I stand on the train platform quietly with my friends, Dojima, and Nanako, the spring breeze and shining sun contrasting the somber mood that shrouds over all of us as the next train out of Inaba pulls into the station, marking the end of my journey. I mean, with Adachi locked up for his crimes and the fog having been lifted from our world, there isn't much else for me to do here except board the train and head home. But on the other hand, I don't want to leave behind all my friends; sure, they're not the brightest bunch, but we've been through too much for it to all end here.

I decide to speak first. "Well, this is it."

"Do you have to go, partner?" Yosuke asks with a pleading tone in his voice.

I nod. "Yeah. You all knew that I'd have to leave for home eventually."

"We know," Chie replies. "Well, don't you forget about us."

"And feel free to visit anytime," Yukiko adds.

I nod again. "Yeah. I'll come and visit during Golden Week. That's a promise!"

Kanji pumps his fist. "Right on, senpai!"

"Yeah!" Rise exclaims. "And when you do, we'll throw a party for you!"

"A-A party?" Nanako asks before looking to me. "Can we do it at Junes?"

I smile, pat her head, and reply, "Sure." I then look to Yosuke. "Would you be able to set that up for us, partner?"

He nods. "Yeah. Just give me a call, and I'll get right on it." As he finished, I turn around, board the train, and turn again to face my friends one more time.

"Well," I start, "I guess I'll see you guys later."

Yosuke nods. "See ya."

"I'm serious," Chie reiterated, "don't forget about us!"

"Yeah," Yukiko follows.

"If trouble comes knocking, I'll be there, senpai!" Kanji proclaims.

"I'll be there for you too, Sensei!" Teddie adds.

"Geez, guys," Rise interrupts. "You act like he's going to be in danger back in the city."

"I'll be alright, guys," I respond reassuringly. "Just take care of yourselves, okay?"

Dojima nods. "Well said."

Naoto also nods. "We will." The door promptly slides closed as Naoto spoke, leaving me to wave at my friends as the train begins to chug out of the station; not only do they wave back, but they're also trying to keeping up with the train until they run out of platform to run across. Yeah, they're silly like that, but they're committed at least. No one back in Tokyo was like that when I left there, which really showed me where I stood with them.

Minutes later, as the sleepy town of Inaba fades from view, I decide to walk into the cabin and sit down in my seat, where I'll be for the next few hours or so, leaving me with plenty of time to think. First and foremost, even though my friends and I solved the murder case, why do I feel so empty right now? I guess missing my friends is a part of it, but there's something else that's contributing to this emptiness. Perhaps it's just me, but there's something about the case that still nags at me. Why? Adachi was the killer, and his motives were both probable and believable, so then why does it feel like I'm overlooking something?

Or maybe I'm just paranoid, and all I really want is for the year to last a little longer, but it's a little too late to ask for that now. So, relaxed in my seat, I glare out the train window for a few moments, the tree line zipping by like lightning as I slowly doze off, similar to how I awoke as I came to Inaba that long year ago.

As I open my eyes, I notice that I'm not on the train bound for home anymore; instead, I'm greeted with the ever familiar sight of velvet and alcohol, inside a limo that moves slowly down an endless road. And seated opposite of me were two people I spent the past year requiring assistance from, whether it be fusing Personas or fulfilling social link obligations

"Welcome back," the lady clad in velvet attire, Margaret, greets.

"W-Wait," I stutter. "Why am I back here? I thought my contract was fulfilled."

"On the contrary, Narukami," the old man, Igor, began, "your journey is not yet over."

"Why is that?" I ask. "I figured out who was behind the murders in Inaba. Isn't that enough?"

"That may be true," Igor responds. "However, you were unable to uncover the whole truth behind the mystery."

I stand in shock for a minute or so before speaking up. "W-What? That can't be. I was very thorough in my investigation."

"Regardless," Igor continues, "there is nothing you can do at the moment to resolve it."

I arch my brow in curiosity. "'At the moment?' What do you mean?"

