| “ | Distance doesn't matter to us! Even if we're separated we're still friends!
— Yosuke Hanamura
|
” |
A transfer student from a large city to Inaba, Yosuke Hanamura is the son of the new manager of Inaba's Junes. The resulting impact on the local businesses that Junes has results in Yosuke being isolated by many of his peers until Yu arrives. The pair quickly hit it off, with Yosuke introducing Yu to his only other friends Chie and Yukiko. The four end up learning about the Midnight Channel after Yosuke's crush Saki appears on it and dies later on, with Yukiko ending up a potential victim of the TV World later on. Yosuke joins Yu in entering the TV World to learn more about it, discovering the creature known as Teddie and Yosuke awakening to his Persona, Jiraya. They rescue Yukiko, and resolve to form the Investigation Team to solve the mystery of Inaba's serial killer.
As Yosuke and Yu bond, Yosuke reveals the stresses of being the son of Junes' manager and his fears of inadequacy. He tells Yu about how Saki reassured him that it ultimately didn't matter if the people of Inaba disliked him and he shouldn't judge himself by their standards. Yosuke also admits a level of jealousy towards Yu, due to the latter's skill and popularity, and apologizes for his feelings. After dealing with their friendship, Yosuke awakens to his true Persona, Susano-o, and helps the rest of Investigation Team find the killer in Inaba and the true culprits of the Midnight Channel.
Battle vs. Harry Potter & Ron Weasley alongside Yu Narukami (by MovieStuff65)[]
Prologue[]
"Think that means their next round's on you, Ron," Harry says with a grin, sipping his pint as Ron sullenly looks down. The sports bar erupts into cheers as Yu Narukami flawlessly throws a dart at the board, hitting his third bullseye in a row.
'Blimey, Harry. Mate's gotta bloody good poker face, on account of him muffing it up so much earlier," Ron whines as he looks at the perfect triple bullseye on the dart board. A man in a yellow motorcross jacket presses a button, the revving of a dirt bike playing over speakers as Yu and Yosuke high five over their victory. At their table, Hermione stifles a laugh as her friend and her boyfriend sit back down, tisking as Ron begins to sulk into his empty pint.
"Deal's a deal, Ron."
"Yeah, don't be too hard on yourself Weasley-san," Yosuke says as he approaches their table, arm wrapped around Yu's shoulder. "This guy's pulled quite a few fast ones over me before. He's got nads of steel."
"Bet you know that you jobber," Ron mutters as Harry stands. "Ron's still new to the city, so I'll cover him. Help me with the drinks, Yu?" The two older boys get up and leave, with Hermione also standing. "I'm afraid I've to go as well. I've got an early morning tomorrow." She gives Ron a quick peck on the cheek before apparating away. As the other boys leave, Yosuke lets out a whistle and looks at Ron, eyebrow raised.
Harry and Yu approach the bar, the former fishing out his wallet and handing a wad of paper cash to Chuck. "I'll take another two pints, as well as..." Harry asks, looking at Yu. Before he could answer, loud yelling and the smashing of glass and wood echoed through the bar.
"What the hell was that for?" Yosuke's high-pitched voiced yelled as the other patrons quit their conversations to watch the spectacle. Harry and Yu groan together as they see the sprawled out Yosuke, chair broken beneath him, as Ron stands with a finger pointed at him.
"You say another thing about my girlfriend and I'll thump you like the git you are!"
"All I said was that she's got a nice-" Yosuke starts, before Ron throws his glass at Yosuke and kicks him in the side. Yosuke yelps and rolls to the side, avoiding the former, before rising. Yosuke snarls and leaps forward, tackling Ron into the table, the furniture breaking underneath their weight as both men fall.
"Should we stop them?" Harry asks, turning back to see Yu casually drinking from a glass of dark, bubbly liquid. "Let them work it out. I won't get involved if you won't."
The wizard stops for a moment, before shrugging and leaning back against the bar, watching as Ron and Yosuke trade drunken blows while a crowd forms. "Take that! And that you cheeky little-" Ron yells, before Yosuke manages to shove him off, summoning Takehaya Susano-o behind him while Ron hastily draws his wand.
"Knock it off!" Chuck finally yells, the loud motor of a chainsaw echoing through the bar. "You two idiots know the rules! If you're gonna fight for real, take it outside." The two redheads glare at each other, before looking at their friends.
"You're gonna back me up on this right?" Yosuke asks, with Yu sighing in frustration as he pulls out a pair of glasses.
"This ain't a bloody game of darts. Harry's gonna make your buddy look like a bloated toad when he's done with him." Ron says as he runs to Harry's side. The wizard looks apologetically at Yu as he draws his wand, gesturing outside. Satisfied their best friends would be behind them, Yosuke and Ron storm outside, practically shoving each other out the door, with Harry and Yu reluctantly following.
Battle[]
As the first to step outside into the parking lot of Chuck's Lower District bar, Yosuke takes a moment to reconsider. "Ron, maybe I said something out of line. We don't-" He starts with his apology, only to fly twenty feet backwards as Ron fires a curse point blank into his back. The teenager slams into a black van, denting the white painted on skull. Yosuke's wounds knit togeter together as Yu casually follows, the massive dragon Kohryu removing the stunning magic. "I knew you'd have my back, leader," Yosuke says, a wicked smile appearing on his face as he draws his knives, his Persona conjuring behind him.
