The Mysterious Path - Chapter 4
{April 11, 2011} {Cloudy/Rainy} {Midnight}
As Yu got into his futon to get some sleep, he began thinking about his arrival to Inaba…
"This is the day when I became a Persona User...it was sudden…that I began seeing them…" Yu's eyes begin to close…
"...There's something I still don't get...that gas station attendant…" Yu began dreaming...
[Inside Yu's Imaginary Dream, Midnight]
"Do You also need to use the bathroom?" Asked Dojima about to get out of the car at the Moel Gas station in the shopping district.
"Not Really...but I do need to stretch my legs." Yu in response while getting out from the back seat with the rest of his family.
"Well I do!" Jiraiya was about to make his way to the bathroom…
"Jiraiya...you know we can't do that!" Himiko Shouted to him.
"Don't stomp on my attempts to fit in with human society Himiko!" The Frog Ninja was overly dramatic. Yu couldn't see this… because you know...
"So, we meet again!" The Gas Station Attendant approached Yu with a nice smile.
"Wait...What are you talking about?" Yu backed away slowly from the Strange Attendant in confusion.
"Don't play dumb..." The attendant quickly reached out and violently grabbed Yu's hand pulling him close to his face.
"...And this time get it right!" The Strange Attendant whispered loudly to Yu's ear.
"How..." Yu was dumbstruck. The Attendant released his hand suddenly.
"Anyway...if you need a job just come on by. We are always hiring…" The Attendant says to Yu as he began walking away.
Yu's vision of the dream goes blurry after talking to him...he suddenly awoke on the ground in a kneeling position to an unknown location.
"What the...?" Yu looked around, there was a white fog everywhere around him...
"The fox doesn't want free loaders here because they could make the shrine all dirty!" Himiko told the group.
(After a while...)
"What do you mean we have to pay up to stay in the shrine!? "Shrines are homes for spirits which we are!" The Frog Ninja gestured to himself and others, arguing with the fox as the group watched from behind him. The Fox rolled its eyes at Jiraiya's complaints...
"I'm curious as to how a fox could see us…" Tomoe wondered about this.
"Tomoe, this fox can't actually see us but it can sense where we are…" An insightful Konohana told the wondering yellow-cladded warrior.
"How does he sense us?" Tomoe was still curious about it.
"Seeing floating Chinese delivery could give the fox a hint!" Sukuna landed on Tomoe's shoulders like he did with Yu.
"Wow! Animals are really something!" An amused Himiko spoke out from the group. Kintoki turned frantically to Izanagi, who was still sitting with his tea by the offertory box, appearing to be thinking about something that seemed irrelevant to what was happening.
"You damn fox! Just because you happen to live here doesn't mean you own it!" Jiraiya's complaining continued on. The Fox began to growl at Jiraiya but the Persona was not intimidated.
"Sensei! This is getting pretty bad! You have to make the fox understand why we are here or else the noise will alert the humans!" Kintoki was panicking to Izanagi who was still thinking to himself. Suddenly, the God sat his tea down and stood up from his spot without speaking and made his way to where The Fox and his Partner were, Kintoki watched him as he made his way through the crowd of Personas. Izanagi stood in front of The Frog Ninja, cutting him off in the middle of his complaining.
"Jiraiya, do you know who this fox is?" The Leader of the Persona group asked him as the others watched the scene change its tone.
"What?" A confused Jiraiya to Izanagi, the Japanese God kneeled before the fox as if to show understanding...
"This fox is the same one that has helped our users get through their trials...even if it was for a price, its intentions were pure, to rebuild the shrine from its dilapidated state because this place is the fox's home..." Izanagi told the others. He turned his head back toward the fox and spoke to it.
"I apologize for my group, we mean not to be rude guests at all, we were just staying here for a while and so we'll clean whatever mess we make in your home..." The Fox slowly began to understand the God as well as sensing good vibes from him. It yipped as if to show it accepted the apology. Izanagi then turned toward his Frog Ninja pal.
"Don't you have something to say as well?" The Japanese God pressed Jiraiya to apologized.
"Fine...*sigh* I apologize or whatever…" The Froggy Ninja was annoyed.
