Chapter 20 / Threat
December 10th, 2011 / After School
Magatsu Inaba (TV World)
It seemed hardly surprising by the environment we were seeing. The streets of Inaba...twisted with torn up articles about the murders and the affair scandal...and police tape everywhere. This was the place created by Tohru Adachi's mind. And this place certainly seemed to represent what we had come to expect from him. It told me that there was also a lot more that Adachi wasn't saying. What kind of life had he led in order to just accept things as they are?
Then again...I had been no different. For me, I had simply not cared...I just moved on with life...no real purpose...no real desire or dream to fulfill. The only thing that gave me any sort of normalcy was music. But being thrown into the TV had saved me. Had forced me to take a long look at my life. And because of that I was here now...fighting for a future that I now wanted to see. One with Rise and my friends. Friends that I would have never had otherwise. Funny how I had to have the threat of death to figure out how to live my life.
Although the reasons I had met the members of the Investigation Team was because of the actions of one man...actions that had led to the death of two people.
"Oh wow, ahaha! I told you to come after me, and you actually came? Man, don't you guys have anything better to do? What a bunch of losers. I can just hear you guys, 'Let's find the culprit ourselves!' 'Let's meet up at the special headquarters today!' Am I right, or am I right? Man, that's embarrassing. How old are you guys anyway? You're just a bunch of stupid children. I mean c'mon you're all students, right? Shouldn't you be studying instead of wasting your time with this? Study hard, get into a good college, work at a respectable company, marry a cute girl. Isn't that what you are told to do? So why are you guys so desperate when it comes to something so useless as this? Won't you regret it once you're adults?" the voice of Adachi was taunting us as we moved down the twisted road of what was a dark form of Inaba. It just made me feel that he was jealous of us for the very same things he taunted us for.
If I had to guess...this was like other dungeons and if it stood to reason these were part of his suppressed thoughts and not the actual Adachi speaking to them. He was projecting his own expectations on to us for some reason. No...nothing happened in a world like this without a reason. Those expectations must have been what had been expected of him from his parents. He still must have done well in school to get where he was...but more than likely there was a lot of resentment in there...but why?
We kept moving anyway, ignoring his taunts. The Shadows here were a bit rough at first but after a few battles and finding out some of their weaknesses we were able to be a little more confident as we moved to the next level...which involved us going through a strange portal of some kind. The moment we landed...something felt wrong to me. Rise was next to me only after a moment. She clearly felt something wrong as well.
"Something is...off...I..." Rise grabbed my arm. "I...I can't find any exits! How? How can he just cut us off from..."
"Don't worry," Yu said with confidence. "I can get us out if needed...more than likely there is a way to advance...he's just hiding it somehow."
Yu's ability to calm the group was always impressive...after last night he seemed to finally relax...like he was finally able to think calmly again. I'm glad that in some small way I was able to help. That didn't mean this was gonna be easier...but Yu was focused and seemed to have some new Persona's with him. I wonder just how hard it was for him to keep track.
"You see? I told you. Students should go home and study. Why can't you listen to me? You'll never become well-behaved members of society if you keep this up. Oh well, have fun in there," Adachi taunted us again.
Again...I could only think of what this meant to Adachi. I felt like there wasn't actually a way to fully prevent someone of navigating the labyrinth, but nothing in here just happened without reason. Adachi mentioned two key things this time that could provide a clue...one that he was irritated that we hadn't listened to him. And pointing out that by not listening to him that we wouldn't become well-behaved members of society. There was a contradiction in there if you looked close enough. Adachi did not consider himself to be a well-behaved member of society. No...if anything he felt that his efforts to be exactly that, had not worked out for him...so he accepted that he would never be that. But it was obviously something that still bothered him. He was respected the way he assumed he should be.
If I had to wager a guess...it was something he had been told while growing up. Work hard and do your best and you'll get everything you want. Except it was obvious that it hadn't gone well for him...and he resented those that did get what they want. Was that what this was really about?
