Disclaimer: If I owned Persona and had my way, Alfred would have never kicked the bucket, Katsuya and Maya would've gotten together, and they would've brought Persona: Tsumi to America. So evidently…I don't. :-P
A/N: Please read. If not, don't say I didn't warn you.
There's just a couple things to disregard. Forget the ending of Persona: Revelations. I've almost entirely disregarded how each character ended up at the end. The ending to Persona: Eternal Punishment has changed a little, too. Give "Main," from Revelations, a chance, too. He's a central character in this story. Since I gave him a personality, I wonder how close you could come to calling him an OC (Original character).
Last summer, I wrote a few stories that differentiate from genres I've mostly stayed accustomed to. So here's an attempt at drama. Normally, I'm not a fan of drama, but I haven't written a serious one yet, so there's no telling how mine is gonna end up. It could be good or it could be bad, but at least I've given it a shot, right?
Some of the structure points that I've used in this story may be a little off because I couldn't find the actual answers on any of the Persona information based sites that I went to. I like constructive criticism and to be pointed out when I'm wrong, but please don't flame me. Also, call it OOC (Out of character) if you will, but I'm trying to put a little more feeling into the characters. My aim isn't to chop up the characters, but I want to mold them just a little.
In addition, I'm an unoriginal person and I'm so used to people calling him "Hero" on the sites I've gone to (even though it's really meant to be taken as "Hero" or "Main"), so, Hero it is in this story, despite it originally being "Naoya Toumou" and "Yuuya Narumi" in other MIP games. Hope it doesn't rub off badly on some people. Since all of the Rev kids are in here, I'm going to use their Japanese surnames and their natural English ones. Sorry.
Lastly, I hope you enjoy the story. Really, I'm trying to stick to Persona here and look up information on the side. Any help would be wonderful, and, of course, please RnR.
\/\/\/
Dance to the Waltz
Chapter One
Welcome Aboard
\/\/\/
Dance
Dance to the Waltz
The one who lives outside of time
Play our game
Crystal Survivor
The one whom even the Butterfly could not tame
\/\/\/
Four months was just not enough time to oppress the horrific memories that had stirred the souls of even the most unbreakable. Time dragged on as slowly as it always had, and, sometimes, quickly for others, but enough thoughts were filled of recent events. Fight it as they might, there was just no excuse for their abrupt transformation in attitude. It was like changing the tracks on a railroad.
Life had taken them in a different direction.
Some of those among the existing had already stirred in Sumaru City by the time sunlight awoke to the horizon, and inhabitants had been given enough time to clear the sleep from their eyes, clean their faces in their wash bins, and set out for work. It was just another day to others, same old, same old. Briefcases in hands, crowds began to gather at crosswalks, craning their necks to watch the light shift from green to red and the neon lit sign change to the silhouette of a walking person.
People yawned, some stifled it, and some paced themselves to arrive at work while others hurried, fighting past the ample number of people herded along the sidewalks. The sun moved to highlight certain sides of tall skyscrapers and breathe life into the beginning of a new day, feeding its warmth to the people who walked amidst and those who sat to watch it come hither.
Clouds rolled in overhead, few and far between, the blue, spacious sky filling in the frequent gaps that linked them. Gliding directly below were the small, yet shapely, forms of birds, faintly moving their wings against the still breeze, as though they were flying without the help of their own bodies. Directly above, a small plane hovered over the city, coming into the airport.
It was a beautiful day—a perfect day to be out and about.
Maya Amano had the misfortune of having to be one of those people who could not enjoy the rising of the sun or the passing of the clouds.
She was late to work.
Why now of all days! Why today when I finally get my big break and have the chance to interview that big producer of the new sitcom on television! She twisted her body to the side, pushing past two large men who had occupied the sidewalk, talking to each other. Move it or lose it! she thought inwardly as she bit her bottom lip and ran to catch the crosswalk before the light turned green. Shoot! A car honked at her as she quickly jumped back onto the curb and waited impatiently for the stoplight to change back.
She glanced at her clock and groaned. Five minutes late. I hope Yuki can cover for me until I get there. Mizuno is going to chew me out until my face is beyond repair after this…
Maya had replaced the batteries in her alarm clock the night before, reset it, and, although had set the correct time, forgot to set the alarm itself. Only out of habit was she able to wake up just minutes before she had been designated to have been at work.
Ugh…stupid light…how long does it take to get around an intersection? Her eyes diverted to the street next to her, heavy traffic piling up for the start of the day. She tapped her foot, humming a half nonsensical tune, and then gasped in delight as the crosswalk sign lit up, beckoning her to come across. She did not hesitate and brusquely walked behind a line of people from corner to corner along the street.
