Since I'm basing this off of the P4 Golden version, Marie will be in here. Who knows, I might have her interact with Raven and the Titans… ;)
On with the story~
Time: 1530 hours
Date: April 18, 2011
Location: Amagi Inn
Chie stands in front of the Amagi Inn, her hands on her hips as she hops back and forth between her legs. The wind ruffles the leaves from the trees around the inn and her hair. She doesn't know why she is so hesitant to enter the inn when she's been here several times already.
Maybe it's because it's the first time she's going to enter without Yukiko. She steps forward, past the gate, up the stairs, and stands in front of the door. Her hand hovers over the door, noticing how much her hand is shaking. The door suddenly slides open and Chie jumps back, stumbles down the stairs, and lands on her back.
"Are you okay?" Chie sits up, rubbing her backside when she redirects her attention to the person that had opened the door. She offers Chie a hand, which she accepts. As Chie is helped up, she notices that the girl has very tan skin and very bright, green eyes. "I am deeply sorry for causing you to fall. Are you harmed?" And a very cheerful voice.
"I'm okay, I just got a big surprised when you opened the door, that's all!"
"Really? I am glad, then."
"Yeah, it's no big deal. Don't worry about it, uh…"
"My name is Kory Anders," Starfire introduces herself.
"I'm Chie Satonaka. Pleased to meet you!" Chie offers a handshake.
Starfire accepts it. "Likewise."
"Now, uh, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go and check on something!"
"Do you require assistance?"
"Uh, well…have you heard about Yukiko Amagi and her disappearance?"
"Of course. She was very kind to my friends and I. The police appeared two nights ago, investigating on her disappearance."
"I heard they're saying she ran away from home, but I know she was kidnapped."
"I am also positive that she was kidnapped, Chie. I am going to look around the town to see if there's anyone that knows of anything."
"Have you tried the inn?"
"Yes, but it does not hurt if you try it yourself. I will see you later, Chie," Starfire waves goodbye and heads down the road. When she knows she's out of Chie's line of sight, she takes off into the sky. She veers into the trees just to make sure that Chie doesn't see her.
As she flies to the town, she pulls out her communicator, contacting Raven.
Time: 1545 hours
Date: April 18, 2011
Location: Teen Titans' Room
Raven groans, grabbing the T-Communicator and holding it up. She opens the cover and Starfire's face appears. "What is it?"
"Friend Raven, do you know of a Chie Satonaka?" Raven's eyes widen. She didn't expect Chie to have recuperated that quickly already.
"Yeah, I ran into her yesterday in the TV world. Why? Is she here? Wait, is she alone or with someone?"
"She is alone…?" Starfire answers, unsure why Raven is wondering about that. "She told me that she wanted to find some information on Yukiko's disappearance and she is going to try to at the inn."
Raven hisses as she pushes herself up again. "All right, thanks for the heads up, Star."
"Bu-" Raven closes the communicator before Starfire can protest. She can't let a few injuries keep her from helping Chie rescue her dearest friend. She glances over to Cyborg for a moment, still unsure why he's unconscious.
Now that she thinks about it, Chie had recovered pretty well after being in the TV world. And yet, Cyborg is practically comatose and Raven herself has strange wounds around her body. Did Cyborg's world have something to do with this?
Raven agonizingly limps over to the folding screen, breathing a thank you to Starfire for leaving clothes to wear. By the time Raven steps out, now comfortably in her leotard and cloak, someone is knocking on the door. She staggers over, opening the door only by an inch.
"Hello, Ms. Roth," an inn employee greets her with a small bow. Raven nods, signaling the employee to continue. She gestures behind her at someone. "Ms. Satonaka here requested to meet with you and said that you gave her the ok to do so."
"If this is a bad time, then I can come back la-"
"It's okay, Chie." Raven opens the door wider, and notices Chie slightly wincing when she sees the bandages on Raven's thigh and on her head. "Thank you for bringing her here." The employee bows and heads back down the hallway.
