looks like you and her are on the same wavelength here. She sweeps her arm across the space in front of her, gesturing to the entire classroom. “Your efforts will determine the ranking and prestige of your House. No doubt they have assigned tasks to keep every student busy. You should all participate in at least one event, even if it’s just the group event at the very end. I don’t want to see anyone hanging around the pool stands being useless, understand? Because if I do find any slackers…”
Her eyes narrow, her pupils contract and a powerful aura extrudes from Veleis’s robotic body. It is one of conquest, command and cobalt colors.
“…they’ll find themselves helping out the facility staff once everyone else has gone home.” She whispers.
That threat must have sounded a lot more intimidating in her internal hard drive, you think to yourself. Seriously, what the hell was she thinking? That is not how you terrify your opponents into complying with your every demand. She should have said something along the lines ‘you’ll suffer an entire week’s worth of detentions’ or ‘you will find numerous and mysterious Akasha Art attacks piercing your bodies in the coming days’!
…
Okay, that was probably overkill. Point is, Veleis-sensei clearly had no idea how to intimidate her students. Never mind she had taught for over thirty years and would have accumulated a wealth of experience in that time. You, an inexperienced sixteen year old boy burdened with the same power as the legendary Kaede Kurusu, clearly knew better her! Your intelligence was scraping at the edge of being DECENT, for Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto’s sake. This argument was valid, sound and therefore one hundred percent irrefutable!
“Yo, Takashi. You feeling okay?” Takauji says. “You look like you’re monologuing inside your own head.”
“I’m not.”
“I ain’t judging you. Sometimes Kanami does that, too.”
The rest of yourclassmates are whispering back and forth.
“Even Veleis-sensei can be cute, huh?” One boy says, with a twinkle in his eye reminiscent to that of a starving young girl peering through the glass display of a cake shop.
“Keep your voice down!” The guy next to him, with glasses covering roughly half his face, whispers “Do you want her to fill you with holes? Those arm cannons aren’t just for show!”
“Dude, calm down and quit exaggeratin’…”
The only response Veleis gives is a slight tightening of her hardened plastic lips. She ignores and continues on.
In any case, I hope you all achieve success in your sports. It’s important to participate in activities outside of study. You, as my husband sometimes colloquially states, are ‘fleshbags and not part of the AI master race’ and won’t live forever. It’s best to enjoy your youth while you can. This sports competition was designed to help you with that.”
The entire class is struck blind by the thoughtfulness of Veleis-sensei’s words. Wait, hang on, no they aren’t.
“Now, out of curiosity, show your hands if you’re doing basketball.” Several kids do exactly that. “Now for table tennis. And…swimming.”
She stares across the class, nodding as her head swivels from left and right.
“An almost even spread across the three sports. Good. This means we won’t have a repeat of 2118. I’m quite satisfied.”
Then the bell rings and you leave.
[4:00 pm, 25-Apr-2129 (MONDAY)]
“Bye, Takashi!” Celeste calls.
“See you at the fitness center tomorrow, brother.” Takauji waves.
Akikazu simply grunts in your direction and heads out.
School has ended. You exit the classroom block to the courtyard outside. The afternoon sunlight is warm and pleasant.
Takauji waits at martial arts club, which you haven’t attended for a while. But you’ll be doing a lot of swimming tomorrow, so it might be a good idea to practice at the academy pool. You recall that Kozue Yusa is wandering around town at this time of the day. The glitched AETHER notification is still there. You check it again and the garbled mess of symbols and letters don’t seem like they’ll be unscrambling themselves any time soon. Even so, it’s a twisted, foul reminder sinking deep within your gut. You will undoubtedly be scrambling around the ruins of the Blackened Void in the near future, lighting perpetually fueled bonfires, gathering useless treasures and punching out Shadows with your comrades.
And of course, mid-term exams loom in the distance, like the terrible figure of a gigantic earth golem bearing down on a tiny mountain village. You might as well try your best to prepare, partly because Shizuka believes in you and partly because your mother’s wrath is something you don’t want to see.
You could also go home and play video games, but kind of moron does that? A single day of study could mean the difference between failure and success on a university entrance exam! What do you think this is, the twenty-first century?
Either way, the clock is ticking. You should make your decision before night falls…
>Study in the school library (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>Search for Kozue Yusa (Death S-Link)
>Wander around the school (Random Encounter)
>Call the team to the Blackened Void (Exploration)
>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
>Return home (Skips to night)
>Custom option.
>>43657776
>Wander around the school (Random Encounter)
>>43657776
>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
>>43657776
>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
Aaaaaand were back
>>43657776
>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
>>43657776
>>Search for Kozue Yusa (Death S-Link)
IT'S HAPPENING
>>43657776
>>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
>>43657776
>>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
>>43657776
>>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
Time for some last minute grind.
>>43657670
Finally!
>>43657776
>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
>>43657776
>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
>>43657776
>Go swimming (Increases WILLPOWER or UNDERSTANDING)
>>INTELLIGENCE: 66 points (Rank 2: General)
Reminder that we need more 4 if we want to do well in the tests.
>>43657968
We'll do one-2 more study and we'll be good.
I hope everyone 'enjoyed' that break. I was certainly busy. Didn't get as much planning as I would've liked, but oh well.
