■ Prologue: Dreams of a Maiden
How would you react if you learned that someone could see and speak to ghosts?
It's a question I often think about, during silent afternoons where I have little to do. Every time I try to come up with an answer, I usually arrive at the same conclusion, however.
That if you come from the same world that I do, then this isn't something to be surprised about. There are others who walk a similar path that I do. A path of heresy. If I ask someone from that world this question, I'll probably get a response like "I would ask them how they do it."
If you don't come from that world... well, that's a different story entirely.
If you're someone who is "normal", then the reaction I would get will probably be different, depending on the kind of person they are. Some might find it cool, weird, or terrifying. Some might even call that person a "witch" or "wizard". And when it comes to me, they wouldn't exactly be too far off the mark.
I've had to live with this, keeping it a secret ever since I was a child. The fact that I can see the spirits of the dead. They usually congregate around shrines and other places with a high spiritual resonance, but sometimes I would see one or two in places I wouldn't expect.
A train station is one of those unexpected places. The station's practically empty, apart from myself and a few others. And as it so happens, I'm the only one who'll be boarding the train that will arrive shortly. Not many people needed to head out to a small town in the countryside, it seems.
In this practically empty space, seeing someone who is a ghost would be easier than finding a sword in a museum. Especially if you're sensitive to them like I am.
...There's little point in calling out to her. She can't hear me. Even though she's standing there, she isn't "conscious". Rather, she's a spirit who has fallen into a rather vicious cycle.
She will repeat the last moments of her life over, and over, and over again.
I've seen something like this before. Only it was a student who commited suicide by jumping off the roof of the school building. Only those who hold strong regrets find themselves in a situation like this.
There's nothing I can do to help her... The only thing I can do is watch.
The ghost staggers over to the edge, pass the yellow safety line that people need to stay behind. There, she waits, a look of despair on her face. The face of one who has lost all hope.
She had decided that day to take her own life, for whatever reason. I imagine the scene of the moment in question to be far different from now. Or perhaps it was similar. Or maybe she was all alone when it happened. I don't know, and it's likely I'll never learn the truth.
The train's coming in, and rather quickly too. The woman waits patiently for it to arrive. And as the train pulls into the station, she lets herself fall. The train hits the girl at a speed that would most definitely kill someone had they been flesh and blood, rather than spiritual essence.
The ghost may have vanished, but don't be mistaken. She isn't gone. She'll be back here the next day, returning to this exact moment and repeating the process all over again.
Dragging my suitcase behind me, I board the train by myself. I can't help but let out a sigh. I know that, someday, the woman will someday break free of all of this. It'll be a long, painful process, however.
"I pray that you reach the heavens peacefully..." I say silently. This prayer is all the comfort I can offer her. Maybe, one day, I'll see her at a shrine. Perhaps I can ask her then what exactly caused her dilemma.
The train doors close silently and the rumble of movement that tickles my behind for a second tells me that I'm on my way.
...I feel so tired. I've already been on two different trains to get to this point. It's crazy to think that I started this journey late last night, and it's only now around 11 AM... It's okay if I get some sleep, right? I mean, it's not like there's anything to stop me.
I won't arrive at Inaba for a couple of hours, anyway. A nap isn't the worst idea in the world.
Yeah... just for a little while...
※※※※※
"A... Ah..."
The soft light from outside rouse me from slumber. My eyes flicker open and I find myself staring up at a ceiling.
Where... am I, exactly?
I'm lying in a futon, that's immediately clear. The temptation to just lie there for a while hits me, and I do consider it for a moment. Even though it is warm, I need to see what's going on. So, I sit up and take a look around.
A small room. Warm, no modern conveniences in the slightest. Only a small clothes drawer and a window that lets me view the outside.
"...Oh, it's this place again."
I eventually recognise this place. Yes, it is indeed that place. A place that only exists within my dreams. I usually end up here whenever I have a dream. Not always, but it's a common enough occurence that I'm able to recognise it.
