May 16th, Junes

As Chie and Yukiko ate the lunch Yosuke had blundered himself into having to buy for them, my uncle piped up.

"They are a bit late..." - he said.

"Now, now." - Said Sayoko - "They likely have a whole lot to talk about... I wonder if they'll talk about it to us if asked... Anyways. Yosuke, I wanted to ask. Doesn't the store have cameras? I mean, they'd likely catch us going into the TV and so on..."

"You're one to talk." - Said Chie, giggling, between bites.

"I'll never live that Agi down, huh?" - Asked Sayoko, smirking - "Anyways, about the cameras, Yosuke?"

"Well, the cameras won't be a problem." - He said, smiling.

"Oh?" - Asked Sayoko.

"The first thing I did after Yu got into the TV for the first time was making sure no one had seen the footage. The second thing I did was messing around with the security camera for that particular area to make it play a looping footage of... Well, no one going there." - He said.

"I had been wondering why they kept you around..." - Said Sayoko, giggling - "Nice going."

"You are aware I'm a cop, right?" - Asked my uncle, smirking.

"Well, if you wanna show them us going into the TV..." - Said Yosuke, smirking.

"Somehow I doubt this secrecy will remain necessary for long..." - Mused Mitsuru.

"Incidentally, we are quite a conspicuous group..." - Said Miss Sofue - "We should not be surprised if we are being watched."

"Yeah, I have to think about that too..." - Said my uncle.

"I don't think there is any way around it, uncle." - I said.

"Yet." - He said.

I shrugged.

"Well, if we can think of something... Oh, there they are."

Indeed, Naoto and Kanji were walking towards us. Naoto was blushing; the blue and black doll Sayoko had talked about was in his pocket. Kanji was blushing as well.

"Okay." - Said Kanji - "Let's get this over with..."

"Not that simple, tough guy." - Said Sayoko - "If you want to have the powers here, you have to deal with your alter ego here ot at least in that Velvet Room thing you folks have yet to show me..."

"This time we'll go through the TV." - said my uncle - "We need to check if you have the powers there, Uehara."

"Right." - She said.

"Uhm, so how will this power thing work?" - Asked Kanji.

"We get you to the Room, show you your shadow, you accept it, you get a persona." - Said Sayoko - "If you refuse it, we beat up your shadow, risking our bacon in the process, and you still get a persona, if we live."

"Very well." - Said Naoto - "In the interest of easing the process, I shall inform you that I am really a girl."

"Oh! And you pass so well, darling, good for you!" - Said Sayoko, hugging a Naoto who was blushing insanely at that point.

"Uh... U-uehara-san, s-stop... I... I am not finished..." - She said.

"Do go on." - Said Miss Sofue.

"The reason for which I dress so is practical in nature. The police is reluctant to accept the word of a young detective, let alone a female one." - Said Naoto.

Upon which everyone looked at my uncle, who sighed.

"Well... She does have a point." - He said - "Look... The police doesn't really like consultants either. So, I guess part of it is sexism, part of it is ageism and part of it is corporativism? I'm really not helping my case here, am I?"

"That depends." - Said Naoto - "If you are attempting to make excuses for that behavior, you are doing a bad job. If you are attempting to explain it, I would say you are doing well. However, none of it changes the fact that my input would be received even more poorly if it were to be revealed that I am female. Have you truly never balked at my age?"

"And at the fact that you're a consultant, yes." - Said my uncle, sighing - "However... I know of your work. And if I couldn't respect you for it, that'd be my loss, not yours."

"Easy said, Dojima, but the loss is mine in the sense that being heard without that respect is an uphill battle." - Said Naoto - "But I do understand your point. I only ask that you do not disclose my gender."

"I'll tell them I'm working with you." - Said my uncle.

"I'm pretty sure they'll see it..." - Said Yosuke.

"Well, yeah, but I'll still make it official. I'll make sure they know that disrespecting you is disrespecting me." - Said my uncle.

Naoto chuckled.

"That's still an attempt to protect someone 'weaker', Dojima. But I appreciate the sentiment. Just tell them that we are aiding one another and give the credit where it is due." - She said.

