Pre-Chapter Review Answer Corner GO!
Delta XIII - Hey, I think Roy's earned himself a break after all the crap he's been through. I can't just constantly torment the poor guy after all, I actually like the Extra Large Spicy Dumbass I created.
Jaquan - I don't think 'a goddamn mess' properly defines the fate that awaits Akira Kurusu in the events of P5.
And now, on with the chapter!
Rusei hummed to himself, glancing at his watch as he waited outside Tatsuhime Shrine.
-I didn't get the time wrong, did I...?- he thought, looking over his shoulder as he heard a door slam behind him.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Kanji exclaimed, hustling over from his family's shop... though he looked exceptionally confused to only see Rusei. "...Wait, is it just you here? Seriously!? This is the time we all decided on, isn't it?"
Rusei nodded. "It seems we're the first ones here... Did you fall asleep?"
"Yeah... I was watchin' TV, and I woke up to that 'Toshi-koshi Kuru-Toshi' New Year's show..."
"Ah, that explains the rush..."
"Sorry we're late!"
The pair turned to see Yosuke and Teddie approaching, the former looking rather frustrated.
"Hello!" greeted the bear, waving one of his mitten covered hands. "I'm sorry, Sensei. It's all Yosuke's fault."
Rusei's gaze immediately shifted to the man in question.
"It's one-hundred percent your fault!" exclaimed Yosuke, glaring at his blond companion. "You're the one who crammed stuff into the lucky draw bags at work without checking any prices!"
"You really should be more mindful of these things, Teddie..." sighed the Wild Card.
Teddie hung his head slightly. "Sorry, Sensei..."
"I'm not the one you should apologize to."
"Moving on... Sensei, where's Nana-chan and her dad?"
"Dude, Nanako-chan's only out of the hospital for the holidays." said Kanji. "She can't come out on a cold night like this! She's not better yet."
Rusei chuckled. "She also made him follow through on a promise he'd made."
"Well, then, where's everyone else?" Teddie asked. "Why are only the guys here?" His eyes went wide with horror. "D-Don't tell me... Is this going to be some lame 'guy's night' celebration...!?"
"Hell no!" retorted Yosuke. "I mean... they are kinda late, but so were we! They should've been here by now..."
A smirk curled onto Rusei's face as he checked his watch again, noting an actual numeric on the distance tracker. "I'm certain they're on their way..."
"...Why are you grinning? Do you know something we don't?"
"Perhaps."
"What, you get a text from Naoto earlier?"
Rusei simply tucked his hands into his pocket. "Call it detective's intuition."
"...You know something, Sensei." said Teddie, his eyes locked on the Wild Card. "Are they late because..." his expression brightened. "Because they're putting on kimonos!?"
"Now you're just setting yourself up for disappointment."
"Right, we don't know anything. Don't get all worked up for nothing, Teddie..."
"I'm sorry about the wait." Yukiko called out as she approached with the rest of the girls.
"Sorry!" Chie chimed in, adjusting her jacket slightly.
"We went to buy some heating packs and ended up running late." Rise apologized.
Naoto simply bowed her head slightly. "We're sorry."
"It's quite alright, we haven't been waiting long." said Rusei, a small grin still on his face as he glanced at Naoto's scarf.
A paused followed, causing the girls to give Yosuke and Teddie slightly odd looks.
"What's with you two?"
"Whaaat!?" Teddie wailed, his hands on his head. "Where are your kimonos!?"
Rise looked at him curiously. "Why would I be in a kimono...? We aren't going to be out long enough to bother with putting one on."
"See, that's what I was expecting!" said Yosuke, lightly smacking Teddie on the arm. "Told you not to get your hopes up!"
"Hey, you got your hopes up on your own!"
"A girl has to save her best outfits for the moments that count the most." stated Rise in a matter of fact tone.
Yosuke looked at her curiously. "A kimono's one of a girls' best outfits?" he paused, narrowing his eyes. "...Wait, you're implying you're out of our league."
"She wasn't implying." said Yukiko, a serene expression on her face.
Rusei lightly shook his head. "Perhaps more for some than others..."
Naoto quickly checked her watch. "Um, shouldn't we be more mindful of the time? If we don't hurry, we'll have to do the countdown here at the entrance..."
"Oh no! We're going to miss the two-year shrine visit!"
As the team hurried to the shrine, a question that was nagging in Teddie's found its way out of his mouth.
"Hey Sensei, how come you and Nao-chan have the same watch?"