Some more exploring and battles against some Shadows led us to what was an obvious door, but something stopped us from even approaching it. This no doubt was the place where the next thing or message that Adachi wanted to point out to us would happen.
"Ahaha! That's right! As you have guessed, I'm waiting for you just beyond here. But did you really think I'd just let you through?" Adachi taunted us once more.
"There has to be a way to open this. We should look around for some clues," Rise surmised for the group.
"We've pretty much explored everything else on this floor though...this was it," Kanji stated as we all took a moment to think about it.
"I wonder if that was ever said to him," I pondered out loud.
"Said what to whom, Senpai?" Naoto asked me.
"Do you really think I'd just let you through? I mean it probably wasn't exactly that wording but it was something similar in nature. I mean what do we know about Adachi based on what he's said? He said he was assigned out here to Inaba, when originally he was in a bigger city. Usually it is implied being sent to a smaller town as an insult or a show of distrust. But it sounds more like it was a belief that he didn't have the ability to handle the big city. So they sent him out here," I couldn't help but continue to speculate about Adachi the more we heard him say along with the environment that we were currently in.
"I see...if we base this off the other locations in the TV world then we are hearing his inner thoughts even if it is directed at us. He must be projecting onto us the same things that were said to him," Naoto quickly pieced together what I had been thinking.
"This world is still a manifestation of his insecurities...its why it is a twisted form of Inaba with plastered newspaper of the murders. In some way I think he feels like he was forced to become this...and oddly...I think he doesn't want to see us to become like him either," my words offered something that none of them had considered.
"That bastard killed two people, and you want me to believe that he cares about what we become?" Yosuke...as I had imagined became angry with the implication I was making.
"Look, Hanamura. Think what you want...it doesn't change that we are here to capture him. It doesn't change the actions and decisions that he has done. But he is still human. He has regrets...but he also feels like it was others that made him this way. That is what it feels like to me," I looked to Yosuke for a moment before turning back to where we had come from. "He accepted the status quo...that he could never change his own life. But why? Why did he accept it? Whatever that reason is...I'm sure that is why things look the way that they do."
"So perhaps we could look at this another way...if he felt he couldn't progress...if someone stopped his path..." Naoto pushed up her glasses. "Wait a minute...there was a hole in the ground that was very conspicuous compared to the rest of the environment...you don't think...we're meant to jump down that...aren't we?"
"I see...going down instead of up. Or the fact that we don't progress through stairs of any kind," Yu shook his head. "Is that something to consider as well?"
"Does it matter why he did anything? It never makes sense as to why you would murder somebody," Yosuke was irritated by the way we were talking.
"No, Hanamura. The problem is that murder makes a whole lot of sense. There is always a reason...a purpose behind it. Adachi may have turned it into a game but his motives for both Yamano-san and Konishi-san were simple. Jealousy. He couldn't stand the fact that he was a non-entity. Someone that would never be given the time of day for either of the two women. The only reason they talked to him was because he was a police officer. And their interactions with him had clearly pushed the fact that he was not well liked by them," I could imagine it...he used his authority that he did have to spend time with them...to learn the truth. Mayumi did have an affair with Namatame...something that went against what he learned growing up. It infuriated him...how could a woman do such a thing? To him...she was trash. An immoral woman that needed to be punished for what she had done. More than likely...his view of Konishi Saki had been the same way. Albeit a bit skewed and probably felt more enraged than anything else. He hadn't been listening to reason at that point...after all he had learned that his actions previously had killed Mayumi. But instead of trying to find a way to get her out or regret his actions...he accepted it...and embraced what power he now had over people. And that was the real truth of it. This was about power. And when he found out what he could do...he drowned himself in it...making himself feel entitled to be able to judge and punish those as well as use it as a means to entertain himself. Whatever good qualities that had been Adachi before had been shattered. Regardless if he had been able to piece a part of the old Adachi back together...he could never take back what he had done. He knew that...and he wasn't asking for forgiveness.
