Monday, 5 December, Evening
Souji skidded to a stop in what had been Taro Namatame's room only hours before. He was sure he'd seen Adachi headed in that direction, but there was no sign of the murderous detective. Indeed, from all appearances the room was completely undisturbed.
"Dammit, where'd he go!?" Kanji demanded of the room at large.
"The hospital staff saw him coming this way," Yosuke added, stepping past the delinquent.
Souji began pacing around the room, peripherally aware of Naoto doing the same from the opposite side. Window was closed, and all the bedding in place, which rule Adachi having climbed down the exterior wall. The lack of a body meant he hadn't suicided and they would have heard the shot in any case.
"I think there's only one reasonable explanation," Naoto said grimly. She nodded at the large-screen TV. "If he is indeed the true culprit, he must have the same power we have."
Chie's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You're saying he escaped into the other world."
The Detective Princess nodded, her lips compressed. "There is nowhere else for him to have gone. The room shows no sign of activity since Namatame's removal, and as Yosuke-senpai pointed out, Adachi was seen heading in this direction."
"So let's go in after him!" Kanji snapped, looking ready to strangle Adachi with his bare hands.
Souji understood the sentiment, but nonetheless shook his head. "It's too great a risk," he said. "There's no telling where we'd end up. We go in tomorrow from the usual place."
"Senpai's right," Rise agreed. "We'll never catch that bastard if we just charge in without preparing. Besides," for a brief moment she looked glum, "we're understrength."
The reminder was like an open wound. Teddie, where are you?
Blue velvet. A gently rumbling engine. Fog rolling endlessly outside. Souji had been to this strange place a number of times over the last several months, but there was a definite change. Neither Igor nor Margaret were anywhere to be seen, which was confusing and just a bit alarming. Instead, there was a large round silhouette where Margaret normally sat.
A very familiar silhouette at that. "Teddie?" Souji said.
The shape solidified. It was indeed their otherworldly friend, in the cartoonish bear suit that had once been his only body. "Sensei!? What are you doing here!?" He looked around. "Where am I, anyway?"
Souji smiled wryly. "I could ask you the same thing. As for what kind of place this is, it's hard to explain. Let's just say it's connected to my unique Persona abilities."
Teddie appeared to digest that. "How mysterious. There's so much I don't know about." His expression turned glum. "I have realized something, though. All this time I've been thinking about who I really am. But I couldn't find the answer . . . there wasn't anyone to begin with."
Souji frowned. This was nothing like the Teddie he knew. "What do you mean?"
"Humans live in the other world," Teddie said with a sigh, "and Shadows live in this one. That's really all there is to it."
It was all too easy to see where he was headed. "You're saying. . . ."
Teddie nodded unhappily. "I was always just a Shadow."
He probably thought it would be a punch in the gut, but Souji actually felt little at the revelation. On one level, he realized, he'd always suspected Teddie was something along those lines. An empty bear costume that nonetheless had its own consciousness, and later grew a human body? Not normal.
"I realized something, that night in the hospital," Teddie went on. "I couldn't do anything. The moment I thought that, I lost consciousness, and woke up in the fog." He seemed close to tear. "Shadows aren't allowed to stay in the human world." He shook his massive head. "I just kept walking, but there was nothing but fog and an endless rode. Just when I couldn't take it anymore, I heard an engine. Next thing I knew, I was here."
Souji kept silent, waiting for him to continue.
"Now I remember a lot," Teddie said. "My world is shaped by human thoughts. One day, a random Shadow awoke to human emotions. But it wasn't enough; humans and Shadows are completely different entities. So . . . so he made himself forget he was a Shadow. He wanted to forget so people would like him."
"And that's why you look like a mascot," Souji said, nodding. "Suddenly, a lot of pieces fall into place."
Teddie nodded. "I'm so stupid. What the other Teddie said, he was right. There's no real me. All I am is a Shadow that took a different form so people would like me. It would have been better if I never remembered." He swallowed. "I'll probably turn back into a normal Shadow soon. Sensei, when you meet Nana-chan in heaven some day, please apologize for me. Tell her I'm sorry I couldn't do anything."
Souji shook his head. "She's still alive, Teddie. Hasn't gotten out of the hospital yet, but she's definitely better."
The bear's face lit up. "Really? That's, that's wonderful. At least I was able to hear that." He yawned. "I'm starting to feel sleepy."
Souji smiled. "Go home, Teddie. Everyone's waiting for you."
"Okay. . . ." Teddie's eye's closed, and a moment later he vanished.
Souji blinked, and Igor and Margaret were sitting in their normal places as if nothing had happened. There was no sign Teddie had even been there.
"Well, that was interesting," Igor said with his usual mysterious smile. "It would seem words were not the only thing you summoned here. This is a room for guests who have an ego that can be nurtured. Shadows, mere fragments broken off from the ego, have no place here."
Souji frowned. "What about Teddie, then?"
Igor shrugged fractionally. "That is a question to which I honestly have no answer. All I can say is the water's strength has moved a stone that was blocking the flow." He chuckled. "Very interesting indeed. In any case, we have tarried here long enough. It is time for us to depart."
"I have things I need to do as well," Souji said, inclining his head as the Velvet Room began to fade. "Thank you."
Tuesday, 6 December, After School
Souji felt lighter than he had since Nanako's near death. He couldn't explain it to Naoto, of course, though she clearly noticed. Apparently deciding it was simply optimism now that they knew who had started it all, she merely shrugged and followed him without comment.
He waited near their usual TV with most of the remaining team, save for Yosuke who was searching for Teddie. Despite his experience the previous night, Souji kept silent on the matter; if nothing else, he had no idea where Teddie ended up after leaving the Velvet Room.
Yosuke appeared around ten minutes later, looking winded. "Any sign of Teddie?" Naoto asked anxiously.
The Junes Boy shook his head. "Not so much as a hair, and nobody's seen him, either." He kicked at the floor in evident frustration. "Dammit, why now of all times?"
"When we're finally at a turning point," Rise agreed. "Stupid furball."
Souji raised a hand in vague dismissal. "Teddie will keep. Right now we need to find Adachi before things get even worse."
