Persona: Beyond the Fog Chapter 3: 3 The Caged Princess, a persona series fanfic

Fog, rolling endlessly along a dark road. A limousine, its interior done in dark blue velvet. An old man with a long nose and wispy hair, dressed in an old-fashioned suit. A woman with white hair, clad in blue. Souji had seen this once before.

"Igor," he said, nodding to his host. "Margaret."

Igor smiled. "Welcome, young Souji. I am delighted that you remember."

Souji smiled wryly. "I didn't at first, then some very strange things started happening. I'm guessing this has something to do with it."

"Indeed it does," Igor acknowledged. "As you have clearly surmised, you are fast asleep in the real world. I have summoned you within your dreams. And so we meet again."

"And so we do," Souji said. "Is this where I get to learn what's going on?"

Igor smiled mysteriously. "Insofar as I am able to answer, yes. My role is limited, and there are some things I simply do not know." He gestured to Margaret.

"This is a space that only those who have, in some form or another, entered into a contract may enter," she said. "In your daily life, you subconsciously heard the call to awaken, and you chose to follow your inner voice, thereby enacting the glorious awakening of your power."

"Persona," Souji murmured, recalling the fight outside the ersatz liquor store. "The contract would be the promise Yosuke and I made to find the killer, and Persona is the power that awakened." He winced a little. "I'm not sure that I'd call it 'subconscious,' though. That voice was pretty insistent."

Igor nodded approvingly. "Correct, young Souji. You learn quickly, but that is to be expected of someone granted entrance to the Velvet Room." He waved his hand. "Hold on to this."

Souji looked down in time to see a small blue key materialize in the palm of his hand. "What's this to?"

"From this night forward, you are our guest in the Velvet Room," Igor explained. "Your destiny will require that you hone your power, and it is our role to assist you in that. This key will allow you access to the Velvet Room."

Helpful. Nevertheless, Souji's upbringing made him wary of too much generosity. He'd seen too many backroom deals. "What's the catch?"

Igor appeared unperturbed by his guest's suspicion. "There is but one price for this assistance. You must abide by your contract and assume responsibility for the decisions you make."

"Reasonable enough," Souji conceded, nodding. "So, what exactly is 'Persona'? I could tell it came from my mind somehow, and it let me fight the Shadows on even terms, but there must be more to it than that."

"There is, much more," Igor agreed. "The Persona you have acquired is a side of you that appears when you face the world around you."

"So it's part of my consciousness given form?" Souji said.

Igor nodded. "An excellent description. You might also think of it as a facade of determination you wear in order to overcome the difficulties of life."

This was starting to sound like something out of a psychology textbook. "A mask."

"In a way, yes," Igor said. "This does not mean it is a deception, however, as it is part of your true self. Indeed, Persona and self-deception by their very nature cannot coexist."

A memory of Yosuke facing his other self flashed through Souji's mind. "Because in order to obtain Persona you have to accept the whole of yourself."

"Precisely," Igor said, "though this does not preclude deceiving others." He leaned forward, intent. "Your Persona ability, however, is special. Yours is the power of the Wild Card. You, my friend, have the ability to summon multiple Personas, and change them at will." He steepled his fingers. "It's like the number zero, empty, yet holds infinite possibilities."

That could be very helpful indeed. If, as Souji was already suspecting, each Persona had different strengths and weaknesses, it would make it easier for him to adjust his tactics.

"Developing this ability will take time, however," Igor said, apparently reading Souji's mind. "Persona is the strength of the heart, and the heart is strengthened through bonds with others. Your Social Links, the bonds you share with your friends, will unlock your true potential."

"Strengthening your Social Links will do more than increase the power of your Persona ability," Margaret added. "At times, they will also light the way to the truth. Listen to the others, pay attention to what they say, and sometimes a new path will open."

A year –no, even a week– ago and Souji would have thought that a major obstacle. Now, however, he wasn't so sure. Despite his reluctance to open up, for fear he would simply be left alone again, he had bonded with his uncle and cousin, and quickly made friends with Yosuke and Chie.

"I think I understand," he said at last. "I'm starting too, at least."

"I'm glad to hear it." Igor had a speculative look on his face. "Where, I wonder, will you awakened power of the Wild Card take you? I look forward to seeing it." He chuckled softly. "Until we meet again."

The Velvet Room began to waver, colors losing resolution. Souji felt his consciousness fading with it, but it didn't alarm him. This time, he knew he would be back.

Saturday, 16 April, Early Morning

With the rain having finally cleared up, Souji had no need for an umbrella. The early morning air was crisp, with the pleasant smell of the countryside after a good rain. He was actually in reasonably good spirits, only slightly dampened by the specter of Saki Konishi's death and the prospect of King Moron's morning lecture.

He remembered his second visit to the Velvet Room much more clearly than the first. The presence of the Velvet Key, now kept deep in his pocket, was tangible proof.

A series of rapid squeaking noises told him who was approaching behind him. "Morning, Yosuke," he said, turning around.

"Yo," Yosuke said, bringing his bike to a stop. "Did you see what was on last night?"

"I did," Souji said. "Looked like a girl in a kimono. Too blurry to tell more than that."

Yosuke grimaced. "I couldn't tell who it was, either. Still, if someone was showing up on that freaky Midnight Channel then we can't ignore it."

Souji nodded. "Teddie might have some information; he's flighty, but not stupid by any stretch. Let's try talking to him after school." He looked around casually. No one close enough to overhear. "If there is someone in there, it has to be deliberate. Three times is too many to be accidental."

"Yeah." Something flickered in Yosuke's eyes, a brief flash of pain mixed with anger. "Even if it's that world that kills them, it's still the same thing."

Outside the realm of what was considered normal, but from a moral standpoint no different from any other murder weapon. Just more roundabout than most. To Souji it sounded like a cross between Sherlock Holmes and some shonen anime.

"And we're the only ones who can find this bastard," Yosuke said, and snorted at Souji's look of faint surprise. "What, you think the police can do it? Who in their right mind would believe the murderer kills people by throwing them into TVs?"

"I know my uncle wouldn't," Souji conceded. "He's a reliable guy, but if I mentioned any of this he'd think I was hallucinating." He smiled. "I'm just surprised that you're so energetic about this."

Yosuke shrugged slightly, obviously embarrassed. "Well, we did promise Teddie we'd track down whoever's doing this," he said. "Y'know, last night I tried sticking my head into the TV like you did; don't worry, I kept a grip on the frame," he added, seeing the look on Souji's face. "I wonder if it's because I have that power too."

"Probably," Souji said. "Persona and that other world seem to be connected, so it would make sense. Did you see anything?"

"Just empty space, the way you did that first day," Yosuke said. "Even with my glasses on it didn't make much difference. Guess that was just something like an entry hall."

"As good an explanation as any." Souji recalled seeing nothing until they actually landed in that TV studio place.

Yosuke nodded. "It makes me wonder, maybe we were given this power so we could catch the killer. After all, it's not something ordinary people can do."

Souji thought he heard a touch of what the Shadow had spoken of in his friend's voice, but he let it pass. "You never know. It might be a coincidence, and it might not. It doesn't really matter; what matters is that we have the power, and we know we can save people from that place."

"Heh, you've got a point." Yosuke had an aw, shucks look on his face. "After all, you were the first one of us who was able to go in there, the first one to get a Persona."

And would get more, he knew. Not that he had any intention of mentioning it to Yosuke or Chie as of yet. Even by their new standards of weirdness, visiting some kind of dream world to speak with supernatural beings, even if those beings were aiding him, was a bit much.

"I just know, somehow, that as long as you're along, we can crack this case wide open," Yosuke said, oblivious to Souji's thoughts.

Souji felt his cheeks warm at that. Honor student or no, he was to say the least unused to such fulsome praise, and it made him distinctly uncomfortable. True, he couldn't deny being out of the ordinary for the very reasons Yosuke had pointed out, but he didn't think he was that special.

"I can't do it alone, though," he said, a double meaning to his words. "And even if I could, I wouldn't want to. We'll finish this together, partner."

Yosuke laughed. "You got it!"

As they shook hands, Souji was again reminded of Igor's words. Bonds of friendship are what will see this through, eh? Cliche, but I'm not complaining. It'll all be worth it if I don't have to be alone anymore.

School, of course, was unchanged. Even in the wake of Saki-senpai's death, the same routine went on. Souji and Yosuke idly chatted as they waited for the inevitable King Moron lecture. Yukiko was absent, but Souji had expected as much after speaking with her the previous day. More surprisingly, there was no sign of Chie.

"Is she usually this late?" Souji wondered in an undertone.

"Lot of the time, yeah," Yosuke said, also keeping his voice down. "She normally stops at Yukiko-san's place early in the morning, so they can walk to school together." He grimaced. "'Course, she's probably still mad at us."

As if his words had been some kind of summoning spell, Chie appeared at the classroom door, looking agitated. Her eyes flickered around, until they came to rest on Souji and Yosuke. She immediately made a beeline for them, weaving through the assembled students almost unconsciously.

"Good, you're already here!" She sounded agitated, too, more so than usual.

The boys exchanged a look, and Yosuke swallowed. "Um, Chie, we're, uh, sorry we worried you yesterday."

Chie looked blank for a moment. "Huh? Oh, that. Don't worry about it." She brushed it off with an impatient gesture. "Have either of you seen Yukiko this morning?"

"I haven't," Souji said, "and we came in at the same time. Unless Yosuke saw her before we met up," he added, giving his "partner" a questioning look.

Yosuke shook his head. "'Fraid not."

Chie was practically in tears. "Oh, man. . . . I don't know what to do. Was that stuff you guys were talking about . . . was it actually real? The bit about people who show up on the Midnight Channel having to do with that other world?"

"All too real," Souji said with a sigh. "It nearly killed Yosuke and me, and we're pretty sure it did kill Ms Yamano and Saki-senpai."

