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existential-fox · 7 years

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Persona 5 Review

I’ve had time to digest this game fully, to reflect on it, and to consider the full impact of the characters, story, gameplay, and themes. I can say in all confidence that this is a tremendously fun and quirky game that has kept me entertained throughout, however there are some small criticisms that I’d love to see ATLUS improve upon in their next work. They do not detract from the overall package but tending to them would most certainly enhance the experience.

Criticisms-

My number one criticism is going to be the repetition of some segments of the game and dialogue. I think it’s necessary to address this and not brush it under the rug as improving on this will make for a more streamline, concise, and engaging game overall.

When I speak of repetition I speak of over used battle dialogue, of dialogue sections where the characters say the same thing over and over but in different ways, of the same song being used throughout the game for standard battle (and it’s a darn good song don’t get me wrong),and palace text reminders. I am not saying that the dialogue needs to be taken away, or even that more has to be added, but that simply sometimes silence is preferable over hearing the same line three times in a row when critical striking enemies. There’s simply too much of it, and while I love some of the battle dialogue (”IT’S TIME FOR SOME BLOOD SHED”) the enormous amount of the same line doesn’t make it feel special or intimate with your teammate, but simply annoying. This certainly isn’t restricted to Persona 5. I think it’s a JRPG trend of sorts but it’s something I feel can be improved upon.

Likewise, I love the story segments of the game but I feel they would flow better with a little less of different characters saying the same thing. I get this is probably a way to help each individual have a part to play but it feels more tedious then constructive, especially when getting to a juicy part and not being able to throw yourself into the plot because it seems to have halted for characters to all have input. I don’t think this is as bad as the battle quotes but it’s still something that could be looked at.

The song thing is...debatable. I love the boss themes and they feel special enough to be enjoyable whenever they come up, however I think a standard theme for each Palace would not be inadvisable. This is a JRPG trend since Final Fantasy and others have often had the same standard battle, but while I have many criticisms of FF XV I do have to note that they did mix up their themes in their large world and having something similar in Persona 5 would not go amiss.

The Palace texts are annoying after a while. I understand for the first palace it is necessary so a new player will not forget, but it gets to a point where you really don’t need to be told every day. You know. Have some faith in players, and if they end up missing it and dying then it’s completely on their head.

My second criticism is a more subjective one. Ryuji. I love this guy. He’s a little blonde and hot headed but he has a massive heart and a determination that can’t be matched easily. However the treatment in parts of the game vary from buttmonkey to full on punching bag. I didn’t like it. In comparison Yusuke and Futaba’s bickering was a lot more enjoyable as they both got the upper hand at points. But Ryuji is always the punching bag to absolutely everyone. Even his amazing moment at the end of Palace 7 is tarnished by a quick “comedy” segment of all the girls beating him up rather then actually fully acknowledging what he did for everyone. Especially considering he.is.a.domestic.abuse.survivor. I can’t say how this could be improved on in another game as it will have different characters, but please...please...don’t shit on one character for the entirety of the game for “comedy”. It gets old and fails to highlight the character’s positives.

The stealth mechanic is strange to handle sometimes I will say. It never mucked up my game but it is frustrating sometimes when you leave cover without meaning to or can’t jump to another cover spot easily even though you know one is there.

The only other criticism I would have is Mementos. It’s too easy. I found palaces challenging and fun, but Mementos a slog at times. I think they did well to include teammate banter and weather affecting how Mementos is, but it feels a little empty still. I don’t expect the puzzles of the palaces but a few optional challenges could be fun- kill ten enemies in a certain time, negotiate with a persona perfectly or end up fighting twice as many, use such and such team members only, etc.- and add in some tempting rewards like lockpick ingredients or SP rewarding items. My ideas are completely pulled out of the air but you get the picture.

Positives-

Despite all I just said it’s amazing to see how far they’ve improved upon Persona 4 with this game. Social Links/Confidants are a lot more integral to the gameplay and the overall theme of the story. Palaces are unique, atmospheric, and challenging. The music is the best it’s ever been imo. The gameplay has enough going on to keep it fresh with critical strikes, negotiations, guns, stealth, baton passes and so on. I spent most of my game using Yusuke, Makoto, and Ann but I mixed it up in the end simply because I had to with the last two big bosses. Every character has something to bring to the table that another doesn’t, whether that be Morgana being the healing powerhouse with critical luck strikes, or Yusuke with his hard hitting countering evasiveness.

Story wise this game is easily on par with Persona 4. This is rather subjective but I found myself enjoying the characters a lot more in this one. There isn’t a character I disliked, though there are certainly favorites that I have! I felt that all the characters (and this includes confidants) had a struggle I could relate to. They have all been made to feel taken advantage of or that they don’t belong in what they truly want to do. Fitting in with the theme of what happens in the end, Persona 5′s confidants are all about their relationship with society as much as with the MC you control. They all wear masks because they don’t feel they can show “the true them” in the world they live in. As an existential counsellor I want to say here that a lot of what is said is spot on in regards to the human condition and how we present ourselves. While I didn’t manage to maximise all of the links, I can say Yusuke’s route was my definite favorite due to exactly those reasons above. His route isn’t just the presentation of the human condition of existence, but he actively questions it and debates it while trying to find the answer to his art block. It’s hilarious to watch at times too as this naive art student baffles himself with the concept of love and what it means to different people.