The first thing he noticed was the thicker than usual fog. His glasses still cut through as normal, but his peripheral vision was more than a bit of a shock. He estimated the best sight distance without the special glasses to be three meters at most, and even that was optimistic.
"Damn," Chie breathed. "I don't think I've ever seen the fog this bad."
Rise took a few slow steps forward. "Not just that," she said softly. "There's some kind of malicious aura in the air. It wasn't like this the last time I was here. We'd better hurry." Her humanoid radar of a Persona faded into view; Souji could almost hear it beeping.
"Are both worlds getting messed up now?" Yosuke wondered uneasily.
"We already know our glasses work on the fog in the real world," Yukiko agreed. "That can't be normal."
There had to be something more going on than just the murders. Leaving aside Souji and his friends having thwarted every attempt after Saki Konishi's death, the very fact that they could enter this bizarre world—indeed, the very fact of its existence—was a mystery that was still to be solved.
Rise inhaled sharply. "I sense him! He's definitely in here!"
"Which way!?" Yosuke snapped, half-drawing a knife.
"Hold on. . . ." Rise was silent for a handful of heartbeats.
Naoto had her revolver out, and looked very much like she wanted to use it. "So he did come to this side. There's no longer room for doubt, Adachi is the true killer. Once we capture him, the rest of the mystery should unravel with little effort."
With a groan of frustration, Rise let her Persona vanish. "No sign of Teddie, and I can't pinpoint Adachi's location." She practically gnashed her teeth. "Ted, why'd you disappear now of all times!?"
They took a short break, and then Rise was back to searching. Souji, for his part, doubted she would be able to narrow it down any further. Something about this place was distorting her readings, or at least that was the impression he was getting. If only they could combine her powers and Teddie's.
It was a somber group that gathered in the Junes food court a few minutes later. Frustration was running high; they finally knew who the true enemy was, but couldn't reach him. Even Naoto, normally the most even-tempered of them, looked ready to kill something.
"Dammit!" Kanji slammed a fist on the table. "We've come so damn close only to run smack into a dead end!"
Rise scrubbed her hands over her face. "I'm sure he's in there, too! My powers are completely useless." She looked ready to cry, but she suddenly appeared to spot something beyond Souji, and her eyes went wide. "Teddie!?"
Even though he'd expected it, seeing Teddie in the flesh (or at least fur, since he was wearing the bear suit), Souji was a bit startled himself. Teddie looked a bit drawn, but otherwise seemed to be in good spirits. Learning of Nanako's survival had doubtless helped.
"Where the hell were you!?" Yosuke demanded. "Do you have any idea how worried we all were!?"
Teddie sighed, looking downcast. "I'm sorry."
Which wasn't enough for Rise. "You idiot!" she yelled, clamping her arms on him. "Bad bear! Bad!"
Teddie gently—for once—disentangled himself, and sat on the bench between Souji and Kanji. He explained the truth about himself that Souji had heard in the Velvet Room, how he was born a Shadow, how he awoke to human emotions and altered his form in the hope that people would like him. How he made himself forget his true nature.
When he'd finished, Chie was openly gaping. "You mean you're the same kind of thing we've been fighting all this time?"
"That's right," Teddie said with a nod. We—Shadows are suppressed human thoughts given form. Everyone has them inside, as you guys have seen."
"Hold up," Yosuke said. "You say you're a Shadow, but you didn't attack us. And you've been saying from the satrt that you wanted to bring peace to your world."
Teddie sighed again. "That's what I said, but in the end it didn't matter. I was just an ordinary Shadow from the start, nothing special at all. No matter what I did, instead of making my world peaceful, the fog seeped into yours.
"Eh, don't sweat it," Yosuke said. "Not like we were expecting that much from you anyway. And about you being a Shadow, that's pretty much what we figured."
"What!?" Teddie yelped. "Here I am, bearing my soul to you guys, and you say you thought I was something like that anyway!? No normal person could think such a pretty bear could be a Shadow!"
Naoto shrugged. "I honestly don't see how it matters in the end. A Shadow is suppressed emotion given form. Once mastered by the ego, it becomes a Persona. Does it not follow, then, that you developed an ego? The order of events is, I would argue, irrelevant."
Teddie managed a smile. "Ah, Nao-chan. No wonder Sensei's so fond of you." Naoto blushed at that.
"That aside, we're not really that much different," Yosuke said. "Humans spend a long time trying to find themselves, too, and we can't do it alone. How's that different from you?" He grinned. "The rest of us were pretty much a ragtag bunch of misfits at the start."
Souji had to quickly stifle a laugh at Naoto's expression. "I beg your pardon?" she said, shooting the Junes Boy a glare. "Just who are you calling a misfit?"
General laughter, broken when Yosuke coughed. "Anyway, while you were gone, we finally figured out who killed the announcer and Saki-senpai. It was Adachi."
Teddie's eyes went wide, not that anyone blamed him. "Adachi!?" he repeated in disbelief. "That total goofball!?" He shook his head. "And I didn't notice a thing. I must be one blind bear." A sigh escaped him. "But you all know him. If you can't find someone like that, I'm not sure how much help I'll be."
"Every little bit counts," Souji assured him. "But for now, we really should call it a day. I think we're all too drained to do much."
No one disagreed with that.
Evening
"You knew all along, didn't you?"
His girlfriend's question was pointed, as was the glare. "I did," Souji acknowledged.
Naoto didn't back off a millimeter. "How?"
"That's. . . ." Souji took a deep breath, let it out slowly. "That's very difficult to explain."
"Souji-kun, everything we do is difficult to explain," Naoto countered. "What is it you haven't been telling us?"
Souji winced, his stomach tightening. Hearing that tone was a very bad sign indeed. If he wasn't extremely careful, this conversation was going to end badly. In the end, he could only tell her the truth as best he could. "Have you ever wondered about the nature of my Persona abilities?"
The anger dimmed some, diluted by puzzlement. "Occasionally, yes," she admitted. "It does seem odd that you're the only one of us who can summon multiple Personas."
"It's an ability called the Wild Card," Souji said. "I was told it's like the number zero, empty, but with infinite possibility."
Naoto frowned. She was no longer angry, merely perplexed. "Told? By who?"