We moved to the hole in the ground we had passed earlier and looked for a moment. Yu was the first to step forward and jumped into the hole with no hesitation. I stepped in second. It was an odd feeling, much like how it is when diving into the TV so there was no real danger here...and eventually we landed in a different area. A place that seemed to be...different. I'm not sure how to describe it.
"Oh...so you guys were able to escape. Not bad, not bad. You guys are better than I thought. Still...I wonder how you'll get past what I planned for you," Adachi was quick to taunt us as the rest of the Investigation Team appeared.
"I sense something...I think the source down here might be what caused the barrier up above," Rise took a guess.
"More than likely...I don't think Adachi would actually completely block us from getting to him. Or if that is even possible in this world. Maybe some rule is there has to be a method of progression," I thought out loud once more.
"That does seem to be the case. Or it has to do with the sub-conscious. Deep down we all want someone to know the truth about us...and to be accepted as we are," Yukiko said.
"Yeah, I think that's probably it," Chie nodded.
"Let's keep moving. And keep your guard up...I have a bad feeling about this," Yu warned as he led the way once more.
We continued on...the shadows were tougher than the other area...if anything I think we were finally seeing the truth of his dungeon. And every floor Adachi continued to taunt us. One floor stopped us in our tracks...as suddenly Adachi...changed the rules.
"This place can be surprisingly boring, you know. Why don't we play a game to pass the time? Let's see...oh! How about this? You can't encounter the Shadows here. Try and reach me without the Shadows catching you. Ready, set, go!" Adachi announced.
"He gets on my nerves," Rise muttered from next to me.
"So we can't encounter Shadows here? So...we're supposed to sneak by then?" Chie scratched her head.
"We'll have to be careful. Rise and Teddie, you'll have to lead us so we can avoid the Shadows. Satonaka, Yosuke, Yukiko and I will fight if needed. Everyone else will cover us in case of an ambush. We ready?" Yu made the quick decision and everyone agreed. It was a logical plan. Generally from what I had observed the dungeons were still generally fair...as in regardless of what we were put against there was a way to succeed. After all there was nothing else to do but to go forward.
Yu followed closely behind Rise and Teddie as the led us down a path before taking a turn down another. It only bothered me a little bit that I couldn't be closer to Rise. We hadn't been dating for that long but ever since I had woken up I had only wanted to be close to her. It was a thought that was completely foreign to me...but it didn't stop it from being the truth of my feelings. I didn't like that we were both in considerable danger here...mostly that Rise was in danger. And even more so because she was leading us through this maze of a dungeon. Shadows had attacked the group a few times on the previous floors and each time it had been hard at first...new enemies meant we didn't know their weaknesses, which meant trial and error before we found the quick and efficient method to dispatch them. However...all of this was necessary.
There was no way to avoid facing Adachi...plus there was the thought that the real world would be merged with this one...and everyone would turn to Shadows. Including my Mom...and that wasn't going to be something I would allow. So right now...we needed to fight. Adachi needed to be caught...not that it would solve the possibility of the real world merging with the TV world but it was the only step we knew we could do.
Silently I brought up the rear of the group as we carefully maneuvered through the paths and ultimately we ended up at a barricade. This had been the end goal. How long had we been here? It had to have been about twenty to thirty minutes navigating and avoiding all the Shadows. And like I had thought there had been a path to succeed.
"Wow...I'm surprised you all made it this far. As your reward, I'll fight you!" came the voice of Adachi and the barricade that blocked us disappeared and showed us the enemy within. It naturally wasn't Adachi. "I'm lying, of course. Like I'd ever do something like that."
Then enemy was a shadow we had seen over and over again ever since we had been in here. It was relatively easy to beat...but that wasn't what we needed to worry about. The Shadow rotated his arm and then pointed at an empty space on the ground. Out of it came another of the same exact Shadow. Then they began to repeat the process.