And the humor is on point too. There were several times I was laughing out loud at something a team mate said or a situation they had gotten themselves into. The game most definitely has it’s serious and emotional moments but it hits you just as hard with it’s quirky sense of humor and narm.

The last thing I wanted to talk about was the overarching story and themes.The story tells you that what you see on the surface isn’t always the same underneath, but that both of these sides can equally be true. Polite and studious Makoto doesn’t go away when she embraces her anger inside and her need to stand up for herself, it simply enhances who she already is in both roles. Of course this doesn’t always mean everything we hold inside is true as we see with Futaba but it’s by looking deeply at our own selves that we are able to identify that truth for ourselves rather then running away or living a lie. The game presents people as complex and nuanced (which again is why I love Yusuke’s link as it emphasizes this) rather then as straight up villains or heroes. True, people like Kamoshida are certainly deplorable but the game gives you an understanding in his treasure being an olympic medal, it doesn’t simply present him as evil for the sake of it. The main characters question their motives constantly and even get much too wrapped up in the idea of fame at a certain point. Which is understandable as the game has given ample time to establishing this cast have been ignored and cast aside by society, so of course they would get caught up in it.

The theme of freedom is ever present in the story: the freedom to be yourself, the freedom to make your own choices, the freedom to change, the freedom to help change society etc. The main character is on probation, accused of a crime when he was defending a woman from assault, and a lot of emphasis is put on “whether he is ready to face the consequences of his actions”. I don’t think these words are said lightly or simply meant in terms of an unfair trial. The main character chose to save that woman. Ryuji chose to punch Kamoshida, Ann chose to ignore Kamoshida’s requests to the detriment of her friend. Yusuke chose to ignore the truth of what Madarame was doing. etc. etc. And while in all these instances a person of power has an unfair degree of power over those characters, I think it can also be said that we will always face consequences for our actions and have some responsibility for that. Because we are responsible for our own lives and the world we create for ourselves. I’m truly not saying it is wrong to protect a woman from assault (it’s not), but I’m saying that in doing so you take on the burden of whatever comes next from that decision, good or bad. In that way we are all prisoners of fate, but at the same time we are all free to thus choose how to live our lives.

And that leads me to my very last point. My favorite part of the theme. That we all have our own worlds and have a choice on how we construct them. The world is as real as we make it and perspectives can be changed, as we can change ourselves.

"The whole world is a product of cognition... not just the Metaverse. It can be freely re-made. The same goes for you, and everyone else. Soon a new world will come. One where mankind isn't held captive. The world will shine brightly as long as you hold hope in your hearts. Remember... There's no such thing as the "real" world. What each person sees and feels - those are what shape reality. This is what gives the world infinite potential. Even if you feel that only darkness lies ahead... As long as you hold hands together... See it through as one... the world will never end! The world exists within all of you!"

This is Morgana basically telling the cast and you, the player, that we all have the freedom to change the worlds we exist in. It’s not static, fixed, or fated, it is something we have the power to change even when we feel powerless, we just might need some help from other worlds or people when we feel stuck in order to bring about a new change. It is imperative we don’t forget that as while external factors may have a degree of power over us, the world we shape within ourselves is completely of our own design.

Anyway I’m giving this game 9.8/10 and Yusuke is the best character.

#persona 5 #review #video games

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jikanet-tanaka · 7 years

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Fanfic - Radiant Historia - Nornir - Arcana VI

Chapter Title: The Lovers Rating: T Characters: Pretty much the entire RH cast Summary: A Radiant Historia/Persona crossover (or an attempt to show just how much more nakama power I can squeeze out of both of these universes). Big spoilers for the end of RH, so do not read if you haven’t finished the game!

“You’re going on a date?” Sophia squealed.

“No. I’m going to see a movie.”

“With a girl,” Sophia said. “You’re going to the movies with a girl.”

“Does it make any difference?” a deadpan Stocke replied. “I’ve gone to the movies hundreds of times before with Rosch. Friends go see movies together. That’s a thing.”

“You’re friends with Raynie?” asked Eruca, the same time their mother grabbed her face with both hands and exclaimed, “You are going on a date, omigosh!”

Disclaimer: Both game series belong to Atlus. Read it on FF.net Read it on AO3

(<-- Arcana V / Table of contents / Arcana VII -->)

- Nornir - - A Radiant Historia/Persona Crossover - Arcana VI : The Lovers

"There is both joy and wonder in coming to understand another."

Nyx Avatar, Persona 3.

"You sure you're not just overreacting?" Sonja told Stocke soothingly. "I mean, yes, these five deaths are freaky, but…"

"Maybe there's no link between this case and what's happening now, huh?" Rosch added. "And even if there was, it doesn't mean that we're going up against someone with five murders under their belt… right?"