Away we go.
>still the first month in-game
>>43658129
It's amazing that the stress hasn't been getting to Takashi.
>>43658175
A whole month without video juegos! The horror! We should bet with our friends that the hermit girl will be the next one to get sucked into the void.
>>43657776
>study
We need to prepare for exams
>>43657968
>>43658028
So after we hit 70, time to grind Charisma? Gonna need that if we want to waifu anybody, period.
>>43657776
>Custom option.
Martial Arts Club. We've been neglecting Takauji recently.
>>43658321
Don't wanna be sore as shit for tomorrow.
>>43658390
Yeah, which is why I want to use a different set of muscles than we'll be using while swimming.
>>43657759
>‘fleshbags and not part of the AI master race’ and won’t live forever.
>Implying I won't go cyborg.
>>43658472
>Implying we won't wind up with our soul permanently bound as part of some metaphysical construct that holds back the apocalypse.
>>43658390
>Letting some soreness stop you.
Shit man, put more points into willpower. I can run until I vomit, swallow that and run some more.
>>43658501
So kind of like a Joker version of a wraith guard?
Gonna end up as the strange predecesor who teaches the young un all the bad ass shit they learnt? Cracking olf man hero jokes when?
>>43658501
Wouldn't that make us a cyborg?
>>43658564
No, we'd be a weird ghost thing stuck on a wall somewhere.
>>43658580
An immobile wall cyborg is still a cyborg.
>>43658564
>>43658610
Closer to this.
>>Takashi: Go swimming.
Guess you'll be apologizing to Takauji tomorrow. The roster has determined it to be House FALCO’s turn to use it. The building is warm and thick with moisture. Mass-produced commercial chlorine penetrates every square inch of the area, right down to the toilets and the insides of the equipment lockers. At least the locker rooms are clean, if rather wet and reeking of testosterone.
You strip and slip on your trunks. The pools are somewhat packed, but you spot a relatively empty slow lane and dive in. Around you, your fellow housemates power their way through the greenish-blue water, kicking and pushing with all their might. You notice a few girls busy at work, dressed in the academy swimsuits.
The academy has decreed that all sports competitions will not be segregated between genders. The reason is unclear but the majority of the student body isn’t complaining. This, of course, means that there’s a high chance you’ll be competing against girls tomorrow.
Not that you will be underestimating girls. Not when originating from the same family as Rumi Wakui and Shizuka Wakui. Or seeing Viola and Tsugumi come over during your nee-san’s holidays and listening to their escapades about their street brawls.
Anyway, swimming competition. You are in group C, the weakest group, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try your best. Every point counts. You’ve been assigned to freestyle, but you’ve heard tales of how students have dropped out of their respective matches for one reason or another, leaving their less experienced peers to fill in the slots.
The other three swimming styles are backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly kick. If something goes wrong, which quite a lot of things in your life have, you may be called upon as a substitute…
What will you do?
>Just practice freestyle for today. (Easy)
>Sneak in some backstroke. (Medium)
>Attempt to do a bit of breaststroke. (Above Average)
>Give you best shot at butterfly kick. (Hard)
>Custom option.
>>43658645
>trunks
Do you want to go slow?Those get ripped off so fast.
>>43658645
>Attempt to do a bit of breaststroke. (Above Average)
>>43658645
>Give you best shot at butterfly kick. (Hard)
>>43658645
> give your best shot at a butterfly kick
>>43658645
>>Give you best shot at butterfly kick. (Hard)
>>43658645
>Attempt to do a bit of breaststroke. (Above Average)
>>43658645
>Attempt to do a bit of breaststroke
It is super useful.
>>43658645
>Attempt to do a bit of breaststroke. (Above Average)
>>43658645
>Attempt to do a bit of breaststroke. (Above Average)
>>43658645
>Attempt to do a bit of breaststroke. (Above Average)
>>43658645
>>Attempt to do a bit of breaststroke. (Above Average)
>>43658645
We Free now.
>>43658685
The MC has sworn against speedos.
>>43658759
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQdAr9Lb_cM
>>43658801
Then use Jammers. They are a type of speedo that isn't a bannana hammock. Still cling to your junk, but its more like wearing Briefs than tighty whities, if thats any comparison.
Source: Swam from middleschool through High, work as lifeguard.
>>Takashi: Swim.
The water is pleasant and warm to the touch. As you dip your body beneath the surface, a sudden chill envelops your body. The coldness is crawling up your legs and arms. Just like any other swimming pool, then. Better get moving before your body freezes up and you suffer embarrassment via sudden resuscitation.
You contemplate the breaststroke. Daisuke, the muscular and boisterous combat medic of Shizuka’s squad, was good at that, wasn’t he? Guy was a bit of an oddball. From looking at him, you’d expect him to be the macho and manly type of guy who like wrestling and chugging protein shakes. Reality is that he enjoys drinking tea and eating green vegetables.
Weird guy, but you live with your sister so whatever.
Anyway, it might be prudent to practice a bit of breaststroke. The concept is simple: move your arms and legs in circular motions to propel yourself into the water. The challenge comes from the endurance and the co-ordination between your arms and legs.
