The sun was shining brightly as Noriko made her way down the road into the town. Stretching her arms up over her head as she looked around, taking in the surrounding hills and the occasional passing car. Returning a wave to a little girl walking with their mother across the street, she couldn't help but feel a sense of peace deep within herself which she'd never experienced in the city. Giving a contented sigh, Noriko stepped up her pace as she returned to the situation at hand.
Turning a slight corner, Noriko entered the town proper, rows of houses and shops along a single central road with paths leading off from it. The sun was still a little low in the sky, so Noriko attributed the relatively quiet shops and road to people still waking up. Sighting a waving Yoshi on the far side of the road, she looked both ways before jogging over. Yoshi had changed out of his uniform into a pair of black tracksuit bottoms and a blue tank top with a design reminiscent of a sunset or rise over ocean waves. He was also carrying a canvas carry bag which seemed to have something pretty heavy inside. Once she'd gotten across and next to him, the two paused for an awkward moment, each not really knowing how to begin to discuss the topic of their meeting.
The awkwardness was broken however, as Noriko's stomach gave a deep, guttural gurgle. "Uh… sorry," she muttered, Yoshi clearly trying not to burst out laughing. "I didn't have anything for breakfast before you called alright. So it's your fault."
"Alright," Yoshi managed to squeeze out past his barely suppressed giggling. "Well then, why don't we grab some grub?"
Noriko leaned back in the bar stool, laying down a sixth empty bowl as she sighed in content. Yoshi looked up from his half-finished bowl of miso to gaze at her in amazement. "I know I said I'd cover it, but I didn't realise that you had some kinda bottomless pit in there," he muttered.
"Quiet you," was her reply. "I saved your life, remember."
"I guess you did, didn't you," he continued with a smile, before a more serious look passed over his face. "Speaking of, do you have any idea what the hell happened yesterday?"
Noriko rubbed her face as she gave a second, more tired sigh. "Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that you remember it, I think I'd be convinced I was just losing it," she answered, words muffled by her hands.
"Fair enough," Yoshi said with a light chuckle. "But you certainly seemed to know what you were doing. I mean, what the hell was that awesome ghost thing? What'd you call it again, uh… Persona, that was it."
"I don't know," she answered, gazing at her hand as though the answers were going to magically appear out of her palm. "Honestly, that whole thing just felt so… natural? Or maybe instinctual's the better word. Like, I knew that my power was right there on the other side of that mirror, and once I had it, everything else just… happened."
"Did it feel as awesome as it looked though?" Yoshi continued. "I mean, you looked like a superhero straight outta a manga, what with the outfit and massive spirit power."
"Well…" Noriko said, a look of determination crossing her features. All in one breath, she continued, "They'll certainly be useful. I'm going back in. I think Sugure's in there, and I think she's still alive. The police aren't gonna believe a story about some world behind a mirror and talking to the school will probably just make the situation worse, so it has to be me."
She paused after that hushed outburst, taking a deep breath in to replace the air lost.
"Sure, makes sense," came the surprisingly nonchalant answer.
"You're not gonna say anything about it being too dangerous or something?" Noriko asked, turning to Yoshi in confusion.
"Eh, I doubt I'd convince you not to go," he said with a simple shrug. "And anyway, I'm coming with you."
"Wait, what!?" Noriko exclaimed, quickly quieting down when the other customers and the waiter turned at her outburst. "What do you mean you're coming with-"
"Shhh," Yoshi responded. "No arguing. You'll need someone to watch your back. And besides, I don't intend to go in without any protection."
With this apparent reassurance, Yoshi shifted the bag he'd been carrying slightly so Noriko could glimpse its contents. Inside appeared to be a couple bottles of something, as well as what appeared to be a model sword and shield.
"I thought you could use those. They're fake so they don't cut or anything, but they're made from this super heavy and tough material, so you could use it like a club." Yoshi explained matter-of-factly, as though it was perfectly average activity for him to provision for an excursion into some weird world of monsters. "Don't worry about my weapon, I know Judo, so I don't need anything. Plus, the bottles are some energy drinks my manager gave us all last weekend when we had too many of them delivered in. Thought they'd be useful for the whole, ye know, tiredness and drained feeling that place gives you. Go on, take it."
