Present Day:
"H-Hang on a minute, your father…is ZEREF?!" Colby sputtered out.
"And HIS grandfather." Mar said while gesturing to Lang.
"B-B-"
"Crazy, I know. Wouldn't have believed it myself if he hadn't shown me proof." Lang interrupted.
"…..You are one strange person, Mar Strauss"
"So I've been told!"
"But, you're still here, and you said Tenrou was destroyed. How does that work?"
"Ah, that my friend, was my greatest deception."
X ?
Drifting through the very fabric of time, I laid there. My eyes shot open, and I checked around. The spell had worked, more or less. The entirety of Tenrou had been shrunk to the size of a rubber ball, and had impacted and fused with my chest, right over my guild brand. Right over my eternally beating heart.
Tenrou, for all intents and purposes, both did and did not exist at the time. It was locked in time, so my friends would not advance in age while they rested within me. It would be as if Acnologia had just simply gone away when they next awake.
The only problem was, I needed to get back to the site of the attack, AFTER it happened to release them, and I was currently adrift in the river of time, with little to no control over my body.
I knew I had to disappear when the Dragon destroyed the island, or it would surely attempt to kill me. To be honest? I didn't want to find out if it could, and if it hit my chest…..I shudder to imagine. Either way, I launched myself out of X784 and into time itself.
The spell was by no means fragile, but Acnologia was a DAMN DRAGON, so I preferred my chances with the flow of time. I would have to just find my way back and hope I didn't de stabilize time and kill EVERYTHING.
Eventually, I found a weak point in time where I could re surface, and blew through the opening. I flew out of the vortex, and tumbled across some hard pavement and into a wall. Not one of my more GRACEFUL landings.
I stood slowly, taking in my surroundings. I was in a town, rural by the looks of it. Well, what I could SEE anyway, the entire place was covered in an unnaturally dense yellowish fog.
I looked over myself. Still just the pants, and my wings were in plain sight. I hoped that the place had Magic, or that might cause a problem or two. My reserves were understandably low, and I know it was gonna take some time for me to get my juice back, especially with Tenrou over my damn heart. It had even left a sizable mark, looked like my heart had tried to burst out of my chest, and then sprouted roots across my ribs. Gross.
I wandered through the fog, trying to put some reason into the madness. I soon found what seemed like a shopping district, and walked around, hoping to find someone who could give me a roof for the night. Or at least tell me where or when I was.
I found a sign that read "Come visit the Amagi Inn! Locally owned!" So, I shrugged and followed the arrow.
On the way, I felt my pockets. I still had some money on me, so I wouldn't have to be a squatter!
I happened across a large wooden building, and stumbled through the front door. No one was at the front desk, so it must be late. Yet….why was the front door unlocked then?"
I wandered in, and called out to see if anyone was around. I heard what sounded like static when I got far enough in, and moved to investigate.
I saw a girl, sitting in front of a TV, maybe 16 or 17. She had long dark hair, and was wearing a red kimono.
On the TV was a shadowy image, a man with…..something on his back. The image was too blurry to see.
"I don't understand Chie! We saved Rise, how could someone else have been abducted so quickly?"
I looked to the girl. She was speaking into a cell phone. Blasted devices. Wait…..abducted?!
"Ma'am-" I tried to ask, but before I could get any further, she screamed, stood up, and threw a shoe at my head.
I fell on my arse, and said, "Well, hello to you too. Is this how people greet each other nowadays?"
"Who are you?! How did you get in?!" she shouted at me.
"My name is Mar Strauss. I was looking for a place to stay and the front door was unlocked!"
"Front door was….oh! I'm so sorry!" She said while helping me up. "My name is Yukiko Amagi, I'm the new manager here!"
I was generally shocked. "…You? Really? You're not too young?"
"I learned younger and took over recently!...Say, why aren't you wearing a shirt? And what happened to your chest?"
"Long story. For now-" I said as I reached for my money, exposing my wings.
"W-W-What the-" was all she got out before fainting, right on the floor.
"Right. Almost forgot about those. Sorry!" I said to her while I picked her up and opened a nearby room, revealing a two bed hotel room. I put her in one, then went back to her cell phone and picked it up.
"Hello? Is anyone still t-"
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO YUKIKO YOU SICK BASTARD?!"
"Wow, people really do greet with violence and threats nowadays. Chie right? Yukiko's fine, she just saw something shocking and passed out is all. I put her in one of the beds here."
"How do I know you're not the killer?! Prove it!"
"Well….you know where this inn is, right? Come on over! I'll shake your hand and we can draw on Yukiko's face while she's passed out after we make nice if you want."
Silence came from the other end of the line. Guess she decided to make her way over here.
I tried to summon my armor, but to no avail. Guess I was just out of luck when it came to using Magic for now. In its place, I searched through the inn until I found a robe, and threw it on. Thankfully, it was loose enough that it hid my wings when I folded them and held them perfectly still.
I walked to the front door to await Chie, and thought over what she said. She had called me a killer, and Yukiko had mentioned abductions…..something didn't feel right. Then again, the fog alone got me on that one. Fog so dense was a bad sign, but the fact that it was yellow baffled me. It almost seemed otherworldly.
Soon, I heard footsteps outside, and the door flew open. Through it came a woman, the same age as Yukiko, in a green sweater and a skirt, with bowl cut brown hair. Upon seeing me, she grabbed my robe and shouted, "Are you the one from the phone?!"
"That's me. Still not calm I see."
"Where's Yukiko?! I swear if she's not sa-"
"Chie. Relax. She's just past here, second door on the right. Do you want to bind my hands, will that make you feel more at ease?"
Without even confirming it, Chie took the belt from my robe and used it to restrain my arms behind my back. I didn't resist, since I figured she'd calm down once she saw her friend.