Chie tentatively walks in as Raven closes the door. Chie kneels down by Cyborg's head. "Is he okay?"
"Hopefully," Raven mutters.
"What happened?"
"For some odd reason, Cyborg and I are more hurt than you. He's been unconscious since we ran into you in the TV world."
"And you?" Chie asks, turning to Raven. "That must be a nasty injury." She gestures to Raven's head.
Raven gingerly rubs her head with her right hand. "The worst injury's on my left shoulder." She pulls off her cloak and tugs away a section of her leotard to show Chie the injury.
"Guess his Shadow was a monster, huh?" she asks, trying not to grimace.
Raven absentmindedly nods, sitting down besides Cyborg. She rubs her shoulder, careful not to apply too much pressure on her scar. "If anyone else enters the TV world, it'd be equally dangerous in there." Especially if my friends are the ones that go in…
"How come?"
"Not only are our personal Shadows are strong, our powers are null in that world. I don't know why, but neither Cyborg nor I could fight with our powers. We were stuck with only our own weapons."
Chie looks at Cyborg's face. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to help us rescue Yukiko, but…"
"You don't want us to risk our lives." Chie nods. "I hope you realize…these types of injuries may be new to me, but we're superheroes, Chie. It's not right for us to let you guys handle that world on your own."
"I don't want to make you guys have to do this! I mean, you're here on your own investigation, aren't you?"
"We were here because I ran into Saki Konishi before her death. I could've ignored it and let the police take care of it, but the fact that they don't even know her cause of death tells me that my friends and I have to be here to help find the murderer. I can bet the police wouldn't believe you about the TV world even if you told them, right?"
Chie glances away. "Yeah…"
"Exactly. Which is why we should be there to help you, because Cyborg and I also have Persona. So Chie…" Chie looks Raven in the eyes and slightly jumps from the intensity in her eyes. "When you and the others go into the TV world, I'd like to know. I don't care if you think I'm too hurt, I will go with you."
Chie sighs. "All right."
Their attention is redirected when Cyborg suddenly shifts. Raven tenses, ready to help her friend. Cyborg's face scrunches up like he smelled something bad, gritting his teeth. "Cyborg?"
"Is he okay?"
"I'm not sure." She tries to shake his shoulder when Cyborg suddenly grabs her hand. "Oh shi-" Before she can finish, Cyborg instinctively sits up and throws her across the room. She crashes against the wall, her injured shoulder taking the brunt of the attack. She lets out a pained gasp as she slumps down, pain flaring up at the scar. She clutches it tightly as she tries to calm her breathing down. Chie carefully maneuvers around Cyborg, checking on Raven.
"What happened?"
Raven mutters something under her breath, and Chie is unsure if she misheard her. Something like "Damn Beast Boy…"
"Raven?"
Her breathing slowly calms as she slowly stands up. "This is what happens when you have a teammate who continues to prank the strongest male on the team…" Cyborg clutches his head, trying to rid of a headache. "You okay?" Raven asks, sitting down beside him.
"I feel like hell…how long was I out?" he asks, still not opening his eye.
"You've been out for a day," Chie speaks up. Now, Cyborg opens his eye in surprise.
"Who're you?"
"She's Chie Satonaka," Raven explains. "We ran into her in the TV World yesterday after we fought your Shadow."
Cyborg glares at Chie, trying to gauge how dangerous she is when he notices Raven still clutching her shoulder. "Rae? You okay?"
"Well, gee, she would be okay if you didn't just throw her across the room!" Chie retorts.
"What? I thought I threw BB?"
"Beast Boy isn't here at the moment," Raven answers quietly. "But your reflexes are still there."
Cyborg looks over at Raven. "Lemme look at the shoulder, Rae."
"No, it's fine," she dismisses it as she stands up, gliding over to the table. She grabs something from the table with her powers, her hand still not leaving her shoulder. The object is dropped onto Cyborg's lap as he redirects his gaze to it. "Starfire bought that for you." Cyborg pulls a bento out of the bag, lifting the lid off. The smell of roasted beef permeates the room.
