Chapter 9: Uncertainty
With the resources Mitsuru had available to her as the head of the Kirijo Group, the journey back to Port Island had not been either long nor arduous, but Yukari still felt on edge, a tension she knew she shared with the others. The four of them, Yukari herself, Mitsuru, Labrys and Fuuka were sitting in the back of one of the massive limousines used for Shadow Operative missions; Kikuno herself had arrived to personally pick them up from the airport.
Apparently, after Yukari had fallen unconscious upon their return from the alternate Inaba and had to be sent to the hospital, Mitsuru had sent Kikuno back with the helicopter, as none of her friends had been willing to leave until she woke up. Yukari was grateful for that, but felt kind of bad about inconveniencing her friends. In any case, Kikuno had been insistent on collecting them herself; with the recent suspicions of Public Safety against the Kirijo Group, she hadn't wanted to risk anyone else being there to meet Mitsuru.
"Do you think Shirogane-san arrived safely as well?" Fuuka asked, breaking the gloomy silence that had settled on them. Once they had elected to travel by regular aeroplane, Mitsuru had of course offered to pay for Naoto's ticket as well, but though the young detective could have flown first class at no cost to herself, she had declined, insisting on making her own way to Port Island separately. Yukari wasn't sure whether it was just stubborn independence, or whether Naoto was trying to distance herself from the Kirijo Group now that they were under suspicion, especially since Naoto was technically supposed to be spying on them for Public Safety.
"I'm certain Shirogane is fine" Mitsuru said abruptly. "She knows what she's doing. What concerns me now is Akihiko and the others. I still can't get in touch with him. His unresponsiveness was understandable before, but now that he knows the situation, how can he so unprofessional?" Mitsuru shook her red curls in frustration.
"Yeah, I know what you mean" Yukari sympathised. "Stupei's not picking up either. I must have tried him at least three times since we got off the plane".
Fuuka giggled. "You know, I think you two need to remember than neither Junpei-kun nor Akihiko-senpai actually work for you, Mitsuru-senpai. At least, not in any official capacity".
"I suppose you're right" Mitsuru conceded. "It's just that he knows I rely on his support, especially at times like this. With Amada officially missing at this point, and given that the enemy has already managed to divide us, I was at least hoping we could consolidate the strength of the Shadow Operatives and reason out our next move".
Yukari laid a sympathetic hand on Mitsuru's shoulder. She knew Akihiko had been at Mitsuru's side, supporting her long before Yukari even knew Mitsuru, and his presence and strength were very valuable to her. He was one of the few people Mitsuru could really rely on, and he appeared to be avoiding contact. Yukari made a mental note to give Akihiko a piece of her mind next time she saw him.
"I'm worried about Aigis, too" Labrys said, sounding subdued. "I've been trying to reach her, but she won't answer. She's never ignored me like this before".
No one said anything. No one wanted to acknowledge the most obvious possible reason why their friends could no longer be contacted.
Eventually, they reached the safe house. According to Mitsuru, she had asked Akihiko and the others to lay low and wait for her here. Mitsuru opened the door. Kikuno drove off, as Mitsuru feared it would draw too much attention if the Shadow Operatives limousine was left parked in this area for any length of time.
"Well, at least it's nicer on the inside than it looked on the outside" Yukari commented.
"I'm sorry it's not ideal" Mitsuru said sincerely. "It pains me to see you all dragged back into this".
"Don't talk like that, Mitsuru-san. Me an' the others have always got your back" Labrys reassured her.
"Yeah, we're in this together" Yukari added. "I'm sorry, it's just been really weird over the past few days".
It didn't take long to establish that the safe house Mitsuru had prepared was empty.
"They were here, though" Fuuka said, pointing out some dirty laundry belonging to Junpei.
"Eww, gross Stupei" Yukari exclaimed, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"Well, at least we know Junpei was in the house" Mitsuru chuckled.
They soon found other signs that the safe house had recently been occupied by their friends. They found Junpei's baseball coach gear and Akihiko's protein shakes, as well as Koromaru's food bowl. They also discovered that the door to the armoury had been opened, and several items were missing.
"You don't think they could have gone to look for Ken without waiting for us, do you?" Fuuka asked with wide eyes.
"Why would they do that? I specifically ordered them to stay put until we arrived and could join forces with them" Mitsuru said angrily, worry and frustration warring on her features.
"Well, you know Akihiko-senpai can be a little headstrong sometimes" Yukari said soothingly. "He probably just wanted to get a head start on us, that's all. Aigis, Junpei and Koro-chan probably just went with it".
"Headstrong or not, I never thought he would go against my express wishes like this" Mitsuru replied. "Besides, we don't have any idea where Amada could be. Surely Akihiko realises the futility of searching for him blind".
"Yeah, we dunno where Ken-kun is" Labrys interjected in a grim tone, "but the bad guys probably do".
Everyone turned to face Labrys.
"You don't mean you think the enemy forced Akihiko-senpai and the others' hands by threatening Ken-kun in order to lure them out, do you?" Fuuka asked in a worried voice.
"I'm afraid Labrys is right" Mitsuru said glumly. "It's the only explanation that makes sense. The enemy took advantage of the fact that we were divided. This is my fault. I should never have taken half the team off to Inaba. I should have ensured we were all together before making any moves".
