Author's Note: ((So if any of you recognize me from over in the inFAMOUS section of this site, do not worry, I am still slowly working on that project. Just as I am going to be slowly working on this project. Anywhoo... in regards to this story: It has been 8 Years, Nanako is now 15 and a 1st Year High Schooler who gets dragged into a world of Shadows and Personas mirroring her own, yet now she must discover what it was her Cousin went through and face up to the unexplainable part of her childhood she has long since buried. OCs heavily involved. I'm sorry (but seriously, I hope you like them). I will also be making references to actual scenes but they will be written slightly different for ease of writing, core meanings will not be changed))

Nanako Dojima woke with a start and the visions of Heaven slowly faded from her mind. Her best friend who was sleeping in her futon could now be found on the floor like usual when she was over. Miwa had been over three times this week alone getting ready for school next the next day. Nanako had never seen her this excited to go to school. Then again, she had also never seen her friend that mad at her parents before either. Nanako looked at her clock and saw it was 5:43 AM. She might as well just get up since it was going to be going off at 6:00 AM. Nanako lifted herself off the couch in her room that she slept on when she had a guest. It just so happened to the be the one that had been in her brother's room for the year he lived here.

Nanako Dojima was 7 when her Big Bro had stopped living there. To be technical he was actually her first cousin but he had become the sibling she never got the opportunity to have and he took it in stride when he lived with her and her father. At the time, when she was much less informed about the world she had said she was going to marry him. It was cute at the time but whenever he visited she got very embarrassed if it ever got brought up into the conversation. It did not change the pure love she felt for her cousin. He was her big brother even if it was not by genetics. She made her way to the bathroom to brush her long hair and change. Nanako was much different from the girl she once had been.

Long legs sticking out from under her uniform skirt and a slender frame under her jacket. She was popular with the boys for that reason. However she was a driven student and involved in student council. If guys did express interest, she mostly ignored it or was oblivious to it as she wanted to outdo him. Yu Narukami. Nanako's hair was long. Well down to her waist and she kept it tied in the low twintails of her youth. Her idol and friend Rise "Risette" Kujikawa had shown her how to make the style look good with longer hair. After a slow and lazy process of getting ready, Nanako heard her alarm go off in the other room and her friend freaking out over waking up this way. She suddenly felt the world slip out from under her as she was absorbed into a memory from her youth.

Nanako was leaving the restroom when she heard it. A loud thump coming from her cousin's room. He had only been in the house for a few days. "Are you ok? I heard a loud noise?" She called through his door.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" he asked back clearly more concerned for her sleep then his painful sounding crash. Nanako could not think of a way to respond so she wished a good night and assured him that she was not woken up by the noise. Nanako made her way to her room.

When she came back to, Nanako found herself back in the bathroom. Her friend finally found the will to turn off the alarm clock and slowly make her way to the bathroom as a clump of walking blankets.

Nanako looked at the blanket monster that joined her in the rest room and decided to have some fun. "Oh no! Whatever will I do now that I am trapped? How can I defeat such a horrible bea-" her voice was cut off as she was knocked to the floor covered in blankets. When she got them off her face she looked up to see Miwa completely ready for school. How did she do that? Miwa Ito was taller than Nanko. Her short black hair framed her red framed glasses. Nanako stood up carrying the mass of blankets now in the bathroom.

"Really Miwa? Did you have to do that so hard?" Nanako asked with pout. The flash of a small smirk on Miwa's face made Nanako realize her mistake.

"Just wanted you to feel good," Miwa responded with a wink. Nanako blushed and without speaking, passed her friend to return the blankets from whence they came. Miwa was always making jokes like that, to almost everybody. It was like she could not help herself sometimes. Nanako finally put away her futon and headed downstairs to make breakfast. The usual eggs and toast she always made ever since she was little. Nanako remembered a time that Big Bro taught her to cook once she had gotten older. She was not quite as good at it as he was, but he also had a big head start on her in life. Miwa soon followed. She set the table with three spots in case Mr. Ryotaro Dojima was home.

