A/N: Sorry for the wait guys, but here it is! With fall break just about here, and things winding down, hopefully I'll be able to put out another chapter by the end of the week! Hope you guys enjoy and please review and comment, I'm always listening for anything I can improve on.
The Investigation Team waited anxiously outside at the corner of the school gates, awaiting their quarry's exit with anticipation.
"Target still inside the compound," Yosuke whispered, relaying the information like a mission operator. "Last known whereabouts: Men's room, last seen fixing his hair." Spying Kanji exiting the building, he continued excitedly, "Visual contact established, awaiting further action."
Chie spied the tall, imposing figure exiting the building. Kanji approached the school gates apprehensively, his body language broadcasting his nervousness. Stepping outside the gate, he fidgeted nervously. Chie strained to hear as Kanji muttered something under his breath, though she was able to make out the underclassmen saying something about keeping calm. Chie knitted her eyebrows together, Maybe the killer has somehow contacted him, she pondered.
Kanji suddenly stiffened, clearly having spotted someone. Sure enough, a boy was approaching. Huh, never seen him around before, Chie mused, examining the newcomer's appearance. The boy was dressed smartly, wearing blue formal wear along with a white dress shirt, coupled with a matching blue cap.
"I apologize for my tardiness," The boy began, "I hope I did not keep you waiting long."
"N-no, s'fine, wasn't waitin' too long," Kanji replied, stumbling over his words awkwardly.
"Very good. Shall we?" The boy asked.
Kanji nodded sharply, stuffing his hands in his pocked as he ambled alongside his compatriot.
"Hmm…" Yosuke mused. "Never seen that kid around before… Well, we should split up from here so we can cover more ground, have one group go to the textile place and another follow them." Yosuke suddenly grinned mischievously, obviously having hatched another of his brilliant schemes. "How about Yukiko and I tail Kanji, while partner and Chie ask around at the shop."
"No way!" Chie protested. "I don't mind working with Yu-kun, but I wouldn't trust you to be with Yukiko alone for a minute!" Dragging Yosuke along with her she continued, "C'mon we don't wanna lose them!" After putting some distance between their friends she scolded Yosuke. "I don't know what you were trying to pull back there, trying to get Yukiko alone so you could put the moves on her," She muttered in disgust.
"On the contrary," Yosuke began, "I thought you might want to spend some quality time with our fearless leader. Though now that you mention it…"
"I don't want to hear it!" Chie cut in silencing Yosuke before he could delve further. "Come on let's find a good spot for our stakeout."
Selecting a tree along the path that ran parallel to the Samegawa, the two waited anxiously for their target to appear.
"Wonder what partner's up to, he does have Yukiko all to himself now…"
Chie rolled her eyes at what Yosuke was suggesting, "He's not like you ya know."
"I dunno," Yosuke replied, "For all we know he could be moving in on her as we speak."
"Wait," Chie replied, doubt coming over her, "Does he like her or something?" Given that Yosuke was Yu's closes male companion, he did seem like the prime confidante in such matters.
Seeing the hole he had accidently dug himself in, Yosuke quickly attempted some damage control. "Well… uh… it's not like we've had time to talk about stuff like that, what with the case going on and stuff," He answered lamely.
Chie however, saw straight through Yosuke's thinly veiled attempt at misdirection. Narrowing her eyes she pressed on, "So you do know something! Come on spill it!"
Yosuke, clearly becoming unsettled by Chie's piercing glare, began to search for any way he could extract himself from his current situation. Coincidentally, two easily recognizable figures were approaching in the distance. "Look! They're heading this way!" Regaining his composure he continued, "Alright," He said, "Just act natural… like we're on a date or something…"
"What!" Chie shrieked, "No way!"
"Shut up!" Yosuke whispered harshly. "They're coming closer!"
As the figures came nearer, Chie whispered, "Man something seems weird about those two…"
Yosuke looked toward her, puzzled, "Just two dudes hanging out with each other, no big deal."
"I dunno," Chie replied, not quite understanding the strange gut feeling herself. "Something just seems a little strange…"
"Hey, whas the big deal," A deep voice asked suddenly.
