"Watch it! D-Don't push!" shouts Koharu, swatting Mariko away. Hayate cackles.
"Sorry, but we couldn't leave you out there…" she says.
Now that you've gotten away from the mob, it's time to speak to Nisekao properly.
"Hey…sorry about grabbing you like that. I know it's probably not fair of me to ask you this, but…are you gonna be all right?"
Nisekao still seems a little shocked, and it takes him a few moments to respond.
"I-I don't know…I think so. Tetsuo-" His eyes lock with yours. "-I'm so sorry. I got caught up in what was happening and…I-I wasn't thinking about you at all."
"Well, I understand…sort of-"
"N-No. Please don't try to make excuses for me, Tetsuo. I…I want to be honest with you. After all, you're the only one I really feel like I can trust." Nisekao drops his voice to a whisper. "In the moment, the only thing I could think about was seeing them hurt. A-And…I still want that. I know it's not right, but…I'm not as strong as you. I can't just push those feelings aside!"
He pauses to take a ragged deep breath and wipe his nose on his sleeve. Placing your hand firmly on his shoulder, you choose your words carefully.
"Nisekao. Don't ever apologize to me for feeling angry. Nobody who suffers should be expected to pretend nothing's wrong. I don't really know how I'm coming off to you about this whole thing, but I'm not okay, either. People like them…they make my blood boil. There's even a part of me that feels like the world should work the way Shibutani's Shadow wants it to work. There are times when I feel like the world around us isn't one worth living in.
"But there's also a part of me that's scared of thinking that way. That if we took the easy way out, maybe we wouldn't be ourselves anymore. This year hasn't been easy by any stretch of the imagination. But if it was, I wonder if I'd still be alone. The way I used to be. That I wouldn't have had any reason to meet you or anyone else. It would have been comfortable, but I don't know if I would have been happy."
"I don't understand you, Tetsuo. Happy? Comfortable? They sound like the same things."
"It's okay. You don't have to agree. You don't even have to keep coming with us if you don't think what we're doing is right. But right now, I want another chance to help Shibutani make things right. And I really hope that you still want to help. And maybe...you'll figure it out along the way."
Nisekao sighs heavily. "…Of course I want to help. It…may not be easy, but I'll keep following you. You guys are all I have, after all."
"Hey, don't be like that. You can always choose. But…I am glad you're choosing to stick with us."
"So, is everything okay?" Mariko asks.
You shoot Nisekao a sideways glance, and he nods.
"Good. So then…"
"What is going on here?" says Koharu.
"Oh. Right. About that…" you start to say, but your voice trails off as you take in your surroundings for the first time.
The entrance hall is several times wider than it is in real life and blindingly white. The highly polished marble flooring practically reflects your image, and towering Roman-style columns line the walls like giant bones. In a lot of ways, it calls to mind a courthouse, or some other sort of government building.
"Check this out," says Hayate, gesturing to a monitor set into the wall. There are actually many of these placed at regular intervals down the hall, all of them playing the same loop of Shibutani gesticulating dramatically in the middle of some lavishly furnished office. The same loop also appears - somehow - to be playing on the banners hanging from the columns, creating the effect that no matter where you look, Shibutani is there, barking constant, thinly-veiled threats.
"Safe students are smart students! Adherence to the Student Code of Conduct is mandatory at all times!"
"Remember – it is only through constant vigilance that we remain safe! Be vigilant! Report all violations to the nearest DO member!"
"All students are responsible for keeping up with the latest updates to the Student Code of Conduct – ignorance is not an excuse! Violators will be prosecuted!"
"Cheerful place. I feel safer already," you remark.
"It's deranged is what it is," says Koharu. "Is this his – what'd you call it – Cloud? Like, this is what he's all about?"
"Hell of a sight better than y – urk!" starts Hayate before Mariko yanks him back by the collar.
"Kind of. On some level, I'm sure he does wish things were more like this. But he's put himself under a lot of stress lately to do something about the Yatabuya. This feels like more of an overreaction to that," you say.
"H-Hey! I hear someone!" calls Nisekao.
The entrance hall intersects with another hallway just up ahead, and the crisp sound of footsteps on marble can be heard coming from the right. Just as you all manage to scramble behind the columns, a line of figures come into view.
At the front and back of the line, two cross-masked Shadows in perfectly pressed white military uniforms escort several hunched over Shadows wearing normal school uniforms between them. Thick truncheons swing from each of the uniformed Shadows' belts, and you notice that they keep one hand on it the whole time. They stop briefly at the intersection of the hallways, look both ways, and continue on.
Once they pass, you slink back out into the hall again.
"Whaddya think? Should we see where they're going?" you ask the others.