"That's not true, Mitsuru!" Yukari protested. "If we'd stayed put, Hanamura-kun would be dead now, and maybe some of our other friends in Inaba too. Besides, no one could have predicted all this crazy stuff would happen! C'mon, we just have to think. Hanamura-kun said they were sucked into the computer, right? Sort of like that TV world thing. Do you think maybe the same thing could have happened to Ken?"
"Of course! The computer!" Fuuka exclaimed. "There's one here, right Mitsuru-senpai?"
"Yes, I had one installed in case we needed to research information online" Mitsuru replied.
"I can probably check the records. If the url for Second World comes up, it's likely they logged into it from here".
"Is that safe Fuuka-san?" Labrys said dubiously. "The last thing we need is you getting' sucked in too".
"Don't worry Labrys, I'll be careful. I won't go to any of their actual sites, just check the search history. I should be fine".
"While you're doing that, I'll make some calls, see what I can find out from Kurosawa-san and local police authorities" Mitsuru said. "Though the higher ups in Public Safety are suspicious of us right now, we still hold some trust on the ground level, I believe".
Yukari sat on one of the sofas, facing a Labrys whose anxious and frustrated expression must be mirrored on her own features. A few minutes later, Fuuka returned from upstairs, and Mitsuru came back from the other room, her expression grave.
"There's no doubt Second World was accessed from this house's computer" Fuuka said. "Put together with the missing weapons from the armoury, and it seems almost certain Akihiko-senpai and the others have gone into the computer".
"That corresponds with what I've learned as well" Mitsuru began. "Apparently there was a break in at our old dormitory. Ken and a girl named Shizuka were held at gunpoint by unknown assailants, and they forced Ken to log into Second World, where he got sucked in, along with two of the three assailants".
"Oh no!" Fuuka exclaimed, her face pale. "That's terrible!"
"We know this because Shizuka, who was with Ken at the time, managed to escape and report it to the police. They found signs of the break in, but needless to say, they didn't believe her about Ken getting sucked into a computer". Mitsuru shook her head. "Apparently she refused to leave until they believed her and she got some satisfactory answers. Akihiko and Aigis managed to talk to her and learn what had happened to Ken. After our report on Hanamura's case, they would have taken her a great deal more seriously than the police, I don't doubt".
"So that pretty much settles it" Labrys said. "They've gone into the computer after Ken-kun".
"I still can't believe Akihiko would be so reckless as to ignore my direct instructions" Mitsuru said, brushing a stray lock of crimson hair aside in frustration as she spoke.
"Yeah- about that" Yukari broke in. "You don't think that maybe the bad guys are trying to manipulate Persona users into entering the computer world, do you?"
"An interesting theory, Yukari" Mitsuru said, fixing her gaze on Yukari. "What makes you think so?"
"Well, Akihiko-senpai and Aigis already fought them in the real world outside that Public Safety Building right? And they've got that box thingy that can create a micro Dark Hour anywhere and anytime they want now, don't they?"
She paused to check the others were following her. When Mitsuru nodded, she continued.
"So if all they wanted was to lure Akihiko-senpai and the others into a trap, why bother throwing Ken into the computer world? Why not just take him someplace in the real world, set up a mini Dark Hour and attack using their Personas? And if they're just trying to get rid of us, why capture Ken at all? Why not…" she swallowed before continuing, trying to repress the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Why not just kill him?"
"It's possible that they simply wish to avoid attention, and doing their dirty work inside the computer world is the easiest method" Mitsuru said thoughtfully. "However, I believe your theory holds some weight, Yukari. At the very least the enemy may have some advantage in the computer world that we don't know about. Since this is their creation, they have the home team advantage, after all".
"When we were fightin' that Hi-no-Kagutsuchi thing in the P1-Grand Prix last year, Sho wanted to carve off our Personas so he could awaken that thing" Labrys mused. "D'ya think maybe this is something similar? Like when a Persona user enters a computer world, they get strength sucked out of them or somethin'?"
"I think Labrys-chan might be right" Fuuka said slowly. "Remember when we were in that alternate Inaba? The place seemed to have a big effect on Hanamura-san, and to a lesser extent Satonaka-san and Amagi-san as well. Hanamura-san in particular seemed weak, and like he couldn't manifest his Persona properly somehow".
"As loathe as I am to admit it, you might very well be right" Mitsuru said, grimacing. "But if that's the case, this situation is even more of a nightmare than I first thought! We can't rescue our comrades unless we enter the computer world, but if we do, we could be playing right into the enemy's hands!"
There was a moment of gloomy silence as that thought sunk in. A palpable despair set in over them as each of the girls struggled with her own thoughts, desperately trying to think of a way around the issue. It was Yukari who broke the silence first, an idea coming to her like a sudden lightbulb going off inside her head.
"Wait, if any Persona user who enters the computer world is affected by it, how come we were okay? Only the guys from Inaba were affected by it, remember?"
"Well, it's certainly true that the other world we encountered seemed to have little to do with us" Mitsuru admitted. "And Hanamura was the one most badly affected".
"Do you think maybe it's because we went through that Palace of Fate place?" Yukari pressed. "I mean, think about it. We didn't reach that other world by going into the computer. We didn't play by their rules. That has to mean something, right?"
"Oh yeah, that's right. Way to go, Yukari-chan!" Labrys congratulated her.