Shifting the weight of her bag across her hip, she moved around them and continued her hasty pace down the road. Move, Maya, move! She sharply turned the corner and saw the flashy letters of 'Kismet' appear out of the corner of her eye. Maya's hope intensified when she became aware that this street was less congested than the last.
Making one last mad dash down the sidewalk, she burst through the doors, nearly tripping over her feet, and stumbled over to the secretary's circular counter. Eyes wide from the abrupt surprise of a flying Maya, she blinked twice before asking, "Miss Amano…are you all right?"
"I…I…" Maya used the counter for support as she leaned over to catch her breath. Raven locks of short hair fell into her face, lone strands becoming captured by her gasping lips, painted with lip gloss. "Did he come? Hanagaki, I mean…the producer of the sitcom?"
The secretary giggled and patted the hand Maya was using for support on top of the polished counter. Then, her eyes gave somewhat of a sad look and she shook her head, but strangely kept her smile.
"What?" Maya looked at her, awkwardly. "What's wrong?"
"Miss Amano…I tried to call you, but…he phoned a little while ago."
Maya wasn't sure she enjoyed where this was going. "And…?"
"Sincerest apologies, but…he canceled. He wants you to call and reschedule."
Maya paused. She stayed that way for quite some time, as though all life had left her and she had become a statue. Then, she gave way, collapsing onto the counter, and flung her head down, screaming.
\/\/\/
Ulala Serizawa heard the brunt of it all, and held the phone several inches from her ear, concentrating on the paperwork at hand. Maya was still ranting and raving when her mind came back into focus and she caught the words, "called and canceled!"
"Then that gets you off the hook, right Ma-ya? You were in such a state of frenzy this morning, talking about your boss, that you forgot your cell phone. I guess that that's why the secretary couldn't get a hold of you. I tried to tell you, but you were long gone when I poked my head out the door."
"That's not the point, Ulala," she heard Maya retort, bitterly. "What are the odds of someone catching a cold on the day of the interview!"
The fiery redhead chuckled and placed a stack of freshly copy papers into a folder and put them beside her desk in her room. "I guess that kind of luck only happens to you, Ma-ya." Ulala placed the phone in the crook of her neck, comfortably, and reached onto her shelf for more folders.
Maya groaned again and faked crying. "My one big break and this is how it turns out. I can't believe it."
"Guess you'll just have to call him and try again," Ulala said and began to flip through another set of papers.
"How's it going on your end?"
"Bao said the Chief called last night and gave us a new case. I'm not quite sure what exactly it is, but the Chief told him that there are some leads that may be able to help us. Apparently it's been an ongoing thing for four years now. All of the other cold case detectives have given up, but we may have a chance here."
"What does it all consist of?"
Ulala swung around in her swivel chair and stood up to stretch, the phone still held firmly in between her neck and shoulder and the stack of papers in her hand. "Don't know yet. I haven't been by to check with him."
There was a long pause for a while before Maya asked, "Ulala…are you comfortable…being in the mansearching business and all? Well, I mean, I know it seemed easy at first with the lost puppies and runaway grandmothers, but now the Chief is expecting you to search for dead bodies and murderers, too. Is that really the same?" Ulala did not answer. "I know you haven't been to school for that sort of thing, so do you really know what to expect?"
The redhead almost snorted. "Bao only calls me his 'secretary' and as a 'secretary,' I don't need to do anything important." At the last part, she rolled her eyes and made a face. "Still, what would he do without me?"
This prompted a giggle from Maya, who heartily agreed. "Just don't get into any trouble, Ulala. I know this is a good thing for you. It's paying much better than the lingerie business did…"
"Hey, we got some free stuff, didn't we? Don't say it's all for nothing."
"They gave you the damaged inventory."
The older girl stiffened, and her eyes wandered about her room. "Well…what's a little sewing? Then it's good as new. Besides, crotchless panties can be a new look." Ulala could almost picture the developing ellipsis on the other end.
"…Anyway, I've gotta get back to work. I'll give you a call later, okay?"
"Sure. I'll talk to you then." She hung the phone back onto the receiver in her room and then turned, tossing the stack of papers onto her bed.
Ulala sighed, running her hands through her messy hair, which hung in a wavy disarray around her face. Then, she brought a hand underneath her eye and rubbed it, soothingly. Ever since the Chief had called Bao about this new case, she had been less than relaxed, and her sleep deprivation was catching up to her.
Shortly after the crew broke up, Baofu had decided to give the mansearching business a shot and his former Chief in the prosecuting business had warmly welcomed him back…Whatever that had meant at the time. The Chief agreed to mentor him as a mansearcher, rather than a prosecutor, but the cases seemed to be reverting back to law rather than just mansearching. Ulala wasn't quite sure who the Chief was, but she was happy that Baofu had gotten himself back together. He hadn't exactly invited her to join him, though he showed no remonstration when Ulala had asked. She had intended to be his partner, but he had other things in mind.