Chie swallowed at that. "The one who appeared last night, I . . . I think it was Yukiko."

It was like a light had been switched on in Souji's mind. Female, slender, long hair, wearing a kimono, of course it was Yukiko Amagi. He wanted to kick himself for not realizing it sooner, though as another part of him pointed out he'd been in Inaba less than a week.

"The kimono looks the one she wears when she's helping out at the inn," Chie went on, "and in that interview last night."

"I met her on my way home yesterday," Souji said, speculations flashing through his mind, "and she was wearing it then. Does this mean she's already in there?"

It was an ugly thought. After seeing firsthand how hellish that bizarre world could be, he didn't wish that fate on anyone, much less a gentle soul like Yukiko. He quickly banished the thought; losing his composure wouldn't help her or anyone else.

Chie, of course, was even more frightened. "W-Wait! Do you really think she's already in there!?"

"We can't rule it out," Souji said, keeping his voice even. "Have you tried to contact her?"

Chie nodded shakily. "After seeing the Midnight Channel last night I was worried, so I sent her an email, but she didn't reply. I called her when I got home, though, and she said she'd be at school."

"That doesn't necessarily mean anything," Yosuke said, trying his best to be soothing. "As busy as they've been at the inn lately, she was probably just too tired to check her email." He waited for Chie to calm down a little. "So, you still haven't heard from her?"

"No." Chie's pain and fear were written all over her face.

"Try calling her again," Souji suggested. "Like Yosuke said, she was probably tired." His mouth twitched. "I've seen how overworked people can get in a place like that."

Looking marginally reassured, Chie pulled out her cell phone and pressed a couple of buttons; presumably she had Yukiko on speed dial. "Come on, Yukiko, pick up." After a moment she shook her head. "No good, it went to voice mail."

Yosuke closed his eyes. "Dammit. So she must be. . . ."

"Wait! I'll try the inn's number!" Chie said. "Sometimes she gets called in early." Another couple of button presses, and she was again listening intently. ". . .Yukiko?" She breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, nothing really. I was just wondering why you weren't at school yet." A pause. "Okay, see you."

"So she's all right?" Souji said.

"Yeah," Chie said. "I'd forgotten, the inn gets really busy this time of year. It must be even worse with Yukiko's mother laid up." She glared at them. "And you had me all worried! Sheesh."

Yosuke held up his hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, we just thought it was a possibility."

Chie's glare didn't abate. "Yeah? Why's that?" she challenged.

"After what that bear told us, we thought someone appearing on the Midnight Channel meant they were already in the other world," Souji explained. "Combined with the rumors about Mayumi Yamano, it seemed to fit."

Although, now that he thought about it, the blurry image seemed to suggest otherwise. Chie leaping to that conclusion was one thing, inasmuch as she knew Yukiko better than just about anyone else. By contrast, Yosuke had only known Saki Konishi for six months or less, and of course no one at the school (save possibly for Yukiko, if the rumors were true) had ever crossed paths with Mayumi Yamano.

"Anyway, we're going to Junes after school," Yosuke said. "Maybe Teddie has some information for us."

After School

It wasn't in Souji to wish economic failure on anyone, generally speaking. Still, he couldn't help but be grateful at the lack of business in the Junes electronics department. The same TV they'd gone through was still there, with not a customer or clerk in sight.

Perfect.

"I have to wonder why Junes even has an electronics department," he commented idly, more to misdirect potential eavesdroppers than anything else. "There are more TVs here than people in Inaba." An exaggeration, that last, but not by much.

"Is this really going to work?" Chie wondered uneasily. "I know what happened before and all, but will he be there right now?"

"He said he would be," Yosuke said. "Damn, I can't believe I'm talking seriously about this."

Neither could Souji, really. Even after two trips into that world, after summoning his Persona for the first time and battling Shadows, it still had a sense of unreality.

Of course it does, he reminded himself. Falling through a TV screen into another dimension isn't exactly normal. He gave Chie an abbreviated synopsis of the previous day's adventure. Their second meeting with Teddie, the promise to find the culprit, summoning Persona and fighting Shadows for the first time, Yosuke's Shadow and the subsequent battle.

By the end Yosuke was looking embarrassed and exasperated. "All right, enough about my sorry escapades."

"If I hadn't gone through the first time myself, I would never have believed it," Chie said. "It's like something out of a cheesy sci-fi show."

"I don't blame you," Souji said. "I didn't really believe it until we fell through the other day. Anyway, we need to know if anyone's in there now." The sound of footsteps made him wince ever so slightly; of all the times for customers to show up.

Yosuke suppressed a grimace. "I forgot, there's a sale in the electronics department today. We must've arrived in a lull."

"Too bad that lull didn't last just a bit longer," Souji said. "Any ideas?"

Yosuke stroked his chin. "Hmm. . . ." Souji could almost see the lightbulb when his friend's eyes brightened. "Yeah, this should do it. Chie, c'mere." The martial artist complied, looking puzzled. "Make a wall with me."

"Make a wall?" she repeated, visibly skeptical. Nevertheless, she obediently took a position at Souji's other side.

"Okay, now Souji, try calling him over," Yosuke said. "Maybe wave for him or something."

Taking a deep preparatory breath, Souji looked around one last time to be sure no one could see, and slowly pushed his right arm into the screen, stopping just below the shoulder. Unable to see in, he cautiously waved the arm around, hoping to get Teddie's attention. I hope this works.

Without warning, a sharp pain lanced through his finger.

Stifling a yelp, Souji withdrew his arm. His right index finger was dripping blood from a wound just past the first knuckle. It looked almost like. . . .

"You okay?" Chie asked worriedly, then gasped. "Dude, I-is that a bite mark!?"

I'm going to turn him into a bearskin rug. "I'll be fine," Souji said through gritted teeth. He leaned close to the TV screen. "Teddie, are you there?" he hissed.

"Oooh, is this a game?" The bear's voice was on the tinny side, but perfectly audible.

Souji suppressed a sigh. "No, it isn't," he said, trying not to snap. The pain in his finger made it difficult. "Is anyone in there besides you?"

"'Anyone'?" Teddie repeated. "I'm just a lonely bear. This land feels so . . . bear-ren."

Souji covered his face with his uninjured hand. "Bear-ren," he says. First he bites me, then he starts making bad puns. What next? "You're sure you're alone in there?"

"I'm sure!" Teddie said. "My nose is just fine; I'd smell someone if they were dropped in here!"

Well. Assuming Teddie was correct, and there was no real reason to think otherwise, they were in the clear for the time being. With the culprit still at large and unidentified, it was unlikely to last, but at least they had time to plot their next move.

"I'm still going to warn Yukiko," Chie said. "The inn is going to be busy all weekend, so she probably won't go anywhere alone for a while, but better safe than sorry."

"Especially after what we saw in the other world," Yosuke agreed. "We can't afford to take chances with something like that."

Souji nodded. "You should probably walk with her to school on Monday, too," he said. His lips twitched in a brief smile. "Anyone who tries anything while you're around is in for a painful surprise."

Chie laughed a little, slightly embarrassed. "Thanks, I guess. Yeah, I'll make sure to pick her up."

"Right. Let's just hope this is a misunderstanding," Yosuke said. He didn't sound like he believed it, though.

Neither did Souji, for that matter. Two murders within a few days in a town that hadn't even seen one in at least ten years (or so his uncle had told him), and both victims had appeared on the Midnight Channel before they died. And now a third, even if the image was indistinct, there was no way it was a coincidence.

"Let's make sure to watch the Midnight Channel tonight," he said. "If no one appears, good. If someone does, we move on from there."

"Got it," Chie said. "You're a pretty take-charge kind of guy."

Souji shrugged. "My father always says you have to be decisive, or you'll never get anywhere."

"Good advice," Yosuke said. "Wish I had that kind of willpower. Okay, see you guys later."

Souji lingered for a while after the other two left. Partly it was a desire to avoid drawing too much attention, partly because he was simply lost in thought. What exactly was Persona, he wondered. Why did he have it, and the ability to enter that other world?

And then there was the mysterious Igor and his assistant Margaret. Though they looked human, it was obvious they were anything but. That they were more than a dream was undeniable, but beyond that Souji had no clue. All he was truly certain of was their sincerity in helping him, though he wasn't sure how he was sure.

It was still raining when he finally stepped out, and probably would continue well into the night. Looking up at the dark clouds, Souji reflected that he had never expected the weather to have quite such an impact on his life.

Evening

Unsurprisingly, there was no sign of his uncle when he got home. Nanako gave him a cheerful greeting, which he was swiftly coming to appreciate. It made him feel like he truly was home, not simply in yet another way station before he next move.

Maybe I can get Mom and Dad to let me stay longer. I'm sure Uncle Ryotaro wouldn't mind. The thought was merely speculative, though, as he sat down for dinner with his cousin. "How was school, Nanako-chan?"

"All right," she said, taking a bite of rice. "We started art class today. What about you?"

"Well, I still hate my homeroom teacher, but things are okay otherwise." Souji smiled at the look she gave him. Very perceptive for a six-year-old. "I hung out with a couple of friends after school." He did not, of course, mention that "hanging out" had involved sticking his arm through a wide-screen TV and getting his finger bitten by a cartoon bear.

Nanako nodded at that. "Can I meet them sometime?"

"Sure." Souji had in fact already planned on introducing them at some point. "Yosuke works part-time at Junes; his dad's the manager there."

"Really?" Nanako perked up. "I can't wait!"

"Okay," Souji said, laughing softly. "We're all kinda busy right now, but I'll take you when we have time." Especially since Uncle Ryotaro can't.

He kept a close eye on the time as they ate. Nanako usually went to bed around eight PM, which still left four hours to kill before the Midnight Channel came on. He supposed it would be best to study; mystery or not, there was no sense letting his grades slip. Especially since it could get him in trouble and thus limit his freedom of action.