"We do...?" Rusei asked, trying his best to sound like he was unaware of that fact as he checked his own. "I hadn't noticed..."
Kanji hummed. "...Hey wait... Naoto, where'd you get that scarf?"
"Oh ah... It as a gift..." she replied, attempting to avoid getting flustered.
"Aww, Senpai, you're such a sweet guy!"
Rusei's face went red at Rise's remark. "What makes you think I had anything to do with it...?"
The idol gave him a curious look. "Aren't you two dating?"
"WHAT!?"
"Ack, my ears!" griped Chie, elbowing Yosuke a moment later. "Why'd you yell?"
"Since when were they dating!?"
"Oh, would you look at the time!"
Fortunately for Rusei and Naoto, the countdown to New Years was enough to change the subject away from the two of them. The snow falling shortly after the clock marked the start of the new year likewise managed to be of more note, especially the following morning as it began to pile up. The first day of twenty-twelve was a relaxed one, even if Nanako pouted at Rusei for spending part of it with Naoto. The second day began with Rusei following through with making a snowman with his cousin, or rather a snow Teddie as it came out in the end. Of course she was disappointed she'd have to head back to the hospital the next day, but she was determined to make sure she had full recovery so she could enjoy the snowy weather with her big bro.
Rusei spent the better part of the rest of the day walking around Inaba, even if he did make a side trip to Junes to get additional weather appropriate attire. Even with Tsukuyomi's total immunity to frost providing him with a measure of protection for the weather, he wanted to err on the side of caution. He passed by a number of familiar faces as he walked around, even taking the time to say hello to Old Man Daidara. As he left the smithy, however, he was reminded of something he'd been so accustomed to he'd nearly overlooked it; the door to the Velvet Room.
"Welcome, my young friend." said Igor, his guest seating himself on the other side of the room. "Did you have need of our assistance?"
Rusei shook his head. "No, I came to wish you all a Happy New Year."
Igor chuckled. "Is that so? Well, a Happy New Year to you as well."
"Quite formal of you." Margaret noted. "This room is distanced from time, so simple things as the year passing can slip our notice..."
The Wild Card's next statement faded as he realized a rather noteworthy lack of a certain someone in the room. "...What happened to Marie?"
"Ah, yes... She has left this room." stated Margaret. "I suppose that means her purpose here has come to an end."
"I see... When did she leave?"
"Not long ago..." Igor stated. "Though I am responsible for the scenery and residents our guests shall encounter, usually to match the fate before them, that is not to say others cannot enter at the behest of those who visit."
"You may have already noticed, but it was you who ushered her here. She arrived in this place not long after you first visited this room. All we did was provide a name and a role for her." Margaret noted, opening her tome to a page that showed pictures of Rusei's interactions with the girl. "Your fate led Marie here, and you forged a bond with her."
Rusei chewed his lip uneasily. "...Do you know where she has gone?"
The platinum blonde shook her head. "Alas, I do not. If you so desire, I can locate Marie and take you to her." She locked eyes with the wild card. "I must warn you, though: It may involve danger. What is your choice?"
"I'm not opposed to troubles. She is still my friend, and she's in trouble I would like to help her if at all possible."
"...Very well." Margaret said, a small flicker of amusement in the back of her mind at how far this young man had come since the start of his journey. Quite the far cry from one who almost refused her master's aid. "Please give me some time. Once I am prepared, I will come for you. Please wait till then."
Despite a bit of a chill as he returned home that evening, Rusei spent the remainder of the day with his relatives. The following morning proved to be significantly more lively, though not quite for reasons the Wild Card would've liked. As things often do at the Dojima household, it started with a ring of the doorbell...
"Happy New Year!" Yosuke exclaimed as he stepped into the building. "...Wait, I already said that..."
"I hope we get along this year, too!" added Teddie.
Rusei simply gave the duo a curious look. "Something you needed to discuss?"
"Kinda. Sorry to show up unannounced, but we were already in the area so I didn't think to call ahead till... well, now."
"I see... Please, come in. Have a seat..."
Teddie scurried past the teen, practically diving under the kotatsu. Yosuke and Rusei joined him a moment later.
"So to get to the point, you have any plans during the break?"
Rusei shook his head. "No, I haven't made any. Did you have something in mind?"
"Yeah, figured we could go skiing." answered the brunet. "Lot of mountains in the area, and turns out there's a lot of little ski resorts around here. Not even gonna be that expensive since it's local, too!"