"She did?" He notices how sullen Raven looks. "What the hell happened while I was out? You look really tired."
"It's nothi-"
"Come on, Raven," Chie interrupts. "He's your friend, isn't he? It's not right to keep him in the dark."
Raven stares at Chie in surprise, an eyebrow raised. When she realizes that Chie does have a point, she lets out a sigh. "Starfire told me that after a falling out last night, Beast Boy ran away from home."
"What? Why?"
"You and I both came back half dead, and we had no idea why you were unconscious. Beast Boy argued with me, saying that we shouldn't have gone here in the first place."
"What the hell? Did he forget we're heroes? It's our job, no, duty to protect people, even if they're people halfway across the world!"
"But at the same time, he doesn't want any friends to die."
"We all know the risks," Cyborg retorts. "Doesn't he realize that?" Before Raven can open her mouth to argue further, the TV behind them flickers, grabbing their attention. "What's up with the TV?"
Raven pushes herself up from the tatami mat and kneels down in front of the TV. It flickers again and Raven instinctively flinches, backing away. "I don't think this is very safe, Raven," Chie reminds her. Raven scowls as a figure vaguely resembling Yukiko appears. Chie lets out a gasp. "Yukiko!"
Time: 1550 hours
Date: April 18, 2011
Location: Yasogami High School
Yu extends his hands out in front of him, accepting the three chest keys that the 3rd-year student gives him. "I have no use for them and since ya beat my riddle and all, you can have 'em!"
"Thanks." Yu nods as he leaves the student. As he leaves the school grounds, he looks up to the sky, wondering where he should go. Yosuke is off preparing and Chie had gone to talk to Raven while also investigating the Amagi Inn. He decides to just let his feet take him wherever they feel like.
Time: 1555 hours
Date: April 18, 2011
Location: Shopping District (South)
Yu passes by the gas station and the bookstore, the glowing entrance to the Velvet Room still floating next to Daidara Metalworks. He presses his hand onto the "door" as he steps in. Once the blinding white light dims down, Yu walks over to his seat in the limo, looking straight at the three residents of the room.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room," Igor greets him. "Well, then…I shall tell you about how I can offer you my 'assistance'." I can gather a number of the Personas you possess and provide you with the ability to 'fuse' them. I have suggestions for the creation of powerful Personas that may be of use to you…" He goes on to explain methods of how he can summon new Personas and keep them saved should he need them in the future.
A girl with pale skin, chin-length brown to black hair and gray eyes looks up at that moment, noticing Yu. She is wearing a sleeveless white shirt, a short black necktie with various safety pins and a checkered skirt along with a black belt and a fancy, golden buckle which resembles a heart with wings. She has both black-striped red protective sleeves and black-striped white stockings. Her black long, dark gray heeled boots are checkered as well. She is wearing a blue officer's cap with a golden button on it and there is a red choker with a golden lock on it, as if there is a secret that she is hiding from everyone. A deep blue bag, adorned with golden design rests by her. "Oh…you came," she begins. "You must come here a lot, huh. Whatcha want this time? A Persona? It doesn't matter to me."
Margaret speaks up, "…Excuse us." She turns to the girl. "Marie, you must learn to restrain yourself."
The girl named Marie frowns. "Huh? What's that supposed to mean? Stupiduptightblockheadtwerp," she mutters under her breath.
Margaret sighs. "I apologize sincerely. She is far too unruly for me to handle."
"Why'd you bring her here?" Yu asks, and Margaret chuckles.
"You speak as if her being here has nothing to do with you…This is all to help you on your journey."
"My journey?"
"This room is inseparable from your fate. Nothing in this room happens without purpose. It seems that you and Marie had already met before you encountered her in this room. Encountering one who is not of man, and communicating with her…Your fate has led you to this meeting."
Yu frowns, catching a part of Margaret's words that confused him. "'One who is not of man'?"