A shrine that's cloaked in eternal daylight. Healthy plants, green grass. A large tree overlooks a pond of clean, crystal-clear water. And hanging over it all is the sun, a treasured companion, beating down on this place of refuge with nary a cloud in sight.
I suppose you can call this place my "sanctuary". A place where I can go to recover my thoughts in peace. Of course, since this is a dream world, it can only exist within the dream. Once I wake up, it'll disappear until I return.
Throwing the covers of the futon off of me, I stand up and walk to the door with a sense of familiarity. The straw door slides open with ease and the corridors, though somewhat twisty, might as well have been straight lines with the amount of times I have walked through them.
It doesn't take me long to reach the courtyard. On the front deck overlooking the garden, I sit on my knees and stare out at the beauty of this dream once more.
...It's so beautiful. I can't help but be at ease whenever I see this. Perhaps I feel this way because the only place that can offer any semblance of peace to me when I truly need it is a shrine.
It's been that way ever since I was young. I would often rush from whatever home I was in to the nearest shrine in town. In fact, my plan for when I leave school is to become a shrine maiden myself.
A weird choice of profession for a modern girl, I know. But, contrary to looks, I'm actually a rather old-fashioned girl. Big on traditions and what not. I feel more comfortable in a kimono or yukata than a skirt, and you won't catch me dead without my charms. Though that's more for practical reasons than anything else.
I learned a great many things from the people who were in charge of taking care of those shrines. That shrines are places where the spirits of the dead come to find peace, and some say that the gods of this land ended up becoming trapped in these shrines long ago—though I'm not sure if that part is true.
It was while helping at these shrines that I first encountered them. One time, I met the ghost of a young girl who seemed content with her place, despite having died at such a young age. When I asked her why, she said this:
"I left my dream with mama and papa. As long as they can do it, I'll be happy."
Leaving your dream to those who still live... It's something that not many think they would have to do, and yet it always remains a possibility. Death delivers all to the same end, regardless of who you are.
A person I met sometime later said something else that left a profound effect on me. She said:
"I don't know when I'll die. All I know is that what I did came at the cost of the years I could have had. That's why I'm travelling. I'm making the most of my precious time here on this world."
I'll remember these two encounters for the rest of my life. It's what drives me to chase what I want to do, regardless of whether it's the "correct" choice or not. While it's not something most would consciously choose as their path, it's the path that I have chosen, knowing that life is too short to be concerned with what society expects from you.
It's been such a long time since I've seen her... I wonder where she is now? Is she okay? She said she was "travelling", but she never did tell me what she meant by that, nor what she wanted to accomplish... Well, wherever she was, I hope she's safe.
Breathe in... and out... Let all thoughts fade away. The sound of the early morning wind and the happy dance of the fishes in the pond fill the air. Indeed, this is a quiet place. Nothing I know of can disturb the stillness that permeates the entire shrine.
Rogue thoughts invade my mind. If the serene peace I felt was a calm river stream, then this invading force was like a rushing current. My eyes close tighter as I recall events from that fated year.
"Yuuki! Stop! That weapon⸻"
"I'll use whatever strength I have to. That is my way⸻"
"Even if it's pointless, I still have to⸻"
"Maybe I was wrong about you. You're just⸻"
"I must bear witness to this fight. For their sake⸻"
"So it's true. I really am you⸻"
"What's going on? Why are you here?!"
"Enough!" I scream, my pained voice echoes as my eyes snap open. It was too much. I couldn't take that bombardment. So many memories fill my head at once, it shatters the peace I felt from before.
"...Huh?"
What's all this? Where did the shrine go? Instead of the shrine that I have come to know, I'm now in a completely different place. A temple of sorts, it seems, with a long blue carpet stretching into the darkness in front of me. I look over my shoulder curiously. Nothing but darkness behind me as well.
The corridor is rather thin. Strong brick walls on both sides of me, with candle fixtures attached at set intervals. Standing up, I notice that there's a faint light off in the distance. The distant gentle warmth of flame.
The tips of the candlesticks flare up one by one, starting from the furthest until it reaches the candlestick closest to where I stand. It does provide enough light for me to see properly. It's a straight corridor with no deviation from what I can see... So, the question remains.
