A/N: When I write character dialogue, I always try to hear their voices to have an idea of how they'd sound like. For the alternates, I try to "assign" different voices that Kamiya Hiroshi-san and Ono Daisuke-san have done for past roles because I want the alternates to be their own people while keeping the idea that they can't escape their roots. I've been considering writing up brief character profiles for them, actually, because they're quite different from the usual fan characterisation. If I do get down to writing them, they'd include what "voice" I think the alternates would have, haha.
Thank you for supporting Gameplay!
April 27, 2013
"Ow- Not there- Ow! I wasn't even ready for that-ow!"
"Please stay still, Kishitani-sensei."
"I'm trying, Naoto-chan, really I am, but you can't expect me to - ow! - to do that when you're emptying the entire antiseptic solution on me-ow!"
"I'm sorry, Kishitani-sensei, but this is our only alternative for now. Without proper healing abilities, we can only rely on the medical supplies we have at hand to treat your wound. Please try to bear with it."
"Owwww but the doctor in me is protesting! This isn't the proper way to treat a wound! ...Gah!"
"K-Kishitani-sensei?"
"Aaahhh... Celty, Celty... I think I see a light. Is that your radiance I see, coming from worlds away?"
"Arrrgh... That's it."
Before the detective could protest, Shizuo stomped over to her and snatched the half-empty antiseptic bottle from her hands before pouring whatever else remained onto the gash on Shinra's side.
Immediately the doctor recoiled, bending and folding over onto himself as he held his wounded side, yelping out in obvious pain. The sharp sting that the disinfectant slapped onto his injury brought tears to Shinra's eyes.
"Owww Shizuo-kun, what on earth was that for?!"
"You were annoying me," Shizuo answered simply, keeping a hand in his pocket while tossing out the emptied bottle aside with the other. "Besides, you were troubling her. Trust the kid a little more on this."
"No, it was no trouble at all," she replied. "It is our responsibility to make sure Kishitani-sensei and Heiwajima-san are safe, after all."
Which was why the first thing Naoto did, when she saw the states Shizuo and Shinra were in when Hibiya brought them here, was to answer for that very responsibility.
While it was Heiwajima-san and Kishitani-sensei's choice to venture here, that didn't change the fact that Naoto, along with the rest of her teammates, were still responsible for their safety. The Shadow World was fraught with nothing but dangers coming from all directions, the subconscious and unconscious dangers of human thought and emotion. It was only natural for Naoto to feel obliged to keep innocent parties who had no means of facing such perils protected and unharmed as far as possible, in her stance as both a professional detective as well as a member of the Investigation Team.
"...Hm?" Shinra spoke. Before long, he could stand on his feet, upright and steady. "I'm healed already?"
"It's how things like that work in here," Kanji explained.
He had been together with Naoto when everyone else had disappeared, no doubt separated from each other and lost in the labyrinth-like forest due to some form of external interference - or so Naoto believed.
"Indeed," Naoto said. "While still a far cry from what proper healing spells are capable of, the medical supplies we bring in are quite satisfactory at times. It seems that certain real world objects have unexpected effects in the TV world."
"Ooh. How fascinating." Shinra patted his once bleeding side, seemingly pleased that it no longer hurt as much.
The sound of hooves dashing across the snow ended the discussion, as the man bearing Izaya's appearance rode in and joined the four, seated comfortably and poised proudly on the back of his horse.
"Gentlemen," Hibiya acknowledged. Kanji not-so-gracefully cleared his throat, making the prince look in his direction with a raised brow. Then with a blink, the confounded expression was gone, replaced by one of understanding. "And milady," he added, nodding at Naoto apologetically.
Naoto wasn't certain if she should be grateful or utterly embarrassed, so she settled for a blank nod back, oblivious to the warmth on her face.
"I see you are holding up well," the golden-eyed raven commented rather dryly. He circled around them while mounted on his horse, watching them keenly with distant eyes as though he were observing them from a throne, a pedestal higher than any other. "Alas," he said, "if it only I could speak for your fellow comrades, as well."
Kanji's shoulders sunk. "You couldn't find them?"
"Aye. 'Tis quite a worrisome matter, if I am to admit, for Alfred has soared through the forest plenty a times, only for nothing to be yielded. I fear they are too far lost for me to find."
"But... That means they're still safe, right? I mean, no news is good news, or something along those lines?"
