13 Best girl Takemi
Kawakami and Shin were just outside the guidance office.
"There's something I'd like to ask you. It won't take long." said the teacher.
Just when she said that, Kamoshida exited said office, along with Kasumi Yoshizawa and a middle-aged teacher.
"I see you're already getting on top of the problem I'd mentioned this morning, Ms Kawakami! I appreciate the support." said the tall bastard.
"Thank you again." said the red-haired girl, nodding her head.
"Oh, you know this guy, Yoshizawa?" asked Kamoshida.
"Yes, he lent me a helping hand before." she replied.
"I recommend you steer clear of the likes of him if you have any consideration for your future. Remember the discussion we just had? There are a number of students in this school you shouldn't get involved with... This one's at the top of the list."
"Oh, the delinquent transfer student...?" the girl muttered.
"Sorry to interrupt you, but I need to use the guidance office." said Kawakami.
"Oh, pardon me. We should be going too. Don't want to get in the way of guiding this delinquent and all." said Kamoshida and left, followed immediately by the middle-aged man.
"Please, excuse us." said Kasumi, who bowed before leaving.
"After you." said the older woman and gestured to the office.
The two sat on opposite sides at the long table.
"I'm going to get straight to the point: did something happen between you and Mr Kamoshida?"
Ignoring the disgust he could feel hearing someone address that bag of shit respectfully, Shin replied to the question with another question.
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, there was that little exchange just now, but that's not all... He gave me a brief lecture this morning, and your name came up. Something about the dangers of a lack of supervision... I don't mean to pry, but... Just make sure you don't go causing trouble, okay?"
Shin took his glasses off his face to wipe the lens.
"Oh, and one more thing. That girl outside the office... You didn't make a pass on her, did you?" asked Kawakami, frowning.
"Hoo~!" exclaimed Shin with a smirk on his face.
He placed his chin on the back of his hand, leaning forward a bit.
"Is someone jealous?" he said with a teasing smile.
Since Shin wasn't wearing his glasses, Kawakami took the full brunt of his smile. A good few seconds passed till she was able to regain her bearings.
"A-Anyways, Mr Kamoshida has a real close on you... Apparently, you've been getting involved with Sakamoto. You seem acquainted with Yoshizawa as well... Maybe you're just naturally drawn to athletes?" she said.
'I feel like my sexuality is being questioned.' thought Shin with a frown.
"Sorry, bad joke. That's all I wanted to discuss. You're free to go."
-INTERMISSION-
While he was walking around on Shibuya Central Street, Shin suddenly remembered that he should check on the entrance to the Velvet Room there. Near Untouchable, the shop where he and Ryuji went the other day, was the familiar blue cell door leading to the Velvet Room. Caroline and Justine were waiting outside.
"Hey, Inmate!" shouted Caroline.
"Our master awaits. Please come this way." said Justine, gesturing to the door.
Dressed in his inmate clothes, Shin approached the bars of his cell.
"So you've come." said the long-nosed man.
Igor was sitting at his desk, like usual.
"How does it feel slipping into the unusual from your usual life?" he asked.
"Our master has arranged an entry point to assist you in coming here directly from the real world." said the soft-spoken loli.
"That door you just went through is it! Be thankful, Inmate!" said the other loli.
"This too shall aid you in your rehabilitation. Make good use of it."
-INTERMISSION-
Shin had decided to hold a meeting to discuss the calling card.
"All right! All that's left now is to send out the calling card and take Kamoshida's heart." said Morgana.
"Couldn't we have just sent one at the beginning of all this...?" wondered Ryuji.
"It's not that simple. A Treasure won't stay materialized forever. Once the impression is gone, the Treasure will disappear. I think it'll last around a day, at most." said the cat.
"The hell...? That's like no time at all... Anyways, we can send a calling card now, yeah? Let's do it and steal that bastard's heart!" exclaimed Ryuji.
