Persona : The Shades of Our Soul

Chapter 1

11/8/2012, Early Morning

It's been several months after the fight with Hi-no-Kagutsuchi. Yu Narukami's now a senior in Yasogami High School. Well, after some talk with his parents, he's going to stay in Inaba and live with his cousin, Nanako, and his uncle, also Nanako's father, Ryotaro Dojima. For some reason, he's happy because he's going to stay in a countryside where he grew up into a more mature person, despite his age. He's still 18, anyway. And so, with his stay in Inaba, he's not going to be separated from his friends, who he acquired after a year event back in 2011, where the serial murders started.

"Big Bro! Your breakfast ready!", said Nanako, from the downstairs. " Ah, I'll go downstairs in a minute, Nanako.", Yu replied. Well, he's very excited to start his senior year in Yasogami, and the good news, Mrs. Noriko Kashiwagi is already mutated to another school, and actually he thought that he's going to has a better homeroom teacher. After checking the time in his phone, he gone downstairs.

"Good morning my little cousin, Nanako! Are you ready for 4th year in the elementary?", said Yu, enthusiast.

"Of course, Big Bro! How about you?", Nanako asked back. "Of course I'm ready. Now let's eat and go to school."

After that quick breakfast, they go to school side by side. And after some walk, Nanako and Yu walk different ways. And after some walk again, someone shouted,:"YUUUUUUU!". Yu looked to he's back, and saw someone with brown hair and a headphone on his neck. It's his best friend and his partner, Yosuke Hanamura, the prince of Junes Department.

"Yo, Yu. How it's goin'? Really man, after that fight we got, I'm kinda bored with life, and can't find anything interesting. Really, I could have died in my bedroom when I don't have jobs at Junes.", Yosuke pouted. "Well, it's not like I got something to do either. But really, this is our last year in Yasogami and then we're going to college. Aren't you excited, Yosuke? It's a sunny day, so why don't you look at the bright side?", Yu asked. "Well, how can't I look at the bright side if I have to spend my money in my first day of my last year in Yasogami to buy that carnivore lady a disc of 'The Trial of the Dragon'? I know there's a new episode of that movie, but why it's have to be me?", Yosuke pouted again.

"Hey, Yosuke. You have to pay attention to your surrounding if you wanted to talk about someone behind their backs!", someone shouted behind the two young man.

"Oh crap."

"Well, good morning to you, Yu! And you too, Yosuke.", said someone in a good manner. It was two of Yu's friend, Chie Satonaka and Yukiko Amagi. Chie still wears her green jacket while Yukiko still with her red blouse. Yosuke, however, just stand there with no voice while Yu replied them. "Good morning, Chie and Yukiko. How's it going with you two?", Yu asked them.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good myself, but I'm kinda bored. And Yukiko's still busy with her inn, since she's going to inherit it from her mother. Yeah, she got something to do while I slumped in my bedroom for hours each day!", Chie sighed.

They walked to the school together, and they're almost late for their homeroom class.

11/8/2012, Morning

Yu, Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko coincidentally are placed in the same class, class 3-2. Yu sits with Yosuke, and Chie sits with Yukiko. Chie and Yukiko sit in the 3rd row, while Yu and Yosuke are one row behind them. When the bell rang, they started to get nervous and curious, because they still don't know who's going to be their homeroom teacher. They talked for a while, but when the sound of the door opening was heard by the four of them, they started to be silent.

Their homeroom teacher, fortunately, is beautiful, and she's about 35 years old. Her black hair was left hanging by her, and she's quite tall for women's height. She has brown eyes, and when she entered the class, every male student in the class set their eyes on her, except for Yu, who's not interested. He's not interested in older women, afterall.