"...I've... never actually been skiing before, but there's been a lot of 'firsts' for me for as long as I've been in Inaba." said the Wild Card with a chuckle. "No harm in one more."
Yosuke laughed. "That's the spirit! I already checked with Chie and Yukiko about their schedules, and they said they were free, so I started making plans."
"...Really? I'd have thought Yukiko would be fairly busy this time of year if her family needed assistance..."
"Right? But she's not, so I figure if she can make it, everyone else probably can, too."
Rusei nodded. "Not a bad presumption... Would we be staying for several days at the resort?"
"I'm thinking at least a whole weekend? Not gonna go super crazy so I don't go broke..."
"Ooh, another overnight event!" Teddie exclaimed. "I'll leave ski tracks of love under the frigid sky!" he turned his head. "Hey, Yosuke, think we'll have a shot at that thing I suggested?"
Yosuke flicked the bear on the forehead. "Hell no! Did you seriously not learn your lesson after you got rammed into a garbage can!?"
"It ain't over 'til it's over!"
"That... doesn't even make sense." the brunet sighed. "Just let it go, we're talking about skiing here!"
"Skiing?"
Heads turned to see Nanako and Dojima looking at the three teens.
"Happy New Year." chuckled the detective. "Sounds like you guys have some plans in mind."
"Happy New Year!" echoed Teddie.
"Yeah, just getting the ball rolling." Yosuke said. "And ah, sorry for barging in..."
Dojima laughed again. "Don't worry. Just don't tear the house down while I'm gone..."
"Gone? You going on a trip?"
"Nah, we're headed to the hospital." replied the detective. "Nanako was only allowed to leave for New Year's, so I have to take her back."
Yosuke winced. "Seriously!? I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought up stuff like skiing at a time line this..."
"Nah, it's fine. Nanako's getting better, but the doctor wants to be sure, just in case. She'll be able to come home probably around the middle of the month."
The little girl naturally pouted. "But I'm all better!"
"We believe you, but the doctor still has to make sure." chuckled Rusei. "He'd get in big trouble if he didn't."
"...But he was really nice..."
The Wild Card smiled at his cousin. "Then you can humor him while he makes sure everything is okay."
Nanako gave a slightly exaggerated sigh. "Okay, big bro... You'll still come visit, right?"
"Of course! Your dad might just have to give me a ride is all..."
Dojima chuckled as he pulled on his jacket, handing his daughter her own. "I can live with those terms. I should be back home around dinner, wanna make sure Nanako's all good and settled. Got a little paperwork that needs taking care of..."
"Alright."
"See you, big bro~!" Nanako called out as she and her father headed out the door.
"Poor Sensei..." began Teddie as the door closed. "Are you all alone at home again?"
Rusei gave the bear a confused look. "...No? Ryotaro will be home this evening..."
"Aww... and here I was gonna offer to stay with you till Nana-chan and Pops come back..."
Yosuke fixed a disbelieving look at Teddie. "Dude, no. He already does basically all the housework, I can't saddle him with all the stuff YOU get up to!"
"And if I'm not mistaken, aren't you still in hot water for that near disaster with the lucky draw bags?"
The blond simply pouted. "Nothing bad happened...!"
Rusei shook his head and sighed. "Perhaps another time, Teddie. Maybe you can stay for a weekend once Nanako's back."
Teddie put one hand on his chin, a deeply contemplative look on his face. "Spending time with Sensei AND Nana-chan would be more fun..."
"See, so just cool your jets. If you can keep it calm till she's back, I'll see if I can convince dad to give you a few days off." Yosuke held out a hand to the bear. "Deal?"
The blond's eyes narrowed. "...How long till she's back?"
"Given the time frame that Ryotaro mentioned..." Rusei began. "Roughly two weeks."
Teddie instantly shook Yosuke's hand. "It's a deal! I'll do my best impression of Sensei!"
"...Maybe not quite that far, but keeping my behaviors in mind would probably be helpful." said the wild card. "Just ah... make sure you're both clear on the terms."
Yosuke quickly hopped to his feet. "I'll get it for him in writing. C'mon, let's get going. We can check in with Kanji and Rise about the skiing trip on our way home."
A few hours later, and Dojima pulled into the carport of his home, a content expression on his face. He hummed to himself as he exited the rental car, enjoying the somewhat chilly air as he walked into the house.
"Rusei, I'm back!"
"Welcome home." Rusei called out, waving from his seat on the couch.