"But this is all just speculation" Mitsuru protested. "We don't know any of this for certain yet. Besides, one of us was badly affected by all this. You were so exhausted you passed out, Yukari. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
Yukari looked down at her feet, feeling guilty. She had forgotten about that in the heat of the moment, and besides, she was worried about the effect her newfound powers might be having on her.
"I'm sorry" Mitsuru told her in a sincere voice. "You're making a lot of sense, and I'm not helping. If only we had some concrete answers, I would know how to proceed". Mitsuru sighed. "I'm going to the Kirijo Group. I've got a lot to sort out. You three should rest until we've determined our course of action. I'll let you know as soon as I have something".
Yukari's mind whirled. She was sure she was right, but could she just be being manipulated, too? What of those supernatural dressmakers, the ones who had given Yukari her powers? Could they be trusted, or were they just using her? How could they rescue Akihiko and the others? Was it safe to use the Palace of Fate? She needed answers. Tomorrow, she was going back to that shop and she was going to get them.
BREAK
Upon her arrival in Port Island, Naoto wasted no time in contacting Hisagi-san. Having spoken to her friends in Inaba and gained a clearer picture of what was going on, she had no time to waste. She was to meet Hisagi at the local police station in Paulownia Mall, where he would provide her with a copy of the security footage taken during the attack on the Public Safety facility. As she was cooperating with local law enforcement on the case, she would be given the opportunity to review the footage and make her own deductions.
It occurred to her that it was somewhat unusual for Hisagi to come out here in person, and while she had her own theory as to why that was the case, it would be best to ask him directly. As she made her way through the mall, Naoto couldn't help noticing the tense, nervous atmosphere of the place. The two housewives standing by the central fountain were gossiping in hushed tones, shooting nervous glances around them as they spoke. She saw a young man run out of Arcade Panic, keeping his head down and refusing to make eye contact with anyone as he darted by. A couple walking out of Be Blue Ve walked in single file, the man walking protectively in front of his partner as they made their way through the crowd.
Unconsciously pulling the brim of her cap further down to shield her face and hoping to avoid attention, Naoto thought back to the few previous times she'd been here. Paulownia Mall was always lively, but it was never like this. She wondered if this aura of fear was the same as the one Mitsuru and the Shadow Operatives had experienced during the incidents four years ago.
At last she reached the police station. A young officer was standing behind the front desk. She pulled out her identification and showed it to him.
"Detective Naoto Shirogane, here to see Officer Hisagi. I am cooperating with the police as part of an ongoing investigation. Is Officer Hisagi here?"
The young man scrutinized Naoto's credentials very carefully, no doubt suspicious because of her age. That happened less often than it used to, but still far more often than not. Naoto didn't let it bother her like it used to; she was over that. At last, the young officer seemed satisfied.
"I'll let them know you're here, Detective Shirogane" he said, reaching for the phone on the desk as he spoke.
A few minutes later Hisagi himself appeared. He looked much the way Naoto remembered him; tall, sharply dressed, with black hair and a neatly trimmed black beard. His style was impeccable, and, as always, he had a shrewd look in his dark eyes.
"This is a most unexpected surprise, Hisagi-san" Naoto began smoothly. "I had not expected to see you here in person".
"Never mind the pleasantries, Shirogane" he said in a tone that was direct and business-like, but not disrespectful or unfriendly. "I imagine you already know why I came out here. The boys upstairs are already all but convinced Kirijo-san is behind all this. I had to get out from under their noses and find my own answers, so I pulled some strings and came out here".
"I must confess I suspected as much, but preferred not to make any assumptions" Naoto admitted. "Well, as you have already stated, time is of the essence. Shall we review the security footage and discuss what conclusions we can draw from it?"
Hisagi gestured for him to follow her and led her deeper into the police station. Inside, she saw the familiar scene of uniformed officers sitting at their desks, monitors and stacks of paperwork in front of them. It was the typical buzz of a busy office, with phones ringing and dozens of conversations all happening at once. Without much of a precedent to go on, Naoto couldn't say how much busier it was compared to normal, but it was clear that the recent strange occurrences were having a negative effect on the city.
After flashing his badge a few times and explaining their purpose to the Captain, they were finally shown into a secluded booth with a computer on which to watch the footage. Hisagi produced a data disk from within his neat, black briefcase and inserted it into the machine.
"This was taken on the security cameras installed in the front reception area of the attacked building" Hisagi explained. Naoto nodded and watched the video, making a careful mental note of the timestamp. She watched as the glass doors to the building were blasted inwards in a shower of glass, and a black figure dashed in at incredible speed, mercilessly shooting the receptionist in the head, then turning her fire on the others in the room without a pause.
Naoto sucked in her breath sharply. Though her body and hair were black, in sharp contrast to the white and silver of Aigis and Labrys, there was no denying the similarity this mechanical murderer bore to Naoto's two friends. Those mechanical joints, the fingers that opened up into gun barrels, the inhuman strength and speed; they all pointed to a single, undeniable truth.
As she watched, Naoto saw the mechanical girl pause as her comrades poured into the room, and Naoto was able to get a good look at her features. Her face was very human and quite attractive; it was a face that Noto couldn't help feeling was meant to bear a gentler, kinder expression than the murderous glee it wore now. As the others entered the room, brandishing their weapons, Naoto's attention was immediately drawn to two others: a tall, dark-skinned man, who looked to be a foreigner, and a girl only a few years older than Naoto herself, with a slender build and two long pigtails that reached down her back.