Stocke groaned, passing a hand through his hair. The constant clamour of the other students as they spoke and laughed and shouted was starting to weight down on him. He'd always hated the noisiness the school cafeteria. "I don't know. It was just… this feeling that I had."

Sonja's smile wavered "Maybe you're right. It's just, well, that I really hope that you're wrong."

"I know," a dejected Stocke said.

"You could always needle your uncle for some info," Sonja proposed. "These events happened after he graduated, but maybe he still knows something."

Stocke scoffed. "No. Not happening. If he ever catches a whiff of what's happening to me, I'll have him breathing down my neck the whole year."

"What about the two kids who were attacked by the Shadows?" said Rosch. "They've woken up yet?"

Sonja leaned on her steepled hands. "No, I don't think so. The first kid is at my parents' hospital. Her name is Mimel Desjardins. She's still in middle school…" Her voice had lowered to a horrified whisper.

"What about the other one?"

"He's called Bram Crow," said Stocke. "I've talked to his brother a couple of times. There's nothing unusual about these two, as far as I can tell."

"The attacks happened before school started, right?" Sonja pondered. "Why were they on school ground even though the semester hadn't begun?"

Stocke leaned back into his chair with a sigh. "Sonja, do you think we could visit that girl? I don't think we'd learn anything, but…"

"It's worth a shot." Sonja replied with a shrug. "Maybe Hlín can tell me something new."

The first bell rang out, interrupting their conversation. Stocke, Sonja and Rosch gathered their things in silence amidst the chaos of their surroundings. Across the cafeteria, Stocke caught sight of his sister. Next to her were her friends Marco and Raynie. The black-haired girl was gesturing wildly, making Eruca laugh in response. Stocke's features softened for a bit. Soon, he lost sight of them in the thickening crowd.

Math class was a chore to slog through, and so was phys ed. Coach Garland was well loved by the student body, but he just could not understand that Stocke was a lost cause when it came to team sports. Stocke have never saw the appeal in throwing a ball around. He was looking forward to the next semester, where they would finally switch from soccer to track and field. At least it wouldn't be expected of him to work on his social skills then.

After the end of the last period, Stocke made a beeline for the most beaten-up pick-up truck in the school parking lot. Rosch had bought his car from Sonja's grandfather; the old man had lovingly kept the ancient thing in working order for several decades. In a show of goodwill, Mr. Silverberg had also paid for the driving aid that allowed Rosch to travel the roads safely. Now that he was retired, it was Sonja who continued her beloved opa's meticulous maintenance. She loved the venerable vehicle as much as he did – or perhaps even more.

Stocke's two friends were already waiting for him next to the car.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Rosch asked as they all climbed inside. "We're not family or anything. Are we really allowed to go in her hospital room?"

"We just have to be sneaky," Sonja said. "If there's any trouble, let me take care of it."

Rosch shot Sonja a bewildered look through the rear-view mirror. "Wait, you want us to break the rules? You chew me up every time I just think about not handing in my homework. Who are you and what did you do with our Sonja?"

Stocke crossed his arms in front of his chest, a corner of his mouth quirking in a half-smile. Sonja huffed a little.

"Just drive," she told Rosch dryly.

"Yes, ma'am!" Rosch said, with a touch of unnecessary zeal.

The lobby on the first floor had been decorated with a homely touch, making the hospital a more welcoming place than it truly had the right to be. Cute, huggable plushies were lined in a neat row behind the front glass of the gift shop. A corner of the waiting room boasted brightly coloured walls that were covered with friendly-looking cartoon characters. A few children were seated there; they played in eerie silence under the exhausted gazes of their parents.

The clerk at the help desk presented a wide smile to Sonja as she walked up to him. Stocke did not return the guy's amiable expression, although Rosch managed a feeble grin. Soon, thanks to Sonja's prodding, they obtained the number to Mimel's room and indications as to how to get there. Stocke kept his head lowered as they travelled to their destination. Next to him, Sonja moved stiffly, uncharacteristically quiet. Thankfully enough, none of the hospital staff seemed willing to pay them any mind.

Stocke's eyes flicked from one room number to the next. He quickened the pace when he noticed they were getting closer. That was a mistake; he was so absorbed by his task he rammed headfirst into someone as he turned a corner. Stocke bit down a curse, muttering an apology instead. His unfortunate victim only came up to his chest. The chubby, bespectacled boy adjusted his kitten-eared woollen hat with a grumpy expression before looking up at Stocke. Something that resembled alarm settled on his features.

"Marco?" said Stocke as he recognized the kid. "It's Marco, isn't it?"

Marco had gone red as a fire hydrant. "Y-Yeah. I remember you. You're Eruca's brother, r-right?"

Stocke noticed he was carrying a plush mouse. Sonja's expression softened at the sight of the toy.

"F-Funny seeing you here," Marco stuttered. "What are you guys doing?"

"We're, uh, visitin' someone…" Rosch mumbled back.

"What about you?" said Sonja.

Marco clutched his plush toy against his chest. He hadn't met their gazes once. "I was leaving, actually," he replied in a squeak. "Uh, see you at school, I guess?"

