AN: Hello again! I'm just updating this chapter to add this note. I hope everyone is doing the best they can. Thanks for reading, and please review, follow, and favourite. If you want chapters to come more frequently, then leaving more reviews will definitely inspire me to write more. There's a lot I have planned for the future of this city - and those plans are finally starting to come to fruition. Thanks again!
Chapter 48: One Day, We'll Return
|Bella Donna|12:00 pm|
Shintaro may have managed to rein in his anger, yet his sorrow endured. Going to school was awful, even as he tried to prepare for it. He knew that Akari's seat would lie empty, and Suzuki-sensei would likely leave it that way for the rest of the year. Yet seeing it, a void where she had been, was just devastating. It didn't seem real. That she was just running late and would barge in, immediately chatting about a cute animal she passed on the way to school. Just as she had always been.
Seeing Suzu made it worse. She had been Akari's friend for a long time, but wasn't in her homeroom this year. The girl was constantly on the verge of tears, being consoled by her other friends. Shintaro almost wanted to say something to her, but stopped himself. Telling her about the other life Akari was leading would only hurt her even more.
Most of the other students and teachers were still shaken by the incident. Natalie MacKenzie, his English teacher, had narrowly survived the tragedy at Tanjoshima, but was still absent due to an injury she had sustained. Noboru had returned to school, but kept to himself, and had abandoned all his club activities. The Drama club had no purpose for him anymore. From what Shintaro could gather, life at home was still tense. And Toki remained reclusive, barely speaking to Shiro. Perhaps they would never recover from this.
Kaii brought them together. And now that he's gone, his family has been torn apart.
Destroying the Gnosis with EX-NIHILO hadn't done much to cheer him up. In fact, he kept wondering – what if Kei had been wrong all along? What if keeping it intact could have led to the eventual end of Nisa Liat? He kept trying to think over everything she'd said to him. But he didn't reach any conclusion. Or rather, he didn't want to.
Could something be wrong with this world? With this city? With me? What's going to happen to all of us?
It was now Sunday, another week having passed. There was silence on all fronts. The Theio Kosmos remained its usual self, with only Shadows prowling around. Nisa Liat was no doubt planning her next move, after the loss of EX-NIHILO. Yet as long as she was around, the city would never be safe.
Kei had invited everyone here, just to have a talk among themselves. Shintaro hesitated, still tormented by the eerie text he had received. Then he realised, he couldn't find out more about her if he kept away from her. And he didn't want to isolate himself from the others. Kohaku, Masato, Natsumi, Noboru, Evelina, Toshiaki, Manami – he needed all of them, now more than ever. So, here he was, at the food court, the place where he had first travelled to the Theio Kosmos.
"Thanks for coming, everyone. I wanted it to just be us. None of the adults, or the Aeon Admins." Kei said, smiling lightly. She looked to the four from Chieki. "How are things at school - at home…?"
"Home...well, it's not as bad as I thought it'd be. Our parents don't ask too many questions anymore." Natsumi said, solemnly. "Hideki keeps checking in on us, though. He's really worried. I bet he's like that at Chieki, too…?"
Shintaro nodded. On Saturday, Hideki took the Persona users of Kansei aside and asked that they not leave him out of the loop. He was far more serious than his usual laid back, approachable self.
"I can't do anything to help you over there. My own students are fighting like crazy against these Shadow things. And it won't end until Nisa Liat is gone. How long is that going to be? Can I really trust Suzuki-san to protect you kids, and my little brother and sister?"
Shintaro didn't quite know what to tell him.
"At school, it's really quiet. No one really wants to talk. And club meetings were cancelled." Masato said, sighing. "No baseball for a while. Not that anyone really feels like playing, anyway. But..."
"But…?" Shintaro asked.
"My friend Eiji, he's acting really weird. We've known each other since our first year at Chieki. At that time, I was really depressed. Mostly because of what happened between us during Junior High."
Manami looked confused. "Junior High…? I didn't hear about that..."
"It's a long story, Senpai. Don't worry about it. Masato and I are friends again." Shintaro said, smiling. Masato managed a weak smile, but then turned serious again.
"Eiji was the one who made me feel good about myself again. We got each other, if you know what I mean. He had his heart set on the baseball team, just like I did. And we made it. I know it's just a school team, but when we won our first game together, it felt like we were making the whole country proud. He made everything feel so massive. And during classes, he was always there, even sticking up for me whenever Koyanagi-sensei got on my case. I did the same for him of course."
Natsumi nodded. "Just as I had Asami-chan, my brother made a new friend. It was a new start for us. We missed having Kohaku and Shintaro, sure, but we soon moved on, and began to love being at Chieki."
Looking confused, Toshiaki leaned in closer. "Okay, I get why you fell out with Asami, but what's happening with Eiji? He's not an Aeon Admin or anything like that."