"I'm meant to just walk down this corridor?"
Seems like a silly question. Of course, the answer is going to be a resounding "yes." With very little to do, and very little choice, I begin to walk slowly down the corridor, making sure to never step off the carpet.
A few minutes pass. Turns out it's a lot shorter than I thought it would be. As I come to the end of the corridor, I find myself standing in front of a sliding door with a painting of a sakura tree on it.
...What exactly will I find on the other side of this door?
There's definitely light coming from inside the room. A warm blue light... Well, I won't know for sure until I see it for myself. I steel my determination and reach out, sliding the door open carefully.
The blue light spills out from inside, making me raise my arm to shield my eyes. The light soon dims to a more reasonable level, and I'm able to lower my arm to see what is there.
I see... something that's hard to describe properly. I can certainly try, though.
A semi-large room, lit up by blue flames from the candlesticks attached to the walls. At the end of the room, there's a small square table with a white cloth draped over it. I look off to the side and see a forge, the flames inside burning brightly. It would certainly explain why the room's so warm.
It's almost like a strange, otherworldly living room... No, it's far too neutral for that. A living room is supposed to feel homely. A place where you can feel safe. This room has none of the qualities that I associate with a place like that. Instead, all I feel is an unnatural aura.
I step forward cautiously. In this room, two people, an old man and a woman, sit near the table—the man directly behind it, the woman beside him.
The old man's wearing a black suit, with white gloves and a handkerchief in the front pocket of the suit. White hair on the back of his bald head and bulging bloodshot eyes, and that's on top of the... very, very long nose, and wide toothy grin. He looks so... out of place, in this traditional Japanese style room.
The woman sitting on her knees beside him looks far more natural, though her appearance can be considered just as strange. Platinum blonde hair, pale skin. She has her eyes closed, so no seeing what colour her eyes are at the moment. Her head is lowered slightly, looking down towards the floor, giving the impression that she's meditating. Her clothing is far more in tune with the style of this room, being a dark blue kimono with a golden obi.
To put it bluntly, she looks absolutely stunning... Yet, it feels like I've seen her before. She reminds me of someone... No, it can't be. It's just a coincidence. It has to be.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room," the man addresses me with a raspy voice as I approach. Once I reach the table, I sit on my knees directly opposite him. He looks me over with a cursory glance.
"It seems that we have a guest with an intriguing destiny. My name is Igor. I am honoured to make your acquaintance."
Igor bows his head slightly, as if in a show of respect, before he raises it back up.
"This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a 'contract' may enter. However... You seem to be destined to walk a different path than those who've come before.
He clasps his hands under his nose and rests his elbows on the table, hiding his smile.
...I don't understand a word he said. A room that exists between dream and reality? So this is just a part of my dream? ...Trying to make sense out of this is a futile effort. Might as well just go along with it for now. Perhaps it'll make sense later.
"...My name's Sayuri⸻"
"There's no need to tell us who you are, Sayuri Narukami."
Oh? He knows who I am? Even before I introduced myself? Interesting. I sit patiently, waiting for him to continue.
"A previous guest spoke of you. You know him rather well. He was once an ally to you back during the events of three years ago."
Ah... so it was him. That boy.
I look down at the ground to avoid Igor's gaze. Though I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to hide. It's clear he knows more than he's letting on.
"This is Margaret. She's a resident here, like myself."
Raising my head, I see that Igor's pointing out the woman beside him.
The woman named Margaret raises her head and opens her eyes. They're a striking golden colour, which only adds to her beauty even more.
"My name is Margaret. I am here to accompany you on your journey," she says with a slightly deep voice that conveys a wisdom that can only be acquired through experience.
At the very least, they seem as though they don't want to pick a fight. That's good, that's very good. I can relax a little and focus on asking the questions I need to ask. Starting with⸻
"What am I doing here?"
"The nature of this room shall be revealed to you in due time."
Oh, going the cryptic route, are you? I really don't like that.