Hibiya nodded like a wise king would in agreement with his council. "It is as you say, Tatsumi Kanji. We can only hope my kinsmen and Heiwajima Shizuo's own have already located and are guiding them to the origin of the rivers."
He didn't explain further, though it was obvious he wanted to. Hibiya looked like he had been waiting for this moment for a very long time - the moment when he would divulge all that he knew. He only had to wait for someone to ask, and he would say.
It was at this moment that Naoto could finally see the person whose presence she hadn't seen for some time.
Sakazaki. The guise under which Orihara Izaya had crafted for himself in a bid to trick classified information from her grandfather as well as herself.
Naoto first met Orihara - then Sakazaki - when she was twelve-going-on-thirteen, already equipped with three precious years of experience of her grandfather's pupilage. Old enough to begin attending middle school, but much too young to be binding her chest and speaking in forced, low tones, and even younger still to bearing the burden of the Shirogane mantle independent of her grandfather's guidance.
Orihara was twenty, and had introduced himself as such. He claimed to be conducting an interview as a requirement for his university project, where he had chosen the topic of criminal psychology as his project's focus. Having heard much about the Shirogane family's field of expertise, he was hoping to look to them for the insight he needed.
It was at the Shirogane mansion that Naoto first met Orihara. She had returned home after a tiring day of investigation and putting up with her colleagues' insults, and found him conversing with her grandfather in his study. They had just completed the interview, and her grandfather was about to show Sakazaki to the gates but stopped when he saw Naoto by the door.
She was stunned, for lack of a better word. Not that he was exceptionally good-looking or had any outstanding physical features to speak of - on the contrary, he had none of that, and was about as average as average could be - but his eyes were what drew Naoto to him.
Those eyes sung of a wealth of knowledge. An archive well-concealed behind the auburn curtains.
And if there was anything else a twelve-year-old Shirogane Naoto had wanted more than her colleagues' affirmation, it was knowledge.
"Sakazaki-san..."
"Hmm?"
"M... May I enquire if you could visit whenever it is convenient for you? I think... I can learn a lot from a man as knowledgeable as you."
Sakazaki blinked in mild surprise, before a warm and understanding smile accompanied his answer, "Of course. It would be my pleasure if I can be of aid to Shirogane-san's capable grandson. But we'll have to get your grandfather's permission first, alright?"
The child in Naoto wanted to beam and thank him excitedly, but the young detective caught herself and held the childish reaction back in. Instead, she gave a rehearsed, stiff nod and a formal expression of her gratitude, even though in reality, she was dancing with joy on the inside.
Their acquaintanceship lasted for three years, but it was the happiest three years of Naoto's life. At least, that was what Naoto believed before the truth about its artificiality bared its unpleasant jaws; before she went to Inaba and met the people who changed her life completely.
-But that was not for her to recall right now.
Naoto observed Hibiya's eyes, and felt the familiar magnetic pull to the sheer abundance of information and knowledge as she did. His gaze was intent and knowing, yet thirsting for more knowledge despite the wealth he possessed. But above it all, his eyes were blazing with the desire to share all that he knew, with the confidence and perhaps even arrogance in the knowledge that he wished to impart.
There was no doubt about it. Hibiya wasn't just Sakazaki, or just any persona Orihara had crafted for himself - he was the embodiment of the very knowledge Orihara had prided himself on as Tokyo's best information broker.
And now this manifestation was staring expectantly at her, his stoic expression telling Naoto all that she needed to know about him.
Naoto stepped forward.
"Sakazaki-san," she heard the voice of her distant self echo in the recesses of her mind, "please, tell me more."
"Hibiya-san," Naoto said. "I'm afraid we don't know what you mean. If it's not too much trouble, could you please tell us more?"
For a moment, there was only silence, save for the sound of the running waters from the nearby river. Shinra, Shizuo, and Kanji had not spoken a single word, and simply kept their attention on the scene unfolding before them. Hibiya and Naoto maintained their stares at each other.
The silence was broken when Hibiya's horse - Alfred - gave an amused neigh, raising its head to the sky and shaking it playfully.
Hibiya leaned forward, maintaining his hold on Alfred's reins while he stroked its mane gently. Then, with the smallest of smiles, the prince sat back upright, and nodded.
"Come," he beckoned, "I'll explain as we make our way."
The whole thing was most likely his own fault, now that he thought about it.
