Nice to meet you again, everyone. I've been in stasis for a ridiculous amount of time, dealing with personal issues. I don't know whether I could quickly return and finish mmy old stories, but I'll do what I can for now. In order to regain my writing skill, doing simple short stories is definitely the way to go. Here you go, a Persona 4 story of everyday life in Inaba!
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Disclaimer: Don't own Persona 4. Atlus do. Agi spells are banned!
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Never Ending Inaba Life
By superecho
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Day 1: Mealstorm (no, it's not the typo of maelstrom)
…
*Daytime* (Raining)
/Central Shopping District
BGM: *insert dramatic battle music here*
(no, not Reach Out to the Truth for crying out loud!)
Under the heavy rainstorm, two warriors are racing their hearts and legs forward! Nothing can stop them!
"I… I can't keep going!" the male grunted.
He could feel the life force escaping his legs, and not even Luke Skywalker or Master Yoda could prevent it from happening.
"You're giving up NOW of all times!?" the female is annoyed; "This is insanity!"
"No… This is madness!"
*thunder crash*
"THIS IS SPARTAAAAA!" they both yelled like crazy gladiators.
*thunder crashes louder*
The male get back on his feet, using his zombie legs!
"Wait! If you proceed you will amputate your legs later!" the female acted worried (she should've said that a minute ago, seriously).
"Your devil words shall not trap me anymore!" the male voices his spirit dramatically, "Even when everything is lost, I still have my iron will!"
The male began dragging his legs, running faster than a leopard! …If you use fast forward x16 and have been taping this (why would you?).
"I will never lose from anyone!" the female's legs are on fire (not literally) and she's moving like a cheetah! If you use fast forward x8.
I don't really know which one is faster from leopard and cheetah, so let's move on.
"HEEEAAAAAHHHHH!"
"WUUUAAAACCHHAAA!"
*insert super loud door breaking sound here*
…
/Central Shopping District – Chinese Diner Aiya
The peaceful Chinese-styled diner has been entered by the two warriors; their hard struggle to get away from the storm is all repaid, for they are-
"We…" the male began.
"…have…," the female continues.
"ARRIVED!" they both finished.
The 'warriors' who turned out to be Yu Narukami and Chie Satonaka of Yasoinaba High School, strikes out some fancy superhero poses, with their arms raised up diagonally and their legs stretched out- (it's a Kamen Rider's pose- which one is up to the readers).
"Man… Today's rain is something else, right Yu-kun?" Chie brushed off the water drops from her light green jacket.
"The weather report said it's the heaviest storm ever occurred in Inaba," Yu does the same with his dark blue jacket.
"Well, our names we shall go down in Inaba history as the storm-conqueror duo!"
"I wonder," Yu chuckled.
…The five people inside (including the owner) pretend that they don't exist.
"Come on! Let's grab a seat!" Chie pointed to the deepest corner.
There are two empty seats just one sit away from the wall, facing the chef counter. Chie sat down the outer one, while Yu the inner one. In the innermost seat, a young boy wearing glasses is turning his head away.
"…Shu?" Yu called out.
The boy twitches radically, with his shoulders jumping up and his glasses are falling down.
"Yu-kun," Chie asked, "Is this boy having a convulsion?"
"You should've asked if he's a prime suspect caught red-handed, but that would do," Yu concluded.
"None of those make sense!" Shu bolted after putting back his glasses.
"Ah, it's really Shu after all. What are you doing here?"
"My mom is coming home late today, so I went out to buy some food. But the storm came and I decided to just eat here."
"Why didn't you just order out from Aiya?" Chie asked.
"We never really order out for dinner… So we don't have Aiya's phone number," Shu sighed.
"…You can have my number," Aika, showing out of nowhere, taking out her cell phone.
*thump!*
That act made Shu fell out of his seat backwards in surprise, earning him a blunt impact to the back of his head.
Chie starts poking at the unmoving boy with a stick, "…Aika, he's not moving."
"AIIYAAH, AIKA!" the owner goes crazy, "If you're in jail, who would do the deliveries!?"
"You should be more concerned about the more important stuff!" Chie barked.
"Father, I will do the delivery… even in jail," Aika responded with strong will.
"Like father like daughter! AIIYAAH!" Chie unwillingly mimicked the Aiyan bloodline.