Ryotaro Dojima was a detective for the Inaba Police Department. A young talent in his career he excelled through the ranks. However things changed when he lost Nanako's mother, and his first and only wife, Chisato. His drive for work took over and he began to lose himself and his family in his drive to work and find the person who hit his wife with their car. Since taking in his nephew for that one year, he started to regain focus on the important things in life. While he does still hope to find out who did it, he will never let the drive to find out control him again. Nanako and her father became particularly close after they both wound up in the hospital after the issue with Ryotaro's partner Tohru Adachi. He had been responsible for a series of serial murders back then.

A grumbling voice could be heard coming down the stairs. "Morning Mr. Dojima!" Miwa announced cheerfully.

"Morning Dad!" Nanako announced from the kitchen.

Dojima laughed a healthy and hearty laugh, "Good morning you two! Didn't realize I was in for breakfast today!" The three of them made small talk while they ate. "So, looking forward to your first year at Highschool? It is has been a while since I have had a High Schooler in this house."

"Looking forward to it, Mr. D," Miwa said enthusiastically. Nanako nodded in agreement. "I mean we're finally gonna be able to get jobs and make money!"

"Ah youth, I think Nanako stole mine. Her and that cousin of hers," Dojima replied with another small laugh, the grey had started to become fairly prominent in his hair since she got to middle school..

Nanako looked at him in mock offense, "Dad, you don't really think that about me and Big Bro, do you?" Her lower lip quivered and eyes became big and innocent. Dojima put his hands up holding back a laugh.

"Whoa, put that look away or I am not gonna be able to let you out of the house," he joked. This got a small laugh from Nanako who could not hold the face anymore. "Well, I do hope you both enjoy it, Yu's friends all have spoken highly of their times at Yasogami High School. Though I suspect that has more to do with them finding each other there than the academia provided."

Nanako nodded. "I want to make a lot of friends there just like Big Bro," she affirmed.

"Am I not enough?" Miwa asked mock-wounded. In a chaotic moment when Nanako flicked a piece of egg at her and the resulting freakout resulted with Miwa on the ground. "Ok message received!"

"With that, we need to go. Have good day at work Dad," Nanako said giving her father a quick hug. Nanako and Miwa quickly evacuated the house. The two of them made their way to the Samegawa Floodplain and began their trek to school. They shared idle conversation about this and that until Nanako asked Miwa, "Did I ever tell you about how I walked my Big Bro here to lead him to the High School his first day here?"

"Really?"

"Yeah! He got up a little early that morning and we had breakfast. He complimented me and my cooking. It seemed he really admired my independence. So I decided to help him find his way to the school."

Miwa smiled at the story. "Hey, what do you think made him so special to those friends of his? The ones that used to hang out with you all the time?"

Nanako was a little taken aback by the question. "What do you mean, Sis?"

Miwa considered her words before continuing. "Well, they were such good friends that they stuck around to hang out with you even after their friend left? That is the kind of loyalty you usually don't see in friendships lasting even lifetimes, but he was around here for a year and they continued to respect his wishes to keep you company. It just seems like they had a friendship that was much deeper than that of your usual group of friends. Even Yukiko Amagi still invites you to events and offers you part time work to this day at the Inn. You're cousin surely had a big effect on their lives right? Have you ever asked them about that year he was here? What happened back then?" Miwa explained her thoughts thoroughly and the more she talked the more Nanako recognized the look in her eye. Miwa was interested in this topic. Meaning even if Nanako wouldn't look into it, Miwa was not going to stop.

"Then why don't we look into it, together then?" Nanako suggested getting swept up in Miwa's antics. "You do bring up a good point. And since I can't stop you, I will help you out." They both nodded and agreed to the job. It felt like a momentous occasion. Then they heard him.

"Hey, Nanako-san. Miwa. How are you two doing today?" The boy in the school uniform announced. This was Yuuta Minami. He also knew Yu while we was in Inaba. The brown hair sat on his head in his in a messy mop. Yu had been working at the Daycare that Yuuta was at when his father was out of the city on business. The two of them seemed to become fairly close, including Yuuta to his mother. However Yuuta has always been a bit immature. Not in the same way as Miwa, but rather in a childish way. He was still watching and wishing to be part of Featherman things. However he was a good person though the girls did tend to poke fun at him a lot. Miwa in particular.