You realize you haven’t swam breaststroke since middle school.
But hey, it’s not like you are terrible at swimming. If Yoshino could do it, so could you.
Right?
>Roll 2d20 (freestyle, breaststroke)
>Best out of three.
Rolled 17, 19 = 36 (2d20)
>>43659094
Rolled 20, 8 = 28 (2d20)
>>43659094
Rolled 7, 2 = 9 (2d20)
>>43659094
Nat 1
>>43659108
>>43659105
>>43659105
>>43659108
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey
>>43659105
>>43659108
>>43659105
>>43659108
Nice rolls but we won't get em during the competition.
>>43659105
>>43659108
>20, 19
We're back, baby.
A bit late since I was at a relatives birthday party, but it's great to see you back, Thorn.
>>43659185
Fuck your family, this is more important.
>>43659371
but anon, incest is wrong
>>43659377
Sure it is.
>>43659377
We're in Japan. Incest accounts for nearly half of any hentai related media. The other half is either rape or ntr.
>>43659436
>ntr
>>43659436
Don't forget "genitals in places where those genitals normally aren't found".
>>43659472
And in some cases, no genitals at all.
>>43659472
And tentacles. Can't forget tentacles.
>>43659496
I was counting "on the ends of tentacles" as a place they normally aren't found.
You engage some hardcore swimming. You are like a motherfucking dolphin. A dolphin suffering from severe exhaustion and with one flipper missing. Your arm movements are choppy as sin, your legs smash down in the water with all the force off a sledgehammer and the less said about your breathing the better.
You break the surface, tired but satisfied. There has been definite improvement today. Perhaps you’ll be able to prevent yourself from making a total ass of yourself tomorrow.
"Alright, here I go..."
Then you try breaststroke. Your coordination would be compared to that of a homeless, atrophied widower and the widower would somehow end up on top. Half the time, you gulp down chlorine-infested water and choke a foul mixture of spit and pool muck back up.
But at least you managed to get the gist of it. You are now prepared if Yoshino Sagisawa drops a sudden change on the FALCO swimming team tomorrow.
If she makes one relating to you, that is.
Otherwise, you just spent this time being useless.
Speaking of her, you haven’t seen Yoshino today. None of her twintailed, crimson locks are anywhere in sight. You’d think she’d be diving right in and swimming until the academy closed down. Guess third-year house leaders have their own duties to fulfil, huh?
>Your WILLPOWER increased by 4 points!
"Good work today." You mumble to yourself. You get changed and go home.
[6:30 pm, 25-Apr-2129 (MONDAY)]
“Welcome back, Takashi!”
You eat dinner and bid Shizuka farewell. The night is yours.
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>Read ‘How To Think Big’ (Increases CHARISMA or UNDERSTANDING)
>Wander around the city (Unknown)
>Play video games (Does somethingno it doesn't)
>Go to bed early (Rest)
>Custom option.
>>43659706
>>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>>Wander around the city (Unknown
Mystery box!
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
gotta grind dat shit
>>43659706
>>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>Aces the swimming tests
>Still looks like an idiot
That original nat 1 when were showing of to Yoshino fucked us, didn't it?
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
We're so close to decent I can taste it.
>>43659706
>>Read ‘How To Think Big’ (Increases CHARISMA
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
I'm starting to suspect video games actually WILL do something, with how often you put it in in different ways.
>>43659978
Maybe something relating to genre savvyness. After all, AETHER is an MMORPG.
>>43659978
>>43660039
Let's try picking it after we rank up INT or after the tests.
>>43659706
>>Play video games (Does something no it doesn't)
>>43659706
>Study for exams. (Increases INTELLIGENCE)
Gimme dem smarts
>>43660039
I wouldn't say it is MASSIVELY multiplayer.
>>43660408
...yet
Your thighs ache, the air is cold and Shadows are lurking in another dimension, but that’s no reason not to hit the books. You drag yourself over to your desk, ignoring the cries of the slothful part of your brain. Turn back, it cries. There’s still time to play video games, it screams. Maybe you can finish off that last ten percent of grinding needed to beat the extra boss. It’ll take you roughly five hours and bore you to tears, but so what? You’re an adolescent child. This is what you deserve!
You grab those thoughts by the stuff of the neck, hurl them into the nearest trash can and open your maths textbook.
“Give an example of a problem that can be reduced to the halting problem.”
“What remains on the stack after the following operations: +a, +b, +c, minus, minus, +d, +e, minus, minus? Assume the stack is empty at the beginning.”
“What does Turing completeness mean?”
“What problems cannot be solved by finite state automata?”
>Your INTELLGIENCE has increased by 1 point!
Next up is history.
“When did the Imperial Empire of Japan return South Korea?”
Oh, this is an easy question. It was in 2053. The Japanese government decided that South Korea ‘had served its purpose’ and gave control of the country back to the native people. Their motivations for doing so had been unclear, resulting in much criticism, but in the end the event was smoothed over and the South Koreans finally ceased complaining.
It would take some time for the bad blood to fade away. An amount of time that has not yet passed, judging by xenophobic comments on Internet forums. It also meant Japan was no longer an empire. They still kept the reason and you suspect the government only did so because it sounded threatening and cool.