She made me lead the way to the room I laid Yukiko in, and I opened the door for her with the backside of my knee. When she spotted Yukiko, she walked over and checked to see if she was breathing, and then sighed in relief when she noticed that she was.
She stood back up and turned around, and I could almost see the embarrassment washing over her. "Ummmm….sorry about all of that." She started awkwardly.
"It's fine." I assured. "Friends are to be treasured, and I picked an absolutely brilliant night to show up. Mind untying me? I don't want my robe to fall off." I added with a smirk.
"Oh! Sure!" she said as she circled around me and fussed with the knot. Thirty seconds later I chuckled and waited for her to say, "Ummm…It's really stuck."
"I can fix that, don't worry. Just step back." I told her as I strained against the cloth, snapping it into pieces.
"Woah!" she shouted. "That was straight out of a kung fu movie! How did you do that?!"
"Upper body strength and the right leverage." I replied honestly as I looked to the shredded cloth on the floor. "Well, damn, didn't think that one through did I?" I added humorously, holding my robe shut with my left hand. I looked up to Chie and offered my spare hand. "Mar Strauss, pleased to meet you proper."
She took my hand and shook, and told me, "Chie Satonaka….I guess I'm be the first to say welcome to Inaba! Ummm, why are you wearing an Amagi Inn robe again?"
"Didn't have anything else. I had to leave what I was wearing before behind. Honestly though? This is just because I have a couple gnarly scars on my torso, I wouldn't care otherwise."
She just smiled at me while shaking her head. She had good instincts, clearly, she could sense if someone was telling the truth, no matter how ridiculous it was.
I smiled back at her and looked out a nearby window. "The fog is settling down. Would you like me to walk you home?"
Chie seemed to blush a little bit, causing me to chuckle. Must be a pretty close knit sort of place I'm in. Before she could speak, I pointed at the ring on my left hand for her.
"Oh! You're married? But you're so young!"
"Much less so then you think. Think I'm 21 at this point."
"21?!...Hey, now that I think about it, why are you in town?"
"Kinda just ended up here. The full answer is a really long story and it's far too late for that right now. Shall I take you home?"
Chie giggled and agreed, and after making sure Yukiko was still in bed, we set off. I wasn't wearing very fitting clothing, but hey, it was dark enough to ignore. Plus, well, it was still so foggy that sight was an issue.
We couldn't see four feet in front of us the entire way, but sure as the sun comes up, we made it to Chie's. When we got there, she turned to me and shook my hand again, before walking into her house.
As she vanished from sight, I turned and started making my way back to the inn. I had a LOT of explaining to do, that much was for sure.
When I arrived, I found Yukiko sitting up on the bed I had set for her, looking at her phone, which was in her hand.
"Good morning Yukiko." I greeted warmly.
"Oh! Mar! I was-"
"Probably thinking of telling someone, right? I don't blame you. From your reaction it's pretty obvious that such a…feature….is rather uncommon around here."
"Around here? I'm not aware of ANY human that has wings."
"Really? Shame, you're missing out on something great. Bit of a pain in the ass, but something great never the less."
"Haha!...Say, do you WANT people to know, Mar?"
"Not really, no. I'd prefer to keep a low profile, I scarcely know where I am!"
"Inaba, Japan."
"Japan?"
"…Ummmm, Mar? How old are you? What school do you go to?"
"21 at this point and I don't. Never did. Kinda just learned all I know from books and the like."
"Then….you should have defiantly heard of Japan! What are you hiding, Mar?"
"Alright, alright. You got me. I'm actually a mage from a separate point in time. Judging by the technology used today and how much less barbaric it is, I would assume I am in the future. Given the supposed loss of Magic, likely thousands of years so." I told her truthfully.
She kind of just started snickering, which evolved into her having a laughing fit on the ground. When she started to calm down, I just shrugged and said, "Well, look at it this way, I'm either brutally honest or I will end up writing a heck of a book one day."
It earned some more laughter from the crimson woman, and I helped her to her feet. "Now, I want you to be honest with me. What's up with the kidnapping and the murder?"
Yukiko resembled a deer in headlights, and then looked at the ground, weighing her options.
I told her, "If you tell me, I'll help stop them in any way I can, and I assure you, I have a lot of brains and the strength to back it up."
"! You have a Persona?"
"A….Persona?"
"That would be a no then. Either way Mar, I think our little group would be glad to have you along!"
"Oh? There's more of you?" I said with an enthusiastic smile.
"Yeah! We can meet up tomorrow! You'll meet them all then!"
The next morning, sirens blared through the day, awaking Yukiko and myself. She looked at me in confusion, and I knew something was wrong. She ran to get dressed and I tried to summon my armor. Still no luck on that front, but I at least got my coat back! It would still make me stick out around here, but it was better than a damn BATH robe!
Yukiko and I broke out the front door in a full sprint, and made our way toward the sirens. We eventually happened upon a water tower, where a scene was unfolding.
A body, hung upside down from the railing of the tower, with some clear blunt force trauma used on the back of its skull. This murderer had claimed another victim.
The sight caused my blood to boil, and what little magic I had begun leaking out, causing the air around us to become statically charged.
"Yukiko! Mar!" I heard a familiar voice shout. I looked over to see Chie running to us, with a man behind her. Tall guy, with bleached white hair that was slicked back, sort of resembling my own, but less pointy. He wore a black leather jacket over a purple shirt and black pants, which matched the colour of Chie's skirt.
Chie and the man started walking with us toward their "Special Headquarters", as we began trying to figure out what happened. No one could come up with any ideas, but a couple of interesting things were let out. They mentioned that people were kidnapped before they were murdered, and those that were about to be kidnapped appeared on that show I saw Yukiko watching.
Thing is, they told me they had saved the person who was in danger already, and another person appeared on the channel the previous night. In addition, the newly deceased was not seen on this channel at all.
