Authors Note:
Hi everyone! Thanks for viewing the first chapter of my story featuring the characters of Persona 4 and a character of my own who will be properly introduced in due time. This is my first time doing this so please do leave me a review so that I know where to go from here!
Anyway, please enjoy the prologue of Midnight Flower!
"... Thank you, now we move onto an odd little story in the rural town of Inaba."
Dojima raised a sceptical eyebrow "What now?" He grumbled, setting his newspaper down on his lap "I thought the media got tired with the murder story by now."
"Is there anything else that may attract their attention?" Yu asked, casually drinking from his mug.
The older man shrugged, "Not that I'm aware of. Let's see."
"It seems that there's been a bit of controversy over the murder case a few months ago. What do you think about all of this?" The anchor asked, looking over to his partner who continued.
"A few students from Inaba High School have complained recently about being followed by a mysterious figure as they walked home at night. In Inaba right now, we have found one of these students."
The television turned over to show a live reporter interviewing a young girl from the school. Yu didn't know her name but he did recognize her as from the First Year. Evidently, she had given consent to be shown on television when she started answering the reporter's questions excitedly.
Immediately, in the pit of his stomach, Yu felt nervous. Was this girl the next victim? She did fit the pattern after all, on the television and someone of interest.
"So, yeah! This guy was just... Following me through the streets! I couldn't see his face through the thick fog but I knew he was there. Not only that, but I'm not the only one who this happened to! There's some serious sicko out there!" She explained, crossing her arms but not before flicking her slightly curled, blond hair over her shoulder.
Somehow, Yu was beginning to wish that this girl wasn't the next victim. For more than one reason. Yosuke was whiny enough and having another whiner may cause his brain to explode.
"Big Bro, Daddy! Look at the girl in the background!" Nanako cried out in surprise.
Dojima blinked but did look, "Just looks like a normal girl to me."
"She looks like a ghost..." Nanako visibly shuddered and Yu could see why.
The girl had long black hair, easily passing her waist. She wore a knee length dress of the purest white, though, from the camera, her skin seemed to blend in with the fabric. Even the camera seemed to respond to her presence, tilting slightly to focus past the louder girl and, for just a moment, the lens seemed enamoured by the mysterious female who rested on the grass.
The reporter continued with his, often inappropriate, questions and the student never seemed phased "I just hope that this can bring attention back to the unsolved murders and that this creep can be caught," the girl's language seemed almost pre-prepared at this point, making Yu roll his eyes.
It was then, that the 'ghost girl' in the distance raised her eyes to look at the camera. There was a flash of blue and the camera turned, as if moved by an invisible force.
When the camera returned to its original position, the 'ghost girl' and any trace of her existence was gone.
Nanako's eyes widened "She's gone!"
Dojima frowned, glancing over to Yu "I haven't seen that girl before, is she in your school?" Yu shrugged and his uncle frowned "I see. She looked about your age, I'd say."
Yu nodded, returning his eyes down to the table.
The older man sighed and chucked his paper off to the side, standing up and rolling his shoulders "I'm going to turn in. Don't be up too late now."
After Dojima dismissed himself, Yu turned his attention back to Nanako who looked worried. Frowning slightly, he asked "What's on your mind?"
She looked up at him, a gentle hum escaping her lips before she spoke again "Big bro... Do ghosts exist?"
For some reason, even though he had anticipated a question like that, it still surprised him "I don't know."
Nanako looked disappointed at the lack of an answer, looking down at her hands "That girl looked like a ghost."
"She did a bit, yeah-"
"So they do exist?" Nanako was persistent; she couldn't understand how people could think someone was a ghost and yet not know if they were real.
"They might." Yu responded quickly, drinking some more of his tea "No one knows, Nanako. There just isn't any evidence other than what we see."
She pouted at that, "You're beginning to sound like Dad..."
Yu smiled, looking again at the little girl "Do you believe in ghosts?"
"I... Think I do. I don't really understand them..." She began, drinking some juice "I do believe that some spirits are sad and they don't want to leave. So they stay!" Yu nodded and listened, watching as Nanako's face became more sullen "But they can't really stay... Can they, Big Bro?"
He shook his head. He hated to be so blunt with her but lying never helped when talking to Nanako. You just felt guilty afterwards.
"I wonder if mum has stayed..." She sighed, smiling a little to herself at the thought of her mother being so close.
Yu almost wanted to ask questions but he held himself back, instead going into his pocket and pulling out some cards for a new trick to show her. She loved it when he did that and it always helped her when she was sad or scared.
However, while she laughed and smiled as he performed magic with his cards, he couldn't help but wonder. Was staying behind really what Nanako wanted of her mother? Did she want her mother to be near even if that meant that she was sad? He shook the thoughts from his head. She would never think like that, she just missed her mother, like any other person would. Innocence like that should not be questioned, especially when it's so fragile.
It didn't take long for Nanako to start growing sleepy, despite her reluctance to admit it. Yu couldn't help but smile, she could still be childish and yet she was always so responsible. It was easy to see why the group adored her.
He stayed with her and let her talk for a while before eventually tucking her into bed. He liked to do things like that for her, giving her the care a father should give. Once she had settled, he quietly left the room and returned to his own.
As he pulled his nightshirt over his head, he realised that the gentle patter of the rain on the roof had gotten stronger from earlier. Glancing over at the TV, he knew that tonight would be another late one. Sighing, he resigned himself to the wait, sitting down on his sofa and picking up a random book from the table.
"Myths and Legends, Worldwide Edition"
He raised his eyebrow at the... Creative name and started skimming through.
He was already practically a sage compared to others his age so there was little he could really learn from this book but it was a bit of entertainment anyway. He decided to use this book to kill the three hours until midnight, finding at least that the stories were interesting in some ways, even if they served no real purpose in the real world. Then again, when Personas were often based off of characters from Japanese folklore and legends, could he really make that judgement?
He read about the horrible, the kind and the tragic, not even noticing the minutes gliding by. Before he even knew it, he heard the static whir of the television. Ever the unsurprised, he coolly rose from his seat and placed down the already forgotten book. Stepping towards the TV, he waited the tell-tale few seconds before something came into view.
There was a silhouette, as there often was, but this time it was too blurred to make out. The position the person was in did not help either, as they appeared to be sitting with their knees pulled up to their chest. In the brief moments it was visible, Yu presumed that the long, dark shape that further obscured the body of the future victim was hair. A girl, he assumed.
When the TVs image faded, he heard his phone bleep in his pocket like usual. Mechanically, he picked it up and answered.
"Did you see that?" It was Chie, she sounded confused, "I didn't recognize that person but I think it was a girl." Yu made a slight noise of agreement and Chie continued "What do you think we should do? Try to find out who that person was?"
"Yeah, let's meet up tomorrow at Junes." It was a Sunday after all.
"Yeah! We should do that; make sure everyone has seen it. I'll see you then!" She hung up.
Without any other reason to stay up, he unrolled his futon and settled down for sleep, mythical creatures on his mind.