Really, what had Kaede Kurusu been thinking? Such a mysterious (and dead) girl.
>Your INTELLIGENCE has increased by 1 point!
>>43660484
>inb4 AETHER adds P2W stuff
>>43660509
>Pay soul, get power!
>Reroll your friends, NOW!
>>43660508
>It’ll take you roughly five hours and bore you to tearsinefficient scrub, do it underleveled
>>43660554
>>Reroll your friends, NOW!
Fucking gacha why can't it give me a 5 star unit?
>>43660622
>>43660554
My sides...
>>43660622
Don't spook me Nyarly
Finally, English.
Yes, English.
Hmm, English.
“Shit.”
You slump on your desk, pacer lolling away to the side. Your worst subject has arrived. An essay has to be written. It’s taunting you. The problem description is doing a little mirthful jig on the page. A glass ceiling has suddenly formed above you and you are only equipped with a toothpick.
You feel like procrastinating. In fact, you have packed your stationery away and moments away from standing up when a sudden urge grasps you.
No, it says. Stop what you are doing.
Hold the fuck up!
>>Takashi's hands: Quiver.
You can’t give up here. The essay is a daunting task, but is by no means impossible! You are so close from breaking the glass ceiling and becoming of DECENT intelligence. What does your nee-san say all the time?
“I believe in you, Takashi.”
Yes, that’s it. You have the capabilities to park your ass down and concentrate. You have the potential to scrawl your t’s and dot your i’s. It’s not like you’re braindead; you can write this essay. You can excel in it. You can achieve those coveted high marks!
Even though your mother covers herself with an air of strictness and coolness, she has placed your faith in you? Do you want to disappoint her? Did you forget how joyous she was when you received your Persona? She was so happy because she now knew you could reach your full potential. So, why are you trying to run away, then? If you take the coward's way out, you'll regret it for the rest of your life. You'll be sitting in the English exam and the essay question will pop up and you'll be all like, "OH GOD WHY DIDN'T I STUDY FOR THE EXAM MY LIFE IS RUINED FOREVER."
And Celeste will probably tease at you at lunchtime or something, because she's a natural English speaker and you're not.
But ANYWAY.
Just do it.
You are so close from achieving greatness! Believe in the you who can be good at his studies!
Sit down, grab your pencil and JUST DO IT!
>Roll 1d20
>Best out of three.
Rolled 11 (1d20)
>>43660721
Rolled 2 (1d20)
>>43660721
Rolled 3 (1d20)
>>43660721
>>43660622
>Akikazu
not to worry, 4 star units can still compete!
>Celeste
she have been 2 star, but she's already "recovered" to 3 star! Buy now and "repair" her original star ranking!
>>43660721
>pacer lolling away to the side
>>43660750
>>43660737
>>43660733
Rolled 7 (1d20)
>>43660721
I think I'm late, but fuck it.
>>43660733
>>43660737
>>43660750
Shit, maybe we can ask our sister for help.
>>43660733
>>43660737
>>43660750
Guess we gave up and started playing vidya gaems
>>43660752
4 stars are acceptable anything lower than that is exp or skill fodder for other units.
>>43660785
She already left for work tonight.
Next time, we should play some video games in english
>>43660819
>Metal Gear
will Takashi fall asleep before actually getting to play?
>>43660851
I wonder how Metal Gear Rising VI is.
>>43660851
That or he's laughing his ass off at goddamn mooing battle robots
>>43660893
It's probably Metal Gear Solidly Rising 13: Phantom Peace Revengeance Zeroes Eater Patriots
Has Half-Life 3 been released?
>>43660893
Its been over 100 years. Final fantasy did 15 sequels + spinoffs in 30. Try MGR 41: The Re:Risening
>>436609312+1+2+9=14
4-1=3
It's definitely confirmed, maybe not released, though.
>>43660931Probably not.
>>43660807
>4 stars are acceptable anything lower than that is exp or skill fodder for other units.
Just wait until the next huge update adds 5 star forms for our current friends. Maybe Celeste gets a bikini version.
>>43661143
What about the Epic rare Celeste that only has smoke for clothes?
>>43661143
But can Celeste ignore def?
>>43661143
>5 stars
>not 6 stars
Scrub.
>>43661259
I want to play that game, but my browser crashes after about 30 minutes every time I try
>>43661295
Use botnet.
>>43661143
>Maybe Celeste gets a bikini version.
A passable attempt was made. The essay was completed in half the time that should have been allocated. In plain words, it’s rushed like the morning traffic on a Monday. You sigh and toss the sheet into the pile with the rest of your homework.
“Yeah, that’s enough for one night…”
>Your INTELLIGENCE has increased by 1 points!
You spend the rest of your time playing video games. Then you quit, because as cute as the anime girls in a typical JRPG are, grinding experience points for hours with no discernable reward is not fun.
[7:30 am, 26-Apr-2129 (TUESDAY)]
“Oh, good morning Takashi!” Shizuka greets you with a bright smile. She places a plate of sizzling food in front of you. “I tried cooking bacon and eggs today. Let me know how they taste.”
“Thanks nee-san.” You reply. You grab your chopsticks and dig in. The food tastes heavenly to your grumbling stomach. Shizuka’s squad once said she would make a great wife one day. You are inclined to agree.