If he hadn't been so flimsy about deciding if Psyche was to be trusted... If he hadn't been so firm on not telling Souji about what was wrong...
Perhaps things would've taken a different turn, and he wouldn't be where he was right now.
Separated from the rest of the group. Lost in the creepy ass forest. Being pinned to the ground by another Orihara Izaya-lookalike whose glare was a little too frightening for Yosuke to handle.
Or maybe it wasn't the glare but because this whole setup was starting to remind him of the night he and Souji met with the crazy red-eyed people - "children of a cursed blade called Saika", Kishitani-san and Celty-san once explained. The way this particular lookalike's eyes were of an unnaturally bright shade of red, the absolutely feral look on his face, how he was holding up a bloodstained switchblade right above Yosuke's eye...
To cut the long story short, it gave Yosuke the creeps. More than Psyche's innocent-child act did.
While thinking of a way to somehow wriggle his way out, a part of Yosuke couldn't help but ponder, 'How the heck did I end up in this again?' And then vague memories of being too deep in his thoughts and worries to pay attention to his surroundings told him all that he needed to know.
'...Right,' Yosuke thought sourly to himself. 'I didn't even realise I had gone off-track until this guy shoved and yelled at me. Haha... How pathetic is that?'
A bitter smile found its way to Yosuke's face.
"...What are you so happy about?"
Yosuke snapped back to the reality of his current predicament when he heard his captive speak, only to find himself being stared - glared, was more like it - down by those bright, crimson eyes.
'Crap, I pissed him off even more!'
"Uh..." Yosuke started. He tried to move his hands up to show a surrendering gesture out of reflex, but realised with a tinge of horror that he couldn't because the lookalike only shoved him down further. "Th-this is all a big misunderstanding. C-can't we-"
"Annoying."
"Huh?"
"You're annoying." The person wearing Orihara-san's face twisted it into an even angrier expression that spoke only of hatred and disgust. "You, humans, everything... You all annoy the hell out of me."
"Um... Why do you think that way?"
"Because you humans never do anything right." His expression twisted even further. "So pathetic, so flawed, so hopelessly blind... Even the humans aware of their own limitations still desperately cling onto the belief that they're above all that. That they're special," he spat the word with pure, utter contempt, "or some other idiotic thing when they're just like any other person out there.
"...You humans are all the same. Why do I even bother with you? The world is better off without an absolute pain in the ass like you all."
The genuine reply took the fear out of Yosuke and replaced it with the familiar sensation of an imaginary blade stabbing right into his gut, reminiscent of the times he felt this when the people of Inaba whispered behind his back, the times he felt a pang of envy whenever his partner did something he couldn't, the time when Konishi-senpai-
'Shit, not now, not now...!'
"H-hey," Yosuke tried again, "I-I think I get what you're trying to say, so-"
"No you don't," the raven snapped, bringing the tip of the switchblade closer to Yosuke's eye. "That's just another trait you disgusting humans share: thinking you know everything when you're all complete morons who need somebody to sort things out for you. And I've had enough of it."
Yosuke gulped. He could feel his heart leaping to his throat. But no matter how he tried, he couldn't ignore the sight of the blade directly above his left eye and the morbid images of what could happen if he didn't do something right now flashing in his mind.
"Just... Ahaha, j-just calm down first, okay? I'm sorry I made you angry, really really sorry. A-and I won't ask you for forgiveness or anything. I mean, I'm just a lowly, pathetic human, right? I don't deserve something like that, right?"
His captive regarded him with caution, eyes narrowing in suspicion. As the silence continued to drag on, Yosuke only grew more anxious, but he fought against the urge to squirm or struggle - even in his current panicked state, Yosuke was perfectly aware that putting up any signs of resistance would only spell terrible things for him. The only option was to wait for a decision to be made; a decision he, unfortunately, had no say in. It was what made the waiting that much worse.
Then, without any warning whatsoever-
The Orihara-san lookalike raised the switchblade.
'Aw man aw man... This is it, this is it. He's gonna dig my eye out. I'm a goner. I'm a freakin' goner. Shit...!'
With such thoughts now filling his mind, Yosuke couldn't help but let out a quiet whimper and closed his eyes tightly shut. Out of fear, he turned his head away, hoping fervently that the raven would somehow miss and just scrape his cheek and not the eye, please not the eye...
But the impact he had been dreading didn't come.
Instead, he heard something dripping onto his thick coat. It dripped, drop by drop at first, but as time went on, the sound intensified until it almost sounded like someone was pouring water on him.
