Chapter 26: A Familiar Face

May 14, 2011

Disclaimer: The Persona series is owned by Atlus and its parent company which is currently Sega. JustCharles owns Reiko Setsuka, but I do own any OCs that I will be using including Dylan, Stephen and Roz. Anything else that I reference is the property of their respective authors.

Inaba Police Department

Katsuya had only been in Inaba for about a week but he could feel that the people working in the Police Department in Inaba looked at him differently.

He wondered if that was because of his having solved the Joker murders, helped foil Sudou Tatsuzou's bid for world domination and been a part of the team who defeated Nyarlathotep for the second time.

Maybe it was a combination of the three. Katsuya had read up on the Hanged Man murders and he wondered how the bodies of the victims ended up where they did. It was interesting but he was there to worry about whether or not there'd be more victims.

"Whoever's responsible for the murders knows how to cover his tracks, I'd give him that much." Katsuya heard Hyperion speaking from inside his head.

He mentally responded back. "Of course he does. Who knows, maybe there's more than one. It's not going to be like Sudou."

"Probably not. I doubt that HE'D be capable of something like this. People being HANGED upside down? It's barbaric." Hyperion sounded disgusted.

Katsuya couldn't help but agree. However, he was diverted from that particular train of thought when Dojima had arrived in the room and sat down.

"Well, there's been talk about bringing somebody in from Tokyo." Dojima began.

Katsuya seemed surprised. "Really? Who?"

"Shirogane Naoto." Dojima replied.

Katsuya raised an eyebrow. "The kid detective?"

"The very same. I think Itomori knows that we've been hitting walls in relation to the investigation and he wants to move past those walls." Dojima observed.

Katsuya sighed. "Maybe Itomori wants to draw attention away from the fact that the investigation has been stalling. He wouldn't have to if something happened. The perpetrator only makes his move when there's rain and dense fog occurring at the same time so he may have picked a target already."

"Hmm. So, I'm guessing that you did your research then. Unfortunately, that's all we've had to go on for a while and we haven't managed to catch the culprit in the act." Dojima added.

Katsuya made a slight face at this information. "Really? So he's either really good at making himself hidden or he's been incredibly lucky. Although I somehow doubt that he'll be successful for long."

"What makes you so sure? The culprit's been linked with similar killings in the United States, and one of the bodies was hanged." Dojima paused to get himself a cup of coffee.

Katsuya nodded. "That's also true. What we need to do is figure out who's next."

"Yeah. We'll just have to wait. Who knows, maybe it'll be a familiar face?" Dojima tried to lighten the mood.

Katsuya sighed. "Maybe. Of course, I've only been here about a week so I wouldn't really know the inhabitants enough."

Which was a definite truth. However, both Dojima and Katsuya knew that they had to keep searching for the culprit.

Yasogami High

"Oh look! More rain! And there's thunder and lightning too! Hooray! Chie remarked sarcastically.

Yosuke looked outside the window. "Yeah. I bet the Midnight Channel's going to be on tonight."

"We probably will end up seeing someone." Yukiko demurred.

Dylan sighed. "I think we will. It's pretty much a running thing when it rains so I don't think it'll be any different."

"Maybe?" Stephen was only just paying attention.

Roz laughed. "Uh, Steve, you need to join us back on Earth!"

"Well, we have to keep our eyes open. And we have to watch the Midnight Channel." Yu sounded serious.

Chie agreed. "Yeah! We definitely will!"

Yu almost suspected that the rest of the team, excluding Teddie, would appear on the Midnight Channel when they were supposed to. Well, that was if he remembered correctly. Which he did.

"You're like Steve McGarrett or something. I'd say you be a cop after all this is over! I don't really know what I'll be doing after this."

Yu shook his head before looking at the members of the team who were sitting around him. He knew that they weren't like they were before he got sent back in time but he knew that they would get there eventually.

"Well, just be sure to check the Midnight Channel." Yu instructed.

Dylan yawned. "Alright. I've been up past midnight studying though, plus Yukiko kind of put me on a sex ban so I kind of want to get some tonight. And I need to hang out with Steve too. Basically, I'm going to be really busy."

"Oh but we can't do it without you Blondie!" Yukiko cooed.

Dylan huffed. "FINE! I'll watch the Midnight Channel with you. After we're done."

"YAY! I knew you'd come around Blondie." Yukiko clapped her hands.

"Are we done?" Yu deadpanned.

Stephen smiled. "Yep. Anyway, I'll be keeping an eye on him to make sure that he watches the Midnight Channel."

Dojima Residence

Yu and Marie had walked back to the house, but Marie had left. It was close to Midnight and Yu was staying awake.

He'd gotten a text from Dylan.

Dylan: Hey, have I missed anything? Been kind of busy.

Yu: I know.

Dylan: How?

Yu: Well, Yukiko DID put you on a sex ban until the Midterms were over.

Dylan: That she did!

Yu: And?

Dylan: It was fantastic.

Yu: I appreciate you sharing but I really didn't need to know that.

Dylan: Sorry about that.

Yu: It's almost midnight. Just watch to see if someone comes on!

Dylan: Alright.

It was getting close to midnight so Yu walked over to the TV. He looked as the TV turned on almost as if some external force was willing it to do so.