"Glad to see the roof's still on the place..." chuckled the Detective. "You guys get your plans set in stone?"
"Not quite." answered the teen, rising from his seat and striding over to the kitchen. "Had to avoid Teddie trying to stay the night since he thought you and Nanako both were going to be at the hospital for a while..."
Dojima chuckled, though his reply slipped his mind as he saw his nephew stagger. "...You okay?"
"I'm..." he hesitated, shaking his head. "...Okay, just... dizzy..." Rusei sank to one knee, one hand on the kitchen table. "Very dizzy..."
"W-Whoa, hey! Rusei!"
His uncle's words faded into unintelligible noise as Rusei lost consciousness.
"Geez, he looks like he's in pain..." Chie noted, sitting beside where Rusei was tucked into the kotatsu the following day. "I know winters can be harsh, but he was fine just the other day..."
"I'd have thought he'd have gotten sick sooner." remarked Yukiko. "Thankfully it just looks like a cold..."
Yosuke sighed. "Looks like the ski trip will have to be pushed back... there's no point in going without him."
"He's gonna get better though, right?" asked Teddie.
"I'm still wondering how he got sick! Especially if it's because of the weather!" exclaimed Yosuke. "I've seen him take entire hunks of ice from Shadows to the face and not feel a thing, how'd it being cold outside bring him down!?"
Dojima gave the teen a skeptical look. "I'm pretty sure getting hit with a brick made of ice and staying warm in winter are on pretty different levels..."
"...Why's he under the kotatsu, anyways?" asked Chie. "Isn't that supposed to be bad for you?"
"It's what mom did for me and my siblings when we got sick in winter." replied the detective.
Teddie nodded in agreement. "A kotatsu is great when you're shivering from the cold, after all!"
"That's THE cold, not A cold..."
Kanji sighed, glaring in futility at his unconscious best friend the next day. "Dammit... It's pissing me off I can't do anything about this."
"Will he be alright?"
Dojima nodded, looking at the package of medicine in his hands. "...Yeah, I followed the directions on this to the letter. It might take a few more days to get results, but I've taken this stuff for a cold before and it works like a charm." he turned his head towards Naoto. "Surprised you got this faster than I did, Shirogane..."
"...I was worried." she replied simply from her seat beside Rusei. "Even if it's all I can do to help..."
"Hey, if it helps, it helps. Don't think he'd complain..." remarked Kanji.
Dojima sighed, glancing at his watch. "...I hate to leave this on you guys, but can you keep an eye on him? I promised Nanako I'd come check on her."
"No problem!" Rise replied, her eyes lighting up. "Y'know, I bet Naoto could even stay over to keep an eye on him..."
Naoto's eyes darted up from Rusei to the idol in a fraction of the second. "Beg pardon?"
"Aw c'mon, don't give me that! You're obviously the most worried one here." stated the brunette matter of factually. "Plus then it means Dojima-san won't have to keep asking someone to come keep an eye on him everyday..."
"Fine by me." said the detective. "Honestly it's probably better there's someone here with him the whole time... Except Teddie. He's a good kid, but..."
"A bit slow on the uptake?" Kanji offered.
Dojima nodded as he pulled on his jacket. "Yeah." he turned towards Naoto. "If you need a key, borrow his. He keeps it on his desk next to the laptop."
"I... wouldn't want to impose, Dojima-san..."
The older detective laughed. "You won't, so don't worry. The only thing I'd ask of you is what you'd be doing already anyways."
Naoto glanced down at Rusei, then sighed. "...Very well. Kanji-kun, Rise-san, can you hold down the fort for a little while then? I'll need to get some things from home..."
"Of course!" replied Kanji, producing a ball of yarn with a set of crochet hooks sticking out of it from his jacket. "I came prepared for the long haul."
"...Do you just carry that with you...?"
"Hey, you never know when someone's gonna need a scarf or a hat!"
Rusei jolted awake, the slightly hazy memory of a dream conversation with Marie still fresh in his mind. He looked around in confusion, only to realize he was half under the kotatsu in the living room... and a familiar blue hat was resting on the table. Footsteps drew his attention, his head slowly turning towards the stairs in time to see Naoto emerge, her eyes going wide when she caught sight of him sitting up.
"Y-You're awake...!"
"And... confused." he shook his head, looking for his watch only to find it not on his wrist. "...What time is it?"
"A quarter past noon..." Naoto answered, scurrying over to the kotatsu and offering a hand to Rusei. "You've been asleep for several days..."