That was the first time they had fought since the end of Nyarlathotep's reign.
"Secretary?" she had questioned, her eyes narrowing, dangerously. He carried on, smoking a crumpled cigarette held in between two darkly gloved fingers. Baofu showed no signs of disconcertment, but kept his face evenly nonchalant, a swirl of smoke rising over his head.
"It's too dangerous for a girl like you to get involved," he had said, his voice deep and profound. He leaned back in that moth eaten couch of his, placing his other arm along the back of the sofa, twiddling his fingers on the pad of the fabric. "If you want to help at all, Serizawa, then you're gonna do things my way."
Her face scrunched up and her fists balled at her side, the color draining from them and leaving them white. "What…did…you…say…?" she had tried to keep her voice as even as his, but it was impossible.
"You heard me."
He peered over the lens of his glasses, dark eyes meeting hers. They were strong, confident, and she had known that he wouldn't back down.
Her wall collapsed.
"Don't you ever patronize me, Kaoru Saga! If you're afraid that I'll end up just like your partner, then you've got another thing coming!"
After that, the gloves were off.
The fight lasted for well over an hour and ended up with Ulala dashing out of his well hidden lair in Narumi ward in the rain and hitchhiking home. Maya was in the apartment, waiting for her, and fled from her spot on the end of the bed when the waterlogged redhead came in, dripping water in the doorway, and sporting a new tousled look.
Hours into the night, Ulala had convinced Maya to refrain from calling Baofu, and settled down into her own bed after combing out the wretched tangles in her hair and slipping into a soft nightgown, though the haunting of that day poked direly at her mind. She swore that she would never talk to the man again, but found herself calling him nearly at four in the morning to agree to his terms.
He groggily mumbled something into the phone and hung up, but not before telling her to call back at a more coherent hour. Maya was none too pleased and it almost caused an argument between the two friends, but Maya finally threw in the towel, willing to let Ulala make her own mistakes, and a word about that night was never spoken again.
Several unimportant cases were dumped into their laps—mostly into Ulala's—and Baofu grew bored and often went out to drink. Ulala complained about him leaving her alone all the time to entertain himself, but he always shook his head.
"This ain't playtime, woman! This is work!"
Working was drinking? What was that strict norm about drinking on the job again? So, would the Union have to hear about this?
Arguments were aroused after that, and it often left Ulala in more of an uneasy state of mind than what she started with. She had always promised herself to stand up to him one of these days and tell him what was right, but every time, she just ended upbeing too upset to think. Who does that man think he is? King of Sumaru? The redhead rolled her eyes at the thought and carried on without him.
Sometimes, after her hours were up, she'd leave even before he got back, which meant that he was still out somewhere in an irrational state of mind. Ulala pretended that she didn't care, but deep down, she always wondered where he was and if he was all right. Even after all of this, he still isn't normal. Is there nothing I can do for him? Truth be told, it was hard to work with the man, which was probably why Mr. Suou never got along with Bao, but she felt that he needed her, somehow. Or, at least…
…that's what she hoped.
With the new case that the Chief gave them just recently, however, she hoped that all of his barren attitude would wither away.
Turning back to the lone phone on her desk, Ulala snatched it up and dialed Baofu's number. She was eager to find out what the new case held in store.
\/\/\/
Katsuya Suou was on break when Chief Hisashi Sakamoto called him on his cell phone, avidly wanting to talk to the newly promoted Detective. Reaching into his pocket, Katsuya withdrew his silver colored phone, flipped it open, and responded, "Suou here."
"Suou," came Sakamoto's voice on the receiving end. "I know you're on break, but I need you to come to my office ASAP."
Katsuya could hear the excitement dripping with the Chief's every word, and wondered what on earth the problem was.
"Sir? Is something the matter?"
"No, no—it's about that request you put in for two days ago. I want to talk to you about it. Do you think you could cut your break short for once and hurry to my office?" It wasn't a question, the young man knew, but an order. He may as well have put it as, "sell me your soul and pick up a loaf of bread on your way to my office."
Well…maybe that was a little too drastic…
"Not a problem," Katsuya responded, glancing at his watch. It was a lie, however. He had truly wanted this break and he had forty-five minutes before having to return to the office.
"Good. See you then."
He grunted, snapping the lid of the phone shut in one swift motion. He had no bones to pick with this new chief after Togashi, except for the fact that he was a little too needy. Chief Hisashi Sakamoto was a newly transferred chief, ironically, from Lunarvale. He was still partial to all the cases that took place there and habitually sent officers from Sumaru to assist the Lunarvale police force.
It was an odd quirk, Katsuya thought, to send officers to a place that clearly had their own unit. He had tried to discuss the issue of outside jurisdiction with Sakamoto one day, but the good Chief would hear none of it.