Late Night

The moment of truth. In a few minutes, he would know if they had been right to be worried, or had simply been jumping at shadows. (He winced internally at the inadvertent pun.) His TV was turned off, and it was still raining outside. He looked at his watch; five minutes to midnight.

I really hope we're wrong.

The clock struck midnight, and the TV buzzed to life.

It was a much clearer image than he'd seen previously. The stage was brightly lit, with what looked like some kind of fairy tale castle in the background. Red predominated, with a dash of pink here and there, with decidedly cheesy music playing.

"Hello, everyone!"

What the?

It was Yukiko, no doubt about it. There was no mistaking the pale skin, coal black hair, and dark eyes. Her outfit was very strange, though; instead of the school uniform or the kimono Souji had seen her in a couple of times, she wore a somewhat low-cut Western-style gown. Red, of course.

Her hand came up, holding a microphone. "I'm the Inn Princess Yukiko Amagi, and I'm looking to score a hot stud!"

Say what?

"Will you be the one? Oh, I sure hope so!" She giggled. "I would so like for someone to take me away from all this. Until my Prince comes, I will be trapped in this castle." Yukiko turned and dashed for the castle gate. "I'll be waiting for you!" The image faded.

What . . . was that? He'd known to expect strangeness after the battles in the ersatz liquor store, but this went far beyond merely strange. Granted he'd only known Yukiko Amagi for a few days, but that kind of behavior seemed more than a little out of character for her.

His cell phone beeped just then. Knowing who it had to be, Souji clicked it on. "Seta."

"Did you see that!?" Yosuke demanded. "It really was Yukiko-san!"

"I wish I'd taped it," Souji said, deadpan.

He had to fight not to laugh at the fifteen seconds of incoherent sputtering at the other end. Yosuke, he reflected, was proving surprisingly easy to tweak.

"You'll pay for that," Yosuke said. "Anyway, what the hell was up with all that? It looked like some kind of low budget TV show, and Yukiko-san doesn't usually dress or act like that." Souji had the distinct impression Yosuke was grimacing. "Seriously, 'Score a hot stud'? That doesn't sound like her at all."

"I was thinking the same thing," Souji said, all business now. "We'll have to talk to Teddie to be sure, but I think she's in the other world now."

Yosuke hissed, at least that was what it sounded like. "You're probably right. I'll call Chie when we're done here." He paused. "You know, we might want to go in with more than just a golf club."

Souji nodded, briefly forgetting his friend couldn't see him. "We have to do it very carefully, though. With the police still in the middle of a double homicide investigation, we can't be waving knives and stuff around in public."

"Got a point there," Yosuke conceded. "Okay. I've got a couple of knives from the cutlery section at Junes. Easy to use, and sharp as hell; I almost cut fingers off just opening the package. What about you?"

"I have an old katana, part of a daisho set that's been in my family for centuries," Souji said. "It's still in good shape, and I know how to use it."

Yosuke laughed softly. "Right, forgot you said your family used to be samurai. Okay, I gotcha. See you at Junes tomorrow."

Souji remained staring at his TV for a few minutes longer. Teddie's comments about it being reality for the one who was there were all well and good, but they didn't begin to explain Yukiko's behavior. Was something about that world making her act that way?

No point worrying about it right now, he thought, and went to bed.

Sunday, 17 April, Early Morning

Normally Souji would have slept in at least a little on a Sunday. It was highly unusual for him to be up and dressed before around nine, but the urgency of the day's plans had him unable to sleep extra even if he wanted to. He was ready to leave by eight, intending to stop just long enough for a quick breakfast.

"Good morning." Nanako was already up, watching TV.

"Morning, Nanako-chan," Souji said, smiling. "Is your father already up?"

She shook her head. "Dad didn't come home last night."

Souji hid a wince. He should have expected that, really, with two unsolved murders in less than a week, but the loneliness in Nanako's face and voice made his heart ache. If it wasn't for the situation, he would have stayed with her in a heartbeat.

"You're going out today, right?" Nanako again proved more perceptive than he had given her credit for. "Don't worry, I'll be okay."

Feeling another pang, Souji crouched and gave his cousin a quick hug. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Nanako-chan. Promise."

She hugged him back. "Okay. Have fun."

Not sure that this is going to be fun, Souji thought, shouldering his bag. More like crazy.

Daytime

Souji was the first to arrive at the food court. Setting his bag aside, he ordered a hamburger and soda and settled down to wait. The presence of a couple of Inaba police officers made him glad they had no way of knowing what was in his bag; under the circumstances, a katana would likely have been taken amiss.

His cell phone beeped, a text message from Yosuke. "Be there soon."

"Okay," he texted in reply.

One of the officers appeared to recognize Souji, nodding a greeting. He returned it, as anyone living with a detective would. It was a relief, meaning as it did that no one suspected what he and his friends were up to.

"Yo."

Yosuke was weaving through the crowd, holding two trays laden with food and drink. Souji was actually impressed that his friend was able to do it without spilling anything. The fruits of working at Junes, he supposed.

"The second one's for Chie," Yosuke explained. He lowered his voice. "I figure we'd be less suspicious if we had lunch here before heading in."

"Good thinking," Souji said, equally quietly. He sat back, adding in a more normal tone, "How long have you been working here?"

"Since it opened up," Yosuke said, picking up the cue. "I get some flack for being the manager's kid, but it's not too bad."

They made small talk for another fifteen minutes or so. To all appearances they were just a couple of teenagers hanging out; what made it all the more effective was the fact that it wasn't a mere facade. One of the lessons Souji had picked up from watching his father work was using one truth to cover up another. He hadn't expected to really need it, though.

Chie arrived just after the police left, looking like she hadn't slept at all. She looked around, her movements oddly reminiscent of a spastic squirrel, before she spotted Souji and Yosuke and trotted over to their table.

"Did you guys see the Midnight Channel last night?" she demanded anxiously.

Souji nodded. "It was just about the craziest thing I've ever seen, but it was definitely Yukiko-san."

"And you're just sitting here!?" Chie said incredulously. "Yukiko's trapped in there!"

Souji raised a hand. "Calm down, Chie. We're no good to her or anyone else if we go in without a plan of action. Now, Yosuke and I talked about it some over the phone last night, so we at least have a starting point."

That seemed to mollify her a little. "Sorry. It's just that, the police are acting almost like she's the culprit or something, because that announcer was staying at the Amagi Inn."

Yosuke shook his head. "That's crazy. Yukiko's another victim, and some cops want to blame it on her?" He looked at Souji. "You heard anything about it?"

"Uncle Ryotaro hasn't said anything, but then he probably wouldn't have," Souji said, shaking his head in turn. "Besides, he's barely been home since Ms Yamano's body was found." He offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "We'll find her before anything happens, don't worry."

Chie appeared to digest that. She still wasn't happy, exactly, but Souji's words nonetheless had the intended effect. One thing Chie Satonaka did not lack was self-confidence.

"What did I miss?" she asked when she'd calmed.

"Almost lunch," Souji said. "We'll get moving once you've eaten."

The martial artist needed no urging, digging into her food with a gusto Souji found faintly disturbing. A feeling that increased when she ordered seconds. He wondered in the back of his mind if she had some kind of secondary food pouch.

"Oh, don't look at me like that!" she said, smiling. "With the way I train, I need to eat a lot to keep going." She took a gulp of her drink. "Okay, I'm good to go."

It was a measure of just how weird things had already gotten that not even Chie batted an eye at jumping into the TV. The three of them were all able to land on their feet, Chie immediately sliding into a martial artist's half-crouch. She straightened just as quickly, looking the slightest bit sheepish.

"Instinct," she explained. Her eyes widened a little. "Hey, it's the bear from last time."

Teddie was in a corner of the "studio," his back to the trio. It was hard to tell for sure without being able to see his face, but the bear looked to be agitated about something. He was rocking back and forth, hands on what passed for his head.

"What's up with him?" Yosuke wondered.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm thinking," Teddie said, sounding slightly annoyed. "I've been deli-bear-ating about it ever since you left, but I can't come up with an answer." He chuckled. "Now that wasn't bad."

Souji covered a wince. "Maybe you're just not asking the right questions," he offered. "That can be hard to judge sometimes."

Teddie brightened at that. "That's my Sensei! Always the voice of wisdom."

Shrugging uncomfortably, Souji looked away. It was just something he'd picked up from his swordmaster, really. He didn't see anything special about passing on something he'd learned.

"Probably a waste of time for you, anyway," Yosuke said. "I've seen the inside of your skull, Teddie, and there's nothing there."

Teddie spun around, glaring at him. "How rude! I've been–"

Already on edge, Chie lost her temper. "Sheesh, will you two shut up already!? This isn't the time for stupid jokes!" She looked at Teddie. "Anyway, someone came in here yesterday, right?"

His eyes bulged. "Huh!? Whoa, there's a girl with an even better nose than me! What's your name, Miss?"

"Huh?" Momentarily nonplussed, Chie waved a hand. "Oh, it's Chie," she said. "Now, where's Yukiko!?"

"Calm down, Chie," Souji said. "The person who was just thrown in is a friend of hers," he explained, crouching and unzipping his bag. "Do you know where she is?"

Though he didn't show it, he was every bit as tense as Chie. A lot was riding on Teddie's nose; if he couldn't tell where Yukiko had ended up, they would waste a lot of time searching for her. Time she and they simply didn't have.

Luckily, his fears proved unfounded. "I think she's over that way," Teddie said, pointing. "That's where the presence seems to be coming from, anyway." He scratched his head. "I hope you guys are better prepared than last time."

"Not to worry." Yosuke grinned, producing a pair of wicked-looking knives from under his jacket. "I've got these, Chie has a mean kick, and Souji. . . ." He trailed off. "Didn't you say something about a sword last night?"