Masato gulped. "Well, these days he keeps glaring at me. As if he's annoyed just to be in the same room. And he barely talks to me, or anyone else...we used to be so tight, you know? But now he's running away from me, and I can't catch up."
"I'm so sorry, Masato-kun..." Shintaro said. "With everyone else that's been happening, falling out with your best friend can't be helping."
The red-haired boy nodded, eyes on the ground. "I...I dunno what to do, man. I can't get him to open up. Out of all the people important to me, he's the only one who doesn't know about my Persona. Maybe if I tell him – "
"No," Evelina said, adamantly. "You can't. It will only worry him. He's probably worried enough about the way things are going in this city. If he knows you're risking your life, day after day, that's only going to make him worse."
"She's right," Manami said, looking fondly at the blonde girl opposite her. "It's bad enough that our families now know. Most of them can barely sleep at night, I bet. We don't need to add that stress to anyone else's life."
Sighing, Masato drank from his grape soda. It seemed he'd have to deal with his friend his own way.
"How is your father doing, Noboru?" Kohaku asked, after a somewhat long silence.
"...Which one?"
"Um..."
Before Kohaku could answer, Noboru frowned, and spoke up.
"It doesn't matter. Things aren't any better at home. My mum won't even talk to my dad anymore. Shigeru, I mean. And she's constantly wary, looking behind her..."
"Because Toki might be around, right?" Shintaro asked.
Noboru nodded, glumly.
"You got it...but he still hasn't left Koyanagi's house. Not even to get any fresh air. I tried asking if I could come over, but Shiro said it would only make things worse. But how can things get any worse than this?" Noboru said, raising his voice. "My brother is dead...that's why I have to fight on, as hard as I can! I just wish I could tell my dad that..."
"Losing your child..." Kei began. "That's a pain no one should ever have to bear. Look at what it's done to our own mayor. Toki barely even got to know his eldest son. That's not something I think a few words from you can fix..."
"I...I guess you're right. But doing nothing at all just doesn't sit right with me." Noboru said. "Dammit..."
"Evelina, has your father's condition improved at all?" Shintaro asked, anxiously.
Sighing, the Swede shook her head.
"No. Not even a little bit. My mother and grandmother now know why, too. And they're expecting me to find a way to save him. But...there might not be." Wiping away her tears, she looked up at the ceiling, anxious. "After all, look what happened to the other victims. The ones who didn't awaken to their Personas afterwards. My father may...may..."
Manami put her hand on her friend's shoulder, reassuringly. "You don't have to say it. He's still alive, after all. He might just pull through."
Evelina looked up at her, surprised.
"I...I hope you're right. My family from Sweden are here now to visit him. They came so far just to try to help us...they've been so amazing. Even Catharinus. He's so much bigger now than I remember. But he's so confused about what's going on, and why he can't just run around and have fun. It's not a vacation like he wanted. Dammit..."
Kei looked around at the table, seemingly taking in their low mood. Gazing down at her own area of the table, she looked deep in thought.
"Are you alright, Kei-chan?" Kohaku asked finally. "Your first year here has been awful.."
"I'm well aware of that. But I haven't given up on this city yet. One way or another, it can be saved. I must prepare myself for fighting Nisa Liat again – for the last time."
There was something rather solemn about the way Kei said this. No doubt she had been dwelling on this a lot. As the only Wild Card besides the leader of Gnosis, she was the strongest one among them. As such, she would be the one leading the charge against the Princess and whatever minions she threw at them. To have to lead an army of sorts against such a foe – the pressure must be unimaginable.
"...I don't think you can lose. To anyone," Masato said, smiling. "You've taken down hundreds of Shadows in the Theio Kosmos. You already beat Nisa Liat once before, too. So you can do it again!"
"Hell yeah!" Natsumi said, cheerily. "If she has four Personas, you'll just summon eight! Or even more!"
"I...I wish I could be so sure of myself." Kei said. "I'll give everything I have to defeat her. Don't worry about that. But if even that isn't enough, then there may not be a Shinshuto after that."
Shintaro looked at her, surprised. She had never sounded like this before. Full of doubt. Was fear finally starting to set in her heart?
"Kei, please...don't think like that. We'll save Shinshuto. Soon, I bet."
She looked at him, her face blank. For a second, however, he thought she saw tears welling up in her eyes. But then they were gone.
"We might not have many more chances to be together until then. I know we're not really in a good place right now, But I'd like us to spend the day, as a group."
"...Alright," Noboru said, somewhat hesitant. "It's...not going to be like before, though."
"I know. But we'll try different places. On one condition, we do not go to Ginumi." Kei said, adamantly.