"So, he'll give credit to Yu for taking him to the TV world?" - Asked Sayoko, smirking - "That's a neat way to get thrown into the looney bin."

"Within reason, Nurse Uehara..." - Said Naoto.

"Call me Sayoko." - Said Sayoko.

"At any rate, it is good that you informed us of this, Shirogane-kun, but bear in mind that the shadow may inform or show anything it sees fit. It happened with me." - Said Miss Sofue.

"You only have to accept it." - Said Yukiko - "No matter what it is. It is you. Or at least part of you."

"I am all too familiar with the darker natures of man..." - Said Naoto, pensively.

"Watch out for embarassing, too." - said Yukiko, sighing - "Doesn't need to be evil, just something you'd rather people not see."

Naoto sighed.

"...very well." - She said - "I... Also resent how I am viewed as a child... My build does not help... And... I suppose I am what one might call somewhat isolated..."

"You're lonely. And smarter than most people twice your age." - Said Sayoko - "Okay. You're with me."

"Uh..." - Said Naoto, flustered, as Sayoko just giggled.

"Well... I'm not gonna discuss it all out in the open here..." - Said Kanji - "But... Look, I just have an easier time talking to boys, y'know. Plus I picked up my mother's skills, right? So, well, yeah... I promise I'll own up to it when the time comes, kay?"

"You'd better." - Said Chie - "I really don't wanna fight your shadow..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" - Asked Kanji, looking annoyed.

"She is assuming that your shadow is physically powerful due to your own training." - Said Miss Sofue - "As for embarassing... You are aware that I wear a pharaoh's headdress wherever I go, yes? Indeed, that I am wearing it as we speak."

"Uh... Yeah?" - Asked Kanji - "What of it?"

"I am a woman. Not even a manly one, such as is Naoto." - Said Miss Sofue.

"I am well within listening range, Sofue-sensei." - Said Naoto, testily.

"I meant no offense, dear, I was just making a point. And the point is thus: if I can show my true self, not bending or breaking in face of the vox populi, why would a man among men like yourself be unable to?"

"Uh... I see... I guess?" - Said Kanji.

We finally made it to the TVs. After making sure it was good and empty, I touched the screen. The team went first. Then Naoto nodded and slipped through and Kanji went last, followed by me.

As we landed on the TV world stage, Teddie was there.

"Wow... Your fur..." - Said Kanji, blushing - "May I touch it?"

"Uh... No..." - Said Teddie - "Are he or the other boy the suspect?"

"Uhm, not really, Teddie..." - I said.

"A talking teddy bear. Quite interesting." - Said Naoto.

"Oh, yeah, nice to actually get to talk to you, Teddie-chan." - Said Sayoko, giggling - "I was a bit out of it before..."

"Uh..." - Said Teddie, actually blushing - "Teddie-chan?"

"What? I think it's cute..." - Said Sayoko - "Oh, I should test to see if Lust comes out..."

"Lust?" - Asked Kanji.

"My Persona... Come out and play, Lust!" - Shouted Sayoko, giggling just a bit madly.

Mitsuru appeared... Wearing a rather short and beautiful pink yukata.

"Uh... Your persona is Naoto?" - Asked Kanji, confused.

"Oh... I see." - Said Mitsuru, blushing - "She appears different to each observer... As the object of desire."

"Uh... How does Lust appear to you, Miss Uehara?" - Asked Yosuke.

"Oh, Yosuke..." - Said Sayoko, giggling - "What makes you think she only has one form when I summon her in private?"

"Oh, woooow..." - Said Kanji's voice, from another point of the room - "Such an interesting little thing... I would just looooove to test Lust in every sort of form... It would be sooooo delightful..."

Soon after, Naoto's voice was there as well, with the shadow tinge just like Kanji's.

"A being that can change form... If I could study it, I could devise the means to solve the main conundrum of our existence... We would gain the power to be what we needed... And we would gain respect... I must have it to experiment on it..."

"Naoto", wearing a lab coat that would be way too big on my uncle, came to us, as did "Kanji", wearing a towel that would be way too small on Naoto.

"And there are your shadows." - I said, matter-of-factly to Naoto and Kanji, the first with an expression I could not read at all, the second with the most determined face I'd ever seen...