Chapter Three

Awakening

It was raining again on the 15th.

That afternoon, the students of Yasogami were asked to gather in the gym for an announcement. Rumour was rife about its nature. Once more, people seemed eager to discuss the murder, the Midnight Channel, and the increase in police activity around the town, as if they were equivalent to a celebrity arriving in town. As long as they were on the outside looking in, what was happening didn't matter as much as the fact that it was happening.

"Yukiko said she'd be here after lunch," said Chie, tapping at her phone. Once again, Yukiko had seemed worn out during the morning, and had excused herself during the lunch break. Chie waited for a message to appear, and then sighed and snapped her phone shut. "I wonder why they're holding an assembly all of a sudden."

Yu thought of several possibilities, many of which centred around recent events, and one he hoped wouldn't come to fruition. To his right, Yosuke, with his arms crossed, stared hard at the ground and tapped his foot impatiently. He had been that way all morning – distracted, without his usual carefree smile.

A teacher took to the podium. Mrs. Sofue, a middle-aged woman who taught ancient history, and wore an old Egyptian headdress and carried a golden sceptre. By all accounts, she should have been the weirdest thing Yu saw in Inaba.

"Everyone, please settle down. The assembly is about to begin."

As the students gradually quieted, Mrs. Sofue made way for the school principal, an elderly man with thinning white hair and a beard long enough to tuck into his belt.

"I regret to say that I have a terrible announcement for all of you," he spoke slowly and deliberately. A hush came over the gym. "One of our third year students, Ms. Saki Konishi of Class 3, has passed away."

The students fell into a stunned silence. Time seemed to stop in the gym. A sharp intake of breath came from Yosuke beside him.

The principal continued on in a level voice. "Ms. Konishi was found deceased early this morning. The reasons for her passing are currently under investigation by the police. If they ask for your cooperation, I urge you, as students of this school, to provide only the facts."

The room suddenly jerked back into life. Conversation resumed, as students expressed their sadness, disbelief, fear and theories as to how the death occurred. Yosuke remained looking at the floor, fingers clenching the fabric of his jacket tightly.

The assembly went on, though by this point any attempt to regain calm was futile. The students were dismissed. Yosuke didn't move. Yu and Chie remained with him as the gym emptied, until it was just the three of them.

Finally, Yosuke lifted his head.

"Did either of you watch the Midnight Channel last night?" Chie and Yu shook their heads. After everything that happened the previous day, Yu had been in bed and dead to the world well before midnight. "I think… I think I saw Saki-senpai on it."

"Are you serious?"

"Something was bothering me, so I checked it again. The girl I saw, she looked exactly like her," he swallowed, "she was… she was writhing in pain. And then she disappeared from the screen."

Chie gulped. "What does this mean?"

Saki Konishi was reported missing last night. She appeared on the Midnight Channel on the same night. The next morning, she was found dead, rumoured to be hanging from a telephone pole.

The timing could be coincidental. However, Yu recalled rumours of people seeing Yamano on the Midnight Channel as well. People thought she was their soulmate. Not long after, she was also found dead, hanging from an antenna.

When the two incidents were placed side by side, the connection seemed obvious.

"It sounds like," said Yu, "that Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi appeared on the Midnight Channel before they died."

"I was thinking the same thing," said Yosuke. "I mean, it can't just be a coincidence, can it?"

Chie glanced at the pair them, eyes wide. "Whoa, hold up a second. Are you saying that people who appear on that freaky TV show will die? That sounds…"

Yosuke sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know, but hear me out. Remember that room we found in the TV yesterday? With all those posters on the walls?"

Chie scrunched up her face. "I wish I didn't."

"I think that room might be connected to Yamano's death. I mean, those were posters of that enka singer. Isn't that suspicious?"

"Well, sure. But what does that have to do with Saki-san?"

"I'm getting to that." Yosuke took a glance around the gym to confirm they were alone. Even then, his tone was hushed. "That bear thing said someone had been throwing people into that world. What if those people were Yamano and Saki-senpai?"

Chie looked unconvinced. Yu thought Yosuke may have been clutching at straws somewhat, but the idea wasn't totally farfetched. It seemed far too coincidental that they would find a room connected to Yamano in that world. And with nothing else really making sense, they couldn't rule out any theory.

"If there was a room connected with Yamano, then there could be something related to Saki in that world, too," said Yu. He met Yosuke's surprised look. "Is that what you're thinking?"

"Yeah, that's it exactly." Yosuke relaxed slightly. "I thought I was the only one."

"Even if that were true," said Chie, "it's not like we can prove it. Nobody would believe us about that world. We'd have to look around ourselves." Yosuke remained silent. "Oh, don't tell me…"

"I need to find out for myself," he said. "You said it yourself: nobody would believe us. We're the only ones who can do it."