While holding his breath, Yosuke timidly opened one eye. What he saw made him turn back to face his captive directly.
"What... What in the name of hell are you doing?!"
As he shouted to lookalike, Yosuke mustered up the strength to reach out and grab the raven's arm in a tight grip, unintentionally shoving him off his body.
"Damn you, human, let go!"
"Right, and let you stab yourself? You've gotta be kidding me! As if I'll let you or anyone do that to themselves!"
Red eyes glowered at him, but this time Yosuke wasn't about to be intimidated. "Seriously, what is the matter with you? First you push me to the ground, hold up a knife, then you pretty much insult the entire human race, and now you're stabbing yourself? Why are you doing this? What's making you-"
"You said it yourself."
"...Huh?"
"The answer. You said it yourself." The lookalike turned to avoid Yosuke's gaze. "I hate humans," he muttered simply, his demeanour now calm and relaxed even though his grip on his switchblade remained as tight. "I can go on forever about why I do. Nothing will change how I feel about them. But in the end, or somewhere along the way, I'll remember... That that's no different from what I'm saying about myself."
Yosuke flinched, but didn't - couldn't - make a reply.
"And you... What you said made me remember. That I'm just a lowly, pathetic human myself. That no matter what I do, I'll never deserve forgiveness. That I'm just as every bit as revolting as any other human. And that hurts." The raven chuckled darkly. "That hurts, you know? To remember. To be reminded. I didn't want that. I don't want that. But nothing's going to change the fact that I'm human. I realised that a long time ago."
"...So you decided to deal with it," Yosuke paused to glance at the other's torn sleeve, watching the blood trickle and form a small pool on the snow, "by doing this to yourself?"
It wasn't as hard to understand as Yosuke initially believed it would be. In fact, he could even feel an inkling of empathy towards the man.
Not that he had gone through the same experience or anything, but Yosuke could definitely relate to his former captive to some extent. Seriously, all that he said pretty much boiled down to: "I hate everything, but most of all I hate myself, and no matter what I do, this detestable nature of mine won't change. And that sucks. That really, really sucks."
Yosuke was mildly aware that a lot of people probably felt the same way, but to Yosuke, this was something closer to home than he thought. If listening to this had taught - or, to be more precise, reminded - him anything, it was the fact that he, Hanamura Yosuke, would always be weak.
He had been weak as a kid, too young and clueless to truly understand how biting his words could be to other children his age. He had been weak as a middle schooler, putting up no resistance as popular opinions shaped and influenced his mindset, thinking it was the only way to fit in. He had been weak as a high schooler, knowing exactly the weaknesses that lied in his heart yet lacking the courage to admit them.
And here he was now - at a loss of what to do, of what to say; becoming caught up in his own memories as he grew painfully aware of his own limitations...
Of his own complete and utter selfishness.
'What am I doing? Right in front of me is someone who's hurting and wants to hurt himself further, and all I can think about is my own problem? Wow, Hanamura, you're a genius. An A+ genius.'
Thinking back, it had ultimately been this self-centred thinking of his that got him into this in the first place. Keeping those secrets from Souji weren't only for the team - it was also for himself. All this while, he just didn't want to deal with the consequences if he were to tell everyone about what he knew, and so he did all he could to run away from such a responsibility.
"Running away...huh?" Yosuke hadn't realised he had spoken aloud as he whispered to himself.
'That's what this guy's been doing too, right? He hates himself so much that it hurts him, and he's trying to run away from that hurt by directing it externally instead...'
If the red-eyed man heard what Yosuke had unintentionally said, he gave no indication of it. He simply remained still, keeping his gaze at the ground.
And then he suddenly stiffened.
Giving Yosuke no chance to react, he forced his arm out of Yosuke's grip and pinned him down to the snow again, death glare back in full force.
"Don't talk as if you know me," he hissed. "Damn you, you made me lower my guard for a moment there. But now that I know what you're up to, don't get any high hopes of your little trick working again. You hear me, human?"
"L-loud and clear," Yosuke croaked, choking from the impact.
'Damn, this guy's unstable... If this keeps up, I'm gonna be stuck here for life.'
"Hey, uh-"
"I thought I told you not to get your hopes up," his captive replied icily, wasting no time in placing the bloodstained switchblade on the side of Yosuke's neck.
