You knew it was coming.
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Across town, Dojima had been contemplating another glass of sake while waiting for Yu to come home. What has that kid gotten himself into? He wanted to go grab him, bring him back here, get him to do his homework and put him to bed as well, but he knew Yu wasn't Nanako's age. He wasn't a child. He was growing into a man who put others first and helped people in the name of truth and justice.
He's a better cop than me.
It certainly didn't mean that he couldn't worry about him, though. He'd promised his sister he'd keep an eye on her boy, and twice now, he'd let Yu go off and nearly get himself killed. It was tempting to blame Kirijo...but Yu insisted she was just as much a victim, that she had to get herself killed too because she had no choice. As a father and uncle, this worried him. It occurred to him at the bottom of another glass that this is what the Public Safety people were counting on; fear of something you didn't understand coming after your children. It was going to be another media circus, and Inaba didn't need another round of show trials. But what could he do?
The stairs creaked. Nanako was out of bed, and she sounded like she was crying. "Go away! Why won't you go away?"
"Nanako, you're having another dream. Time to go back to bed." Dojima tried to lead Nanako back to her room, but Nanako wasn't asleep. She was awake and pale as a ghost. "What's wrong?"
"They don't want the kids anymore," she sobbed, "They want Mitsuru-san. They're angry now, and they keep yelling 'Kirijo'. Dad, I don't want them to get her!"
"Okay, okay. Hey, calm down. Isn't that what Yu always says?" Think, Dojima! "He said everyone was going to Shirogane's." He grabbed his phone, and barely managed to fumble Yu's number.
Nanako was curled up beside him desperately covering her ears. "Every day's great at your Junes..." she warbled.
"Dammit! No answer!" Yu was in danger, and he was powerless again.
No.
He was not going to sit back and let a bunch of kids take on the world by themselves again.
"Nanako? Can you put – can you stop singing for a second? Sweetie, can you put your shoes on for me? We've got to save your Big Bro this time." He grabbed his phone again, this time dialing the precinct. "Suzuki? It's Dojima. Look, I know it's late, but I need you to get me anything you can find on Public Safety and have it on my desk by tomorrow. Yes, that's what I said!" He bundled Nanako into the car and prayed that he would make it in time.
"What." Junpei was the only one who managed to speak, and he clearly spoke for all of them.
Grampa continued. "The existence of the Shadow Operatives is based on the need for special forces to deal with cases involving Shadows. However, nearly all of the Shadow cases on record have directly involved Kirijo-san."
"But what about our case?" Yosuke asked. "We didn't even know Mitsuru-san and the others existed last year." The others murmured their agreement. Naoto decided not to mention that she had indeed known of the Kirijo Group's existence.
"A branch of Inaba Municipal is owned by the Kirijo Group. In fact, Minazuki-kun was housed there...all throughout the serial murder case...placed there by the Group themselves."
Mitsuru was aghast. "That's preposterous, and you know it!"
"Okay, no," Yukari agreed, "Senpai's not a Featherman villain."
"Sho-kun was in a coma!" Labrys protested, "And he hates the Kirijo Group! Why would he ever work with them?"
"I think you're forgetting a crucial point here," Naoto decided to interject, "These accusations don't have to be proven true. They only have to publish them, and word of mouth will take care of the rest. Most people generally don't stop and think about the validity of rumors, especially salacious ones. If Public Safety can't ruin Mitsuru-san directly, they can certainly ruin her business."
"They're also gonna ruin yours," said Kanji. "You were supposed to work for them, but you sided with Mitsuru-san instead. Who's gonna hire a detective that helps scam people?" His concern for her was touching, and even Grampa seemed pleasantly surprised. Naoto found herself unable to look him in the eye.
Gravity seemed to hit Mitsuru all at once as she slumped back onto the sofa, her forgotten jaw still slightly open, somewhere far, far away. Naoto could only imagine how much of a blow this news had been. As a woman in a man's world, she struggled to just get work. Mitsuru had to lead men like Suzuki and Dojima ...and Adachi as well. She was already branded too young, too emotional and weak due to her sex. If Mitsuru lost the public's trust, she could kiss the Kirijo Group goodbye.
"Hey," Yu piped up, "We can do this, though. Dojima-san's finally on board. He's going to help us fight back Public Safety. It's not over."
"It's never going to be over," said Mitsuru. She looked utterly defeated. Now would ordinarily be the time that Akihiko piped up with some reaffirming statement or hamfisted redirection about protein or training...but he wasn't here, and Mitsuru looked to be feeling his absence harder than ever.
Yakushiji opened the door to the study, presenting Dojima and Nanako, half-dressed and panicked. Naoto could swear she smelled sake. And why was Teddie hiding?
"Y-you kids all right?" Dojima stammered. "Er...sorry to intrude, I'm Ryotaro Dojima. You know my daughter."