Souji nodded, withdrawing a silver-handled katana from his bag. Just under a meter long, with a scabbard the same color as the hilt, and a simple round guard, it felt almost like an old friend in his hands. It had no ornamentation, save for an image of a small bird engraved on the blade near the hilt.

Chie whistled. "That's an antique, gotta be worth a bundle. How did you get it?"

"Remember I said my family used to be samurai?" Souji said, tucking the weapon in his belt. "This sword has been in my family since the Sengoku era. My father passed it on to me when I turned seventeen." He smiled. "Everyone ready?"

"Hell, yeah!" Chie broke into a run. "I'm coming, Yukiko!"

"Chie, wait! Don't just run off!" Yosuke sighed. "I can't really blame her, but this is crazy. We'd better catch up before the Shadows find her."

Souji nodded.

They caught up with her at the castle entrance. Looking up at it, Souji's first thought was that it was even cheesier than it had appeared on TV. It looked more like something out of a Disney theme park than a real castle; the closest he knew of in the real world was Neuschwanstein in Germany, and even that was less fantastical.

"Is this the place that appeared on the Midnight Channel last night?" Chie wondered.

"I think so," Souji said. He frowned. "But why a castle? If places like this are reality for the people who are in here, why not the Amagi Inn? Mayumi Yamano had a hotel room, and Saki-senpai was in a duplicate of her family's store."

Teddie shrugged. "I dunno. The person you're looking for is definitely in there, though."

"Did they film that freaky TV program here, then?" Yosuke said. "If there's anyone to film it that is."

"Got me," Teddie said, looking blank. "Maybe people on your side can see what's going on in here." He shot Yosuke an annoyed look. "And I told you, it's just me and Shadows in here. There's no 'camera' stuff or anything; this is how the world has been since the beginning."

Yosuke glared at him. "And that's what we don't understand!"

Teddie snorted. "And can you explain everything about your world?" he countered. "I've never seen this 'program' or whatever it is, so I don't know anything about it."

"Calm down, both of you," Souji said. "If this is the same castle we saw last night, then the Midnight Channel could be a kind of window into this world."

"But Yukiko first appeared on the Midnight Channel before she was thrown in," Chie pointed out. And when we got the clear image, she was saying stuff like 'score a hot stud.' That just isn't like her!" She shuddered. "And it was creepy, too!"

No argument from me.

"Score? Stud?" Teddie blinked. "What does that mean?"

Explaining things like that to a cartoon mascot was not Souji's idea of fun. "We just don't know enough," he said. "It certainly wasn't in character for Yukiko-san, even I could tell that."

Yosuke's head came up, his expression one of unwelcome revelation. "Wait a sec. Could it be like what happened to me last time we were here? When you beat my Shadow up and I got my Persona?"

It fit. It fit all too well. Maybe it's not how she acts in public, but that Shadow wasn't acting the way Yosuke normally does, either. He looked up at the castle gate. Could that have been Yukiko-san's suppressed emotions given form?

"Could be," Teddie said. "I think that 'program' or whatever happens because of the person on it. Or something like that."

Chie shook her head, looking like she was verging on a migraine. "Damn, I don't understand any of this!" Her eyes fixed on the gate. "Yukiko's inside, all alone. I'm going on ahead!"

Damn, that's just what we don't need! If her Shadow manifests the way Yosuke's did. . .!

Teddie made an unpleasant squeaking noise. "Oh, this isn't good! There are more Shadows inside, and they're not exactly sleepy!"

"Dammit," Yosuke growled. "We'd better go after her."

The castle interior was largely empty, with hallways stretching out seemingly at random. As with the outside, red predominated, on both the walls and the omnipresent carpeting. There was no sign of Chie.

"How could she have gotten so far so fast?" Yosuke wondered, fingering his knives uneasily. "Teddie, can you tell where she is?"

The bear concentrated, his nose twitching. "She's not on this floor," he said. "She must be– Shadows incoming!" he interrupted himself.

Grimacing, Souji drew his sword. He was still a novice, but the Shadows were the same type he'd fought outside the ersatz liquor store, so he at least knew what to do. He took a step forward, Yosuke at his elbow, while Teddie backed up out of the way.

"Let's do this, Jiraiya!" Yosuke shouted, striking a card with his right-hand knife. The humanoid shape that appeared struck the nearest Shadow with a gust of wind, a Garu spell, Souji suddenly knew.

Maybe it's something instinctive that comes with having a Persona. He concentrated, forcing a card to appear before his eyes. "Izanagi!" he snarled, crushing it in his fist. The resulting bolt of electricity immobilized a second Shadow. He took a long step forward, swinging his sword in a horizontal arc and slicing the Shadow in half. It promptly disappeared in a wave of black mist.

"Nice going, partner!" Yosuke said. He crouched to avoid a tongue lash, and swept both knives upward, "gutting" his target. The third was starting to recover, but Yosuke and Souji dispatched it together before it could rise.

Souji leaned against the wall, slightly winded. "Teddie, you said Chie isn't on this floor. So we should look for a set of stairs?"

"That's right." Teddie was sniffing again. "I think she's on the floor right above us. We should hurry."

It took longer than any of them would have liked to find the stairs, especially with the Shadows getting in the way, but they made it. She was standing in the center of what looked like a ballroom, staring at nothing. No Shadows were visible, fortunately.

"Are you all right?" Souji asked when they caught up. No answer. "Chie?"

"She said red looks good on me."

Yukiko's voice, no mistake. Souji clutched his sword's grip; it was a little too much like what had happened at the liquor store for his liking. He had a feeling he knew what was going to happen next; judging by the look on his face, so did Yosuke.

"I hated my name. Yukiko. 'Snow'. Snow is cold, and it melts quickly. Transient, worthless. Just like me. All I'm good for is inheriting the Inn. But Chie said red looks good on me."

Souji's eyes flickered around the room. This can't be good. It's just like the liquor store, which means we're going to see a major Shadow in a minute. Either Yukiko-san's or, his eyes landed on the immobile martial artist, Chie's.

"Are we hearing Yukiko-san's inner thoughts?" Yosuke said uneasily. "I remember hearing Saki-senpai's at the liquor store."

"I think so," Teddie said, looking tense himself. "I think it's all happening because of this Yukiko person."

"Yukiko. . . ." Chie whispered. "I. . . ."

There was more. "Chie is the only one who gives my life meaning. She's bright and strong, she can do anything. She has everything that I don't. She protects my worthless life, even though I don't deserve it."

Inferiority complex, sounds like, Souji thought, his unease redoubling. But I somehow don't think that's our only problem.

A hollow-sounding laugh came from ahead. "'Chie is so kind'? Hahaha, what a joke."

Souji reflexively took a combat stance, knowing exactly what was coming. Sure enough, a duplicate of Chie materialized out of the fog. Identical at first glance, but the manic grin was out of place on Chie's face, and the golden eyes were a dead giveaway.

Yosuke swallowed. "Man . . . I-is that. . .?"

"It's just like what happened with you," Souji confirmed.

The Shadow laughed again, rolling its eyes. "She says I'm the one protecting her? That she's worthless?" It snorted. "What a crock!" A shake of its head. "Then again, that's the way it should be."

"W-What!?" Chie stared at her doppelganger, clearly not understanding. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!? I-I don't, I don't think of Yukiko like that!"

Another snort, this one fairly dripping derision. "Oh, is that so? Come on, you might be able to fool those two, but you can't fool me. You're so damned insecure, it's pathetic. Yukiko's so beautiful and smart, just like you wish you could be!"

Now Chie was glaring. "Shut up, you freak! I'm not that insecure!"

"Hahaha, nice try, but it won't work." The Shadow rolled its eyes again. "Yukiko can't do anything without me. I like it that way; it proves that I'm better than she is."

"Dammit, I said shut up!" Chie ground her teeth. "I would never treat Yukiko like that!"

Yosuke looked at Souji uneasily. "What do we do now? This is going way too far way too fast."

"We protect Chie, of course," Souji said without hesitation. "If this keeps up, her Shadow is going to go berserk." He met Yosuke's eyes. "Call it a hunch, but I think this one might be more dangerous than yours was. I'll need your help, partner."

"Sensei's right, Yosuke," Teddie put in, slowly backing up. "This is way worse than last time."

Souji and Yosuke cautiously advanced, keeping a wary eye on Chie's Shadow. It hadn't shown any overt hostility yet, but they knew from the previous battle just how quickly that could change.

Chie evidently heard their footsteps. "Wait! Don't come near, don't look!"

"Chie, calm down," Yosuke said as gently as he could. "It's all right."

She shook her head violently. "No, this isn't me! It isn't me at all!"

Damn! "Chie, don't," Souji said tightly. "That will only make things worse in the end."

The Shadow let out a chuckle. "I'm the one who's pathetic. I can't do anything on my own, not as a girl, not as a person." It smirked. "But Yukiko still depends on me. That's why I'll never let her go."

Chie shook her head again. "That's not it! I'd never think of Yukiko like that!"

It was going to come to a fight. Souji was sure of it; Chie was being far too stubborn. He didn't blame her, certainly, but it was still going to put her in danger, just as it had with Yosuke. If they could only calm her down, just a little.

No such luck. "Hahaha, so you're going to deny me again?" Now it was outright leering. "Things are different now. I'll be the one standing in the end. But that's okay, since I'm still you."

Souji took a deep breath and set himself. He knew what was about to happen.

"Chie, no!" Yosuke shouted.

Too late. "You're not me!"

A triumphant look crossed the Shadow's face. It let out a long, hollow-sounding laugh, a black mist erupting from it as with Yosuke's before. When the mist faded, the Shadow has assumed an almost dominatrix-like form, armed with a whip and seated atop what looked like several teens in Yasogami uniforms.