"Now look what you've done! They must've heard you," Yosuke whispered angrily. Turning to face the owner of the voice, none other than Kanji himself, Yosuke awkwardly replied, "Uh, nothing going on here! Don't mind us, we're just two lovebirds hanging out by the river bank!"
"As if!" Chie protested.
"Play along idiot!" Yosuke whispered under his breath.
Picking up on their ulterior motives Kanji pressed on angrily, "Were you two spying on us or something?"
"What!?" Chie blurted, "O-of course not! There's nothing, err, strange, about you guys or anything!"
"Strange?" Kanji repeated, outrage creeping into his voice. Cracking his knuckles he continued "You callin' me strange?"
"Oh you've done it now!" Yosuke said, clearly fear stricken at Kanji's impending fury. "Come on let's get outta here!"
Chie nodded in agreement, quickly fleeing the area along with Yosuke.
"Hey, hold up! There ain't nothin' strange goin' on here!"
Yosuke and Chie continued to run weaving their way through the neighborhoods of Inaba in an attempt to lose their pursuer, whose distant protests and curses spurred them forward. After several minutes, they appeared to escape the wrath of Kanji.
"Think… we… lost him," Yosuke said, breathing heavily from exertion. "Man, hopefully Yukiko and partner had more luck than us…"
After making their way to the shopping district, they found Yukiko and Yu exiting the textile shop, the former thanking Tatsumi-san for the help. Upon seeing them they started making their way towards Chie and Yosuke. Observing their ragged breathing Yu raised an eyebrow and asked, "How'd things go on your end?"
"Erm, not so good, we barely escaped with our lives," Yosuke replied, looking defeated. Shifting his gaze to Chie he continued bitterly, "No thanks to big mouth here… Just how exactly did you think calling him strange would go over?"
"Strange?" Yukiko asked, puzzled. "Kanji-kun does behave far more differently than he used to, but I don't know if I'd call it strange."
"He was hanging out with this weird kid," Chie explained. "I dunno, it just gave me a weird vibe is all."
"Short, wearing blue, acted really professional?" Yu asked.
"That's the one!" Chie agreed emphatically.
"He was here before Yukiko-san and I arrived," Yu informed. "He was wrapping up by the time we got there, but Tatsumi-san told us that he had been asking about Kanji."
Yu was about to continue when suddenly a loud voice interrupted, "What the hell are you guys doin' here?" The group turned around to be greeted by the sight of Kanji, who looked none too pleased to see so many people near his home." Narrowing his eyes at Chie and Yosuke he continued, "Hey you guys were those two lovebirds from earlier!"
"We're not-"Chie protested.
"Really not the time," Yosuke interjected, noticing the growing anger on Kanji's face.
"Just what the hell are all you pricks up to? I'll take you all on!"
The Investigation Team took that as their cue to leave, quickly running from the scene and a not too pleased Kanji.
Eventually making their way back to the Junes food court the gang gathered at their usual meeting spot, collectively exhausted from the day's events.
"Damn it," Yosuke sighed. "What a waste of time… all that and not even a single step closer to figuring out who the killer is." Running his hand through his hair he continued, "Looks like the only thing we can do is check the Midnight Channel, and hope that we might have another chance to stop whoever's doing this."
"Agreed," Yu replied. "I don't like it, but I doubt we'll be getting anywhere near Kanji anytime soon…"
"Yeah, tell me about it," Chie replied tiredly.
"Everyone should go home and get some rest, worst case scenario we might be heading back in the TV tomorrow."
The rest of the Investigation Team nodded grimly before wishing each other farewell and going their separate ways.
Chie once again sat anxiously in front of her TV screen, hoping that Kanji hadn't yet been placed into the TV world. When the screen flickered to life, however, her hopes were dashed. On the screen a clear image of some sort of spa area appeared. A figure slowly began to emerge from the thick steam, revealing none other than Kanji. Something about the teen seemed… off, his mannerisms and movements completely unlike the person that they had encountered earlier today.
The 'Kanji' currently on screen was currently going on about 'a sublime site that surpasses the barriers between the sexes' giggling and purring all the while. The whole thing made Chie uneasy to say the least. When the screen once again faded to black, Chie took a moment to appreciate the fact that all of her hidden insecurities and weaknesses weren't displayed to anyone who might be watching. With rumors of the Midnight Channel spreading like wildfire, rumors about those displayed quickly began to circulate. Even the one's surrounding Yukiko had yet to completely die down.