"O-okay," Noriko sputtered, dragging the bag across the floor and onto her lap, ensuring the top was closed and hiding the model weapon.
Acquired- Model Sword & Shield
Acquired- Mad Bull Z x 3
"So, shall we get going?" Yoshi asked, pushing himself out of his seat and twirling around to face Noriko once again.
"Wait what?" Noriko replied, still trying to keep up with this unexpected flood of enthusiasm. "Wait wait wait… it's Sunday. Wouldn't the school be all locked up?"
"Nah, with all the clubs, plus the nearest library being a train ride away and all, the school stays open for the regular hours, even during a lot of the smaller holidays," came Yoshi's reply. "Come on, let's go."
Unable to find any further arguments, all Noriko could do was follow along as she was practically dragged out of the place by Yoshi with a massive grin on his face.
Arriving at the school gate, Noriko noted that it was, in fact, still open, with a good number of people who were presumably students out of uniform moving in and out of the front doors.
She also spotted Yuzuri, making her way from the gym into the main building. She was wearing what appeared to be a school tracksuit of blue with white stripes, so Noriko assumed she must be part of some athletic club or something. The pair jogged over to her, Yoshi giving a wave to get her attention.
"What are you two doing here?" she asked before narrowing her eyes at Yoshi. "And why do I get the feeling you're dragging her around Yoshi?"
"I am not!" he replied in mock indignation. "The very idea you could accuse me of such a th-"
"We're here to investigate the ground floor bathroom again," Noriko interrupted. "It's gonna take way too long to explain, but if you want you can help out by keeping an eye out for anyone while we go in."
"Are you both insane? We're not allowed in there for a reason," Yuzuri answered before pausing for a moment and pinching the bridge of her nose. Sighing, she continued, "Alright. I'll be lookout. But both of you will owe me bigtime."
The corridors within the school seemed practically deserted, with the odd teacher or student passing through from one club to the other, so the group managed to enter the bathroom with little effort. As the door was gently shut after them, the room was plunged into total blackness.
"Should I get the lights?" Yoshi whispered. The darkness was such that Noriko could barely even make out his silhouette right next to her.
"No," Yuzuri replied. "We don't wanna risk anyone noticing and coming in here after us."
With that, Noriko gently wrapped her fingers around Yoshi's arm, and the two of them began to slowly edge their way deeper into the room. With each inch further into the inky depths she went, her eyes slowly began to adjust to the small amount of light coming out through the cracks in the door behind them. The room seemed unchanged, but Noriko could feel that something was different. There was that familiar feeling of unease, but it was altered somewhat. Whilst before it was an almost physical sensation that screamed at her, this was more a low constant hum of… wrong. Giving a shiver, Noriko turned her attention to the mirrors on the walls opposite the sinks. It was far too dark to make out her reflection at all, and she was jolted from her curious examination with the sudden slap of Yoshi's hand against the grimy glass.
"Damn, thought that would work," he muttered, taking his hand away and rubbing the thin layer of grime and dust that now clung to it upon his top. "So, we're here now, but how do we get back there?"
"How should I know?" Noriko shot back. "I'm as clueless as you!"
"Well, why don't you use some of those instincts you keep talking about?"
"Will you two be quiet, someone's going to hear us," came Yuzuri's hushed tone from the darkness.
With a heavy sigh of annoyance, Noriko turned back to the mirror before her. Gazing at her muted silhouette, her eyes caught something, like a tiny little pinprick of light, far, far off in the distance. Cocking her head, she leaned in closer to try and make out what it was. Reaching forward with a finger, she went to rub off whatever speck of dust or whatever must be on the mirror causing this strange effect… and her finger went straight through the glass.
Inhaling sharply, Noriko quickly tried pulling her arm back, but the mirror came with her finger as though the glass had turned to some sort of thick sticky syrup.
"What the h-" was all Yoshi was able to get out before he had to lunge forward to grab onto Noriko by the strap of the carry bag as she was suddenly yanked up off her feet and face first into the unknown once more.
.
.
.
"Guys..?"