"I neglected to mention, but if at any point you were to fail during your journey, such as failing to save a victim, I would have sent you back in time ever so slightly to allow you to correct your mistake."

"A-Are you serious?" My curiosity morphs to anxiety in an instant. "Does that mean you could send me back to the beginning of the year?"

Igor closes his eyes, leaving me in a state of panic before opening them a minute or so later.

"I suppose it's possible, but I haven't tried doing that before." Igor goes silent once more and looks to Margaret for a brief moment, exchanging a few nods, before facing me once again. "Are you sure you want me to send you back to the beginning of the year, regardless of the consequences?" I thought over what exactly Igor was proposing. Basically, he would be able to send me back to the beginning of the year so that I could uncover the whole truth regarding the murders; that part was enticing enough, but another realization flashed in my head: it would also allow me to spend even more time with my friends, even if they, inevitably, didn't recognize me. The real question, though, was whether or not I was really willing to do this, since, as Igor pointed out, there might be negative repercussions for doing so.

Nevertheless, I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and open them after a few seconds. "Yes, I am."

Igor nods. "Very well. Just close your eyes and do not panic, no matter what may happen." I nod, close my eyes once more, and hear Igor initiate using some form of magic like he had with Persona fusions, only this time, it doesn't sound anything like that; in fact, for a moment, I think I hear the ticking of a clock, though this might just be my imagination. As passing seconds begin to drag on like minutes, I hear not only a gasp from Margaret, but also the unpleasant sound of cracking glass.

"W-What's going on?" I ask, my voice wavering.

"Do not panic," Igor reminds me, but the hint of concern I heard in Igor's voice told me otherwise; not only that, but I suspect Margaret shares a similar level of concern as I do as the cracking intensifies in volume. Finally, I'm unable to keep calm; I open my eyes, and what I'm greeted with is something that was mostly terrifying: I see Igor, hands over a golden yellow orb, and Margaret, stricken with fear as the cracks on the windows continue to grow larger.

"W-What in the…?" I barely have any time to react as the yellow orb explodes and I fly towards the back the limo, slowly losing consciousness as the yellow, semi-transparent cloud leftover both engulfs and dissolves me.

I slowly open my eyes, blinking a few times, before taking note of where I am. I notice that I'm seated in a train, wearing the Yasogami High uniform I had received before boarding the train back in Tokyo; it's a little bland, but I think I can manage it. I close my eyes again and clutch my forehead as pain throbs in my brain. It feels like just another headache, but there's something else about it that makes it nearly unbearable. After a second or two, the pain vanishes before I have a chance to sort it out.

"We will be arriving at the Yasoinaba terminal in a few moments," the PA system announced. "Passengers heading to Inaba City and Yasoinaba Station, please move to the other side of the platform."

I guess that means me. I check the overhead storage rack, recovering a small carry-on bag I had packed for the trip, and stand up as the train comes to a complete stop. Once the doors open, I find it easy to slip out of the train, a very different but welcome change from being forced onto the train by the flood of passengers back at the beginning of my travels. I move across the platform and board the next train while taking note of how few people were following me and, consequentially, traveling to Inaba.

I find it strange, but I pay it no mind as I make my way to my seat, place my carry-on bag in the overhead compartment, and take my seat for another round. I then decide to pull out my phone, thumb over to my messages, and read the text I received earlier in my head:

Meet us outside Yasoinaba Station at 4 PM.

The time now reads 3:10, which means I have under an hour before I arrive at Inaba. I wonder what it'll be like. I'm sure the people will be friendlier than in the city, but that isn't really my biggest concern. Would someone want to be friends with someone as plain as me? I run my fingers through my hair in anticipation. Or is it fear? Why would I have anything to fear? I shrug the feeling off and decide to look out the window for the remainder of the ride, the familiar sight of the zipping tree line attempting to lull me to the sweet embrace of sleep.

