Disclaimer: I don't own Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 or most of the characters mentioned in the story because they belong to Atlus. My copy of Persona 4 is in my room at the moment on my cabinet. Still trying to max out all the social links, mwhahah… Still, half-page setting please.

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Persona 4: Modus Operandi

Chapter 10

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Exploration inside of the Midnight Channel today revealed Nanako's dungeon as well as the fact she wasn't alone inside it. Souji scowled at the ground. He had seen Taro Namatame around town on several occasions, but he never thought anything about it. The man had been talking about getting in on the family job after getting fired, but… a delivery company? They didn't stop this in time… and now Ryotaro was in the hospital from an accident after the truck sharply tilted. He ran a hand through his hair; sighing and the others looked at him.

"Souji-kun, would you like me to accompany you home?" Yukiko asked, noticing how her boyfriend was troubled. She didn't blame him though. For his uncle to end up in the hospital and his niece to be a target… all of this to suddenly happen to his family. Forcing a smile, he looked at her gently and shook his head, "No, it's alright. I'm use to being alone at home."

"I know you are, but you don't have to…" Yukiko said, turning slightly red. Chie sweat dropped, "Uhm… what are we doing right now?"

"Huh!? O-Oh, right uh… we're going to disband for now and try at the dungeon tomorrow," Souji said. Nods all around at the decision, but, for the millionth time, Kanji wasn't paying any attention. Rise poked said boy's arm and he blinked, looking around at them, "Wha? What were we talking about?"

"Kanji, we know you're worried about Naoto, but there's nothing we can really do," Souji said evenly, causing the younger student to hang his head with an annoyed face, "Yeah, I know, but dammit, we shouldn't have just given up like that."

"It was a losing battle to argue with her. We need to focus on what's at hand," Souji replied, stepping outside of Junes. The rain had let up for today, so no reason to worry about fog tonight. Yosuke crossed his arms, tilting his head, "Rumor is she's been going to school and immediately leaving after the last bell. I've seen her walking past the Samegawa River several times, but she's never given off that same… air of confidence."

"Do you think she regretted what she did?" Chie asked, raising an eyebrow with a frown and he nodded. Teddie blinked, "Why don't we just try calling her? If Nao-chan does regret it, we should try talking to her, yes?"

Souji nodded and reached to pull out his phone when he heard a gruff voice say, "Yes… Thank you for your time…"

Everyone stopped near the Yomenaido Bookstore, watching as a familiar older gentleman walked out, sighing and closing his charcoal eyes. He looked drained, dark circles under his eyes, but Souji wondered if they were always there. Rise was the one would called out, "Shirogane-sama?"

Tadashi blinked and raised his head, turning towards them, "Hm… ah, you children again. Working on the case I suppose."

"… You're not going to scold us?" Souji asked after a moment, surprised as Tadashi nodded, "As much as I still think you kids are unsuitable for hunting down the criminal, you might be the only ones capable of unveiling the truth. I'll leave it in your hands. I have other things to attend to."

"W-Wait!" Kanji exclaimed as the old man turned away to leave. That caused him to stop and glance back over his shoulder. Nervously, Kanji rubbed his neck and looked down, "Is… Naoto doing any better?"

"Unfortunately… at the moment, I'm not sure," Tadashi replied. Confusion bloomed on everyone's face, but it was a startled Teddie that voiced, "Huh? How do you not know?"

"While I was in my study looking over the case, it was brought to my attention that she was on a second case that the police basically dumped on her so they could focus on the murders. It's appears that if the victims had been strung around town like the three other murders, they would've paid attention," Tadashi explained, "If I had known too… Naoto wouldn't be gone…"

"What!? She's gone?!" Chie yelled, shocked as the grandfather nodded, frowning, "She hasn't been recovering as I'd hoped. She ran away last evening and I fear what she might do in her mental state."

"W-What about the police?" Teddie asked, fidgeting, "Can't they do something?"

"Dumbass. If they couldn't find one fuckin' criminal, I doubt they'll look for her. Besides, they probably don't give a damn," Kanji snapped, "God! She can be an idiot sometimes! If I find her..!"

"Awe, worried again Kanji?" Rise cooed. Kanji turned red, "C-Cut it out and focus!"

"Are you guys up to searching for her?" Souji asked. Chie blinked, "What kind of question is that? Of course we are!"

"Yeah, dude! Ok, who's checking where?" Yosuke asked, winking. Souji smiled faintly, 'Wait for us Nanako… we'll save you.'

"You kids…" Tadashi said, smiling for the first time since they met him, "Thank you… I'm going to continue searching by the Samegawa River."

Souji nodded and Tadashi walked off. The Leader turned to his fellow Truth Seekers, just as Rise sighed, "I really wish I could track down people in this world…"

"It can't be help," Souji said before quickly giving out the orders, "Yosuke, check the area around Junes; Yukiko, take the streets by the Amagi Inn; Chie, the residential area; Kanji, take the northern shopping district and back alleys; Teddie, check inside the TV incase; and Rise, check around the rest of the southern shopping district. I'll check around the school."

At the issued orders, everyone separated to search for the missing girl as the cloudy sky reflecting the dying colors of the sun.