"Just heading to school," Nanako replied with a smile.

"Yeah since today is school and all," Miwa added sarcastically.

Yuuta ignored the comment. "How was your vacation Nanako-san?" he asked.

"It was good, spent most of it at Junes or working part time at the Amagi Inn. How was yours, Yuuta-kun?" Nanako asked.

Yuuta's eyes lit up as he began to to regale her with the details of the heroics of the most recent episodes of Featherman X. Which slowly devolved into a one person debate about changes in casting. Particularly with the character Pink Argus who used to be played by a Yukari Takeba who did her own action stunts and could actually shoot the bow her character was known for versus the person who replaced her who could barely act let alone do the stunts. Nanako half listened and responded accordingly while Miwa very clearly tuned him out the whole time. The three of them finally arrived at school.

"Looks like we all have the same homeroom. A Mrs. Matsunaga? I think she went to school hear when Big Bro was here," Nanako said looking at the class list.

Miwa looked at her, "How do you know?"

Nanako replied with a grin, "They were in music club together, I think."

Yuuta sighed, "Looks like you have an easy home room coming up then. I just hope he didn't tell her about me at Daycare when he was around," His grumbling went ignored as the three headed to their new homeroom. Nanako found herself in the middle of the class while Miwa was two seats in front of her and Yuuta all the way in the back near the window. A short, thin woman walked into the room and to the surprise of the students took to the front of the room. She had naturally rosy cheeks and was practically their size or smaller. It seemed she had not grown much, if at all, since her days in high school. However, her professional looking suit differentiated her from the dark student uniforms.

"Hello class. My name is Ms. Ayane Matsunaga. I will be your homeroom teacher this year. Welcome to Yasogami High. This was my high school which I have returned to years later as a teacher to spread my love for this school in my high school years to many students," the teacher announced in higher pitched voice. It was cute, in a sort of weird way for a woman her age. Many of the boys seemed to be immediately interested in class, Nanako noticed. She looked back to Yuuta and saw even he seemed a little enraptured. This was going to be an interesting school year.

The day started off normal. It was spent entirely in homeroom explaining rules, classroom expectations and introducing a new student. Then they heard the PA system turn on and a tinny voice came over the speaker.

"Attention students and faculty. The has been an incident within the district. Students are not to leave the building. Police are dispatched in the area. Faculty, please report to the Teacher's Office for an emergency meeting."

The teacher sighed. "Just like when I was a first year…" she mumbled under her breath. "Ok class, please remain here until they announce your release. Regular lectures will begin tomorrow," she announced before she left. The students became abuzz with the possibilities. Nanako seemed to remember something similar happening the day after her Big Bro showed up in town. The coincidence was not lost on the young girl. Miwa made her way to Nanako, with an inquisitive look.

"Nanako? You look like you are remembering something," she observed. It was a face Nanako made often.

Nanako looked at her friend. "Miwa, I think we may have an 'in' with Big Bro's friends. This happened his first day of High School, too," Nanako announced confidently.

"Sneaky," Miwa remarked while nodding. "Get them to tell the story based on related events. You are good."

"I learned from the best," replied proudly.

Miwa nodded and then Yuuta asked, "What are you two doing with Yu's friends?"

"Just getting them to tell about the year he lived here," Nanako replied casually completely missIng Miwa's gesturing to stop talking.

Yuuta lit up. "Really? Can I come with? I have been interested in that myself ever since I met him when I was younger," he informed the two of them.

Miwa sighed. It was no secret that Yuuta was a fan of Nanako's cousin. Narukami had that kind of effect on people in general. Yuuta still saw him like a superhero.

Nanako shrugged. "If you want. Can't really guarantee we will get much out of them. There is only a couple of them still in town to be honest. Yukiko Amagi at the Amagi Inn, Officer Chie Satonaka in the Inaba Police, and Kanji Tatsumi at the Tatsumi Textiles. The others have all moved away and only really come back for short visits," Nanako explained.

"So then Sunday?" Miwa asked.

"Sunday," Yuuta agreed.