Margaret nods. "Indeed. This room is the crossroads of your fates. You, the customer, and she who is not of man, who has wandered into this place. Where will this meeting lead? Excuse me for saying so, but we, too, are a bit interested in the outcome." Marie looks down at her feet with a frown.
"Though she was in this land before you, in the end, Marie is not of man…In other words, her understanding of the world in which you live is incomplete. Therefore, I ask of you to please take her outside this room, if you would…Okay, Marie?"
Marie scowls, looking back at Margaret. "Wh…whatever…" A blush appears on her cheeks. "Never mind. It's small, it's dark. The Nose never says anything. It's stuffy in here. I want to leave the room, but I'm not supposed to." She pauses in thought. "But Margaret said it'd be okay if I went with you. So, will you take me somewhere?"
"Sure," Yu tells her.
"Really?" Marie asks in shock. "…Don't you think you're giving in too easily? I'll have you twisted around my finger if you keep this up." She mulls over what she had just said. "'Twisted around my finger…' That's the saying, right? I've been studying. Well, let's go."
Time: 1610 hours
Date: April 18, 2011
Location: Shopping District, in front of Souzai Daigaku
Marie looks up, inhaling greatly. "Phew. I can finally breathe now. It's stuff in that car." She walks several paces in front of him and scans the area before turning back to him. "Y'know…I feel weird. It's like…nostalgic, for the smell and all."
"Nostalgic?" Yu asks, confused. Marie nods.
"Yeah, nostalgic. That's what I said. It just…feels that way. There's a lot of stuff that I've never noticed before." Her eyes wander over to Souzai Daigaku. "A 'Steak Skewer'?" she asks, looking at the menu. She seems to be debating over something before she walks over to the stand and Yu follows after her. "Hey, lady. I want one of those skewer things."
The woman notices her and greets her, "Oh, hellow. That'll be 320 yen, please."
Marie mutters the number under her breath, stumbling over the words. "Thwee hunnert twin…Bleh. That's hard to say. You can't eat without money?"
"Want me to pay for it?" Yu offers, surprising her.
"You have money? …That's awesome. You're awesome."
Yu hears footsteps walking towards him. "Yo, Yu. Gettin' your steak on, huh?" He spots Marie and openly gapes at her. "She's cute. What? What's going on here? Who's this?"
"She's a friend," Yu answers in stride.
Marie stares at him in confusion. "Friend…? I guess…I don't know."
"Ahh, I see. A 'friend', you say, huh? Oh yeah, I'm Yosuke Hanamura! I'm his friend. His partner, y'know."
"Partner? You mean like a close friend?"
Yosuke chuckles, "That about sums it up. Er, what's your name?"
"Huh? Uh…Marie."
"Hmmm, Marie-chan, is it? You want a steak skewer? All right, this one's on me!" Yosuke announces, walking past Marie and places the order for several skewers.
"Does he mean he'll buy it for me? Is that okay?" she asks Yu for confirmation.
"There's no reason to decline," he answers.
Yosuke hears her concern and turns towards her. "Hey, don't worry! I got a little extra in my last paycheck. Three steak skewers! One for each of us."
After they finish their skewers, Yosuke lets out an content sigh. "Is that a bellyful or what? This place always has huge portions. So, Marie-chan, what d'you think of the local specialty?"
"It's really weird. It's tough, hard to bite into, and it got cold while I was still eating it." Yosuke blinks, about to say something, but Marie adds on, "It was delicious."
Thrown off, Yosuke stammers. "That's good…Didn't sound like you liked it at the beginning there. But, all's well that ends well!" He grins.
"Hey, why's it called 'steak', anyway? Is it short for something?"
"It's short for beefsteak."
"'Beefsteak'? Huh. But if you drop the word 'beef' from it, you don't get any sense of what it's made of. It should be…like…'Fsteak.'"
"That's…uh…not much better…She's a strange kid, huh? Well, that makes her cute, I guess?
"You eat this every day? No fair," she scowls. "I should've come earlier."
As they talk about a variety of things, Yosuke suddenly jumps. "Ah, crap! I left my key back in my locker at work! I've gotta get back to Junes! See you later, Yu! You too, Marie-chan!" With that, Yosuke darts away.