"That's where it gets bizarre," Souji said. "Several times over the last year, I've visited a place called the Velvet Room. I get the impression it's like the TV world, somehow connected to the subconscious; the master, a guy who calls himself Igor, says it exists 'between dream and reality, mind and matter.' The first couple of times I've been there in my sleep, so I guess it makes sense."
Naoto busied herself at the sink. "And who or what is this Igor?"
Shrugging helplessly, Souji shook his head. "He looks human, somewhere in his sixties, but I seriously doubt that's what he actually is. Anyway, he said only those bound by a contract can enter, and apparently the promise I made with the others back in April qualifies. He seems to enjoy being mysterious, but he's never done me wrong, and doesn't come across as malevolent."
"I see," Naoto set the cup she was drying aside. "And this is how you learned Teddie was safe?"
"In a way." Souji's lip twitched. "Last night, I found myself in the Velvet Room, but neither Igor nor his assistant Margaret were there. Instead, I saw Teddie on one of the benches. He told me what happened the night Nanako-chan almost died, how he remembered what he was. I told him she was okay, and he disappeared; Igor and Margaret were back as if nothing had happened."
Naoto nodded. "That explains a great deal."
Souji blinked. "You believe me? Just like that?"
"Souji-kun, we routinely enter an extradimensional space via a large-screen TV to do battle with manifestations of the human subconscious," Naoto said with a chuckle. "And one of those manifestations has grown quite accustomed to our world. Your story is perfectly plausible in light of all that."
And just like that, the brief storm had passed. "Thanks," Souji said, impulsively drawing her into a light hug. "I would hate for my girlfriend to think I was crazy."
Naoto froze for a brief moment, then slowly relaxed, awkwardly returning the embrace. "I'm hardly less crazy than you at this point, I think," she said, her head resting against his chest.
Wednesday, 7 December, After School
With the team finally reassembled, it was time to search for Adachi in earnest. For all that Teddie clearly had his doubts, Souji was confident they would be able to finally end it. To have come so far only to falter at the last was unthinkable.
"I'll give it a try," Teddie said dubiously. "But if Rise-chan couldn't find him, I doubt my dried-up nose will be any help."
"Just do your best," Souji said.
Teddie nodded and frowned in concentration. His exaggerated nose twitched visibly, but for a good five minutes there was no sound. No one else moved; for once even Chie was content to wait patiently. For all the urgency of their mission, it had to be done right, even if it was slower.
"I do smell Adachi-baby in here," Teddie said at last. "But the fog is making it hard to track. Don't worry, though, I won't give up!" His eyes were almost closed, and he was starting to glow the way he had when he faced Rise's Shadow in their place. All it once he began meandering about, still sniffing.
Yosuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't tell me you're flaking out again."
Teddie's odd wanderings stopped by a catwalk. "The smell's coming from . . . thisaway." He pointed in a direction Souji found strangely familiar. "It's weird, though. If I'm remembering right, it's where Sensei, Yosuke, and Chie-chan were coming from when we first met."
Well. That explained why it was so disturbing. "You sure?" Souji said, not at all liking what he was hearing.
"There's definitely someone there!" Teddie said firmly.
"Dammit," Yosuke growled. "That creepy room with all the faceless posters. No way that's gonna end well."
Souji shook his head. "It's Adachi, of course it won't end well. Let's go!"
The trip was much shorter than he remembered from that fateful day. In retrospect, it wasn't all that surprising; they had a guide this time, and knew exactly where they were going. And what—and who—they were going to find at the end. Someone who was far more dangerous than they had realized.
"That damn bitch."
Skidding to a stop just past the door, Souji instantly drew his sword. A familiar figure in an unremarkable dark suit stood by the window, a decidedly unfamiliar look of angry contempt on his face. No mistake, it was indeed Tohru Adachi. Souji braced himself for a fight.
"I noticed her first, but she just had to run off and have an affair," Adachi growled, seeming unaware of their presence. Until the floor creaked, causing him to whirl. "Who—oh, it's you guys?" His smile was downright sick. "You're very persistent."
"Save it," Souji bit out. "Did you really kill Mayumi Yamano?"
Adachi laughed scoffingly. "It was just an accident. What else was I supposed to do when she started struggling?" His mouth twisted. "I called her out to the lobby for a few questions, and she started getting all hysterical on me. Then, well, you can guess what happened next. Lucky for me it was the middle of the night, so no one else was around."
Souji's knuckles were white, he was clutching his katana so hard. "You complete and utter filth," he said through clenched teeth.
The so-called detective was unfazed. "I'd heard about the Midnight Channel through some rumor; you hear a lot of weird stories on the force. Touching the screen and discovering my power, though, that was pure coincidence. Gotta tell you, it made me laugh; I knew it would make things interesting."
Yosuke's teeth clenched. "So Mayumi Yamano was your test subject."
"Nah, nothing like that," Adachi said with a brief shake of the head. "I was just punishing the stupid bitch for betraying me. Putting them inside the TV was never the plan."
"She was never yours, to have or to punish," Souji snarled.
"Yeah, whatever," Adachi said, rolling his eyes. "Yamano and that dippy high school girl both struggled for no reason."
Yosuke instantly had his knives out. "So you were responsible for Saki-senpai's death!"
The killer looked blank for a moment. "Saki, was that her name? Konishi, or something like that. It was just work-related at first, since she found the body and all. I'd have to know if she'd seen anything, so I was all set up to be nice to her. And then that bitch had to get nasty. Second time was a lot easier, though. High school girls are thinner, lighter."
"You son of a bitch!" Yosuke all but screamed.
Adachi laughed, still with that nauseating smile. "Come on, give me a break. It's not like I tried to kill them. I didn't know it was dangerous in there."
"Liar," Souji spat. "Yamano's death was all the proof you needed."
Adachi snorted. "Seriously, they must've been hitting on Namatame, not the other way around. Gold-digging, y'know? Got what they deserved; I didn't do anything wrong at all."
Something else seemed to click in Souji's mind. "So you tricked Namatame."
Again the nauseating laugh. "Nah, he just called in the middle of the night after Konishi's body was found, and as luck would have it, I was the one who took the call, since we were short on staff."