"Good enough for you?" Izanagi to the fox, it yipped in agreement.
"Ah, He's so nice…" Himiko in a infatuated tone.
"Izanagi is so mature!" Konohana was fangirling in the crowd.
"He's very understanding..." Tomoe cheerfully added.
"How do you remember the fox?" Jiraiya wondered to his partner.
"The genuine bond Yu and her shared...he would always come to fulfill the wishes people made here because if their desires came true, they would give their fortune to the shrine in exchange for them, and that aided in the fox's quest to rebuild it, she was grateful to him...and his memory of her was strong enough for me to also remember…" Izanagi spoke earnestly to Jiraiya.
"Wait...her?" Jiraiya questioned, making the Japanese God sigh because he seemed to have missed the point. After a while, the personas and the fox began to enjoy each other's company until suddenly, a terrible feeling came over Izanagi…he tries to look through Yu's eyes seeing nothing but fog...
"Yu…I have to return to him!" The Japanese God was now in panic for his user was in serious danger.
"What the heck are you talking about? Izanagi?" Jiraiya trying to calm his friend as he frantically looked around for someone.
"Tomoe!" Izanagi rushed over to her while in the middle of a conversation with the other feminine personas, he was putting both his hands on her shoulders to get her absolute attention, startling her while making Himiko and Konohana jealous.
"Y-Yes Izanagi?" Tomoe was nervous from his sudden action.
"What is the fastest way to get Yu's residence?" Izanagi urgently, his eyes showed great worry to Tomoe.
"C-Chie-san would always take this certain path..." She turned her face away from Izanagi to hide her blush.
"Please show me the way, the rest of you come along if you like, but I must hurry!" Izanagi exclaimed to the group. They quickly made their way out of the shrine with The Fox looking on in wonder of what was going on...
"This place…I remember now..." Yu ran through a strange path that seemed endless, the ground was made up of red squares pushed together tightly surrounded by a thick white fog forming a tunnel…he ran silently, the only sound made was his own feet echoing with each step.
"You seek the truth don't you?" A eerie voice suddenly rang out from somewhere in the fog. Yu couldn't find the source of where it came from, so he continued on with caution.
"This voice..." Yu thought hard about it as he ran down the foggy path.
"If you want the truth...by all means find me…" The eerie voice rang one more time.
"The voice again...it's up ahead!" Yu began to dash furiously through the fog covered path.
"I'll find the truth about all of this, I will end it myself!" He thought with determination.
The grey-haired protagonist finally reached a strange door with a square pattern on it, it seemed to signal the end of the path.
"Here goes…" Yu sighed and opened the strange door with caution. He came upon an open area where there was a mysterious figure standing while draped in the fog. Yu picked up a sword that was on the ground to protect himself.
"So... you're pursuing me now this time?" The figure said in a calm tone.
"Who are you!?" Yu demanded an answer, brandishing his sword. The two faced each other surrounded by nothing but the fog.
"Hmhmhm…try all you like..." The voice challenged him to a fight. Yu rushed at the figure and swung his sword landing a hit against it.
"Heh, it seems that you can still see through the fog after so long, huh?" The eerie voice mocked him. Yu was unsure if he could try attacking again as it seemed to do little harm to it.
"Izanagi…" A struggling Yu said under his breath as he noticed the same white fog was closing in on him...
[Dojima Residence, After Midnight]
Yu's Persona and the others arrived at the home, they phase through the doors to get to Yu's room. Izanagi goes in first, followed by the others, they find Yu's sleeping form.
"I'm going in…!" The Japanese god frantically neared close to Yu's Futon, until his froggy partner stopped him by putting his hand on his shoulder.
"Wait Izanagi! Just tell me what's got you all like this…" Jiraiya worried for his friend's unusual behavior. The Japanese God stood silent for a moment, making The Frog Ninja and the others worry even more for his state of mind.
"I-I'll explain later…just please let me go…" Izanagi spoke weakly, he looked away from the group's stares. He shrugged Jiraiya's grip on him and engulfed himself in a blue aura, he eventually faded inside Yu's body. The Persona group fell silent as the Leader disappeared from their sight, each with a sad expression, not truly understanding what's going on with their leader.
