Dojima Residence | Evening | Year 2012
"So that's why we thought, maybe, Yuki is your kid from the future." Chie concludes the explanation. "You and Yu's."
Dojima sighs heavily, pinching his temple after hearing the unbelievable speculation. Twice.
Yukiko throws a glance at her gray-haired boyfriend still standing by the dinner table. "Does that mean Yu-kun and I. . . are married in the future?" A blush form on her cheeks when Yu looks back at her, a deep gaze that probably would weaken her knees to the ground if she were not already seated. "But is it even possible?" shaking her head of her obvious red face, she raises her confusion.
"Not only he shares my name, but he also recognized you guys." Yu adds. "Isn't that right, 'Uncle JUNES'?" he purposely looks at Yosuke.
"Stop that." Yosuke narrows his eyes.
"After everything that's happened, honestly, I think nothing is impossible." Rise carefully speaks. They all turn their attention at her. "Maybe the idea of Yuki-kun coming from the future is too much," she slowly stands up looking directly to Dojima. "but with what I've been experiencing, especially my powers, I. . . think it's possible."
"How so?" Chie asks.
"Well, how do I explain this. . . ." she lifts her finger up the corner of her lips. "I only noticed it when Himiko turned into Kanzeon, which is still Himiko, but different." she racks her memories between the time when her persona was still Himiko and when it evolved becoming Kanzeon. The others glance at one another confused by Rise's perspective of how their evolved personas actually are. "So, my powers, or persona, can see things through, right? But it's only when I know what I'm looking for. Like figuring out shadow's weaknesses."
"We needed to try striking them with each type of attack for you to track its weakness." Yu offers his thought.
"That's right." Rise smiles at her senpai's quick respond. "Also when we were locating people who were thrown into the TV."
"Oh yeah, we had to go and find some clues about them." Chie joins in.
"At first, I thought that was it. That's the limit of what Kanzeon can do." Her face falls. "Then, the thing with Labrys happened. "Everyone in the room listen more seriously. "I've. . . never said this before, but that time when 'something' took over Labrys, I got goosebumps. Kanzeon was acting strangely, and I tried to keep her focused. I tried to ignore the feeling, but that time. . . I felt great."
"Great like suddenly feeling powerful?" Kanji asks. "I feel that all the time through Rokuten."
"Um, I dunno, maybe? Your persona's already powerful though, physically. It's like, my scan was enhanced tremendously. Kanzeon was in a high-speed mode of figuring out what or where that thing that came suddenly was. To be honest. . . I was terrified." Rise holds her own arm, recalling what she felt. "I was so scared. It was like I was carried to another place and I couldn't stop it. The thing was so, so far away. And then abruptly, I kinda came back when Labrys went back to normal again."
"So, somehow unconsciously, you tried to look for that thing?" Yu intercepts.
"No, I was aware that I looked for it. Well, tried to. But instead of looking, I was kind of pulled in. For a moment I lost control of Kanzeon, as if she was grabbing my hand and forcefully took me running with her."
The room falls silent for a few seconds before Chie speaks. "So, it's either Kanzeon acted by herself or the thing that possessed Labrys took over Rise's control?"
Gasps fill the air at Chie's words which she thought was only a clank of her not-so-bright brain. All eyes are fixed toward her.
"W-what? Did I hit jackpot again?" she nervously laughs.
Rise's gaze is distant as she tries hard to recall every little details of the anomaly that happened to Kanzeon and her. "It was. . . taking over?" she mumbles, fear gradually takes place on her face.
"Rise-chan, are you alright?" Chie holds out her hand on Rise's shoulder. "I-it was just my stupid thought. There's no way it's true," she looks at every other person in the room. "right?"
The couch beside her creaks as Yuki squirms, his eyes lazily opening. Focus slowly replaces the blinding light of the ceiling lamp. He blinks a few times and sees Yukiko's calming face who is sitting right by Yuki's round head.
"Mommy!" he throws his arms around Yukiko's neck and buries his face on her chest. "Mommy, why did you leave me alone?"
At a loss of what to say or do, Yukiko brings her hand on his head, lightly brushing his dark gray hair. "I-It's alright." she softly—awkwardly—whispers as Yuki starts to sob. "M-Mommy's here now." She looks up, mostly at Yu, wordlessly communicating their confirmed suspicion.
"Well," Yosuke crosses his arms, nodding at the tender sight of mother and son. "that seals it."
Author note: I know. Let me warm the story up in my brain.
Next on Chapter 11 ~ The Sister-Complex Kingpin must face a presence that threatens to dethrone him.