The diner has entered panic mode; the other customers are ready to bolt out without paying, only to get the storm wet out their noodles and forcing them to order a new one without free veggies.
"Everyone, calm down!" Yu raised his hand, and all commotion stopped.
*insert cool investigation music here* (preferably from Hawaiian Five-O)
"Chie, have you forgotten who we are?" Yu said dramatically, "We are the Investigation Team!"
Chie gives a salute, "You're right, leader! I'm a greenhorn!"
"…Does that mean your jacket…?" Aika had to say it, eh?
"Commence investigation!" Yu ignores that and equip his Sherlock Holmes persona (no pun intended).
…
*DOKAAAN!* (dramatic sound and a cut-in of Yu's eyes close-up)
Chie kneels down and inspect Shu's body.
"Found any clues, Officer Satonaka?" Yu asked while placing his hand below his chin.
"Yes, Inspector Narukami!" Chie stood up like some hot-shot detective, "He is still breathing!"
"Case closed," Yu flashes a cool expression.
*SUPAAAN!* (dramatic sound and a cut-in of 'Investigation Complete!' message)
Ten seconds later, Shu woke up.
"Sorry to have scared you," Aika apologized- albeit her expression is clearly blank, "As an apology, I took your iphone and entered my number on it. Here you go."
Shu got an iphone coz' her mother was rich, if you're wondering…
"…Thanks, I guess…?" Shu took his cell phone dizzily, "Wait, why did you include your e-mail address, twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and birthday too?"
"AIYAAAHH! Don't get any fun ideas about my daughter you four-eyes!" the owner snapped.
"I-I'm not! And, you wear glasses too!" Shu retorted.
"I'll be waiting for you," Aika said obliviously.
"Don't say such ambiguous thing!"
"AIIIYAAAHH! GET OUT AND DIE IN A STORM!"
…
Two minutes later, the other customers persuaded the owner to not go crazy and make their orders instead. It worked, but every time he turns around to take a spice or ingredient, he would give Shu the evil look.
"M-Mister… What have I gotten myself into…?" Shu pouted.
Yu pats Shu's shoulder while looking straight at him.
"Shu…," Yu's eyes are dead-serious, "You have transcended into true manhood."
"Mister, please be serious!"
"It's hard to do in a humor-crack fanfic…"
"Miiisteeer!"
A little while later, Shu finally calmed down and ordered something.
"So, Yu-kun. He's the student you've been tutoring up till now?" Chie asked.
"Right, his name is Shu Nakajima. He's a smart boy," Yu smiled.
"A-Ahem! Mister… What are you doing here?" Shu asked to change the subject.
"To eat."
"You go through the rainstorm just to eat!?"
"We were being dramatic and all to improve our fighting spirit, so that's fine!" Chie join in.
"That explains your childish act earlier…," Shu sighs.
"Here you go," Aika handed Chie a Mega Beef Bowl, along with several drinks.
Shu turned his attention to the overwhelming meat scent, "That's a whole lot!"
"Actually Shu, we went through all the trouble to take this Rainy Day Challenge," Yu explained.
"If you could finish it in 40 minutes, it's free of charge. If not, you should pay 3000 yen," Aika added.
"What's the point, mister? It's impossible to finish something like that; you will only crush your stomach!"
Yu pats Shu's shoulder while looking straight at him.
"Shu… To do the impossible is what makes a true man!"
"I'm not getting it!"
"Trust me; this dish will raise your Knowledge, Courage, Diligence, Expression, and Understanding!"
"I-Is that true, mister!?"
"(At random though) Yes!"
"What's that brief pause for!?"
Chie took a pair of chopsticks, inhale a deep breath, and-
"Chow time!"
*munch, munch, munch, munch* Chie successfully eating meat after meat from the bowl… yet the rice still can't be seen.
Shu whispers in low voice, "Mister, is she your… um, girlfriend?"
"One potential candidate out of six," Yu whispered back, "Wait, makes it eight- nah, seven."
"Seven!? M-Mister, why… how did you…"
"As for the eight, you couldn't really count her as one. I mean, she's beautiful and elegant, but there are several circumstances about her work…"
"Mister, I think I better off not knowing…!"
"Shu. You will learn in due time, for that's the next subject of our session."
"M-Mister…?"