The wild card's expression turned bewildered as he shakily stood up, the stiffness of his body certainly supporting her claim. "...How many is 'several'?"
"You fainted on the third, and it's now currently the ninth."
"...I see." he patted his pockets. "...Where's my phone...?" He paused, his head slowly turning towards the kitchen. "...Actually, that can wait. Food... Need food."
"Oh, have a seat. I was about to make lunch anyways..." said Naoto, carefully shuffling past him.
Rusei nodded slowly, taking a seat on the sofa. "How long have you been here?"
"...Since the fifth. I was... the last of us to find out about your condition, though I suppose I have Rise-san to blame for that."
"...Your grandfather didn't hassle you too much when you mentioned you'd be here, did he?"
Naoto laughed. "No, he was quite understanding of my decision." she looked over her shoulder. "Your watch and phone are on the table, by the way."
"Ah, thank you." replied Rusei, looking over to see them by Dojima's usual seat and picking them up. No sooner did he have his phone in hand, however, did it begin to ring. His blood ran cold when he saw the caller ID it was giving him; The Velvet Room.
["...Good evening."] began Margaret as Rusei answered, simply hitting the speakerphone button. ["I apologize for disturbing your afternoon. There is something I must inform you of about Marie, so I decided to contact you directly."]
"It's no trouble Margaret..." replied the Wild Card, glancing over at Naoto with a slightly concerned expression. "...But does it perchance have to do with the... rather strange dream I had? I don't recall it well, but it felt as if someone was saying goodbye..."
["Hmm. Perhaps it has something to with Marie's departure. Unfortunately, I have yet to pinpoint her location."]
Naoto looked over from the kitchen. "Marie-san left?"
["...Ah. You're not alone. Should I perhaps continue this discussion another time?"]
"No, please go on."
["...Very well. While I have not found Marie herself, I have discovered something that warrants mention. Do you recall what I said in our previous conversation?"]
Rusei paused before he answered. "...That there could be trouble along the path."
["Correct. I am concerned that this may turn out to be true, as it is most likely her destination is not found in the realm of man."] stated Margaret. ["Thus, your abilities as a Persona User will likely be truly tested. Until I come to you with her location, I suggest you keep your skills sharp. Within reason, of course."]
"...I see. I'll keep that in mind, Margaret."
["Good. Now, if you would excuse me..."]
The call ended, and Rusei let out a sigh as he leaned back in his seat.
"Well, hopefully this doesn't end up being a problem for an excessive amount of time..." remarked the Wild Card, setting his phone down.
"Marie-san is the... companion of yours from the Culture Festival, yes?"
Rusei nodded. "Yes. You didn't have a great many chances to speak with her, now that I think of it..."
"Who is she?"
"She's a bit... strange to explain?" he answered, crossing his arms. "I met her shortly after I arrived in Inaba, but it wasn't until I became heavily involved in the case that I properly became acquainted with her. You recall the 'Velvet Room' I've spoken of before, yes?"
Naoto nodded, turning her attention back to the food she was making. "Yes... the peculiar limousine run by a long-nosed man named Igor."
"Margaret is Igor's assistant, and... I believe the caretaker for Marie is the best way to define their relationship. Marie herself seems to be a supernatural entity, much like Igor and Margaret, with acute amnesia. She recalls nothing of her life before we crossed paths at the Inaba train station, save for one thing definitively being her possession; An old bamboo comb."
"Just an old comb?"
"Not the best lead, as we both discovered in our few attempts at discovering something about her past." stated Rusei. "She semi-regularly interacted with most of the rest of the team, though her lack of understanding of our world made for some interesting conversations..." he shivered. "Though I still have yet to receive an answer as to why she and Margaret had a fortune telling booth at the Culture Festival..." He shook his head. "That aside, the last time we spoke directly was the day we apprehended Adachi. She was intent on moving past her missing memories, even if they never returned to her..." A small laugh. "...And she asked if we could get some skewers over at Souzai Daigaku after it was all over."
Naoto chuckled. "Wasn't she also part of that 'Miracle Quiz' that Teddie put together?"
"I still want to know how she got involved in that..." he paused. "...Though I suppose she'd often wait outside the Velvet Room for me to come by..."
"Are you worried about her?"
"In the same way anyone would worry about a friend going missing..." Rusei noted with a sigh. "She's a bit troublesome at times, but her leaving without warning is... honestly stranger than what happened to Teddie, in my opinion. She was rather put out by the notion of being forgotten in one of our conversations..."