Naoto glared at him. "So, you're the reason no one would take him seriously."
"Oh, quite the contrary," Adachi said. "I did believe him, for obvious reasons. Poor sap just needed a little push. And he bought it, hook, line, and sinker. The more people you guys saved, the more he kidnapped. Both sides with the best of intentions, a game of cat and mouse that never ended. Awesome!"
Yukiko sucked in a sharp breath. "Why!? What possible reason could you have for doing this!?"
Somehow, Adachi's shrug was more horrifying than anything he'd said yet. "It was fun. Guess that's my reason."
"You murdered people just for the fun of it!?" Chie looked ready to kick an entire wall down.
"I didn't kill anyone," Adachi countered. "This world did that; I just put people in. Not to mention Namatame did most of it. I had nothing to do with any of you."
Souji straightened. "Nice dodge, but it doesn't hold water. You set this whole thing in motion, you're every bit as guilty as if you'd put each of them in yourself."
"And how you plan on proving it?" Adachi countered. "You really think the police are dumb enough to believe that? Gotta admit, though, I never thought you guys would track me down. I like it; games like this need a few surprises or they get boring real fast. Like with that Kubo kid; that was fun, too."
Naoto's eyes widened. "Mitsuo Kubo's disappearance was your doing as well? It did seem odd; if he had special powers, why resort to a copycat crime? But no, you threw him in, correct?"
"Sure did," Adachi said cheerfully. "It had been a while, so I got a kick out of that one. Bastard claiming credit, if the police had closed the case with him, the game would've been over."
"Then how come he never said anything about you?" Chie asked, looking horrified.
Adachi shrugged. "Took him in, turned out the lights, gave him a good shove. Simple enough. Long as he didn't see me push him in, it was fine. Nobody would believe him even if he survived." He laughed. "Worked out in the end; even though you caught the dumb kid, Namatame kept right on 'saving' people. What an idiot."
Yosuke snapped right there. "How dare you . . . murder people for such a stupid reason! I'll never forgive you, bastard!"
"So what?" Adachi said. "Not like it matters. You must've noticed; the fog's leaking out. Soon enough, our world will be just like this one."
Rise inhaled sharply. "Guys, this isn't his real body! It's a projection; the real Adachi is somewhere else."
"He doesn't feel like an ordinary Shadow, though," Teddie said. "He's not going berserk."
"Not bad," Adachi said, sounding genuinely impressed. "This me is just here to greet you, and thank you for wasting your time chasing me down." He laughed. "This world's taken a real shine to me, like it's given me everything I've wanted. And the monsters don't attack me, either, maybe 'cause they can tell we have the same goal. By the end of the year, this will be reality, and Inaba will disappear into the fog. I'll be here, so if you want me, come and get me. This world has a mind of its own. We'll see who it favors."
Kanji lunged forward. "Bastard!" he shouted, only to hit air.
From a great distance, they heard Adachi's scornful laughter. "Chump, the real me is somewhere else, remember?" The voice faded.
Souji sheathed his blade. "No more games," he said coldly. "Everyone, we make sure we're as prepared as we can possibly be. Then we hunt him down, and drag him out. We put an end to this, once and for all."
Eight heads nodded in unison.
Sunday, 11 December, Daytime
It was finally time. After four days of trudging through a twisted parody of Inaba, four days of battling Shadows, four days of enduring Adachi's delusional rants, they were at last at the threshold. Souji honestly didn't know what to think of the whole thing. He was angry at Adachi, certainly, for putting the town through this, snuffing out two innocent lives and indirectly a third. Yet in a way, he was almost sad. Sad that a grand adventure was about to come to an end.
No, not an end, he told himself. A new beginning. Though the case would soon be over, the bonds they had forged over the past year would last a lifetime. Inaba would always be home, and the Investigation Team always Souji's friends, no, his family.
"This is it, everyone," he said, keeping his voice even. "We're going to drag Adachi out of here, and find the source of the fog twisting Inaba. Any questions?"
There were none. "Then all I can say is, make sure you stay alive." Drawing his sword, Souji led the way through the final portal.
Tohru Adachi was waiting for them, a mocking smile on his face. On seeing them, he even started a slow clap, as if he was glad they had caught up with him. Perhaps on some level he was, perhaps he relished the chance at a direct confrontation.
"You know, I didn't think you'd really make it," he said, as though congratulating them.
Naoto set her teeth. "Allow me to confirm the crimes you've committed thus far," she said icily. "You had reason to suspect this world was dangerous, yet you threw Mayumi Yamano into the TV. Knowing full well that Ms Yamano died here, you then did the same to Saki Konishi. Not content with that, you duped Namatame into taking over your murder attempts while you watched like a spectator at a game."
Her voice rose. "When the disappeared stopped dying, you sent a warning letter to ensure more victims. Even when a copycat killer appeared, you had the unmitigated gall as a detective to eliminate a suspect under investigation. Two people died within the last six months, and a young girl is in critical condition, but even that isn't all. If something had gone wrong even once, still more would have succumbed. All for some foolish 'excitement,' like a criminal reveling in the chaos he creates!"
Adachi let out an aggrieved sigh. "What's your point? All I did was put people in here. Isn't it the world that really kills them? It reflects people's thoughts." A mock-worried look crossed his face. "My, my, does that mean the real culprits are everyone on the outside, including you guys?"
"You can drop the philosophical ramblings," Souji shot back. "It was you who put those people in here, knowing what would happen. You can't escape your responsibility."
Adachi laughed. "Man, are you self-righteous."
"Aren't you supposed to be a police officer!?" Chie retorted.
"What, you think I joined so I could be some kind of agent of justice?" Adachi snorted. "Don't be an idiot. I joined up so I could legally carry a gun. You'd be surprised how many are like that." He shook his head. "Though it'd be fun, too, but it was a total wash. Everyone around me was such an idiot. One mistake, and they send me out here to Nowheresville as punishment. I was bored out of mind, wondering what to do next, when I discovered this power."
Kanji shook his head. "Why a bastard like you!?"
The murderous detective shrugged. "A consolation prize for having to put up with this job in Nowheresville, I guess. I did that stuff 'cause I could, and it got interesting, so I watched."