Yosuke's body froze, but inwardly his mind was going crazy; the tingling on his neck, from the coldness of the blade and the warmth of the blood trickling down from the blade, didn't help in the least.
"Just...listen for a sec, okay? I'm not going to do anything to you, I swear. But I'm kinda running low on time here and I really need you to hear me out."
The Orihara-san lookalike narrowed his eyes, but the blade on Yosuke's neck didn't move.
Yosuke took that as a cue to say his piece, "Alright then, first things first... Do you know of anyone called 'Psyche'?"
"...Say, Shitsuo-san?"
"Yes, Satonaka-sama?"
"I'm sorry if I already asked, but... Where exactly are we going, and why can't we walk together with Yukiko and Sakuraya-san?"
"It's perfectly alright, Satonaka-sama. If not for your questions, the realisation that neither you nor Amagi-sama has been told would have slipped my mind entirely."
The blond in the butler uniform stroked his chin, and kept his free, gloved hand behind his back as he walked with the perfect posture. In contrast, when Chie walked, she did so while swinging her arms a little more than the average person does, and cared nothing about whether she had her back straightened or slightly hunched over.
Shizuo was pretty similar to the both of them, in a way. He mostly walked like Shitsuo did, and sometimes even spoke like him too, but if someone got on his bad foot, he'd stick his hands in his pockets and lean forward before chasing after his offender. Kinda like a professional predator people could only find in the wild.
"Let's see..." Shitsuo said. "Ah, let me put it this way. Shall I answer your question with a question of my own?"
Chie shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
"Thank you for your graciousness." Shitsuo bowed, to which Chie attempted to wave off. "Satonaka-sama, do forgive me if I come across as impudent, but have you noticed that we have been moving along the banks of a river?"
Chie glanced to her right. The calm waters were streaming past them, against their flow of direction. The surface of the river sparkled in the overcast of shadows of the forest, like the brilliant crystals Chie saw back in the fortress before it was razed to the ground.
"Yeah? What about it?" she asked when she turned back to face her companion.
"This forest may appear as challenging to traverse as one does a labyrinth, but in reality, it is much simpler than that. For unlike mazes and labyrinths that were designed to make you lose your way, this forest is designed for the exact opposite."
"It is?"
"Yes. The river you see here, Satonaka-sama, is but one of many in this forest. Nine, to be exact. And they all share the same place of origin." Shitsuo folded both hands behind his back. "That is where we are heading to right now."
With a hum, Chie directed her gaze to the river again. "So the rivers are like a guide? A landmark sort of thing?"
"Something similar, yes," Shitsuo said with a curt nod. "By moving against the course of the rivers, we will eventually arrive at the heart of the forest where the origin of the rivers lies."
"The heart..." Chie's eyes flashed in recognition. "Where did I… Oh hey, isn't that where the Shadow is waiting for us?"
"That is precisely right, Satonaka-sama."
"Hmm, I see." Chie nodded to herself, sounding impressed. For a dungeon that sprouted from a person's subconscious and grew like a wild weed, this place seemed rather well thought-out, as was the fortress.
"As for your other question..." Shitsuo trailed off, putting a finger to his chin. "Well... Sakuraya-sama may be a handful, but I cannot always be there to restrain him. It tires me out, if I may be honest. Simply seeing him ruins whatever little of a good mood I may have."
Chie laughed at this, which she almost regretted, but thankfully Shitsuo didn't look like he was bothered by it. "You're like his nanny or something. It's kinda cute."
Shitsuo cleared his throat. "Ah, my apologies. I did not mean to complain."
"Psh. It's fine. People ought to have their moments to vent."
"No..." Shitsuo spoke, appearing slightly troubled. "As a butler... As someone who believes in and upholds order, it does not seem right to be complaining about my profession. Or the master I serve, for that matter."
"Well... I think it's fine."
"Is that so? You have an interesting way of thinking, Satonaka-sama."
"Huh," Chie muttered. 'This guy's kinda like Yukiko... Now that I think about it, the only time I really heard her complaining is when we met her Shadow... Is Heiwajima-san facing some kind of problem about venting or something?'
Chie tried to extrapolate on that, but thinking about these things wasn't exactly her forte. She was driven mostly by her emotions and instincts, so she usually stuck to what she knew and could understand, and centered her decisions around it.