Saturday night started off like any other. Nanako took her shower and prepared her clothes for the following day. She wore long grey sweats and a white shirt maybe two sizes too big when she finally sat down on her couch and thought to herself about how tomorrow was the big day. That she could start digging for answers about the mysteries of her childhood and her Big Bro's year in Inaba. She did not even feel herself fall asleep. A lovely tune seemed to radiate the air with a serene energy. Her vision took on a velvety blue hue and soon she found herself in a new place entirely. It was a large riding cart for the biggest ferris wheel she had ever seen. They were moving. A man with large eyes and an even larger nose sat across from her a table in front of him. To his right a blonde woman in a blue dress.

"Welcome, to the Velvet Room. Do not be alarmed you are sound asleep in your world. My name is Igor," the man said in what was an almost creepily pleasant tone of voice.

"What is this place?" Nanako finally managed to say.

Igor chuckled. "This place between dream and reality. Mind and matter. It is a place that only those who have made a contract may enter. It could be that you may have such destiny ahead of you. And may I ask are you?" he asked.

"Nanako. Nanako Dojima."

Igor smiled and then gestured to the blonde, "This is Margaret. She is an attendant here and we will be assisting you along your journey."

"It is an honor to finally meet you Nanako Dojima. I knew you were bound to follow in Narukami's footsteps. You have acquired the power of the Fool. Zero which is empty, but full of infinite potential," Margaret said.

"You knew Big Bro?"

Igor waved his hand dismissively, "It was a long time ago that he too was our guest. We will return you to your world. Rest assured that we will meet again Ms. Dojima."

Nanako woke up, but she couldn't fully remember what her dream was about. It was bizarre. All she did remember was the color blue. However, it was not too important as today was a big day. Today, Nanako was going to head off with Miwa and Yuuta to find out more about her Big Bro's year in Inaba. First they were going to go to the Amagi Inn since it required a bus ride to get to it quickly. Nanako sported a white bolero jacket, a pink t-shirt, and a white jeans. They were going to meet at the bus stop in the Shopping District. Nanako headed down stairs to find her father sitting on the couch, passed out with an empty mug next to an open file.

Nanako walked over to him to wake him up and send him to bed for his day off but something caught her attention on the file. She never would have dreamed of snooping on her father's work but she was immediately attracted to the date on the file. It was from Monday. The day of the incident. Nanako quietly flipped open the file and found a second date from three days before and the descriptions were very similar. Every window, mirror, reflective glass in the room shattered and no signs of any missing or stolen goods. However the event from three days prior, a female student who lived there could not be found. Strange. This seemed to be the page that caught her father's interest as she recognized the signs of his pencil marks in the margin. Another one missing? Call him. Nanako read. Looked like he was going to get help from a co-worker.

Nanako put the paperwork back into the file and she simply threw a blanket over him. She headed outside to go to the shopping district. When she got there Yuuta was there in a Featherman T-Shirt and blue pants. Miwa was approaching from the other direction in black short shorts, and an orange track jacket.

"Hey, Nanako-san. Miwa. How are you two doing this morning?" Yuuta greeted them. Miwa mumbled a greeting.

Nanako smiled and replied, "I am doing pretty good. My dad seems to have had a rough night though. Looking into the incident from monday. Seems strange, a home ransacking without anything having been stolen. Apparently there was another one last week," Nanako could not contain the information she saw.

Miwa perked up a little, "Really a house ransacking?" Miwas asked.

Nanako nodded, "But it was just the one room which is the weird part. On top of which a student who lived there went missing. Hasn't been seen since."

Yuuta waved to the bus as it drove down the street. "It does seem weird. Maybe we keep the details we know to ourselves when we go meet with Narukami's friends," he suggested. The two of them agreed and they all got on the bus. They sat making idle conversation as they made their way to the Amagi Inn. Once there, they cycled off the bus and found themselves in front of the prestigious Amagi Inn.

"Anyone else suddenly really nervous?" Yuuta asked out loud. Nanako and Miwa ignored him and made their way inside. Yuuta hesitated a moment then followed still a little sheepish. The girls were already inside waiting for Yukiko Amagi the owner. Yuuta sat down next to Miwa while Nanako remained standing waiting to see her Big Sis again.