"That's your reason!?" Yukiko hissed like an enraged cat. "You can't be serious! You really don't care what happens to our world!?"
Adachi sighed. "Let's be honest, there's nothing great about our world. It's just dull as hell, not to mention annoying. No one accepts it, but they can't do anything about it, either. Those who actually succeed in life, they just happen to be born with the magic ticket called 'talent.' If you don't have it, you can accept it or deny it till you die. Once you realize that, all you have left is despair. The ultimate game over. Wouldn't it be better if that kind of reality was just wiped away?"
Souji snorted. "Spare us the nihilism, Adachi," he said, deliberately omitting the honorific. "You can preach all you want, but come down to it you're just making excuses."
"Senpai's right, that's complete BS!" Rise growled.
Adachi rolled his eyes. "Brats like you are so. . . . Listen, you kids have hopes and dreams now, but that's just 'cause you don't know anything about reality. One day you'll see, the boring reality that boxes you in no matter where you turn."
"You're the only boring thing here!" Kanji snarled. "You wanna disappear, fine! Just stop dragging us into it!"
"Will you stop yelling, punk?" Adachi groaned. "I know you're all afraid and gotta act tough to cover it up, but geez. This is just my experience in life." He spread his hands. "Think about it. Once everyone turns into Shadows, they'll still go on living, oblivious to everything around them. Is that any different from the way things are now? Not really, except it's much easier."
Souji didn't so much as twitch. "Do you have some kind of point, or are you just rambling?"
Adachi gave an exaggerated sigh. "Come on, how many people actually think about what's real, or about right and wrong? Bet it's next of none, since it's a complete waste of time. You don't get anything out of facing reality, and you can't change it, either. Seriously, what could be more boring than brooding over things you can't change?"
"Listening to you rant comes to mind," Souji retorted.
Their opponent merely smirked in response. "It's easier just to go on pretending it isn't real, believing what you want to believe. Wouldn't it be great if everyone's life was like that?" He shook his head. "No matter who you are, your lifespan is about eighty years, right? It'd be easier if we all just turned into Shadows. We don't need our world anymore. That's what all those people who're scared to death really want. So it's my duty to see they get it."
"Speak for yourself, idiot!" Chie snapped. "It's just you!"
"I'm the idiot?" Adachi said. "Don't you remember when your Shadow manifested? It must've been enjoying life far more than you."
Souji brandished his katana. "I've had just about enough of your nihilism, Adachi," he bit out. "Are you going to come and face reality like a man, or are we going to have to beat you senseless first?"
For a moment, Adachi made no answer. Dark energy began to swirl around him, much like their previous encounter with Namatame, but far more controlled. "You saw the Shadows as nothing bu monsters, didn't you!?" he snarled, his voice beginning to echo. "They move on pure instinct, they go wild because you defy them! You annoying little brats are the ones who aren't wanted in the new world!"
Yukiko actually sneered. "Living is too painful, but you don't want to die? Of course no one would understand, it makes no sense! You're just throwing a tantrum like a kid who can't have his way!"
"People can't live alone." Naoto's voice was calm, but glacial. "If you give in and sever your ties with human society, of course you'll find living difficult." She bared her teeth. "Yet you refuse to face life and admit your fault, running from your humanity like a coward. And though you claim to find life troublesome, you cause nothing but trouble for others! Your twisted logic is that of an immature, egotistic brat!"
Adachi was beginning to shake, probably with sheer rage. "S-Shut the hell up!" he shouted. "You guys can't even stand on your own unless you deny everything I said! You stupid teenagers have no idea what I've been through!"
"Favored by the world?" Yosuke said icily. "I'm gonna say it flat out, you're nothing but a worthless criminal!"
Adachi didn't reply, at least not in words. He let out a long, incoherent scream of pain and fury, darkness billowing all around. When it dissipated, he was still there, but more Shadows than Souji wanted to think about had joined him. All were types they had fought before, but it was still an unfavorable situation.
He made his decision in an instant. "Keep the Shadows off me, everyone. I'll deal with Adachi."
"Senpai!?" Naoto yelped, visibly alarmed.
"No way in hell we're letting you take him on alone!" Yosuke said, knives out.
Souji raised a hand, smiling faintly. "It's all right, trust me. Just like I trust all of you."
That was all it took. One by one, his friends fanned out to intercept the Shadows. Only Teddie hung back to make sure Rise was protected. It was going to be their toughest fight yet, but Souji had no doubts. They would win, no matter what.
He turned to face his foe, sword in a low guard position. "All right, Adachi. It's time to end this."
The next sound was the crack of Adachi's revolver, but Souji was already in motion, so the shot missed wide. His sweeping slash in turn failed to connect; Adachi, it seemed was more agile than he appeared. A second shot was a lot closer than Souji would have liked, seeming to confirm his suspicion.
And then a semi-transparent form appeared above and behind Adachi, eerily similar to one Souji had seen many times over the last year. It was unmistakably a Persona, and more, it looked to be a dark parody of his own Izanagi, even down to possessing electrical abilities.
"If that's the way you want it. . . ." Souji swept cards in front of his face. "White Rider, burn him!"
A high-level fire spell, the kind of thing that was usually Yukiko's specialty. It staggered Adachi, but he kept his feet, leering at Souji like some kind of demon. His response was again the twisted parody, this time unleashing a wave of darkness that normally resulted in instant death.
Souji, however, had chosen his Persona carefully, and the Mudo spell washed over him without effect. In that brief exchange, he made two important discoveries. First, though Adachi was a decent shot, he had seldom if ever fired his weapon in anger. Second, while he was a Persona user of considerable power, he was also inexperienced, whereas Souji had spent several months fighting for his life.
The advantage was Souji's.
And he pressed that advantage. The dark Izanagi appeared twice more, each time to little effect. Adachi got off three additional shots, two of which missed, while the third ricocheted off Souji's blade. He was just pulling the trigger for a final shot when Souji was on him, sword sweeping the gun aside, followed by a sweeping kick that dropped the crooked cop on his back.
