26.
3.25.16
They gazed at Souji's butt.
It had been no small task finding the gate back to The Dorm. In the first place, it had vanished. In the second, there were few landmarks to guide them to their original location. Through the concentrated efforts of Kanzeon's scans and Teddie's nose, they'd found the exit. They couldn't see it, only the softly waving asphodels and the cloudy gold sky, but Teddie and Rise were sure it was there.
"You just need to find the outlet, Sensei," Teddie said, blinking slowly. He was leaning on Yosuke (he'd asked Yukiko for support, and the look she'd given him was the equivalent of a Critical Hit from Chie). "Try using your Persona."
They stepped back as Izanagi-no-Okami materialized in front of Souji, his stance echoing his first self's. The air around him seemed to shiver, as if his living presence somehow unraveled it - and in the unraveling, they saw the flickering outline of the door. Now that they could recognize it, it remained visible.
"Don't just rush through," Yosuke cautioned, grimacing as Teddie slumped against him. "Check to see if it's safe."
Souji stepped up to the door and stuck his head through, then his shoulders, his torso disappearing into a golden haze.
Which left them contemplating the seat of his jeans.
"Dude, hurry it up," complained Yosuke.
Souji leaned back in. "It's clear. I don't even hear any police."
"That's right," Chie said. "When we left, wasn't your neighbor freaking out because he saw Kanzeon?"
"Hm." Rise shifted from foot to foot. "Maybe we should wait a bit?"
Yosuke gave Teddie a sharp look; his eyes had drooped closed. "We're not waiting."
Teddie blinked and drew a deep breath as they hoisted him back into his bedroom, and he toddled gratefully to his beanbag chair, flumping into it. Above their heads, they could hear Russian rap, somewhat muted, and no other sounds.
"Hey, guys!" Chie turned around the room. "What time was it when we went in?"
"Not quite lun..." Yosuke also looked around, then up at the wall clock. "It's one in the morning!"
They glanced at their watches, cell phones, out the dark window - there was no arguing it. Not that it stopped them. "No way," Chie said, "no way we were in there that long."
Yosuke laughed shakily, looking at his cell. "At least it's the same year. There's still that." He tipped his head back and groaned. "What the hell is all this? Okay, look," he said, switching gears with his customary facility, "we were in an alternate reality. A...slight time difference isn't that big of a surprise."
"I don't like the idea of losing so much time," Naoto said, "but Yosuke-senpai's right. There's no point complaining about it."
"How do you feel, Teddie?" Yukiko asked. Despite her earlier harshness (and the fact that she kept three feet of distance between them) her tone was sympathetic.
"Mmm, a back rub would be nice," Teddie said, winking at Yukiko.
"Don't kill him," Souji said, "after we went to all this trouble."
"You pick the worst times to joke, man," Yosuke said. "What's our next move?"
"I need to reconnoiter with Grampa," Naoto said. "He'll be wondering where we've been."
Yukiko winced. "My parents are probably upset. They don't have any clue where I am."
"Mine either," Chie said. "To say nothing of everyone at the police station."
"Crap," Yosuke said, "the manager's bound to tell my dad I haven't been to work..."
"With Kirijo gone, I'm reluctant to assume we're safe," Naoto said, "but perhaps we should separate and regroup later. It will give us a chance to get some perspective. And make explanations."
Souji crossed his arms. "I agree. We can't keep rushing from place to place. We need to step back and look at everything." He thought a moment longer. "For a second or two."
"Let's find the next train to Yasoinaba." Naoto dialed on her cell. "I ask that you all come to the estate tomorrow, by eleven o'clock, shall we say? Reassure your families as best you can, and then let's get back to work."
The next train left at 2:46. Though they were remaining at The Dorm, Souji and Yosuke left Teddie to sleep and walked with the others through the softly dark streets to the train station, all of them making tentative plans. As they crossed in and out of the streetlights, their mood gradually lifted.
"It's almost like we're kids again, us all being together," Chie said wistfully. "We weren't usually out this late."
"Huh?" Yukiko raised her eyebrows at her best friend. "We're not kids anymore?"
"I dunno," Chie said, chafing her arms. "I just...feel like we stopped being kids when we went our separate ways. It was sad, you know?"
"I get what you're saying, but don't bring us all down." Yosuke stepped between the girls and slung an arm around each's shoulder (Chie blushed, and Yukiko shied slightly away). "You'll always be kids to me."