"Now then, why don't we take a look at your future?"
With a snap of Igor's fingers, a deck of cards appear on the table. And with a wave of his hand, seven cards make their way out of the deck and arrange themselves in a two-three-two formation.
"Do you believe in fortune telling?" he asks.
"Not the kind you're about to perform," I respond immediately.
I don't need to think about it. I wasn't a believer in the Tarot to begin with, so finding out just how much sway it had on our world only served to make me more than cautious when dealing with it.
Igor chuckles. And just what is so funny about that?
"Each reading is done with the same cards, yet the result is always different. Life itself follows the same principles, doesn't it?"
...I'm not too sure about that. I'm certain that if we repeat this endless cycle called "life" for long enough, something will repeat itself eventually.
Igor flips the card closest to me and to his right.
"Hmm... The Tower in the upright position represents the immediate future. It seems a terrible catastrophe is imminent... The card indicating the future beyond that is..."
He flips the card on the opposite side.
"The Moon, in the upright position. This card represents... hesitation, and mystery. Very interesting indeed."
He looks up from the table and directly at me.
"It seems you will encounter a misfortune at your destination. And a great mystery will be imposed upon you. The coming year will be a turning point in your destiny. If the mystery goes unsolved, the present you may be forever lost. My duty is to provide assistance to our guest to ensure that does not happen... Hehe, this shall be an interesting journey for us all. We shall attend to the details another time. Until then... farewell."
The candles flicker out one by one, until the room is completely enshrouded in darkness... Eh...? I feel... sleepy...
※※※※※
...I am not pleased in the slightest about that intrusion. How did they even do that, anyway?
My guard was down thanks to that little trip down memory lane, and they were able to sneak in that way. That must be it. I have to be more careful when I go to sleep later.
As much as I want to get a little more sleep, I know I won't be able to. I shake my head to wake up fully and stand up. Reaching up to the railing above me, I pull down my bag and open it up.
There were only a few things in there, stuff I couldn't fit with the rest of my luggage. There are a couple of things I wanted to make sure doesn't get lost. Besides the limited number of books I brought with me, there's also a light brown wooden box and a necklace. A necklace with a steel chain, and on the end of that chain is a small mirror with an elaborate frame.
I can't remember when my mother gave me this... Years ago, I think. I see my reflection in it and I can't help but stare for a while. It's always like I was seeing myself for the first time. I know it sounds ridiculous, but this mirror does hold a lot of significance for me. So it's something I want to keep close at all times.
"...What a strange place," I murmur as I put the necklace on
The "Velvet Room", huh? I wonder what its purpose is? And why they contacted me? If they worked with that boy, then surely they must know what I'm like. I'm hardly the most appropriate "guest" they could have found, so why...?
...Those are questions I can ask them later. Because I know I'll end up back there at some point. Although, if I'm going to speak to them again, I'm going to do it on my terms, not theirs. I am not going to walk down that corridor every single time.
Oh, I just remembered. I start digging through my pockets. Where is it, where is it...? Ah, there we go. I pull out my mobile phone and check the last text message I received.
「Meet us outside Yasoinaba Station at 4PM」
This device is one of the few modern liberties I allow myself, despite my preferring the old way of doing things. In fact, calling it a "liberty" might not be even accurate in the slightest. It's tough getting by in the modern era without something like this.
In any case, there's still some time before the deadline. I should make it with plenty of time to spare.
"Our next stop is Yasoinaba Station. Be sure to take any luggage before departing," the pre-recorded announcement blares throughout the compartment. Seems like we're getting close to the station. I gather my luggage and make my way to the door.
There I wait, watching the green fields and clear sky pass by me until the train slowly comes to a stop.
As I step off, I see that, compared to Iwatodai, there's a lot less noise. The station's practically empty, just like the one I was at a few hours ago. In a large city, the only time that's most likely to happen is in the dead of night. I don't mind this, however. For one, I can actually hear the birds chirping.
...It's so quiet. I can't help but smile as I take my first proper step into Inaba. Maybe it's because I prefer the countryside over any city, but I'm just really glad I'm here.