Souji's friends had, unsurprisingly, made short work of the Shadows. "It's over, Adachi," Souji said, his sword less than a meter from his opponent's throat. "You've lost."
Adachi forced himself up to one knee. "Dammit . . . this is so lame." He coughed. "Not that it really matters. Our world's gonna disappear soon, so it's not like I had anywhere to go back to. Everyone's gonna be Shadows. . . . Ugh!"
He convulsed, suddenly again enveloped in darkness. This time, however, it didn't fade completely. Now a black silhouette with the golden eyes of a humanoid Shadow, Adachi hung in midair with no visible means of support. Souji immediately assumed a ready position, memories of their confrontation with Namatame flashing through his mind.
"All humans will become Shadows," he said, an odd reverberation in his voice. "And I shall descend upon the united world . . . as the master of order."
Yosuke shook his head. "Okay, what the hell's with this guy all of a sudden?"
"It's not Adachi!" Rise said, her voice taught. "It's someone completely different."
The entity spoke, still with Adachi's voice. "Both this world and yours will soon be enclosed in a fog that never lifts. It will be the peaceful world that mankind has longed for."
Naoto hissed through clenched teeth. "Who are you!?"
"I . . . am Ameno-Sagiri," the entity said. "One who rules over the fog, awakened by mankind's desires. Do what you will, but your world's erosion cannot be stopped. It is inevitable." It almost sounded like he(?) was smiling. "You played your part well, stirring up with will of the masses into madness."
Souji's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, played our part? What is it you're doing?"
"I am the one who shepherds humans to their true desires," Ameno-Sagiri said solemnly. "Though their hearts longed for peace, it could never be attained, so they tore down the wall between image and reality. This is the outcome desired by mankind, and mankind's desires are my desires. That is why I decided to expand this world."
"More nihilism," Souji said, half to himself. "No wonder you chose Adachi as your host."
That drew what sounded almost like a chuckle. "Indeed. This is part of the vast sea of unconsciousness that exists within human hearts. A hollow forest born from bloated desire and false imagery. Humans view things as they see fit. They with not for the truth, but for undesirables to be hidden in fog. Still, humans fear what they cannot see. That brief yearning for truth becomes a ray of light which breaks through the fog and torments the Shadows."
Yukiko nodded unhappily. "That's why they attack anyone nearby at the time." She frowned. "A hollow forest, so this place isn't just affected by people's hearts, but actually exists inside them?"
It was hard to tell, but Ameno-Sagiri appeared to nod. "Mankind abandoned its pursuit of truth, placing itself in the depth of chaos and falsehood. Thus, my strength has grown, and the fog will not lift. Your world will be engulfed by the hollow forest."
"Oh, shut up!" Chie burst out. "We'll just use our power to beat the stuffing out of you, and it'll all be over!"
"It was I who made it possible for you to bring about this destiny," the entity said. "I bestowed power onto those who could brave the hollow forest. That is what allowed you to come in contact with this world, and you have done very well since."
"You mean the power to enter the TV!?" Yukiko pressed.
Naoto had gone slightly pale. "Then the Midnight Channel was also your doing!?"
"Humans fail to see things as they truly are," Ameno-Sagiri said. "They choose to see only what they wish. I acted only in support of this." It sounded almost surprised by their vehemence. "A world filled with desires. Viewed from a window, from which one see what one wishes to see. Humans departed from reality of their own volition, creating more false images."
And there, in that moment, was the truth of the Midnight Channel. "So that's why people who got famous started appearing, one after another," Rise said.
"You're almost certainly right," Naoto said. "The image we saw of Namatame that night, it's been bothering me since. What we saw then wasn't Namatame's true intentions at all."
Yukiko let out a horrified gasp. "You're saying it was because we were all thinking he was the killer, that he couldn't be forgiven!?"
"Yes," Naoto said. "We let ourselves be deluded."
"Exactly," Ameno-Sagiri agreed. "The more one yearns for false images, the less one yearns for reality. And so the forest grows; that is the expansion of this world."
Yosuke took a menacing step forward. "I dunno who you are, but you're going down! People want to become Shadows!? Their desire is your desire!? To hell with that! Since when did we ever wish for it!? We kept on fighting like morons to get where we're standing!"
Ameno-Sagiri's tone was contemplative. "Yes, that I did not foresee," it conceded. The ability to master your own Shadow that emerged to kill you and harness its power . . . a new and uncertain facet of mankind. Is it worthy to put my trust in, or not? It must be tested."
This time the energy release was not merely a wave of blackness. Behind the shadowy form that had once been Tohru Adachi, flames erupted out of the ether. Mist, billowing black smoke, and red-orange flames silhouetted the creature as it transformed in a manner eerily similar to Namatame.
A moment later, and they weren't in the twisted Inaba any longer. Souji and his friends stood on what looked like a glass floor, with the real Inaba visible below them. In front, their foe had grown tremendously in size, and no longer looked even vaguely human. A multicolored hemisphere lay in drifting fog, its one huge eye gazing down at them.
Souji refused to be intimidated. They had come so far, suffered so much, for this moment. Whatever this Ameno-Sagiri thought, they would defeat him, and clear the fog from Inaba. Too much rode on their young shoulders to even contemplate the possibility of failure.
"This is it, everyone," he said, sword at the ready. "We defeat this thing, and the fog is finally lifted. You guys ready?"
"Hell, yeah!" Yosuke said, brandishing his knives. "Let's take this freak down!"
Chie bounced from one foot to the other. "Let me at him!"
"I won't falter," Yukiko said. "Whoever or whatever this thing is, it has no right to decide the fate of our world."
"Got that right," Kanji grunted. "Who the hell does this freak think he is, anyway!?"
Teddie's claws were bared, his Persona already visible. "There's so much to learn about humanity, I don't want them turning into Shadows!"
"This thing has no right to exist!" Rise agreed. "I'll back you up!"
Naoto moved to Souji's side, her revolver at the ready. "We'll put an end to this," she said. "Together."
There was nothing more to be said. Focusing his mind, Souji quickly sifted through his Personas. He settled on Mada, one of his most powerful, and crushed the card in his fist, unleashing a searing blast of flame. As if it had been a signal, the others opened up as well, more fire from Yukiko, ice from Chie and Teddie, a bolt of lightning from Kanji, a gust of wind from Yosuke, and blinding energy from Naoto.