"But…"

Yosuke sighed, and bowed his head. "If I'm completely off-base about this, then fine, but I need to why Saki-senpai had to die like this." He glanced at Yu. "Sorry, but you're the only one I can ask for help. I'll be waiting for you at Junes."

Yosuke turned and walked out of the gym, hands stuffed in his pockets, and shoulders slumped.

"I understand how he feels, but that world…" Chie shivered. "We can't be sure we'll get out again."

Chie's concerns were valid. They were fortunate to escape the first time by encountering that bear. There was no guarantee they'd meet it again, or if they wouldn't encounter anything dangerous. Nevermind that just being in that world made them all feel very ill. He understood why Yosuke wanted to go back in, but the risks were great.

And yet, there was something significant about that world he found difficult to ignore. If it didn't have a place in the current mystery, then itself was one big mystery, and one that only a select few people had access to.

He felt terrible for admitting it, given the circumstances, but he couldn't deny he was curious.

In any case, he had a feeling Yosuke would go into that world with or without him, and decided to follow him to Junes. He would decide whether to join him or not on the way there.


Yosuke, as it turned out, wasn't about to go in unprepared. Yu and Chie found him standing in front of the same TV they entered from the day before, with several feet of rope coiled around his arm, the end of which was tied around his waist, and armed with a golf club.

He grinned at Yu. "You actually came."

"Yeah, came to stop you." Chie placed both hands on her hips. "It's way too dangerous to go back in there."

"You think I haven't thought of that?" Yosuke held out the rope. "I'll go in with this tied around me, and someone can stay here and hold onto it. And we can use this," he held up the golf club, "to protect ourselves."

"This is stupid. Narukami, say something, will you?"

Chie was looking for him to back her up and talk Yosuke out of his crazy idea, but he had already made up his mind.

"…you don't have to come with us."

She was flabbergasted. "Wha—not you too!"

"C'mon, Chie, this isn't something we can just ignore." Yosuke tossed the coiled rope at her. "Here, I'm leaving you in charge of this."

She fumbled the catch, protestations dying in her throat. Yosuke, golf club in hand, walked up to the TV and stepped through the screen. Yu took a final look at Chie and followed him.

Once more, there was a disorienting shift in the surroundings. And once more, the landing was not soft.

They had ended up in the same place as last time – the same platform, with the overhanging lights and four metal walkways, and that same damn fog making it impossible to see further than a few metres. The only thing different was that there was a bear – or something wearing a bear suit – waiting there to greet them.

"Why'd you guys come back?" it demanded. It narrowed its eyes at them, though the overblown size of its eyes lessened the effect. "I get it. You must be the ones behind all this!"

"What was that?" exclaimed Yosuke, brandishing the golf club. Startled, the bear leapt back, almost tumbling onto its backside.

"Someone's been throwing people in here lately, and the world is getting more and more messed up!" it explained hurriedly. "This is the second time you guys have come here, and I don't think anyone forced you in, so that makes you the most suspicious!" It growled. "You're the ones who have been throwing people in here!"

Yosuke gave an exasperated sigh and rubbed one of his temples. Yu thought he was remarkably calm, given the circumstances.

"We didn't even know this place existed until yesterday, so how could we be throwing people in?"

"Well if you didn't do it, why'd you come back? You can't even get out! I had to help you last time!"

"Whatever, we won't need your help this time. We have a lifeline."

Yosuke held up the rope. Problem was, it had snapped.

"…guess that's us dead then."

"Dude, don't even joke about that!" He untied the rope from his waist and dangled it pitifully in front of his face. "Man, I knew I shouldn't have gone for the cheap stuff."

Yu had a comment for that too, something along the lines of their lives not being worth much, but opted to leave a hysterical Yosuke alone and explain the situation to the bear.

"We're here to investigate something. We think a couple of recent deaths in our world are connected to this world somehow."

"I'm the one who wants to investigate!" the bear snapped. "I've lived here a long time, but it's never been noisy like this until now. And it just so happens that this all started around the time you both showed up here!"

Yosuke discarded the rope and rounded on the bear. "For crying out loud, we didn't do anything!"

"Prove it!"

Clearly, their word wasn't going to be enough. Yosuke was starting to tick, while Yu thought of a way to ease the bear's suspicions before a fight could break out. They, after all, needed its help in returning to the other world.

"The first time was an accident," he said. "This is the only time we've come here intentionally."

Yosuke interjected before the bear could argue. "Listen, people have died in our world. Every time the fog appears, a corpse shows up with it. We really think it has something to do with this world, so if you know something, tell us!"

"I know that if its foggy on your side, the fog lifts here." It suddenly flinched. "The Shadows get really violent when that happens. It's really dangerous."

Yosuke shot Yu a confused look. Yu could only shrug in response. The activity of the fog was interesting but meant little to them, and he had no idea what the bear was referring to when he said Shadows. Did he mean an actual shadow? Or was it something more sinister than that?

"We don't get it," said Yosuke. "What do you mean, Shadows get violent?"