Now, where is my uncle? He should be somewhere around here, but I can't seem to find him.
"Hey! Over here!"
I turn my head in the direction of the voice. A middle-aged man stands near a car; short, greyish black hair, grey eyes and sporting a stubble. I'm guessing he's wearing his work clothes—a dark grey shirt with rolled up sleeves, a red tie, and black dress trousers. Mother did say he works with the police, though I can't recall what division or rank.
I walk over to him.
"Well, you certainly look different from your photo," he says with a disarming smile and friendly tone. "Welcome to Inaba. I'm Ryotaro Dojima. I'll be looking after you. Let's see, I'm your mother's younger brother and that about sums it up."
Now that we've gotten formalities out of the way, I smile at my uncle. I don't have many memories of Uncle Dojima, but what I did remember I remembered fondly.
"It's been a long time, uncle."
"Yeah, it has. Haven't seen you since that business in Iwatodai. How long has it been now? Three years?"
"Just about."
A messy affair, that was. I haven't set foot in Iwatodai since 2009, after that horrific incident. The consequences of that event is something that I'm still dealing with, especially the last battle I witnessed.
Huh... who's that? There's someone hiding behind Uncle Dojima.
He must have seen where I'm looking because he brought them out of hiding. A young girl, probably not any older than six. Brown hair, short pigtails, brown eyes, and wearing a white turtleneck shirt under a sleeveless pink dress with two shades of red, white socks and pink shoes. She looks around before her sight settles on me.
"This here's my daughter. C'mon, Nanako, say hello to your cousin," Dojima tries to encourage her, but Nanako barely makes eye contact with me before turning away.
"...'lo," she murmurs with a quiet voice as she runs back behind Uncle Dojima, making him laugh a little.
"Haha, what are you so shy for?"
I don't think she appreciates the teasing, Uncle. As soon as those words leave his mouth, Nanako smacks the back of his leg.
"Ow!"
Despite that, he continues to laugh at Nanako's shyness. He stops a second later and turns to look back at me.
"Let's get going. My car's over there."
"Right."
Letting Nanako lead the way, the two of them help me pack my things in the trunk. Soon enough, we're off for the Dojima household.
※※※※※
The ride so far has been just as quiet as Inaba itself. I had settled for watching the buildings pass us by out the window as the car makes its way along. I'm the only one sitting in the back, Nanako electing to sit up front with her father.
The only sound that reaches my ears is the sound of the car's engine, and the slight bumps on the road as we drive over them.
"...I heard about what happened in Nara," Dojima says out of the blue, saying words that grab my attention immediately. "I... I know that it must be difficult for you right now. I just want you to know that if you need time⸻"
"I'll be fine. It's not the first time... I'll be okay," I cut off his sentence, bringing a swift end to the conversation.
I'm not sure if he actually believes that, but it seems he's willing to avoid that topic for the time being... Hmm? Did Nanako just look at me? I'm not sure.
The car falls silent once more. Soon enough, we stop at a petrol station in what seems to be the shopping district. All of us get out of the car as the attendant rushes over.
"Hi! Welcome to Moel!"
I imagine it to be a boring job but he seems to enjoy it well enough. Well, you know what they say; if you enjoy your work, you never have to work a day in your life. The same will most definitely apply to me in the future.
Dojima turns to Nanako.
"Can you go to the bathroom by yourself?"
"Uh-huh."
With a short nod, Nanako walks in the direction of where I assume to be the bathroom before the attendant calls out to her, stopping her in her tracks.
"It's in the back, to the left. You know which way's left? The side you don't hold your chopsticks."
It is rather unsightly to use chopsticks with your left hand. I'm the one who usually reminds my left-handed friends not to do that, and they would usually call me "Grandma" in response. It's so rude. I'm not the only way who thinks that way, right?
Nanako looks a little annoyed at this.
"I know... Geez..."
She leaves for the bathroom quickly. Might have been holding it in for a while. The attendant looks to Uncle Dojima.