Shintaro nodded. He knew he couldn't go back there, not yet. Even if he didn't go to the beach, he'd still be near where it happened. Where Akari and Kaii lost their lives, and so many others. The place once seemed like a glittering harbour, but now it was a port of ruin. The Golden Laguna's destruction had terrified him, sure, but that seemed like a lifetime ago now. It was just the beginning of the end for Ginumi.
"We'll...start here, then," Natsumi said. "After we finish eating, of course."
After a somewhat sombre lunch, the group walked to the lower level. There, they saw two familiar faces. A young boy and girl, looking at each other, tearfully. It was Shinju and Akemi, the children Shintaro first met at the arcade.
"Hey, it's you kids!" Masato said. "...You guys okay?"
"N-No..." Shinju said, wiping her eyes.
"Mister, um..." Akemi mumbled. "We were...just saying goodbye..."
"Goodbye…?" Shintaro asked, startled. "What are you talking about?"
Shinju looked up, sniffing. It was all she could do to stop herself from bursting into tears.
"Our families...don't want to stay in Shinshuto anymore...mine are going to Tokyo..."
"Really?" Kohaku asked, gently. "I'm sorry to hear that...Akemi-kun, are your family not going there?"
"No...they want to go to Fukuoka! To be near my cousin..." The lad said, upset. "We won't even be in the same city anymore...and tomorrow, we have to leave…!"
"So this is the last time you two will..."
"Yeah..." Shinju said. "It's not fair! Why can't we just stay here? Why do we have to go so far away?"
Shintaro didn't have a good answer for that. Their parents were deeply worried about their children's safety, no doubt. The tragedy at Ginumi may have been the tipping point. And there was no telling what may happen next. Thus, they were leaving, regardless of what the children wanted.
"I'm sorry...you two seem like such great friends. It's going to be hard..." Noboru said, sympathetically. "But maybe one day, you two can meet again. No matter how long it takes."
"What…?" Akemi said, sadly. "But our families won't ever come back here! My dad told me that today!"
Shinju, still distraught, looked at her feet. "My...my mom said the same...it's not fair…!"
"Well..." Shintaro said, thinking hard. He and the others were in a dark place as well. Could he really comfort these two children, forced apart?
"Listen, you two are arcade champs. How about you go there for one last day of gaming?" Masato suggested. "You can finally settle the score, who's the number one?"
"Huh…?" Shinju said, looking up. "But..we don't have any change for the machines -"
"Leave that to us. We'll cover that, just for you two." Shintaro said, managing a smile. "If you have to leave this city, you might as well make your last day one to remember. A clash of the titans! Who's number one - the great Shinju, or the mighty Akemi?"
"No fair! I'm great AND mighty!"
"Okay, Akemi, then prove it! We'll head to the arcade and you can go all out." Toshiaki said. "C'mon, let's go!"
"Yeah, let's do it!" Shinju said, excitedly. "Gun About is great! Even better than that old Dyaus Shooter they used to have!"
With that, the contest began. Shintaro was admittedly curious as to who would win out of these two, both very skilled for their ages. Perhaps this would be the welcome distraction he needed.
|Shiro's House|13:00 pm|
Toki had stayed here for quite some time. Shiro, despite his unfriendly reputation, had been very accommodating, leaving him in peace. But now it was time to leave, the Black Condor had decided. As painful as it was, he had to get everything ready for Kaii's funeral. That meant going back to the apartment and sorting out his belongings. And he had to do that alone.
"...Oh, good afternoon." Shiro said, finishing putting on his thick jacket. Rinaka was there, having come over quite frequently the past two weeks. "We're going to check the Theio Kosmos. I don't suppose you'd like to join us..."
"There's no pressure of course. If you'd rather not, we completely understand -"
"Forget it. Thanks, but I...can't. In fact, I'm going back home."
The other two Admins looked at each other, shocked.
"What?" Rinaka finally said. "Are you sure you're ready?"
Toki didn't answer. He didn't know for sure. But someone had to do it. Besides, someone had to reach Kaii's family. The aunt and uncle that had essentially abandoned him - what were they going through right now? Were they unable to cope with the pain of never seeing him ever again?
"Don't worry about me." Toki said, heading towards the front door. "...Thanks for everything."
Shiro and Rinaka watched intently, as he made his way outside. The first time he had been outdoors since then. It was almost blinding to be out in the daylight.
I'm gonna walk all the way there. Might take some time, but I can make it.
He headed on his way, and immediately noted how much quieter the city was. There used to be so many more motorists and cyclists, but now there were hardly any. Life wasn't going to return to normal, at least, not any time soon.
Kaii, is this what life is going to be like without you? What the hell am I supposed to do with you gone…?!
It was hard to suppress his emotions as he walked down the lonely roads before him. He had seen much of the cirty with Kaii in tow. Still, he soldiered on, and eventually reached the apartment building. There, leaning against the wall next to the entrance, was a ginger-haired woman of fair, freckly skin. Her clothes were mostly red, consisting of jeans, a vest and a short-sleeved waistcoat. When Toki approached, the woman turned to him, and immediately seized up - almost afraid. Was she not expecting him to look at her?
