There's not much to say about this pilot as the file name sort of speaks for itself. Depending on when I post this (either day and right after or months/years after other pilots have been in between it), previously I had proposed a pilot idea involving Persona 4: Golden and Harry Potter, of which Harry is and adopted Yu Narukami. The proposal I had named several challenges in writing the fic. One of which being, how do I make a dungeon-crawling RPG interesting? One of the ideas I had was skipping it entirely and replacing it with a more journal-like recording method for the more mundane things and doing the actual writing for the more story-oriented moments like when you confront each main character's shadow initially, their taunts, and the mini/main boss encounter dialogue. That being disclaimed, this will be very experimental and I have no idea how it will end up. If I do decide to go ahead with the previous idea, this may be one of those things where either it's a supplement or as additional chapters or specific sections of chapters. For now, I have no idea how it will end up.

Title: The Journal of Yu Narukami/Harry Potter

Rating: T

Pairing: Yu (Harry) / undecided.

Summary: A lot of things have happened in the life of Yu Narukami – or is it Harry Potter? – and not all of it gets reported or written down. Yu/Harry writes down his thoughts on the events in his life.

Disclaimer: I own nothing other than my copy of MS Word and my desktop. Persona belongs to ATLUS and Harry Potter to JK Rowling. I only own the concept behind the original plot points. See the forward for the full disclaimer.

XxXxXxX

April 10th:
I took mom to the airport yesterday to see her off. It's going to be weird living with uncle Ryotaro and his daughter Nanako. Weird because of living in the city all my life then moving out to the boonies. From everything I've been able to find online, everyone who has visited it has said nothing but good things about the people there, the atmosphere being extremely clean, and the regional food being excellent. The only negatives are that there isn't much out there unless you're the outdoorsy type. If you want to do anything you need to go to one of the larger cities connected via rail or road, like go to the movies or do extensive shopping outside of necessities which the town has in spades. I think I know why mom chose Ryotaro rather than my aunt on my dad's side, it's in the middle of nowhere where I can't get into any trouble by proxy. Mom really needs to stop worrying about me like this. I'm almost an adult, in two years or less I'll be going to university where I'll be on my own anyway. Is it not better that I get a "trial run" out of the way? Well, my life begins tomorrow in a little boonie town. Guess I'll just make do.

April 14th:
What if I told you there was a world inside of the TV? What would that make you think? That I'm insane? Well, I certainly feel that way writing this little journal entry. Today, I went to Junes with Yosuke and Chie and… we went inside the TV. And what we found was… interesting.
[Cue telling of the event for that day, use cutscenes for dialogue. Specifically, transition to it. Maybe use as a chapter/section opener?]

April 20th:
Today we fought our way to the top of Yukiko's Castle. This wasn't the first time we had been there. Previously, we had made several ventures into the castle-like I've written about a couple of days ago. But today is different. Today is the final day before the fog rolls in, and as we've seen with the reporter and my upperclassman, when the fog rolls in while the kidnapped individual is missing in the TV World – that's what we've decided to call it – that person ends up the following day dead, and gruesomely so. We've gathered up the materials that the Shadows have dropped after we defeated them and presented them to the blacksmith in town who turned these materials into goods that we could purchase. Luckily, he'd purchase the items off of us which we'd then use the money to buy the weapons and armor that he forged. We stocked up on different medicines that would help with our final push.
We made our way through the various Shadows on each floor that made up this strange mental construct until we made it to the top. On the top floor was Yukiko herself. And what happened was strange, to say the least. Even after what I had seen first-hand with Yosuke in the mental projection of the local liquor store that our upper classman's family-owned, there was more to this strange reality.

It had been a hard fight to the top, but we were ready for action. Our training in fighting the various Shadows of this complex over the last few days had hardened us. We weren't perfect, not yet at least, but we were able to plow our way through any Shadow we couldn't actively avoid through brute force alone and didn't have to use our Personas and the spiritual power that they required to use the magical powers that they could summon. Teddie had attempted to explain this reality to us, and it's still a bit lost on us.

"Everyone good?" I ask.

"A few scratches, but I'll live," Chie reported as she peeled off a Band-Aid to apply to her shoulder where a Shadow's spell nicked her earlier.

"A bit winded from all that running," Yosuke reported, "I just need five minutes and I'll be good to move on."