"Haven't you ever heard of helping your fellow man?" he asked Katsuya, sharply, leaning over his desk with his elbows.
Katsuya was sorry he ever came in that day; from the look on Sakamoto's face, he was sure that he had offended him. Muttering apology after apology, the younger man closed the door after him and hurried back to his office before the Chief decided to throw things down the hall after him like an ill-tempered girlfriend.
The captain, however, was a little more rational. Captain Kazuhito Nishidate was evidently aware of Katsuya's good standings in the police ward and gave him the respect Nishidate thought he deserved. On the other hand, he wasn't about to stand up against Sakamoto's obvious affections for Lunarvale, and allowed him to do as the Chief pleased without objection.
Detective Suou grinded his teeth in frustration when the captain had told him that, but since Nishidate had put in the recommendation for his promotion and Sakamoto had willingly obliged, Katsuya knew he had no position to complain. This, evidently, meant that he spent more time away from home than necessary, and it worried Katsuya about Tatsuya's well being.
Of course, that was another issue. Tatsuya didn't remember one single, solitary thing of the "Other Side," and all value of brotherhood was lost to him. It dented Katsuya's heart more than just a little, though he tried not to show it. His little brother resumed his frequent romping in God-knows-where and hung out with God-knows-who. Still, he gave his little brother his space, trying to keep in mind all the long talks Tatsuya of the "Other Side" and he had had prior to his leaving.
He twiddled his thumbs a moment longer, frowning, before closing up his thermos and stuffing a sloppily made sandwich he had constructed the night before back into a brown paper bag. Katsuya threw away the rest of his trash before leaving his bench on the sidewalk and making way back to the Konan Police Station.
This "talk" the Chief wants to have must be about that trip to Lunarvale he's ordered me to take. Well…he hadn't ordered him to take it. Katsuya actually had asked to take it.
Chief Sakamoto had recently gotten a report from one of his old colleagues in Lunarvale about the ancient ruins there that were acting suspiciously. Neither man was sure if it was a manmade or natural uprising, but, nevertheless, it had startled the citizens and that half of the city had been left vacated for several weeks. It was as though a plague had swept through that division of Lunarvale.
So, the Chief had made a request for anyone willing to take a trip (expenses paid. How thoughtful of him) to the quiet vicinity and make a thorough reconnaissance of the caves.
"Try out some new experiences," the Tatsuya of the "Other Side," smiled and had said one day to him. "Though you're not the same, you and my brother act alike."
Katsuya grimaced at the remark, but let it slide without notice.
"I think it would be good if you did that. Maybe you'll find something that you like."
Like? Everything I like is here… However, Katsuya promised that he would and so put in the request to go to Lunarvale. Besides…maybe it'll take my mind off of some of my problems here, like with Tatsuya and his absence at home. I know this isn't about saving the world again like it was last time, little brother…
Katsuya nodded to his fellow peers on the way into the station, who returned the gesture, and he walked into the back.
\/\/\/
Dark blue shades glinted brightly against the rays of the sun as a youth stepped out of a private plane, holding his hand against his head to restrain his thick mane of hair from wildly flying all over the place. With such unfortunate luck, I wouldn't be surprised if by sheer force, it all ripped off my scalp… He stepped away from the still whirling blades of the plane, leaving in a single file line of other people, positioning a cell phone against his ear with another hand.
"Alana?" he shouted into the phone, afraid that she couldn't hear him. "It's me." The noise was becoming distant as he walked in a well evened pace across the blacktop. Someone held the door open for him and he nodded in thanks. "Yeah, I just arrived in Sumaru today. Ca—…Can you hear me now? I just got into Sumaru City…Right. Hey, can you fax me that letter from Saeki later on? …That'll be good. I'm gonna take a walk around the city before going to Narumi anyway. …Yeah, that's the one. I'll call you about it later on tonight, okay? …Eight? Uh-huh, eight's fine. …Sure. I'll talk to you then, all right? …Bye." He stuffed the phone into the breast pocket of his thin, sky blue overcoat before resuming his walk through the airport.
He was a tall youth, though no older than twenty-one. In his left ear, covered by wild navy colored hair, a silver earring sparkled. The youth adjusted the sunglasses on his face, grabbed his two suitcases, and carried on, brushing past people wordlessly, and stepped onto the escalator. Sumaru City…It'll be an interesting ride…
\/\/\/
"So, you haven't heard from him all afternoon?" Five hours later, Maya had found the time to sneak a call to her best friend. She shot a glance to her watch. It was a quarter past three.
"Ugh, Ma-ya. I called him at least thirty times and hitched a ride with one of the girls from my old work to Narumi. His door was locked, so I wrote a note and taped it to his door." From the background noises on Ulala's end, Maya figured that she was out and about in the streets.