"...You mentioned a dream earlier. How much of it do you recall?"
Rusei frowned, sorting through his thoughts to seek out what he could remember. "...I was talking to someone. It was a dark place, and despite trying to speak, no words came out... They seemed... grateful?" he paused, then slowly nodded. "...Grateful and sad. They said 'goodbye' then began to walk away, but... that's when I woke up."
"And predominantly unhelpful regardless..." Naoto said with a hum. "...Hopefully this is resolved quickly, though until your associate comes to you with information all there is to do is wait..."
A sigh escaped the Wild Card. "As has often been the case..."
The following day saw school resume, and Rusei finally learning that the ski trip plans had been pushed back on account of his sudden illness. And even with the confusion when Marie's sudden disappearance was brought up, the team was confident they'd sort it out as soon as they had information... even if none of them knew Marie as well as Rusei did.
In fact, the advent of the new year seemed to have spurred a surprising amount of introspection on the part of the Investigation Team. What they'd gained, what they'd lost, what they'd faced to reach the moment they now found themselves in. Most of it was shocking, in retrospect, though the consensus each of them reached was something to the tune of 'worth it'. Of course they all still had something to remark upon and each found themselves speaking with their illustrious leader. Yosuke was the first to step up one chilly afternoon...
"Been a while since I last talked to you one-on-one like this..." remarked the brunet. "Things got pretty busy at the end of the year, after all..."
"This better not be a challenge for a second round..." said Rusei, thinking back the last time they'd been talking at the floodplain. "I don't think my father will be quite as capable of talking down mother after a repeat..."
Yosuke shook his head quickly, a panicked look on his face. "Oh, no no no! I like having a working jaw!"
"That's... honestly a relief. I prefer to not have to hit my friends if I can help it."
A laugh. "Man, I remember when you'd get jumpy at that word... Feels like ages ago, but it was only like what... maybe five months ago by now?"
"...It was, wasn't it?"
"I'm amazed you put up with the shit I dragged you into..." said Yosuke, running a hand through his hair. "It was like I was constantly irritated back then, wondering why stuff was happening to me..." A sigh. "Honestly, at a few point I thought no one was thinking about me... I mean, I don't feel that way NOW, but..." he shook his head. "Man, this is harder to put into words than I thought it would be."
Rusei hummed. "Well, truth be told, when your actions weren't a bit... questionable in motive, you've been exceptionally reliable. And well..." he shifted his weight slightly. "...You were the one who rather directly lead to the rapid domino effect that lead to the confrontation with my Shadow."
"...Heh, yeah. I kinda forgot about that part..." said Yosuke with a nostalgic smile on his face. "But like... I think I figured out why. It's kinda been a constant that people rely on me somehow. I thought I was just being shameless, but... I really don't mind. It's why I tried so hard with the case." his expression fell. "...Maybe it's why I ended up just seeing red in that hospital room with Namatame." A heavy sigh escaped him. "I know I said it before, but... I'm sorry. I just... I was so overwhelmed with hate, I stopped thinking."
"We all have our flaws, Yosuke." noted the Wild Card. "Sometimes they're also our greatest strength... You wouldn't have been so furious if you didn't care about what was going on."
A chuckle escaped the brunet. "Yeah... reminds me of a conversation I had with Chie way back when this all started. I said the same thing about her wanting to rescue Yukiko-san..." he smiled. "Said it was a simple way of thinking of things, but sometimes the simplest ways are best. And... I really want the people I care about to be happy."
On the last word, Rusei and Yosuke found themselves in a backdrop of endless stars. Susano-o's form appeared before them, engulfed in a twister for a split second before something similar, yet different was in its place. The entity nodded, the two teens once more standing on the snow-covered Samegawa riverbank.
"...What just...?"
"...Takehaya Susano-o...?" Yosuke asked aloud. "New power...?" A laugh. "Is this for real?"
Rusei nodded slowly. "So it would seem... I... didn't think Personas could do that..."
"...Heh. I mean, people never really stop changing." remarked Yosuke, turning his head towards his friend. "Guess that means neither does a Persona."
"That's... a very good point."
Two days later, and Chie dragged Rusei to their usual sparring spot. They went a few rounds, despite the snow, though nothing super intensive given the bulk of most of their attire.
"Heheh, my moves are sharp as always!" Chie exclaimed with a grin, bouncing in place. "Guess this is more my thing after all... My shoulders were stiff because I've been doing stuff lately that I'm not used to."