And before Stocke could reply, the boy had scuttled away.

"He's one of Eruca's friends, isn't he?" Sonja asked Stocke. "I think I saw him a couple of times at school."

"Mh-hm," Stocke replied laconically.

"Poor kid," said Rosch. "I wonder what's gotten him so freaked out."

"And why he's such in a hurry," Stocke added. He eyed the door closest to him. It bore the room number they'd all been looking for. "We should make this quick. The visiting hours are nearly over."

Sonja nodded and pushed open the door. Without a word, Stocke and Rosch followed her inside, the latter nearly bumping his head on the low doorframe.

The curtains had been drawn, leaving the room in only the faint light of a flickering fluorescent bulb. The small, slight form of a sleeping girl was laying in the hospital bed, her pallid skin stretched tautly across her cheeks. Her hair was dyed a vivid shade of green; still, upon closer look, Stocke could see quite a bit of brown showing at the roots. Her chest rose and fell in a slow, steady rhythm. Nothing unusual appeared on the EKG monitor, the faint sound of her heartbeat beeping in a steady rhythm. Sonja puffed out a loud exhalation through her nose.

"Nothing seems out of the ordinary," was her prognostic. "Although…" She inched closer to the girl. "I – well, Hlín – kind of sense something…"

"What is it?" said Stocke.

"It reminds me of… of a Shadow," she elaborated, lower lip trembling. "Oh my god… there's… there's a Shadow inside of her!"

"Goddammit!" Rosch growled.

"Can we get it out?" Stocke said sharply.

Sonja shook her head slightly. "I… I don't know… It doesn't feel like the other Shadow I've seen. My Shadow was so… chaotic. Aggressive. This one… well, it's as if it just wants to stay put. Like it's dormant, but not dead."

Gently, she took one of Mimel's hands. Behind Sonja, Stocke could spy a shimmering silhouette. Hlín hovered a bit above the ground, her form barely discernible in the gloominess of the room.

"So, the Shadow's not doing anything?" asked Rosch. "Why is she still in a coma, then?"

Sonja did not answer. Her face grew whiter by the second as she continued to gaze at Mimel, mute with horror.

Stocke moved to touch her shoulder. Before he could open his mouth and say something, however, the door slid open. A nurse looked up from her clipboard. She frowned as she caught sight of the three teenagers shuffling awkwardly around the hospital bed. In the blink of an eye, Sonja was flashing her a syrupy smile. In contrast, Rosch looked like he'd just been caught in the middle of some sordid crime. Stocke's expression remained stone.

"Visiting hours are over," the nurse said, her voice tinted with suspicion. "I'm sorry, kids, but I'm going to ask you to leave."

In a scatter of little blue lights, Hlín disappeared. Sonja gave a nervous little giggle. "I-I see. We were about to leave anyway. S-Sorry about the inconvenience…"

"It's no big deal." A sad little smile played on the nurse's lips. "It's good that she gets people comin' over. Poor dear…"

Stocke's eyes were drawn to the figure sunken in the mattress. A lump formed in his throat as guilt washed over him. Of course he could not tell the nurse, but in truth they had not come here to offer Mimel some much needed company. Stocke silently apologized to the sleeping girl for the deception.

They left Mimel's room in uncomfortable silence. Sonja walked ahead of Stocke and Rosch at a brisk pace, her face still flushed with shame and misery. Stocke threw occasional glances at Rosch. The latter's face mirrored Stocke's own worry.

After the three of them had gotten into Rosch's truck, Stocke finally addressed Sonja.

"So, what else have you found? You saw something else through Hlín, right?"

Sonja seemed to mull over Stocke's words as Rosch started the car.

"I wouldn't know how to describe it," she told Stocke. "The Shadow's definitely doing something to her, but I don't know what it is." She massaged her temples and groaned. "And now my head's killing me…"

"We'll get you home so you can get some rest," Rosch said as he drove them out of the hospital parking lot.

Sonja gave another peeved grunt. "This would be easier if I just knew what I was looking for! Ugh, this is like looking for a needle in a haystack!"

Her words were met with more silence on Stocke and Rosch's parts.

"That nurse didn't see Hlín," Stocke said suddenly.

"Yeah," Rosch's fingers drummed along the edges of the steering wheel. "That was weird. Figured she'd say something about some giant lady made of light, huh?"

"I'm not surprised," Sonja added. "I mean, no one ever noticed the Shadows at school, right?"

"It's true," Stocke confirmed. "I guess it's the same for Personas."

Sonja sighed. "Well, that's a nice thing to know, but that doesn't tell us anything useful, now, does it?"

"Maybe, maybe not," Rosch said. "I just think we should take a break for now. My brain's turning to mush."

"Yeah," Stocke agreed. He closed his eyes, sensing a weariness settling in his bones. "I'm the same. Let's worry about this tomorrow."

Still, the next day brought nothing new to the table. The lesser Shadows continued to prowl the school grounds, never showing any hint that they might be under the sway of a more powerful member of their kind. Still, at the end of the day, Stocke made a careful patrol of the surrounding area. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

It was only on the next morning that they finally obtained some much needed answers.