So, instead of thinking about things that might not turn out to be true, Chie decided to dive straight to the point. "You know, it's not a bad thing to complain every once in a while. Keeping all that frustration bottled up is bound to get you into trouble someday. If you're not happy with something or someone, just say it. Sure, you might hurt somebody's feelings, but at least you can settle things instead of dragging."
Shitsuo seemed to consider her words seriously. Chie merely stared in mild apprehension; she had never been one who was good with giving effective advice or encouragement, for one of her principles in life had always been to speak what her heart said, and sometimes her heart said blunt things.
For a moment, all Chie could hear was the flow of the peaceful river waters and the footsteps of her boots and Shitsuo's polished shoes stepping across the snow. When Chie looked down, she could see the shoeprints left behind by Yukiko and Sakuraya, who were already far ahead of them in the journey to the rivers' origin, and part of her was itching to shrug the conversation off and catch up to them - "Save the victim first, talk later", after all.
"What if..."
"Hm?" Chie looked up.
"What if...in releasing that 'bottled up frustration', I end up disrupting the very peace I am striving for? What, then, is the purpose of venting when it does nothing but breed destruction?" Shitsuo raised his head, and Chie did the same, but there was nothing to see except for the cluster of tree leaves and branches. "I would become an existence that has no meaning, would I not?"
Chie flinched. "That's, um, going a little too far..."
"Perhaps." Shitsuo's lips pulled to a small, wry smile. "But if my purpose for existing is to maintain peace and order, and yet that very purpose is destroyed by my own hands, then does that not mean my existence is meaningless? Would it be too far to say, then, that I am dragging on my pointless existence when I had many opportunities to settle it all along?"
"Don't say that about yourself!" Chie berated. This was her heart speaking, just like it had moments ago, and now it panged with regret and self-directed anger at the unintended effects its earlier words. "There's no such thing as a pointless existence, ya hear? We're all born into this world not knowing what we're here for, but we'd figure it out someday. It might be tomorrow, it might be today, heck it might be any moment right now, but that doesn't change the fact that we were born without any direction in life. And that's okay.
"If you think you exist to maintain peace and order, and end up destroying that purpose anyway, that's okay too. I mean at least you can proudly say that you've had a purpose in life at some point, right? To many other people who are still searching, or wondering if what they're doing is their life's purpose, you'd be the target of their envy. Like me, y'know? I mean, I sorta have a dream, and even though I always sound sure of it, sometimes I'm not, but that's okay too. I think. Anyway, whatever it is, it's all okay in my book! ...Am I even making sense?"
Chie laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of her head.
In response, Shitsuo chuckled quietly. "I am very grateful for your kind words, Satonaka-sama. They are truly quite enlightening. I will...think them over seriously."
"Oh yeah you'd better." With a cheeky grin, Chie gave Shitsuo a thumbs-up.
Shitsuo blinked, as though unfamiliar with the gesture, but masked his slight confusion perfectly with a professional smile.
"...You've been awfully quiet, Amagi Yukiko-san."
"E-eh? Well, I suppose..." Yukiko fidgeted. "Um, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this meeting to be so-"
"Awkward?" the man with shimmering ebony locks and eyes that were akin to the most breathtaking sakura flowers finished for her. With an equally beautiful smile, he continued, "In that case, I should apologise as well. I've failed to make you comfortable in my presence, haven't I?"
"N-no, not at all!" Yukiko was quick to protest, unable to keep herself composed before the man.
He was adorned with a sakura pink haori over the plainest of kimono, but the way he carried himself was in no way as bland. His aura alone spoke of how grand and noble his background must be; an air of grace and humility that Yukiko could only associate with the princesses of the Edo period, the most mysterious yet fascinating time of ancient Japan.
So before such a man, Yukiko could not see herself as anything more than a simple commoner. A commoner walking side-by-side with an Edo princess. With that kind of mental imagery, it was impossible to remain calm in Sakuraya-san's presence.
"...Fufu," Sakuraya chuckles, hiding his amused smile behind his sleeve. "You're lying. I can tell, you know."
Yukiko winced. Was she that transparent?
"You are. Everyone is, in fact."
Yukiko's eyes widened; she was certain she hadn't said that aloud.
Sakuraya chuckled quietly again. "I can read you like a book, Amagi-san," he said, as if it answered everything.
"U-um..."
"Oh, I can't really explain myself. I've always been this perceptive for as long as I can remember."