"It's worth a try. Maybe one of those guards knows where the Dreamweaver might be," says Mariko.
"You guys are going to be handling all the fighting, right?" Koharu asks.
A smug grin spreads across Hayate's face. "Yeeeaaahhh, that's right – you don't have a Persona yet, huh? Guess you'll just have to leave it to the experts, huh?"
To your surprise, Koharu doesn't snap back. "What am I even doing here?" she asks you. "You know I'm just gonna be dead weight unless I have one of those Persona things, right? Is there like, a trick to getting one or something?"
"Don't worry about it too much, Koharu-san. We've got your back. Although, you might wanna pick up something you can swing around at some point," you say.
"If I'd known I was gonna be doing this, I'd have come prepared," she grumbles, but scampers along behind you regardless.
Sticking to the shadows of the columns, you tail the guards and their…prisoners? (it's unclear) down another hallway under Shibutani's myriad watchful eyes. They stop in front of a set of sliding doors, and the guards usher the other Shadows gently into the room with their truncheons.
"What, are these classrooms, too?" says Hayate aloud.
"Hey! What are you doing here?" comes a voice from behind you, causing everyone to start and whirl about. Two more Guard Shadows loom over you, hefting their truncheons. Evidently, this sort uses human language as well.
"Present your IDs!" one barks.
You start reaching for your guitar, but Mariko stays your hand. She reaches into her bag, pulls out her Toshima High ID, and presents it to the guard. The Shadow briefly scans both sides and returns it.
"Right. Now the rest of you."
Somewhat baffled, the rest of you produce your IDs in turn. Satisfied, the Shadows nod at each other.
"Thank you for your cooperation. Two demerits each have been logged against your names."
"What?" says Hayate.
"What's a 'demerit'?" you ask the others.
"It's like a 'negative point' or something. I think. They use them in fancy boarding schools to assign punishments," Koharu whispers back.
"Loitering in the halls during class hours and doing so without a proper escort. Two demerits," says one of the Shadows.
The other Shadow points down the hall. "Report to room 1-B for rehabilitation and you'll get them removed. Failure to do so will result in an additional demerit logged against you. As is protocol, this is your reminder that three demerits will result in prompt execution. Do you understand?"
"Uhh, you mean 'expulsion'," says Hayate.
"You heard what I said," the Shadow replies. Hayate winces. "Now come with us."
As you get yourselves into a line, Hayate leans over to whisper in your ear. "Hey…do we wanna…you know?" He discreetly smacks a fist into his palm so the guards can't see.
With a small shake of your head, you reply, "No, not yet. Let's play along for a bit." The other two guards are still nearby, and you've got two non-Persona users to consider. Hayate lifts his brows skeptically as if to say "Okay," and you let the two guards escort you to 'rehabilitation'.
The rehabilitation room isn't much different from a typical classroom, save for the guard Shadows posted on each side of the door - one inside, one in the hall. The Shadows use their truncheons to encourage you to take a seat among the rows of desks, and the lights overhead dim. Steel shackles suddenly burst from the armrests and chair legs, pinning you to your seat and eliciting a squeal of alarm from some of the others. A large monitor at the head of the room where the whiteboard would normally be flickers to life, and Shibutani's voice fills the room.
"Greetings, reprobates! You are here today because you have been found in violation of one or more articles of our Code of Conduct, and are teetering dangerously on the precipice of execution. Here at the Academy, the well-being of all students is our top priority, and I believe that you – despite your wretched choices – are capable of rehabilitation."
Inwardly, you're somewhat relieved that a phony instructional video is all the price you have to pay for getting caught, but the restraints cutting into your wrists and ankles are sending a more sinister message.
"In order to complete this course and have your demerits removed, there will be a brief check for understanding at the end of each segment. You must attain at least a cumulative (here, the audio is spliced in rather jarringly) NINETY PERCENT score in order to pass the course. Failure to provide an answer within the time limit will result in a corrective shock."
"A say what now?" blurts Koharu. "Quiet down!" shouts the guard. The video continues, indifferent of her protest.
"Failure to attain a cumulative passing score indicates an inability to properly integrate into civilized company, and will result in execution."
Now everyone exchanges mortified glances. Judging from the pained grimace on Hayate's face, he's wishing you'd just knocked out the Shadows in the first place. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like any of you have much choice to but go along at this point.
"Now, let's begin our review of the expectations for Academy students, and how together, we can create a respectful and safe Student Body."
A passé synth jingle plays as the title of the first section twirls awkwardly into the frame:
PART ONE: CONSEQUENCES AND YOU
"Sh-Should we be taking notes?" whispers Nisekao.