"What's your problem?" Toki asked, impatiently.
Moving away from the wall, the redhead continued to look at him, less agitated. After taking a deep breath, she spoke.
"Tell me something. Does life feel like you're following a 'script'?" She asked, her eyes locked with him. "As if you can't improvise anything? No matter what you wish, you can only take the action fate allows you to?"
Toki blinked, confused. What was this woman talking about? What 'script' could she mean?
"I...I don't get it."
"Hmm, I see. I guess that's too complicated for you. But you can see me, and you can talk to me. That's enough proof."
Even more perplexed, Toki took a step back.
"Proof of what, lady?"
"...We haven't got much time left. Either of us, I mean. You came here to do something important, right? I can tell from the look in your eyes. Go ahead, and forget about me."
"Wait a second. What's even your name?" Toki demanded.
The woman gulped, then shook her head. She seemed even more anxious now, and frightened.
"Hey, don't be afraid..."
"No, it's not that. But I really shouldn't be here. Please, tell no one about this. Not a soul."
With that, she turned away and quickly crossed the road. With all the vehicles and other pedestrians, she soon became lost in the crowd.
Who the hell was that? Where have I seen her before? I think I've met her, a long time ago...
Slowly, he went through, and began the ascent to his apartment. It would be a lonely place, but perhaps that way, no one would be forced to suffer alongside him.
|Totsuka - Mayor's Office|16:00 pm|
Once again, Shigeru was talking with Yoko. She had become even more distant from him than before. It almost felt as if they were complete strangers to each other now. The stress of the current situation was making her even colder to the world. The populace were still distraught over the destruction of Ginumi's shore. Many businesses were gone, and the survivors were destitute, or homeless. Not to mention the many that died, either on the mainland or the island. Yet the Mayor was more interested in hearing about the possibility of the sixth Core, or the Covenant system. Something in her had changed.
I have to keep doing my best here. It's all I have left. Kaiyo hasn't spoken to me for days. Noboru is still devastated. Even so, I have to keep going. Someone has to keep this city together, after all.
"...So that's where we are now. The EX-NIHILO has been eliminated, and the next Cognition Core remains missing." Shigeru said. The mayor didn't respond, and simply nodded. "Also, Covenant is finally ready, fully secure. Only we will be able to touch the five Cores now."
"I see..." The Mayor said, intrigued, getting to her feet. She walked to her window, and gazed at the city below her. Silent, all one could hear was the traffic outside. The hustle and bustle of a city in turmoil.
"We will of course keep hunting for any sign of the sixth core. There's no way we can let it slip into Nisa Liat's hands." Shigeru said.
"Very good. Your team have done well. You can go now." Yoko had finally turned around, with a surprisingly warm smile. Shigeru was startled. He hadn't seen an expression like this on her for a long time. Was the Covenant System's success that incredible for her? Or was she happy for another reason?
"Yoko, I -"
"You should try not to worry so much. After all, Nisa Liat has lost all her 'Anomalies' and her 'Aeon Admins'. Who does she have to depend on now? No one. You, however, have countless allies fighting by your side." She said, confidently. "Now go home. Kaiyo will be upset if you're late."
"...Alright. Good night."
Honestly, I think she'd rather I didn't come home at all. But I don't want to leave her, even now.
With that, Shigeru departed. As he closed the door behind him, however, he thought he heard a short laugh. Alert, he looked sharply from left to right. Yet no one was there. And he doubted Yoko would laugh, especially in a time like this.
"Am I imagining this…?"
Perhaps it was something else entirely, and his mind was playing tricks on him. Yet, the Theio Kosmos was always there, even if he wasn't in it at the time. He had to be cautious, especially now. Quickly, he went to his car, for the long ride home.
|Toki's Apartment|17:00 pm|
Toki, still numb, was busy looking through all of Kaii's belongings. The clothes, he thought he could handle, but just looking at them triggered a lot of vivid memories. Like the blue shirt he had worn when they went out to lunch one day. Or the white button-up one he had bought because it looked very 'him', whatever that meant.
"Dammit..."
Finally, Toki found a list of phone numbers in a drawer. Kaii's normal mobile was gone, so this was the only way he had of finding his aunt and uncle. And there it was, on the top of the sheet. With a heavy sigh, he dialled the number. Someone had to have informed them of their nephew's death, so they would be expecting a call like this.
"Hello," a brusque man's voice said.
"Hi...my name is Toki. Toki Hayashi. I'm..."
"Oh, we know you. Kaii's father."
"Yeah, that's right – wait. You already knew?"
As far as he knew, Kaii's aunt and uncle didn't know who the father was. Reiko hadn't told them anything. Or had she?