"I see…" Maya propped her legs up on her desk and leaned back in her swivel chair, shooting a glance at Mizuno's office every so often to make sure that her cranky boss wasn't spying. "Where do you think he is?"
"I don't know! That's what I've been trying to tell you! He hasn't called me or anything! He leaves a voicemail on my phone from late last night saying to give him a ring today so that we could discuss the new case details. And he refuses to give me a key to the place because he thinks that I'm irresponsible." A loud huff was emphasized on Ulala's side, followed by another shrill. "Our one catch and he leaves me out of the loop! What is up with that guy! I thought we were supposed to be working together!"
Maya held her tongue. Recently, all she and her best friend did was fight. It wasn't about rent or lazy habits, like with most roommate situations. It was always about Baofu.
"Well, don't you have the Chief's number that Baofu gets all of his information from?"
"No. He's a selfish, slimy jerk and he keeps it all to himself. I don't even know the Chief's name because he refuses to tell me."
Maya quirked an eyebrow. "Ulala…that sounds a bit shady, if you ask me."
"Yeah, I know, but I get paid, so it can't be all for nothing."
"Even so, haven't you ever stopped to think what might be going on behind those dark glasses he wears? Remember all the secrets he kept from us? I'm not telling you he's untrustworthy, but please keep that in mind. I don't want you to find out that you're involved in anything illegal…"
There was a long pause and Maya was certain that she had angered the fiery redhead. She braced herself for the blow.
Instead, she received a heavily drawn out sigh. "I know…Look, I have it all under control, Ma-ya. Just give me the benefit of the doubt, will ya? I don't know if you can get through on his phone, but if you do, tell him to call me, okay? Ciao."
For a long time after that, Maya sat in her chair and listened to the sound of the dial tone. She shook her head and put the phone back on the receiver. Ulala was so stubborn Maya wouldn't have been surprised if her descendants were mules. She removed her legs from on top of her desk and spun around slowly.
Her heart stopped as she watched a furious Mizuno draw her curtains and stand there, hands on her wide hips, fuming at Maya. Oh boy…I'm soooo not getting out of this…
As if to further her trepidation, Mizuno used a long, fat finger to summon her with, beckoning Maya towards her. There was no mistaking the heavy shade of red budding at her cheeks and the raven haired girl knew that it wasn't from an excessive usage of makeup and blush. This was born from one-hundred percent anger.
Maya groaned and slowly stood, dragging her feet to her boss's lair and she could clearly see the smoke materialize from under the door, crawling along the floor like the plague. The door became a disturbing and eerie tree, the doorknob producing the figure of a snake's head, mouth wide and flashing two rows of small, white teeth. Inside was the evil witch, Mizuno, a boiling cauldron set directly behind her.
"Amano, what were you doing on the phone? What happened to that report I asked you to write?"
The witch's house transformed quickly back into the shape of a small and musty office. Maya glanced around, the messy stacks of prior Coolest issues lined up along Mizuno's dreary shelves. Her eyes turned back to Mizuno.
"Ah, well, the producer from the sitcom never showed up, Chief. He called in sick this morning. I was talking to him on the phone just now about rescheduling."
"…And?"
Mizuno tapped her fingers against the fabric of her navy blue coat that was too tight for her heavyset form. With her other hand, she adjusted the small glasses on her nose, and ran her nail painted fingers through her short, brown hair.
Maya jolted slightly. "Um, he said that he would get back to me."
There was a hiatus between the two and Mizuno rose a thin, trimmed eyebrow. "I see. Well then, I suppose that that's all right."
"So that's why I couldn't write the report," Maya threw in, hastily. "I've been trying to get a hold of him all day and…"
Mizuno cut her off, waving a hand in sharp movements in front of her. "Never mind that, Amano. I've got something bigger for you to do. Forget the producer."
"Eh?" the younger girl cocked her head in question.
"You've heard of the famous novelist, Masakatsu Nakamura, right?" At Maya's nod, her boss continued, "Rumor has it that he just published his seventh book here in Japan just a few weeks ago. It's hot off the press and more popular than that sitcom."
"Really?" Maya folded her arms across her chest and stood awkwardly.
"Where has your head been, Amano!" Mizuno turned away from the raven haired woman and marched back to her paper infested desk. Stooping low, she reached into her large and creaky brass drawer and withdrew a large hardcover book with the title, Spacious Light.
"You're a fan, Chief?"
Mizuno ignored the question. "It's a miracle that someone who just emerged into the media only four years ago could produce seven magnificent works of art and have every single book become a big hit! Not to mention, he's a mystery himself. In every book," Mizuno flipped through the pages, as though proving her point, "there's not a single thing about him. No pictures, no biography, not even a website address or mailing address."
"Well, what about his publishers? Wouldn't they say anything about him?"