An elegant woman soon entered wearing a beautiful red kimono. Her raven hair tied up in a tight and professional bun. She immediately recognized Nanako, and with bright smile exclaimed, "Nanako-chan! It is so good to see you."

"Thanks for seeing me today Big Sis Yukiko. I was really happy to hear you could help," Nanako replied cheerfully.

"Well come with me. I understand you have some questions about when you were younger. Specifically about Narukami?" Yukiko asked her as she led them to an office. Miwa and Yuuta looked at Nanako. How far ahead had she thought for this?

Miwa finally spoke up as she took a seat in a sofa with the other two, "Yeah something happened our first day of school which reminded Nanako of stuff." Across a coffee table from Yukiko in a high backed chair near a large bookshelf of books. The comfort she exuded seemed to be that of a person in a very familiar spot.

"So what did you want to know?"

Nanako hesitated. Miwa gave a nudge and she spoke up. "Was it true that the first murder from back then happened on Big Bro's first day of school?" Nanako asked. Yukiko seemed surprised by this question.

"Wow, I had almost forgotten that myself," Yukiko commented. "It is true, Narukami showed up at school that morning for his first day. That was when the announcer Mayumi Yamano had been found shortly after her start to her affair with the politician Taro Namatame."

Yuuta was impressed, "Wow, you have a really good memory Ms. Amagi-san."

Yukiko's face seemed to land on a small, sad smile. "Well of course, it was the year I met Narukami. He helped me make friendships that have lasted all this time. I love all of them like I never thought I could love anyone," Yukiko replied.

Miwa finally cut through to the main point. "Ms. Amagi-san, if I may, why was that year with Narukami-san so important to you guys? It seemed like it was particularly important to you all considering you continued to spend time with Nanako, at his request after only a year of meeting him," she broke down the reason for the question.

Yukiko looked intrigued. "It was a short time," Yukiko agreed. "However, I don't really think there would be an adequate way for me to answer that question. We all went through a lot that year. Between our own personal problems and the serial murder hanging over the town, the uncharacteristically large amount of fog all throughout that year, we all made it. Together we survived that torrential time. Even when Nanako and Dojima ended up in the hospital we helped keep Narukami from sinking into despair waiting for you two to recover." Yukiko was choosing her words very carefully. The three teens could tell. She was very deliberately dodging a particular topic.

Nanako tried to make her move. "Big Sis, why did I end up in the hospital?" She asked pointedly. Yukiko simply sighed. Nanako was trapping her.

"Look, it is difficult to explain. Taro Namatame kidnapped you and well, we all were so worried. Your Big Bro thought he would never see you again. When you were in the hospital, you died. Narukami was a wreck until they brought you back," Yukiko said passionately. However, this explained 'the what.' It did not explain 'the how' or more importantly 'the why.' Nanako was hot on the trail.

"Big Sis, why was I there? How did I get from Namatame to the hospital?" Nanako asked more pressingly. Yuuta was quiet. There was a desperation to Nanako's questions that made him think that she had more of a reason to be here than just her brother.

Yukiko hesitated. Nanako found the nerve. Suddenly the door to the office opened. "Ms. Amagi-sensei!" a young voice called slowly entering the room. He had big bright eyes and seemed to be only just recently out of high school. "We need your assistance in the dining room. A customer is being a bit of a problem," he announced. Yukiko's look of relief was far too telling.

"I am sorry, I will have to cut this short, I will see you another time Nanako-chan," Yukiko said as she collected herself to go deal with her patronage. The three kids made their way out of the Inn and to the bus stop. They sat in silence for a moment until Nanako finally sniffed back a tear.

"Why won't she tell me? Why won't anyone tell me?" Nanako asked pitifully.

Yuuta's mind was running a mile a minute trying to put together the pieces. He needed more time though. "Hey, let's go to Junes for a little while. Clear your head," he suggested worried about his friend. Miwa agreed. As they got to the store, they stopped off in the food court sitting at a particular table.

"So," Miwa said looking at Nanako seriously. "You want to explain to us what that was about?"