*chomp, chomp, chomp, chomp* Chie goes on and on eating the piles of meat on the bowl, yet it still look the same as new.
"Yu-kun! You were supposed to support me today, come on!" Chie took a drink to replenish her dry throat.
Shu looked at the duo confusedly, "Huh? So you're not eating mister?"
"I came along to motivate Chie to finish it and to eat the leftovers should she fail."
Chie finished her tea and readying her chopsticks again.
"Your instructions, leader?"
"Pile over the meats to the side of the bowl! That way, you'll see the rice sooner and will have more appetite!"
Chie followed Yu's order to the letter and it worked; she's gaining more speed than before as she's eating the rice, while still mixing one piece of meat at a time with each spoonful. In just a few minutes, the height of the rice has decreased by 2 centimeters!
"A-Amazing…," Shu said in bewilderment.
"Phew…," Chie take a little rest to drink, "This is still nothing! Spare your praise until I truly conquered this challenge!"
Chie resumes her eating in an incredible pace, not faltering even a little bit. Meanwhile both Shu's and Yu's order (Yu was ordering a hot tea only) have arrived, but none of them took their eyes off Chie. Minutes passed and Shu's glasses are covered in steam from his ramen, yet he couldn't care less.
"Mister…?"
"What is it, Shu?"
"That gi- I mean, your friend's name is Chie, right?"
"Yes. What about it?"
"Why does Chie-san tries so hard…?"
Yu turn sideways to face Shu.
"…I don't really understand your question, Shu. Please elaborate."
"It just…," Shu is casting his eyes downward, "It was only eating. There is no prize for winning other than eating for free. You could even hurt your own stomach, rather than fulfilling your hunger. Shouldn't she put that effort into her studies, sports, or any other stuff that's… much more important? I don't understand…"
Shu looked like he was about to cry, just like that one time when Yu tutored him. Trying hard to do something important, yet the effort go to waste. Yu pats Shu's shoulder and smiles at him.
"Shu, effort is not only for academic abilities. You should try to do other stuff other than studying, and you'll see."
"U-Umm, y-yes!" Shu regain his composure.
"And Shu?"
"Yes, mister?"
"This is a humor-crack fanfic, so please stop being melodramatic."
"Y-Yes, mister!"
*chomp, chomp, chomp* as they put their attention back to Chie, she's already close to finish the Mega Beef Bowl! A handful of spoonfuls to go! But she's pausing with her dominant hand hanging up in the air, her mouth filled to the point her cheeks were puffed, and an overall shaky body aerodynamics posture (yes, she was standing mid-way to boost her stomach metabolism, and this is how it ends up).
"T-This is bad!" Shu is panicking.
"Vomit even a little bit and pay 3000 yen, "Aika commented expressionlessly, preparing a large paper bag for vomiting.
"Shu, now it's your chance to make up for it."
"Huh? What do you mean, mister?"
"Say something that will make Chie overcomes this crisis, and you'll be spared."
"Crisis? That's over-reacting mister."
"Shu."
"Plus, spared from what?"
"Shu."
"Mister, this really-"
"Shu!"
"…I'll try to think of one."
"Now that's my good pupil."
Chie is struggling to not empty her mouth's contents into the table or the floor (or Aika's vomiting bag), but realized that she would need help. Turning her sober head around slowly to the left, she's looking pleadingly at Yu, who is pointing at Shu with a worry-free smile. Chie sets her eyes at Shu, and-
"U-Umm…"
"SHU."
"A-Ahem! I-It's a muscle revolution!"
*SPURT* Chie brilliantly launches the contents of her mouth high in the air. Meat and rice splendidly painted all over everyone's face, courtesy of Chie unnecessarily spinning her head around like crazy. Maybe a stupid move in one of her kung-fu movie collections starts to rub on her.
"ARGH! IT BURNS!" Chie screamed at the top of her lungs.
"No offense missy, but that's our line," a male customer said, his face covered in rice and meat. The rest of other customers are in similar situation, with a different part of their bodies covered in rice and meat.
"You guys can join me!"
"Fair enough."
Inhale, and-
"ARGH! IT BURNS!" they screams.
Yu and Shu didn't join in screaming, despite their faces are in the same condition. Aika got off unharmed since she caught the vomit spot-on with the paper bag, and now proceed to clean the entire diner completely unfazed. Her deadbeat dad simply crouched down and left his daughter to do all the work.