"Course we did. Reiko told us all about you. Alcoholic, waste of space, violent scumbag."
Toki was stunned. Not just how brutally honest this total stranger was, but something worse.
"Hold on a second. Kaii came to this city trying to find out who his real dad was. You knew all this time, but you never told him?!"
There was silence for a minute, but then a woman started speaking.
"Of course we didn't. You ruined my sister's life! And then we heard all about that other son of yours you nearly killed! How could you possibly think we'd just tell Kaii about you?"
"I...well..."
"Kaii was better off not knowing anything about you. We told him to stop hunting down his father, and focus on getting into college, but he didn't listen to us. And now he's dead. You can't stop ruining people's lives, can you?"
Toki stood still, frozen. These two people's words were much like the dark thoughts swirling around his head the past few days. He truly was alone now. Noboru had given up on him, no doubt.
"Well...you see...I only called to ask you to come to his funeral. That's all."
"Oh, we know when it'll be. Kom,atsu-san asked us already. We'll be there. Don't expect us to stick around, though." The woman said. "Is that it? Did you have anything else to say?"
"...No. Have a good evening."
Toki hung up immediately. As he did, he dropped his phone to the ground, and fell to his knees, sobbing. He had hoped, somehow, that these two would be feeling the same level of grief he did. But they were full of hatred.
"You can't stop ruining people's lives, can you?"
"Yeah...you're damn right. You're right! But I...I tried my best...Kaii, he...he...was my boy! I loved him..."
Toki continued to weep, in the quiet apartment. Not long ago, it would have been lively, with a father and son trying to keep the dog from barking, while preparing a grand dinner. Yet now, all that was left was a grieving father, who had to bear the burden of his sins alone.
|Asakita – Mihama Electric Arcade|17:30 pm|
The group had arrived at the arcade, which was somewhat quiet. Thus, Shinju and Akemi could easily play at most of the games uninterrupted, and the others could try their hand as well. And so, the competition began. During the racing game, Akemi managed to inch his way into first place, much to Shinju's disappointment. Yet during the fighting game, Shinju's character managed to win three rounds out of five, thus leaving the boy in despair. Many other games came and went, until they finally reached the hugely popular Gun About game.
"Oh, you two are going on max difficulty?" Noboru asked. "I couldn't beat the first level…"
"Me either…" Shintaro said, sheepishly.
"Amateurs. We'll show you how to play." Shinju said, taking the controller. Akemi took the second player one, and thus, the game was on. Some players apparently resorted to cheating, i.e. special armours. Yet these two were fighting with only their best skills, and honour. It was a close game, both struggling to hit the other.
"Wow, check these two out…!" One other boy said, with his own group of friends. "They're awesome!"
"How come I can't do that cool shot?" One of the other boys said.
"Evelina, you getting any ideas…?" Toshiaki asked.
Curious, the blonde looked closer at the screens. Their gunplay was expert-level, no doubt about that. Sure, these were fictional characters moving in exaggerated manners, but her Persona wasn't exactly restricted either. Shintaro wondered if perhaps Aoife could mimic these movements.
"This is going on for a while, isn't it…?" Manami asked, handing a cup of juice to Kohaku. "A fierce battle to determine who's the best. For these kids, it's all that matters. How I envy them."
"I'm just glad they're having fun...sort of."
The two girls looked at the children by the game, who had looks of pure determination. Neither was wasting a single shot, and their dodging skills were second to none. Shintaro wondered if anyone would win by the time the arcade closed. There was no timer, after all. And their health was going down very, very slowly.
"You...won't beat me!" Shinju said, firing a special triple shot technique. Akemi's character, however, was able to leap away from all three shots, and fired a spread of energy bullets via a power-up he had been saving. Shinju's character warped away, however, and began charging a special shot.
"Ha! You're wide open!"
Alas, Shinju had another plan up her sleeve. There was a power up she had saved herself - the stun bolt. She activated it straight away, and before Akemi's character could fire, he was paralysed, unable to budge a muscle.
"What the - no!"
"Eat this!"
With this opportunity, Akemi was able to finish charging her shot. And she fired, just as Akemi's character regained movement - it was too late for him, however. The bullet collided with him, and there was a gigantic explosion. This force swiftly took out all of Akemi's health, and thus, the game was settled. Shinju saw her victory declared on the screen, and her name entered on the leaderboard.
"Yay! I won! I knew that would work…!" The girl said, to the spectators around her.
"Aww…" Akemi mumbled, looking away. He put away his controller, defeated. "I forgot the stun thing…"
"It was a good match, you know. For both of ya." Masato said, casually. "You're way better than any of us are at this game."
"Yeah, that was a lot of fun to watch. It was like the final battle of an anime, you know? Tension building, one big super attack after the other...it was incredible!" Natsumi said, cheerfully. "You should both be proud of how well you did."