"What, sitting still?"
The brunette laughed. "Kinda! I was..." she made a face. "...Promise not to laugh?"
"That depends, are you about to tell a joke?"
She shook her head. "No. I was... Studying, and stuff..."
"Really? Worried about exams already?"
Chie laughed, shaking her head again. "Nah, I was just... thinking about stuff. Like... how if my life had been different, I could have been just like Adachi-san... Maybe everybody could." she sighed, though a smile settled onto her face. "I even had a realization in history class the other day... Just, suddenly hit me that what we were studying was connected to me. The people back then, the things they did, their culture... it's all connected, and it's tied to me and everyone else. It's not just something that happened a long time ago in a faraway country. Real people laughed, cried... and died there."
Rusei nodded slowly. "There is a reason for the phrase 'those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it', after all."
"Yeah! But, well... I guess it really hit when I was talking to my grandpa the other day. I mean... he's SEEN a lot of that stuff!" she said, gesturing for emphasis. "And I've probably got a good shot of seeing a lot, too! If I don't know about what happened, or pay attention to what's happening now, I can't help anyone down the road..." Another sigh. "...Except maybe when it comes to math and physics... I tried harder to study those, even if they don't make a lot of sense to me, but I kept giving up for a bit then going back in an almost endless cycle..."
"Well, we all have our strengths. Yours lie in places other than mathematics or science."
Chie smiled. "Heh, yeah. I've been thinking about stuff a lot differently over this past year... I never really had a reason to care much about the town beyond 'I live here'. Now... I really like it. Everyone's here; Yukiko, Yosuke, you... all my friends and family." she turned towards Rusei. "It was the people I believed in that gave me the strength to see the case through. Even if some other weird thing shows up, I'll be okay as long as everyone's with me." Her smile widened. "If I believe in them and myself, I can always find a path... That's what I think."
The duo jumped slightly, suddenly finding themselves in a now familiar to Rusei starry void. Suzuka Gongen appeared, soon replaced with a slightly different entity. Its golden armor glittered in the starlight before the Persona users were back at the snow-covered floodplain.
"Is this power... mine...?" Chie asked aloud. "Haraedo-no-Okami..."
"...I'm beginning to have a suspicion I'm going to keep seeing that happen to people for a while."
The brunette gave him an odd look. "Wait, you've seen that happen before?"
"Yes. At first, it was merely Kanji, Rise, and Naoto's Personas changing... since then, it's become Yosuke's and yours attaining some new level." noted Rusei. "Reflecting upon how far one has come seems to do that..."
"Well, if something else comes our way, I'll use this power to protect everyone!" Chie exclaimed, bouncing in place. "You can count on it!"
In the days that followed, one by one did Rusei's conversations with the rest of the Investigation Team were punctuated with each of their Personas attaining greater power. Sumeo-Okami, Takejizaiten, Kouzeon, Kamui-Moshiri, and Yamato Sumeragi awoke one after another, though by the last one, Rusei would admit to getting sick of seeing the phenomena. Not long after that chain of events, however, was Nanako's official release from the hospital. Being who they were, this naturally struck the team as cause for celebration. The group, with Nanako in tow, gathered at the Junes Food Court.
"Congratulations!"
"Welcome back, Nanako-chan!"
"Thank goodness you got better!"
"Thank you! I feel great now." said the little girl, a big smile on her face."I can go home and live like normal!" she looked up at Rusei. "Right, big bro?"
Rusei chuckled. "Of course."
"Yeah! I can go to school and help out around the house like I always do!"
"Maybe you're even more energetic than before..." Yosuke noted with a laugh. "Man, am I glad you're okay."
Nanako puffed out her chest proudly. "I'm tough, just like dad!"
"Oh yeah, is Dojima-san coming by?"
Rusei shook his head. "Alas, no. He's at work, but he promised to bring Nanako and I some nice sushi on his way home tonight."
"Now that's what I call a celebration dinner!" Kanji remarked.
"Nanako-chan, aren't you bored just sitting and talking here?"
The little girl shook her head as she faced Rise. "No, it's fun being with everyone! There's plenty of snacks, too!"
"Nana-chan! Let's go see all the food tasting stands! The kind ladies will cook-"
Rusei turned his head slowly in Teddie's direction, causing the bear's words to die in his throat.
"And have you been behaving yourself, as per your arrangement with Yosuke?" inquired the Wild Card, a probing stare aimed at the blond.