"Looks like we don't have time to wait," Yu said as he charged in towards the Shadows with Chie, Yosuke and Yukiko following in behind him. I still readied my own weapons trying to take in what this battle was going to quickly become.
"They're spawning them at an alarming rate," Naoto said from my left. "Senpai, we need to create time for Narukami and the others."
I looked over to her for a moment and realized what she meant. They were spawning fast enough that Yu didn't have enough time to use his bigger attacks. That meant it would quickly be a stalemate unless they could break it up. I took a couple steps forward. "Shirogane, follow my lead. Kanji, Teddie...protect Rise for me."
"You got it, Senpai," Kanji confirmed.
"Just leave it to me, Kay-chan," Teddie said proudly.
"Don't do anything reckless," Rise eyed me for a moment.
I said nothing and ran forward with Naoto behind me and readying her pistol. "Yu! To your right!" I yelled out as I approached. The silver haired leader responded by adjusting his stance and attacking a Shadow to his right as I passed by where he had been standing with Naoto to my left. I used my momentum and spun a sickle in my hand as I swung it wide over my head and then let it go. Passing by a Shadow, my sickle harmlessly stuck onto the wall. This was close to where Naoto had continued running towards and instead of freeing my weapon, she had seen my intention and instead kicked the sickle further into the wall to solidify it. And then shot a Shadow that had approached.
"Senpai, now!" Naoto yelled.
"Everyone back!" I growled out as Yu and the other 3 that were fighting stopped and jumped back as I threw the other side of my sickle across.
"Everyone be ready with group attacks!" Yu ordered out, more than likely knowing what I was doing.
The Shadows were confused and jumped back as my sickle reached the length of the chain and then began to move around them. There was about nine or so Shadows...and this had caused them all to stop what they were doing and react. It didn't matter if the attack was effective or not. The desired outcome had already been achieved.
"Persona!" Yu yelled from behind me and came an onslaught of attacks on the collection of Shadows. I didn't even have time to decipher what was going on until the smoke was cleared and nothing remained.
I let out a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground for a moment to catch my breath. Actions like that have a way of stressing me out mentally, mostly because I have no clue if I can actually pull it off. Plus I had been stuck to a bed for quite some time, so I wasn't as in shape as I had been before. Rise was at my side in only a moment. I needed to keep my strength up though...we still had Adachi to confront.
"I thought I said not to do anything reckless, Kayane," she said as she took no mind to sit on my lap and wrapped her arms around me. "I can't take you anywhere."
"We all know what is at stake here, Rise. I'm not going to let all my kohai do all the heavy lifting," I said as I pushed her back. As much as I absolutely wanted to have a chance to spend some quality time alone with Rise, it wasn't the time. Time had a habit of slipping away. And they needed all the time they could spare to get to Adachi. "Come on, we need to keep moving."
"Thanks for the back up. It was hard to get a read on exactly what they were planning," Yu said as he came up and helped me back to my feet after Yukiko and Chie had helped Rise up.
"Oh yeah? Sure you don't want to fight them for like the next few hours? I could have stayed out of it," I laughed, as did Yu. The rest of the Investigation Team gathered around us as we looked at the path that we lead to the next area. Yu needed to keep his mind focused, but he needed to remember that we would support him through this. This wasn't an easy thing to do. Confronting someone you respected...realizing that maybe...you shouldn't have respected them...and that they were lying to you. Or really...not being honest with himself.
"Let's keep moving. The source of that barrier up above can't be too far from here," Yu took a couple steps further.
Yu, was always taking steps forward. Never backwards. What if I had been that way when I was younger? Had Yu always been that way? Even Rise had always tried to move forward. She merely got lost for a little while...but now thanks to her...even I'm beginning to move forward. But none of that would matter if they didn't catch Adachi. Somehow it felt that life would be at a stand still if they didn't go forward.
I needed to keep pushing...towards the unknown of the future. With Rise next to me...I'm sure...No...I knew that I could finally be happy.