The moment Stocke caught sight of Sonja before the first bell rang out, he knew something was amiss. She spent the first two periods in an obviously inattentive mood, leaving Stocke ill at ease. When came lunch break, she dragged Stocke and Rosch out to the school courtyard with no explanation, ignoring their interrogations in a rude manner that was very unlike her. They sat down in a secluded corner, far from the prying eyes of the other students.

"I, uh," Sonja began, "I've looked into Mimel's case a bit and…"

"Looked into Mimel's case?" said Stocke. "What do you mean?"

Sonja looked askance. "I, well, I've taken a peek into her medical files—"

Rosch's eyes popped a little. "You what? Sonja, you could have landed into some big trouble!"

"I know, I know," Sonja replied, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "But desperate times call for desperate measures, right?"

"So, what does it say?" Stocke asked.

Sonja wrung her hands together. "There's… nothing. Nothing's wrong with her. She didn't suffer from a lack of oxygen or a stroke or any other medical reason that would explain why her nervous system just shut down. Her blood tests and CT scans show nothing abnormal. Physically speaking, there's nothing wrong with her. And yet, through Hlín I could sense that she was… fading away. As if the Shadow was… was…" She could not complete her thought.

"…as if it was feeding on her?" Stocke ventured.

Sonja looked downward, a choked sob escaping her lips. Rosch patted her arm. He'd gone abruptly pale as well.

"Still, her brain activity remains very high," Sonja managed after a while. "And I got the impression that she was… dreaming through all of this."

Dreaming, Stocke thought. For some reason, he remembered the vacant, faraway look in Sonja's eyes when she'd been all but certain that her deceased brother had come back to life. His stomach gave a lurch at the memory.

"That's all I could find," Sonja finished in a weak voice.

"It's already a lot," said Rosch. "Damn! To think that could have happened to us!"

"We need to be careful, then," said Stocke, "to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else." He glanced significantly at his bag, where, squeezed between a manual of integral calculus and a thick treatise about Alistellian history, the White Chronicle could be found. "Keep an eye out for people acting weird. It'll probably be the first sign that a time loop is about to start."

Rosch and Sonja both gave a grim nod. Around them the noises of typical school life went on, the other students unaware as always of the dark events unfolding within their midst. Stocke sent them a sweeping look. This time, who would be the unfortunate victim to fall prey to a dark, twisted mirror of their deepest desires? He paused on each face, feeling a knot forming in the pit of his belly.

To get the answer to that question, Stocke mused, I guess that means I've got to mingle more. Immediately as the thought crossed his mind, he sighed and buried his head in his hands.

Dammit. We're screwed. We're so screwed.

"Ernst! Ernst! Over here!"

Stocke dragged his feet to where his sister was waiting, far away from the crowd that was amassing outside the school entrance. Next to Eruca, Raynie was waving enthusiastically. Marco, on the other hand, was distinctly looking anywhere but in Stocke's direction.

"Heya!" Raynie said when Stocke reached the three of them. "It's good to see you, Stocke! How are you doing?"

"Fine, I guess," Stocke said.

"Rosch and Sonja didn't come with you?" Eruca inquired.

"They had to stay after school, because…" Stocke racked his brain to find a suitable excuse that wasn't, 'They're patrolling the place to see if anyone is possessed by an evil shadow monster.' Nothing came to mind. "Because… reasons."

Eruca blinked owlishly at him. "…huh?"

Stocke stifled a grunt of annoyance. He had wanted to accompany Sonja and Rosch on their search, but his two friends had all but bullied into leaving when classes had ended. Sonja had told him it was because she was worried he was not getting enough rest these days. Stocke knew instead it was because they didn't want his socially inept self to get in the way of their investigation.

"So you'll be coming home with Uncle and me, then?"

Stocke agreed in a mutter. Sonja and Rosch had promised to keep him updated on the situation at hand, but it didn't mean he was happy to be so useless.

Raynie flashed the two siblings a grin. "Then, I guess it's goodbye," she said. "Marc, you free tonight? Or d'you have practice with the band?"

"Huh?" Raynie's question seemed to have caught Marco by surprise. Until then, he had been staring forlornly to the side. "Um, n-no, I don't have anything planned…"

"Great! Do you think you could help me study for Prof. Heiss' next test? The guy's a friggin' sadist, I tell ya." Raynie grinned stupidly at Stocke and Eruca. "Uh, I meant no offense, you guys."

"None taken," Eruca replied, while Stocke fought the urge to say, 'You don't know half of it.'

"Do you want to go to your place?" Marco asked Raynie. "Or would you rather go to mine?"

"Yours," Raynie answered. "My foster mom's doing some kind of fundraising event tonight for charity and stuff, and I'd rather not get in the way."

"…your foster mom?" Eruca said in a puzzled tone. The moment the words left her lips, she clasped her hand in front of her mouth, her cheeks growing crimson. "Oh, s-sorry, I didn't mean to pry…"

Raynie snickered. "Pff, don't sweat it! It's no big deal!" Next to her, Marco pinched his mouth, his brows coming together in a knot.