Harry is the last to exit Chuck's bar, removing his wand from his forehead. "Just wrang up my mate in dispatch. I got us a license for this, and we won't have to worry about getting written up." The white haired boy gave a thankful nod, drawing his own blade as he leans against the van. The spectacled wizard, catching Yu's intention, gives Ron a pat on the back before approaching the van. "Try not to make me look bad while I fix your property damage."
"Won't let you down, 'arry," Ron replies, apparating to the street, partly to take his friend's advice and partly to avoid the massive flaming shuriken that Takehaya Susano-o slammed towards him. Ron reappears in a sprint, shooting a curse at Susano-o. Yosuke deactivates his Persona just in time, before resummong it to throw several crescent-shaped blades of wind at Ron. The wizard creates a shield charm, blocking them, grinning at Yosuke's visible frustration.
"'At the best you got wanker? My gran can cast a spell faster than you!"
Yosuke growls, charging forward, Susano-o surrounding his wielder in a green aura as his speed and agility quicken. The Persona-user crosses the ten parking spots between him and Ron in a second, swinging the hilt of his knife into Ron's head. The hit connects, and Ron stumbles backwards even as he shoots a curse into Yosuke's chest. The teen puts his hands on his knees, keeling over as he pukes out a slug, face rapidly turning green.
Harry finishes mending the van's dent, looking over at the sparring redheads. Yu, for his part, summons Kohryu again, healing Ron's curse. "Nothing personal, right?" Yu asks, and Harry shrugs. "I could use the practice." The wizard and the Persona user shake hands, before looking at their respective targets. Harry flicks his wand, sending Yosuke levitating in place, before hitting him with a disarming charm to force the floating Yosuke to drop his knives, while Yu summons Izanagi to blast Ron with a bolt of lightning.
"It took you long enough," Yosuke grimaces as Yu strolls underneath him, Kohryu ending the charms. The teen lands with a flip, smirking at Ron and Harry across the street. "Keep Harry distracted, I'll get rid of Ron." Yu says, kicking Yosuke's knives over to him as he summons Scathath, who shoots a wave of fire at the two wizards. Harry apparates away, avoiding most of the blast, while Ron gathers the ambient fire in his wand and throws it back at Yu. The teenagers scatter, letting the flames singe and melt the chainlink fence that blocked off most of Chuck's parking lot.
Yu charges forward, Izanagi appearing above him, fork spear raised, while Yosuke buffs his friend's speed. Harry slings a flurry of stunning curses at Yu, who forces Izanagi to take the blows, switching it out for Loki instead. The Frost Giant conjures a tree of ice, which shatters into hail and snow that pummels Harry. Satisfied with Harry's temporary status, Yu turns on Ron, swinging the flat of his blade into Ron's stomach. The ginger wizard apparates a few feet away, muttering a charm that thaws his frozen friend. Before he can help Harry up, a blast of wind separates the two, Yosuke darting in afterwards and shoving Harry away.
Ron starts to follow until Izanagi blocks the path, its forked spear slamming into the ground. Ron looks behind the Persona to see Yu, and shoots a curse at the sidewalk. Chunks of asphalt and concrete buffet Yu, who summons Kohryu again to protect him. The yellow dragon roars as it strikes Ron with another bolt of lightning, who replies with a stunning curse that causes Kohryu to seize up. Yu swaps Kohryu for Izanagi again, quickly closing the distance on a paralyzed Ron, the Persona sweeping Ron off his feet with his spear. Ron starts to rise again, only to stop when he sees he's looking up the blade of Yu's sword.
"Way to go! That's what I'm talking about!" Yosuke says, laying sideways on the ground due to the several dozen conjured ropes wrapped around his body. Harry gives a chuckle and looks at Yu, who sheathes his sword and offers Ron a hand. "C'mon Ron, it's over. Let's call it a night." Ron grumbles, but stands on his own.
"I bet if those two hadn't gotten involved, I would've beaten you," Ron says to the grinning Yosuke, who stands up as Harry makes the ropes disappear.
"In your dreams, Weasley. I'd say you owe another drink after getting your butt handed to you again."
Before Ron could start the fight over, Harry gives a nervous laugh and grabs his friend. "Just put it on the tab. I'm gonna take him home, see you boys around."
As Harry and Ron walk away, Yosuke walks over to Yu for a high five, with the other teenager only sighing and putting his face in his palm. "Please don't make this a habit." Before Yu could continue, his phone begins to blare, a catchy idol song disrupting the silence of the night. "Speaking of..." Yu answers the phone, before quickly removing it from his ear as a loud voice yells at him and manages to reach Yosuke's ears.
"SENPAI! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Rise Kujikawa screeches, turning both teenagers' cheeks flushed red. "You said you'd only be gone an hour before I got you all to myself!" As Yu awkwardly begins to explain what happened to his girlfriend, he walks away from Yosuke, hand still in the air for a high five. Dejected, Yosuke walks back into Chuck's bar, alone.
Expert's Opinion[]
While Harry and Ron could hold their own in a wizarding duel, the sheer difference in versatility and battlefield experience quickly became apparent. Yosuke fit neatly into a support role while Yu did the heavy lifting on offense and defense, meaning they brought a more complete arsenal to this fight. The two wizards were ultimately too similar in abilities, and against the Persona Bros that couldn't cut it.