The figure on the TV was a teenage boy, which was odd given that the previous people who were on the Midnight Channel were female. Yu, however, knew better than to make such assumptions.

"Kanji." Yu whispered.

He waited for a few more minutes just to see if another victim would show up.

Kanji was hunched over and had entered into what appeared to be a fighting stance.

Yu somehow knew that he was going to have a lot to talk about with the rest of the group tomorrow.

The Great Seal

Minato watched as Orpheus Telos, Thanatos and Messiah had gone off on some errand or another, most likely to gather more Personas for Blake and Narukami.

"The World and the Fool. I wonder if Narukami's going to get the "Universe" and if Blake will get the "World". Stranger things have happened." Minato stared out.

He looked surprised as Judah had descended from up above. Judah wore military camouflage and carried what looked like an AR15, his hair resembled a lion's made and he hadn't bothered with growing a beard. This time, anyway. Judah also had what looked like a zweihander on his back and a crown on his head, almost as a symbol of his descendants.

"Surprised to see me, Minato?" Judah boomed.

Minato nodded slightly. "Sort of. I haven't seen your brothers or half-brothers around I assume that they're guarding the Seal. And I can kind of figure out why."

"Chaos has decided to show himself again. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin have all gathered where Chaos and his "friends" may strike." Judah's voice cut through the air like a knife.

Minato raised an eyebrow archly. "You can't possibly suggest that Chaos is actually going to try and free Nyx and Erebus?"

"That is exactly what I am suggesting." Judah interjected solemnly.

Minato sighed. "So what do you suggest?"

"You wait and prepare yourself. You must realise that it is your task to protect the Seal and that Orpheus Telos, Thanatos and my greatest descendant cannot carry the burden themselves." Judah chided.

Minato took a deep breath. "I suppose I will."

"Good. I'll be seeing you." Judah was gone almost as quickly as he'd arrived.

Minato looked up. "I'm sure you will."

Amagi Inn

Dylan and Yukiko were currently in Dylan's room at the inn. They'd finally managed to more or less cover themselves up or refrain from physical contact long enough to watch the Midnight Channel.

"So, we know who the culprit's next target is." Dylan shifted position slightly.

Yukiko looked over at him. "We do. And I was friends with him, when we were younger I mean."

"What changed?" Dylan asked.

Yukiko shrugged. "My parents wanted me to have more responsibility plus my father was teaching me a lot of his old skills."

"Oh, like his old CIA stuff and martial arts and whatnot? That must have been pretty cool." Dylan enthused.

Yukiko laughed. "I guess you could say that! He taught me how to fire a gun too but I haven't used that skill in a while."

"Hopefully you won't have to." The humour had left Dylan's voice at that comment.

Yukiko patted him on the head. "Well, you don't have to worry about that."

"I hope not." Dylan growled.

They leaned against each other, feeling their hearts beating in time with each other, not wanting the moment to end.

The Crimson Room

Adachi and Hiroki couldn't believe their eyes. They were currently in a crimson room and they were surrounded by a crimson colour everywhere to the point where blood was seeping out of the room.

Sitting at a table in the centre of the room was a smiling man with white hair.

"Chaos." Adachi and Hiroki said in unison.

Chaos clapped his hands. "Very good. I trust that Yami and Amatsu-Mikaboshi were gentle."

The two brothers looked and they could see a tall figure with silver armour and blood-red eyes standing next to a red-eyed man with black hair wearing a robe that looked like midnight standing behind Chaos. The red-eyed man was smirking at them.

"Oh. I've got my own insurance policy you know." Adachi sneered.

Hiroki grinned. "Yeah, you guys try anything and I'm going to make something of it."

"Why would I "try anything?" You humans are so peculiar." Chaos laughed loudly but without real feeling.

Amatsu-Mikaboshi's sneer grew wider. "Yes, but that what makes them fun to kill. They all react to death in such different ways. Unless you want the Tohrus to have all the fun."

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting. Now, I would be requesting some privacy." Chaos waved Yami and Amatsu-Mikaboshi away.

Adachi coughed. "So, what are you going to do for us?"

"You gave us this power so what's it do?" Hiroki asked.

Chaos's grin grew wider and more predatory. "Well, you can summon Personas, but they're a bit different from the Velvet Room ones. Not really, but they're Shadow or Chaos versions of what the Velvet Room's Guests can summon. I was going to let Nyarlathotep have power over the Crimson Room but I didn't want the Outer Gods, Great Old Ones, Elder Gods and whatnot to act without consulting me. Besides, Abd-al Azrad, Herbert West and Randolph Carter are my eyes and ears as far as they're concerned."

"I don't think I'll be meeting them." Adachi mused.

Hiroki had stood up. "Okay. So can we summon these Chaos Personas or what?"

"You can. Of course, Adachi has access to a Persona called Magatsu-Izanagi which was my own creation. My Frankenstein's monster if you would like to use the comparison." Chaos amused himself by checking his suit for wrinkles.

"You want us to go after the next victim right?" Adachi asked with a fiendish gleam in his eyes.

Chaos waved them out. "You've guessed right. Honestly, you're both SO much easier to deal with than some of the Crimson Room's previous Guests."

The two brothers watched as the Crimson Room disappeared into an apparent state of nothingness as quickly as it had appeared. Much to their apparent shock.