{06/05/11: Sunday}

_\_So that's everything from this month from everyone else_\_ said the voice on the phone who refused to identify himself. _\_As well as all of your own linking since you started. Anything you want to add to your report?_\_

"No."

_\_Then unless something significant comes up, I'll speak to you again in one month. Good luck._\_

"Thanks." I answered before hanging up.

And so my first report for Minatos' dumbass plan is complete. Only eleven months left and my debt is paid. It's not even that big a deal. All the linkers in Kyushu send me e-mails of their progress in completing their social links. I compile those reports into one master file and add my own report, send it along to the address Jun sent me (not sure how he got my e-mail address but that's not worth thinking about, really), the nameless guy calls me to confirm details and bam. Done.

Not sure how I feel about reporting my progress on getting a fox to like me. Oh, wait. Yes I am. It feels really freakin' weird. But that was the deal I made.

So I had two whole weeks of linking. It went pretty well, I think. I got another couple of links from Sun and wasn't that a fun time. Links are links, stressful as they may be.

Of course, the Hermit link was a highlight when it comes to stress.

-(FLASHBACK)-

"So."

"Yip."

I sighed. This was about as far as I'd ever gotten. I still can't wrap my head around making deals with wild animals. But Kami save me, this thing seems smart enough and as much as I hate to admit it, I've seen stranger stuff than a clever fox.

"So... You wanted me to... do things. Like, make wishes come true and all that crap."

"Yip!" The fox barked, running around in a cricle.

"And what do I get in return?"

The fox growled at me. "No, don't give me that. I don't do handouts. I make deals. You want something from me, you give me something in return. Wasn't that the deal? You said-" Nothing because you're a fucking fox THIS IS SO DAMN STUPID! "You said you'd trade me those healing leaves but when I asked for one you wanted 'donations'. Far as I'm concerned, I'm buying those leaves so any favours I do you are separate. Got it?"

He... She? It growled again but with less menace. I can only assume, not having any experience with foxes, that it was begrudging agreement. It latched onto a small coin near the shrine donation box with its teeth and dropped it next to a pile of leaves. It then nodded at the coin then the leaves in turn. "Yes. You want money for the leaves. We've established that."

It growled again. Nodding at the coin, then the leaves. Then it picked up the coin again and dropped it in the pile of leaves. "I don't... I'm not good at charades. Err, the leaves... money... the leaves are money?"

"Yip."

"The leaves represent money?"

"Yip!" The fox barked, bouncing a bit. It then picked up an ema plaque and dropped it by the pile, face up. "So a wish next to... money... You'll pay me for doing it?" The fox growled. I rolled my eyes. "Course not. That'd be too easy. Alright..."

The fox turned the plaque over. "I do one of those and... What?" It pulled a few leaves away from the pile. "Less money... I pay less money?" The fox gave an excited bark. "I got it! You give me a discount on the leaves!"

The fox was running around again, barking excitedly. "Alright. Discount. I can work with that. Alright, round up a few of these tags and I'll get to work... You know, I need something better to call you than 'that fox'. How about... Kyuubi?"

It growled at me. "Yeah, you're right. That was because it had nine tails. Ichibi, then! Ichi for short!" It growled again. "Yeah? Well I hate my name too. Suck it up."

-(END FLASHBACK)-

Since then I've done Ichi a few favours and gotten a 25% discount on the super leaves. That takes them from 'holy hell I can't afford that' expensive to plain old exorbitantly expensive.

A minor upgrade but I'll take what I can get. Besides, hopefully I can do a few more favours before we actually need to buy something from his stash of magical leaves.

I helped Yukiko look into part-time work and agreed to taste-test her cooking. I get this weird sinking feeling whenever I think about that part but I'm sure it's nothing. Two more links for Priestess.

Let's see... What else... I spent time with Ai. That was torturous. Still, two links for my trouble. No progress on the football team but that one will take a while I think.

-(-)-

{06/06/11: Monday}

"H-hi there!" Kanji said, waving slightly as he walked up to us. The four of us were sitting on the rooftop as is apparently our custom when welcoming newbies now. Don't know how that happened but it works.

"What's with the nerves, Kanji?" Yosuke laughed. "It doesn't suit you at all."

"Shut up, asshole! I ain't nervous! I'm still tryin'a process that weird shit you guys put me through is all!" Kanji shouted back.