"You know, violent. They act really aggressive and start attacking," the bear said. "That's why this world isn't safe for people like you."

"Okay, so what the hell do you mean by 'Shadow'?" Yosuke looked around the area. "For that matter, what is this place? Some kind of studio?" His eyes widened. "Don't tell me that freaky show is being filmed here…"

"Weird show? Filmed? What do you mean?"

"I'm asking if someone has been filming the people that get thrown in here."

The bear tilted its head to one side. "I don't get it. The world has always been like this. No one has ever done that filming thing here."

Yu frowned. "Always been like this?"

"I told you, only me and Shadows are here!"

Yosuke groaned loudly and rubbed both hands over his face. "We don't know what these Shadow things are! We don't even know what you are! You're the most suspicious thing here!" He fixed the bear with a glare, and took a menacing step towards it. "Maybe you're the culprit, hiding in some stupid costume. It's about time you showed your face."

He lunged forward and grasped both sides of the bear's head. Its arms flailed about as he gave a hard tug and removed the head from the body. What remained was the body standing up right, with nothing inside.

"I-it's empty…" Yosuke squeaked. He practically threw the head back onto the body. "What the hell are you?"

Yu only blinked. It might have been the weirdest thing he had seen so far.

"I'm not the culprit," the thing said, a little pathetically. "I just live here."

Yosuke took a moment to calm himself and, Yu thought, probably think of what to do next now that the blame game hadn't amounted to anything. The conversation had gone in circles – all this talk about the fog and Shadows and not enough explanations. They needed to refocus their investigation.

"I don't think you're the culprit," said Yu, looking at the bear. "But we're not the culprits, either. Trust us."

The bear stared back at him silently for a few moments, then nodded. "Okay, I'll believe you. But I want you find the real culprit behind all this. You have to stop him. Promise me, or else I won't let you outta here."

Well, that was an effective threat. Yu didn't want to make a promise they wouldn't be able to keep, but he didn't want to be stuck in this world, either.

"I guess we don't have a choice."

Yosuke heaved a huge sigh. "Damn thing's holding a gun to our heads."

"Th-thank you!" the bear started sniffling, "This can't keep going on. My home here will be a complete mess, and then I… I.." It looked at the two of them with big, watery eyes. "You're the only ones I can ask."

"Alright, we get it!" Yosuke grumbled. "This thing's driving me nuts…"

"We might as well introduce ourselves," said Yu. "I'm Yu Narukami."

"Yosuke Hanamura. You got a name?"

The bear smiled. "Teddie."

"…of course it is." Yosuke looked about ready to tear his hair out. "Okay, so how we supposed to find the culprit in the first place?"

If Teddie had shoulders, he would have shrugged. "I dunno… but I do know where the last person came in."

"The last person… could it be Saki-senpai?"

"I dunno the name. But if I take you to where they were, you might find some clues."

Finally, they were getting somewhere. They had come back to the world to find any trace of Saki Konishi, as they had found traces of Mayumi Yamano. If she had indeed been thrown into the world, then there was a decent chance that something would turn up at the place Teddie mentioned.

"Take us there," Yu said.

"Okay, but first you should put these on."

From seemingly out of nowhere, Teddie produced two pairs of glasses in his large hands. He shoved them into their hands – Yu's pair were grey, with multi-coloured stripes near the hinges. He slipped them on, and found that his surroundings become considerably clearer, almost like the fog didn't even exist.

Yosuke, in his own pair of orange glasses, was impressed. "The difference is like night and day."

"I've been here a long time, so you can count on me," Teddie said. "Oh, but I can't fight. You guys will have to defend yourselves."

"What are we defending ourselves against?" Yosuke asked slowly.

Teddie answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "The Shadows."


Teddie guided them across one of the metal walkways until, much like during their first visit, the metal turned into concrete. This new area was a road leading up a hill, with a series of old, run-down shops lining either side. It was dark and difficult to see, in stark contrast to the red and black sky shining above their heads like neon lights.

"This place looks just like the shopping district," commented Yosuke. "What's going on here?"

Yu hadn't the chance to visit Inaba's famous shopping district since he had arrived in town, and so didn't recognise any of the shops. However, he could see, at the bottom of the slope, the roof of the gas station he had stopped by when he first arrived. Even in the darkness, it looked a perfect replica.

"Some weird places have appeared here recently. Things are getting so tangled, I dunno what to do…" Teddie said, standing a good couple of feet behind them.

"Why are you standing so far from us?" Yosuke narrowed his eyes. "You better not be thinking of high-tailing it if we're attacked by something!"

"Of course not! I just don't wanna stand too close in case I get in your way."

Teddie was convinced that they would be attacked by something, which disturbed Yosuke to no end. Even though they had come armed with a golf club, it was more for comfort than for actual use. Neither of them seriously anticipated encountering anything dangerous while they were in this world.