"I-I trust Izanagi...He wouldn't do anything irrational, I know it..." Tomoe tried to lighten the mood but quickly fell into her own feeling of worry. Jiraiya approached the group seeing the yellow-cladded warrior was trying to keep the calm within the group.
"Tomoe's right...there's probably nothing to worry about…" Jiraiya began helping assure that feeling of content in the group. He nodded to his yellow female friend in agreement.
"I'm highly sure Izanagi can face anything, he's strong!" Konohana declared proudly to them.
"Yeah, I believe in sensei!" Kintoki shouted in agreement.
"I think so too!" Himiko was still in worry but cheered him on as well.
"What do you think?" Sukuna wanted Take's input.
"We must wait and see for that's all we truly can do right now...but remain hopeful for them." Take looked into his hand holding the finished pink alligator…
Yu kept slashing at the figure, but his attacks did nothing, he was only exhausting himself.
"Where did that resolve go huh? Where was the strength you had before? Don't you wish to find the real truth?" The figure taunted Yu as it began side stepping his attacks swiftly, the fog neared...enveloping the area more and more.
"Damn it...I can't keep this up..." Yu became desperate until suddenly, a spark shot through his mind.
"Summon me..." A voice overcame Yu's thoughts.
"Izanagi...you're here..." Yu began to calm down knowing he was not alone anymore. Yu looked into his hand, the Tarot card of his Persona had materialized but was not completely visible to him.
"I'm still weak...but, I will do whatever it takes! ...Izanagi!" He hesitated at first, but smashed the card in hand summoning a very faint image of the Japanese God.
"Blade of Fury!" Yu summoned his Persona to rush the enemy at blinding speed, Izanagi's attack slashes the figure heavily multiple times.
"T-This power…" The figure sounded excited. Yu exhausted himself more quickly for using such attack…the fog almost completely covered the area.
"Ngh..." Yu struggled to keep on his feet, the fog starts seeping into his body.
"Please do not push thy self so hard, my user…" A concerned Izanagi spoke in his mind.
"I'm fine..." Yu was confident but he knew he was losing time...
"Such interesting qualities you have, once more!" The figure demanded as if begging for him to use his power again.
"PERSONA!" Yu shouted, summoning his Persona once more for another attack against the figure in the fog. Izanagi used all his might to cast Ziodyne against the figure, the mighty bolt rained down and broke through the fog to reach its mark, it appeared to do some serious damage to the figure.
"You sure have grown…" The figure spoke as if it was enjoying itself almost, Yu was unsure if the figure was referring to him.
"Now I really hope we meet again...Farewell..." The figure engulfed itself in the bewildering fog and disappeared.
Yu stood alone now...suddenly, he began to lose consciousness from the fog in this strange place.
"I-I'm not finished..." Yu was about to fall, he struggled to keep his balance.
"Rest now, Narukami-dono…it's not the end..." Izanagi trying to comfort him.
"You know, saying my name like that is a little dated right? When did you start calling me that?" An amused Yu with a weak smile.
"J-Just this once…" Izanagi sheepishly, Yu's legs gave out and he collapsed in the dream...his body shot up from the futon, waking up in a cold sweat.
"This dream...I had it before...but I never thought anymore of it...it wasn't just a dream..." Yu looked up to see the Investigation Team Personas staring at him.
"Oh uh, hey guys..." A surprised but tired Yu laid on his bed again, he fell quickly asleep.
"You all right? Where's Izanagi?" The Frog Ninja wondered as well the others.
"I am right here, I'm a little tired though…" The Japanese God emerged above Yu's head and proceeded to rest himself against the side of the desk guarding his sleeping user.
"What happened sensei?" Kintoki wondered to him.
"Like I said, let us speak of this later…" Their Leader seemed to be trying to push the topic off to the side.
"How about tomorrow then?" Jiraiya was pushy, demanding for an answer to what had happened.
"Very well...let us rest for now." Izanagi and the others spent the night in Yu's room.
Author's Notes: Blade of Fury was a common skill to have on Izanagi in the original Playstation 2 game.