December 10th, 2011 / After School
Magatsu Inaba (TV World)
He was there...waiting...grinning like a damn idiot, as if he wasn't surprised by our presence. Adachi if anything seemed amused by this situation. All it did was piss me off more. People had died because of them, and it was because of his actions that put the rest of them in danger...all of them. Even if he only took limited actions, the repercussions all originated from him...not Namatame, and not Mitsuo. He was the original killer. The one Mitsuo had imitated and the one Namatame thought he was protecting them all against. But there he stood...with a ridiculous smirk on his face.
"Allow me to confirm the crimes you've committed thus far. You had suspicions that this world was dangerous, yet you threw Mayumi Yamano into the TV. Knowing full well that Yamano-san died here, you did the same to Saki Konishi," Naoto was always the detective...hard to fight what you've done for so long after all. But Adachi seemed less than thrilled to get a recounting of the events. "Not only that, but you duped Namatame into taking over your murder attempts, while you watched like a spectator at a game. When the disappeared stopped dying, you sent a warning letter to ensure more victims. Even when a copycat killer arose, you had the gall as a detective to eliminate a suspect under investigation. Two people died in the last six months, but that's not all. If at any turn something had gone wrong, many more would have succumbed...All for some foolish 'excitement', like a criminal reveling in the chaos he creates," Naoto was understandably irritated. It was more than that...they had spent a lot of time trying to get to the truth of the situation.
"Yeah? So what's your point? All I did was put people in here. It's the world that really kills them, isn't it?" Adachi simply glanced over to them, as if it was of little interest to him. "This world reflects people's thoughts...Which...oh dear...does that mean the real culprits are everyone on the outside, including you?"
"To hell with that!" Yosuke's voice came out as more of a growl. "You did that stuff knowing full well those people were gonna die! If that's not a crime, then what is!?"
"The method of death is inconsequential if you are more than aware of what pushing people into the TV does. Just because you didn't strike the final blow doesn't mean you aren't the one that killed them," I said leveling my eyes with him. "The nature of this place does not change the intentions you had when you acted."
Adachi laughed, "You're so self-righteous." Naturally he didn't deny the accusations, as a matter of fact, he never had, he had always just sought to deflect the conversation to a different direction. Like everything else...he was running from what he had done with excuses he made for himself.
"How can you say that...!? Aren't you a police officer!? Out of everything you could have been, didn't you specifically choose to join the police!?" Chie...the frustration in her voice was obvious. I understood why...out of everyone Chie probably had the strongest sense of justice and what was right and wrong. Right now, she felt betrayed by the ideal of what a police officer is. But real life was not so kind...and people made choices...some that most people would never understand. Everyone had different ideals...we often hope that the people that are charged to protect us and our society have a higher moral standard than our own. It's also when that trust we give is broken that we are so inexplicably hurt that much more by it. Adachi had been a man meant to stand what was right...but he wasn't.
"Don't make me laugh," Adachi scoffed. "Just because someone joins the police doesn't make them some kinda 'agent of justice'. Y'know why I applied? So I could legally carry a gun...That's all. You'd be surprised how many are like that."
I wasn't surprised. It would hardly be when Japan has some of the strictest gun laws in the world. If you weren't a police officer or the JSDF then more than likely the most you could have was a gun with no ammunition. Ammunition was illegal to own or sell...so the most you could be was a gun collector, but you would never have an opportunity to use them. Not unless you went out of the country...or joined the police or military.
Adachi chuckled a bit by SEES reaction, "I thought it would be fun, too, but to tell you the truth, that was a wash. Everyone around me was such an idiot...I made one tiny mistake, and they all got on my case and sent me out here to nowheresville as punishment...I was bored shitless and wondering what to do next...when I discovered this power." His grin widened.
"For crying out loud...why a bastard like you?" Kanji was irritated at just the thought of Adachi having his own Persona.
"A gift for having to put up with this lame job out in nowheresville, I guess. I did that stuff 'cause I could. And it got interesting, so I watched," Adachi shrugged and turned away from them once more.