Ameno-Sagiri seemed unfazed, but that was hardly surprising. A so-called "god" wasn't going to go down from such a barrage. Watching for a counterattack, Souji only barely leaped aside when a gigantic energy beam erupted from the creature's eye. Not all the others were so fortunate; Yosuke tripped and fell, thus evading more or less by accident, but Kanji caught the brunt of it, only remaining on his feet thanks to an emergency heal from Yukiko.
"Haa!" Chie took a flying leap, driving her foot into Ameno-Sagiri's eye. It showed no sign of discomfort, though it did appear slightly annoyed, assuming it felt such emotions at all.
It expressed that annoyance in a rain of flaming rock. Souji took a glancing blow to his left shoulder, painful but hardly debilitating. Chie and Teddie were not as lucky, both knocked sprawling by the fiery hailstorm. Yukiko, by contrast, appeared unaffected, presumably because of her high affinity for fire.
With the two ice-wielders struggling to their feet, Yosuke and Kanji took the fore. A combination of wind and lightning bore a striking resemblance to a thunderstorm, enough that Souji hurriedly got out of the way. There was a definite impact; Ameno-Sagiri was visibly shaking from the assault.
It retaliated with an earthquake of all things. Caught completely by surprise, Souji fell backward, taking Yosuke and Kanji with him in some kind of perverse domino effect. Yukiko fell back against Rise, while Naoto was caught by Chie, whose martial arts training had allowed her to keep her footing.
While Souji was struggling to his feet, Ameno-Sagiri released a billowing wave of fog that obscured it completely. Not good, not good at all!
Chie's Persona sent a gigantic spike of ice into the fog, to no apparent effect. "What the hell!?"
"Stay back, all of you!" Souji called. "We'll just leave ourselves open if we attack now."
Unfortunately, there was also no way to tell what they were up against. He was convinced Ameno-Sagiri was preparing something big, though, something they could conceivably disrupt if they could actually hit it. Now their only chance was to guard against it, and hope they survived.
When the onslaught came, it came with a vengeance. Ameno-Sagiri struck three times in rapid succession, another, heavier earthquake, a second rain of flaming rock, and a repeat of the giant energy beam. Only with Yukiko, Yosuke, and Souji himself quickly casting healing spells were they able to withstand the storm.
"Ugh, damn," Yosuke groaned. "Why won't this bastard just go down?"
Souji helped his friend stand. "It's getting desperate, partner. I don't think it expected us to put up this much of a fight."
"Senpai's right!" Rise said from behind them. "It's getting weaker; one more push should do the trick!"
Wiping sweat from his forehead, Souji set himself one last time. "Everyone ready?" A chorus of affirmatives answered him. "Hit him with everything!"
Nothing they had done before compared to the barrage they unleashed together. Hurricane-force winds, deafening cracks of lightning, ice flows that soon melted in the face of eruptions of flame, blinding bursts of pure energy. Not even Ameno-Sagiri could withstand such a concentrated, unrelenting attack. It made no sound of pain, but the continued rocking motions coupled with the lack of a counter said everything.
And then, at long last, it was over.
Drenched in sweat, feeling like he could sleep for a week, Souji was barely able to even stand. His friends were little better off; even Rise, who had naturally hung back, looked rather the worse for wear. A far cry, he thought absently, from the idol who had captured the hearts of so many Japanese teenagers.
Ameno-Sagiri gazed down at them. "I see. Your powers are strong." There was a meditative tone in the gravelly voice. "Power comes from the heart. You have proven to me human potential. Very well, I will lift the fog from the place you will return to." It paused while the Investigation Team looked up in relieved shock. "Mankind's desires are my desires. If mankind wishes it, I will return at any time. I am always by your side, watching."
"Watch all you want," Souji countered, feeling some of his energy return. "If you return, we'll just beat you back again."
"Time will show the path humanity takes," Ameno-Sagiri said. "Children of the new potential. . . ."
A blinding light took the grotesque form away, leaving Adachi flat on his back, gasping but looking otherwise normal. Certainly no longer a threat. Cautiously walking over, Souji could see the former detective was conscious, but likely unable to even stand.
"You think . . . that thing was controlling Adachi-san?" Chie wondered.
Souji shook his head. "I think it was more a twisted kind of symbiosis. Adachi thought the world beyond saving, so this Ameno-Sagiri thought him a perfect host."
Adachi coughed. "That's it, huh?" he groaned. "Fine, live however you want. Go right ahead . . . if you think . . . you have the power to change the future."
"That's a power we all have," Souji said quietly. "I wouldn't have come this far without my friends."
"Whatever." Adachi's head rolled to the side. "Just go. The Shadows will finish me off. You came here to kill me, didn't you?"
Yosuke shook his head. "If we leave you here and another dead body shows up, how does that help anyone? We're taking you back. Live and face your punishment; that's how it works in our world."
Adachi offered no resistance as they returned to the real world. No one said a word during the trip; whether it was from fatigue, be it physical or emotional, or some other, deeper cause, Souji couldn't say. What mattered is they were able to make it back without incident.
Ten minutes later, a single police officer met them in the electronics department in Junes. "Shirogane-san," he said, giving Naoto a respectful nod. "We received word from Detective Dojima. He's wanted on suspicion of murdering Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi, right?"
"Correct," Naoto said simply.
The officer's expression was sad as he regarded Adachi, almost prostrate on the floor. "We have an ambulance waiting downstairs. Should we bring the stretcher up here?"
Naoto frowned. "An ambulance?"
"Detective Dojima assumed one would be necessary," the officer said. "He wanted the suspect carefully taken into protective custody. It was, well, a personal favor."
"It makes sense," Chie said quietly. "They were partners, after all."
Naoto nodded. "In that case, please do."
Their presence no longer required for the time being, Souji and his friends took the elevator down and stepped outside. Finally, for the first time in what felt like years, the air was clear. It was still a bit chilly, but only a normal December chill, not the bleak cold of the otherworldly fog.
Naoto took his hand, for once uncaring of who happened to see. "I had almost lost hope of seeing this again," she murmured. "It feels like a dream."
