Cutscene: Epilogue: Seal
Somewhere, the DVA system rested. Its powers were not subdued entirely, but they were quieted. It was not too difficult to direct the system, and to quiet it--not while she was hooked up to it anyway. Her myriad subconciouses had been manipulating the workings of the DVA system for ages. It had been tricky to get Aki to cooperate at all.
"I don't wanna." Aki said. though they weren't really talking. Instead, Maki kept the various facades seperate, an attempt to better comprehend herself, and to better control the system. Multiple persona (though not capital Persona) were neccessarily to maintain the device. A single mind could not properly manage it. "You were mean to me, until the end."
"...I'm sorry." Maki said. "But we're one person, aren't we?"
"I'm not so sure." Aki said. "If you want my help... I want something in return." She continued to pout in the corner of her mind, waiting. Maki knew what it was already, of course, they all knew each other's minds on at least some level. It was actually empowering, as she thought about it, to be able to rely on the other masks like this.
Aki helped stabilize the system--she knew, at least, that Maki would keep this promise, and then she returned to the real world, at least for a time.
But the difficulty she had keeping this machine stable was unusually tough. Was it because of that intruder? She imagined she'd never know. At this rate, she wouldn't be able to leave it after all and the thought distressed her. She promised she'd meet up with everybody soon. Wouldn't she be able to keep it? She missed Naoya terribly.
"Hey, I'll do it." Ideal Maki offered. "You just keep at it, okay?"
"But... they asked for me, not--"
"Hey! No more talking like that." The Ideal said, "Don't you remember what they said?"
We're all the same Maki
"I miss Ritsue-Chan, Chisato-Chan, and Arisa-Chan...and I have to make it up to Thora-Chan and..." Maki stumbled, "But are you sure...they won't..."
"I can't say everybody out there is going to accept us, blemishes and all." Ideal offered. "But come on, girl, you don't have to be as all hardcore as me--but you have to have SOME faith in yourself. You can't give up just because someone rejects you once or twice. That's just life! Besides, how long you think those free slurpees gonna last?"
"Yeah...you're right. You're right, too. Okay! Go get 'em!" Maki smiled, feeling the presence fade, and yet not, from her mind.
And then it was just Mai, the two who had entrusted their compacts to their friends.
"I...feel like I can be brave." She said. "I won't run away anymore, okay?"
"It's okay to want to run." Maki said.
"But we can't hide. We owe it to the people we scared and hurt." Mai said, "I learned that from watching Shiki-Chan and Itsuka-Chan." And then, for a time, Maki was only left with her own personal thoughts. It was a little lonely, to just be herself, and not be herselves. She used to hate Doctors but, she wasn't so sure anymore. She had a long way to go before she would truly know herself, but she felt this was a good beginning. Wasn't that right? Naoya? You who began as a delinquent, and then thanks to Miss Saeko--she accepted you, was that it? And now you too are finding your true self.
Cogito Ergo Sum, Maki thought, and got to work.
And the Maki who became her avatar had so much to do. She had so many obligations now, so many things to do, and she had never felt so alive to do them with. But the first thing she had to do...was to mess with Yosuke.
Persona 3 FES - Seal - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la9o8kbY4p4