"Then-"
"Yes. It is as you say, Amagi-san," Sakuraya said, nodding. "Adaptability... Knowledge... Loneliness... And finally, Perception. That is me. So, I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable, but it is in my nature. I'm afraid I can't help myself."
"I... I see."
Yukiko resisted the urge to gulp. She wasn't scared or anything, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy, as Sakuraya had said. Having someone see through you, as though they were reading your mind... It felt like she was being stripped naked.
She didn't know if she was trying to dodge the problem, but she focused on what Sakuraya had said about himself.
'If Sakuraya-san is Perception, and assuming Psyche-san is Loneliness... Then that leaves Knowledge and Adaptability. I wonder... Since Psyche-san seems to look up to this Hibi-kun so much because of his intelligence, then Hibi-kun must be Knowledge. And Rocchan is...'
"Would it help if I mentioned that Loneliness includes extreme pessimism?"
Yukiko quickly turned to face Sakuraya, who was still hiding part of his face behind his sleeve.
"...Psyche-san isn't Loneliness?" she asked. No point in concealing her thoughts anymore, it seemed.
Sakuraya lowered his sleeve, revealing a thin frown. "Good heavens, no. Wherever did you get that idea?"
"Well... He always has this look-"
"And you trust everything you see about him?" Sakuraya shook his head with a sigh. "My, my... He's certainly gotten you people good, hasn't he?"
"Wait... You mean he's putting on an act?"
"Not just about himself, my dear Amagi-san. He's pulled the wool over all your eyes this whole time. Masterfully so, I must add."
Yukiko drew in a sharp breath. If even his innocent demeanour was an act, then what of Psyche's words? Were they simply lies he had spun, or was there at least a semblance of truth in them? Yukiko didn't like doubting other people. It wasn't in her heart to do so, unless there was undeniable evidence like the time with Adachi, but by then it would be less of doubt and more of anger that she, or her friends, had been deceived.
Chie had always said that Yukiko was the scarier of the two of them, if they got angry. Chie might be tenacious but Yukiko was like a box of explosives - leave it untouched, and the box was harmless. Feed it a flame, and the whole thing would blow. That was the analogy Chie used to describe the manager of a family inn when said manager passed judgement on people with horrendous conduct.
Yukiko just found it funny. She remembered bursting into laughter. Chie pegged that to her explosives analogy too and it only made Yukiko laugh even harder.
But right now, Yukiko was starting to see where Chie was coming from. If what Sakuraya said was true, and Psyche had lied to bring everyone here into the heart of danger, she was certain that she wouldn't hesitate to sic a Mind Charged-Agidyne on him. Repeatedly.
"Ah, but not everything he said was a lie, though," Sakuraya clarified. Yukiko immediately shelved the thought about setting Psyche on fire and paid close attention. "I can't be certain of what he said exactly, but rest assured he wasn't lying completely. He adds threads of truth in his web of lies. It's how he paints such a convincing picture to bring you all here."
Yukiko reconsidered shelving the thought.
Sakuraya hid behind the sleeve again, no doubt thoroughly tickled by the whole thing. It was rather unsettling to see someone Yukiko had thought to be a benevolent princess seem so entertained rather than disapproving of Psyche's actions.
"You must forgive me. It's been some time since anything exciting happened, so I can't help feeling rejuvenated." Sakuraya's eyes gleamed. "Well, don't be too hard on Psyche-san, regardless. He's not fully aware of what he's doing, I believe you should at least give him some allowance for that."
Yukiko frowned. "'Not fully aware'...? So he's lying without him realising it?"
"Something along those lines," came Sakuraya's cryptic reply, his sweet smile concealed from view. "You'll see soon enough."
"Hm..."
Yukiko couldn't say she was satisfied with that answer, especially when it concerned her friends' safety.
"Well, enough about Psyche-san." Sakuraya waved the matter off before Yukiko could ask further. "Let's talk about you."
"...Huh? Me?"
"Yes, you. Tell me more about yourself."
"Um, why-"
"On second thought, let me say it for you." This time, Sakuraya didn't bother hiding his sugarcoated smile that was starting to drip with venom. "Starting with how you look, you seem to be in some kind of position despite your age. Your posture, and the way you fold your hands... Let me guess, you've been brought up by a family deeply-rooted in traditions, preparing to take over the family business."
Yukiko suddenly felt very self-conscious, but she tried not to let it show.