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Her hand quivered violently, the knife's blade in her hold glinting as the faint red sunlight trickled into the dark room via the high window. It illuminated her target though; the pale, overturned flesh of her arm. She bit her lip as the cool metal touched her skin, but now, she couldn't bring herself to pull and draw her own blood. Her fingers loosened and the pocket knife fell to the tatami-matted floor, her hands hitting the ground as well to support her body as she hunched forward, shaking. Tears spilled from her tightly shut eyes as she curled up, unsure of what to do.

Naoto had never felt so lost in her life. After her parents' passing, her grandfather had led her, but now, there was no one, just the silence encroaching around her, pressuring her from all sides to the point she almost couldn't breathe. The thoughts of 'I should've stayed home' and 'I should have never attempted this case single-handedly' constantly drifted through her sub-conscious only to melt as 'the past could not be changed' always bloomed to the surface right after like an unrelenting demon.

"M-Mom…dad… w-what should I do?" she whispered, her fingers gripping the floor as she rolled onto her side. She never called out for them… never wanted to see them so bad… not until now, but they probably didn't want to see her either. Her hair was matted, untidy and her pajamas damp and stained from countless puddles of water and mud due to the showers the evening before. Her dirty feet felt numb just like the rest of her body and the only minute source of warmth a calm trilling in the back of her mind from one Sukuna Hikona. The umbrella she used lay abandoned some feet away from her by a closed sliding door.

This old house had been empty for years from its appearance, but its location was beyond the normal places within Inaba, lost on top a hill out skirting both the shopping district and the residential area. No one ever came around here anymore, not even the birds. Maybe… maybe she could just close her eyes and will herself to sleeping forever. Her body would never be found, but something was holding her back. Her original plan was to bleed until the darkness consumed her eternally, but her hands wouldn't obey. There was no means of cord or rope and her revolver… she didn't know what happened to it ever since…

She shuttered and pulled her arms to her chest, hands curled as she shook her head, more tears falling against the flooring as night crept into the room. The moon's normally vibrant light was incapable of piercing the clouds cast amongst the sky. Naoto didn't care; she wasn't crying out for a light that refused to help her, she was sobbing for her parents in the land of the dead, wishing that she could be with them.

"Then allow me to assist you."

At once, Naoto sat up quickly, moving to the side, and backing into the wall as she noticed a man lurking in the now opened doorway, a smirk on his face. He looked around the room, noticing the lone knife and the umbrella. He sneered, "Damn, well, I guess you couldn't do the job yourself. You feeling guilty? Of what? Life's being unfair every turn you take, why not just end it now?"

"I… I don't…" she stammered, staying back, but he just rolled his eyes, before laughing, "Oh I know! You wanted to have fun one last time! Tch, yeah right. It's always the one who carry little brats that hesitate. Just get my hands dirtier… then again, it's not like I care. It breaks the normal routine."

He walked forward and she got to her feet, looking around quickly to decide how to get out of there. When he lunged suddenly, she leapt to the side and bolted down through the doors, running down the hallway and out of the house quickly, knowing that his eyes were just following her, his laugh echoing.

"That's right! Make this interesting! Run as fast as you can, but it'll be the same in the end!"

She did just that, what else could she do? Her feet touched the earth as she ran over the wet fields, trying to reach Inaba's alleys. There was no way for him to just… sneak up behind her there. It was winding with different branches to take. If she make it, but then what? Did she really want to get through this? Maybe being found in the back alley was better.

Her feet felt the change from the earth to the concrete of the urban town, beginning to weave through the dark alley streets, and her pace started to decrease, eyes darting around at the surroundings. They were the older buildings of the shopping district, all of which were closed after Junes' opening. Shoes hit the ground behind her and she shut her eyes, turning unhurriedly to the man before opening them again, uncertainty shining through. He grinned, "Don't worry… it'll be quick for both of you."

His hand disappeared for a moment and then appeared again, a gun in hand and the barrel pointed at her. She didn't seem fazed, just expecting it. He nodded his head, waving the gun down, "Get on your hands and knees… beg for me to hit your skull with the first shot."

Her lips thinned as she swallowed, but then, she lowered herself to her knees slowly, her head hanging low. Her hands touched the ground one at a time and she gasped, "O-One strike…"

"What? I can't hear you sweety," he jeered. Her hands balled into fists and she dropped lower, "Hit my skull with the first shot."

"Oh, is that what you said? Hm, well, it took you a little while, but I guess I should. I mean, lovers are supposed to help end the suffering of the other if the pain's too much to bear," he cackled, taking a few steps forward. Naoto didn't look up as he stopped a few feet before her, the muzzle pointed directly at her head and his index finger curled over the trigger. It was nerve-wracking to wait, but to know this would be over soon…

"Any last words?"

No reply.

Shrugging his shoulders, he smirked, the gun clicking as a bullet locked into the chamber.

Silence…

… and then…

The undeniably resounding bang of the gun going off…

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Me: No comments…though, might I suggest listening to Hitori Setsunaku from Strawberry Panic! and Doukoku (Bitter Cry) from Haibane Renmei for a sense of the chapters tone? Please review.