"Well…" Akemi said, unsure of himself. However, Shinju poked him, and held out her left hand. "Huh?"
"Put it there, Akemi-kun. You're the best runner-up ever!"
The two shook hands, and then hugged - perhaps for the last time. They looked up at the clock, however, and their faces went dark.
"Oh...do you have to go home?" Shintaro asked, sadly.
"Y-Yeah…" Akemi said, nervously. "Shinju, I guess...this is goodbye...isn't it?"
"N-No." Shinju said, sharply. "We don't have to never see each other again! One day, when we're both old enough, we'll return! And we'll have a rematch!"
"Whoa, really…?" Akemi asked. "But…"
"No buts!" Shinju said, hands on her hips. "I'm not going to cry anymore! You and me will come to Shinshuto again some day, and that's final!"
Smirking, the boy shook hands. Now, the mood was much brighter. Tomorrow, they would be on their way to new cities. But some day, they'd return. Shintaro could only hope that day could come soon.
These two kids are why we have to keep going. There has to be a Shinshuto for them to come back to. And it's up to us to save this city. When they come back, all of this nightmare will be over.
Kohaku smiled, looking at Kei.
"See, Kei? We can make a difference to this city."
"...Yes."
However, the Wild Card didn't seem as exhilarated as the others. She hadn't spoken to the kids at all, only staying in the background. Why, however, Shintaro couldn't tell.
"Are you alright, Kei?" He asked.
"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just a little nervous, about...you know." She said, looking away.
"Huh?" Shinju said, looking on. "What are you nervous about, miss?"
"Um...you see...it's something I can't really say out here. It's between us…" Kei mumbled.
"Oh!" Noboru said, upon reflection. "You might not be here when they're able to return, right? After all, you're going back to Yokohama after the school year is over."
Kei nodded, albeit somewhat desperately. "Yeah, that's it! I might not see you again…"
Shinju shook her head. "Don't be silly. Of course you will."
"You can't leave this city behind…" Akemi said, somewhat dreamily. "No matter what, you'll end up here again. Just like we will!"
Shintaro nodded. "Yeah, they're right. You're one of us by now. There's no way you'll just abandon us. Even if you can't come back here for a while."
"You can bring your other friends here too!" Natsumi said, excitedly. "Hajime, Ryoma, Midori, they all sound so cool! I wanna know what kind of clothes they wear, so I can make outfits for them!"
"Yes...that would be great!" Shinju said, happily. "Um, we need to go…"
"...Thank you all so much! We won't ever forget this!"
And with that, the two kids ran out of the arcade, for the last were true friends, Shintaro thought. If it were up to them, they'd be together forever. But for now, they'd have to lead separate lives.
"I'm glad we helped those two out." Manami said, looking at Evelina. "I wasn't much good at those games myself, but it was a lot of fun watching them fight with all their might."
"Yeah!" Evelina said, happily. "It was really great...although you did beat me at that virtual darts game. I'll have to practice that one for next time."
"We spent so much time here…" Kei said, now smiling. "It's time I got back to the Dorm."
"I'll walk you back." Shintaro said, almost immediately. "It's no trouble. My parents know where I am."
Surprised, she looked at him, silent.
"What…? You don't want me to?"
"No, it's not that...thank you. Everyone, I'll see you soon."
|Sakura Dormitory|18:00 pm|
The journey back to the dorm was relatively uneventful, for which Shintaro was grateful. A calm evening was all he wanted. There were few passersby, so it was quiet.
"Oh, that's the Wakahisa store." Shintaro said, looking at the colourful display. The shop was closed for the evening, but he could still make out the wonders within. "You still working there?"
"Yes, although with everything that's happened, I haven't been as often as I used to. They understand, though. They were asking after you, actually."
"Oh?" Shintaro asked, surprised. "What...did you tell them?"
"Nothing about the Theio Kosmos!" Kei said, waving her hands. "Just that you got injured and had to go to hospital. They were very kind, as always. I'm glad I met them."
Shintaro nodded, and looked at the area around him. There were beautiful, tall trees blowing in the wind. And there was a very small playpark he had only just noticed. Something about it looked familiar, though.
"C'mon, can we play there, please?"
Shintaro gasped. He had just had a sudden ache in his head, as he heard someone speak. Holding his head, he looked at the playpark. For a split second, he thought he saw a small child there, jumping up and down, but then they vanished, as did his pain.
"Did you hear that?" Shintaro asked, alarmed.
"Hear what…?" Kei asked, nervously. "Why are you looking over there? No one's at that playpark."
"Oh...I thought I saw something there. Might just be something blowing in the wind." Shintaro said, shrugging. "Forget it."
Finally, the two reached the dorm's doors. Kei went closer, but as she did, she turned around.