"I am a Shadow, the true self," it said. "What do you guys think you're doing, trying to defend the 'real' me?" Its glare seemed directed particularly at Yosuke. "Then you'll pay the price!"

Souji brought his sword up. "Yosuke, make sure to mix it up. Persona is important, but don't forget about your weapons."

"Got it, partner," Yosuke said. "Let's do this!" He crouched, barely dodging the whip, and sliced into the Shadow's leg. It didn't do much, and the Shadow's cry was more of rage than pain, but at the same time it was proof physical weapons could hurt it.

Souji concentrated, brining Izanagi's card into view, and crushed it in his fist, dropping a bolt of electricity. This Shadow didn't appear to have the same weakness Yosuke's had, but that didn't make it immune, and it howled again in obvious pain.

He didn't know why it was that it chose Yosuke for its retaliatory strike. Perhaps it was Yosuke's fixation on Chie. Regardless, the Shadow unleashed an electrical attack of its own. Souji barely even felt it, but it knocked Yosuke off his feet.

"Yosuke!" Souji said, concentration momentarily lapsing on seeing his friend hurt. It was a small gap, but enough for the Shadow to strike him across the forehead with its whip, knocking him over.

"Is that all?" The Shadow actually sounded disappointed. "I was hoping you'd put up more of a fight."

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Souji wracked his mind for a solution. As things stood, he and Yosuke were both at a disadvantage, especially given Yosuke's evident weakness against electrical attacks. Yet there had to be some way; he refused to simply give up.

Then something prickled in his mind. Is that . . . another Persona?

A stray memory clicked, Igor's words about his ability to summon multiple Personas. Perhaps that was the key. Souji focused again, this time on the new entity. The card before him changed from the Fool to the Magician, and from the bandaged form of Izanagi to a more delicate, winged shape.

"Pixie!" he shouted, crushing the card. Instead of the rage of a lightning bolt, a cool wave of energy washed over him, instantly healing the welt left by the Shadow's whip. Turning, he summoned the same Persona again, erasing Yosuke's electrical burns.

"A second Persona?" Yosuke said in disbelief. "You really are something special, partner." He glared at the Shadow. "But we can talk about that later. Jiraiya, blow her away!"

By sheer chance, the Garu spell was exactly what was needed. With a cry of pain and shock, Chie's Shadow slumped over. It was still "alive," but neither teen was inclined to allow it to recover and counterattack. Yelling, the pair charged forward, sword and knives inflicting crippling wounds on the Shadow.

It was enough. Crying out one last time in agony, the Shadow fell over, billowing mist as it returned to its original form.

"Chie!" Yosuke and Souji were at her side in an instant. "Chie, are you okay?" Yosuke asked anxiously.

Groaning, the martial artist heaved herself upright. She stumbled briefly, but Yosuke was there to catch her; for once, Chie didn't even have a smart remark for him.

That was reserved for her Shadow. "What's the matter? Nothing else to say? No more trash talk?"

"Chie, calm down. It's okay," Yosuke said. "We understand."

She blinked owlishly at them. "Huh?"

"I went through the same thing, remember," Yosuke said. "So I know how you feel. It's not easy accepting it, but," he smiled ruefully, "you'll be better off for it."

Chie appeared to mull that over, before turning back to her silent Shadow. She stared at it in silence for a few minutes, gathering her thoughts by the look of it.

"A side of me that I couldn't forgive," she said quietly. "That I tried to ignore, tried to bury. But that was a mistake." She took a deep, steadying breath. "You're part of me. There's no getting around it."

The Shadow gave a slow nod, and faded away in a sparkle of light. In its place was a Tarot card, bearing the image of the Chariot Arcana. After a moment it, too, faded away.

"Is this . . . my Persona?" Chie whispered. "Tomoe." She staggered, almost collapsing before Yosuke caught her again. "It's okay," she said, breathing heavily. "I'm okay."

"Except that you're exhausted," Souji said. He looked at his watch. "We should call it a day."

It was mainly for Chie's sake, but truth be told he himself was nearing his limit. He'd been right, it was far more dangerous than Yosuke's had been. Combined with the minor Shadows they'd faced on the way in, and it was a wonder any of them were still standing.

Chie, of course, instantly objected. "Don't worry about me! I can still go on."

Souji laid a hand on her shoulder. "Not today, Chie. You only just got your Persona, and we're all tired out. We can't help Yukiko-san if we collapse before even reaching her."

"But. . . ." Chie swallowed. "Yukiko, she's all alone. She must be scared. And I . . . I have to apologize to her. I never meant to treat her that way."

Yosuke smiled. "We know, Chie. Rest up, and you can tell her yourself." He helped her back to her feet. "C'mon, let's head back."

The return trip was blessedly uneventful, as if defeating Chie's Shadow had taken all the fight out of the normal ones for the time being. It was very fortunate indeed, as Chie grew visibly worse as they walked; not enough to be truly worrisome, but definitely reason to get out for the day.

"I'm feeling even worse than when we came in," she groaned. "Feels like someone took an axe to my head. Are you guys okay?"

Of course, she doesn't have the glasses yet. "It's thanks to these," Souji said, tapping his pair. "They help us see through the fog, and make it easier to function in here."

Yosuke lifted an eyebrow. "You didn't notice until now? Just how panicked were you, anyway?" Chie just gave him a dirty look.

"Tum-tee-dumm!" Teddie grinned. "That's my cue. I've got Chie-chan's glasses right here!" He handed her a yellow-framed pair. "Try these on."

She did, and immediately gasped. "No wonder! It's like the fog doesn't even exist!"

Souji nodded. "Makes things a lot easier. Doesn't stop us from getting tired, but we don't feel sick after going through here."

He was glad to see Chie perking up. Much as he disliked putting anyone else in danger, there was no way to keep Chie out of it without physically restraining her, and having another with the power of Persona could only be an asset.

Yosuke shot a brief glare at Teddie. "Why didn't you whip those out right away if you had them? Would've saved us a lot of trouble."

Teddie glared right back. "I only just made that pair! You didn't tell me an extra person would be coming along. It was so sadden, I mean, sudden," he corrected himself.

Souji closed his eyes. Those puns are going to be the end of me.

"Well, whatever," Chie said. "Next time we come in, you can bet I'm wearing these!"

"Oh, yeah," Yosuke said. "We have to work together, or we won't be able to save Yukiko-san, or solve this crazy case. Right, partner?"

Souji smiled, grateful for the support. "I can't exactly do it alone. We saw today that even my ability to change Personas doesn't mean I can solo everything. Without your backup, I'd be dead."

Besides, I hate being alone.

"All right, so we have to make sure to come in here regularly to check things out, and if someone's thrown in we get them out before the next foggy day." Yosuke looked at Souji. "And . . . would you mind taking charge?"

Souji's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. "Say again?"

"You were the first one to be able to come in here, and the first to get your Persona," Yosuke said. "On top of that, like Chie said, you've got a take-charge personality. I figure you'd be the best to lead our little gang. Me, I'm cool playing second banana."

"I'm with Yosuke," Chie said. "I'd feel a lot better with you taking the lead. Kicking stuff is what I do best."

"I'd feel safer, too," Teddie piped up, only to be silenced by a glare from Chie.

Souji blinked, taken aback. Granted he'd done well enough directing the few battles they'd fought so far, but that had been mostly a combination of observation and instinct. It had never occurred to him that it made him some kind of leader.

He opened his mouth to say as much, then paused. Yosuke, Chie, and Teddie were all looking at him expectantly, no, hopefully. They trusted him to do the right thing, to be the unifying, guiding force they needed in this fog.

Who was he to betray that trust? "Okay, I'll do it," he said.

The relief coming from the others was palpable. "Great," Yosuke said, grinning. "We've got your back, partner."

And with that, Souji Seta went from friendless transfer student to leader of a small band of amateurs trying to solve the most inexplicable murder case in at least a century. It was, he thought ruefully, in some ways even more bizarre than accessing another dimension through a TV screen.

He almost jumped out of his skin when blue light flashed behind Yosuke. As Teddie was also facing that way and didn't react, it was plain Souji was the only one who could see it, and the blue door left behind in its wake. He had a feeling he knew what that door was for.

"So, it has finally begun," a familiar voice said in his mind. "If I could have a moment of your time. . . ."

Souji glanced at the others. Yosuke and Chie were making plans for the next couple of days, with Teddie occasionally interjecting. Reasonably sure that they wouldn't be paying him any attention for the next few minutes, Souji fingered the Velvet Key in his pocket and approached the door.

As he had expected, he found himself in a deep blue limousine, surrounded by fog. As before, Igor and Margaret sat across from him. Souji took his own seat and looked at Igor, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

"We have been expecting you," Igor said.

"I thought so," Souji said dryly. "Is this where I learn more about what's going on?"

Igor smiled approvingly. "Indeed it is, young Souji. The catastrophe heading for you has already taken human lives."

Souji winced. "One of them was someone I knew. Not every well, but it's been hitting my friends pretty hard."

"Quite so," Igor said. "You, however, have nothing to fear, for you already have within you the power to fight against it."

"My Persona," Souji said. "Or Personas; I've already manifested a second one. Saved my life, and my friend's."

Igor nodded, and gestured to his assistant. "As we said before, your Persona ability is that of the Wild Card," Margaret said. "You have the ability to summon multiple Personas at need. If you strengthen your bonds properly, that power will allow you to overcome any ordeal."

A month ago, Souji would have scoffed at that. However, he wasn't that person anymore. "I've already started to," he said. "I've hit it off pretty well with a couple of classmates, and they asked me to take the lead in this investigation."

"Excellent," Igor said. "My contribution is to bring forth new Personas. By mixing various Persona cards, I can draw out much greater power from your soul. You might call it a fusion of Personas."