"Well he has a point." I admitted. "It is a lot to take in at once." I then pulled out a sheaf of paper with a dramatic flourish. "Which is why Yosuke and I put together this ingenious primer for all newbies! Yosuke, if you would do the honours?" I requested as I handed him the papers.

"It would be a pleasure! A-he-hem!" Yosuke exaggeratedly cleared his throat as he put on his anti-fog glasses (for bonus smarty points).

"Our abilities are called 'Persona'. Persona allows us to summon a being that represents our inner, hidden selves and are gained by accepting our shadow – the things we hate most about ourselves that we don't want to admit to. Except Seta 'cos he's weird."

"Guilty." I agreed.

"We each have one persona that has its own special abilities and attacks. Except Seta has more than one 'cos he's weird."

"Preach it!" I cried.

"Now, people with the power of Persona are able to pass through TV screens to reach what we call the TV world but Seta has started calling the 'collective unconscious' because he's-"

"Weird?" Kanji guessed.

"No, pretentious." Yosuke corrected. "Anyway, the TV world is filled with smaller shadows not connected to a specific person (as far as we know) and is blanketed with a weird yellow fog that seems to be poisonous unless you wear special glasses like the ones I'm wearing - don't ask how that works, because we have absolutely no idea. The recent murders were committed by someone throwing the victims into the TV world where they would then be attacked by their own shadow, their corpse showing up in this world on a foggy day. With me so far?"

"I guess?" Kanji hedged.

"Good! Now we've been able to sort of predict who would get thrown in next but we've only had a couple days warning so far. On a rainy night at midnight a TV screen will show a person. Last time it was you. We tried to warn you."

"Didn't work." Chie put in.

"Yeah, I noticed." Kanji grumped.

"Alright. I think that covers it. Any questions?"

"Uhh, yeah. What's the deal with him getting claws and shit?" Kanji asked, pointing at me.

Yosuke and I looked at one another. "I knew we forgot something." I said.

"Uhh," Yosuke uttered, searching for a way to explain quickly and easily. "He's weird."

"Perfect. Add it to the page." I ordered.

"On it, boss."

"Well, hold on! That doesn't explain-"

"Sh-sh-shh! Seta... grows... claws... sometimes... because... he's... weird!" Yosuke adopted a thinking pose, tapping his pen on his chin before showing a 'eureka' expression and continuing writing. "Also... swords... for legs... sometimes. Okay, done!"

"Sheesh, when did these two turn into a lame comedy duo- Yukiko!" Chie sighed in exasperation as she noticed her friend in hysterics.

"I'm sorry!" Yukiko apologised, still giggling like a mad woman. "It was funny!"

"Yyyeah, I'm pretty sure all you guys are nuts?" Kanji said. ""But, uhh, you did kinda save my ass so... Thanks... senpai."

On hearing that last word, Yosuke and I looked at one another. We immediately got into a huddle right in the middle of everyone and started speaking in not-so-hushed voices. "He's our kouhai." Yosuke breathed.

"We have a kouhai in the group now." I agreed.

"Do you know what this means?!" Yosuke giddily asked.

"We have our very own-"

"GOFER!" We shouted together in jubilation, putting an arm each on Kanji's shoulders.

"Wha...?" Kanji mumbled, more confused than ever.

"Gofer snacks." said Yosuke.

"Gofer drinks." I agreed.

"Gofer lunch!"

Chie tried to step in. "Come on you guys, give him a break alr-"

"Gofer steak!" Yosuke and I both added before she could finish.

"GOFER!" Chie shouted, suddenly on board.

"Okay, you all are my senpai and I'm grateful for the save an' all." Kanji said with a twitching eyebrow. "But I'm gonna make one thing clear, okay?"

Then he kicked Yosuke in the balls.

"I AIN'T YER DAMN GOFER! GOT IT?!"

"Wh-why does everyone... go for... my balls?" Yosuke asked the world, gasping for breath.

-(-)-

"So your 'special headquarters' is... the Junes food court?" Kanji questioned.

I sighed. "Don't blame me, that name was all Yukiko."

"And the fox?"

"Its name is Ichibi now."

"... Okay?"

"Is it okay if we ask you some questions now?" Yukiko requested.