Marie follows Yosuke before he disappears around a corner. "Your 'partner' is a funny person."
"That he is," Yu agrees.
"Hm. But he bought me meat. That makes him a good person. That is fact." She stands up from the crate-turned chair. "Hey, let's go somewhere else. Somewhere with a nice view."
Time: 1630 hours
Date: April 18, 2011
Location: The hill overlooking town
"Hmmm, it's really green here," Marie comments, gazing around at the trees and shrubbery. Yu staggers up the stairs, exhausted from trying to keep his eyes on Marie to keep her from getting lost. "Green and green. And some brown…and darker green?" She glances up at the sky, muttering something like a poem under her breath.
"Leaves of green fly away,
Farewell to you, clouds of the sky…
I fly as well, lost as the day,
Farewell to you, moon of the night."
She realizes that Yu had been listening and turns back to him, flustered. "N-no! I-I wasn't making up a poem! It's just some words that I was thinking! That's all! Yeah!" Her cheeks burn as she blushes deeply and she averts her gaze, staring at the ground. "ShutupIhateyouyoustupidjerk! D-don't snoop on me!" She panics and runs towards the edge of the hill, standing right by the wooden fence. "Wow, it's pretty big…" she mutters, gazing down at Inaba. I don't know why…but I feel good about this place. It reminds me of something. Are there any other places we can go? I want to see more."
"I'll show you around."
"Please do," Marie requests with a smile. "I notice a lot of things when I'm with you. It's pretty fun." Yu hears Izanagi's voice telling him that Marie has established a bond with him, the Aeon bond. "All right, next! Where to now?" As Marie leads Yu down the hill, Yu can't help but worry about Yukiko.
Time: 1600 hours
Date: April 18, 2011
Location: Amagi Inn, Titans' Room
"What do we do? We have to go save her!" Chie panics. She reaches towards the screen, but Raven pulls her back. "Let me go, Raven! I have to go and rescue Chie! She could die at any minute!" The screen flickers to static before turning off, but Chie doesn't notice. She is only focused on getting to Yukiko.
"We don't even know if that is Yukiko! It could be a trap."
"If you don't want to go with me, then I'll go alone!"
"That's not a good idea," Cyborg argues. "None of us know where that could lead us to. If you go in alone, you might not be able to get out."
"I can contact Teddie!"
"How sure are you that Teddie would be wherever you landed?"
"How'd you get back here then?"
"What do you mean?"
"When Teddie opened up the TV for you guys, I'm assuming you returned here while we returned back to Junes."
"The TVs."
"What?"
"It was a stack of TVs that Teddie opened up. Cyborg and I went through a different TV from you and your group. While Teddie's TVs can return us to our locations, there are no guarantees that we would land in the same entrance that Teddie is nearby."
Chie scowls, punching the ground. "But we have to rescue Yukiko before she dies!"
"She dies when the fog appears in this world, right?"
"How'd you-"
"Look, Chie, it's too risky right now. Even if we do find Yukiko, defeat her Shadow, and still survive, there's no guarantee Teddie will be there for us to help us get out. I checked the weather reports and the fog won't appear for another week and a half. Yukiko's safe."
"But-"
"Look, I know you don't want her to die, but going in there without a plan and injured is just as suicidal. I promise you, Chie. Once Cyborg and I are fully healed, we will help you and your team to rescue Yukiko."
Chie looks down at the tatami mat as silence sets in. Raven waits to see if she'll do anything. Chie suddenly punches the ground in frustration, gritting her teeth. "You promise?" she asks, her voice shaky.
Raven nods. "Promise."
Woot, I actually managed to destroy the damn writer's block. Let's see if I can figure something out with the next day…
Note: I've had this sitting in the Document Manager for the past few months, expecting to be able to update once I had the next chapter written out. But I haven't had a chance, but I wanted to update this for everyone else.
Suggestions on the next few days would be nice. The rescue will take place on April 21st.