"Yasoinaba. Yasoinaba." The mechanized PA system voice repeats this name as I exit the train and casually make my way through the empty station. Again, I find it odd, but once I make it to the front, the pieces immediately fall into place and the reality of the situation hits me. There were few people on the train with me because there's literally nothing here. Sure, there's a lot of houses (and I swear I see a huge shopping center in the distance), but the place feels almost like a ghost town. Despite this, it's pretty calming. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the city, I'm greeted with a relaxed, more laid back atmosphere, which is also strangely comforting. It may get a little boring around here in due time, but I think I'll manage.

"Hey!" a voice calls out. "Over here!" I turn my head in the direction of the sound, discovering two people whom I've never met before; the first one is a man, probably in his thirties, wearing a grey shirt with a red tie and dark brown slacks, while the other is a girl, wearing a white turtleneck under a dress and ribbons in her brown, pigtailed hair. As I approach the two, I can't help but chuckle at the way the girl clings to the man; in fact, I think it's a little cute and endearing.

"Well, you're much prettier in person than in your photo," the man remarks. All things considered, I don't know whether to be flattered or creeped out.

Nevertheless, I respond. "T-Thanks."

He continues."Welcome to Inaba. I'm Ryotaro Dojima, and I'll be looking after you." He scratches his head. "Let's see… I'm your mother's younger brother. That about sums it up." So he's my uncle? Alright then.

I extend my hand to him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yu Narukami."

Dojima shakes my hand and chuckles. "You probably don't remember, but we've met. I've changed your diapers before." A twinge of embarrassment blazes through my head at the thought of him seeing me naked as a baby, but I quickly file this thought away as I release my grip and look back to the girl who is, amusingly, hiding behind Dojima's leg.

"And who's this?" I ask.

Dojima turns his attention to the girl. "Oh, this is my daughter, Nanako," he replies as he gently nudges Nanako into my view. "C'mon, introduce yourself to your cousin."

Nanako hesitates at first, but finally she replies softly with "'lo." Yep, she's just too cute with that level of shyness, especially when she retreats back behind Dojima's leg afterwards.

Again, Dojima chuckles. "What're you so shy for?" he asks Nanako before she punches him in the leg. Dojima winces in pain, but he laughs it off immediately. Nanako glares at him like she doesn't forgive him. Now I was the one to chuckle at the sight.

Dojima clears his throat. "Well then, let's get going," he says to change the subject. "My car's over there." I nod, then begin walking to the car Dojima pointed out.

"Hey," a voice calls out from behind me. I turn around and see that a black-haired girl is walking in my direction. As I open my mouth to ask her what she wants, she hands me a folded, crumpled piece of paper.

"You dropped this," she adds.

I nod in confirmation. "Thank you," I reply. As I reach out to take the paper from her, I take note of what she's wearing: a sleeveless white shirt with a black necktie, a checkered skirt with a black belt, adorned with a gold buckle, striped stockings with black boots, and most interestingly, a choker with a lock on it. She certainly doesn't seem like a sociable person, so why is she helping me out?

"Whatever," she replies nonchalantly. "All I did was pick it up." And her attitude certainly isn't helping with my first impression of her. Still, I'm sure if I see her again (which I probably will, given how small the town is), I feel I can straighten her up. I open the folded piece of paper that led to this encounter, only to find that inscribed was Dojima's address; it's kinda pointless now, given that Dojima came to pick me up, but I nevertheless shove the paper in my pocket, just in case something happens.

When I look up, I notice the girl is gone, and when I turn around, I still don't see her. I shrug and walk over to Dojima's car, since I'm probably holding him up now. I throw my bag in the trunk and hop in the backseat, with Nanako sitting in the front passenger seat and Dojima driving. At first, the ride is smooth as we pass house after house; that is, until I see Nanako squirm in her seat.

"What's wrong?" I ask. She says nothing, but the way she's squirming tells me it must be…

"Do you need to go to the bathroom?" Dojima suggests before being punched by Nanako once again. She looks out the window afterwards, trying her best to hide her face from Dojima and I. Still cute enough for me to smile, though.