"That sounds useful," Souji said. "We barely survived the last battle, so any help on that score would make my life a lot easier."

Igor smiled. "I am very glad you appreciate it, Souji. Remember, now, your bonds with others are the true source of your power. As you strengthen those Social Links, your Personas will grow very powerful indeed. Moreover, as you bond with those who aid you directly in your quest, their Personas will also grow stronger."

A win-win situation. Father would approve, if he could wrap his head around this mess at least.

The old man gave a soft chuckle. "Do you recall what I said to you before? The coming year is a great turning point in your destiny. If this mystery goes unsolved, your future may be forever lost. Please bear in mind, defeat in battle is not the only way this may come about."

Logical enough. If they couldn't find the culprit, then it wouldn't matter how many battles they won, or how many people they rescued. Sooner or later the killer would succeed again.

"When next we meet, you will come here of your own accord," Igor said. "Until then, farewell."

As before, the eerie sight of the Velvet Room wavered and turned black. This time, at least, Souji was ready for it.

Evening

Fortunately, none of the others noticed anything amiss; Souji still wasn't ready to explain that aspect of the adventure. So he had simply exchanged farewells with his new teammates and went home, arriving just in time for dinner.

He was mildly surprised to see his uncle waiting for him. "Hey, Souji," Dojima greeted, gesturing for the teen to sit. "Nanako tells me you were out with your friends."

Souji took his seat, covering a wince at the lingering aches. "Yeah. Yosuke wanted to show me something at Junes, and Chie tagged along." It was even true, after a fashion. Just not the whole truth.

"Mm. Satonaka must have been in a bad way," Dojima said. "I don't know if you've heard, but that Amagi girl has been reported missing."

This time Souji did wince. "I heard," he acknowledged. "Chie was downright frantic about it; she and Yukiko-san are pretty close. We were hoping to calm her down some." Also true, after a fashion.

Dojima nodded soberly. "The next time you talk to her, tell her that we're doing everything we can, will you?"

"Sure." Chie was unlikely to find that reassuring, of course, but Dojima didn't need to know that. Besides, they knew where Yukiko was, and they knew how to rescue her. It was a race against time, but they could do it. He was sure of it.

For the moment, however, he was too tired to do much of anything. Normally he would have gotten in some studying before bed, but he wasn't even up to that much. Bidding his uncle and cousin goodnight, Souji wearily climbed the stairs to his room.

He was asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Monday, 18 April, Early Morning

Despite the previous day's strenuous activities, Souji had little trouble getting to school the next morning. He met Yosuke at the school gate, and they arrived without incident. King Moron, thankfully, was not in yet.

Bad enough to have to put up with sloth-face's lectures in the first place.

"I wonder how Chie's doing," Yosuke murmured. "She seemed okay when we left yesterday, but I know she's still worried about Yukiko-san."

"She'll be fine," Souji opined. "We saw after fighting her Shadow, she's strong." He chuckled softly. "If anything, I feel sorry for Yukiko's Shadow if it comes to a fight." The classroom door slid open. "Speak of the devil. . . ."

Chie was indeed looking better. Almost cheerful, in fact. Some would have found it surprising, but Souji didn't. He knew from experience the kind of morale boost that could come simply from knowing what your next move was.

She ambled over to them. "Mornin'," she greeted.

"Good morning," Souji said. "You get enough sleep?"

"Oh, yeah, slept like a log." She scratched her head. "Um, thanks for helping me out back there. Sorry I went off half-cocked like that."

Souji waved it away. "I don't blame you. You were worried sick. That reminds me," he added as a memory clicked, "my uncle asked me to tell you that the police are doing everything they can to find Yukiko-san."

Chie relaxed visibly at that. "I know they can't really do anything, but at least they're not acting like she's a suspect or something." She fidgeted a little. "It's embarrassing, though. You guys saw all that stuff, my inner feelings and all that." She looked at Yosuke. "The same thing happened to you, right? What was it like?"

Yosuke visibly gulped. "W-What? Uh, I'm not sure how to describe it." Desperate for a way out, he turned to Souji. "That reminds me, nothing happened for you, right?"

Deflecting, eh? I'll play along. "I did hear voices in my head, but I didn't have to face my inner self, no," Souji acknowledged. "Maybe it's because I've already accepted things." He hoped they wouldn't ask for clarification.

"Guess that means you've got nothing to hide," Yosuke said.

Chie nodded. "Yosuke's hit the nail on the head. There's just something about you, something, I don't know, open. Maybe that's why people get drawn to you."

Flattering, I guess. I still think you're giving me too much credit.

"Was that a compliment?" Souji asked, eyebrow raised.

Chie laughed softly. "Yup, that's a compliment."

"Uh, okay," Yosuke said, not sounding at all sure of it.

Banter gone, Chie was all business again. "Anyway, first things first. We go in there and get Yukiko out." She gave Yosuke a hard look. "I'm dead set on coming, so don't even try to stop me."

No way I'm going to try. I've got the advantage with multiple Personas, but she could probably punt me to the Moon before I could summon one.

Yosuke's face suddenly took on a pinched look. "Sorry, be right back!" He dashed away.

Chie shook her head, watching him go. "Sheesh, business as usual." She gave Souji a smile. "Anyway, thanks again for the save. Don't get me wrong, I know I owe Yosuke for it, too, but I still feel like there's something different about you. You're really reliable, you know that?"

Souji returned the smile, again reminded of Igor's words. "I try to be," he said. "By the way, can I get your cell number? It'll make the investigation easier; that way I don't have to go through Yosuke."

"Makes sense," Chie agreed, pulling out her phone. "Here ya go."

"Thanks." Souji glanced at the schedule, and rolled his eyes. "We get to meet our new English teacher today. I didn't think a school out here could afford one."

Chie laughed. "It's probably someone like Queen Tut wearing an extra hat."

Souji had a sudden mental image of Ms Sofue with a cowboy hat over her Egyptian headdress, and shuddered.

Afternoon

The new English teacher was not, as it happened, Ms Sofue in a cowboy hat. It was, however, nearly as absurd; Mr. Kondo, the Phys Ed teacher, was doing double duty teaching English. Still dressed in his tracksuit, Kondo looked downright smug about the whole thing.

"Gooooood afternoon, everyone!" he greeted. "As some of you know, I'm the Phys Ed teacher, Mister Kondo. Since nobody else here is teaching English, I'm filling in for the job." He laughed at the various looks of skepticism the class sent his way. "Oh, don't look so disappointed. I've actually got experience overseas! A week of vacation time to be exact."

Only Souji's formidable self-control kept him from facepalming. A week . . . of vacation time? Since when does that make someone qualified to teach a foreign language? He reminded himself to look on the bright side. At least he's nicer than sloth-face.

"Let's start with the basics," Kondo said, "definite and indefinite articles. A definite article is used before a singular or plural noun that refers to a specific member of a group."

He wasn't kidding about the basics.

"So I'll start with an easy one," Kondo said. "Let's see, Souji! Heh, that was a 'definite' giveaway, wasn't it."

Suppressing a groan at the pun, Souji pushed his chair back and stood.

"Which of the following is a definite article, a, an, or the?"

Too easy. "The," Souji replied promptly.

Kondo beamed. "Right in one! Native speakers distinguish between them unconsciously, but you guys aren't native! Remember to study hard, okay!?"

Souji and Chie traded exasperated looks. This guy has way too much energy.

After School

It was fortunate none of them had any club activities yet, and Yosuke had the day off from Junes. After a quick stop at the food court, they casually made their way to the electronics section and climbed through the TV "portal," as Souji was starting to think of it.

Chie, to no one's surprise, proved highly adept at battling Shadows. She struck fast and hard, in one case kicking a Shadow into a far wall, where it evaporated. Her Persona mixed physical strikes with ice-based attacks, giving them greater versatility in combat.

Good, Souji thought, watching her drop-kick a Shadow into oblivion. We need all the help we can get if we're going to rescue Yukiko-san.

They thought they'd hit pay dirt on the second floor, where they'd previously fought Chie's Shadow. Yukiko was there, dressed in that same fairy-tale princess gown from the Midnight Channel. It was strange, but Souji briefly thought it might be just an effect of the TV world.

"Yukiko. . . ?" Chie said hesitantly. Evidently she thought something was off, too.

"Yukiko-san, are you all right?" Yosuke said.

Then "Yukiko" turned, and the reason for the sense of wrongness was made brutally clear. Her eyes weren't the charcoal-gray of Yukiko Amagi, but the bright, inhuman gold of a Shadow. Above it was a stylized sign, reading, "Princess Yukiko's Search for Her Prince."

Am I imagining things, or is this getting even crazier?

It let out the now-familiar hollow-sounding laugh. "Things are really starting to heat up, aren't they?" She waved her arms expansively. "This place is so huge, it's perfect!" A dramatic sigh. "Then again, it's so hard to find him. Oh, maybe he's playing hide-and-seek in the fog!"

At least that explained why she'd been acting so strangely. The shy, demure Yukiko Amagi apparently had hidden depths indeed.

The Shadow's eyes focused on them. "Oh, and we have some special guests today! I wonder how this will turn out!"

"Cut the BS!" Chie snapped; evidently she'd noticed the difference, too. "Where's Yukiko!?"

"Ho ho ho!" the Shadow laughed. "Why, she's right here! After all, she's me, and I'm her!"

Just like with Yosuke and Chie. Souji didn't think they were in for a fight just then, as Yukiko had evidently not –yet– rejected her Shadow, but it still wasn't a good sign. Nor was the sudden roar of indistinct human voices.

"What the hell is that!?" Yosuke said, looking around wildly.

Teddie's mouth was set in a grim line. "The Shadows are getting agitated. This isn't good."

The Shadow raised a microphone to its lips. "Well, I'm off again. You'd better have bells on, my Prince!" With that bizarre remark, it turned and ran off into the fog.