We sat in the food court of a shopping mall, and began discussing theories and possibilities further from there. Since they had saved three people already, it was possible the murderer had changed his tactics, and was no longer using the "Other World".
It was at this point, I poked my head up and asked, "Excuse me? Other World?"
On que, two more gentlemen walked up to us. One wearing mostly grey with darker silver hair, and the other wearing white and red with chaotic brown hair.
"Yu! Yosuke!" the man whom introduced himself as Kanji greeted warmly.
"Hey you two! This is Mar, he said he wants to help us with this case." Chie explained.
"Alright." The brown haired one answered. "Do you know about the world in the T.V.?"
"News to me."
"Do you have a Persona?"
"No idea."
"….Can you fight?"
"With the best of them."
"Hmm. Good enough! Yosuke Hanamura, pleased to meet you!" He said, offering his hand.
I took it and asked, "Alright, now what's this about a world in the TV?"
The group looked at each other, trying to think of how to explain it. Before long, Yu simply said, "It would be easier to SEE this."
I was led to a large TV in the electronics department, and once the coast was clear, Yu stuck his had THROUGH the TV. Now, I don't mean he made a hand shaped hole in it, I mean his hand MELTED into the screen, as if going through to the other side!
He retracted his hand as I attempted to touch it, meeting only the resistance of the solid screen.
"You really don't have a Persona!" Chie gasped.
"Is he going to be okay on the other side? The fog is poisonous to anyone without a Persona!" Kanji added.
A light bulb went off in my head and I turned to Yukiko. "You didn't happen to reveal my…..secret to anyone, did you?"
Yukiko responded with a knowing smile and a wink, "Not a soul!" she proclaimed.
"Good!" I said with a smile. "I should be just fine! I'll tell you all about it, but only if you let me in there." I said while motioning my head toward the TV.
Yu smirked at me and put his hand back in the TV, and then grabbed my shoulder.
Before I could register what was happening, the lot of us were falling through the TV, cascading into another world.
The landing was rough, though that was to be expected when we fell out of the sky on the other end. Everyone around me had he sense to tuck and roll, while I kind of just bounced off the ground.
I looked around as I stood to behold what seemed like a stage. There was a stack of TVs nearby, but otherwise the stage was empty short of usual construction materials.
I took a deep breath, and felt energy course through my body. This place was ripe with Magic, or something very similar. Any minor discomforts I had from the rough landing were gone almost immediately.
I looked to my companions and noticed something off about them, so I asked, "What's with the glasses?"
"We need them to see through the fog over here." Yu explained.
"Fog?" I asked, looking around to see nothing but the stage. "I don't see any fog."
"Are you serious?!" Kanji asked in disbelief.
"I see the stage we're on, but no fog. Is it really thick right now?"
"We can't see three feet ahead without these!" Yosuke blurted.
"Where did you GET those, anyway?" I asked.
"They're specially made by a friend of ours from this side." Yu said calmly.
"Hey! Speaking of which, didn't Teddie want some privacy?" Chie voiced. "Where is he anyway, he usually hangs out around here!"
"Knowing him? Where we found Rise." Yosuke said.
"Gross." Yukiko added.
"Teddie?" I finally asked.
"That's going to be another one of those 'See it to believe it" things, Mar." Yosuke said with a chuckle.
"Ha, fair enough. Ah, speaking of, I promised to reveal myself, didn't I? It might even go as far to explain why I can see on this side." I guessed as I moved to take my coat off.
The coat dropped into a red heap on the ground, gathering instant reactions from everyone around me. Kanji and Yosuke fell backwards, while Chie and Yukiko let out a gasp and stepped backwards. Yu kind of seemed….mildly surprised, like if someone had just walked behind him and talked suddenly. Guess I found my straight man.
"My name is Mar Strauss. These wings are real, and this mark on my chest is likely holding power beyond the comprehension of everyone here. I was a mercenary with a particularly extensive set of….talents, for a guild known as Fairy Tail. I have seen both sides of this world, in war and in love. I have no idea where or when I am in time, but I intend to get back to where I came from as soon as possible. Until I find a way, or recover enough of the power I used coming here, I am your man, and I will help you find this killer."
"Woah!" Chie gasped at me.
"They ARE real!" Yukiko exclaimed.
"A-Are you shitting me? We have an ANGEL now?!" Kanji threw in.
"Unbelievable!" Yosuke shot out.
"Welcome aboard." Yu told me plainly.
"Glad to be here, no matter how long that might last." I said with a smirk.
"H-Hang on!" Kanji shouted. "What's this about your chest holding power?!"
"Ah, yes. Complications from why I had to leave my time in the first place. Currently, an entire island full of my friends and family rests inside of my chest, frozen in time."
"He….He's not lying!" Chie said.
"I have no reason to!" I replied honestly. "On top of that, it was a dragon that made me have to pack up everyone and leave."
"A-A WHAT?!" Kanji exploded.
"A dragon. Big and black and scaled, the whole nine yards."
"Hang on, a black dragon?...Mar, where did you live in your time?" Yu asked.
"A city called Magnolia, why?"
"Magnolia….Mar, that dragon….was its name Acnologia?"
"! Yeah! It was! That's the name of the lizard that caused me to have to take a temporal vacation!"
Everyone around me, Yu included, went completely slack jawed.
"Did I say something even crazier than I have already?"
"You just….You just confessed to being alive before recorded history!" Yukiko gawked.
"Oh?"
Yukiko shook it off and began recalling something from the back of her mind. "There are legends, myths, and the like which tell of the Magical City of Magnolia, a paradise to all who belonged there. It supposedly grew so large in its folly, that they attempted to tame dragons, and ended up being destroyed by them! Magnolia was supposed to have caused an apocalypse! The dragons didn't stop there, they destroyed the world, leaving only a fraction of humanity left! All the technology, the influence, the magic of that age was lost in an instant! We as a species supposedly rebuilt from scratch, generation by generation! Mar….that was over fifteen thousand years ago."
