To The Future: The Steps Of The Strange
By: TheWildFool2011
(I do not own Persona 4, nor the series.)
Prologue Prt I: Yokohama, Lovely Yokohama, Oh How I Long For Thee
Chie pulled over to the side. This was the sixth time her and Yukiko got lost, not to mention that once they did arrive at the campus they would have to find a parking spot. Yukiko pulled the map out from the bottom of her seat, "Hmm…um, Chie-chan?"
"Yeah Yukiko….?" Chie sighed heavily and laid her head against the wheel. Yukiko pointed to an exit about three to six miles ahead of them.
"The exit we get off of is about close to, maybe, eight miles."
Chie's head shot up as she gripped the wheel. "Let's get this crap started! This time we're totally gunna make there Yukiko. No stops, not bathroom breaks, not food. Just straight ahead!" she pressed on the gas pedal with her heavy foot.
Yukiko pressed her back against the car chair trying to relax. She pressed the heater button for the chair. "Just…relax Yukiko. Chie will calm down soon…yes, hopefully…" she muttered to herself and closed her eyes.
Luckily for Yukiko, Chie was not the type to blared music, or she wouldn't have rode along with her. Chie however, did listen to some crazy music, something that Yosuke would listen too.
"Hm…" Yukiko opened her eyes and frowned. Chie looked over at her from the corner of her eye, "What's wrong Yukiko? You sound kinda sad."
Yukiko snapped out of her stupor and shook her head. "No, no, no. I'm fine…just thinking about Souji-kun and the others…I miss them…"
Chie smirked, "Well, boy do I have a surprise for you!" she flicked her blinker on turning towards the correct exit.
"Hanamura called me. We were just talking about random stuff for a bit, and then he landed on college topic. Funny thing he's gonna be going to the same college."
Yukiko smiled, she felt slightly relieve. She had missed all of them ever since their last get together. It kinda made her happy that at least one of them would be attending the same college as her and Chie.
"That's good to hear…though the others…" Yukiko sighed and looked out the window. It had started raining, but not hard. It reminded her of Inaba Murders.
Chie grunted and groaned slightly, "Damn, rain just never ceases to miss us, eh Yukiko?" she turned her head taking in a quick glance. "C'mon Yukiko, don't be so down. I mean I understand…cause it is Yosuke Hanamura, we're talkin' 'bout. But…"
"Oh, it's alright. It'll be good to see him again anyway. Especially, since he would have to drive to visit me anyway. Different topic though, do you know our dorm number?"
Chie paused for a quick second, and gave a panicked laugh, "Ah, hahaha…." She cleared her throat, "Course, I know which dorm number we're at silly…uhh…"
"We're not going to get any rest are we Chie?" Yukiko asked blandly.
Chie's brows furrowed, "W-wha?! You c-can't be jokin' me right?! You think I'd get there late…?" Yukiko only nodded with a disappointed look on her face.
Chie continued to talk on, "Well…at least we know that, err, it's not just a girls only dorm! Y-yeah! It's a dorm for both girls and boys!"
"I know that."
"…Dammit…" Chie pouted and continued to keep her eyes on the road.
~Tokyo, Japan~
"Yooosssuukkkeee…." Teddie whined. He constantly walked on the back of Yosuke's heels to, be sure that he had his attention. The annoying, plus the shoe stepping was pissing Yosuke off and Teddie could tell.
Yosuke whipped his head around. He balled his fist up as Teddie smiled at him. "Look Ted, mom and dad wanted me to come here and get the best shit for this university! So cut your whining!"
"But, I'm tired of looking at so many boookkss…." Teddie plopped down on a couch inside the store. Yosuke sighed and stooped down to come face to face, "Listen, we're almost down. And then we'll be headin' to the dorms…we're only about less than forty minutes away."
Teddie rolled his eyes when Yosuke turned his back. He took out his phone. "Hey Yosuke did you get a text from Kanji-kun?"
"Hell no. Why?" Yosuke continued to shift through the books. Teddie paused for a hot second and snickered to himself. "Well, what'd he say?!" Yosuke snapped slightly and crossed something off on the list.
Teddie scratched the back of his neck, "Well, he was wonderin' if you could drive him somewhere."
"Like…?"
"I dunno. The rest of the message never came, I think his phone pooted."