"What the-?" Chie's blush was gone. She grabbed Yosuke's wrist and thrust his arm away. "You're the one who said we - we'd develop into grown women!"
Yukiko's eyes widened. "I remember that. It was during the camp-out." Almost delicately, she stomped on Yosuke's foot and jumped away.
"And you agreed with him." Chie whirled on Souji.
"Hey," Souji said, sidestepping from her, "that was five years ago. What's the point of bringing it up now?"
"What're you talking about?" Rise asked.
"No more stomping!" from Yosuke. "Dammit, you pushed us in the drink and we ended up with Moron Puke all over us. Wasn't that revenge enough?"
Naoto stopped walking to look at the others. "Moron...Puke?"
"And Kanji and his nosebleed," Yukiko growled.
Kanji took a step back. "I didn't mean to-"
"Why are you overreacting?" Yosuke probably had addressed this inquiry to Chie, but he'd craned his neck back and was looking up at the stars, gesturing theatrically. "All I meant is that you're both so - so - it's just like old times, being with you, okay? The good things don't change." He straightened and looked at Souji, then Kanji. "Right?"
Kanji raised a dubious eyebrow. "Sure, if you mean it's all screwed up like it was before."
"That's not what I meant," Yosuke said witheringly.
"And I'm not sure you meant something complimentary to begin with," Chie said, still more witheringly.
The glare from the train station was unwelcome. There were very few passengers at this time of night and that somehow made it harder for them to talk freely.
"We'll see you tomorrow," Souji said. He began to frown, his eyes thoughtful, then he settled his face into calmness. But he looked at each of them in turn. "Stay safe, all right?"
"Aw, Senpai." Rise giggled.
"No, we mean it," Yosuke said. "Nobody else better get kidnapped or go missing. If your electrical outlets start glowing, stay put."
"Everyone call me in the morning," Naoto said. "It's the easiest way to do a headcount."
"And don't forget, we've all got our Personas now." Chie obviously didn't want to sound worried, but she didn't entirely succeed. "We've got that much going for us. So if anyone's attacked...don't hold back from kicking ass!"
Yosuke and Souji waited until the others had boarded before heading back. The five of them took up two sets of seats, facing each other. Chie yawned. "I know we missed a couple hours but...I feel tired." She leaned her chin on her hand and stared out the black window.
"What's up, Naoto-kun?" Rise asked.
"Nothing." The detective had, as usual, nabbed her own window seat, Kanji beside her. She now seemed to be trying to unobtrusively look around him, to study the other passengers. "Just...checking."
Yukiko sighed. "What are we going to tell our parents?"
"Uh..." Chie tapped her feet alternately on the floor. "Last they heard, we were having a sleepover. Um...we went to Naoto's and stayed there because it was...so much fun? And we're going back there later today?"
"We got drunk and passed out for several days?"
"Yukiko!"
She sighed and shook her head. "It makes as much sense as any other excuse."
"Hey," Rise said softly, "can I crash at one of your places?"
"That's right," said Chie. "You shouldn't even be here. You're missing."
"Yeah, I'd rather not draw any attention to my presence. If the media finds me, it's going to be hard explaining where I've been for the past week."
"I don't recommend the inn, then," Yukiko said. "So many of the employees know you already, not to mention the guests. It'd be hard sneaking you in."
Chie chewed her lower lip. "My parents are going to be, um, barbecuing me as soon as they realize I'm home. I don't think this is the best time for a sleepover."
"Okay." Rise was glum, but she brightened up. "Then it's you, Kanji-kun?" She winked. "I know I'm safe with you. You're a gentleman, even if you do look like a thug."
For a moment, Kanji was unequal to speech, only accomplishing a small choke far back in his throat. Then he managed, "Uh - if you think - I mean..." He glanced around the circle, trying to gauge what the others thought of this. Chie and Yukiko were watching him unconcernedly, Naoto was gazing out the window, hat brim over her eyes. None of them looked as though she was about to lunge over and dismember him. None of them looked as though she cared, which was...both complimentary and downright insulting. Oh well. Was just Rise anyway. "Sure."
"Great." Rise folded her hands on her knees. "I'll cook you a fabulous breakfast."
"Rise can come home with me," Naoto said quickly.
"Huh? Hey!" Rise lifted her chin. "My cooking's come a long way, Ms. Shirogane. I won't even put cayenne in the omelet."
"There is ample room for you at the manor," Naoto went on, not turning from the window, "therefore no need to impose on Kanji."