The two stood out for two reasons: first, they were the only ones other than the robot who were not wearing masks. The other reason was their commanding presence. The man in particular appeared to be their leader, and the otherwise savage machine deferred to him to an extent. Naoto wrinkled her brow in disgust, but gave no other outward signs of discomfort as Hisagi fiddled with the computer, and she was made to watch them slaughter their way down to the vault.
What disturbed her was not the carnage itself; at least, not just that. It was the almost supernatural way the three enemies tore through their opponents. It was as if they could somehow predict everything that was going to happen in the battle; every last attempt to surprise them or turn the tide against them failed. After the three broke into the vault, the footage abruptly ended as the cameras failed. Naoto turned to face Hisagi, her expression grave.
"There's no doubt that this robot is one of the same ones that work for Kirijo" Hisagi began. "She's basically a huge part of the reason we're so suspicious of Kirijo right now".
"Yet this in itself is suspicious" Noato countered. "Those two who appeared to be leading the battle alongside her were not wearing masks. In addition, not only did they make no attempt to disable the surveillance system, the robot girl practically paused to smile for the camera. They wanted to be seen".
"I agree" Hisagi replied. "I think someone is trying to set Kirijo-san up, but I can't figure out who else could have the resources to make a humanoid machine like that. Those reports we got from Kirijo indicated that some kind of special artefact linked to the Dark Hour was installed in them. Who else could get a hold of those?"
"Alas, we lack the means to solve that particular mystery, for now. Do you have any information on the other two?"
"On the foreign man, we've got nothing" Hisagi replied. "We've made contact with the authorities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, but they've got nothing on him either. No images, no prints, nothing. The man's a ghost. Still, disappearing isn't cheap or easy these days. Whoever's behind these guys, they've got money, and power".
"What about the female?" Naoto pressed.
"Ah, I can tell you about her, at least". Hisagi dug around in his case and brought out a file, which he opened and spread on the desk in front of them. It contained pictures of the twin-tailed woman, along with several other photographs of what looked like Japanese gang members.
"Misaki Arisawa, former Yakuza princess, daughter of major gang boss Hayate Arisawa. She supposedly disappeared a couple of years ago after a major shoot-out between her father's gang and a rival faction. There are rumours she was supposed to marry the son of the rival gang's boss, but rebelled and instigated a bloody feud that decimated both gangs. Her father died in the fighting, but her body was never recovered. It was assumed she'd been killed- until now". Hisagi shook his head. "What gets me is that they must have known we'd recognise her. Why didn't she at least wear a mask like her underlings?"
"They're taunting us" Naoto replied grimly. "They wanted to be seen, but they're also letting us know they don't think we can stop them. They know the regular police are helpless in supernatural cases that deal with Shadows".
"Even so, now that they've shown their faces, every police officer in the country will be looking for them" Hisagi retorted. "They won't be able to so much as sneak out for a bowl of ramen without risk of getting arrested. Most criminals want to get rich doing dirty, illegal things so they can live the high life. What's the point in exposing themselves this way, especially when it would have been so easy to hide their identities?"
"I'm afraid it would be remiss of you to judge them as you would normal criminals, Hisagi-san. As for the rest of what you said, it only makes their brazenness even more worrisome for me".
"What do you mean?" Hisagi asked sharply, planting his hands firmly on the desk as he spoke.
"Perhaps the reason they aren't concerned with the police, or with their position in society, is because they don't expect either of those things to still exist in the near future" Naoto said quietly.
Hisagi stopped and leaned back, his face draining of colour. "Is this really that serious?" he asked softly.
"I won't lie to you, it may be" Naoto replied, looking him straight in the eyes. "People don't realise it, but the world as we know it has faced annihilation more than once in recent history".
Hisagi swallowed. Where others wouldn't take Naoto seriously, would dismiss her as a childish doomsayer, he was different. He had seen.
"Please tell me you have some idea who's behind this" Hisagi almost pleaded.
"Actually, I am nearly convinced that the Hephaestus Corporation, an American giant headed by billionaire Alistair Fox is ultimately behind all of this, including the funding of our 'friends" Noato told him. "The issue is proving it, as well as locating and shutting down their Japanese base of operations. There's also the matter of the black robot. No matter how advanced their technology, they shouldn't have been able to make a true Artificial Intelligence like that without a 'Plume of Dusk', which no one outside of Kirijo should have access to".
"Hence our problem" Hisagi grumbled. "When you put it like that, it really looks like Kirijo is at least cooperating with them, even if they aren't solely responsible for everything".
"Not necessarily" Naoto replied. "You already checked, and could find nothing implicating Kirijo in any concrete way, correct?" When Hisagi nodded curtly, Naoto continued. "The Kirijo Group was originally part of another large corporate entity, the Nanjo Group. The files on the Dark Hour and related phenomena seemed to suggest that the existence of Shadows pre-dated the experiments of Ergo Research and the creation of Tartarus".
Hisagi nodded. "So you're saying they could have something to do with this?"