Although…
If Shizuka does get a boyfriend…
It may be unlikely she ever gets one but still…
“Heh heh heh…”
Any man who dares to lay his hands on your beloved nee-san will have to go through you first. You, Daisuke, Viola, Tsugumi and the squad captain. It will be a bloody riot, one that tests the hypothetical boyfriend against the standards of the Wakui family. You think these words with a snarl, crushing your chopsticks in your palms.
Then you let go, because it stings.
Eating resumes.
“So, what’s happening today, Takashi?” Shizuka asks, once she has sat down with her own plate in front of her. “More studying for exams? Are you going to have a mock duel today? Oh, I think you have drama club in the afternoon. It was good thing you showed me your timetable.”
“Nah, today’s special.” You mumble through a mouth of soy-sauce coated egg. “Sports competition. I’m heading to the Silver Town Fitness Center after this.”
“Interesting!” Shizuka remarks. “Which sport?”
“Swimming. Doing the freestyle.”
“How do you feel about it?”
You contemplate your response.
>“I’m going to ace this.”
>“I’m not very confident in myself.”
>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
>“Who knows?”
>Custom option.
>>43661347
>1 point away
thorn pls
>>43661347
He should play better games.
>>43661379
>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
>>43661347
Keking us with 1 point away. That's cold.
>>43661379
>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
>>43661379
>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
>“Who knows?”
>>43661379
>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
>>43661379
>>“Who knows?”
>>43661379
>>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
Do it for her.png
>>43661379
>>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
>>43661379
>“I’m going to ace this.”
>>43661379
>>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
>>43661347
>grinding experience points for hours with no discernable reward is not fun.
>takashi doesn't multitask grinding
It's like you don't even spend an hour on planning the optimal mix of subquests to get everything done in one trip
>>43661379
Time to see if I measure up.
>>43661379
>>“I’m not very confident in myself.”
>>43661422
>Do it to her.png
ftfy
>off by 1
Fuck.
>>43661379
>Custom option.
"I'm confident that I won't embarrass myself, but not that I'll actually win."
>>43661422
>>43661439
>Die for me.png
ftftfy
Next time let's vote to play Shin Megami Tensei XIII.
>>43661379
>“No option but to try my best, nee-san.”
>>43661469
>XIII
Nyarly returns?
>>43661457
But she should already be on that level.
It's convincing others to do so that's tough.
>>43661469
But that's a load of propaganda.
>>43661469
I heard that game is the Dark Souls of Persona.
>>43661469
But does it feature Dante from Devil May Cry series?
>>43661529
Why is this a meme?
Hermit worst arcana.
>>43661621
No idea.
>>43661621
Dante was in SMT: Nocturne. That's probably what they're referencing.
>>43661621
>>43661856
But why is that a meme?
Back from lunch so I'm writing again. Here we go.
>>43661874
because /v/ is terrible place
“No option but to try my best, nee-san.” You say.
“That’s the spirit.” Shizuka leans forward and places a comforting hand upon your hair. She tussles it gently. “Do you best and even if you fail, you’ll have no regrets.”
“I did practice for like two days beforehand.” You say. “So my chances aren’t completely zero.”
Shizuka chews off a piece of bacon and gives you another smile. “I’m rooting for you, Takashi. Good luck!”
“Well, it’s not like this is anything close to a big deal.” You mutter. “Anyway, thanks.”
You finish eating breakfast and wash it all down with a glass of milk. Rules state you have to wear your school uniform even on excursions, so you return to your room to slip on the grey pants and white shirt. You shove your trunks and swimming goggles into your bag before waving goodbye to your sister and leaving the house.
She looks exhausted. It’s not unusual for her to be tired, but today she’s particularly out of it. Guess the Shadows lurking outside the city walls grew stronger for just one night. This tended to happen at times. Some days were bad for the Anti-Shadow Operatives, others were good. Similar to sailors and the tides, now that you think about it.
Nice breakfast though. Your older sister's endurance is incredible, as expected.
>>43662658
>Rules state you have to wear your school uniform even on excursions,
>>43662781
It's how my school did it.
>>43662812
But that sucks.
>>43662823
Yes. It was very unpleasant.
>>43662781
At least animu uniforms are cute
>>43662902
School uniforms are attempts by the establishment to shackle your body just as what is taught is an attempt to shackle your mind, wake up sheeple.
No sign of Celeste. She’s either sleeping in or gone ahead without you. It’s the latter, you say to yourself, given how energetic the orange-haired girl could be.
It’s another fine morning. A radiant sun shines down from above and there’s nary a cloud in the sky. The only way this would be better is if you weren’t the victim of some nightmarish videogame superimposing itself over reality, dragging you and your friends into battle after battle in a realm far beyond any rational and human comprehension.
But that’s beside the point.
[9:00 am, 26-Apr-2129 (TUESDAY)]
You arrive at the Silver Town Fitness Center. Place is massive, not uncommon for a building located inside the richest district of Akumachi City. A crowd of academy students, dressed in their house colors, mingle and squabble at the front entrance. The noise is near deafening. This is not to the taste of the regular patrons of the facility, who grimace and moan at the sight of hundreds of kids, but they’re not the ones who have dumped tens of thousands of Macca into this endeavour so what the hell can they do?