"Fifteen thousand years….." I said aloud, the realization confusing and terrifying me. How could I have come so far?! How the hell would I make it all the way back in one jump?! If I tried more than one, would it destabilize time and space?!...Would I ever see any of their faces again?...
"Hey…..why now?" Kanji asked. "Of all the places and times you could have ended up, why now?"
I snapped back to the present and answered, "There was a weak point in time here, and I took it to successfully emerge from the flowing sands. A weak point also indicates a great power is in that time. I thought if I could find it and absorb it, or if it was a person, to convince him or her to help me send me back, then I could go from there."
"Alright….doesn't really answer my question though, why now?"
"It was the first opening. The world seemed to have become stale after my age."
"Yikes…..how are you gonna get back to YOUR time? Wouldn't there need to be a weak point there too?" Chie asked.
"That won't be an issue, I have a part of that age WITH me, remember?" I said with a smirk. "Anyway, I want to explore this place. Is there anything to fight over here so I can stretch my muscles?"
"Oh! Shadows!" Yukiko said.
The name caught my attention, but I realized the odds were so slim to none that my race happened to re populate in an alternate TV world. These things probably just shared a name.
"Shadows?" I asked.
"We're not actually sure ourselves." Yu admitted. "As far as we can tell, they're just monsters. They come in various shapes and sizes, but all of them wear masks."
"Huh. Well, take me somewhere where there's a lot of them, please."
"Hmmmm, The Castle should be close by, and they aren't strong over there!" Yosuke noted.
"Uhhh….do we HAVE to go there?" Yukiko asked.
"Oh, right, Mar?" Yu caught my attention. "It seems whenever someone is kidnapped and thrown into this world, their inner turmoil is brought to the surface. Literally. A personification of their doubts, fears, and darkest feelings comes into reality to torment them, and this very world will warp into new forms from that point. Yukiko made a castle, Kanji a Bath house, Rise made a strip club-"
"Sorry, what?" I interrupted.
"Yeeeeeeeeah, we're not too sure on that one either." Chie admitted. "Rise is a teen idol, it was born from her inner desire to have everyone see the 'Real Her'."
"That's…..kind of twisted." I said as I thought to myself what my area would resemble. Nothing I would want these people near, that was for sure.
"Anyway, we have to make our way through these areas and find the kidnapped, from there it's dealing with their Shadow is the issue." Yu continued explaining.
"Those things are Shadows too? Huh."
"Yes. Interestingly enough, these special Shadows can't be truly defeated in combat. The one who made the Shadow must accept their weaknesses and their shortcomings, or it will attack again."
"Huh." I said plainly as I thought to myself. "Let's hope mine decides to keep hidden then." I added jokingly.
We set off through the fog, and before long we set upon a great castle, just as they had promised. I was caught agape at the scope of the structure! The only one I had seen that was more beautiful was the Fiore Royal Castle…as much as that stung to admit.
"Yukiko made this place?" I asked unconsciously.
"Yeah, I did! Can we get this over with?" she asked impatiently. Clearly, being around here brought back some painful memories. Or embarrassing ones! Oh! Maybe both!
I smiled back at her and walked in, looking for a Shadow nearby. I soon set upon a strange creature, a hand walking around on its own, it seemed, with a mask where the wrist would be.
I turned to the people behind me and whispered, "Is that thing a Shadow?"
Yu looked at me and nodded.
"Perfect. Let's see what I can do!"
I walked out into the open, attracting the Shadow's attention, where upon it immediately attempted to….slap me, I suppose? It struck me with its entire body, levitating temporarily to get a better angle!
I brushed it off and gave it a solid jab, sending it clean off the ground and into the back wall. Upon impact, it dissipated into a dark smoke.
"Well. Good to see everything is still in order." I concluded as I turned to my new acquaintances. They looked confused, as if I had done something out of the ordinary, even for here.
"Where did you learn to hit like that?!" Chie blurted out in excitement. "If I hit that hard I would hurt myself more than the Shadow I was kicking!"
"I just punched is all." I replied modestly. "Guess us old folks were built a bit more sturdy." I added with a wink.
I turned to see a floating orb with a large, outstretched tongue approaching us, to which I asked, "Is he Teddie?"
"No, that's another Shadow." Yu told me.
"Oh! Good! Then I can try this!" I said as I raised my hand and opened my palm toward the creature.
I focused on my Magic, hoping to draw out my power in this world. With effort, lightning began forming and crackling around my hand.
"Is he-" Yosuke tried to get out. He was, unfortunately, interrupted when I closed my fist onto the lightning and drew my hand back, getting ready to strike.
The Shadow attempted to lick me, to which I dodged to the side for personal hygiene reasons, and brought my alighted hand into the underside of the spherical creature.
For a brief moment, everything was still, but when I followed through with the rest of the strike, a wall of electricity formed from the point of impact, blasting outward and away from me in a brilliant beam of electric energy, knocking me backward in surprise! I had only meant to strike the thing!
The walls cracked and crumbled, causing the very roof to cave in in front of us. The Shadow which had been there only a moment earlier was now nothing but a memory.
I stood up, stunned, yet proud at my accomplishment, my wings blowing in the wind generated by my attack. I raised my hands before my eyes, and summoned my lightning to both of them, with ease this time. A bolt formed in my right hand, and passed to my left, and then back again. I had power! I had control! This land was the key! This WORLD was my weak point in time! I needed to find WHATEVER was giving me such amazing strength!
I snapped back to reality in time to turn and meet the faces of my companions. Sure enough, even with everything that had happened thus far, they were still stunned at what I had managed to do. In response, I simply gave a toothy grin, cocked my head, and shrugged.
"Is this guy for REAL?!" Kanji asked aloud as I scratched my head in embarrassment.