Still, Yu thought it was strange. If Teddie couldn't defend himself, how had he survived long in a supposedly dangerous world?

Yosuke grunted, and surveyed the area. "The really went all out on this. But out of all the places in town, why replicate this one?"

"How should I know? This is reality for the one who's here."

"As usual, nothing you say makes any sense."

They walked up the path, and passed what looked like a Chinese restaurant and an old shrine, until they were at the top of the hill. None of the buildings along the way had been open, except for one opposite a car park. The double iron doors were wide open. Inside, Yu could just about make out the scattered remains of glass bottles and fallen silver kegs. Above the door was a sign that read "Konishi Liquors".

"This is the liquor store that Senpai's parents run," said Yosuke. "Does this mean, she disappeared here? What could've happened?"

They could investigate if they went inside the shop, but Yosuke hesitated. Yu wondered if he was worried about what they would find inside; if they would find something disturbing or gruesome, like they had in that hotel room. Or perhaps they would find nothing at all, despite coming all this way, and leave the world no closer to the truth than they were when they arrived.

Suddenly, Teddie gave a frightened yelp. "They're here."

The air around them grew colder. The space in the doorway seemed to twist and bend and blacken until there was a thick ooze occupying it. Yu watched with mounting horror as the ooze bubbled and shifted and spat out a blue mask of a screaming face. The ooze then split into two, and the two shapes morphed into a sphere of white and black stripes with a gaping maw of sharp teeth and a hideously thick and long tongue dripping with saliva.

"What the hell are these things?" screamed Yosuke as he backed away.

"They're Shadows! And they're going to attack!"

Teddie cowered behind Yu's legs. Yu didn't know what to do. His brain was telling him to escape, to protect himself, but his body wasn't responding. He was frozen. Even as the things were moving closer, floating ominously in mid-air, he could not move.

A voice spoke in his head.

I am thou. Thou art I.

It was that voice. His head throbbed. His heart pounded in his chest. He could feel something build inside himself, an increasing pressure desperately seeking escape.

Thou has the power.

The power. He didn't know what power. But he remembered. The back of a limousine, with blue, padded seats. A squat, long-nosed man, with round eyes. A fortune about mystery and catastrophe, foreshadowing an intriguing destiny. A contract.

The time has come. Speak.

The word was on the tip of his tongue.

"Persona."

The pressure released. There was an explosion of blue light, and Yu felt an incredible surge of energy wash over him. A dark figure loomed in front of him. It was over ten feet tall, with a black coat billowing behind it. Its face was covered with a silver mask. In its hands was a naginata, taller than the figure itself, with a blade as thick and wide as a claymore's.

Yu had no idea where it had come from, but he felt a connection to it, as if it had always been there by his side. Whatever fear he felt had evaporated, replaced by adrenaline and the feeling he could do anything at that moment.

The two Shadows completely lost interest in Yosuke and Teddie and sped through the air towards the coated figure. Yu wasn't entirely aware of what he was doing, but with a thought, the figure burst into life and, singlehandedly, sliced through the Shadows with his naginata. There was a split second where time stopped, and then the two Shadows split apart, neatly bisected, and disintegrated into nothingness.

The figure then vanished, taking the rush with it. Though Yu couldn't see it anymore, he could feel its presence. It had a name: Izanagi.

"What was- you just—how…" Yosuke shook his head, face alight with wonder. "Whoa."

"That was amazing, Sensei!" Teddie bounced out from behind his leg and looked up with big, shining eyes. "I can't believe you were hiding such an amazing power. No wonder the Shadows were scared of you!"

"Hang on. You call him sensei but don't show me any respect?"

"That's because you didn't do anything, Yosuke!"

"Neither did you!" Yosuke stopped glaring at Teddie to look at Yu. "How did you do that, anyway? You said something like 'Persona'."

How did he do that? It just felt like the right thing to do. He didn't even think about it, and the word 'Persona' had never entered his mind until then.

All he could do in the end was shrug his shoulders. "There was this voice in my head, and then I just… did it."

Yosuke eyed him strangely. "Hearing voices, huh. You mentioned that before." He shook his head and smiled. "Well, whatever. Those monsters shouldn't be a problem now. This is probably better off with you, too."

Yosuke handed him the golf club. He took it, though he didn't think it'd be any good, not least because it wasn't quite as lethal as the gigantic blade on a stick Izanagi waved about like it was a butter knife.

The three stepped through the shop doorway. The interior was cluttered with boxes, baskets and silver kegs piled precariously atop one another until the stack almost touched the ceiling. A single white light shone upon the counter.

I wish Junes would go under. It's all because of that store.

Oh, I heard that Konishi-san's daughter is working there. How could she, with her family's business struggling like it is? I heard their sales have gone downhill because of Junes.

That poor father… having his own child work for the enemy.

Yu thought he was hearing voices again, but Yosuke's and Teddie's reactions suggested that they heard them, too. It sounded like two housewives gossiping on a street corner, only the voices seemed to come from all around them.