"Are you taking a trip?"
"No, we were just picking her up. She just moved here from the big city."
"The big city, huh?"
"Fill up my car while you're at it. Regular's fine."
"Right away, sir!"
Dojima looks towards the road.
"Good a time as any for a smoke..."
He walks off to do just that, leaving me to watch as the attendant fills the car up with petrol. I take the time to look around. The shopping district seems rather small, covering from this end of the street to the other. It's difficult to see what kind of stores are here from where I'm standing.
It's something I'll have to come back to when I get the chance.
"Are you in high school?" the attendant suddenly asks, catching me off-guard. I scramble to respond to him.
"Y-Yeah. Second year."
"Does it surprise you to see how little there is out here? There's not much to do, so you'll probably get bored pretty quickly. You'll either be hanging out with friends or doing part time jobs."
"I'm sure I'll be fine," I say with a small smile. "It doesn't take much to please me."
It's very true. I'm not that difficult to please. Just lead me to the nearest shrine or place a bowl of ramen down in front of me and I'll be happy for a while.
"Oh? ...You do seem the old-fashioned type. In that case, you'll fit right in. Speaking of part-time work, we're actually looking for some part-time help right now."
...I see where he's going with this. Sorry to say, but I'm not really interested.
"I'll pass. I already have something in mind."
"Give it some thought, why don't you? We don't mind if you're a student."
He stretches his hand out towards me... Well, it'd be rude not to shake at least.
"...Alright. I'll keep it in mind. No promises, though."
I take a grip of his hand and shake it. Suddenly, he pulls me closer and leans in to whisper in my ear.
"You can't save her."
What... what is he talking about? I can't even think of a response to his tone, malicious like a demon speaking down to something they consider beneath them. He backs off just as quickly as he moved in when Nanako suddenly makes her reappearance. His demeanour returns to what it was before, but like I was going to trust it now that I know it's just an act.
"Oh, I should get back to work!"
He runs off, and I keep an eye on him until he enters the building, to make sure he doesn't try anything clever. I walk towards Nanako, but as I step past the tire, I can't help but look towards the building.
"Are you alright? You don't look so good," Nanako asks this with a worried look. I don't know what kind of face I'm putting on right now, but I don't want to worry my cousin.
"...I'm okay."
Even though I say this, I know I won't be able to relax until we get out of here. Which I hope will be soon. Dojima walks back from his smoke and is able to tell immediately that something's up.
"What's wrong? You okay?" he asks.
Fight the urge to look, Sayuri. Don't think about what you just heard.
"I just feel a little tired, that's all."
"That's understandable. You must be exhausted from the trip. I think he's done now. We should get going."
"...Yeah."
I get back in the car with Uncle Dojima and Nanako... A horrible feeling pools in the pit of my stomach. A feeling that what I so desperately wish for—to live out the year in this countryside town in peace—will not be granted.
A premonition lingers in the back of my mind. That what I find here won't be peace, but chaos.
【Author's Note】
First new story of 2019! And it's another remake. This time of the Persona 4 story that's up on my page: "Persona 4: Garden of Souls". I'd been planning on doing this for quite a while, just like the remake of Spring of Hope, and I didn't expect to be doing it quite this soon. However, recent events have bumped up the schedule a little.
Something big is being planned over at my good friend's, NoRoleModelz, page. It's not ready to be unveiled yet, so this shall serve as the jumping off point for this particular venture. Going a bit out of order, but it shouldn't be an issue, given the nature of the story he's writing.
I can't tell you what to expect from this retelling of Persona 4 other than two things. Expect a female protagonist, and expect things to go differently than you would expect... A rondo is a musical term. Where the "theme" stated at the beginning of a piece keeps coming around again and again. Some of you may already be aware of this, but it makes one wonder. What exactly is going to be repeated here? A question for you all to keep in mind.
As an aside, I hope this is the last time my partner here changes his pen name, so I don't have to keep updating the chapters where it gets mentioned. Then again, I'm one to talk, haha!
◆ Next Time – Chapter 1: Settling In ◆