The Velvet Key

[The video starts off with a bang - literally, as there's a nearby gunshot. Naoya's dropped his phone, blood dripping from cuts on his face and arm. Taotie hovers nearby, a wicked grin on its face. Naoya's hands are shaking as he tries to aim at the sheeplike demon. He fires his gun once more and it goes wide.]

Haa… of course it would be you who tries to kill me. The lamb. The sacrifice. It's a good thing he followed my suggestions at home… but you won't, will you? Part of myself… hah. Of course you are. Because you're a reminder of him! And I can never be allowed to forget anything, especially my crime, can I, Abel?

[The sheep casts another Bufu at him, and Naoya hisses in pain.]

If you intend to kill me, you might as well get it over with. But you're weak. You're just a reminder of my own weakness. But no. Even if you kill me, it makes no difference, does it? But try it anyway.

[His expression is downright furious at this point.]

Hate me! Kill me! It makes no difference!

[He rushes Taotie, going to pistolwhip his own Persona, and blast of Zan knocks the phone into something and it shuts off.]

[[ooc; Naoya's in the business district if you want to find him. Otherwise, responses will be delayed.]]

I have noticed that while my student has been distributing a version of the Shadow Database, there were several additions that could be made in both coding and information.

[This public shame, Atsuro? This is why you make your coding perfect.]

With this in mind, attached to this message is a reworked version of the program. Once opened, it should automatically install. Future information will be delivered in the form of periodic patches.

User NAOYA has attached: ShadowDatabase.app. Open? >Y/N

[Naoya starts the video, sitting quite comfortably on a couch. A small smirk is on his lips, and he has his glasses on.]

Prospero. Let's have a little chat.

Now, I'm wondering how many of you are familiar with a man named Carl Jung. He's a man from my world who had many theories on human psychology. There are a few of those that I would like to discuss at the moment, because they're relevant to a few of the terms for the beings we've encountered here. Those would be 'shadow' and 'persona'.

The shadow, according to Jung, was the part of the unconscious mind containing repressed weakness, shortcomings, and instincts. My question to you is this - if there are so many shadows around, they can't be all from us - or from those of this island. So where are they coming from? Yes, yes, 'the dungeon' is the obvious answer… but if we're taking the Jungian route, there has to be someone making all of those shadows. Probably many someones.

The second theory is the more interesting one. These beings we have now in place of whatever power we may or may not have had before are called 'persona', as you know. According to Jung, a persona is a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and on the other to conceal the true nature of the individual. Obviously, no one wants to have their true nature revealed… but my second question is this: what does your persona say about you? What impression does it give to others, based on what it is?

These are just some questions to think about. Don't take them so seriously - unless you want to, that is.

[He chuckles softly, and shuts the video off.]