Some time later, I had nearly demolished the first floor of that castle, and enjoyed every second of it. After a certain point, Yukiko started cheering me on, and it became less about defeating Shadows, and more doing her a favor in busting the place up as much as I could!
My Lightning had returned in this world, stronger than ever! It was almost like living in a world of cardboard in the middle of battle, one wrong move spelled mass destruction! So, I quickly mastered my new grasp on the elements, and brought myself back down to a level where my every blow couldn't be compared to being hit by an exploding vehicle.
I also found that Archive wasn't working over here. It was likely being overshadowed by my Dragon Slayer Magic, or maybe it even got damaged when I put Tenrou into my chest. Either way, it seemed I wouldn't be able to use it while I was in this time, sadly.
When I was satisfied with my newfound strength, I asked how to get back to the real world, and in response, I was led back to the stage. We all shoved ourselves through the stack of pink TVs after I put my coat back on, and ended up back in the Junes electronics department. The store appeared to be closed, as the lights were off.
I looked out the window as we regained our bearings and realized it was already nightfall. It was then it struck me: I had no where to stay tonight. I was a drifter! Again!
I chuckled to myself, attracting the attention of my new comrades.
"What's up Mar?" Chie asked.
"Ah, nothing important. Just gonna need to find a place to stay while I'm here is all." I replied honestly.
"Oh, that's right! He only got here, of course he doesn't have a place to stay." Yosuke concluded.
"I have an idea!" Yukiko voiced. "He can stay at the family Inn!"
"I could!...Ah, that reminds me, what does currency look like nowadays?"
Yu pulled out his wallet and handed me a bill. "This is what currency looks like in this part of the world."
"Interesting." I mused as I looked it over. "Watermarks…..resistant to tearing…..disposable yet valuable. Efficient! I like it!...Though, my money might not be worth anything, sadly." I thought aloud as I handed Yu his money back.
"That's fine Mar! After what you did today, I'll help you think up a cover story so my parents will let you stay for free!" Yukiko said with a smile.
"I thought you said YOU were the manager?"
"Well…..in training!"
We all shared a laugh, and when we calmed down, Yu asked me, "Say, I showed you our money, what did Magnolia money look like?"
"Actually, it was the Kingdom of Fiore's currency, Magnolia was just the capital." I explained as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet. Our money was similar, though the bills from my time were a bit….fancier.
"Yeah, I don't think we could translate that into modern money…..say, did you happen to use gems at all? Or precious metals?"
"In larger purchases, yeah…..Come to think of it…." I trailed off as I dug into my pocket and pulled out a small bag. "What's the worth of these things nowadays?" I asked as I emptied the contents into my hand, revealing six finger sized clear cut diamonds. "These were a commodity in my time, usually used for cheap jewelry and the like."
Everyone around me were drawn into the gems in my hand, as if a spell had come over them.
"Umm, guys?" I asked.
Yosuke snapped out of his stupor, and after some stammering and clearing his throat, he finally told me, "Mar, I'm going to guess you could make these at will back in the day. Today, it's a process requiring thousands of pounds of compression over equally as many years. Diamonds like those are one of the most rare things on this very Earth! Those will fetch you a small fortune!"
"Are you serious?!" I asked in disbelief. "I only kept these around because I like how they shine during a sunset!"
"They're beautiful…." Yukiko mused.
"Oh! Speaking of jewelry, I've been meaning to ask you something Mar!' Chie shouted in excitement. "What's the story behind that locket of yours?"
I looked down to my locket, and held it in my hand. "This is a memento from two very special people in my life. Want to see them?"
Everyone gathered around me as I opened it carefully, revealing two of the three women I loved most in all the world. Mavis on the left, and Mira on the right.
"The woman on the left is my little sister, one of the only constants in my life since I was little. I cherish her with every fibre of my being, and until I met this woman, I didn't think there would be another. This one is my wife. She was…..pregnant when everything happened. I ne-"
"Woah! You're a dad?!" Kanji interrupted.
"Ha, soon to be, yep…or maybe I have been for fifteen thousand years? All a matter of perspective, I guess. Either way, these two make much of the reason I want to return. I have many friends in my time, and my biological little sister as well."
"Biological?" Yu asked.
"Long story. We were…..separated as kids. I re met her recently."
"That's so sad…" Yukiko said.
"It wasn't all bad." I added. "I met Mavis soon after I lost Noa. She became a life companion for me." I explained as I smiled warmly, recalling the memories we had made together. Letting my locket fall to my chest, my gaze stopped just over my heart. My hand would quickly cover the source of the mark under my clothes, and I promised to the people both in and around me, "I have the means, I WILL be back, I swear."
That night, I tossed and turned in the bed that was laid out for me. The bed was comfortable, yeah, but I couldn't help feeling something was off…..like if the very air seemed to be disrupting me. Eventually, I gave up all together and sat up, stood tall, and walked into the blackened Inn.
I finally settled on a couch in the Inn's lobby, and looked out a nearby window. The night was calm, quiet, and beautiful to watch. Like a moving painting.
Still, I could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. Like I was MISSING something!
I tried to shake the thoughts from my head and stood up again, going for the door this time. When I tried it, it was unlocked, so I walked outside and started wandering. I thought some fresh air should get me nice and drowsy.
I didn't actually NEED to sleep. Ever since Deliora it was pretty much optional, along with food, water, heck, I could even go without breathing or stopping for a bathroom. Ha, and I had no small amount of fun when I figured all this out.
The air suddenly filled with a familiar sensation. Magic!
I looked around for the source casually, as to not give myself away to who or what was near me. However, it seemed my efforts were in vain when a man walked up behind me and asked, "Are you Mar Strauss?"
I sighed and turned to him, taking a good look as I did. Shoulder length, snow white hair and blue eyes. Between the age of eighteen and twenty. Dressed casually, yet with a slight punk aura to him.
"I am. Who are you?" I asked politely as I could.