Nanako had been shaking, clinging to her father's shirt with one hand while covering her ear with the other. She ran to Mitsuru, and tearfully told her, "They're coming for you." What little color left in Mitsuru's face drained completely away.
Fuuka and Rise looked at one another, and since Rise still couldn't summon, she could only offer to hold Fuuka's hand while she timidly raised her Evoker. Grampa made a move towards her, but Naoto stopped him with what she hoped was a reassuring hand. "This is the way the Shadow Operatives call their Personas," she explained. Thankfully, Fuuka's Persona was the one that wasn't destructive.
With the bubble holding both girls, their powers seemed to reach even farther. "The Shadows really are gathering!" Fuuka cried.
What interested Naoto more was the fact that they actually saw Kanzeon flicker in and out of existence, as if Juno's bubble was strong enough to amplify Rise's Persona in the real world.
"These aren't just everyday Shadows, either," said Rise, "I've never seen anything so powerful."
Dojima turned to Grampa. "Do you know what the hell's going on?"
"I'd wager that I am just as much in the dark as you are," Grampa told him. He did not seem frightened, however. In fact, if Naoto didn't know any better, Grampa appeared to be formulating a plan.
Mitsuru, on the other hand, was giving into fear. She was rubbing her wrists without realizing it again. She had no answer to Yukari's, "What do we do, Senpai?", except to sigh and cover her face with her hands. The leader of the Shadow Operatives was completely helpless.
"I myself would like a nice cup of tea," Grampa decided, and the entire room stared at him. Naoto had to laugh. What seemed like the most oddball idea at the time was usually the key to clearing one's befuddled mind, making it easier to find the solution that eluded you. "I'd wager Kirijo-san could use some tea as well." He opened the door to summon Yakushiji.
"You got any strong black coffee instead?" asked Dojima.
"Coffee, tea...Naoto was fond of hot cocoa as a girl, especially when allowed a bit of whipped cream on top."
"Grampa!"
Nanako perked up. "I like cocoa, too! With marshmallows!"
"Do we have marshmallows, Yakushiji?" Their poor butler looked confused. "Oh, dear, it appears Yakushiji has no idea what a marshmallow is, the poor fellow. If only we had an expert."
"Oh, I can help! I know what marshmallows look like!" Nanako leapt off the couch and skipped after Yakushiji. "Dad doesn't buy the right kind, either. I told him to get the little bitty ones. Do you shop at Junes? They have all kinds of different marshmallows: big ones, little ones, coconut ones – I don't like the coconut ones..." She continued praising Junes marshmallows all the way down the hall, with Dojima shaking his head as he followed her.
With Nanako out of the room, Grampa approached the Shadow Operatives. "This is a rather extreme measure for accessing your power. May I?" He gestured to Fuuka's Evoker, and she handed it over. He began muttering to himself, "A direct hit to the amygdala...so there's a physiological aspect as well?"
"We don't need to use them in the TV World," Naoto was quick to point out, "it's much easier to concentrate on summoning your Persona in that environment." She didn't want him to worry about his only granddaughter accidentally shooting herself in the head.
"But are you able to?" Grampa asked.
"I, uh..."
"Theoretically." Mitsuru appeared to be feeling better after watching Nanako return to her own cheerful self. "As you suspected, it triggers a 'fight or flight' reaction, which in Persona-users, activates their power. However, it's not as simple as just-"
"I want to try it!" Teddie suddenly cut in. He took the Evoker from Grampa's hand and had it to his head before anyone could interject. Then he froze. "Waah!"
"-because, as we previously discussed, a Plume of Dusk is essentially a Shadow." Mitsuru took the Evoker and passed it back to Fuuka.
"A NASTY Shadow with a big potty mouth!" said Teddie as his suit pouted.
"In Fuuka's Evoker?" Junpei gaped. "That's the last place you'd expect it!"
"Perhaps...Yu-senpai should try it?" Naoto suggested. He was the only one who'd managed to summon in the real world, after all.
Mitsuru shook her head. "I am not okay with this at all..." Neither was Yu, if the expression on his face was any indication. "However, if you're going to attempt it, you might want to do so before Nanako returns."
Yu nodded almost comically. "Y-yeah." He actually looked nervous. He took Fuuka's obscenity-spewing Evoker and raised it to his head, opting to tuck it behind his ear like he'd seen the Operatives do. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, and... "Persona!"
The towering figure of Izanagi-no-Okami stretched to the ceiling, to the thunderous applause of the Investigation Team.
"You did it, Senpai!" Rise launched herself at Yu and nearly knocked him down. Whatever subliminal message the Shadow imparted must have sapped his energy.
"Hmm. Well done," said Mitsuru.