I mentally ran through the Personas I had acquired thus far. I had my original Persona, Izanagi ready to go. But I had a few others that had different elemental strengths and weaknesses. I got my hands on both a Pyro Jack (a jack o'lantern) who was outright immune to fire damage and provided some health, and another that was fairly strong against ice attacks, and finally one that was strong against wind damage. I had a feeling that I'd need to get many Persona (Personas? Personae?) to succeed in this quest if the culprit went uncaught. I had a gut feeling and swapped to Pyro Jack.

"Let's go," I order and I push against the door. It opened without any resistance preventing us from going in. The doorway opened up to a castle (of either western or eastern inspired design) staple: a throne room. The throne room was decorated in reds and gold. As they ran in, at the top of a dais was the Shadow Yukiko clad in a western-styled pink dress. Behind her was a single throne chair in the same golds and reds, and behind that was a banner in red with a gold bird embroidered on it: a phoenix. At the foot of the dais is Yukiko, but she was clad in the same pink kimono she had been wearing the night I had seen her last before she went home.

"Yukiko!" Chie called out before trailing off seeing the two Yukikos. I'm certain that in someone's fantasy this would be considered quite an interesting scenario. The yellow eyes though… I've seen those before.

"I knew it, there's two of her," Yosuke said. We ran into the room, behind the kimono'd Yukiko. At this point the one on the dais noticed us.

"Oh? Ooooh, what's this?" the Shadow Yukiko cooed. "Three princes are here to see me!? My my! Are you the surprised guests who came in late?" I could feel her gaze seep deep into my bones. "Awwww. I wish I'd gotten a better look at you!" She stepped forward until she was at the edge of the first step. "My, it's getting crowded here. Why don't you and I go somewhere else…?" she suggested sultrily. "A land far, far away, where no one knows me. If you're my Prince, you'd take me there, wouldn't you? C'mon… pretty please?"

"Oooh. Is this "scoring a hot stud!?" Teddie asked.

"Three princes…? Wait, does that include me, too?" Chie asked, uncertain of what was meant.

"Duh! The third one's gotta be me!"

"I seriously doubt that…" Yosuke rebutted.

"She doesn't even know you in real life and since Shadows are supposed to be reflections of the self…" I trail. Does Yukiko swing both ways? I ask myself with a slight eyebrow raise.

"Chie…" the Shadow Yukiko chuckles. "Yes, she's my Prince…" she outright confirmed. "She always leads the way… Chie's a strong prince…" she says sultrily before quickly changing her tone. "Or, at least she was…"

"Was…?" Chie asked.

"When it comes down to it, Chie's just not good enough!" the Shadow said frustratedly. "She can't take me away from here! She can't save me!"

"Yukiko…" Chie said with genuine sadness. She had no idea her best friend felt like this.

"S-Stop…" Yukiko said as she stood up weakly. It was like this entire realm made her weak. Perhaps this is why, on top of the supernatural 'bullshit,' the victims were killed so easily like they didn't put up a fight. Because they physically couldn't.

"Historic inn? Manager training!? I'm sick of all these things chaining me down!" the Shadow said, frustration seething out. "I never asked to be born here! Everything's decided for me! From how I live, to where I die!" She stomped on the ground. "I'm so sick of it! To hell with it all!"

"That's not true…" Yukiko said unsure. I knew where this was going as this is what happened with Chie and Yosuke as well.

"I just want to go somewhere far away… Anywhere but here…" The tone that was used this time was very snide and condescending. "Someone, please take me away… I can't leave here on my own… I'm completely useless…" This felt like a direct attack on Yukiko from Yukiko. This is starting to get strange.

"Stop… Please stop…" Yukiko weakly pleaded.

"I have no hope if I stay, and no courage to leave… So, I sit on my ass hoping that someday my Prince will come!" the attack continued. "I don't care where we go! Anywhere's fine! As long as it's not here, I don't give a damn," the Shadow's face scowled. "Historical tradition? Pride of the town? What a bunch of bullshit!"

"How dare you…" Yukiko was filled with righteous indignation but lacked the current strength to actually show it.

"That's how I really feel. Isn't that right… me!?"

"N-No!" Yukiko said defiantly.

"Stop! Don't say it!" Yosuke called out in an attempt to stop the next words from her mouth.

