Author's Note: Text that appears as this (bolded and italicized) refers to the "episode" title. Anyway... Welcome my beloved readers to another story of mine. After witnessing KazuyaYamura's Persona 4 Extend and Ari Moriarty's fanfic 'world' that are both based somewhat after the events of both 3 and 4, I couldn't help myself but write a story like this as well. For the setting, it is absolutely only a few days after the events of Persona 4 Arena. I'm warning people now that it is not going to be too long since I believe that I could only drag it out for only 12 or 13 chapters. Thanks to Gin Nanashi once more for beta reading and editing as I tell this story. I actually had this story in mind since December last year, but I decided to rework it as this story. I hope you are not disappointed with what I come up with... I promise you that Minako will make an appearance, but not now since this is a prologue after all! So please Read/Favorite/Follow/Review or I feel that I am not appealing to you and this discourages me to write... Enjoy!


Monday, May 07, 2012


I better get going.

Yu Narukami glanced distractedly over at the clock as he slipped his shoes on.

Ah shoot, it's almost eight already!

It's been a few days since he had returned from his visit to his second family and precious friends in Inaba.

Should've set my alarm clock earlier...

He grimaced at how that tiny detail slipped his mind last night before shaking his head.

Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk now.

Unlike his year in the countryside, Yu found his life in Tokyo to be rather hectic given the fast pace of the city but, like all else, he simply took everything thrown at him in calm stride just as he had with that ordeal during Golden Week...

Even though he was currently sprinting like a mad man to catch his train.

Just barely squeezing through the closing doors, Yu breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the nearby pole.

Getting to school here can be such a hassle...

Rubbing the back of his neck, the gray-haired male gazed out of the window, watching as the scenery changed into a blur of colors due to the train's speed and trying to ignore the bodies pressing against him.

So crowded...

A random elbow dug itself into his ribs and he held back a flinch.

I'd forgotten how packed the train gets in the morning...

Yu couldn't help but sigh at his predicament.

I miss Inaba already...


Prologue: Recall


Stepping off of the train, Yu sought out the nearest clock and smiled in relief as it read 8:17 AM.

Whew, I still have 13 minutes.

Just then, his phone vibrated.

Reaching into his pocket, he took out his phone and flipped it open before brightening up at the caller ID: Yosuke Hanamura.

Hitting the answer button, Yu lifted his cell to his ear and immediately heard–

"Hey, Partner! How's life back in the city? I know it can get pretty crowded," Yosuke greeted him cheerfully.

"It's all right," Yu replied cooly with a small smile, "Although you do have me wondering as to why you're calling me this early in the morning."

His best friend simply laughed, "It's nothing really! I was just wondering if you're alright, that's all," his tone turned a bit sheepish, "I mean, it's easy to keep track of everyone here in Inaba, but... Who will have your back in Tokyo?"

"No matter the distance, we'll always have each other's back," the leader stated, "You, me and everyone else know that by heart, right?"

"Right!"

Yu could just imagine Yosuke rubbing his nose in slight embarrassment while grinning confidently.

"Still, it's too bad that you were just here for a few days... We all miss ya already," the brunet admitted before clearing his throat, "Well, anyway, I'm glad to hear that you're okay and– Oh crap! I seriously have to take a leak! Gotta run!"

"Talk to you later," Yu replied simply with no little amusement as he heard a crash, a yelp and the click signaling the end of his call.

Same old Yosuke.

He chuckled softly and flipped the phone close, feeling a bit wistful.

Too bad we couldn't talk any longer...

Lost in thought, Yu slammed straight into another body and stumbled backwards, feeling his cell slip through his fingers.

Shoot...!

As if in slow motion, Yu could do nothing but watch as his cellphone drop to the floor...

...until a hand caught it in midair.

Surprised, he looked up.

A blue-haired boy, slightly shorter than he, held Yu's beloved phone (filled with the phone numbers of all of his loved ones) out to him.

"Thank you," Yu bowed his head in gratitude, taking the cell back, and looked back up again, "I really app–!"

He's...gone...?

Looking around, the gray-haired male furrowed his brows in confusion as he returned his phone to his pocket.

Huh... I wonder who he is...

He ran his fingers through his hair and frowned a bit as he tried to recall the other's appearance.

His eyes were gray…

Similar to his own but lighter in shade.

Or maybe silver would describe them better?

After a random moment of debating the actual shade, he took a glance around and almost froze when he saw the time.

I'm gonna be late!

It was currently 8:28 AM.

And, once more, Yu Narukami found himself sprinting like a mad man...

.

.

.

He ended up arriving during the middle of his first class and was forced to stand outside of the room as punishment but the time after that flew by quickly until the bell rang for the final time that day.

Stretching a bit, Yu was distracted from the kink in his neck when his phone beeped.

Flipping it open, he noticed that he'd received a text message from his mother, stating:

We'll be home late again tonight. Can you clean up around the house when you're free? Do take care and remember to not let strangers into the house! ~Mom

For a moment, Yu was entertained with the idea that his mother seemed to think he was still a child before he shook it off and packed his bag.

Upon arriving at the complex that his little family lived in, he vaguely wondered why their apartment was on the 10th floor before deciding that it would probably make for good training to run up the stairs over the weekend...

In the meantime, he decided to just ride the elevator up.

Reaching into his breast pocket, he paused upon feeling two separate keys and pulled the larger one out.

The Contractor's Key... Yu smiled fondly at it. I can't believe I'd forgotten about this.

With a shake of his head, he placed the old-fashioned key back into his pocket and took out the smaller house key instead.

Closing the door behind him, Yu slipped off his dirtied outer school jacket since someone had spilled their coffee on him earlier.

Randomly pawing through his closet, he pulled out the closest article and paused before laughing a bit.

Old habits do die hard.

Regardless, he decided to wear his old Yasogami High School uniform and quickly slipped into it.

Smoothing out the nonexistent wrinkles, Yu stepped out of his room and into the living when his battle instincts screamed at him.

Diving to the side, he rolled as something moved in a dark blue from the corner of his eyes but miscalculated and stumbled over the coffee table.

A sharp sting exploded at the base of his head and he hissed in pain as he felt his assailant grab the front of his shirt and slammed him against something.

Peering through the blur of his vision, Yu saw a mesh of light and dark that was gradually sharpening before his eyes widened when he felt himself sink backwards.

This is...!

Like ripples of water, the flatscreen of the TV wavered in concentric circles as parts of his body passed through the usually solid barrier.

How is this possible? I thought it only works in Inaba!

Forcing back his alarm, Yu turned back and grabbed his attacker's black tie before flinching out of surprise as his vision finally cleared.

"You're...!"

Silver eyes stared blankly at him as the male tilted his head, causing his dark blue hair to fall over his right eye, before he shoved forward.

"Wait–!"

But he couldn't say more as his vision was filled with familiar white and black squares and his head fuzzed a bit with the same heady sensation he felt whenever he entered the TV World...

And then he slammed into the floor with a pained grunt.

That...was not my best landing.

His temple throbbed with pain and black dots were creeping up on his vision.

Damn it...

He could feel his consciousness slipping away and tightened his fist around his newly acquired spoil.

Later...I'll get...Teddie...to...sniff him..out...

With that final thought, he finally succumbed to exhaustion just as a voice called out to him.

"Hey! Are you okay...?!"


Next Scent


"Could this be...the TV World?"

"I don't even know how I got here..."

"Here they come!"

"Persona!"


Awaken


"I guess you and I are the same, after all."