Dojima and Nanako returned with drinks, only for Nanako to nearly drop her cocoa. "Oh! It's Big Bro's...um..." She remembered Yu's Persona from that one night?
As Izanagi dissipated, Teddie crept timidly over to Nanako. "N-Nana-chan?" He looked as if he were going to cry. "Hello..."
"Hi, Teddie! I brought you some cocoa because I know you like sweet things, too."
Relief washed over Teddie's face, and the tears appeared. "Oh, Nana-chan! Nothing's sweeter than you!"
Mitsuru smiled for the first time that night.
Mitsuru would have chosen to spend the rest of her life in this moment, if it were up to her. This was how one's childhood should be; carefree and innocent, not tainted with Shadows and the adult concept of death. Nanako's future was wide open, with endless possibilities available to her. "Dojima" wouldn't loom over her head like a Shadow.
They were interrupted by Koromaru barking wildly out the window. "He says that a massive amount of Shadows have gathered outside," translated Aigis.
"Holy shit, he's right!" Tatsumi agreed as he joined the dog. "Look at 'em!"
A horribly undulating black mass was coalescing and pulsating at the end of Shirogane's driveway. Tendrils extended and groped in their direction, beckoning. Nanako buried her face in her father's stomach, shaking with sobs as she held on to him for dear life.
Mitsuru wondered just how inappropriate it would be for her to do so as well.
"It appears we've underestimated the enemy, and allowed them to corner us," Shirogane-san, minus the fear any mortal man should have at this stage, observed with a calm, steady voice. "I had always assumed this house would be properly fortified against any siege, however..."
"They won't attack anyone if they get what they want," replied Mitsuru. A sharp pain in her skull told her that Artemisia disagreed with the idea she found there, but Mitsuru pressed on. "but remain on alert regardless."
Koromaru growled, his fur standing up on edge. Behind her, Mitsuru heard the familiar whirring of Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapons activating. The Shadow Operatives – her friends – were armed and awaiting orders. They would stand by her until the very end, at the cost of their own lives. Narukami had a tarot card in his extended palm, and though the rest of the Investigation Team were unable to summon, they stood ready to fight with whatever means necessary to protect their town and its people.
Detective Hiraku Shirogane, unafraid, stood with them. "On your word, Kirijo-san."
"No."
That was her word.
Turning away from them so they wouldn't see the tears their solidarity had caused, Mitsuru repeated, "No one else will die for Kirijo." She'd made up her mind. The Shadows wanted Kirijo. They were going to get her. This is what I am doing here, Narukami. It's the only thing I know how to do. A tremor ripped its way through her heart. Was this how Yuki had felt?
They had almost reached Okina City. A full moon was never a good omen.
Akihiko couldn't sense Shadows like Mitsuru or Fuuka, but even he knew that something dangerous was brewing. They'd come across dozens of Shadows tonight, but the damn things didn't stick around long enough to fight. They blatantly ignored him as they kept moving eastward.
Towards Inaba.
Shit. Shit!
If there was any juice left in his sore, aching body, please let it kick in now.
The first to cry out was little Nanako. "No, no! Don't go, Mitsuru-san!" she sobbed. She was so young, and she'd already cried way too many tears.
Mitsuru managed to crouch and meet the child's eyes. "There's no need to be frightened anymore," she reassured her.
"I'm scared you won't come back!"
So am I.
"Oh, now, what makes you think I won't come back, hmm?" Mitsuru stood and removed her coat, failing to notice its stowaway fall to the floor as she draped it over Nanako's shoulders. "I'll always come back for this, remember? I'm entrusting it to you. Don't let me down, ma petite."
"Senpai, what are you doing?" Yukari had no doubt caught on to her plan.
"You're not going out there, are you?" So had Iori.
Mitsuru took a moment to reach out to her friends. They were good people. They wouldn't let a loss of one of their members keep them from their goal. "Keep the others safe," she said, "Don't let any Inaba users patrol without at least one Operative. Defer to Narukami if necessary."
"Senpai, no-!"
She turned away again. "Aigis."
"Understood!"
She kept the image of Nanako in her mind as she opened the doors. The vile stench of Shadows nearly caused her to vomit as she stepped out into the night. It was nearly impossible to see; the miasma threatened to block out the moon itself. She let Artemisia guide her to the street, and for an instant felt the communicative Persona-users keeping an eye on her. It left her just as suddenly as it came, replaced by a bone-chilling wave of death and emptiness. The Shadows had found her.
It was like nothing she'd ever experienced. The Shadows that had swarmed upon Yasogami!Tartarus had been mindless, like pawns set up to sacrifice themselves. These Shadows had a goal, and they moved as one. Sensing prey, they oozed up the driveway. Artemisia begged, pleaded to be set free, but Mitsuru blocked her out.
"WAIT!"
That voice...!