He smiled and gently squeezed. "We made our dream real," he said, then shook his head ruefully. "And that was just about the cheesiest line I could have used."
"Perhaps, but that doesn't invalidate the point," Naoto said with a laugh. "This is what we fought for."
She was right, of course. Souji had fought hard and long for this moment. For peace to return to Inaba, cliché though it sounded. For his newfound friends, without whom he would still have been adrift. And for his own future, a future he could and would share with the young detective now holding his hand.
By unspoken agreement, the gang slowly drifted apart. To Souji's amusement, Chie wasn't walking home with Yukiko as usual, but instead remained close to Yosuke. It seemed the "Junes Boy" had finally gotten the lucky break he deserved. At least he wouldn't be bored.
"Yeah," Souji said, smile widening as Naoto edged a little closer. "This is what we fought for."
Saturday, 24 December, Evening
Maybe it was because of his parents' demanding jobs, but Souji had never done much on Christmas Eve. Even during his brief relationship with Reika Sakamoto, it just hadn't seemed all that special. Like so many things in his life, Inaba had changed that irrevocably.
Admittedly, spending it with a girl made him a bit nervous. Which granted was silly, since she'd been staying at his uncle's home for over a month now, but something about it being Christmas Eve somehow made him feel like it was her first evening there.
If he wasn't imagining things, Naoto felt the same. She'd been visibly nervous pretty much all day, at times blushing for no reason Souji could discern. He'd refrained from questioning her on it, knowing how uncomfortable she was with such things even yet.
So he busied himself with the relatively simple task of baking a cake, and gave no sign he'd noticed Naoto's discomfort. Gentle snowfall outside provided a peaceful, cozy atmosphere that they both needed after the chaos of the last several months.
Around nine in the evening, they sat on either side of the low table in Souji's room. "Delightful as always," Naoto said. "To be honest, this is the first Christmas Eve I've spent with anyone other than Grandpa and Yakushiji-san."
"Same for me, really," Souji said. "My parents were always too busy; there was Reika one year, of course, but it didn't feel right, if that makes any sense." He reached across the table and touched her hand. "This feels right."
Naoto blushed, but made no objection. "I couldn't agree more," she said. "Which reminds me," she dug in a pocket with her free hand, "there's something I want you to have."
She passed over a digital wristwatch. "It looks very nice," Souji said, strapping it to his wrist.
"It has an extra function," Naoto said, blushing again. "There's a short-range beacon built in, linked to another watch. It can tell you," she swallowed, "when I'm close by."
Souji lifted an eyebrow playfully. "Stalking me, now?"
Her face turned as red as Yukiko's cardigan. "N-No!" she squeaked. ". . .On second thought, maybe I am. I always want to be near you."
"That makes two of us," Souji said. Naoto smiled at that despite her embarrassment.
"There's one other thing," she said. "If you'll give me a few minutes." At Souji's nod, she stood and left the room, looking just a bit flustered.
Idly wondering what Naoto was up to, Souji cleared the remaining dishes. Despite the fact that his uncle and cousin were still in the hospital (though not for much longer, if he'd heard correctly), it was easily the best Christmas of his life. Made the months of chaos truly worthwhile.
Footsteps announced Naoto's return. He swung around . . . and froze, his jaw dropping slightly.
She was shifting her weight uneasily, not quite meeting his gaze. And no wonder, as for the first time since they'd met she was wearing the Yasogami girl's uniform. Souji's first thought was part of the shaking was likely from the unaccustomed draft about her partly-bare legs. His second, seeing how developed her figure was, was to agree with Rise's shock on seeing Naoto's measurements. How on Earth did she manage to hide that!?
"Beautiful," he said before he could stop himself.
If Naoto's face could have reddened further, it doubtless would have. "Please, stop," she said, averting her eyes. "I asked Yakushiji-san to prepare it for me, since I've little experience. I wanted you to see it, just this once. Although," she smiled slightly, "I think I'll continue with my usual uniform. This one is on the drafty side."
Souji allowed himself a chuckle and hugged her lightly. "Whatever you're most comfortable with," he said, drawing back just enough to meet her eyes. "I happen to think this suits you, but it's probably not practical for your job."
"Indeed," Naoto said, relaxing a little. "And before you say anything, you needn't feel guilty about not preparing anything for me in return." She leaned into his chest. "After being alone for so long, just spending the night here with you is the best present I could ask for."
Souji smiled and stroked her hair. "I couldn't agree more."
She looked up at him, and something seemed to spark when their eyes met. A moment later, their lips touched.
Much later that night, Souji lay awake in his futon, marveling at how his life had changed. In a few short months, he'd gone from a friendless only child bouncing from one place to another, to the leader of a band of misfits solving a supernatural murder mystery. Cliche though it was, he'd even gotten the girl in the process.
There was a stirring next to him. "Sorry, did I wake you?"
Naoto shook her head. "I'm just unused to such sleeping arrangements," she said. In the dimness, he could just barely see her wistful smile. "Not that I intend to complain."
"I didn't think you would," Souji said. "I was just thinking about how things have changed. When I came to Inaba, I thought it would be another dull year before I was uprooted again. How wrong I was."
"Indeed," Naoto said. "When I first came to Inaba, it was merely a job. I never dreamed it would be so important, so life-changing." Idly traced her fingers over Souji's chest. "I wouldn't give it up for anything. Even if," he expression saddened, just a little, "it won't be for much longer."
He kissed her on the forehead. "We won't be apart forever," he reminded her. "Think of this as a taste of things to come."
She seemed to ponder that for a moment. "You're right, of course," she said, resting her head on his shoulder. Soon her breathing slowed, her eyes slipping closed.
Souji smiled, feeling his consciousness fade in turn. At that moment, he had everything he could possibly want.
Author's note: Okay, yeah, this one took significantly longer than intended. Mainly because Persona 4 has a bad case of ending fatigue, so it kinda fought me. And, as with the Namatame confrontation, the fight with Ameno-Sagiri was much less than it probably should have been. Hopefully it isn't a crippling issue.
Should only take one more chapter, which I hope to have up before year's end. Until then. ~D.S.