"Well, let's get going, Marc!" Raynie eventually said, cutting through the tension now hanging in the air. "See you tomorrow, Eruca! And I guess we can catch up with each other on your next shift, huh, Stocke?"

"If you say so," Stocke told her.

"Good luck on your studying!" Eruca added. When Marco and Raynie were out of hearing range, she sent Stocke an inquisitive look. "What's that about your next shift?"

"She works at a store next to Mr. and Mrs. Norton's place," Stocke explained. "Her shifts often end at the same time as mine."

"Oh, I see. She hadn't told me." After a while, Eruca bit down her lip in a sheepish manner. "I guess I have to study for Uncle Heinrich's exam too, huh? I did well on the first test, but…"

Stocke snorted. "You could just ask him for some insider's tips. I'm sure he'd be happy to help. Gleeful, even." The man had certainly been eager to offer his aid when Stocke had been among his students. It had been annoying, even.

"Ernst, I don't think he'd let me cheat."

"Speaking of the devil…" Stocke jutted his chin at the parking lot, where they could see a certain familiar silhouette heading for their uncle's car. "…here's our ride home." His lips nearly twitched into a mischievous smirk. "Remember to ask him about exam questions. He'll tell you everything. Really. I'm not kidding."

Eruca elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up," she grumbled. But there was a smile playing along the edges of her mouth as well.

"So, nothing, huh?"

"Nope," Rosch said as he slumped over his desk. "Nothing, nada, zilch."

"People gave us plenty of funny looks, though," Sonja said, her lips stuck in a forced smile.

"Yeah, well, that's probably on me," Rosch griped. "You're plenty popular, Sonja, so I guess the other kids don't find it weird if you start asking around. Me and Stocke, we're kind of nonentities, socially speaking…"

"Rosch, don't you think you're exaggerating just a little?"

"Let's talk about this later," Stocke muttered, cutting off Sonja before she could finish her thought. Selvan, the social studies teacher, was starting to write down things on the chalkboard. "Class's about to begin."

This time, Stocke summoned all of his remaining energy to stay focused on Selvan's lecture. Still, whenever the man passed by Stocke's desk (which happened quite often, Stocke was displeased to find), his face always twisted in a sneer, almost as if there was some unpleasant odour floating in the air. Stocke never met the teacher's gaze, unwilling to bring himself more trouble. Besides, he would have never managed to top Sonja's fine glare. If looks could kill, then Selvan would have died a thousand times over under her formidable assault.

Her display of loyalty was a silver lining in otherwise another boring day. Once more, Rosch and Sonja volunteered to stay after school to keep watch over the local infestation of Shadows, while a rather grumpy Stocke left for work.

When he stepped inside the bookstore, Stocke was greeted by a child happily calling out his name. Little Aht bounced over to him, her arms overflowing with books. Since their meeting almost two weeks ago, she had started to hang around the bookstore every day after school. Mr. Norton had jokingly said he'd soon have to hire her as an additional employee. Still, Aht never really stayed for long; after a while, a luxury car with tinted windows would always come to pick her up in front of the store.

Aht kept on babbling as the clock ticked. Stocke only listened to half of what she was saying; she was going on and on about some cartoon she'd started watching.

"And they all wear costumes, so no one knows that the monster hunters are actually a bunch of high-schoolers, but then one of the villains finds out about my favourite character's secret identity, so—"

Periodically, Stocke grunted in assent to indicate that he was following her rather convoluted story. Cartoons nowadays appeared to have grown rather complex, it seemed.

"Hey, Stocke…?" Aht suddenly said, startling him out of a daze. He hadn't even noticed she had stopped rambling. "If you were living a double life fighting a bunch of monsters, would you tell me? Would you trust me with the secret?"

Stocke goggled at her. Her comment was a bit too much on the nose for comfort. "…what?"

Aht's gaze was fixed on him in an unsettling way. "Would you?"

"That would defeat the purpose of a secret identity, wouldn't it?" Stocke answered. "Where does this come from, Aht?"

She laughed; the sound was too high-pitched, too shrill, to be genuine. "Oh, you know, I was just wondering! Sometimes, I wish real life was more like a book or a cartoon. Wouldn't it be great if we could go on an adventure and stuff?"

From outside came the sound of a car honk. Aht spun her hooved feet toward the entrance of the shop. The black car was parked in front of the bookstore. One of the tinted windows was lowered, showing a sunglasses-wearing Gutral sitting behind the wheel.

"I gotta go!" said Aht. "It was fun speaking with you, Stocke! Say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Norton for me!" After one last grin, she all but hopped out of the store.

Not a lot of customers showed up after Aht's departure. Still, when Stocke closed up shop, he was feeling weary to the bone. When he stepped outside, the cold evening air whipped at his face, sapping the air right out of his lungs. Perhaps Sonja was right, Stocke realized. Maybe he really needed to get more rest.