"Good morning, everyone. My name is Emiri Kanou. I'm a new teacher here, and I'm going to be your homeroom teacher for your last year in Yasogami. And please, have fun studying with me, because I'm not that kind of serious teacher and I'm not going to make you uncomfortable with me, so, just enjoy it.", Ms. Kanou said. Everybody's relieved, but not Yosuke. He's beyond relieved, he's happy because of his new homeroom teacher. "Man, and here I thought I'm going to have some bad bad homeroom teacher in my last year, but I was wrong. Man, this is gonna rock! I can't barely sleep when she's going to teach us!".

"Yeah, I agree with you Yosuke. I hope this year is going to be fun. Maybe you should date her, Yosuke. I know you have some guts to do it. Right, partner?", Yu asked him, almost laughing. "Nononononono! You think I'm interested in older ladies? C'mon man, I'm not like that.", Yosuke frowned a bit. Well, it's not just the two of them, but Chie and Yukiko must be also hoping for the same thing. Hoping that this year is going to be peaceful, with no battle to do. They just wanted to study and prepare for their college, and go to a brighter future.

11/8/2012, After School

The school has ended for them. Yu and Yosuke are walking on the 2nd floor of their school, and greeted by a cute voice.

"Yu-senpaiiiiiiiiii!"

"Yo, Senpais! It's been a while!"

"Good afternoon, Senpais. It's nice to meet you again."

It's three of Yu's best friend, Rise Kujikawa, the idol, Kanji Tatsumi, the son of the Tatsumi Textiles, and Naoto Shirogane, the Prince Detective. They're already a 2nd year students, and yet they shared the same homeroom, too.

"Hey, guys. It's been a while. I missed you guys so much.", Yu said happily. "Well, Senpai, it's already our second year in Yasogami, so I really wanted to have some fun! Afterall, there's nothing absurd that's going to happen, right?", Rise said. "Yeah, this is going to be a good year. So, let's enjoy it while it lasts!", Yu said to his juniors, "And how about this? Let's go to Junes and get together. We need to have some fun, right? I missed the time when us talked together at our special HQ.".

"Yeah! That's going to be fun, Senpai. Well, let's get going!", Kanji said, "And I'll get Chie-senpai and Yukiko-senpai then.", he continued.

"Yeah, that'll be great.", said Yosuke.

…

Junes Food Court

"Here we are, now. So, where's Teddie?", Yu asked Yosuke. "Well, he's still working. But I have told him by phone that we're coming, so he must be hiding somewhere.".

"Well, that's more like him, Senpai. Just leave him be. And yeah, I kind off missed him, really.", said Naoto. "Wow, you really missed him, N-Naoto?", said Kanji, nervous.

"It-It's not like that, Kanji. I just missed him like how I missed all of my friend, that's all!", Naoto almost shouted when she said this. "And why're you shouting when you talked like that, Naoto?", Yosuke teased her. Naoto started to blush, so does Kanji. "Well, you know, it's been a while that we're gathering here, talked, laughed, joked, and do everything together. Man, how I missed those days.", Yu said to his friends. "Yeah, Yu. All of us missed those days, but those days are days when we're investigating on the serial murder cases, and we're still immature back then.", Yukiko said, "but now, we've grew, and become a more mature person. We should say thanks for everything that happened last year.", said Naoto, looking at the bright side.

"Well, yeah, I guess.", said Chie. "And how about my 'Trial of the Dragon', Yosuke?", Chie asked Yosuke. "Yeah yeah, here you go. And don't forget, it's on me. So I'm not going to pay for your lunch here for a month. Get it?", Yosuke replied. Everyone laughed at how things are when Yosuke and Chie argued each other, 'cause it's going to last long, but not today. Chie and Yosuke absolutely in good terms, at least for a day.

"But really, how's Adachi going, Yu?", asked Yosuke. Before Yu can reply him, a voice comes out.

"SENSEIIIIIIII! HOW I MISSED YOUUUUUUUUUU!". Everybody knows whose voice it is. It's Teddie, out from his bear costume. "Yeah yeah Teddie, I can hear you out loud, and maybe I can hear you from Mexico. Of course I missed you too, and everyone here does. And now, everyone's here!", Yu said back to Teddie, "and back to your question, Yosuke, Adachi's going fine, from what I heard from my uncle. He's a model prisoner, and yet, he's going to be released.".