"At the very least, I think it's a possibility that needs to be explored" Noato replied. "I intend to meet with the current head of the Nanjo Group, Kei Nanjo. I would like to request a copy of the security footage we just watched, along with permission to peruse the contents of the files on Arisawa and anything else you have".
"I'll make it happen" Hisagi assured her. "Just, please, get to the bottom of this. We're counting on you".
"Believe me, I intend to, Hisagi-san" she said, showing him her determined gaze. "I intend to do just that".
BREAK
Yukari hadn't slept well. Mitsuru hadn't returned last night; the Group was apparently in chaos, and there had been huge pressure from Public Safety to explain her recent movements. Ultimately, she had been unable to get away, though Yukari could tell how tortured her friend was that she was being distracted by such things when her other friends were likely in danger. Yukari was able to take some small comfort from the fact she hadn't yet had a vision showing Akihiko, Junpei and Koromaru in danger, but she was ever more aware of that tension in the back of her mind, reminding her that Ken's time was running out. She felt it much more keenly now than when she'd first had it, and it terrified her.
The problem was that they were paralyzed. They wanted to rescue their friends, but couldn't risk just jumping into the computer as they had done in case they were playing into their enemies' hands. After all, if they got caught as well, who would be left to rescue all of them? Their comrades in Inaba had their own problems to deal with.
"It's all my fault!" Fuuka had declared mournfully the previous evening. "Juno's power is useless when it comes to the kind of information we need now. This is my only power; I can't fight like Rise-chan can now, but…"
Fuuka had looked like she was about to cry. Yukari and Labrys had done their best to comfort her, but it was an undeniable fact Fuuka's scanning power couldn't help them this time. Still, Yukari couldn't accept just waiting around for Ken to die. We need answers, and I'm going to get them, she thought, a fierce determination burning in her heart. Mitsuru promised to be back by this afternoon; she had until then. She gathered her things and headed for the front door.
"Hey Yukari-chan, where are ya goin'?" Labrys queried.
"I'm going back to that weird dressmakers to get some answers. This whole mess started when I went into that shop. That's when I started getting these visions, not to mention how that furisode they gave me just appeared on me in the middle of a battle. They have to know something about what's going on, and I'm not leaving until they tell me".
"Then can I come with ya?" Labrys asked earnestly. "We dunno if we can trust these guys, right? You guys gave me a place to stay when I was all alone. Just knowin' my friends are out there in danger is tearin' me up inside. I don't want ya' goin' there alone. I can't stand the thought of somethin' happenin' to someone else precious to me".
Labrys gazed down at the ground, her crimson eyes filled with sorrow and fear. Yukari could feel for the first time that as hard as this was for her, Fuuka and Mitsuru, it was even worse for Labrys. She had been all alone, tortured and mistreated by those who gave birth to her. The Shadow Operatives and their Inaba counterparts were the only friends Labrys had, and might be the only friends she would ever have. Labrys almost seemed to radiate a strong desire to protect Yukari.
"Sure Labrys. I'd feel more at ease knowing you're around" Yukari told her. Labrys beamed and went to fetch the clothes she wore to hide her mechanical nature from the outside world. Just then, Yukari heard a sound like shattering glass, and a powerful female voice spoke clearly into her mind.
Thou art I, and I am thou.
Thou hast established a new bond. It shall aid thee in severing the chains of fate. Through the power of the Labrys bond, thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Sun Arcana.
As Yukari shook her head to clear the voice out of her mind, she felt that same sensation of warmth and strength she'd felt back in Inaba.
Labrys returned a few moments later, wearing her Yasogami High uniform. She had taken it with her, and obviously treasured it, but Yukari felt compelled to ask:
"Hey, Labrys, I don't mean to be rude, but are those the only clothes you own? It's just that, well, you've been wearing the same thing every time I've seen you in clothes".
"Uh, well, I don't really need clothes back at the labs" Labrys replied in a small voice. "See, everyone knows I'm a machine there already. I guess I coulda asked Mitsuru-san for some more outfits but…I dunno, this is the only one that really feels like it's mine". She shrugged.
Yukari understood. As a fashion fan, she knew even better than most people that the clothes you wore were a part of your identity. Labrys had gotten that uniform from her friends in Inaba. It was a representation of the fact they accepted her, and she could now have a life that at least somewhat resembled the one she'd crafted for herself inside the TV world, where she'd worn an outfit just like that.
"Don't get me wrong, it looks good on you" she told Labrys with a smile, "but a girl needs more than one set of clothes, y'know? We have got to get you some new threads. Once all this is over, why don't we go shopping, just the two of us? They say shopping is a great way for us girls to bond, after all".
"D'ya really mean it, Yukari-san? I mean, I'd love to!" Labrys said shyly.
"It's a promise" Yukari replied firmly. "But right now we need to find out how to rescue Aigis and the boys".
They had to take a taxi into the city centre, since Labrys couldn't drive, and though Yukari had her license, her car was sitting at home. Traffic was rough, as it was still morning, and when the two of them finally reached the Iwatodai strip mall, Yukari was glad to get out and stretch her legs. As they walked along, bypassing Wild Duck Burger and Hagakure, Yukari caught sight of a young woman, sitting alone on one of the benches. As if she could feel Yukari's gaze, the young woman lifted her head and met Yukari's stare directly.
