Twelfth Curse

[bondsofsuffering]

[It’s that time again! Although it’s already a little different from the usual post. Instead of opting to post anonymously as usual, Hizumi has gone ahead and kept his name attached.

Shock and surprise! Golly who could have ever seen this coming?]

Subject: Astrology & Event Docs
Attached files: amd.doc, emd.doc

It’s been busy, but since I see we have new people here, I would like to remind people that the Astrology Master Document and Event Master Document are still around. Since both of them can be edited by anyone who has the file, feel free to add anything you know to them as long as it’s relevant. I have backups of the files so I can restore them if I have to, but I don’t want to do that all the time, so try not to mess it up too badly, got it?

So you guys know which one is which:

Astrology Master Document or the amd.doc is for collecting any information related to astrological signs and their meanings, as well as details of events surrounding attacks by the astrological demons. If you want to get an idea of how people have been affected in the past by their astrological signs during those times, check here!

Event Master Document or the emd.doc is for collecting any information on other, non-astrological based events. So, stuff like suddenly being unable to tell a lie, or groups of people being abducted to strange places. That kind of thing.

If you have any questions, you can also use this post to discuss as usual!

And since I'm here... I might as well point out that the arcade is having a special discount on two hour game cards. If you're up to date with your studies or already gave up on finals, come pay us a visit!

[Private to Atsuro and Otonashi]

Regarding the things my Shadow said - well, none of it really matters at this point, so I'd rather not talk about it. The main point is, I'm not going to kill anyone, so there's no problem. I don't think I need to say this, but just to make sure, I'd prefer it if you don't talk about it with anyone, myself included.

Comments

[otakuro]

[A forefinger would be extended at this point if they were in a different game series.]

...I don't really understand what he was trying to say - or how much of it was even true. But... the only thing that's relevant here is...

Is that really what happened that time?

Did you try to kill yourself?

[bondsofsuffering]

What if I did?

[otakuro]

Maybe I'm not saying this while ignorant. Probably I am.

But you can't.

If there's one thing I've learned from all of that crap in December, it's that you can't bear a burden alone.

[bondsofsuffering]

If this is going to be a friendship lecture, I already got it.

[Otherwise, he'd likely be among the casualties from that very Shadow Event.]

[otakuro]

There are never enough friendship lectures!!

Even if what you're struggling with is something I can't understand... knowing that you really left me something like that as your 'will'... I can't even think about it anymore without a chill running up my spine.

[bondsofsuffering]

Then stop thinking about it.

It looks like I'll be sticking around here after all. You can just ignore it.

[otakuro]

...

Swear to me. ...That I won't have to think about it.

[a bit childish, in a way]

[bondsofsuffering]

Will that make you feel better?

Fine. I swear you won't have to think about it anymore.

[otakuro]

...Not really.

But if we're going to have this conversation, it seemed appropriate.

...

Hizumi, what does your Persona look like?

[bondsofsuffering]

Why do you ask?

[otakuro]

I wanted to know what colors I should use for a figurine because I'm a huge nerd like that.

[bondsofsuffering]

[...]

Red beard and hair, and a blood red robe.

[otakuro]

Huh.

I thought it was probably you. Everyone else I know in Hinoto-Ri showed up that night, anyway.

[bondsofsuffering]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[otakuro]

Yeah, yeah, hush.

...Thanks.

I tried to look for you later, but I couldn't get ahold of you and I was already pretty beat up. ...Bad excuse, though.

[bondsofsuffering]

Probably wouldn't have answered anyway. I had my own stuff to do.

[And by his own stuff he means someone else's Shadow to track down but. Details.]

[otakuro]

How did you know I had talked to your Shadow about all that stuff, though, by the way?

[bondsofsuffering]

It's not exactly a private post. I wondered if something was up when I couldn't access the Network, so I kept trying until it finally showed up.

[Pity he was too late to do anything about it.]

[otakuro]

...Huh.

Well. It looks like everything's back to normal, anyway. Everyone got as many friendship speeches as they needed.

I wonder where these things keep coming from.

[bondsofsuffering]

You mean the non-Astrology events?

[otakuro]

Are we calling them events now? Like it's some sort of scheduled Murder Time! into the cosmic calendar of our lives?

Yeah. I mean, it'd be nice to know where the astrology monsters are coming from, too, but it doesn't feel like we're working on two separate schedules here, huh?

[bondsofsuffering]

It's how I listed them in the .doc, so I figured I might as well stick to that term.

After that kidnapping, I've been wondering if it isn't those demons in the underground.

[otakuro]

If the doubles were just demons copying us somehow, how would they have gotten their hands on Personas, though? It seems like it must have been from somewhere else....

Maybe somewhere gnarly.

[hahah.....]

[bondsofsuffering]

I wasn't suggesting they were demons.

Actually, I was thinking it was something similar to the astrology demons. Even if we don't meet them directly, we're still affected by their presence. So far, they've caused all kinds of things - from people acting unlike themselves to even changing in appearance.

Going by that, it's not such a big stretch to think that a demon out there would have the power to draw out Shadows, or force us to tell the truth, or any of those other things.

[otakuro]

I've never heard of a demon with the ability to summon evil copies, but it does seem like something our favorite foe could do. The Astrology monsters definitely aren't just 'demons', either. I don't think anyone actually knows where they're coming from, and they're not restricted to the 13th Hour.