"Then, let's do this." said Shin.
"I've been waiting for you to say that! Tomorrow's finally the day!" said the blond boy.
"So we send the calling card in the morning... and carry out the plan by the end of the day, right?" asked Ann.
"Correct. The effect won't last that long. Are you worried?" said Morgana.
"Heh. Waited too long."
"Perfect."
"We're not gonna fail this, no matter what!" said Ann, full of conviction. Shiho also nodded alongside her.
"So, who will write the card?" asked Morgana.
"Leave it to me!" said Ryuji.
"Why?"
"Why wouldn't it be me!?"
"This is important. Are you sure you can handle the pressure?" asked Shin.
"I really want to get him good! Let me write it... C'mon, please?"
"All right." shrugged the black-haired boy.
"Yeah!" Ryuji fist-pumped the air.
"Are you sure about this? If they find out our identities, all this work will be for nothing..." inquired Ann.
"I know, I know." said Ryuji.
"All right then! Tomorrow it is! You'd better not slack off on this." said Morgana.
-INTERMISSION-
Back at Cafe LeBlanc, Shin had just arrived. Sojiro was wiping the counter, since there was no customer around.
"Well, whether you like it or not, the real battle begins tomorrow. Better make sure you're prepared, okay?" said Morgana.
"Yeah, and I know just what we need now." said Shin.
He went to the clinic where that shady doctor was working at.
"What are you here for today?" asked Takemi.
"Got any "special" medicine?" asked Shin.
"Huh?" she said, a frown sitting on her face.
"..."
"Now that I remember, you're that kid who was at LeBlanc. Regular medicine won't do the trick?"
"I have my reasons..."
"...Very well. Just head into the examination room for now."
Shin sat on a chair in the room, while the doctor leaned on the door.
"That medicine, huh?" she said, locking the door.
"So... Which conversation of mine did you eavesdrop on to hear that? It was obvious, actually. You call that hiding? Not that I care, of course. I was going to dispose of that medicine anyway. I got a little carried away with it... But tell me, why would a high schooler like yourself be so interested in that medicine?"
The woman pushed herself off the door.
"It's very strange, indeed. You don't seem very athletic, so..." she said, but trailed off in the end.
"Not athletic, you say? I'll have you know I'm fit as a fiddle." said Shin.
"Uh-huh." replied Takemi, unconvinced.
"Shall I demonstrate, then?" asked Shin, unbuttoning his blazer.
The doctor shook her head and said.
"No need... But, tell me... What exactly are you up to?"
"It's for brainpower." replied the teen.
"Oh, for your entrance exams? So you're looking to improve your concentration and reduce fatigue? Hm, that's not the best idea. But if that's what you want to do..."
She unlocked the door.
"Then good luck with that. I have no obligation to help you with that. Why don't you have an energy drink or something?" the woman asked.
"I need that medicine."
"..."
"You're really annoying, you know that? The medicine is really expensive. And it's not something a high schooler can get his hands on. It costs almost as much as a car. Got it? So how about you just go home?" she suggested.
"Can't I work for it?" asked Shin.
"What, like a part-time job? ...Do you consider yourself as someone with a good amount of stamina?"
"Of course."
"I admit I have been looking for a young person around your age to help me out. But I haven't been able to find one, even after putting an ad in the paper... Are you up for it?" she said.
"What would I be doing?" asked the teen.
"Do you want to do it or not?" asked Takemi, frowning.
Shin nodded.
"Okay then. You'll be participating in clinical trials for my medicine. Hang on, I'll be right back." she said.
The woman brought a glass full of an unknown liquid and handed it to Shin.
"Here you go. Don't worry about the side effects. My autopsy is guaranteed to find out exactly what part of it killed you." she said with a grin.
"Don't mind if I do." said Shin as he bottomed up the glass.
"Huh?" the doctor was shocked.
Her mouth hung open as she looked at Shin.