"No! You're not me!"

There was dead silence. "Aww shit," I said offhandedly. I was really hoping that this wouldn't happen.

The Shadow laughed victoriously, but in that specific way that Japanese media saw European aristocratic types laughing. You know, the 'oh-hohoho' kind of way. "Aaaah! This feels wonderful! It's building… more and more… If this keeps up… I'll… I'll…!" Phrasing. She then began laughing maniacally, a purple-blue glow surrounding her form like a miasma from a curse. Black mist formed around the Shadow until it had saturated and exploded outward. From the ceiling, a chandelier fell and crashed right in front of Yukiko. In the center of it, there was a cage whose door blasted open revealing a grotesque phoenix that had Yukiko's face on it. It leaned out and spread its wings, its gaze directly on Yukiko, and was ready to strike. Yukiko called out in terror.

"Yukiko!" Chie called out.

"We have to stop it! That girl's in danger!"

"We know!" Yosuke replied.

"That was the plan," I add.

"It's all right, Yukiko… Just hang in there! We'll save you!" We ran towards the clear and present danger.

The Shadow announced. "I am a shadow… the true self! Now, my Prince… Why don't we dance and make merry together?" she chuckled.

"Hang in there, Yukiko… I'm right here for you!" Chie said to her friend's now passed-out form.

Though the Shadow thought she was talking to her instead. "Oh really…? Then I'll make sure to give you plenty to deal with!"

Lb (replace with thingy)

It was tough, but we fought our way past this imitation. The first thing I noticed about her form is that it was surrounded by candles, hinting at what element she specialized in. The first thing I did was throw a charm to Chie for fire resistance. Out of all three of us, she'd be the weakest to any fire elemental attacks. It then began its assault. We held off fairly well being no worse for wear. It only got worse when she summoned her Prince, some short stocky puppet thing. Whatever strength her shadow had lost had been regained. Therefore, we had to take it out first if we were going to continue our onslaught and rescue. We defeated the Prince and the shadow tried to call for it again and to her dismay and our relief, it didn't come back. We defeated the shadow and it returned to its princess-like self.

Yukiko groaned as she stood up from one of the pillars she had been resting against. "Yukiko!" Chie called out as all of us ran over. "Yukiko, are you hurt!?"

Before she could answer, she looked over to see her princess-like self standing there. "No, I-I'm not-," she tried to get out.

"We understand. You're not the only one like that, Yukiko-san," Yosuke said in an attempt to reassure her. "Everyone has something they can't show to other people, or don't want to admit to themselves…"

"Yukiko… I'm sorry," Chie said with remorse. "I was so self-centered that… I never understood what you were going through… I'm your friend, and I still… I'm so sorry…"

"Chie…" Yukiko replied but wasn't quite sure what to reply with.

"I was always jealous of you, Yukiko. You had everything I didn't… That jealousy was like a wall, and I was so lonely…! I wanted you to need me… But it was me who needed you." Tears escaped as she confessed her feeling towards her friend. "I can't do anything right on my own… I've caused so much trouble for Yosuke and the others. If you weren't by my side, I… I wouldn't know what to do…"

"Chie… I never saw the real you either… I was too busy trying to find an easy way out." Yukiko walked over to her completely silent shadow-self. "'I want to run away'… 'I want someone to save me'… You're right, those feelings are part of me, too. I understand now… You're me." The shadow only nodded and smiled. It faded away and reformed in a shattering of ethereal crystals what looked like a flamingo dancer. It folded itself into a tarot card and fell into her hands right before it became absorbed into her to which she glowed slightly before it faded.

She fell to her knees which made all of us concerned. "Yukiko, are you alright?" Yosuke asked as we approached.

"Yes, I'm a little tired…" she admitted. "You all came to rescue me…?" she asked in genuine surprise.

"Of course!" Chie replied.

"Thank you…"

"Don't even mention it. I'm just so glad you're safe…" Chie sniffled.

"Hehe… Right on," Yosuke said. I could only nod, there wasn't much I could add.

"So, who threw you in here?" Teddie asked.

"Huh…? Who are you?" Yukiko asked as she hadn't noticed the walking bear before. "Rather… What are you?"

"I'm Teddie," he introduced himself. "So, who threw you in?"