Yukari almost gasped. The young woman's eyes were a startling red, almost the same shade as Labrys'. She appeared to be around Yukari's own age, with reddish-brown hair a shade lighter than Mitsuru's, which came down to the base of her neck. She was very pretty, and the cute yellow top and mini-dress she was wearing over dark, thigh-high leggings complimented her figure nicely. Though she was certain she'd never seen the girl before, Yukari felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if the girl was some long-lost acquaintance.
The girl stared at Yukari for a long time, making Yukari nervous. She could feel Labrys' reassuring hand on her shoulder. The stare was not overtly hostile or malevolent; rather, it seemed as if the girl was struggling with herself, trying to make up her mind. Seeming to reach a conclusion at last, the girl got up and slowly made her way towards Yukari and Labrys.
Feeling Labrys tense up next to her, Yukari turned to her and shook her head. Though Labrys was obviously unable to take her great axe out into the city, Yukari knew Labrys was still a force to be reckoned with, even without it, yet she sensed no hostility from the strange girl. The stranger waited until she was only about a metre away from Yukari before speaking.
"Excuse me" she said politely, "I know this is kind of a strange thing to ask, but do you live here, in this city?"
"Well yeah" Yukari replied. "My friend here's kinda from outta town, though" she added, indicating Labrys, who was still watching the newcomer suspiciously.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you out of the blue like this" she told them, sounding oddly hesitant. "It's just that…well, I used to live in Port Island myself, a long time ago, and you remind me of a friend I used to have here".
"Oh, really?" Yukari responded in a friendly tone. "So where do you live now?"
"I…just kind of move around a lot" the girl said, fidgeting. She seemed to be working up the resolve to say something, but what she said next took Yukari completely by surprise.
"When I used to live here, I had a dear friend. His name was Shinjiro Aragaki. Certain circumstances caused me to lose touch with him, but he is still very important to me. I can't seem to find a way to get back in contact with him. I worry that something's happened to him".
Yukari's mind raced. She couldn't recall Shinjiro-senpai ever mentioning a girl like this, nor could she recall Akihiko-senpai or Mitsuru ever saying anything about her either. Still, Shinjiro had always had his secrets, and she knew that there had been stretches of time when Shinjiro and Akihiko hadn't seen each other, despite their strong friendship. It was quite possible that in between the tragedy that had ultimately sealed his fate and his decision to re-join SEES, he could have met this girl. Maybe she was even a secret childhood sweetheart of Shinjiro's- she certainly spoke of him in a wistful tone.
Still, she couldn't be too careful, not in times like these. She decided to test the stranger to see if she really had known Shinjiro.
"So, what was Shinjiro-san like?" she asked carefully. "What were his hobbies?"
Labrys shot her a quizzical glance, but Yukari just gave her a small nod as if to say 'roll with it'.
"Shinji always looked intimidating on the outside" the girl said with a fond smile, "and he was always strong and tough. Inside, though, he was really kind and gentle. He always stood up for the weak and vulnerable, and he really loved cooking. He was a little bit rough around the edges, and he didn't mince his words, but he was a really great guy".
"Yeah, he was" Yukari said gloomily. Between what she'd said, and the expression on her face and her overall body language, it looked like the girl really had known Shinjiro-senpai and cared for him.
"Look, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Shinjiro-senpai- I mean, Aragaki-san- died about four years ago, now" she told the red-eyed girl.
A look of anguish passed over the girl's face, but she did not look surprised. "I should have known" she whispered. "I hoped it would be different, but I guess that was just wishful thinking".
"Um, sorry to butt in here an' all, but are you okay?" Labrys broke in.
"Oh, I'm sorry" the girl said sadly. "It's just…I know I haven't seen him in a long time, but Shinji was really special to me. Even though I suspected it, I didn't want to believe he was gone".
"Well, I can empathise with that, at least" Yukari replied, remembering the painful days after they'd lost Shinjiro, when she'd been unable to even summon up the will to study for her exams. It made her realise just how strong Akihiko was; he'd just kept right on going, even though he was the closest to Shinjiro out of all of them.
"I'm sorry about your loss" Labrys told the girl sincerely. "I never got the chance to know Shinjiro-san, but he sounded like a really great guy. Since you and Yukari-san have somethin' in common, maybe we can be friends? My name's Labrys" she finished, bowing toward the girl.
"My name is Saya" the girl replied, returning the bow with a faint smile on her lips. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Labrys-san".
"I'm Yukari. I hope we get along well" Yukari told her, feeling she'd better introduce herself as well. Oddly, that sense of familiarity had only increased as she'd spoken to Saya, who suddenly burst into a dry chuckle.
"Hey, what's so funny?" Yukari demanded.
"Forgive me. I wasn't laughing at you" Saya said, once gain all solemnity. "I was just thinking about the nature of friendship and human bonds. As a species, we are social creatures who can't live alone, so we count on our bonds, building our lives around them like a man building his house on a sturdy rock. Yet bonds aren't sturdy at all, and are subject to the whims of fate. Rather than a sturdy foundation of rock, they are like shifting quicksand, and collapse like a poorly built shelter in an earthquake whenever a storm hits".
"Oookay" Yukari said, exchanging a 'this girl is nuts' look with Labrys. Seeing their expressions, Saya made a visible effort to lighten up, putting on a cheerful, winsome smile that Yukari thought might have once been her natural expression.