"Ted phones don't 'poot'. It can't be too important." Yosuke pulled Teddie to his feet by the scuff of his shirt. "C'mon, we're done here. Next, up the university!"
Teddie happily scurried off behind Yosuke as they walked to the cash register. "Oh, Yosuke…what is this coolege you and the others speak of?"
"You'll see soon Ted, you'll see and you'll love. And you probably won't ever wanna leave either." Yosuke chuckled and gave one of the bags to Teddie. Yosuke paused for a moment and thought of what the blonde boy had said.
"Err, uh…it's called 'college' Ted. Just FYI of course…"
"Ooh, I thought…"
"You thought wrong now, let's head to the car so we can get our asses to campus."
"Right, Yosuke!"
~Inaba, Japan~
Naoto hurried half of Rise's bags down to her car. Rise had slightly somewhat over packed, but it usual for Naoto, she's seen her to this many times. Particularly the school camping trip was a huge primary example.
"Ahh, I think that's everything…" Naoto wiped the beads of sweat from her brow. Rise tapped her shoulder, "One more bag…" she gave an innocent smile.
Naoto sighed in slight annoyance. 'Honestly, how many bags could one need?' She forced herself to smile. Only for Rise's sake she would smile, if it had been someone like Yosuke she would have already been half to the campus by now.
"Right…um, bring your bags down while I clear room for them." Naoto said as she shifted through her and Rise's bags. Rise nodded and walked back into her grandmothers' tofu shop.
The pint sized detective, began stacking them by size. "Thank goodness, grandpa let me use his van…he must've known somehow…" Naoto then got stuck in thought. This sped up her organization process, leaving space for about two or so more bags.
Naoto unconsciously sat down on the curb. Shortly after she received a tap on her head, "Huh…? Oh, Rise-chan! Um, sorry, I was stuck in thought…"
Rise only smile and took the detective's hat in a teasing manor. "I see Detective Prince. Got my bag! And my grandmother gave us sushi rolls and two neatly boxed tofu, for the go of course."
"Please don't call me that…" Naoto mutter under breath and grabbed the supposedly light suit case. "Uh, tell her thanks. And what the good gracious did you pack in this bag?!"
Rise turned to look back at the small detective. With a dark stare and wicked smile, "Oh…you know, a little this…and a little that. Nothing too important." She then hopped in the passenger seat.
Naoto close the trunk in slight worry about what Rise might have in that bag. She then shrugged this awkward feeling off and pulled all her attention to the road. "Alright, destination college."
"Oooh, I'm gonna make this a memory you'll never forget, Naoto-kun." Rise exclaimed in a flirtatious manor. Naoto's cheeks grew bright red as she clear her throat. She placed a shaky hand on the gear. Rise mimicked her in the same manor.
"Ugh! Kujikawa-san, I can't focus if you keep acting…you know the way your acting…ugh just please let me pour my attention to the road!" Naoto grumbled and gripped the wheel. Rise snickered, "Sure thing, Shirogane-sama."
Naoto's face twisted into an irritable look as she pulled off. She was really happy about going to college and her agents along with her butler would keep a close eye on her house, as well as checking on Kanji's mother and Rise's grandmother.
This was looking to being a great college year for Naoto. Plus she had a close friend who would be attending there, not only this but they would be sharing the same dorm. It was much more exciting when she thought about it.
Though every time she and Rise would talk around Kanji about college he would get slightly disappointed because, he didn't know when he would be able to go to college, let alone if it was the same one. None the less he was still happy that the two wouldn't be separated.
"Well, get ready to do all the things you've never done before Naoto-kun!" Rise said excitedly with dreamy eyes. There was still that mischievousness within her, "Think about! Thing's you've never been able to do in high school, like: finding your first love, achieving high goals and making love!" she was practically cooing in the seat.
"Rise-chan…uh finding love and making love is slightly the same…" Naoto mumbled under her breath. Rise shook her head, "Not, entirely."
"Fine, not in the real world but, in your world."
"Damn, straight! And be read Naoto-kun, cuz I'm gonna try and find someone who'd fall for your brains and handsome looks." Rise said with confidence.
"Sounds like I already have someone falling for me…" Naoto exclaimed jokingly. The two began to laugh happily.