"It's...nearly time for me to hand the Cores over to Shigeru, isn't it? For the Covenant System?"
"Huh? I guess so…" Shintaro replied. "Are you worried it might fail?"
Kei didn't answer. She simply turned around, and went closer towards the door.
"Whatever happens...just remember, I'll always protect you."
Without even a farewell, she rushed inside, leaving Shintaro stunned. Why did she have to be so distant? And why did she hide so much of her feelings?
He began walking back, and soon came across the playpark. Strange, he thought. He'd never come here, even as a boy. This place wasn't near his home for his parents to take him here. Yet when he saw the swings, he could immediately envision them moving. And he thought he could remember hearing someone cheering.
"Why...do I remember this place I've never been to?" Shintaro asked, out loud. Yet, no one was there to answer him. "Why…"
There was a bench as well. Instantly, his mind seemed to show him what the world looked like from sitting there. And someone was sitting next to him. But the more he tried to picture it, the further away it slipped from his grasp. Just then, he heard another voice.
"You're so sweet, Shintaro-kun. She's going to love that book. You're never going to run out of them, are you? Our own library. But that's just one of the things I love about you."
"Stop...I didn't lend anyone a book at this park...did I? When…"
Shaking his head, he swiftly moved on from that park. There was no point staying around, even if it felt so nostalgic to him. This was a special place to him, after all.
Wait. Special? How can it be? I've never been here before.
He decided to keep moving, eager to get home as fast possible.
|Hanashima Hospital|18:30 pm|
Just as the others left the arcade, Evelina had been called by her mother. Apparently, her father Svante had finally woken up, after months of being in hospital. Hurriedly saying goodbye to Toshiaki and Manami, she headed straight there. Panting for breath, she stormed down to the ward, where her relatives were nearby.
"Evelina, your dad's better now!" A purple-haired boy said, happily. It was none other than her cousin Catharinus, who got up to greet her. His hair was neatly combed, and he was dressed in his finest clothes - his parents did love to treat him. Even though he was older, he still had an adorable smile.
"I heard!" Evelina said, ecstatic. She hugged him, relieved. "I'm going to go see him! Wait here!"
"Okay!" Catharinus replied, going back to his own parents. The blonde swung open the door, and saw her mother and her grandmother sitting by the bed. There he was – Svante, wife awake. Yet he looked alarmed. Looking all over.
"Darling...don't you remember who I am?" Evelina's mother Ester asked, reaching for his hand. "Talk to me! Your whole family is here!"
"Calm down. He's been in a coma for so long. A lot's happened since then." Marta, Evelina's grandmother, said, gently holding her step-daughter's hand.
"Father!" Evelina said, overwhelmed. She ran to his side, and looked at him. When he returned her gaze, however, he did not seem happy. Instead, he seemed anxious, panicking.
Hold on. What's going on here? What did EX-NIHILO do to you?
"Eve...lina?" Svante said.
"Yes, darling, it's your daughter!" Ester said, desperately. "Please, tell me you remember her..."
"Ester, we should leave them alone for a moment. Having all of us in the room is only going to stress him out."
"I...but..."
Marta quickly grabbed her hand, and lead her out of the room. Now that they were alone, Evelina felt a little more relaxed. They could talk about the mess with Bythos, and what was going to happen next.
"Father, I'm so glad you're okay! Do you remember everything that happened? The EX-NIHILO tried to drain your soul, but -"
"Father? Is...that whose body I'm in? Your father's?!"
Evelina gulped, numb. It took her a few seconds to process what he just told her.
"You're Svante Solberg...you came from Sweden to open a new branch of Aramis. And -"
"No!" The man cried, shaking. "That's...not my name at all! I'm not anyone's father! I was just looking for an empty body, like most of the ones here are!"
Frowning, Evelina stood up. "What do you mean? If you're not my dad, who are you? Let my dad have his body back!"
"Let him have his body back? His soul is gone! Once EX-NIHILO took hold of him, that was it. Your father is gone. His biological functions persisted for a little while longer, yes. But his time is at an end..."
Horrified, Evelina backed away. What was this entity trying to say?
"Who – or what – are you?!"
Svante, or rather, the being possessing him, shook his head.
"It seems your memories have been changed. No doubt she wanted it that way. Listen to me, Evelina Solberg. No matter what actions you take, or how many times you go through this ordeal, the results will always be the same. Your father will not survive. Just as how Ginumi's tragedy could not be stopped. Such is fate."
"...Huh?!" Evelina shouted. "What do you mean? How many times I go through this ordeal? Are you saying this has happened before?!"
Shaking, her father's face stared at her, with a look of horror. Their eyes were blood red now, and their hands were clinging to the bedsheets, tightly.
"You naive girl...It won't end. Not until she has the power she needs to finish what I started….listen to me. When you fight her – which will be soon – don't call her Nisa Liat. Don't even call her Noriko Ashikaga! Her name is -"
Before they could finish, Svante fell backwards, head against the pillow. Gasping, Evelina reached for his head.