As expected, Raynie was waiting for him at the bus stop, sipping a bottle of coca as she sat on the sidewalk.

"Hey," she said simply as Stocke slumped down next to her. "You look beat, man."

Stocke's reply was a mumbled, monosyllabic noise.

"I feel ya," Raynie said, nodding. "I'm the same. High school is beating my ass black and blue. Thank goodness I've got Marc, or I'd never be able to pull through otherwise."

A low chuckle rumbled in Stocke's chest. "You two seem close enough."

"Heh. The band geek and the dumb jock girl. Who would have thought? He even roped me into playing Dungeons & Dragons a couple of times, can you imagine?" Unexpectedly, Raynie then sighed. "He was the only friend I had in middle school. I haven't lived in this city for long, y'know? I moved in just last year when they put me in my current foster home."

Her good humour was marred by a frown. Still, in the span of a blink, it was gone, and she was smiling again.

"At first, all the cool kids wanted to be my friend, since I was new and stuff." Raynie snorted. "Didn't last for long. Two weeks after I transferred, I got into a huge fight with some assholes who'd been bullying Marco. As a result, everyone started to think I was some raging psychotic bitch. But I got Marc as a friend out of it, so I'm really the winner here."

Stocke's mouth formed a fleeting half-smile at this candid statement.

"So he's like the brother I've always wanted, even though he gets on my nerves, sometimes."

"That's how it is with siblings," said Stocke. "Speaking of someone who's got a little sister."

"You're lucky," Raynie blurted out. "To have a sibling, I mean."

Even in the dim light of the street lamps, Stocke could tell that her cheeks had coloured up a little.

"It's a bit lonely, having just one friend, though," Raynie admitted. "So I'm glad to have met you and your sister." She shifted a bit on her seat, looking suddenly self-conscious. "Tell you what, dude, this week-end, the cinema club at school is putting on a B-list horror movies marathon. There's gonna be some of my favourite classics. Marc's not into that sort of thing – hell, if he shows up at school, I bet it'll be to practise his clarinet like a good, proper nerd. So, uh, do… do you want to go with me? That kind of flick gets boring fast if you're not in good company."

Stocke frowned. He wondered why she was asking him, of all people. "I don't know. I've got some school stuff I need to catch on."

"Oh. Okay." Raynie bowed her head slightly; her bangs fell all over her face, making her expression impossible to read. "Sorry. I didn't mean to make things awkward."

Stocke didn't know what to answer. A sudden and inexplicable sense of guilt twisted his guts. He scratched the back of his head, his cheeks warming up as well.

"Uh," Stocke eventually said. "I can give you a call if I change my mind?"

In the distance, two buses were approaching. Raynie jumped to her feet, her hands gripping the straps on her bag rather tightly. Stocke noted that her face was still quite red.

"See you at school, then," she said in an unusually hoarse voice as the first vehicle came to a stop in front of them. "Have… have a nice night, Stocke."

"You too," Stocke mumbled. He climbed into the second bus in a stiff motion, head abuzz with a slew of bizarre, contradictory thoughts.

The next morning, Stocke's brain was still annoyingly fuzzy. To make matter worse, the moment he and Eruca got out of the teachers' parking lot, Raynie scurried over to them, Marco trailing behind her like a sullen and silent puppy.

"Good morning, you two!" she said brightly. "Sheesh, Stocke, you look like you've been hit by a bus. You sure you're up to go to school, man?"

"Didn't sleep well," Stocke explained in a croak. "Listen, about tomorrow…"

Raynie cocked her head to the side. "Tomorrow? What about tomorrow?"

Marco's gaze went heavenward. "Is this about that stupid movie marathon? The one you couldn't shut up about?"

"Did you find someone to go with you?" Eruca asked.

Stocke opened his mouth to reply, but Raynie interrupted him.

"Yeah, my brother and my sister say they'll come. My mom wanted to go too, but she works on Saturdays. She doesn't look like it, but she sure loves her gorey movies!"

Stocke felt the blood drain from his face. Huh…?

"Your brother and sister?" said Marco. "Which ones?"

"The two eldest, the ones who are in college. Like hell my parents would let my younger brother and sister to go see R-rated movies. They're not even out of elementary school yet!"

Stocke took an involuntary step backward. No, no way… His legs had grown limp as a pair of noodles. Damn. I gotta find Rosch and Sonja fast.

"Ernst?" asked Eruca. "Are you okay? You don't look so good…"

Stocke swallowed down his initial burst of fear and said in a thick voice, "I have to go. I promised Rosch and Sonja I'd be meeting them soon."

Under their bemused gazes, Stocke hurried inside the school. Swearing under his breath, he looked over the heads of the other students, hoping to see Rosch's large frame standing out in the crowd. The only attention Stocke managed to get was sadly not the kind he wanted to attract. The Shadows that normally clung to the sides of the entrance hall were peeling off the walls. Dozens of bright yellow eyes fell upon Stokce as the creatures slithered toward him.

Stocke's breath filtered through his mouth in a low hiss. Stiffly, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed Rosch's number, ignoring the Shadows seeping through the students entering the school in troves.