This shocked everyone in the group. Actually, they now that Adachi was freed from the jail when they fought Hi-no-Kagutsuchi several months ago and went back to the jail after that. But now, knowing the fact that he's going to be released is really strange. "Really, Senpai? I haven't heard any words about Adachi's release from the prison. But why?", Naoto asked curiously. "After the events with Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, he told everything to my uncle, and my uncle trusted his story. After my uncle knows that I worked with him to defeat the god of fire, he was relieved that Adachi has become a really good person. But trust me, even I can't trust my eyes when I saw him at the jail when I was going to give my uncle some spare clothes. But what I saw was real, that Adachi has gone good.".

"Yeah, I can trust you, Senpai. But in any case, there's no any cases to solve, and we're now just a normal students, with supranatural powers, that just a few know about that.", Rise said in excitement. "Yeah, Rise, and we're going to enjoy this year.", Yu replied to Rise. However, Yu got nervous when he talked to Rise lately, but he could hid it from everyone else, except from Yosuke, his best pal. Yosuke knows that there's something that Yu hides from everyone else regarding his true feeling about girls, but he just keep silent about this.

"So then, what about Sho, dude? Y'know, he just kinda go away to who knows where after our battle. I'm kinda curious, that's all.", Yosuke asked Yu. " Well, I don't know, too. But, I know he's gone to find his true answer after our battle. And he gained his very own Persona.", this shocked Yosuke and the others. But they're relieved, that everything has changed into a better situation, and they're happy to be the one who saved the world, even if there's no one knows about that, except for some people.

"Well, it's kinda late. So we should get home. Let's meet up again tomorrow, okay? See you guys!", Yu said to his friends. And so, they went separate ways, except for Yu and Yosuke, who went to the same way.

"Yu, I want to ask you something important.", Yosuke said. This caught Yu off guard, because he doesn't get the hints what's Yosuke going to say. "And what is it, Yosuke?", Yu asked. "Well, what do you think about Rise?", Yosuke asked back.

"Why do you have to bring this matter up? Really, I know what're you thinking about, Yosuke. You're thinking that I've been kind of nervous when I talked to her today, am I right?", Yu told Yosuke, and actually get Yosuke's approvement. "Yeah, I'm kinda curious about that, really. Well just tell me, man. I'm your best pal, and I'm not going to say this to anyone else. It's just you and me now bro.".

"Yeah, I liked her, Yosuke. I liked her.", Yu said the word. "Hahahahahahahahaha! I know it from the very beginning dude! You really liked her, and you know what, I think she's got the same feeling that you have for her.", Yosuke said it out loud. "Really, Yosuke? So maybe I should started walking out with her in a date. Really, after that Christmas Eve with the guys, I kinda have the feeling for her. And now, it's time for me to ask you something.", Yu asked Yosuke back. "And what is it?", Yosuke asked Yu back.

"Are you in love with Chie, Yosuke?".

"What did you just say!? Really, dude!? You think that I'm in love with her!?", Yosuke shouted at his partner, not with anger, but with confusion. "Yeah, I think that you're in love with her. You don't fight or argued with her lately. And from what I know, you and Chie have to fight and argued at least once a day. But today, you don't have it.", Yu said, with his logical thinking. "Well, I don't know, really. You know, Yu, I still have feelings for Saki-senpai. And I don't know just how to deal with Chie. Maybe she's being kind to me, but I don't know why, though.", Yosuke said.

"Really, Yosuke. Please, don't be gloomy. It's your choice to choose who you love. Don't be sad. I know that deep down you still love Saki-senpai. But don't just stay in the past. You have to move on, you know. And I know you. You're not that type of person, who always gloomed in the same thing for a year."