"Hey, Teddie. You said that this place is reality for those who are here, right?" Yosuke gulped, and his voice shook a little. "Does that mean this was Senpai's reality when she walked in here?"

"I only know what happens over here."

Yosuke didn't look satisfied with that answer, but didn't press the issue. Teddie didn't even know who Saki was, let alone anything about her circumstances.

The voices returned. This time, it was a man's voice, deep and angry, that bellowed around the store.

Saki, how many times do I have to tell you?

You know what the neighbours say about you, right? You're the eldest daughter of a family who's owned this store for generations! Is it the money? Or did you meet some guy there? Just tell me why you need to work THERE of all places.

The atmosphere in the store changed after those words from eerie to uncomfortable, like they were listening in on a family argument they really shouldn't have heard, and entering into a space they didn't belong in.

Yosuke stumbled towards the counter and leant against it. "I-I can't believe this. She seemed like she had fun at work. She never told me anything like this." He whipped around to face Yu and Teddie. "You're telling me this is how Senpai really saw things?"

I never had the chance to say it…

Saki Konishi's melancholy voice rang out.

I always wanted to tell Hana-chan…

There was a tense moment of silence. Yosuke was on edge, gripping the counter hard and staring hard at the ceiling.

The voice turned malicious.

that he was a real pain in the ass.

Yosuke hunched over like he had just been punched in the gut.

I was nice to him just because he was the store manager's son. That's all. But he takes it completely the wrong way and gets all enthusiastic. What a dip.

Who cares about Junes, anyway? Because of that store, our business was ruined, my parents hate me, the neighbours talk behind my back… I wish everything would just disappear.

"It's a lie. Senpai's not like that. She can't be."

Something about the situation seemed odd to Yu. This was Saki's reality - her deepest, darkest thoughts about her life – but why was it being revealed to them? Did it linger there, for anyone to here? Or was there a purpose to it? The whole scenario seemed designed to target Yosuke.

Yet another new voice penetrated the room.

"I'm so sad. I feel so sorry for myself. Boohoo." The voice was full of mocking, and sounded uncannily similar to Yosuke's. Only, Yu was facing Yosuke, and knew he hadn't said anything. "Actually, I'm the one who thinks everything is a pain in the ass."

From out the shadows of the store stepped Yosuke – or an identical copy of him. Same height, same clothes and hair, same pair of headphones around his neck, same slightly slouched posture and folded arms. But this Yosuke had an ethereal blue glow surrounding him, and a pair of sinister golden eyes to match his wide, manic grin.

Yosuke, the real one, was stunned by its appearance.

"Who are you? I wouldn't think that," he choked out.

The other Yosuke laughed bitterly. "Yeah, right. How long are you going to keep deluding yourself? Screw the shopping district, and Junes, too! You're sick of everything, especially living out in the sticks!"

Yosuke shook his head furiously, and backed up against the counter. "That's not true."

The other him closed the distance between them, until they were in an arm's length of each other.

"You came to this world because you thought it'd be a good time. What else is there to do out in this shithole?" It spread its arms out wide. "A world inside a TV – what could be more exciting? You didn't really have another reason to come here, did you?"

"I came here for Saki-senpai. I did it for her."

The other Yosuke laughed again.

"Now that's bullshit. You just wanted an excuse to be the hero. You come snooping in here, solve the big mystery and come out looking like a big shot." It leant in closer. "Maybe then people will start taking you seriously and you wouldn't be so alone. Then you could stop pretending to be so carefree and happy-go-lucky."

"You're wrong. Everything is wrong," snapped Yosuke, ducking away from his doppelganger. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm you. Your shadow. And there's nothing I don't know about you."

Yosuke was panting, struggling to keep a lid on his emotions. "You can't be me," he muttered. Then, catching sight of the maddening smirk on the thing's face – his face – he exploded. "You're not me, you son of a bitch!"

The other him gave a low chuckle. "You know what? You're right. You're definitely not me." The blue glow surrounding it intensified, and its grin became even wider and crazed. "I'll kill you, and there'll only be me left!"

The glow blackened, and grew in size. That was when the other Yosuke started changing. It expanded and bulged until it formed a monstrous shape. Its lower half was that of a frog which green khaki design, only it had no face, and its eyes stemmed out the middle of its abdomen. The top half was vaguely humanoid; a black body that sprouted out of the frog, with long, stretchy arms and comically oversize hands covered by yellow gloves. Around its neck was a long, red scarf.

Yosuke, pale and sweating, took a single look at the thing and fainted. Yu caught him before he hit the floor. Teddie screamed and dived behind the counter. Yu was torn, knowing he had to protect himself, but also knowing he couldn't leave Yosuke alone. His mind worked furiously to find an escape route.

"I am a shadow… the true self," Yosuke's voice came out of the beast. "I'll crush everything that bores me. Starting with you!"