"Heh." He replied simply, putting a stupid, yet familiar grin on his face. Come to think of it, he looked familiar OVERALL! It was defiantly strange, since I had never met him before.
A light bulb went off in my head and I asked, "Hey, you're not ME are you?! Shit, we shouldn't be talking, we migh-"
"Hey, old man, relax. I'm not you." He told me. "I AM here to help though."
"Help?"
"I know you're not supposed to be here, in this time. To get back, you need a metric ass load of power, right?"
"…How do you know this?"
"I have my ways. Anyway, you've met people already. A group of extra ordinary teenagers."
"!"
"Yes, they ARE the key. Get to the end of the mystery before you, the VERY end, and you will find a great source of power. It won't be enough, but shortly after confronting this power, you will be contacted by a woman in blue. Help her. She will lead you to enough power to make the trip ten times over, yet, you will not be strong enough to help her until this mystery is wrapped up."
"Lady in blue…Great Power?...Hey, kid, I'm going to ask again, how do you know this? Who are you?"
"…Ahhhhh, I see. Your son hasn't been born yet, has he?"
"?! How the hell would yo-….Oh my god. You're my-"
"I am. I can't stay any longer. Kick some ass and get back to them all, dad."
And like a breath of wind, he was gone! Nothing but a distant memory! He just….vanished!
I reflected on the message he delivered, and it wasn't long before I realized that I was told what I NEEDED to know, and nothing else. If he was my boy, he was smart enough to understand urgency, that much was for sure. Maybe time paradoxes, but that was just some fatherly hope talking.
I made my way back toward the Inn while lost in thought. I wouldn't be strong enough to help this woman until AFTER the mystery was solved?...Interesting. There had to be something big pulling the strings behind all of this. This killer….who the hell was he?
I didn't get any sleep that night. I pondered and thought until the sun arose, and Yukiko came to get me.
"Mar? Are you awake?" she asked softly.
I snapped out of the mood I was in and put on a smile for her, and replied, "I'm up! How are you this morning, Yukiko?"
"I'm doing well, I'm just concerned about you, that's all."
"Concerned? Come on in and sit down, I'm decent."
Yukiko walked over and sat next to me on the bed, and once she was comfortable, I asked, "Alright, so what do you thinks bugging me?"
"Ummm, you're fifteen thousand years out of place?"
"Ha! I guess that IS a good reason to be depressed, isn't it? I'm not overly worried anymore. I….I have a weird feeling that I'll find my way back."
"Good! Now, there's one other thing."
"Alright, shoot."
"I need to go to school, are you going to be okay on your own?"
"Yukiko! I'm an adult, I'll survive!" I replied humorously, faking offence.
Yukiko giggled and said, "Right, it's hard to remember that you're older than us, sorry."
"Don't be." I said with a smirk. "I still think like a teenager most times anyway!"
More giggling. "Alright!" She said, satisfied as she stood up. "Our school is called Yasogami High. You could come and visit us during our lunch break!"
"Think I will! I still need to meet this Rise lady, after all."
"Oh! That's right! She's back to school today! We'll need to talk to her today! She might have information on the killer, or at least be able to tell us why another body appeared….."
"The killer has a pattern?"
"He does. People who show up on the Midnight Channel….errm, that TV show you saw me watching when we first met, they're the next target. Yet….Rise was the target before, the new victim, Morooka didn't appear….and now, well, there's someone new on there now! We've never had two in a row before!"
"…Yikes. We have our work cut out for us." I thought aloud. "Anyway, get to school you! I won't be an excuse behind the hampering of proper education!"
After I saw Yukiko off, I went to walk through town, so if the fog fell again, I could find my way around. All the while, I kept my eye on the clocks around town so I wouldn't miss the all important meeting.
During my walk, I found a group of students similar in age to my new companions walking along a riverbank, and decided to follow them to find Yasogami. It turned out to be a sound idea, as I quickly located the building. Upon seeing my destination, I turned on my heels and went back into town. Wasn't time yet.
I got a good grip on the lay of the town. Wasn't too hard, Inaba was a small place after all. Glancing at a clock, I noticed that noon was drawing near, so I returned to the school.
As I passed the gate, I heard a bell chime, likely to signal the beginning of the break.
A couple people walked by me, and I began to notice a pattern in dress. Namely, they wore uniforms.
I looked over myself. Red trench coat, no shirt, dark jeans and runners. I stuck out like a sore thumb. But, at least I wouldn't get in too much trouble if someone pulled me aside. I would just be reprimanded for being different, at worst.
Shrugging it off, I walked through the whisperers and gazes of those around me, into the building and into the lobby.
I looked around. Besides some lockers beside me, there was a hall stretching to the end of the building on both sides. I could see clearly all the way to the walls, and saw no one I recognised, so I went for the stairs in front of me.
Unfortunately, I forgot to watch for people before I started walking again, and walked into a girl with brown pigtails.
I wasn't shaken, but she started to fall, where upon my reflexes kicked in and I swept myself around to catch her as gently as I could.
"Sorry about that miss. I'm a little spacy right now." I explained as I helped her back to her feet.
"It's fine!" She blurted out as she wrestled out of my hands and started jogging up the stairs, "Need to go, sorry!"
Weird girl, I thought to myself.
I continued searching my way up the building, soon making my way to the roof. I opened the large door and looked around outside, whereupon I saw everyone I knew, gathered together with the girl I had run into!
I walked over and nodded at my friends, who were currently talking to the girl about the TV world. She turned towards me, and jumped slightly at the sight.
"Rise Kujikawa? I think I'm overdue for an introduction. Mar Strauss." I said as I tucked my arm across my belly and bowed. "My apologies for running into you earlier, I'm not used to small corridors."
"S-Seriously? I bump into the ONE guy IN ALL OF INABA who shows up to help us?!" Rise blurted in disbelief.