"And with how you've been acting so far... You're obviously unsettled by my presence, yet you don't want to voice it. I take it that means you think of me as a noble of some sort? Or at least, someone with a high social standing? ...Projecting some sort of complex on me, I believe?"
"H...How did you-"
"A princess complex, if I'm not wrong. Princess seems right." Sakuraya nodded to himself, inching closer and closer to Yukiko. "Raised in a constrained environment... Trained as an heiress and nothing more... It's really not that hard to guess."
Yukiko fidgeted. The feeling of being stripped naked came back to haunt her.
"Hmm... Does that mean you long for some princely figure? Or romance? Some kind of distraction, at least? After all, it must've been awfully stifling, being-oh dear."
Before Yukiko realised it, a fight was breaking out mere inches away from her.
Holding her skirt down, the manager of the Amagi family inn turned to her right, where Sakuraya used to be. His place was now occupied by two people, one of them being Sakuraya, and the other Yukiko recognised as the blond in a butler suit who had been following them from a distance. They were holding each other at blade-point - Sakuraya with a katana on the blond's chest, directly above his heart, and the blond with a handful of kitchen knives held between his gloved fingers like a fan, blocking the katana, and another handful held in a similar fashion at Sakuraya's neck.
"Shi...Shitsuo-san?" Yukiko breathed out.
'Wh-what is he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be with Chie?'
"I apologise for startling you, Amagi-sama." The butler - Shitsuo - didn't turn to face her, directing his full attention at the raven in the pink haori. "But when I noticed Sakuraya-sama has been most impolite, I could not help myself. Please grant me this selfish request to take matters into my own hands so that I may discipline him accordingly."
"Y-you really don't have to-"
"Tsk," Sakuraya clicked his tongue. "You're no fun, Shitsuo-san."
"I believe we have established that we have very, very different ideas of 'fun', Sakuraya-sama." The edges of Shitsuo's lips curled into a playful smile. "Honestly. What should I do with you? Always giving other people trouble... It upsets me."
"Shitsuo-san is never upset when dealing with me. In fact, I daresay you rather enjoy drilling obedience into me, what with enforcing law and order and maintaining the peace being your fetish."
"That, I won't deny. After all, like I said, we have different ideas of 'fun'. Whatever you dislike, I will do unto you. As long as I am making you upset, I am having 'fun'."
"Sadist," Sakuraya giggled.
"Tyrant," Shitsuo retorted, clearly unamused.
"How mean, Shitsuo-san. Hibiya-san is more of a tyrant than I am, but I never see you calling him that."
"Hibiya-sama is a wise prince who knows how to restrain himself unless you goad him," Shitsuo sighed. "Which brings me back to what I wish to say. Please stop giving other people ideas, Sakuraya-sama. You make them do the strangest things sometimes."
"But if they don't want to do it, then they wouldn't, would they? It's not like I force them to. Besides, if they don't see the reason or truth in my words, they wouldn't do anything. The fact that my words elicit some form of response must mean I'm right in some way. Ne, Amagi-san?"
Yukiko jolted at the mention of her name. "H-huh?"
Shitsuo sighed again. "Leave Amagi-sama alone, Sakuraya-sama. You're troubling her, just like you do everyone else. Have you no sense of self-control that you require my constant discipline?"
"But you like it." Sakuraya stuck out his tongue. Yukiko tossed her previous image of the Edo princess entirely out of the metaphoric window and decided it was high time to re-evaluate the surprisingly childish and rude man.
"Yukikooooo! Shitsuo-saaaaan!"
Yukiko looked in the direction of the voice. She saw her best friend running towards them. "Ah, Chie! Thank goodness, you're alright."
"Came close to getting lost again, though." Chie panted. "Man, Shitsuo-san really gave me a shock there. We were in the middle of discussing something when he suddenly took off without me! Said something about Sakuraya-san making trouble for you or something. You're alright, right? He didn't do anything to you, did he?"
For the first time since her walk with Sakuraya, Yukiko smiled. "I'm fine, Chie. Thank you."
"Heeh," Sakuraya hummed, a mischievous glint in his sakura pink eyes. "I see how this is, now. It looks like I was right about you after all, Amagi-san. You know, about your prin-"
"Please stop making Amagi-sama uneasy with your words, Sakuraya-sama."
"She doesn't appear that uneasy to me." Sakuraya snickered.
"...Ugh, what a creep." Chie shook her head. "How could you even stand being with him for this long?"
Yukiko could only give her a sheepish smile.