"Wake up, dad! Please! Come back to me...to mother...to grandmother! Please! No matter what you've done, you can't go...please! Someone! Help!"
The nurses quickly ran in, as did Marta and Ester. Both of them looked shocked, as they reached for Evelina. She couldn't take her eyes off her father. There had to be some way to save him. She had been hoping, praying for this for so long. But there was no longer any pulse, or heartbeat. The nurses were doing everything possible, with the best equipment they had. But even so, Svante was now motionless. The nurses looked at each other, and shook their heads.
"...No. No!" Evelina screamed, at the top of her lungs. It couldn't be. Her father was supposed to have woken up. Even if he still faced many, many legal challenges, he would have been alive. And his relatives would have been there to guide him. Now it was all for nothing. All her good cheer from the arcade was forgotten. She continued to weep, even as she was dragged out of the room.
"Evelina..." Catharinus mumbled. But she was in no state to talk to anyone. She couldn't even look at her loved ones. The father she had loved, before and after moving to this country, was gone. Any chance he had at redemption was lost.
"The results will always be the same. Your father will not survive."
These dark words kept echoing in her mind, over and over again. The rest of that evening would be a blur, for she couldn't focus on what anyone was saying to her, or to each other. It seemed EX-NIHILO truly was fatal if one lacked a true Persona. Her father, it seemed, was not the exception she was hoping for.
|Covenant System|20:00 pm|
The plan to seal away the Cognition Cores had hit multiple snags, but finally, it was coming together. What had been a featureless, abandoned bomb shelter was now an intricate security system, imbued with the energy of this dimension. The six altars adorning the walls each had the name of their respective region in kanji, and each one was interconnected, as part of the elaborate security system.
Indeed, only those involved with the creation of this system would be allowed to access it. Any intruders would find themselves completely and utterly destroyed. Shigeru and all the Persona users that worked under him were the ones permitted to come here.
Alas, one other Gnosis had the capability to come here. One that had been delivered to its owner, in their hour of need. The owner had tested it over the past weeks, to try to unlock its full potential. It had been able to integrate itself as an 'ally' unit of Shigeru and the others, albeit invisible.
Mayor Ashikaga was here now, smirking at the device in her hand. She looked up at the altars, impressed with Shigeru and his allies' handiwork. Indeed, had she not been able to pull this off, the system would have vaporised her.
"Shigeru still has his complete trust in me. No wonder his Gnosis has so easily accepted mine. Haha...the Cores aren't here yet. But it's only a matter of time! Right, Noriko…?"
Laughing, a voice came from the Gnosis, as did an image of Nisa Liat's face. In a flash of red light, the Princess herself appeared, still chuckling. She playfully walked in a circle, admiring the craftsmanship of the system - one that was supposed to block her entry.
"Yes, mother. Our victory is so close now. The sixth core, however, is required to completely reform this city. Let's make it appear when the other five are delivered to us. When did dear old Shigeru Komatsu promise you that would happen?"
"Next week. He'll have Kei Kakusa, that wretched girl, place them here. Once that's done, we'll move on with the plan…" Yoko said, eyes wide. "Once all six Cores are in our grasp, we don't have anything to fear. Right?"
Nisa Liat smiled.
"Correct. All six Cores means the end of the city we have now. And the dawn of a new age. I can't wait to reign with you, mother. The Theio Kosmos will encompass the entire world. Those we love will remain. Those who we don't shall perish. Even if that means only you and I survive...it will be a new utopia!"
"I can't wait!" Yoko exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement. She clasped her hands together, moving closer to her daughter. "You only had a fake version of me in this world, didn't you? That must have been so awful. Well, now you have the real me. Not only that, the Persona you gave me, Benzaiten, will surely be able to protect us from danger. I wish I had been able to produce a genuine one, however…"
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. It's one I've refined personally for you. But, in the event something should go awry, I've decided to entrust you with another power. It is admittedly much more difficult to control, but its strength will be utterly gargantuan."
Nisa Liat held out her own Gnosis, and it began to emit a sinister red glow. In sync, so did the Mayor's. A massive surge of power was flowing between them. Shaking, the Mayor almost flinched from the sheer volume of energy contained in the device in her hand. Finally, it was done, when the screaming flow of power was completed.
"This being...it must be at least three times as powerful as Benzaiten…!"
"Only summon that new power if it is truly necessary, mother. You must defeat any that oppose us.. As soon as we have the current five Cores, we shall begin the summoning of the sixth! I may have lost my Aeon Admins, my Anomalies - but I never needed them in the first place! You, mother, are the only ally I ever needed! Now, we rest..for we have much to prepare for!"
The two departed, their sinister scheme in motion.