Everyone around us laughed while I smirked at her and replied, "Yep! You'll learn quick that I'm a walking magnet for disaster."
Some introductions later, I was able to call myself an acquaintance of Ms. Kujikawa. She was a former idol, who took time off and moved in with her grandmother in Inaba to get away from showbiz. I didn't ask why, she would tell in due time.
After the bell rung for them to go back, I smiled and held the door open for all of them, telling them to have a good afternoon. We resolved to meet at Junes to check on Teddie and go over the case after school was out.
I closed the door behind them and looked out across the town. A peaceful place, for sure. I resolved to solve this case as fast as possible, just to make sure everyone here could sleep a little easier. Riding my elation, I removed my coat, tied it to my leg, and took off.
I stayed just above the clouds to avoid being seen, and just enjoyed the fresh air for some time. I would eventually touch down on a top of a building, re dress, and climb down the stairs through the building.
I debated scaling down the back of the building, but once I looked over the edge, vertigo went ahead and answered that question for me. It was strange, I had no issue flying, but whenever I was on foot, I couldn't stomach looking down. How odd.
I wandered through town for a time, watching folks go by. I talked to a woman who ran a textile shop about life in general, a delivery driver about Inaba's recent events, and a man in a bandanna who ran some sort of armory about his "Art".
Before I knew it, time had escaped me, and I made my way to Junes.
When I got to the food court, I found everyone waiting. They explained to me that the Midnight Channel only appeared on rainy nights, and that fog would settle into Inaba after a few days of rain, bringing with it a body if the person in the TV wasn't rescued. They also mentioned what they were beginning to perceive as a pattern. People who appear on the Midnight Channel have all been seen on regular TV before. Yukiko for her inheriting the Inn, Kanji for a misunderstanding about biker gangs, and Rise for….well, being famous and moving to a small town. The recently deceased did not share these traits, and they had still to identify the man that showed up recently.
In the end, we simply frustrated ourselves. Putting a puzzle together without all of its pieces has that effect, I suppose. We resolved to ask Teddie to determine if there was any inconsistencies, and made for the electronics department.
When we got there, a store employee approached Yosuke and asked, "Ah, Sir, do you know someone named Teddie? He's been asking for you."
"T-Teddie?!" Yosuke stammered. "I know him! That'll be all!" He quickly recovered, sending the employee away.
We rushed in to find a large bear mascot in a vibrating chair, and after the initial shock wore off, they established that this thing, evidentially Teddie, had come over more or less because he wanted to. He had never been on this side, and was wondering what it was like after meeting the Investigation Team. He also confirmed no one was on the other side before the new body turned up. When asked about the new possible target, Teddie lamented that he couldn't do anything but tell us the victim wasn't in danger yet. Finally, he told us that since Rise was taking over his role of support, he was going to fight with us, shoulder to shoulder!
We re-located to the food court, since at this time in the afternoon it would be quieter. Teddie seemed to be debilitated by the heat f the July morning, but sat and talked with us regardless.
We followed logic to the conclusions it could give us, but unfortunately, we got nothing that could help us corner the killer. He might have abandoned the TV method, but that wouldn't explain the person on the Midnight Channel currently.
We all puzzled over what seemed like an impossible equation, until Chie voiced a thought. "You know….it doesn't seem right. Something seems off about Morooka's death….almost like it wasn't the killer at all."
Everyone around the table turned to Chie in surprise. The girl started scratching her head in embarrassment as Yu and I voiced the new theory simultaneously. "A copy cat killer!"
"Chie you genius!" I shouted as I hugged the girl.
"H-Hey….I just got lucky is all!" she replied modestly.
A short laugh later, Teddie slammed his hands on the table, complaining about being too hot, and proclaimed he was removing his head.
Despite protests from Yosuke, who said he was a hollow bear, he still went forward with it, and undid the large zipper around his neck.
What followed was a compilation of the funniest faces I had ever seen made as Teddie removed his head, revealing a blonde, thin man within.
"Did he….." Yosuke started.
"GROW a BODY?!" Kanji shouted.
Some shenanigans involving a stolen credit card and a new set of clothes for our newly human companion later, we found that the sun was going down…..and rainclouds were coming in.
"Looks like the Midnight Channel will be on tonight." I voiced.
"I guess so-…ummmmm, who are you, anyway?" Teddie asked, causing everyone around us to go feet up.
A brief explanation later, Teddie and I formed a bond, even if just because we were both in an unfamiliar world.
With that, we went our separate directions. Teddie agreed to stay with Yosuke while he was in our world, and I headed back to the Inn with Yukiko as we agreed. Her poor mother passed out when I told her of my "Sudden onset amnesia" and presented her with the gems in my pocket to ask if I could secure lodging until such a time as my "Memory" returned.
All in all, I would say it was a good day.
That night, Yukiko and I were waiting for the Midnight Channel, when I decided to try something.
I reached my hand out and touched the 20 some odd inch TV, only to be met by solid glass.
"Hee-hee…..think you need a Persona for that, Mar." Yukiko giggled.
I turned to her and raised an eyebrow and a smirk as I told her, "Hey, it was worth a TRY anyway."
Suddenly, the TV flickered and came to life. Slowly, surely, the previously foggy image came into focus.
I could now tell that it was a man, that much was for sure. And that thing on his back seemed to be…attached, for lack of a better word. I couldn't tell what it was though, but it looked like a large duffel bag to me. Possibly one of those fancy fireproof ones that all the stupid kids wore as backpacks and used as mobile firework launchers….though at the same time it looked a bit flat for that.
Then, quickly as it appeared, the Midnight Channel was gone again. Yukiko's phone rang immediately and she put it on speaker so we could both talk to Chie. She couldn't add anything to what we got out of it, but we at least knew it was a man now.