“Nope…” You sigh. No sign of Celeste or Akikazu.
A piercing wail bursts into the air, stemming from a malfunctioning microphone. It is soon corrected by a voluptuous, long-haired blonde girl standing at the front of the crowd. Oh, that’s the Student Council Vice-President. And there’s Eriko, the Student Council President standing next to her. She takes the microphone and raises it to her lips.
“Good morning everyone!” Eriko Ozaki chirps. “Did you all sleep well?”
The crowd half-heartedly replies with a mixture of ‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘Maybe’ and ‘Can we hurry up and go in?’.
“It’s my pleasure as the Student Council President to announce the beginning of the 2129 Inter-House Spring Sports Competition!” Eriko continues, having taken the grumbling as a yes. “Now, I had a wonderful speech lined up for this occasion, crafted from my fellow student council members and reviewed by several staff members…”
>>43662957
My school had the gall to try to claim that the students requested the school switch to using uniforms, back in the eighties. Even if that was true, they of course refused to acknowledge any petitions by the current student body to change back.
Eriko raises a finger to her lips and glances off into the distance. “…buuuut, I think we’ve stood around for long enough. There’s a time and place for my long-winded speeches, usually at the end of the year. It’s best if we just get right to the action. Who doesn’t want to get stuck into basketball, table tennis or swimming right this instant? I know I do.” She grins. “So, using my authority as the Student Council President, I hereby announce that the Inter-House Spring Sports Competition has begun! Good luck to all participants, may you all bring victory to your Houses and may the best House win! Thank you!”
Perplexed, the teachers have no choice but to let the crowd of students surge into the building.
As you shuffle forward, your ears catch a glimpse of the conversation between Eriko and the Vice-President.
“Eriko…you planned this, didn’t you?”
“Ehhh? I have no idea what you’re saying.”
“You have that innocent look on your face again. As if butter wouldn’t melt.”
“Mmm, do I?”
“Please tell me you’re not going to do this at the end of year ceremony.”
“Of course not! Who do you take me for? I just wanted to have a little fun today, is all.”
“Good…good…”
“Besides, even if I do somehow blunder, I’ll have you to back me up, Vice-President!”
“That’s not what you should be taking from this!”
…
You get seated in the swimming pool area. It takes up roughly 40% of the entire facility, with rows upon rows of bleachers and an extensive set of changing rooms for both sexes (but not androids). You sit down in area marked out by House FALCO and check your timetable.
The 50 meters freestyle for group C won’t begin until a while later. You are free to do whatever you wish, as long as you don’t leave the bounds of the facility.
You’ll only have the time to do one of these, however…
So pick wisely.
>Check out table tennis.
>Check out basketball.
>Check out swimming.
>Wander aimlessly around the facility.
>Look for your friends.
>Custom option.
>>43662999
>Check out basketball.
>>43662999
>Look for your friends.
>>43662999
>Look for your friends.
>>43662999
>look for your friends
>>43662999
>Wander aimlessly around the facility.
>>43662999
>Look for your friends.
>>43662999
>Wander aimlessly around the facility.
>>43662999
>>Look for your friends.
>>43662999
>Wander aimlessly around the facility.
>>43662999
>Look for your friends.
>>43662999
>dat fang
Glad to know, even in there far distant future, Japan still cannot into dentistry.
>>43662999
>Look for your friends.
>>43662999
Can we check if the AETHER notification has become any less scrambled?
>>43663119
>Thinking her parents didn't pay good money to give their designer baby that fang.
>>43663172
Having seen what passes for a "cute fang" irl, I can't imagine her parents being that cruel.
>>43663245
>Japan
>>43662999
>>Look for your friends.
>>43662999
>>Look for your friends.
Moh Shuvuu best girl!
>>43663815
Wrong.
>>43663815
That's not how you spell pixie.
>>43663815
>>43663835
No, the squatters ruined that for her, remember? She can't remain competitive with our other Personas for long, soon enough she will stop being Best Girl.
>>Takashi: Look for your friends.
You wander around the facility. First choice is the area you’re currently in. Right now the 100m butterfly kick for Group A is beginning. You eye Kanami diving into the water and powering her away across the length of the pool.
“The winner is Kanami Ishimura from House ENGEL!” The announcer, the type of kid whose voice can sway thousands, shouts. “Congratulations! ENGEL receives ten points!”
Kanami pulls herself out of water, droplets glistening on her pale white skin. This would be a hypnotizing scene for you, if her chest wasn't a total washing-board. She hears the cheers and cries of her fellow house members, then ignores them. Grabbing a towel, she swivels her head left and right, as if searching for a special person.
She got someone, alright.
“Oh.” She says, expressionless. “It’s you, Takashi.”
“Why the hell do you sound so dejected?” You ask.
Kanami continues to look for Takauji, her ‘fiancee’. She carries the hope in her heart that he would soon arrive.
But nobody, aside from the staff members, came…
>>43663964
>This would be a hypnotizing scene for you, if her chest wasn't a total washing-board.
>implying that isn't hypnotizing
Fuck our character has shit taste.