"I'm sorry, I'm just in a funny mood today" she told them. "It would be an honour to be your friend, Yukari-san, Labrys-san".
Just then, Yukari once again heard the sound of glass shattering inside her mind, and the female voice that had spoken inside her mind earlier that same morning once again invaded her thoughts:
Thou art I, and I am thou.
Thou hast established a new bond. It shall aid thee in severing the chains of fate. Through the power of the crimson-eyed girl bond, thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Tower Arcana.
Yukari hugged herself, remembering Igor's words about how bonds with people were the source of power for a Wild Card user. Was this how it was for Minato, too? She supposed it must have been. It occurred to her how they'd always just taken his ability to carry multiple Personas and switch between them at will for granted. Even when Aigis had inherited his power in the Abyss of Time, and Yukari and the others had actually visited the Velvet Room, they still hadn't really tried to figure out how the power had worked. Did my feelings for him give him new powers, too?
"Hey Yukari-san, ya look a little out of it there" Labrys said in a concerned voice, bringing Yukari out of her own thoughts and back to the real world.
"Oh, sorry, I was just spacing out" she said sheepishly. The three of them talked for a little while longer, but Yukari was conscious of her need to re-visit Akane's shop, besides which Saya herself seemed to have somewhere to be. Bidding farewell to their newfound friend, Yukari and Labrys approached Akane's shop.
It was just as she remembered it, with the quaint and old-fashioned but fancy façade and the elegant clothes displayed in the windows. She turned to look at Labrys and was relieved to find her friend was able to see the shop too. With Labrys right behind her, Yukari strode up to the door and boldly pulled it open, stepping firmly over the threshold.
The inside of the shop was much as Yukari remembered it, save one major difference; the shelves and racks displaying the regular outfits had been pushed back, and in the middle of the floor was a single, large circular clothing rack on which hung what Yukari could only describe as cosplay outfits. It wasn't that they looked cheap or fake; that regal western dress was clearly made of real silk and looked stunning enough to shame the ancient queens of Europe, whereas that set of knight armour looked like it was made of real metal so finely wrought and polished that it gleamed even in the dull light seeping in through the windows.
No, it was just that the costumes on display were so utterly fantastic that despite their incredible design, Yukari couldn't think of any everyday situation in which anyone would wear one of them. That wasn't what concerned Yukari at that point, however. All three sisters were lined up, waiting for them.
"You have returned" Suzume said drily, in a tone that all but added 'as I knew you would'. This time, Suzume was wearing a sumptuous, high-necked gown of blue silk slashed with cream. Haruka was wearing green, and Akane a striking red that matched her name. Yukari strode forward and positioned herself in front of the sisters, Labrys at her side.
"All right" she addressed them. "I know you three aren't normal humans, and I know that you did something to me last time I was here. I saw a vision of one of my friends dying, and I keep getting visions of my other friends in danger. You'd better have a good explanation for all this, because we're not leaving until we get some answers".
"If you've got anything to do with what almost happened to Youske-kun, and what's goin' on now with our other friends, you won't get away with it" Labrys added in a threatening tone.
"Yukari-san, please believe me when I say that we truly want to help you" Haruka said calmly, a kind expression on her plump, motherly features.
"It is as you suspect, Yukari-san. We are beings similar to those you call residents of the Velvet Room" Akane told them in a matter of fact tone. "I'm afraid we cannot tell you more than that regarding our own identities, at least not yet. The time has not yet come".
"Then how am I supposed to trust you?" Yukari shouted at them. "I come in here and you give me these crazy visions, and my friends end up in danger. How do I know you aren't the ones behind everything, and I'm just caught up in your sadistic game?"
"Yeah, Yu-kun thinks that might be the case, and I'd believe him any day before I'd believe you" Labrys said menacingly.
"Do not be foolish" Suzume said in a cold voice. "You have a mortal enemy in this world, and it is they who are the source of your misfortunes. All we did was provide you with a means of countering this enemy, specifically in the form of your 'visions', as well as the special furisode my sisters gave you. Without those gifts, your 'friend' would be dead now, and it wouldn't have anything to do with us".
"What did you say?" Yukari said angrily, taking a step towards the sisters before stopping herself. "Oh great, now I sound like Akihiko-senpai. But seriously, how can you expect us to believe you're not involved?"
"While I do not approve of her rudeness" Akane said coolly, shooting a glare at Suzume, "my sister is correct, Yukari-san. Even though our side of existence contains beings of immense power, they cannot do anything without the cooperation of people here in the physical world. If you wish to rescue the fate of both your friends and this world, you must confront these mortal foes. My sisters and I truly wish for your success".
"But how're we supposed to save our friends? Do you guys really not know anything about the other worlds?" Labrys queried in frustration.
"What about that Palace of Fate place?" Yukari asked. "I was the only one who could get us into and out of that place when we went to save Hanamura-kun before. I know it's got something to do with you guys and those visions I keep having".
It was Haruka who answered Yukari first. "Yukari-san, it is difficult to explain the Palace of Fate adequately. Do you know what makes human beings special? What sets them apart from other living beings in this world?"
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
"I don't get it either" Labrys put in.
"Human beings are the only species that understands the concepts of Time and Fate" Akane explained, taking over from Haruka. "Unlike other animals, humans are capable of perceiving how the world, including themselves and those around them, change over time. They can imagine how they will look when they are older, and remember how they were when they were younger. They are rational beings who try to understand the world around them, and impose an order of their own devising upon the Chaos of creation".