"That's the point, Amano. If it were that easy, we'd have a four-hundred page biography on the man! His producers and publishers don't release a single word about him. It's as though he has some terrible secret he's hiding from the world. Or worse…it's like he really doesn't exist at all."
Maya nodded in understanding. "So what is it that you want me to do?"
"If his book was published in this country, then no doubt he's nearby! I want you to find out the scoop on this guy and get him to talk! If we can do that before any of the competition does, do you know how high our ratings will skyrocket!" Placing the book back on the desk, her boss added, "He hasn't been this close to us since he released his first book near Lunarvale. This is our chance! So don't mess up!"
Maya closed the door behind her, making faces on the way out. 'Don't mess up, Amano,' 'the world is counting on you, Amano,' 'and bring me some coffee on your way up!' Maya rolled her eyes and moved back to her desk. Guess that means I get to leave early today. She garnered her things together, stuffed them inside of her bag, and made way to leave.
"Chief letting you off early, Maya?" Yuki called from the other side of the room, her mentor and friend, Fujii Shunsuke, standing beside her.
"Sort of," Maya responded, pushing the 'down' button on the elevator. "I have to go and find some information on a 'Masakatsu Nakamura' for the article."
At the name of the author, Yuki's eyes lit up and she clasped her hands together. "The horror and mystery novelist! I love him! If you find anything out about him, let me know!"
Maya nodded in promise and turned to the sliding doors of the elevator. She stepped inside and firmly pressed "1" on the pad.
\/\/\/
Katsuya had finished packing and turned off the lights to his apartment, which remained silent and almost ghostlike in a sense. Tatsuya wasn't home, as usual, so Katsuya had not been given the chance to bid him farewell. The detective scribbled a short note to his little brother mentioning his leaving on a trip and to call Miss Amano or Miss Serizawa if he needed anything.
After the defeat of Nyarlathotep and the restoration of the city, Tatsuya had lost all memory of everything to do with the "Other Side." It was like his memory had been reset and erased. Still, Katsuya knew how much Tatsuya's presence meant to Miss Amano, so he had "introduced" the two to each other. On the sidelines, Katsuya had asked Maya to keep everything hush-hush, to which she agreed, and told Katsuya if there was anything she could ever do for his little brother, all he had to do was ask.
He lingered in the open doorway a moment longer, running a checklist through his mind of everything he needed. Money, wallet, change of clothes… and so on and so on. When he had finally concluded that everything he needed was in the two duffel bags on either side of him, he locked the door and walked out. Tatsuya can take care of himself for a couple of days… he tried to convince himself. I'm sure that when I come back, I won't have to worry about the apartment burning down, or catching Tatsuya in the act of… He held his breath on that last one.
"Maybe I should stop by Miss Amano's apartment before I go."
\/\/\/
She was out of the public library before twilight completely overtook the sky. Maya stopped at the crosswalk, took one look at her watch, and then stepped off the curve to pass with just a couple of people. It certainly was not as busy as it had been several hours before. Now just dawning on six o' clock, Maya was ready to take the rest of the night off, despite what Mizuno had permitted her.
Within the library, Maya found everything but the man himself in the books that the librarian had offered to help her find. And it was true what her boss had said before. The young woman had acquired all seven books (now in her possession, her poor bag begging for mercy from such strenuous weight) and not a word other than his name was uttered within the pages. The publishing company was about as close as she could get and she had written down the address on the palm of her hand.
One side of her mouth curled up, almost frustrated, as she overturned her hand, staring at the black, emboldened print on her palm. She would have to use the address to find the number to contact them, but first, she would have to make up a series of questions to ask.
Looking ahead to the darkening street before her, Maya's eyes turned to the disappearing sun, hoping to make it home before all light fled Sumaru. The honking of a horn brought her attention to the street where a black Honda slowly drove up to the pavement next to her, tinted windows preventing her from seeing inside. Glancing both ways, Maya hesitantly stepped forward and bent down in front of the disappearing glass.
Katsuya Suou rolled down the dark pane, his eyes focused on hers while his fingers drummed against the steering wheel. He turned to the rearview mirror to see if anyone was coming and was happy to know that it was a mile long empty street behind him.
"This isn't exactly legal," she joked. "Don't tell me you think you're above the law now…"
"Miss Amano," he leaned over the car door to avoid the sound of the running motor, "I was going to stop by your apartment, but since I caught you here…" Maya looked at him, quizzically, as he reached into his gray coat pocket and withdrew a folded piece of paper. Handing it to her, he said, "It's the number to my personal line—to our apartment, I mean."
She unfolded the paper to see a number written neatly across it. Continuing to look at the black font of numbers, she asked, "Why?"