To Adachi...it definitely would have been a gift...what exactly had he dealt with in his life to make him become this way? Things like this...they hardly ever happen without a reason. And in the world of Personas...that was almost doubly so. We knew in order to have a Persona it meant accepting your Shadow...accepting the weakness in your heart...that was what gave us power. This only meant one thing to me. Adachi had no question as to who he was...did not question his past or have anything that he was trying to hide. No...he didn't turn away from that...this was different. He accepted it...but he hated it. Was that it? Was that the difference? Actually...thinking about it...there was a clear difference.
"That's your reason!? You can't be serious...You really don't care what happens to our world?" Yukiko asked.
I couldn't help but frown as I saw the answer clear as day. Adachi truly had given up on the world. He found no pleasure or enjoyment from living...because he didn't have support...there was no one else in his life. The truth being...I could have easily been the same as him. No...if it hadn't been for the others that would have been me. Was that it?
"Let's be honest. There's nothing great about the real world, is there? It's just dull and annoying as hell. No one accepts that's the way things are...They just stuck with it because they can't deny it, either. Those who actually succeed in life...They just happen to be born with the magic ticket called 'talent'," Adachi turned back to us. Everything he said...his attitude and methodology, his reasoning for why he's done everything up to this point...it all became incredibly clear to me. "If you don't have it, you can either accept or deny that fact until you die. That's your only choice. Once you realize that, all you have left over in life is despair. The ultimate game over. Wouldn't it be better if that kind of reality was wiped away?"
"That's complete BS!" Rise yelled back.
"Tch, says a successful idol. Oh sorry...ex-idol. C'mon...Brats like you are so damned naive...you piss me off. Listen...You might have hopes and dreams right now, but that's only because you know nothing about reality. One day you'll see...You'll be faced with the boring reality that boxes you in, no matter where you go," Adachi shook his head. To him we were nothing but stubborn children that wouldn't listen.
I think I understood what reality was more than him. But Adachi only knew about his own life, and thought that it applied to everyone. That was part of the beauty of life...everyone's life was different. Everyone saw life differently. Rise had to work hard for what she accomplished...it takes more than just talent. And anyone that knew what Idol's had to deal with would know just how much work they often did. Yet Adachi seemed to believe something else about life...
Kanji went to say something but I put an arm on his shoulder and shook my head. I stepped forward, "Adachi you're wrong. You seem to have it in your head that the world owes you something. But you're the one that needs to wake up. You don't know shit about people. Do you think everyone is successful got their on talent alone? You're the one that doesn't know anything about the world. You got a bad hand and instead of fighting back and trying to get somewhere, you gave up. You decided that it was useless. The only one here that wants to disappear here is you. You're a moron if you don't know that in order for those talented people to stay successful they have to keep working hard to do so."
He looked irritated for a moment and looked directly at me. "Tch, just cause you're older than the rest of them you think you know more? Look, I've been alive a lot longer and believe me, it isn't worth it for anyone. Now just think about it...once everyone turns into Shadows...they'll still keep on living, oblivious to all the things around them. So, honestly, how's that different than the way it is now? No, this'll make things much easier for everyone."
"Easier...? What the hell are you talking about!?" Yosuke asked.
"How many people out there actually think about what's real, or what's right and wrong? Next to none, I bet. It's useless to think about those things in the first place. You don't get anything out of facing reality, and there's no way to change it either. I mean, what could be more boring than brooding over things you can't change? It's better to just ignore them and believe only what you want to believe in life," Adachi shrugged his shoulders as if his words were final...and the ultimate wisdom.
I was starting to understand exactly who Adachi was. He was more than just a victim in his life. It had made him jaded...hateful towards the world. He was past the breaking point...life had already changed him into this. There would be no convincing him...no taking him peacefully. This man...was truly broken.