"He has, believe it or not." reported Yosuke, an amused smirk on his face. "Hasn't gotten yelled at, store security hasn't chased him around... He keeps this up, he might actually get something resembling a raise instead of more lectures."
"But we were playing tag..."
The brunet's expression flattened. "No, you were pissing people off. And you know there's no running in the store anyway!"
Kanji hummed. "...Y'know. I bet it'd be real fun to play hide-and-seek in a store this big..."
"Hide-and-seek!? I'm good at that!" exclaimed Nanako, her eyes lighting up. "Both the hiding and the seeking!" her expression changed after she said that, a surprisingly contemplative look settling onto her face. "...Big Bro... Did you come find me?"
Rusei's posture stiffened at the question. "...You remember that...?"
"...Not really." admitted the little girl. "It was all cloudy, but... I remember everyone coming for me..." She smiled. "Even dad was there... You were all really cool, like those heroes on TV!"
"Nana-chan..."
"Don't cry, Ted!" exclaimed Kanji, wiping a tear from his eye. "I'm... allergic to people who cry..."
Yosuke smirked. "Alright, tell ya what. I'll ask my manager if we can use the electronics section for a game of Junes hide-and-seek till the special announcements kick on. We came by early enough that we should be able to get in a couple rounds before those start up."
"Really!?"
"That's my boss! I'll be rooting for you when you write your apology!"
Rusei rubbed the side of his head. "He won't have to if he has permission..."
"This is so exciting!" exclaimed Yukiko. "Nanako-chan, which part do you want to do first?"
"Ummm... Both!"
Rise giggled. "How about we rock paper scissors for who goes first?"
"Okay!"
"Found you, big bro!"
Rusei chuckled, looking up from his text message conversation with Naoto. "What gave me away?"
"I heard your phone buzz!" Nanako replied. "Come on out!"
Shaking his head, the Wild Card crawled out from under the single displayed kotatsu that had a blanket on it. "Alright... who's left?"
"Ummm..." the little girl began counting on her fingers. "I found... Yosuke-san, Teddie, Yukiko-san, Chie-san, Kanji-san, and Rise-san..."
"Hmm. That just leaves Naoto... I'm confident you can outsmart a detective. She's good, but so are you."
Nanako's eyes lit up. "Yeah! I'll find her in no time!"
Rusei began typing a message to his girlfriend as his cousin walked off.
} It would seem you're the last man standing. I forgot to fully silence my phone...
} Naoto: I suspect my location will handle that, but I already took the precaution.
} Good luck. Just try not to sneeze.
"Geez Naoto, where were you hiding? We ran out of time hunting for you..."
The detective sheepishly adjusted her cap. "I, well..."
"She was in a refrigerator!" exclaimed Teddie. "Completely untraceable!"
"But I still found her!" Nanako said proudly.
Rusei chuckled. "If you're that good at hide-and-seek, who knows how many bad guys you could help your dad find when you're older..."
The little girl's eyes lit up. "Yeah!"
["...Hello. I apologize for interrupting your morning."]
Rusei arched an eyebrow as he held his phone. "Has something happened?"
["In a manner of speaking. I have located Marie."] stated Margaret. ["However, she is in a realm not that of man... It will not be easy for you to set foot in this place. Please, allow me just a little more time so that I may make preparations."]
"Take all the time you need, but... I have a question for you."
["And I shall answer to the best of my ability."]
The Wild Card shifted uneasily. "...It's been slow, but... I've noticed my friends have been forgetting about Marie. The few who still seem to remember her at this point are Kanji and Naoto... Yosuke being the most recent to have completely forgotten her."
["...Perhaps it is because their ties to her all stem from you. The threads of fate that bind them are much looser than your own."]
"...I see." he sighed. "Just... please give me a call when your preparations are ready. I have a bad feeling about all of this..."
["Very well. Now, if you will excuse me..."]
Rusei put his phone back into his pocket, picking up his jacket and school bag with another sigh.
"Just what is Marie doing...?" he muttered to himself before he headed downstairs to head to school.
Author Notes - It sucks having to wrestle your writing muse sometimes. I wanted this to be a bit longer, but... man, you ever have a thought that your brain just violently rejects? That was me a few days ago with part of this chapter, but don't worry about it. There's... Y'know, I think maybe only a few chapters left of this story. So hey, look forward to the ending! It's gonna violently spiral into the chaos that is Ultimax Arena after that!