"Hey," was all he said after Rosch picked up, "I think I found what we were looking for. But I might have picked up a few stragglers along the way." Cold sweat trickled down his brow as he carefully went back the way he came. "Let's meet up outside before they all decide to jump me."

"We're gonna miss the first period, you know?" Sonja told Stocke as she leaned against Rosch's truck. The three of them had all agreed to meet in the school parking lot; Stocke had been relieved to find that the Shadows hadn't been willing to follow him so far from the main school building. "God, this is the first time I've played hooky in my life. What would my mother say?"

"We've got bigger worries," Stocke gently admonished her. "I think the Shadow we've been searching for is possessing my sister's friend."

"How do you know?" Rosch asked. "Did one of these weird time loop things happen again?"

"No," said Stocke. "but she was acting kind of fishy just now. Raynie kept talking about her siblings." He took a deep breath to keep himself steady. "Except I don't think she has any. She told me several times she lived in a foster home.

"She might have siblings in other foster families," Sonja countered. "It's rare, but it's not unheard of. Or maybe she was talking about adopted siblings?"

"Maybe," Stocke conceded, "but I think it's a bit of a stretch."

"We should keep a close eye on her, then," Rosch said. "Do you think we could ask your sister for help?"

Stocke rubbed the bridge of his nose. "We could. But then I'll be dodging her questions for the next month or so. Eruca's not dumb."

"It's better than to let this poor girl handle this on her own," said Sonja. "And you said that the Shadows were being more aggressive than usual too, didn't you, Stocke?"

Stocke nodded. "Yeah. The only way we'll get them off our backs is to ignore them. So act natural."

Rosch and Sonja exchanged a bewildered look.

"I mean it," Stocke said. "We should get back and act as if everything's going as usual. Besides, Dias is teaching the second period. You know he'll throw a hissy fit if we skip his class."

"Do you even have a plan?" Rosch said, his voice heavy with incredulity. "Beyond marching back to a place infested with frickin' monsters?"

"First off, let's see if this day keeps looping," Stocke told him. "If not, then I know how we could get hold of Raynie without having the whole of the student body getting in our way. We'll deal with her Shadow then."

"How?" Rosch and Sonja said simultaneously.

Stocke ran his thumb over the buttons on his cell phone. "You guys feel like binging on a couple of B-list horror movies tomorrow morning?"

The alarm clock blared next to Stocke's ear, snatching him out of the pleasantness of sleep. Immediately after silencing the hateful object, he stumbled out of bed to reach for his cell phone.

Saturday, 8:11 A.M., the letters and numbers read on the screen. Stocke flopped back on his bed with a sigh of relief. There had been no loop; Friday had come and gone, and today was the start of the week-end.

Stocke quickly got dressed and rushed downstairs to grab a little something to eat. In his hurry he nearly stepped on poor Musket's tail. Through his mouthful of toast, Stocke addressed a jumbled apology to the poor hissing kitty.

"You're already up?" came Eruca's voice. Stocke's sister was curled up in a sofa with a book in one hand and a cup of steaming tea in the other. "What's the world coming to?"

"I've got to be at school soon," Stocke replied. "I promised your friend Raynie that I would go with her to that movie marathon."

Eruca gawked at Stocke. Behind him, Stocke could hear the scritch-scratch of wheels scraping against the wooden floor; he turned and saw that his mother, still sitting in her computer chair, had rolled out of her office. She was looking at Stocke with her mouth dangling open in an unflattering way. Stocke cursed under his breath. Of all the times she could have chosen to wake up early on a Saturday morning...

"You're going on a date?" Sophia squealed.

"No. I'm going to see a movie."

"With a girl," Sophia said. "You're going to the movies with a girl."

"Does it make any difference?" a deadpan Stocke replied. "I've gone to the movies hundreds of times before with Rosch. Friends go see movies together. That's a thing."

"You're friends with Raynie?" asked Eruca, the same time their mother grabbed her face with both hands and exclaimed, "You are going on a date, omigosh!"

"I barely know her," Stocke said, "so no, I guess I wouldn't call her a friend. An acquaintance, maybe." Obviously, he could not tell his mother that he was actually trying to see if the acquaintance in question was the host of a parasitic monstrosity.

Sophia jumped out of her chair to give Stocke a light swat on the shoulder. "Are you calling your date only an acquaintance? You cold, cold man!"

Stocke squinted his eyes at her. "That's how it is. I'm not about to start making things up."

Eruca appeared unsatisfied with his answer. "Is that why you asked me yesterday to keep tabs on—"

Stocke silenced his sister with a frantic look. He grabbed his coat and slid his wallet in his back pocket. "I should go. Don't wait for me for lunch and supper." Before they could place another word, he opened the door and headed outside.

"You treat her good, you hear me?" Stocke heard his mother call out from behind.

I will, don't worry. Stocke wrapped his red scarf tighter around his neck, cursing the typical coldness of an October morning. That is, unless she really is possessed by a soul-sucking abomination.

#Radiant Historia #fic:radiant persona #tanakafic

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