Someone must have alerted the others, because behind Mitsuru, Persona-users poured out, and in front of her...
A body hit the ground and skidded to a halt right between Mitsuru and the Shadows. Filthy, battered and bruised, they weren't getting up any time soon.
"SHO-KUN!" Labrys used her jets to propel herself down the driveway.
Minazuki? But then-
Oh, she wanted to punch him. Turn all his training and tips right back on his idiotic face! Why had he left her exactly when she needed him the most? But then he moved forward into the dim light, and she saw the fear and worry in his eyes, and she wanted to hold him tighter than she ever had and never let him go.
Akihiko.
Naoto had been hesitant to get her grandfather involved for this very reason.
The Shadow Operatives were beside themselves with fear for their leader. Fuuka had already begun crying, and Rise stayed with her in Juno's sphere, trembling. With the Shadows gathering, it was too dark to see properly, but they could just make out Mitsuru edging down the driveway, head held high in spite of the terror she must have been experiencing. She stopped at the curb, and the Shadows began moving towards her.
Fuuka leapt up, breaking her Persona's spell. "Akihiko-senpai is back!"
It was Yukari who moved first, followed by Labrys. Everyone all but flew down the driveway, hoping to change Mitsuru's mind. Sho had returned, and although he appeared to be grievously injured, he could be questioned! Perhaps they'd finally have their answers!
But Mitsuru wasn't wavering. Even as Akihiko approached her, she remained outwardly emotionless.
"You okay?" Akihiko sounded exhausted.
Mitsuru had an eerie smile on her face, as if she'd just resolved some inner conflict. "It's over now."
"Akihiko-san!"
"Senpai!" The Shadow Operatives broke ranks and tried to get Akihiko's attention. "Stop her!"
"Go." Mitsuru turned just enough for Naoto to see that her face was streaked with tears. "The others need you."
"They need both of us. Mitsuru, what-what are you doing?" They spent a good minute staring each other down until a sarcastic voice cut in.
"Kiss and make up already, before we all get eaten!" Sho was conscious, and screaming at the couple who seemed to have forgotten there were Shadows all around them. Unfortunately, the Shadows had noticed him right back, and realized he was injured.
Mitsuru finally summoned her Persona, and a collective sigh rose up among the spectators...only to turn into a confused gasp when she used it to heal Sho.
Akihiko reached for her, but she quickly became too cold for him to touch. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked again. "Mitsuru, this piece of shit is going to undo your entire life! Just let the Shadows have him!"
"I can't!"
"He'd do the same to you in a second! Why does it even matter to you?"
"Because," Mitsuru sobbed openly now, "we're the same."
The Shadows were circling like vultures, enclosing Sho in a cyclone of death. Labrys had almost reached them. Akihiko decided to take the hit and pulled a pair of gloves out of his pocket so he could grab Mitsuru without getting frostbite. Just as everything began to go crazy...
"STOP!"
Mitsuru's commanding voice was so terrifying that even the Shadows paused. They watched in horror as she pulled out her sword and sliced into her arm. Blood dripped onto the asphalt – but it was when the blood gathered and began moving toward the Shadows like a slot car that Nanako screamed.
And then they heard it. It began like the wind on a stormy night before the rain set in, but quickly got louder and chilled their bones just as much. The Shadows were speaking so that everyone could hear them.
...Kiri...jo...
"No," said Naoto softly as the other shoe dropped and she realized what was happening too late to stop it.
"NO!" yelled Akihiko as the Shadows prevented him from intervening while they switched focus to Mitsuru.
But it was too late. They heard Mitsuru's scream muffled as the Shadows engulfed her with a force strong enough to lift her off the ground. The Shadows were gagging her, entering her mouth, nose, and ears. Her sword fell out of her hands as she gripped her throat to no avail. Exhaustion had finally caught up with Akihiko as he slumped to the ground, naked terror on his face, one hand frozen in its outstretched position. As the clouds parted and the moon flashed into view, hurting their eyes, Mitsuru went limp. Her body dropped to the ground like an empty wrapper.
"Mi-" Akihiko crawled over to her, gingerly reaching out to touch her hair that was splayed on the road like a smashed tomato. His hand came back with blood all over it, and his body shook with sobs. "Why am I never strong enough?" he wailed.
"SENPAI!" Yukari shrieked and tore down the driveway, sobbing as she attempted to revive Mitsuru. The spells just bounced right off. Yukiko ran to help, but Naoto stopped her, shaking her head sadly. There was nothing that could be done. As Koromaru howled in grief, Naoto removed her hat and bowed her head in mourning for the courageous woman she'd grown to respect.
No one knew what to say to Akihiko.
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The amygdala:
If Plumes of Dusk are pieces of Shadows, and Teddie is a Shadow, he might actually be able to talk to them – and I imagine they'd say something like "Filthy traitor!"