"S'not a problem," Kanji said. "I mean, I can just take the couch-"
"I insist," Naoto said flatly, a faint flush to her cheek.
"Okay." Rise settled back in her seat. "But I can't shake the feeling you're only doing this to save his stomach." But she studied Naoto a moment, then arched one eyebrow.
The other girls chattered inconsequentially for the rest of the train ride, but aside from calling for cars from the estate, Naoto remained quiet. By the time they stepped into Yasoinaba Station, Yukiko and Rise were yawning too.
"Just tell the driver your addresses," Naoto said, nodding to one of the two cars. "And don't forget to call me tomorrow. I'll send some cars to bring you to the estate."
"Argh," Chie, at a bit of a distance, was saying. "C'mon, Yukiko, we need to come up with a story for our parents, and it has to be the same story. Work with me here!"
"Um...we were...helping out at Junes? I mean, the one near The Dorm?"
"For five days?"
Kanji shook his head. "I'm just glad Ma is outta town."
Naoto studied the pavement, as if looking for faults. "If you have no one to report to, you can come with us to the estate. No, but you have your cat. You'll need to feed it," she recalled even before Kanji said anything. "Never mind." And she turned before he could say anything else. "Rise-chan, are you ready?"
"Sure thing." Rise led the way to the other car. "Sleep tight, you guys. Don't stay up too late arguing with your parents." When she and Naoto entered their car, the pop idol was more subdued. "I gotta call my own parents. I wonder if they know I'm missing..."
"Last I heard, your disappearance wasn't public knowledge," Naoto said, taking off her hat and leaning her head back against the soft cushions, closing her eyes.
"Yeah, Inoue-san covers stuff up pretty well. Still, I'll bet he's told my parents."
"Do you have any plausible alibis?"
"I dunno. I guess I could say I went camping in the desert to find myself, then jetted home to Japan." She almost sounded philosophical, then she rolled her eyes. "Stars do weirder stuff than that. They'd still chew me out and probably not believe it, but at least it's an explanation. So," she said, repositioning herself on the seat as she changed tact, "you kinda gave Kanji-kun the brush-off there, didn't you?"
Naoto opened her eyes. Her voice sounded more tired than worried. "Did I? I suppose I..." She shook her head. "What else was there to say?"
"Well, if you're investigating a case, I guess nothing."
Naoto looked down and wished she hadn't taken off her hat; it gave her the illusion of a shield. Her voice was harder than she meant it to be. "I'm sorry I'm too businesslike to joke around."
"You should be," Rise shot back. After a moment, her tough demeanor dropped away, and she leaned forward. "C'mon, Naoto-kun, I hate seeing you like this. When you get into a case, sometimes it's like we're - we're tools in solving it, not your friends."
Naoto closed her eyes again. "That's not how I mean it to be. It may be that I'm a better detective than friend."
"Then stop being a little oyster." Opening her eyes, Naoto saw Rise pantomiming a closed shell. "I know it's not easy for you, but try. You know, when we all used to see each other more, every time we'd part, I'd think, Hey, look, Naoto's finally loosening up. She's actually fun when she's not on the job. And now every time we meet up again, I think, Nope, still the same little fuss-budget in cute clothes."
A smile quirked the edge of Naoto's mouth. "Fuss-budget?"
"You're worse than my grandma sometimes," Rise averred. "But you dress better."
The smile wasn't entirely gone. "If I loosened up, would I still be myself?" She didn't ask it rhetorically.
Rise sighed. "Maybe not." She yawned, then rubbed under her eyes. "I don't always know why we're all friends - but we are friends. As different and crazy as we all are. Shoot, I'm trying to sound deep. I must really be tired."
Naoto looked out the window, though there was little she could see, darkness and the passing flicker of a house light. "So you'd like me better if I were someone different?"
"Um-" Rise looked as though she'd just pricked her finger. "No, that's not what I meant. I just - I just think you'd be happier if you were a little more open."
"Open?" Naoto repeated. "What's there to be open about?" She gestured vaguely. "I don't have a lot of hidden depths you people don't know about. Not anymore."
Rise stared at her. "Do you even realize you're lying?"
Naoto's eyes widened with surprise; she was so taken aback it didn't occur to her to be angry or defiant. "What?"
Rise shook her head. "I don't know whether to be impressed or sad." She watched Naoto a long space, intent. "Naoto-kun," she said eventually, and there was nothing unkind in her voice, "I know you say we're all your friends. And I know you believe what you're saying. I just hope it's true."