>>43663964
>This would be a hypnotizing scene for you, if her chest wasn't a total washing-board.
Flat is justice, scrublord.
>>43663991
>>43663997
I'm sure he's just subconsciously coming up with reasons not to perv on his friend's girl.
>>43663964
>having this much of shit taste
This is because Takauji, of House BOXER, is facing off with House ALPHA in a basketball matches. You spot Kaz Inaba at his side, guarding the rebound area. He winks and give you a wave. You respond with a thumbs up.
Takauji, however, seems to be regretting his life decisions. For what reason? The Student Council Vice President, Rinako Ichimonji, is charging forward like the great deity Sleipnir on steroids, a bloodthirsty grin on face and the prized basketball bouncing in her right hand.
“HERE I COME!” she roars and charges past the entire mass of BOXER defenders at once. Both teams are left completely in the dust. Her sheer speed renders Takauji useless. The rest of the boys too, although that’s more due to the outstanding lumps extruding from Rinako’s upper body.
Only a tiny fragment of hope remains. Kaz Inaba blocks the way! Sweat trickles down his face, but there’s a stance of iron will and raw determination on full display. He smirks, revealing brilliantly shining teeth. “I’m afraid I can’t let you pass, Rinako-chan!” He announces this with the confidence of a Justice user!
“Out of the way, Kaz!” Rinako shouts, “I’m gonna pound you into dirt!”
“Heh…to think I used to underestimate you. You’ve grown splendidly, Rinako-chan! I will accept your feelings—”
But it’s too late. Rinako has already charged past the drama club captain, blazing a trail of dust behind her. The pounding of the basketball are like the drums of war, bouncing throughout the entire stadium. She takes an almighty leap, raises her hand in a triumphant arc and slams the ball down into the net.
“GEEEEEET…DUUUUNNNKEED!” She screams for the entire court, along with the other teams playing, to hear.
Her team gains two points.
>>43664112
Takauji is in House BOXER? Well, that's some nominative determinism, right there.
>>43664112
Worst haganai.
>>43664112
>“GEEEEEET…DUUUUNNNKEED!”
I didn't know we had League in this setting.
>>43663991
>>43663997
>>43664112
isn't sleipnir only a demigod? it's odins eight-legged horse right? The one that came around when loki accidentally got himself plowed by a stallion? or is this a persona thing I'm missing
>>43664174
Get out Australia.
>>43664193
You and I both know they were not talking about adults with flat chests.
>>43664188
The answer to all of those is Yes
>>43664209
Those girls are 1000 years old, your honour.
>>43664229
The actual number does not matter, are they of the age of consent for their species yes or no?
>>43664112
>Vice-Prez posterizes Inaba
FUCK
>>43664112
>women's basket ball
>in Japan
>dunking
>>43664289
>Persona and/or cybernetic augs.
>>43664289
Not just women's basketball, co-ed basketball. She just broke everyone's ankles.
It isn’t enough. Not by a smile.
“Come on, hurry up…” she pants.
The Vice President has gone into complete overdrive. She’s practically foaming excitement at the mouth. You thought she was the cool blue beauty to Eriko’s fiery red passion, but it turns out both of them are equally as crazy. They really are a perfect match for each other. You pity Takauji, having to face against Akumachi-Kirijo’s Number Five.
“Ichimonji has gone on another rampage.” You hear Veleis-sensei comment on the sidelines, voice dull and flat. “We may have to explain this to the facility later on.”
“Ah, let her have fun.” Sachi Watanabe replies to his wife. “She’s a composed and calm girl outside the court, so it’s fine.”
“Why basketball, of all sports?”
You decide to leave them alone.
You enter the table tennis area. Clacks and pings of plastic balls striking against thick wooden paddles blast through the room. You spot Celeste facing off a pair of DERHAM opponents. She looks very busy, so you opt to leave her alone.
“Oh, hello there!”
Yoshino Sagisawa bumbles over, dressed in her sports gear and clutching a clipboard in her right hand. “Hello, Wakui-san.”
“Hi, captain.” You say. “What’s up?”
“A lot of things. I was just checking our house’s participation.” There are noticeable dark rings around Yoshino’s eyes. Her breath comes out deep and ragged. It also smells of cheap convenience store coffee. This is not a woman who got a great of sleep last night.
She yawns. “There’s a bunch of other stuff I need to do. Then I’ve got a 100m freestyle relay to take part in. So busy…”
>“See you, then.”
>“Want me to help?”
>“You should take better care of yourself.”
>“Best of luck, captain.”
>Custom option.
>>43664381
>“Want me to help?”
>>43664381
>“Want me to help?”
>“You should take better care of yourself.”
We've got time before our event still, right?
>>43664381
>>“Want me to help?”
>>“You should take better care of yourself.”
>>43664381
>“Want me to help?”
Need more Social Links.
>>43664381
>“Want me to help?”
>“Best of luck, captain.”
>>43664381
>>“Want me to help?”
>>“You should take better care of yourself.”
Pretty obvious choices.
>>43664381
>“You should take better care of yourself.”
>“Want me to help?”
>>43664381
>“Want me to help?”
>“Best of luck, captain.”
>>43664381
>“Want me to help?”
>>43664381
>"Want me to help?"