"Mister, may I scream?"
"Men do not shed tears of pain."
"But I have a mouth."
"Doesn't mean that you must scream."
"Oh. Right."
Chie and other customers had their fill screaming, and stopped. The other customers paid Aika the food bills, before leaving. Yes, the storm outside has calmed down.
"Argh! There were just three spoons left! Sh-"
"Chie," Yu cut her, "We don't say such words."
"But ESRB gives the M rating for us!"
"Chie."
"Plus, you're not convincing me with that rice covered face…"
"Chie!"
"Sigh, okay. You really are our leader," Chie inhales another deep breath, "Argh! There were just three spoons left! Damn!"
"Better."
"That was fine, mister!?"
Aika wordlessly handed both Yu and Shu a small towel each, for obvious purpose.
"Chie, would you kindly?"
"Gosh, Yu. Stop making a reference from that creepy game…"
Chie begin to wipe Yu's face clean. But when all that's left is a big chunk of meat on his left cheek, she stopped.
"What's wrong?" Yu asked.
"…," Chie is staring at that piece of meat.
Yu instinctively took a step back.
"What are you doing, Yu? I was just still hungry- oh shi- I mean, damn."
Yu quickly took that piece of meat on his cheek; then he throws it to the opposite corner of the diner, much like playing fetch with a dog. And you know what-
"HAMPH!" -Chie actually gave chase, caught it with her mouth, and swallowed it!
The entire diner is giving Chie the look. That kind of look when- you know.
"…You're going to pretend that I don't exist for a week?" Chie asked Yu meekly.
"…No, but I'm not going to eat with you for a month."
"…Not even sharing your lunch?"
"Especially the lunch."
"You're leaving mister?"
"Yes, and I suggest you should do the same."
"But I haven't even touched my ramen yet…"
"…Godspeed, Shu."
After those parting words, Yu stormed out of the diner. Finally snapping out of the daze, Shu proceed to use the towel.
"I-I'll just clean my face, eat my ramen, and g-go home… y-yeah," Shu's voice is trembling with strange mix of emotions.
"…," Aika stops her cleaning process and stares at Shu.
"STOP OGLING MY DAUGHTER YOU FOUR EYES!"
"She's the one staring at me!"
"I haven't eaten yet," Aika said… seductively?
*SPAF!* Shu throws the towel in Aika's face.
"May I-"
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
And so, Shu's first diner out experience came to a bitter end.
"Haha… Ahaha… Well, I'm off!" Chie nervously try to leave, only to be blocked by Aika.
"3000 Yen, please."
"Sh- Damn!"
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END!
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…Or was it?
*Evening* (Cloudy)
"Shu, how come you haven't eaten yet?" her mom asked.
"There are… complicated circumstances…," Shu looked so distant.
His mom gets the hint and not willing to press the issue further. She suggested to order out a pizza from a brochure she obtained on the way home, but Shu refused and instead opt to skip dinner. Ready for bed, Shu is all too willing to sleep and forget everything that transpired today.
*bing, bong* the bell resounded. Nakajima's home has a visitor!
"Shu, please get that one. Mom is still in the restroom!"
Shu opened the door and… and… see a blue-haired girl carrying a food box.
"You left your ramen behind."
Shu was about to faint.
"Wow, Shu. Who is this girl?" his mom, suddenly out of the restroom, asked.
Aika kneels down in front of Shu's mother.
"My name is Aika Nakamura, and I've been troubling Shu all this time."
Shu could feel his strength slowly escaping his body.
"Oh, aren't you the girl from Chinese Diner Aiya? My, my, how kind of you to deliver this! We'll be subscribing to your restaurant from now on!"
"I'll be in your care, mother."
Shu's mom blushes. Shu faints.
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TRUE END
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…Outside Nakajima's residence, Aika produces a small notepad with the names of all Inaba's inhabitants. She crosses out 'Shu Nakajima' from the list with a red marker.
"One down."
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Author's Notes
Hahaha, such a ridiculous story wasn't it? Despite its rather quirky approach in humor, I hope you had a good laughter reading it. I'd like to release more chapters, but no promises. Thank you for reading! Please review if you feel like it!