After a few minutes more, Dojima pulls into a gas station in the Central Shopping District, which gives me my first look at the local businesses; besides a few shops, it's a melancholy sight, given how many places are boarded up and closed. Is it because of that shopping center I spotted earlier? As we pull in, I see an effeminate-looking, male attendant run in our direction.

"Hi," the attendant greeted. "Welcome to Moel!" Geez, he even has an effeminate voice.

"Can you go to the bathroom by yourself?" Dojima asks Nanako, whom nods as she hops out of the car. I exit second, while Dojima exits last, facing the attendant. As I close my door, I see Nanako frantically look around for the bathroom.

"The bathroom's in the back and to your left," the attendant replies with a smirk. "Do you know which side is left? The side you don't hold your chopsticks in." I applaud his helpfulness, but also cringe at his attempt at humor.

Nanako pouts at the man's comment, seemingly annoyed. "I know!" she replies. "Geez!" I smile again as she looks to Dojima once more before running off towards the station. Remembering why I bothered getting out of the car, I stretch my arms and legs as the attendant begins to speak once again.

"Are you taking a trip?" he asks Dojima.

Dojima shakes his head and looks back at me. "No, we just went to pick her up. She just moved here from the big city."

The attendant then starts to look curiously at me. "The city, huh?" he asks.

"Fill my car up while you're at it," Dojima requests as he looks to his car. "Regular's fine."

"Right away sir!" the attendant replies gleefully.

Dojima looks to the distance. "Good a time as any for a smoke," he mutters. So he's a smoker, huh? I watch as Dojima walks off to the edge of the sidewalk.

"Are you in high school?" the attendant asks me.

I turn to the attendant and nod. "That's right."

"Does it surprise a city girl how little there is out here?"

I nod. "Kinda, yeah." I can't help but notice how he leers at me subtly when I speak.

He continues. "There's so little to do, I'm sure you'll get bored pretty quickly. You'll either be hanging out with friends or doing part-time jobs."

I arch my brow. "Are you trying to recruit me?"

The attendant laughs. "Well, we are hiring for part-time help here." He offers his hand. "Why don't you give it some thought? We don't care if you're a student." I remain hesitant at first, but I shake his hand, mostly to satisfy him.

"Sure, I'll think about it." I respond to other comments he throws my way until I see Nanako walk back from the bathroom.

"Oh, I should get back to work," the attendant says before walking away at long last. One thing's for sure: it'll be damn near impossible for me to forget about him. With that distraction out of the way, I go to hop back in the car when pain shoots through my head. I want to shrug it off, but it's a scarily familiar sensation; it's kind of like the pain from on the train earlier, but much, much worse.

"Are you okay?" Nanako asks as I clutch my head. I wish I knew.

"Did you get carsick?" I don't think so…

"You don't look so good." Thanks for stating the obvious. I swallow as I continue to clutch my head as the pain intensifies for a split second before dissipating. I let go of my head and look around, my vision slightly blurred. What the hell was that?

Dojima then walks up and looks at me worriedly. "What's wrong?" he asks.

"I-I dunno. I just had a massive headache." I then wobble. "And I feel a little dizzy."

Dojima sighs. "Let's hurry home, then." I nod as I hop into my seat in the car, and as Dojima pulls out of the station, I slowly nod off, into the sweet bliss of unconsciousness.

Clearly, I must've lost my mind if I think starting a third Persona fanfic is a good idea. Well, technically this is a prototype at the moment, so I'll leave it to you all if this is something you like. And you don't want to know how many times I changed this from the initial concept of a simple New Game Plus story, but I felt it necessary. Because how many of those simple stories are on this site again? Exactly.

Well, I have nothing else to really say. Fav/Follow/Review if you want more, and maybe you'll get your wish. I'd be up for it, but what would be the point if no one read it? Oh, and if you spot any minor grammar errors, PM me and I'll fix it quick.

Read on!

-rjm324