"I don't know…" she admitted feeling like she failed herself by not knowing. "I think… someone called my name… But my memory's a blur. I can't remember who it was… I'm sorry, um… Teddie."

"No new clues."

"Not necessarily. Now we know for sure that someone threw Yukiko-san in here," Yosuke corrected Teddie.

"Hrmm…" Teddie groaned in thought. "Then it really isn't you guys…"

I gave him a sideways glance. "You still suspected us?" I ask.

"N-No no no no no! Absolutely not!"

"You little…! You're one lying sack of honey…" Yosuke said.

"Anyways," Chie interrupted. "Let's hurry back home. Yukiko looks exhausted. Thanks again, Teddie." We started to walk out, Yukiko leaning against Chie for support.

"Huh? Wait, you're leaving me here?" Teddie asked.

"Leaving you? What are you talking about, you live here," Yosuke replied.

He seemed a bit, unsettled. "Well… yeah, but…"

"I'm sorry, Teddie. I promise to come again…" Yukiko said as she patted his head. "So be a good boy and wait here until then."

He growled happily and said, "My, it's getting crowded here. Why don't you and I go somewhere else…?" he said with an innocent face and a less than innocent blush. "C'mon, pretty please?"

"Gah… You're giving me the creeps! That's it, you're stuck here for the rest of your life!" Yosuke declared. And with that, we walked out.

As we walked through the halls of this now empty castle, something dawned on me. "How are we going to explain how we found her to the police?" I ask.

We got out of the Palace without being accosted by any of the shadows. It was like with the metaphorical "head of the beast" gone, they slunk away. Though, if this is some kind of metaphysical representation of the person inside's feelings, why didn't it disappear? Perhaps because they still felt the same way but were able to process it differently it remained? This will require more research. The terminology that the shadow gave along with what I remember from the Velvet Room and Teddie. Shadow. Persona. Cognition. I'll have to use the school library, but I could have sworn that I've heard these terms somewhere before. Some psychologist or something? The shadows too were interesting. I remember many of the names and will have to look them up also online at school.
When we got back to Junes, we asked Yukiko a few questions but she didn't remember anything else outside what she already told us. Just that someone called her name and then she was there. It had been several days since she had disappeared yet she didn't even notice. Did time flow differently inside? I'll have to ask Teddie about this. As a denizen of that world, he may have more insight into this. But when she got out and saw us exhaustion hit her like a truck and she did mention being hungry. The "TV World" is a strange place. Just the existence of Teddie should prove that. As previously said, this requires more research.
Yukiko was taken home to which I knew that the police would be called since the previously missing person was no longer missing. I could only hope that Chie could be kept out of the metaphorical line of fire. If she was arrested under suspicion then both Yosuke and I would be shortly thereafter as well. But luckily, that didn't happen. I returned home unaccosted and spent the next couple of hours watching TV with Nanako. Uncle came in with the police underling assigned to him, of whom I learned his name was Adachi. I could have sworn I had heard it a few days prior, but it was outright confirmed at this point. They confirmed that Yukiko had been found and that she didn't remember anything during her disappearance. Our secret about the TV World was kept a secret. We had a relatively rambunctious dinner and after that, I started to write all this down.

April 21st:
Yukiko was out again today so there wasn't much to do. I went to school like always and started writing down questions for Teddie to answer. I took to the library, used one of the computers there, and looked into some of the terms. I learned that the terms came back to Carl Jung and his thoughts on psychology. It was… interesting. I'll have to find the book or special order it from that bookstore in town.

To be continued…?

XxXxXxX

This is all I have for this entry. It's more of an experimental entry as well. I sort of went into this not entirely knowing what I wanted to do with this specific entry. As I said, it was meant to be sort of an experiment to see what I could do in regards to one of the issues I brought up in my previous entry for this specific idea: that being each mundane day where nothing really happens and no social links are being increased. I also experimented with blasting past the boss fight itself by summarizing what happened. Now, I do need to watch the animation again for Persona 4 to see how they handle those boss fights to see if that's how I wish to address those scenarios. While this was 3k words this was quite a short entry. Let me know if this may be a viable method to "skip" past the more mundane days without having to rip the entire P4G script. I've been doing some brainstorming on a couple of new crossover ideas and will hopefully have them up soon.

See you in whatever I decide to do next.