The beast rose both its arms and slammed them down on the ground. Yu, with Yosuke in his arms, flung himself to the side to narrowly avoid being crushed. He made a dash for the shop exit. He heard a roar. A fierce burst of wind crashed into his back and blew him through the air like he had been caught in an explosion. He landed on the concrete road, and felt the shoulder of uniform jacket tear, and his grip on Yosuke loosen. The golf club lay forgotten to the side.

There was no time for rest. The front of wall of Konishi Liquors suddenly exploded in a shower of dust and brick. Yu hauled himself and Yosuke to their feet and ran. The beast appeared where the wall used to be and, with a mighty leap, soared over their hands and landed in the car park area.

"You have to fight it, Sensei!" Teddie yelled from within the shop. "Use your power!"

Yu assessed his options: stay and fight, or try to escape. With Yosuke out and Teddie powerless, he was the only he could do anything.

"Look after Yosuke," he said, gently dropping his body off in the store. He turned and faced the beast, and tried to steady his nerves. He had the power to fight. He just had to bring it out again.

"Izanagi!"

The coated warrior materialised above him once more, brandishing its naginata. With a thought, Yu sent it zooming towards the Shadow.

"Too easy," the Shadow mocked, and leapt away from Izanagi. It landed on the roof of a building. Izanagi chased after it, but it simply hopped across to the next building across the road, and then to the next, and so on. Izanagi couldn't even get close it.

Yu grit his teeth. He had to stop its movements somehow, but doing so would be near impossible in such a wide open space.

"Try a lightning attack, Sensei!" said Teddie. "I think your Persona can use them! I can sense it!"

He had no idea what sort of attack it would be, so he just thought 'lightning'. Izanagi responded by raising a hand up to the sky. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the air crackled overhead, and a bolt of blue electricity dropped down right where the Shadow was standing.

The Shadow cried out in pain as it was zapped and, steaming, tumbled off the top of the building and landed on its side in the middle of the road.

This was their chance.

"Now, Izanagi!" Yu cried. Izanagi sped down the road, naginata primed to strike. The Shadow managed to regain its balance in time to reach out with its long arms and push Izanagi back, the blade inches from piercing its neck. They pushed against each other, locked in a standstill.

Yu had an idea. He dashed and picked up the discard golf club, then charged down the road. He ran around the Shadow and climbed onto its back. He steadied himself and then, with all his strength, swung the club at the back of the Shadow's head. It connected with a dull thunk. The strike had no effect, and only served to bend the golf club out of shape and hurt Yu's hands and wrists.

It wasn't his best idea.

The Shadow roared and bucked Yu off. He managed to land on his feet, though he lost his balance and fell into an inconveniently placed dust bin. As he tried to remove himself from it, Izanagi floated over to protect him. The Shadow turned to face them and started laughing.

Then something struck the side of its head.

"Over here, you son of a bitch." All eyes turned to Yosuke, who was standing a few metres away, panting, and holding a monkey wrench in his hand. He cocked his arm back and threw the wrench at the shadow. It hit it right between the eyes, though had no visible effect. "It's me you want, isn't it? Well come get me!"

"I was going to save you until last, but why not? A chase is fun every once in a while."

Yosuke turned tail and sprinted back up the hill. The Shadow gave him a head start before leaping over his head and landing right in front of him. Yosuke fell onto his backside and scrambled away. He threw a meaningful look at Yu over his shoulder.

Yu knew what he had to do. First, he had Izanagi cast lightning again on the Shadow. Distracted, it was unable to dodge the blow. Izanagi followed this up by charging and lashing out with its naginata. The blade pierced its body, and just like that, the battle was over.

The Shadow disintegrated, and all that was left was the other Yosuke, standing there with a blank look on his face. Izanagi also vanished, and Yu extricated himself from the bin. His body ached and felt, and his head hurt. He took a moment to catch his breath, before joining the real Yosuke.

"You okay?" he asked, helping him to his feet. Yosuke nodded numbly, eyes on his Shadow.

"That's not me," he insisted.

Teddie came waddling over from his haven in the shop. "That thing came from you, Yosuke. You have to admit it, or it'll go berserk again."

Yosuke was reluctant. Yu put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think everyone has a side like that," he said. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."

People had many layers. Saki Konishi seemed happy and untroubled at work, but bore resentment at her family, her neighbourhood, Junes and Yosuke for making her life difficult. Yosuke was friendly and carefree and had good intentions, but feared isolation and boredom. It was all a part of their identity, even if they didn't like it.

Even Yu was like that.

Yosuke sighed. "Dammit, facing yourself hurts." He looked his Shadow right in the eyes. "I knew you weren't lying, but I was so ashamed to admit it. But when you get down it, you're me, and I'm you. We're the same person."

His Shadow smiled, a content one instead of a malicious one, and faded away. A new figure appeared in its place – as tall as Izanagi, wearing a white jumpsuit and a red scarf, and holding golden shuriken in each of its hands. That, too, faded away, seemingly disappearing into Yosuke.