Chie ran forward a few steps, then visibly gave up the chase as hopeless. "Dammit, she got away." She turned back to the others. "That obviously wasn't Yukiko. Which means there's only one thing it could be."

"Her Shadow," Souji agreed grimly. "We have to find her, and quickly. Teddie, do you sense anything?"

The bear sighed. "Sorry, Sensei. I know she's here, but I can't tell how high up." He glanced at Chie. "For what it's worth, I think the Shadow is leading us on. It's like the real Yukiko wants to show us something; she seems to have a strong connection to this castle."

"We'll make do. Come on."

If the real Yukiko wanted to show them something, the lower Shadows in the castle didn't seem to agree. Souji lost count of the number he and his friends dispatched. They were getting better as they went; on the flip side, the Shadows were getting gradually more dangerous.

"Watch out, Sensei!"

Souji was moving before Teddie's warning even registered. A quick slash with his sword, followed by a bolt of lightning, and the threat was over.

The first real breakthrough came on the fifth floor. Yosuke had just finished off a Shadow with Chie's help when they heard Yukiko's voice. Or rather, the voice of her Shadow. It spoke no word, only let out that teeth-grating chuckle.

"I can sense her, Sensei!" Teddie said. "She's definitely on this floor!"

"Good!" Chie said, bouncing from foot to foot. "Maybe now we can get some answers."

It wasn't that easy, of course. They spent another half hour running around until they found the right door, which would have been annoying enough even without the Shadows making trouble. By the time they actually got there, Souji was feeling just a bit winded.

"Okay, this is it," Teddie said. "She's definitely in–"

Chie spun, a roundhouse kick smashing the door in.

"There," the bear finished sheepishly.

The Shadow they were after was there, all right. Unfortunately, though not (to Souji) unexpectedly, it wasn't alone. There was another, much larger Shadow, dark purple in color, resembling a demonic knight riding a flying, legless horse.

"Oh ho ho!" the Shadow Yukiko said. "My Prince won't be defeated by guards like this, will he?"

Souji was getting just a bit tired of the "prince" theme. More, he did not like the look of that Shadow. Everything about it just screamed "danger."

Teddie let out a fearful wail. "I-I've never seen a Shadow that strong! A-And it's coming after us!"

"Tell us something we don't know!" Yosuke snapped, diving out of the way of the knight's lance. He slashed its arm as it passed, but inflicted only a minor injury. "Damn, that thing's tough!"

"Try to flank it!" Souji barked, already sidestepping, his sword at the ready. "Something that big might be fast in a straight line, but it probably can't turn quickly."

Chie nimbly leapt over the lance, alighting a few meters to Souji's right. "Good thinking! That's why you're in charge."

Thanks, I guess. Souji concentrated, bringing Izanagi to the fore again. A bolt of lightning obediently crashed down, followed by a gust of wind from Jiraiya. The Shadow knight didn't appear weak to those attacks, nor to the blast of ice Chie struck it with, but it wasn't immune, either.

Then the lance came around faster than he'd estimated, catching Yosuke in the stomach and knocking him over.

"Yosuke!" Chie shouted. Glaring at the Shadow, she charged it, dodging another thrust and kicking it hard enough to bring it to the ground with a loud crash. Not even pausing to savor the achievement, she dashed over to Yosuke and helped him up. "Are you okay?"

"My ribs are complaining, but I should be fine," Yosuke said. He looked at Souji. "Let's kill this thing."

Souji brandished his sword. "I'm with you, partner."

With a shout, the three friends charged the Shadow, effectively engulfing it in a mass of violence. When the dust settled, the demonic knight was dissolving in black mist.

"Ohoho, good job! If you're really my Prince, I'm sure we'll meet again!"

I almost hope Yukiko-san does reject her Shadow, just so I can slice it up for saying "Prince" every other sentence. Almost. He sheathed his sword, suddenly weary. "I don't think we can get any farther today."

As he expected, Chie started to protest. "But, Yukiko–"

"She'll be fine," Souji said soothingly. "I checked the weather report before I went to bed last night; they're not expected fog for at least a few more days."

Chie clearly didn't like it, but equally clearly she trusted Souji's judgment. "Okay," she said. ". . .You're right, that last one took a lot out of me."

"Me, too," Yosuke said. "And, uh, I hate to say this, but I don't think we can come back in tomorrow." He grimaced. "We're expecting to be really busy at Junes, so I don't know if I can get away."

"And even if you can, it'll be a lot more crowded than usual," Souji said. "All right, I don't like it any more than you do, but it looks like we're stuck. We'll come back in Wednesday, got it?" Yosuke and Chie nodded, though Chie looked unhappy. Not that Souji blamed her.

As they trudged back to the entrance, Souji heard Chie murmur, "Just a little longer. We're coming for you, Yukiko."

Tuesday, 19 April, Early Morning

It was a definite relief to wake up with only a few minor aches. After the kind of fights they'd gone through, he half expected to be barely able to get out of bed. Not to mention the bizarre dreams he'd been having of late.

I'm not sure I want to know how Chie would react to some of this, he thought, pulling on his Yasogami blazer. His cell phone chose that moment to beep; holding it up, he frowned, not recognizing the number. "Seta," he said.

"I realize this is unexpected," a familiar voice said, a voice it had never occurred to him he would hear over the phone. "This is Margaret; we met in the Velvet Room the other day."

Souji's frown deepened. "We did," he acknowledged. "I didn't know the Velvet Room had cell reception, though."

He heard a soft chuckle at the other end. "We have our ways, and this is a convenient conduit." She sobered. "There was something I forgot to mention last time that you should be made aware of."

"Oh?" Souji had thought Igor and Margaret covered all the bases pretty well, actually. Certainly the information had served him well thus far.

"Please don't misunderstand, going all-out to rescue your friends is great and noble," Margaret said. "We certainly support you in your efforts. However, doing so without stopping can destroy you in the end. Remember, the strength of Persona is the strength of the heart. If the heart is neglected, your efforts will ultimately fail. Please bear that in mind."

The call ended, Souji slipped the phone back into his pocket. Margaret had a point, he realized. Aside from Yosuke and Chie, he hadn't done much in the way of socializing since he came to Inaba. Granted there hadn't been much opportunity, especially after the murder case began, but he suspected his habitual reluctance to get close to people was also a factor.

Time to change that.

Maybe the basketball team has an opening. It's been a while since I had a chance to play very much. Might be fun.

After School

There was indeed an opening on the basketball team. After enduring a brief but highly unpleasant talk with Kinshiro Morooka (granted all talks with King Moron were highly unpleasant regardless of length), Souji made his way down to the school's gym. Reading between the lines of his homeroom teacher's biting sarcasm, he'd gotten the impression the team wasn't exactly up to snuff.

Seeing them for the first time reinforced that impression. Practice had a distinct air of simply going through the motions; most of the players looked bored, some listless. None appeared particularly enthusiastic.

"Okay, guys, listen up!" Kondo stood just ahead of Souji and to his left. "We've got a new player joining us today. You know Souji Seta, right?" A chorus of bored affirmatives answered him; apparently Souji had made an impression in the last week. "He's from the city, so I'm sure he's got some great moves he's just waiting to show off!"

Giving me a bit too much credit, Sensei. Okay, better that than sloth-face.

"In fact, I'm thinking of making him captain!" Kondo said.

Souji expected at least some signs of resentment at that one. "Okay with me," one player said. "Voting's a pain, anyway."

Kondo nudged Souji. "Why don't you just watch for today, okay? I've gotta take off."

At least the coach was enthusiastic. Watching the players resume practice, the only one who seemed to be putting in any effort was a lanky, dark-haired second year. He was a bit on the short side for a basketball player, but Souji suspected he took it more as a challenge than anything else.

When practice broke up for the day, Souji and the other second year were the only ones left. "Hey," he greeted. "Nice to see someone else taking an interest in the team."

Souji shrugged. "Even I need a break from all the studying, and I've always enjoyed basketball."

"Heh, I know what you mean." The other student smiled wryly. "My name's Kou Ichijo. Nice to meet you."

"Souji Seta. Likewise." Souji offered a matching smile.

Looking more closely, Kou seemed even less like a typical player. It wasn't just his height; the way he carried himself belied his casual speech. Souji had seen it before.

Huh. I guess he's like me.

"Damn, I'm beat." Another second year strolled into the gym. This one was taller, with short brown hair and a bandage over part of his nose, dressed in a Yasogami tracksuit. "Hey, Kou, you done yet?" Before Kou could answer, the newcomer spotted Souji. "Aren't you the new guy?"

Kou laughed. "Believe it or not, that's the transfer student. Here he comes waltzing in, breathing new life into the team."

"Spare my blushes," Souji said in a dust-dry tone. "Souji Seta. It's a pleasure."

The other smiled. "Daisuke Nagase. Nice to meet you. I'm a second year on the soccer team." He jerked his head at Kou. "We go way back."

Kou snorted. "Yeah, far enough that I'm tired of seeing your mug every day." There was no heat in his words, though.

Souji allowed himself a chuckle at the byplay. Truthfully, he envied Kou and Daisuke. He'd never stayed in one place long enough to form any lasting friendships. Again the old bitterness welled up, and again he forced it down.

This year is supposed to be different, remember?

Daisuke glanced around. "What, everyone else gone already?"

Kou sighed. "Yeah. Since I'm the only one who cares, I'm always the one who gets left to put the balls away. Seriously, I'd like to have some fun once in a while, too."

"I'll give you a hand," Souji said. "I used to play all the time; haven't had much chance lately. This might help me get back into form."

Kou brightened. "Thanks, man. That's a big help." With Daisuke in tow, they walked to the nearest bench. "When was the last time you played much?"