Katsuya paused for a moment. "Can I…ask you for a favor?" When she finally returned his gaze, he continued, "I'm going out of town on a business trip…well it's not exactly a 'business trip,' but the Chief called for me to fly out to Lunarvale and look into some rather shady things happening at the ruins there." He saw the look on her face and he rushed, "I know it sounds awkward for a Sumaru officer to be assisting the force in Lunarvale. It's a long story and I'll tell you some other time, if you want, but the real reason that I stopped you was because…"
A pair of headlights blinded him from behind and Katsuya cursed inwardly. It was already bad enough having to place the care of his younger brother into the hands of a working woman, and he knew what it could possibly entail for both of them, from previous engagements on the "Other Side," but he had no one else he could ask such a personal favor from and expect to understand.
The car honked twice, angrily, and passed him, crossing an unbroken line. Katsuya's attention was temporarily taken off of Maya and he looked after the speeding car.
"He crossed me on a double line and he was speeding…!"
She quickly grabbed the car door before he could do anything drastic. "Well, what you're doing isn't exactly legal either, Katsuya. What do you need?"
"Ah, right." He decided that she was right about the speeding car and decided to let it pass…for once. "Could you…by any chance…watch over Tatsuya while I'm gone?" At her sudden intake of breath, he waved his hands at her and hastily added, "I'm not asking you to let him stay at your house or anything, I just want to know if you would check up on him from time to time…"
She relaxed and his tension subsided, too. Maya nodded. "Sure, that's…no problem. How long do you plan on being gone?"
Katsuya shrugged. "I don't know. Two weeks at the latest, I suppose."
Maya slightly frowned. She wasn't used to him leaving town, and she loved Tatsuya dearly, but it was just so hard to see him walk by her and know that he didn't think a thing about her. Besides, she had wanted to talk to Katsuya about Ulala and Baofu's situation that was slowly spiraling out of control. His advice had always been valuable to her and for him to just up and leave now…
"When are you leaving?"
"I'm heading to the airport right now. My plane leaves in a few hours."
"I see…" She stepped away from his car, clutching the number he had given her in her hand. "Well…I will do my best to watch out for Tatsuya." Then, she suddenly blurted out, "Will you call me when you get there?" What the? Where did that come from all of a sudden?
For a moment, he was taken aback. Then again, it might have been a wise idea, just to let him know how things were going with his younger sibling.
"Of course," he answered evenly, hiding the nervousness in his voice. "A-Anyway, I need to get going, so, I'll talk to you later. Thank you for doing this."
He left her on the street, window rolled up, and the car taking off down the road at a quickened pace. Maya watched the car for a while, saying nothing, until it disappeared into the mirage of the horizon. She was left alone there, and night had almost completely taken to the sky. Then, her brows furrowed together.
"He was speeding."
\/\/\/
"Right, right," the blue haired youth was talking on his cell phone again, walking along Ebisu Beach with his other hand tucked firmly into his pocket. "Yes, I've been to the house and dropped the things off…I had one of the men meet me at the airport and take me there. I wasn't going to go until later on this evening, but dad kept calling and…what? …Yes I loved the flower arrangement, mom…No, they were all carnations. Thank you, I appreciate the gesture." The youth rolled his eyes. "I'm looking forward to seeing you too, mom…Yes, Alana will be here next week on the debut…You'll be here to see her? I'll let her know…Yes, yes…I will…I love you too…Bye."
He clicked the phone off, and restrained himself from throwing it into the rolling waves that were nearly taking his legs off as the tide came in. The youth checked his large watch and sighed. It was time to go home anyway, and he had spent the entire day on the phone and unpacking.
"Bummer," he mumbled. Turning, he stepped onto the wooden planks of stairs and trudged to the top, almost downcast. Phone still in one hand, he looked both ways down the narrow road before throwing himself into the street, making a mad dash towards the other side.
His eyes were so preoccupied on the shining headlights approaching from within the distance that he didn't even notice that he had gotten attacked from behind.
"Gah!" He toppled forward, a massive weight following afterwards, and he met the ground all too abruptly. The phone in his hand clanked across the pavement several times before falling over the edge.
He did not hear it land again.
"Huh?" Whatever had fallen on him had released its hold on his back and he quickly crawled over to the side of the sidewalk, looked down, and saw the wide sewage hole in the crack of the road. Such a terrible fate it had suffered. It would be remembered in another dark hour…
"…My phone…" It was almost a whimper, and he sniffled a bit, looking into the drain where his cell phone had plummeted to its untimely demise.
"Oh my gosh…" came the gasp from behind. Shortly, a woman was at his side, looking down into the same hole in the road. "Did it…" she stared at him, eyes wide, "…fall in?"
He said nothing as he saw the horror on her face and realized her instant apologetic tone. It was an accident, he knew. That's karma for you. No wonder jaywalking is illegal.