"I can't believe you actually drank it..."
"This thing's pretty bitter." said Shin, his face scrunched up from the taste.
"Still doing okay, huh? Hm. Not bad, for a high schooler." she said.
As he rose up to his feet, Shin could feel his legs were like jelly. In a last ditch attempt, he redirected his body towards Takemi.
With his consciousness slipping, he could vaguely feel his head hitting something soft, before he fainted.
'Totally... worth it...'
Waking up an unknown amount of time later. Takemi was noting something on her clipboard until she noticed Shin was awake.
"You're finally awake. Do you remember anything from the moment you took the medicine until now?" the woman asked.
Shin shook his head in response.
"Hm. You briefly woke from your coma, but you were completely dazed during the entire examination... You eventually lost consciousness, and fell back asleep."
She took a moment to place her clipboard and pen on the desk.
"Are you out of your mind? Only an idiot would've drunk that."
"It's for my exams."
"...Fine. By the way, the reason you lost consciousness was because of the taste. It produces a foul smell when mixed with gastric juices, similar to surstromming. Oh well. All that matters is that thanks to you, I was able to some good data. It's my turn to make good on my part of the deal. That's why I waited till you woke up." she said.
Takemi placed her chin on the back of her hand.
"I don't want the general public to know about my original medicines. So, you're strictly prohibited from disclosing what happens here to anyone... Understood?"
"Of course."
"Then it's a deal. As long as you come here for it, I'll give you medicine at a good price whenever you want. I may even add additional selections, in time. I look forward to your continued patronage."
'I wonder if I'll ever get tired of this fuzzy feeling.'
"So, when can you come back for the next clinical trial?" asked Takemi.
Seeing the confusion on Shin's face, she continued.
"Oh, you don't remember that part, either? Well, I was saying that teenage test subjects are quite valuable in the medical research history. So I'll provide you the medicine for your entrance exams, and in exchange you'll be my guinea pig. If you can move now, you can go home."
As Shin was about to exit the clinic, Takemi interrupted him.
"Oh yeah, I'll contact you when I'm done prepping for the next clinical exam. And I'll put together some compensation by then, for all your efforts today. But you're not getting that in writing. Based on today's results, I think I can whip up some new medicine for next time. Drop by when you're ready for it."
"Alright." said Shin.
"You live pretty close, right? You might still feel some dizziness, so take it easy on your way home. I'm not in the mood to write up an autopsy. So take care of yourself."
Shin went on his way back to LeBlanc. Sojiro was somewhat annoyed he had to wait for the teen before he could go home, but that wasn't out of the ordinary anyway. Since he was pretty beat, Shin did his exercises and went to bed.
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The Death Arcana is debated as one of the most misunderstood cards in the standard Tarot deck because of its common interpretations that imply a physical death. While it is associated with foreboding and doom, the Death Arcana also symbolizes metamorphosis and deep change, regeneration and cycles. In the earliest Tarot decks, it was the only Arcana that didn't have a name, but the depictions of an ominous skeleton bearing a scythe led people to call it Death.
When one follows the order of the cards in the Tarot deck, one can notice that the Death Arcana implies a change in the deck. The Arcana before this one are named "small mysteries" and are often represented by human figures, while the "great mysteries" following Death include celestial symbols and angels.
The Personas of the Death Arcana are commonly associated with and excel in Dark-based affinities, but are weak towards Light-based affinities. Mythological figures of the Death Arcana are usually figures related to death or are notable in their myths for their own deaths.
In recent games, characters of the Death Arcana are associated directly with death, but a commonality that connects all Death Arcana characters is the cycles of change they experience.
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Confidants:
Igor (The Fool) - Rank 2
Morgana (The Magician) - Rank 1
Ann Takamaki (The Lovers) - Rank 1
Ryuji Sakamoto (The Chariot) - Rank 1
Tae Takemi (The Death) - Rank 1