The next day was a quiet one. It was their first day back to school since the murder, so I decided to be a ghost in the crowd for a day. Using some of Yukiko's money, I bought myself some plain looking clothes, a white shirt and gray semi formal pants, so I could fit in around Yasogami without suspicion.
I snuck in during their lunch break and found Chie, Yukiko, Yosuke, and Yu in a classroom labeled 2-F, and entered.
"Hey." I greeted. "Is everyone doing alright?"
"Oh, we're doing just FIIIIINE." Yosuke rolled.
"Yeah, we won't even have time to be sad with Kashiwagi's insecurities." Yu joked.
"New teacher is about as likeable as the last?" I asked.
"Maybe less!" Chie affirmed.
We shared a laugh, and when we came back down, Yukiko commented, "You look good in casual Mar. Why the trenchcoat any-…..ohhhh, right. Sorry, I forgot…how are you keeping them hidden right now?"
"Don't be! I love them! Also, I'm holding very still with a very specific posture…also, some of them are tucked in my pants."
"Wouldn't that be-"
"Uncomfortable? Oh, you have no idea." I said frankly with a smile.
Another laugh. We resolved to meet at the food court again today and attempt to work something out about the copy cat killer.
Chie lamented about her grades, prompting Yosuke to hit her with a smart ass comment. The two of them managed to make Rise laugh, who seemed to be elated that she made so many friends so quickly.
Kanji brought up the thought that the motive for Morooka's murder could have been sheer hate, and if that was the case, the suspect list was by no means short.
"But didn't you say it's people who get famous on TV who are targeted?" Rise asked. "If the killer's choosing targets by watching TV, I picture him as someone who doesn't know the victims at all. I don't think it's worth trying to figure out motives for that type. There are too many people who hold grudges against you for no reason, even if you've never met them before."
The words of the famous idol rung true. After some further debate, we were interrupted by a man clad in blue, including his hat and hair.
"There is no need to examine the case of Mr. Morooka any further." He announced.
"Wh-Why's that?" Chie asked
"Apparently, the police has found a suspect. It would be best to let them handle the case from here."
"H-How do you know…?" Yosuke inquired
"I'm on this case as a special investigator, by request of the prefectural police."
"The suspect. Who is it?" I asked.
"As to his name, I haven't been informed. I do know… that he is a high schooler. It isn't public knowledge yet, but he isn't a student of your high school. It seems they are quite confident that this boy is the killer…They have testimonies directly linking him with the incident. I expect it's only a matter of time before he is apprehended. Soon, this case will be solved, and your town will once again be its peaceful, rustic self."
"The suspect… is a high schooler…?" Yosuke repeated aloud. "All right… So why come tell us? That's confidential info, right? Why run right here and spill it?"
"Your "game" will soon reach its end. I felt I should at least let you know that." The man spoke with condescendence in his voice.
I clenched my fists as Yu slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "This isn't a GAME to us, Naoto!"
"Hmph. So you don't deny involvement? Well, no matter. I have no reason to say anything further."
"A game…?" Rise choked out. "Aren't you the one who thinks of this as a game?"
"…!?"
"I don't care if you're a special investigator or an amateur sleuth… All you're doing is solving mysteries. What could you possibly know about us? You're the one who's playing a game here."
Yosuke spoke up, "One of the victims… She meant a lot to me. How could I possibly treat this like a game? Plus…We made a promise…"
"Y-Y-Yosuke…." Teddie got out in between shortened breaths.
"A game…That may be quite true…" Naoto admitted.
"Wh-Why so understanding all of a sudden…?" Chie asked.
"Oh, I get it." Yosuke said with a hint of spite. "I was wondering why you'd be wandering around like this when the police have a suspect…What, did they get rid of you now that they have their man? Is that why you came here? You were lonely?"
"Yosuke!" I bellowed from across the table. Ass or not, that was uncalled for.
Naoto seemed mildly happy when I leapt to his defence. "Detectives normally aren't involved with arrests. And we never harbor any special emotions regarding a case, either. Still…It is rather unfortunate that people are only attentive when our services are required…But then, I'm accustomed to it. Much about this case was perplexing, but its solution was surprisingly simple…Well then, I'll be going now." He told us as he walked away.
"What was that about…? He just said his piece and left…?" Chie wondered aloud. "He said they have a suspect… but is this really gonna solve everything?"
With a sigh, Yosuke asked a rhetorical, "Who knows?"
We retired for the day shortly thereafter, and noticed that there was to be rain once more tonight. Only for a couple hours though, so the fog would not be in danger of setting in this time.
Yukiko and I once again sat before the TV, staring into the empty space.
The two of us were scratching our heads trying to think of any idea who the latest victim could be. No one with that frame had been on TV recently, so that option was out the door…..yet, it seemed to be the killer's M.O….something that was bothering me to no end.
The screen flickered to life and showed a figure in focus. Yet, I only had roughly a second and a half before my vision was pried from the TV.
Yukiko hit the ground next to me, a stranger standing behind us, holding a wet rag. SHIT!
Out of instinct, I attempted to use Magic, only to get subdued and have the rag shoved in my face. Memories from there are hazy, but I remember being carried, then subsequently dropped into a large space.
When I came to my senses, I stood and looked around myself to see the one place on earth I never wanted to be again.
Screams and bloodcurdling roars accompanied gunfire and explosions, along with blasts of Magic so foul that it put a smear on the very name.
I was on a battlefield.
I was in hell.
I noticed my feet felt damp, and looked down to see a flowing stream of blood, rapidly rushing past my feet toward a single destination, uphill from me.
If, for nothing else, to get away from the scene before me, I followed the blood that refused to bow to gravity, and ran up and over the hill.
Memories of the night before returned in chunks, and I realized just who was on the Midnight Channel as the blood began pooling and taking a familiar form before me.
I could only stand there in horror as it reared its head, confirming my worst fear.
"F-Fuck! You!...You're-!"
"I am a shadow, the TRUE self."