"It…" Come on now, it was an accident, Hero. Be a little more sympathetic. "It's all right." He forced a smile and stood up to brush himself off. "It's just a phone. Besides, I was getting sick of the little thing anyway…" Saeki was supposed to call me tonight… He could see that she was not convinced, and he held out his hand to help her up. "Honest. It's no big deal."
"No, I…" She took hold of his hand inattentively, rose to her feet, and shook her head. "Really, it's my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. I was running and I…"
"I was jaywalking," he shrugged. "So I guess we can both take the blame."
Still, her face was contorted in such a rueful fashion that there was no way she was going to let it slide. "I'm…so sorry."
He stood taller than she, but his eyes were not hateful. They were gentle and soft and the blue hair that hung in his eyes set off the deeper shades of it in his eyes. Then his eyes lit up, accompanied by a smile. "You want to make it up to me?"
She nodded, slowly, but slightly hesitant. The woman looked wary, as though wondering what on earth it was that he had in mind.
"I'm new in Sumaru. I arrived here today." He laughed as he reached behind his neck to rub it in a nervous fashion. "I suppose you can say that I need a guide."
A single eyebrow rose. "That's it? That's all you want me to do? Just…show you around the city?"
"What? Is it too much for—"
"No, no, that's not it! I just…well…I could always buy you another phone or something…"
His face was soft, and she must've realized this. He was being completely truthful. "My name is Hero Stonefield," he told her. "'Stonefield' from my dad's side of the family. He's American and my mother is Japanese."
"Ah," the woman looked down at his awaiting hand and she took it, shaking it enthusiastically. "I'm Maya Amano. I work as a reporter here over at Kismet, so I can show you all the highlights of Sumaru…if you'd like."
"Maya?" He paused for a moment, as though digesting the name fully. "That's a pretty name. I'd like that, Maya."
\/\/\/
Katsuya was on the way to the airport, merging across different lanes into the one that branched off to the right, when he received a call on his cell phone. He bit down on his lower lip. It's probably the Chief asking if I'm at the airport yet…
Taking one hand off of the steering wheel, he cautiously reached into his pocket, withdrew his phone, and flipped it open.
"Suou here." he spoke into the receiver.
"Katsuya?" He was surprised. The voice belonged to Ellen.
"M-Miss Kirishima?" Katsuya swerved to avoid oncoming traffic and quickly put the phone in between his neck and shoulder, using both hands to turn onto the ramp. "What a pleasant surprise! Are you already on break again?"
"Yes, Nate and I both are back to stay for a little while. Yuki called us and was mentioning a 'get-together' with all of the old gang from St. Hermelin. You know Yuki, she's always been the mother of our group…"
Katsuya let her trail off for a moment. No, I don't know Yuki, so to speak… But then he said, "I'm very happy to hear that. Did you just come back today?"
"No, yesterday. Nate got back today though." There was another pause and Katsuya turned at the light, only a few miles from the airport. "Listen, would you like to go out for a drink tonight? There's something I really want to talk to you about…"
"Um…well…" He looked into the rearview mirror where another car from behind was coming up on his bumper, quickly. "I'm kind of tied up at the moment. I got called away by order of the station."
She sounded disappointed. "Oh."
"It's the new chief," he continued in further detail. "He's sending me to Lunarvale."
All melancholy vibes left her and her voice jumped with enthusiasm. "Oh! Lunarvale? What are they sending you there for?"
"Long story, but they want me to check out the ruins there. It's no big deal, really, but I'll be back in about two weeks or so."
"Wow, I've never known you to leave like this before. There must be some drastic changes going on…"
"Yeah," Katsuya looked up at the sign that boldly read, "Airport," in white letters as he passed by on the road. "There are some changes."
"I'm surprised that you'd leave your brother, Katsuya." Then her voice hit a high note again, "Say, would you like for me to watch him? It would be no bother and I'm sure that we would have fun spending time together."
He tried to concentrate on the task at hand of finding the turnoff for the airport, but Katsuya certainly did not want to seem rude and push Ellen off of the phone since she had taken the time to call him.
"Uh, I thank you for the offer, but Miss Amano has already agreed to do that."
"…Oh. Well…I'm sure he won't mind if I stop by anyway, just to say "hi," right?"
"No, no, of course! By all means, do so." There was the airport. "Eh, just please don't mention anything to him about what happened four months ago, all right?"
"Yes, yes, I promise."
"Thank you, Miss Kirishima. Well…I'm sorry that I can't talk longer, but the airport is just ahead. Another time?"
"I'll hold you to it. Goodbye."
"Bye." Katsuya closed the cell phone and focused on finding his wallet to pay for parking.
\/\/\/
Any glaring contradictions? Major OOC problems? Let me know. Flames are used to roast peanuts, so please avoid them.
Mysterious Loser