"Yeah, I think you're right, Yu. Thanks a lot. Talking with you for a few minutes can make me feel happy again. Really, thanks dude. Well, I gotta get home. See ya tomorrow.", Yosuke said to Yu, running to his house. Yu, however, stayed there for some moments, looking at his best friend with sad face.

'Yosuke..', he thought, and then went straight home.

11/8/2012, Evening

Dojima's Residence

It's raining tonight. Well, Yu has got home before the rain poured to the earth. And now, he's sitting in the living room with Nanako, watching TV and eating dinner. They have chicken katsu and rice for dinner, and of course, it was Yu who cooked it for both of them.

"Wowwwww! This taste very good, Big Bro! You should be a chef!", Nanako said happily. "Really, Nanako? But I don't like being a chef. But thanks for your opinion about my cooking.", Yu said back to his cousin. "Oh yeah, Nanako. Will your father come home tonight?", Yu asked Nanako. " Well, no. He said he has some extra work to do tonight. So he'll be back tomorrow evening.", Nanako replied.

"Hmm, I see. So, what you're going to do after dinner?".

"I'm going to wash the dishes after this, and watch the TV. How about you, Big Bro?", Nanako asked Yu back. "Well, how about I wash the dishes and you go to bed? You're kinda tired, afterall.", Yu offered to Nanako. "Really? Yeaayyy. Thanks Big Bro. So then I'm going to sleep early tonight. Goodnight, Big Bro!", Nanako said happily. "Yeah, goodnight Nanako. Have a nice sleep!", Yu replied. "Yeah, you too, Big Bro!", Nanako replied back. And then, Yu started to wash the dishes all by himself.

11/8/2012, Late Night

After some hard work, Yu finished the dishes at last. And he turned off the TV in the living room, and go straight to his bedroom. He feels kinda tired for tonight, and he decided to go straight to his futon to get some good sleep. And when he get his good night sleep, he feels that his inner self has been lifted by some mysterious power, and his soul went away from his body.

Velvet Room

Yu found himself in a blue limousine. He sat in a sofa by his right side, and met an old man with wide eyes and wide grin. The old man grinned to Yu, who smiled back at him. Yu knows who is this, and then Yu saw someone else by this old man sides. It's a women with blue velvet uniform, and she is holding book. And when Yu looked to the old man another side, he saw a girl with a cap with 'V' symbol on it. Yu knows the three of them so well, and then the old man greeted him.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room.", Igor, the old man, said to Yu. "It's been a while after your last visit. And yet, you have a new future to reach, and find out the truth.", Igor continued. This somehow catch Yu's attention, and then Yu asked Igor, "What do you mean by a new future to reach? My contract has been fulfilled, right?". Margaret, the women who's holding a book, answered Yu's question. "It seems that your future is more complicated than it's looked like. You know it for yourself, that after your last battle, you still have something to do. And it's not easy to pursue your future, since the fog is thicker than before.". Yu listened every words that Margaret has said, and then, the other women, Marie, continued. "Well, Yu, the reason why you're invited again to the Velvet Room is to determine your destiny, and Igor wanted you to know that. As you know, it's our duty to help you through your journey.", Marie said, which Yu has known for a long time. When Marie stopped talking, Igor started to do the card reading.

"Hmmm, intriguing. You have a big mystery to solve, young man.", Igor said. Yu was shocked to hear this, knowing the fact that he has to solve a new mystery again. "And what is it?", Yu asked, full with curiosity. But, Igor keep silent. When Yu looked to Margaret, she keeped silent, too. And after that, Marie said, "Well, Yu, it's you who have to found out what's the mystery, and it's you who decide what you have to do. Good luck, Yu.". Yu was kept in the dark, but then Igor shed some light to Yu. "You'll find the answer soon. And until then, farewell.". With this, Yu's vision started to fade to black, and when he woke up, he found out that it's already morning.

'What was that? What fate has in store for me? Well, it seems I have to find out myself.' Yu thought to himself, as he prepared himself for school. He can't be late for school, to keep his good records.