"No matter who you are, your lifespan is about 80 years or so, right? Then it'd be easier if we all just became Shadows. No need to hold anything back...No more pretending we don't see things. Honestly, we don't need our world anymore. Better to let it be swallowed up and for mankind to turn into Shadows...That's what all those people who're scared to death really want...So it's my duty to see that they get it," Adachi laughed.
"Nobody wants anything like that! It's just you, dumbass!" Chie seemed like she had enough of this.
"Geez...Don't any of you remember what it was like when your Shadow came out? It must've been enjoying life far more than you," Adachi regarded everyone coldly as something was beginning to gather around him.
Everyone here...no doubt remembered encountering their Shadows. Each one had revealed a part of ourselves we were suppressing...things that we were trying to live with without anyone else knowing. Along the way...I'm sure each member of the Investigation Team realized they couldn't do that...that it wasn't how they wanted to live their life. But there would be no reason to explain it to him. For us...when we faced ourselves it was a part we wanted to deny...but it was also something that everyone here wanted to move past. We wanted to be better than that...improve ourselves. Adachi...he accepted his Shadow...but instead of wanting to be better or improve himself...he instead believed there was no way to be better or improve...he believed that life would always be the same and there was no point in fighting it. We were...no where near the same as him.
"Be careful, everyone. I dunno what's happening," Teddie warned as a dark mist surrounded Adachi.
"You only saw Shadows as mere monsters, didn't you!? These things move on pure instinct! They go wile because you defy them! You annoying little brats are the ones who aren't wanted in the new world!" Adachi's eyes turned gold...had he...merged with his Shadow?
"Speak for yourself! Living is too painful for you, 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 little kid who can't have his way!" Yukiko let out a surprising response that had me grinning, and even Yu had one too. These were my friends...they had helped me come out of my own shell. Made me realize there was so much more to get out of life.
"People can't live alone. If you give in and sever your ties to human society, it will naturally become hard to live in. Yet you refuse to face life and admit your fault, running from your own humanity like a coward. And though you claim to find life troublesome, you caused nothing but trouble for many others! Your twisted logic is that of an immature, egotistic brat!" Naoto was quick to add.
That's right...I had also closed myself off from life after Miyuki had died. I had also given up on life. But what I had found along the way was music...it was the voice of Kujikawa Rise. It had been what broke through to me...if only a little bit. But no...it wouldn't be until my own kidnapping and I had been forced to face myself...who I had been and what I had done in the past in front of the people that I didn't know. It was like waking up after a very long bad dream. Yet Adachi...he didn't care to even try...and with the way Yu had talked before...he had people in his life that would have helped him...but he never saw it that way.
"You don't know everything, Adachi. You may have given up on life, but not everyone feels that way. People may become weak...but its when we overcome those moments that our real strength shows. That's what makes us human, to make mistakes, to learn from them and be better because of them. You rejected that. You gave up. If you decided to stop trying then you certainly don't have any power to decide what can or will happen for the world that you rejected," I said as I pulled up my weapons.
"Shut up! Stop trying to act all tough...You guys can't even stand on your own unless you deny everything I say! Stupid teenagers...! You have no idea what kinda shit I've been through!" Adachi was giving in to his anger and frustration at all these 'kids' that didn't listen to him. But he had never listened to us to begin with.
"Adachi, I had hoped you would see reason. You had actually been there for me and my Family at times...and yet you are telling me you don't actually care? That because of you...Nanako and Senpai ended up in this world? If Senpai hadn't been there...Nanako could have been dead. But his selfless act saved her. Do you know what Senpai went through when he was a kid? Do you know what shit he went through? Do you think what you went through is somehow worse? Who fucking cares if you made a mistake and got re-assigned? What did you do to try and prove you could be trusted again? What did you do to try and make up for your mistake? Nothing! You gave up and put all of my friends in danger...you! Who I thought I could trust!" Yu was yelling...emotional...as much as I had ever seen him. He had been completely silent up until this point. "It has nothing to do with talent or being chosen. The truth is you are just a damned worthless criminal and you are going to pay for what you've done to everyone!"
