Alright, I guess the train ain't stoppin' with this AU because I'm doing another oneshot.
So… something I neglected to include in the last fic was the fact that the big thing about this Persona 4 sequel is that yeah, people are being thrown into the TVs again but the big thing about it is that a new Investigation Team is formed.
The New Investigation Team lead by 17 Year Old Nanako Dojima are the ones that have been able to follow the clues left behind by the killer all while the Original Investigation Team has been intentionally mislead and sent on a wild goose chase both in and out of the shadow world.
Had I actually been writing this story, this would've taken place after the old timers finally catch up with Nanako and friends and save their skins from a particularly nasty shadow. They have the usual conversation comparing notes, "Reasoning" probably played in the background, you know how it goes.
So now that I've painted a picture, let's just hop into it.

A Burden Too Great for a Child

After a very long discussion about the evidence gathered, the group finally decided to disperse from the Amagi Inn conference room leaving only Yu and Nanako alone. Both of them had been putting up a façade of being the leaders of their groups during the conversation that they just had. For Yu it was stern, seriousness completely unwavering in his composure as he directed the conversation. For Nanako, it was being bright and cheerful but also having to speak up for the group when the adults had attempted to talk over the group.

But now the two were all alone and only had each other to take in.

Yu did his best to keep a calm and straight face but Nanako could see the fear in his eyes, the fierce desire she knew from both her father and her big bro to protect her at all costs and how here, he was pretty much powerless in a way that she had never really seen before. But there was also a bit of sadness as well. She couldn't quite pinpoint it, but there was a certain sadness in his eyes that she couldn't quite place.

For Nanako, she too had a ton of mixed emotions splayed out for Yu to read. A lot of it was the relief that he had been there to rescue her, just as she always knew he would be able to. But then there was that sort of fear that he couldn't quite read. He wanted to believe it was because of the shadows that had just been far too strong for them… But he knew in his heart that a part of it was fear of him. His friends had taken out the shadows too without problem but the way he had come in blasted the thing to bits with Izanagi without so much as a shred of emotion before looking her dead in the eyes… He'd be scared of him too.

Yu cleared his throat. "Nanako, look, I…"

"It's okay." Nanako shook her head. "I know you were just trying to protect us."

There was an awkward pause for a moment before she chuckled. "Just take it easy next time, big bro. Nearly gave me a heart attack with that blast."

Yu couldn't help but crack a smile and rubbed the back of his head. "I may have overdone it a little…"

"A little?" Nanako asked, her smile even brighter. "Any more power and you would've knocked me right off the edge."

Yu followed this and got his own wide smile. "What can I say? Izanagi is a very powerful Persona. And besides, your Persona would've caught you."

"I know, the long nosed man told me so."

Yu's blood ran cold at the mention of that. "L-long nosed man?"

"I knew at least you would know him!" Nanako cheered. "All my friends said I'm crazy when I bring him up."

"How did you meet Igor?" Yu demanded, already going into interrogation mode.

Nanako took notice of this and raised her arms up in defense. "Chill, big bro."

"S-sorry…" He rubbed the back of his head again. "But can you please tell me how you got to know him?"

Nanako shrugged. "One night, I had this dream where I had died and went to heaven. When I arrived at the gates, I-I- saw mom… She welcomed me inside and then I arrived in the Velvet Room and met Igor, Zaria, Philemon and Margret. I've been going to and from the Velvet Room to work on my Personas and met with the others. Haven't seen mom again since that dream though, so… I think that part was just my mind playing tricks on me."

Yu nodded slowly, taking everything in. He knew of Igor and Margret but those other two denizens he had never heard of before. And the fact that Nanako had gone to heaven. In all her years of growing up, she had never once mentioned that experience with Namatame, even in the early days of her recovery. They were convinced that she had simply blocked out the memory due to the trauma but if she was saying that she was having dreams about it and that her Velvet Room had manifested itself as a sort of heaven then… could it have been possibly that she had actually awoken a Persona back then and they had never known? Could that have been why Igor-

"Hey, big bro. Are you listening?" Nanako asked, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

"Sorry again, my mind was just wandering." Yu shook his head. "A lot to think about what with the case and well… now you."

He let out a long tired sigh.

"It's just so much to take in."

Nanako nodded. "Yeah… I think it would probably be good if we all just went to bed at this point. It's been a long day."

Yu nodded. "Lemme take you home. I'm sure dad's worried sick."

"Didn't Yosuke talk about how he sent you and the rest of the police squad after me?" Nanako laughed. "If I'm not back at that house in the next hour, I'm gonna end up on CNN."

That actually got Yu to let out a loud bark of a laugh, much like Dojima's that left the two siblings doubled over and holding each other as they tried to recompose themselves.

"That's what you get when your dad's chief of police and your big bro is a detective." Yu noted.

Nanako shook her head. "Yeah, yeah. My heroes. Can we go now?"

Yu nodded and together the two got into the car and drove back to the Dojima household.

The car ride was short and uneventful but the two seemed to have fallen back into a rhythm with one another again. Nanako asked all sorts of questions about their adventures into the TV when they were kids, he asked about theirs, they talked about TV shows they had seen, they talked about the weather, they talked about Junes, pretty much all sorts of things that the two had been used to over the years.