"Furthermore" Suzume cut in, "they are capable of making decisions. They take stock of their situation, weigh options, predict possible futures and try to take the best possible course of action to realise their desires. They are also capable of imagining what might have happened if they had made different decisions, or if their lives had taken different paths".
"But what's that got to do with anything? Anyone could tell you that" Yukari retorted.
"It has everything to do with everything, Yukari-san" Haruka said sadly. "Because of these abilities, granted by the Mother, humans possess something called 'Alaya Energy'. It is the essence of consciousness itself, and it is a source of tremendous power to those who dwell on this side. Beings such as Izanami and Hi-no-Kagutsuchi manifest their wills in this world by feeding off this Alaya Energy, which is why they usually embody a particular philosophy or set of beliefs, and are vulnerable to those possessing an opposing ideology".
"I still don't really get it" Labrys complained, though Yukari herself was beginning to feel she understood.
"Let me put it in simple terms for you" Suzume said dryly. "Let's suppose that tomorrow, someone introduced a 'Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster'. The idea is ludicrous, is it not? But what if enough people really believed it? What if every person on Earth took it seriously, raised their children to believe it, diverted resources and time away from other things to build churches to the Monster? What if humanity banded together to invest in space travel so they could spread the word of the Spaghetti Monster to other worlds? It would completely change the course of your world, wouldn't it?"
"But it wouldn't just change your world" Haruka interjected. "So much Alaya Energy focused on a single ideal would have an even more profound effect on the other side. It could even cause a real Flying Spaghetti Monster to come into being, and it would have both immense power and a personality that reflected that of its believers".
"This is all so hard to believe" Yukari said. "It's just too much to take in".
"You have already seen proof of the truth of our words" Akane replied. "The phenomena you called the 'Dark Hour' and the 'Midnight Channel' directly relate to Alaya Energy".
"Your enemies seek to collect Alaya Energy for their own goals" Haruka added. "The thing they called 'Second World' is actually a way to drain Alaya Energy out of people, by causing them to abandon reality and devote their consciousness to an alternate reality that fulfils a deep desire of theirs, which was denied to them by fate".
"So does that mean Akihiko-san an' them really were manipulated into goin' into the computer?" Labrys wondered aloud.
"Persona users possess a great deal of Alaya Energy, far more than a normal person" Akane said gravely. "It is this added awareness that gives them the mental strength necessary to evoke a Persona. If someone wanted to collect Alaya Energy, it would be most efficient for them to manipulate Persona users into a position where they must surrender that energy."
"That's what Sho-kun was tryin' to do last year, when he made us fight our fakes so he could carve off our Personas!" Labrys exclaimed as the realisation dawned on her.
Akane nodded. "Indeed. Though what is taking place this time far exceeds the scale of what he was trying to accomplish".
"Damn it!" Yukari swore. "Is there really no way to rescue our friends without giving the bad guys exactly what they want?"
"All hope is not lost, Yukari-san. You asked me about the Palace of Fate, remember? It is a place only you can access, you and whoever you choose to bring with you. It exists outside of the bounds of time and fate, connecting to all possibilities and none at the same time. If you enter the enemy's domain through the Palace of Fate, your Alaya Energy will not be drawn from you, and you will not affect the alternate world you visit".
"We will allow you to access the Palace of Fate from our shop" Akane told her. "It is the only safe way to rescue your friends and avert the calamity that awaits your world".
Yukari gazed at each of the three of them, gauging them. Though they were clearly not what they appeared to be, Yukari could nonetheless sense Haruka's warmth, Akane's quiet sincerity, and even cold Suzume's will for her to succeed. Besides, it was true that those visions and that furisode had really saved them in the alternate Inaba.
"Thank you" she told them sincerely. "I still don't know if I can completely trust you, but I really appreciate the help you're giving us. My friends mean the world to me".
"It's our pleasure, Yukari-san" Haruka said with a smile.
Once again, Yukari heard the sound of shattering glass, and the now familiar voice rang inside her mind:
Thou art I, and I am thou.
Thou hast established a new bond. It shall aid thee in severing the chains of fate. Through the power of the Mysterious Sisters bond, thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Fortune Arcana.
"Before you go, Yukari-san, we have some new outfits for you" Haruka said brightly, gesturing at the rack in the centre of the room. Any other time, Yukari would have protested wearing such outrageous outfits, but she couldn't deny the power of the furisode, and she needed every advantage she could get. She ended up acquiring the regal dress and suit of armour she'd spotted earlier, along with a black suit that looked like a villainous form of her Phoenix Ranger stage uniform and a slick kunoichi outfit which Yukari secretly thought was rather cool. Each costume glowed and disappeared as she touched it. There was really no need for me to carry the kimono, she thought. They were just trying not to freak me out too much.
"You will be able to summon these costumes and switch them at will in battle" Akane told her, "but they will only enhance your abilities if they match the Arcana of your currently equipped Persona. This is important, so remember it!"
Yukari thanked the sisters and turned to Labrys. "C'mon Labrys, let's get back to Mitsuru-senpai and Fuuka. It's time for us to rescue our friends!"
With those words, the two left the store, already preparing to face the dangers of an unknown world.