"Sure, I guess." Kanji agreed.

"So who was that boy you were with?" Chie asked out of the blue.

"Oh, I can answer that one!" I interrupted. "He's a private detective."

"WHAT?!" I got from four different sources.

"Loud." I grimaced. "Yeah. Naoto Shirogane. Media calls him the 'Detective Prince. Apparently his granddad was a big deal back in the day and grandson is following in his footsteps. I'd bet money he's looking into the murders himself, though I'm interested in how he knew to talk to Kanji."

Kanji looked disappointed. Wonder if he'd be more or less disappointed to find out Naoto isn't a dude? "Well if it helps, I don't think he did. Know to talk to me, I mean. He was just askin' about school and stuff. Like if I noticed anything different."

"Man, for a second there, I thought he already knew about the midnight channel or something!" Yosuke laughed.

"Well he knows now. Remember? When Seta was a moron?" Chie prompted.

Yosuke blinked. "You're going to need to be more specific."

"Yeah, screw you too, Yosuke." I grumbled before talking to Kanji again. "So what about the night you were taken? Do you remember anything about it?"

Kanji hesitated. "Well... you kinda freaked me out with the whole 'claws' thing. So I figured I'd sleep it off. I remember a weird dark entrance thing and the next thing I knew I was waking up in that sauna place."

"A dark entrance... A TV?" Yukiko hazarded.

Kanji nodded slowly. "Now that you mention it, maybe so."

"The cops ask you anything?" Yosuke asked.

"Yeah but I didn't tell 'em nothing. They wouldn'a believed me anyway. Besides, if I told 'em what happened, Seta-senpai would've been suspected, right? I figured I owed you guys one for getting me outta there."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Kanji smirked. "So you guys're thinkin' some dude put me through this crap? What can I do to help?"

"... Well we could use a-"

"I ain't your damn gofer, Yosuke-senpai." Kanji stated with a glare.

SMASH!

Thou shalt be blessed when creating personae of the Fool Arcana.

Awwwww yeahhhhh!

"Kind of sucks that we're back to square one now, though." Chie lamented.

"I know what you mean." Yukiko agreed. "We don't even know who's being targeted anymore."

Kanji smirked. "Oh, well I got you guys covered there! I got the inside scoop that's gonna blow your minds!" he bragged, handing me some papers. "Some third year dude was snoopin' around, tryin'a dig up info on the murders so I took this off him!"

"What is it?" Yukiko asked.

"I 'unno."

"And yet, you took it anyway." Yosuke sighed.

Kanji shrugged. "He thought it was important."

I looked through the papers. Enka album charts... Announcer rankings, the hell? … List of TV pro...grams... "Shit."

"What's up, partner?" Yosuke asked.

"I can't believe I forgot about this! Kanji, this is your fault somehow!"

"Wha! What'd I do?!" Kanji asked.

"TV! That's what connected them all! You all! Mayumi Yamano was on TV because of that scandal with Tametanamename-"

"Namatame." Chie corrected.

"Whatever. Saki Konishi was the witness who found Yamano's body. Yukiko was interviewed because she was temporarily taking over the Amagi Inn and Kanji was on that special report on biker gangs! They were all on TV a few days before being taken!"

"An impressive deduction, Souji-san."

"... Chie... How long has Naoto been standing behind me?"

"Since you swore." she smiled.

"And yet the only time you interrupted was to correct me on Nametamamaname's name."

"Yyyyyep!" She answered, still grinning.

-(-)-

A/N:Hey! Remember that one fic from like – Ah, fuck it. Yeah. Sorry.

So you folks may have noticed a certain someone is back from his hiatus and has posted a new chapter to his sequel to both his and my Persona fics. Samjaz is back! Yay! That officially transitions this fic from the sequel it was originally to the prequel it is now. Fair warning, For Every Soul will naturally have spoilers for the rest of this fic. Here's my suggestion. Read both as and when they update. Like I said, think of this as a prequel to the events of For Every Soul, giving clarity to why things are as they are in that fic.

You know, that thing with Kanji mugging a guy for his info on the murders is in the canon script? Why the hell didn't the Investigation Team follow up on that if someone was that interested and, in fact, gave them their biggest break in the case to date? Well I'll sure as hell be following up on it.

Sorry for the wait!

Thanks for reading!