When they finally arrived at home, Dojima practically tackled the both of them into a hug, so relieved to see that Nanako was finally home safe after disappearing for a few days. Nanako knew a scolding would come later, she already got one from her big bro during the whole conversation following their return from the shadow world, but for now they were just so happy to be home.

Before going home, Nanako looked at Yu. "Hey, big bro?"

Yu looked up at her from the car.

"I'm glad that we'll be working together now." She grinned.

Yu smiled. "You better be able to keep up."

"Shouldn't I be telling you that? You and the others are the ones that got sent to Junes HQ in Tokyo."

"You'll never let us live us down will you?"

"Bro, The Persona Squad Discord Group has already made 20 memes about you guys."

Yu chuckled. "Go to bed, Nanako."

Nanako laughed. "Good night, big bro."

Yu shook his head as he started the car. "Good night, Nanako."

She closed the door and left, leaving Yu to begin driving away.

He couldn't help but think happy thoughts about his kid sister and how despite his fears, it would be nice to work together with her. Solving the case, investigating both worlds and fighting together with their Personas. It was a nice thought, really.

But at the same time, he couldn't help but worry for her. Sure, he and his friends had gotten out of their adventure alive, but who could say that it would be the same for these children? Between Namatame, Adachi and Izanami they all had multiple close calls. They were all lucky to get out alive.

To think that she had been dragged into this, multiple children got dragged into this made his blood boil.

It was then, that Yu had passed by a familiar gas station and a thought occurred to him.

He knew exactly who was responsible for Nanako's involvement in all of this and he knew how exactly to reach him.

Yu parked next to the gas station and jumped out of his car.

Yu Narukami marched towards a familiar glowing door, intent on giving the long nosed man a peace of his mind.

"Igor!" He shouted.

He was back in the familiar limousine that he had come to know and love all those years ago. Sitting comfortably in his chair was none other than Igor, Margaret was nowhere to be found.

"Welcome back, Yu. Have you come to fuse your Personas or do you seek wisdom for the oncoming trials?"

Yu glared intently at the long nosed man. "Yeah, you can say I seek wisdom. Like the sort of wisdom to make me understand why. Why the hell, in all your infinite wisdom and understanding would you form a contract with Nanako?!"

"She had a Persona just waiting to be awoken after her encounter with Namatame all those years ago. With the oncoming threat, a new champion was to be chosen."

"Like hell a new champion had to be chosen!" Yu barked. "I was right there, ready to take the case and even brought all of my friends to do it all over again! But you decided that it would be a child to take on the burden instead?"

Igor said nothing.

"I came to you for console, I trusted you! And you intentionally mislead us so that a child could play your games! For fucks sake, Igor! She's just a kid! She could've gotten hurt! Any of them could've gotten hurt!"

"You're trusting children with the burden of murderers and personas and shadows! Are you out of your fucking mind, Igor?!"

Igor simply shook his head and looked him dead in the eyes. "You were a child, just as she is."

Yu scowled at him. "It was completely different for me!"

"No. No, it wasn't." Igor shook his head. "My job is to simply guide souls that are at a crossroads in their lives to discover their true selves and forge a path in their lives that best suits them. For you, it was solving these murders just as it is for her."

"Then why didn't you choose me?"

"You have already found yourself, Yu. You have a group of friends who will never leave your side, a successful career, a strong marriage and a wonderful life ahead of you. You are not of my concern because your journey has already come to an end. But as for her…"

"She is just a child, she's been through enough."

Igor simply gave a small smirk. "Not yet. She will be tested and tried just as you were."

"I won't allow it." Yu frowned. "You cannot make those children continue to carry on this path, not when it caused so much damage to each and every one of us. I will not allow you to give her these painful memories like you did to me."

"You cannot stop what has already been set in motion. The path they've chosen is their's to bare and it seems that you and the Investigation Team are along for the ride."

Yu once again scowled.

"Besides…" Igor mused. "Was it not you who gave her a painful memory by being so cold and merciless towards her and the shadows that threatened her?"

"IZANAGI!" Yu roared, crushing the card in his hand, the shards of glass falling like raindrops against the limo's floor.

Izanagi flared to life and rushed out towards Igor, slamming him against the wall.

But Igor didn't even flinch but instead still smiled at the young man before him. "You may not understand now, but everything has gone according to plan. I do not wish to be your enemy, but if that is the role I must take then so be it. But know that by the end you will come to understand my methods and whether you choose to forgive is simply up to you."

Yu Narukami allowed an almost feral growl escape from depths of his throat as he sent an intense glare towards Igor, who still smiled at him.

The thought of bringing an end to the man right then and there was incredibly tempting to him and he could feel Inazagi's desire to destroy him.

But honestly, after everything that he'd been through with Igor and how callously he could just throw all of that away, he realized that he wasn't worth the time or the effort.

The raging fire around the young man quickly dissipated and with it, Izanagi disappeared as well.

Without another word, Yu left The Velvet Room and didn't look back.