Yu had a feeling, that Yosuke had just obtained the same power he had.

"'He was such a pain in the ass', huh." Yosuke chucked, though it sounded hollow. "What a way to find out."

Yu didn't know what to tell him, and decided Yosuke would be fine in time. Instead, he addressed Teddie about something that was bothering him.

"Teddie," he said, "could Saki have been attacked by her other self here, like Yosuke just was?"

"I think so. The Shadows here were originally born from humans. When the fog clear, they all go berserk, and you saw what happens next. A strong willed Shadows draws other Shadows to it, and then…"

"…it kills the host," Yu finished. Things were beginning to make sense now. "I think we're done here now. We should head back."

Yosuke stared forlornly at the remains of Konishi Liquors before agreeing.


Teddie lead them back to the studio. Yu was about to keel over now that the adrenaline from the fighting had left him. Yosuke wasn't looking much better.

"Hey, Teddie," said Yosuke. "You said that this place is reality for people who enter, right?"

"I did say that."

"So that shopping district, and that weird room… did they exist because the ones who died entered this world, and it became their reality?" He scratched the top his head. "What I'm trying to ask is: did those places form because of the people who entered this world?"

"I don't know. It's never happened before. But that's probably where they were when the Shadows attacked them."

To be killed by monsters fuelled from your own dark side sounded a grisly way to go to Yu. He wondered if the person who had thrown people in knew if that was the fate that would befall them.

"So if I'd been here until the fog cleared, I would have ended up like Yamano and Saki-senpai?"

Teddie nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. You were lucky Sensei and me were here with you."

Yosuke clenched his fists and cursed. He had been lucky to have had help when his Shadow appeared. Yamano and Saki, on the other hand, had been all alone, and no one could have saved them.

Yet, if there was a bright side to this, it would be that they learned some valuable information.

"If the Shadows only go berserk when the fog lifts," he said, "then it's possible they were safe before that."

It took a moment for the implications to register with Yosuke. "So you're saying that, if anyone else gets thrown in here, we can save them before they're attacked?"

"Seems that way." Yu paused. "At the very least, we know people don't die the moment they're thrown in. If we know in advance, we can do something about it."

"Does that mean you guys will be coming back here?" asked Teddie.

"We don't want to come back, but if the killer keeps doing things like this then we might have to," said Yosuke. "Why'd you ask?"

Teddie's eyes turned downcast. "It's just, I don't know where I was born or where I came from. I don't know anything about myself. So I thought, maybe if I hung around with you guys, I might work something out."

"We did promise we'd come back so long as the killer is still at large, didn't we?"

"So you'll keep your word?"

"You won't let us out unless we do." Teddie laughed sheepishly. "Anyway, can you show us the way out? I'm beat."

"One exit coming right up!" Teddie clapped his hands and, like last time, a stack of TVs appeared. "Oh, one last thing before you go. When you come back here, make sure you come in at the same place. Otherwise you'll end up somewhere else, and I might not be able to find you, and you'd be doooomed."

"So come in through the TV in Junes. Got it."

Yu followed Yosuke through the TVs. The first thing they when returned to the Junes electronics department was a very tearful and hysterical Chie.

"Y-you guys came back!" she cried, wiping tears away with the sleeve of her jacket. She then threw the rope she had been holding at Yosuke's face. It landed with a satisfying smack. "The nerve of you jerks! You're such morons!" She sniffled. "The rope cut got off… I had no idea what to do. I was so worri—I mean, scared stiff, dammit! I hate you both!"

Her rant over, Chie hurried away from them and out of the store. An uncomfortable silence hung over Yu and Yosuke.

Yosuke rubbed his now sore face. "I think that kinda sorta mighta been our fault."

"It was your idea."

He sighed. "Let's apologise to her tomorrow. I don't have any energy left to do it today."


It was raining when Yu left Junes. After his exertions in the TV world, the walk through town and across the Samegawa River felt long and arduous. He dragged his weary limbs along the path, barely able to hold up his umbrella. He realised that once he got home, he would have to explain to whoever was waiting for him why he was so tired, and why his uniform was in such a state, and why he smelt like the inside of a dust bin. Nanako wouldn't be much problem. His uncle, on the other hand…

Suddenly, he felt even more exhausted. What on earth would he say? 'I entered into a different world, met a walking talking bear suit, was attacked by two blobs with mouths, pulled a 15-foot blade-on-a-stick wielding man out of my ass and then had a showdown with a mutant frog which I tried beating up with a golf club.' He had little doubt his uncle would haul down the station on suspicion of substance abuse.

There was, of course, another issue. He was sure now that he and Yosuke had stumbled across vital information that would help in solving the case that the police didn't have – the method of killing. More than that, they knew a way of preventing any more deaths. But how could he go about explaining the TV world and Persona to hardened police detectives? He would surely have to demonstrate, and that would mean taking them into that world, where they wouldn't be able to protect themselves.