"My last year of middle school," Souji said, smiling a little. "I was living in Osaka at the time, and our team captain had so many scars we thought he was a junior Yakuza enforcer or something." He laughed softly. "Turned out he'd just had some animal-related accidents, but he didn't admit it until the day before I left."

Saturday, 23 April, After School

It was time. After the better part of a week (including another off day because Chie had been unable to make it), they'd finally pinpointed Yukiko's location in the twisted castle her Shadow called home. Now, rested and prepared, it was time to get her out.

"I definitely sense her behind that door," Teddie said.

Souji nodded, one hand on his sword. "Right. Everyone ready?"

"I'm good to go, partner," Yosuke said.

Chie was practically vibrating with anticipation. "Just try and stop me!"

"I'm not suicidal," Souji said, allowing himself a smile. "All right, let's go."

Beyond the door was a scene Souji had more or less expected. Yukiko's Shadow stood atop a raised dais, gazing downward in a twisted display of regal scorn. Kneeling at the foot of the steps, clad in the same pink kimono Souji had last seen her wearing, was the real Yukiko Amagi.

"I knew it," Yosuke said tightly, gripping his knives in white-knuckled fists. "There's two of her."

Chie started forward. "Yukiko, are you okay!?"

It was the Shadow who spoke, eyebrows raised in faint surprise. "My, three Princes are here?" The gold eyes seemed to brighten. "Oh, are you our special guests? This really is quite a crowd." It smiled. "Please, my Prince, take me somewhere else. Somewhere far away, where no one knows me, where the name Amagi means nothing."

That gives us a good idea what her issues are, Souji thought, tensing.

Teddie leaned forward, curious. "Oh, is this that 'scoring a hot stud' thing?"

Souji felt a sudden, ignoble urge to knock the bear over. Not a good time, Teddie.

"Three Princes?" Chie said, confused. "Am . . . I the third?"

"Duh!" Teddie sounded downright offended. "You're a girl; I must be the third!"

Pretty sure it's not that simple. "I doubt it, Teddie," Souji said.

The Shadow chuckled softly. "Oh, yes, Chie is my Prince. Always leading the way for me, such a strong Prince." Its mouth turned down, and it glared at Chie. "Or at least she was."

Okay, that's definitely not a good sign.

"Chie's just not good enough!" the Shadow said in disgust. "She can't save me, she can't get me away from this stupid town! The Amagi Inn? Who the hell cares!?"

Yukiko tried to rise. "S-Stop it," she gasped out.

"Why should I? Everything is holding me down!" The Shadow was storming about the dais in obvious agitation. "Historic in, manager training, I never asked for any of that! I didn't ask to be born in this backwoods town!" It shook its head violently. "To hell with it all! I just want someone to take me far away. I can't do it on my own."

"Please, just stop it." Yukiko's voice was growing more strained.

The Shadow scoffed. "I don't give a damn about any of it. It's all just a waste of time. Isn't that right . . . me?"

Souji drew his sword, knowing what was likely to happen next. Please, Yukiko-san, don't do this.

"No, don't say it!" Yosuke and Chie shouted together.

Too late, again. "You're not me!"

The response was immediate. As had happened with Yosuke and Chie, a black mist poured out from Yukiko's Shadow, knocking the real Yukiko over. It burst into a triumphant laugh even as it began metamorphosing.

"Ah, this feels wonderful!" it said. "More and more power, enough to fill me to bursting!" As if to punctuate the last statement, an even larger pure black wave washed out, then faded, revealing the Shadow's new form.

A caged bird on top of a chandelier. That fits. "Concentrate on it with Persona!" Souji snapped. "It's too high up for our weapons to reach!"

"Gotcha!" Yosuke acknowledged. "Let's do this, Jiraiya!" A gust of wind blew out, but not at the Shadow. Instead, it swirled around Souji, making him feel suddenly lighter on his feet. Yosuke repeated the process for Chie and then himself.

"Thanks, Yosuke!" Chie said. "Hang in there, Yukiko! We'll save you!" She threw a kick seemingly at nothing, only for it to connect with a Tarot card. "Tomoe!"

Ice. Good thinking, Chie. Feeling a burst of inspiration, Souji concentrated, shifting to a Persona he'd acquired less than an hour before. With a name like Jack Frost, he figured it would possess ice-based abilities.

Unfortunately, the Shadow they were facing had fire-based abilities, and Souji received a painful lesson in elemental weaknesses as a burst of flame knocked him off his feet. Swearing under his breath, he rolled, coming up to one knee several meters away.

"You okay, partner!?" Yosuke called anxiously.

"Will be," Souji said, switching to Pixie and casting a quick healing spell. "I should have expected that."

Chie took a flying leap, actually managing to kick the birdlike Shadow in the face. "Don't be too hard on yourself, Leader," she said. "We're still in the game!"

Souji smiled, grateful for the support. Chie's acrobatics and Yosuke's little speed trick suggested there were many more possibilities to Persona than he had initially thought. Something he would have to look further into when they'd gotten Yukiko out.

"Well, I suppose you have some strength," the Shadow acknowledged. "But can you handle this? Come, my Prince!"

A second Shadow materialized, this one a twisted parody of an eighteenth-century European aristocrat. Obviously a danger, but if it was connected to the main Shadow, perhaps it had the same kind of weaknesses.

Evidently Chie was thinking along much the same lines. She spun, again summoning Tomoe, and a blast of Bufu ice knocked the new Shadow off its feet. The attack wasn't fatal, but the smaller Shadow was obviously incapacitated.

"This won't do at all!" Yukiko's Shadow said. "You're my Prince; you're supposed to escort me!"

It didn't take an expert to know something very bad was about to happen. Even so, none of them were quite ready for the veritable sheet of flame that erupted. Souji himself was only singed, thanks to a quick Persona change, but Yosuke let out a cry of pain, and Chie was slammed into the far wall.

Damn! "Yosuke, help Chie!" Souji snapped, knowing that Yosuke had some healing powers of his own. He took a long step forward and slashed twice, finishing the Shadow Chie had disabled. "I'll hold things here!"

"Got it!" Yosuke acknowledged.

That worry gone for the moment, Souji glared at the caged Shadow. It had gone on more than long enough, and he was thoroughly sick of it. "Hurt my friends, will you?" he bit out. "I'll make you pay. Jack Frost!" The blast of ice staggered the Shadow, but it didn't go down.

Still, it was enough. Chie, now recovered, dashed past Souji, aiming another flying kick. This time, however, she didn't land, but bounced off the chandelier and kicked again. "Give! Yukiko! BACK!" she screamed, finally landing and following up with another Bufu spell.

That did it. With an anguished cry of denial, Yukiko's Shadow fell to the floor with a loud crash, waves of darkness billowing out.

They'd won.

Souji had never felt so exhausted, and yet so elated. Despite all too many false starts, their first rescue operation was in the end a resounding success. Not even the knowledge that he would have to dissemble with his uncle dimmed the feeling of accomplishment.

Groaning, Yukiko slowly rose from where she'd been slumped against a pillar. "What . . . what happened?"

"Yukiko!" Chie was at her side in an instant. "Yukiko, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Chie. . . ." Yukiko slowly shook her head. "I'm . . . all right. Just really tired." She looked to where her Shadow stood silent. "No, that isn't–"

Souji touched her arm. "It's okay, Yukiko-san. Everyone has a side of themselves they won't or can't show." he gave Yosuke a wry smile. "Even me, really." Yukiko managed to smile at him in return.

"Thanks," she said quietly.

"Yukiko." Heads turned at Chie's voice. "Yukiko, I'm so sorry." The martial artist was in tears. "I clung so tightly, I never thought about what you must be thinking. I was just jealous of you." She rubbed her eyes. "I'm such an idiot."

"Chie." Yukiko smiled sadly. "Don't say that. I was the same way." She looked back at her Shadow. "I never thought about what it must have been like for you." With Chie supporting her, she hobbled over to the Shadow. "That desire to run, the need for someone to save me, those are part of me, too. I knew it all along."

The Shadow nodded, slowly fading in a sparkle of light. In its place floated a now-familiar Tarot card, bearing the symbol of the Priestess Arcana. After a moment it, too, faded away.

Another Persona, Souji thought. That makes four. Is there some connection?

Yukiko's sudden near-collapse interrupted his musings. "Yukiko, are you all right!?" Chie asked anxiously.

The other girl took a deep breath. "I think . . . I'm more tired than I realized," she said.

"It's okay, we've all been there," Yosuke reassured her. "Well, except for him," he amended, jerking his head at Souji, who just rolled his eyes.

Teddie's squeaky footsteps drew closer. "So, who threw you in?" he asked, apparently having recovered his nerve.

Yukiko blinked at him in confusion. "Um, who are you? Rather, what are you?"

"I'm Teddie," the bear said cheerfully. "So, who threw you in?"

"I'm sorry." Yukiko closed her eyes wearily. "I really don't remember. It was all a blur."

"Let's leave it at that for now," Souji said. "Yukiko-san needs to rest. We've done our job; let's head back." He sheathed his sword. "Next time, we'll be ready."

As they made their way out, Chie still supporting Yukiko, Souji looked back at where her Shadow had stood. Was it a coincidence, he wondered, that every major Shadow they had fought had become a Persona? Could just anyone obtain that power?

Too many questions, too few answers. Maybe he'd ask Igor about it. For now, he just needed to rest, and plan their next move.

Author's note: Yeah, so much for getting this one up sooner. Life is really annoying sometimes. Anyway, I do apologize for the lackluster debut of Yukiko's Shadow on the Midnight Channel; I found that scene extremely awkward to write. The police station scene and Daidara's were both omitted by design; the former I found needlessly awkward, and not really necessary to the plot, the latter just didn't seem to fit this narrative style.

For what it's worth, I should be able to branch out a bit more starting with the next chapter. In my experience the game starts to open up more after Yukiko is saved. Hopefully I'll have it ready in under two months. ~DS