>>43664381
>“Want me to help?”
>>43664324
So if Persona augmentation is allowed why even have the houses compete? Just check their Personas and say X house wins because they have best cheaty demons from muh sea of the unconscious. Because if its allowed, skill don't mean shit.
>>43664481
>implying that isn't the point
Non purse-owners users are third class citizens and those with weak purseowners are second class.
>>43664481
Persona Augmentation is itself a skill, so it's still a competition based on how well you use your abilities rather than the intrinsic strength of the abilities. Having a stronger Persona would give you an advantage, but not an unbeatable one given that Personas can themselves be strengthened through training. So anyone complaining about how it's not fair because the other person's Persona is too strong would just be looked down on for not having gotten their Persona to that level yet.
>>43664481
>This is what weakfags actually believe.
>>43664589
I bet he can't survive in a world of STR
>>43664481
Learn to survive in a world of strength, failure as a human.
>>43664534
Super. I get that, but have yet to see a single thing that implies Persona augmentation is allowed in these events. Which means a 5 something a girl with useless meat performed something like 4 foot vertical jump. Which is the most immersion breaking thing in 22 threads.
>>43664611
>>43664622
>Thinking that martials don't just exist for casters to amuse themselves with.
>>43664557
Aren't some cards inherently more powerful than others? The student council president is considered a big deal partly because she has Judgment.
>>43664657
>every system is post 2ed Dnd!
>>43664644
>yet to see a single thing that implies Persona augmentation is allowed in these events
....dude.this is a school that regularly sanctions persona fights, and advocates the mastery of Persona powers. What makes you think they would forbid augmentation in a physical match?
>>43664643
I like this one more.
>>43664672
Yes, but not overwhelmingly so. I figure it's probably considered to be the equivalent of good genes. Sure, it helps. but it's not the end-all determining factor.
>>43664694
And what makes you think they would allow them for a sports competition? Something that is suppose to reflect the students hard work, not the powers they were born into and never had to do shit with if they were good enough?
>>43664692
Martials only purpose is that they can throw their life away so that casters can save their mana for things that actually mater.
>>43664753
>>43664742
>not the powers they were born into and never had to do shit with if they were good enough?
Communist detected.
>>43664742
Hard work also develeops strong personas. Besides some people are inherently better than others even without taking the personas into account.
>>43664765
>>43664742
But that's wrong. They had to train to learn how to use them for Persona Augmentation instead of summoning punch ghosts.
>>43664742
>hard work
have you completely forgotten how hard it is to do any amount of augmentation, for NON-reactionary motions?
>>43664765
>Martials thinking they matter compared to the gods that are casters.
>>43664657
>>43664896
>>43664794
>>43664765
>>43664753
>>43664692
You are all complete faggots. Magic knights are where it's at.
Still writing...
>>43664923
>Magic knights
funny way to spell Witchers
>>43664923
>Magic knights
>Magic
>>43664923
Appease my autism: Is persona augmentation allowed in this competition?
>>43664980
Yes, Persona augmentation is difficult to pull off and is considered to be a mark of strength and power if successfully achieved. It's part of the natural body and is thus allowed. However, buffs and debuffs (Tarukaja, Sukunda etc) are forbidden and students cannot from use any skills to interfere with each other or the surrounding areas.
Using your Persona's innate power to give you enhanced speed is perfectly fine, though. Which is what Rinako did.
This would not be the case if Akumachi-Kirijo was mixed (containing both awakened and the non-awakened).
“Want me to help?” You offer. “It’s not like I’m doing anything at the moment.”
“Eh, really? Don’t you have a race up soon? You’re doing the 50m freestyle, if I recall correctly.”
“That won’t be for a while.” You respond. “Look, if you really don’t me to I’ll…you’re freaking out now, senpai.”
Yoshino looks as if all her Christmases and holidays have come at once. The ones where she isn’t buried beneath work, that is. “No no no, I’d be happy to. To tell you the truth, I’m quite overloaded. Ah, but please don’t tell anyone I said that. I wouldn’t want to them be left with a bad impression on me. I’m the new captain and I have to do my utmost to maintain and deliver our House to success. I really think this position was handed to me by luck but even so I refuse to let everyone down…”
“Senpai, you’re rambling.” You say, firmly. You snap your fingers. She jerks out of her daze.
“Sorry!” she squeaks. “Okay okay, ways you can help. First of all, there are a bunch of boxed lunches that need to be delivered to the staff members. If you could get on that I would be grateful. But don’t let any of these jobs interfere with your assigned activities. They take first priority!”
“Got it. I’ll be off, then.”
You end up heaving plastic boxes from the fitness center canteen to the three sports areas. The moment you put the last one down, it’s five minutes until the start of the Group C 50m freestyle race begins. You dash from the basketball courts towards the changing rooms like a madman, shoving students aside in your stride.
“Whew! Barely made it!” It’s slightly cold. Your body shivers as you step out of the changing room, dressed in nothing but your trunks and goggles. “So it’s go time, huh?”
You’re nervous. This is undeniable. There is a tumbling sensation within your stomach. You swallow and try to force it down. Your duty is simple. Swim fifty meters. That’s all. If you give it your all, you won’t have any regrets and nobody will fault you.