Chie's train of thought was interrupted by her phone ringing on her nightstand. Seeing that it was Yukiko on the other line, she quickly answered, and was greeted with the familiar sound of her friend's voice.
"Chie, did you see Kanji-kun on the Midnight Channel on the Midnight Channel just now?"
"Uh…. Yeah… no doubt about it," Chie replied, still slightly dumbstruck at what she had just seen.
"So Kanji-kun really is in there… I called the textile shop earlier while making calls for the inn and his mother said that he had gone missing. I feared the worst… it looks like we couldn't stop the killer."
"Don't worry Yukiko, we'll get in there and get him out okay. We did it for you once and we can do it again! And now that you're coming with us we'll be unstoppable!" Chie exclaimed. Although she had initially been hesitant in involving Yukiko in their ventures into the TV world, they had done some periodic training inside. Yukiko's persona proved easily able to dispatch shadows with powerful flame magic while also displaying an affinity for healing to boot. There was little doubt in Chie's mind now that with her raven haired friend alongside them, they would be able to rescue Kanji with little difficulty.
"I hope you're right," Yukiko replied, still a bit unsure of herself.
"Don't worry, I always am!" Chie replied lightheartedly, in an attempt to cheer up her friend.
"I don't know about that," Yukiko said jokingly.
"Whaaat!" Chie cried in mock offense. "When have I ever lead you wrong?" Hearing Yukiko laugh on the other end of the line while recounting once such instance from their childhood reminded Chie of when she first met Yukiko. She had ran away from home with a puppy after being told by her parents she couldn't keep it at the inn. Chie had managed to cheer her up with a series of silly faces, promising to take care of the dog herself. Over the years the dog had grown quite plump in her care, no doubt due to some generous under the table scrap dealings.
"Thank you Chie," Yukiko said, recognizing what Chie had been trying to do. "I'll try not to worry too much."
"Anytime Yukiko," Chie replied nonchalantly.
"We should probably get some rest, I'll see you in the morning!" Yukiko said, her tone noticeably brighter than before.
"Yeah, goodnight!" Chie agreed. After her friend bid her good night, Chie hung up, and attempted to get some shut eye, eagerly anticipating the coming challenge.
"Sensei!" Teddie exclaimed jubilantly, upon seeing Yu along with the others enter the shadow world. "Ladies," He continued, his voice that uniquely Teddie form of "suave." "Oh, and Yosuke too…"
"Hey what's the deal?" Yosuke said, obviously annoyed by his dismissal.
Teddie ignored Yosuke, beaming brightly at Yu. "Whaddaya need Sensei?"
"Someone in the real world just disappeared," Yu explained. "His name's Kanji Tatsumi… Do you think you can find him?"
"I'll try my beary best!" Teddie replied, all too eager to please. Sniffing the air vigorously, Teddie frowned. "There's definitely someone in here sensei but… I can't seem to find them! Can you give me some kind of clue about him that might help out?"
"Well um… he's a little strange…" Chie attempted.
"I need something more specific," Teddie clarified.
"Great," Yosuke groaned. "Man, we hardly know anything about this guy…"
"We could ask around town," Yukiko suggested. "Maybe that boy he was with would know something more personal."
"Good thinking Yukiko-san." Yu agreed. "We'll be back soon Teddie, be ready."
"Got it sensei!"
Turning up clues proved more difficult than anticipated, and after several hours Chie had yet to turn up even an inkling of a clue. Thankfully Yu seemed to be on combing the entire town, checking in with all members of the Investigation Team, revealing that he had learned that the mysterious boy would likely be at Junes the following day. Although Chie lamented the fact that an entire day had gone to waste investigating. Still they had made some progress, once Yu had talked to the boy, they returned to the shadow world, clue in tow.
"Back already sensei? What've you got?" Teddie asked.
"He's got some sort of complex, and he's not who he initially seems to be." Yu responded.
"Complex?" Teddie answered, a little perplexed. Sniffing he continued, "It's not much but…" His ears perked up. "Got it! Follow me!" He exclaimed, leading the team deeper into the shadow realm.