A sigh escaped through his lips. He didn't want to imagine how awkward dinner would be, with Dojima working tirelessly to solve the case, while his own nephew purposely withheld vital information. He knew he would have to be careful.

As he walked along the path, he noticed a girl in a pink kimono sitting under a wooden gazebo. Her dark hair and melancholic expression were instantly recognisable.

Yukiko's eyes met his. Recently, she had been burdened with her family's inn and looked barely able to keep up. Chie was concerned about her. He thought maybe he should talk with her, see if there was anything he could.

That was, until his head throbbed, painfully reminding him that he had amassed enough problems today and needed to stop thinking for a while. So he looked away and continued his trudge home.


Nanako was the only home when Yu got back. When she saw him, her little face turned worried. "Are you okay? You look beat up."

Yu brushed her off. "I'm fine. I just…" he thought for a second, "…fell down some stairs. I'll be okay. I'm going to go clean up."

After discarding his torn uniform, bathing and patching up the scratches and bruises he had accumulated, he joined Nanako at the dinner time. As usual, the news was on the TV.

"At around 7:00 AM, local high school student Saki Konishi was found dead in Inaba's residential area. Since the body was positioned similarly to the last victim, and since Ms. Konishi was the one who discovered that body, the police are working under the assumption that this may be a serial murder case related to the death of Mayumi Yamano."

"Dad won't be coming home tonight," Nanako said, drawing her knees up to her chest and hugging them.

"I'll be here with you," said Yu. He didn't know what comfort it would bring her – he hardly considered himself great company – but he wanted her to know she wasn't totally alone in the house.

Nanako's expression remained glum. "I'll be okay."

The TV report continued.

"…Amagi Inn, located upstream of Samegawa River, is the town's oldest historical landmark. Vacationers are known to travel surprising distances in order to visit its open air, radium rich hot-springs. After the incident with Mayumi Yamani, the manager has stepped aside, leaving her daughter to fill in. In other words, she's a manager who's still in high school."

The image changed, showing Yukiko wearing that pink kimono, standing at the inn's entrance. A reporter held a microphone close to her face.

"We've heard that you're the new manager. Is it true that you're still in high school?"

Yukiko's expression was neutral. "Oh, well, I'm only filling in temporarily…"

"Someday, though… that aside, wow! You're looking gorgeous in that kimono. You must have a lot of male visitors."

She looked uncomfortable with this line of questioning and struggled to form a coherent answer. The reporter continued along a similar line of questioning, focusing less on the inn and more and more on Yukiko's charms.

"This is boring," Nanano said, and changed the channel.


It was in his bedroom, with the clock creeping towards midnight, and the rain hammering against the roof and window, that Yu truly reflected on that day's events.

Personas and Shadows. The true self, manifest. The façade people use to cope in the world, and the suppressed subconscious.

Yu was no expert in psychology, but it made sense that everyone had a side of themselves they always hid. He didn't think anyone was exempt from this. Nobody ever truly showed the real them, be it because of fear of rejection or a desire to be accepted in society. He knew it was always easier to go with the flow and be the person people want and expect you to be, and not the person you were supposed to be.

He knew because he was the same.

Yet, he hadn't been forced to face himself in the same way that Yosuke had. Yosuke's Shadow had revealed all – the fear of isolation, the boredom, the desire to be something bigger and more important than he was. He didn't have to face any of that, even though he understood those feelings so well.

The city is a wide expanse of leisure and opportunity. The countryside may be even bigger but at the same time felt much more restrictive. It was a place that had no shortage of time and space but simply had nothing to fill them. Going from one to the other felt like having several paths in life closed off.

You could be a somebody in the city, but everyone was a nobody in the countryside. And being placed there was surely a punishment.

How bad must it be in Inaba, that the murders of two people had the residents excited? How bored were people that they desired their very own disaster? How stifled did Yosuke feel that exploring something as disturbing and freakish as the TV world seemed an exciting pastime?

Yu had only been in Inaba a handful of days, but he could kind of understand. At the same time, he wanted to believe there was more. There had to be more than just arresting boredom and a bleak future.

He didn't want to think about what would become of him if there wasn't.

After the day's events, he felt more inclined to believe in destiny. If mystery and catastrophe were in his future, then there was meaning in him obtaining Izanagi. There was meaning in fighting the Shadows, and in Yosuke confronting his own Shadow and gaining his own Persona. There was meaning in the deaths of Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi.

And if that was the case, there had to be meaning in him coming to Inaba; that he hadn't merely been sent there for safekeeping.

He just had to find it.

The clock struck midnight. His TV fizzed into life, and once more, a person appeared on the screen. It was only a silhouette, but it looked female, and seemed to be wearing a kimono.

He had a feeling that the case, and his adventures in that other world, were far from over.