Rise can be a bitch sometimes, Naoto reminded herself.
But she didn't have an answer.
Shirogane was waiting for the girls as they stepped inside the manor. He put his hand on Naoto's shoulder and offered Rise a cursory smile. "Both of you should get a good night's rest. We'll discuss...matters in the morning."
"Has anything happened, Grampa?" Naoto asked, allowing him to guide her to the staircase.
"In the morning," Shirogane said. He waited until Rise had been conducted to her guest room before frowning down into Naoto's face. After a moment, he kissed her forehead; Naoto never would have let him do it five years ago. "Get some sleep while you can."
"That sounds like a warning."
He squeezed her shoulder. "Good night." And walked down the hallway that led to his rooms. Naoto watched him go, then drew a deep breath as she turned down her own hallway. She found herself shuffling through all that had happened that day - Elysion, the ghosts, Grampa's warning. Even what Rise said. Am I really that bad? I can't be anyone but myself. Is that good enough?
In truth, she still found herself wishing her friends weren't in this with her. Not because she didn't want them, but because she was afraid for them.
3.25.16
"Souji? Souji!"
"Zzz - What? Is something wrong? Don't tell me Teddie's-"
"Stupid bear's passed out in his room. For a guy who's been doing nothing for four days, he sure sleeps hard."
"Then...what's the problem? Did you talk to your dad?"
"....Yeah."
"What'd he -"
"Trust me, you don't want to know."
"What'd he say?"
"Words I didn't know he knew. Anyway - that's over. I told him I'll have to fob off work tomorrow because I need to make up class work. Then I hung up."
"We do have to make up class work. Not that that's the point. So everything's okay on that end?"
"....Basically. Relatively. Sort of."
"So what's the problem?"
"Is there anything in this dorm to eat besides ramen?"
3.25.16
"Chie? It's me."
"I thought you'd call. So...?"
"Are your parents through with you?"
"That's what they said. We're through with you! I think they didn't mean it, exactly. I mean, they were really crazy for a while. They wanted to ground me. I guess I should be glad we're not kids anymore."
"My mom's really upset. She says I can go to Naoto's tomorrow only for an hour, and when I get back, I have to work three shifts at the front desk every day for a month."
"Yeesh, Yukiko. I'm really sorry."
"She's convinced we were out with some guys."
"We were."
"Yeah, but she refuses to believe it was just Kanji and Souji and Yosuke. She doesn't want me to bring any scandal to the inn, you know."
"As if you would. C'mon, Yukiko, she's your mom. She knows you. In the morning she'll realize she's overreacting."
"Yeah."
"You sound glum."
"Well, Mother might be sane again by morning. But Dad's still in shock, and it'll probably wear off about the time Mother calms down."
3.25.16
Beanbag initially freaked when Kanji stepped in, but the kitten soon recalled that this was his beloved Provider of Food - once his small fuzzy face was buried in a freshly-filled food bowl, much appreciated after days of fending for himself. Beanbag expressed his thanks by winding himself around Kanji's ankles. Kanji, busy at the stove making a late night/early morning omelet, nearly tripped four times. In the end, he picked the kitten up and zipped him into the front of his jacket, where Beanbag could purr rapturously without being underfoot.
Right now, Kanji didn't want to think about how the shop hadn't been open for four days and if any word of that had reached his mother. He was starving, and being in his own home gave him the temporary façade of safety. Last week at this time, life had been routine. He could only hope that next week at this time, it would have settled down again. With everyone safe.
He scanned the news while eating and, finding nothing important (even the buzz about the Kirijo mansion's collapse was no longer interesting to the media), decided there was no point in staying up. Cuddling Beanbag against his throat, he walked into his bedroom, flicking on the light. He tensed - checked the outlet - clean. With a sigh of both weariness and relief, he plunked down on the edge of the bed, letting Beanbag jump onto the cover. He watched the kitten pad across the rumples, admiring his fluffiness. And suddenly he recalled that the last time he'd been home, Naoto had slept in here.
Kanji glanced around the room. Nothing was out of place; there was no sign she'd been there at all. He studied his pillow, the dent in its center. For a moment, he almost picked it up and held it to his face, just to think of her cheek resting against it. Instead he grimaced and turned it over, punching it into a totally different shape. After a moment, Beanbag leapt onto the pillow and curled up, reclaiming his own.