Adachi didn't retort, instead the shadow pulsed and he let out a massive yell into the sky and without warning charged straight at Yu. Gun pointed straight at him.
On impulse I summoned my Persona to protect Yu just a second before Adachi shot and Tsukuyomi deflected it away with ease as I quickly made him disappear as Yu charged through that same space forward with his sword and swung wide at his target.. Adachi blocked Yu's katana with his pistol and grinned.
"The world is about to change...Your existence won't belong there! I thought I could just leave you be, but you're like a plague...I'll have to get rid of all of you," Adachi growled.
"Watch out, Senpai!" Rise warned which Yu immediately took a large jump back just as Adachi had...summoned his own Persona. Magatsu Izanagi. I didn't need to be told this...it just was obvious. A Persona similar...yet different than the one that Yu apparently had as his first.
"Yeah, we all knew it was possible," Yu said calmly as he readied his sword one more time.
However, it looked like when he summoned his it wasn't nearly like when they summoned their own Persona's...was there something different about Adachi? What was it? It looked like he had to put in a significant amount of more effort...and it wasn't like us...no tarot card appeared for him...it was more like he forced it out.
Adachi then summoned again casting magarudyne which hit nearly all of them. At the last moment I moved in front of Rise and summoned my own Persona to stop her from getting her. She was pretty vulnerable because she had her own Persona out to provide feedback for the others. He looked like he was going to do it again.
"Yu, looks like we got another incoming!" I called out.
"Go ahead...try and get close," Adachi taunted as he pointed his gun at each person in the Investigation Team. Wait...that gun...
I took a step forward, "Yu...I'm going to create an opportunity. You just be there when it shows itself." I glanced to him.
"Senpai..." Yu turned his eyes back to Adachi. "Don't get hurt...you just got out of the hospital for the second time. I don't want to see you that way ever again."
"I have my own reasons now, Yu. And I understand him better than most. I think you know that," I looked back to Adachi. "I was at that point in...I had given up on the world and but my solution was to try to end my own life. It wasn't until I found music and then all of you that I found a reason to press forward...to start living. But Adachi...he's a broken man...someone that was abandoned a long ago. The only way he'll see reason now...is brute force."
I walked forward...which turned to a jog...then running and then a full out sprint towards Adachi as I spun a sickle over my head with the chain. "ADACHI!" I yelled as I approached. I would trust Tsukuyomi to guide my movements. Adachi fired and I could feel a tug to my left so I used my legs and pushed off the ground as hard as I could in that direction. I curled up into a roll as I hit the ground, keeping my movement going forward as I came out of the roll. I jumped back up to my feet and was back in my sprint without missing a beat. Adachi fired once more...this time I felt the tug coming from behind me. I took it as a hint and laid flat out backwards going into a slide and the gunshot whizzing above me. I popped back up and used my forward momentum to jump forward as another shot went past me. Then he had his revolver leveled straight at me...but the arcana card was already in front of me as I sliced through it and Tsukuyomi appeared to block his next shot at me. I didn't stop and tossed my sickle I had been swinging straight towards him and he fired his pistol again, stopping the sickle from getting to him. Now I was right up on top of him my other sickle was to his throat and his gun pointed at my head.
"Game over," he grinned and then he fired. But the gun merely clicked.
"You're using a revolver. Specifically a Miroku Police Special .38, which is a 6 shot revolver. Don't tell me you lost count," my tone stayed steady as I saw the anger and frustration cross Adachi's face. But suddenly Yu and Kanji were there before Adachi could react.
Kanji came in swinging hard at the back of Adachi's legs, as I saw this I did a hard forward kick to Adachi's stomach and used it to jump away. Yu approached and summoned his own Persona, Izanagi and landed a powerful physical strike forcing Adachi to take the full brunt of the attack, he groaned and fell onto his back on the ground.
"D-Damn...This is lame..." he grumbled but made no effort to get up. "Oh well. Our world's gonna disappear soon, no matter what...I didn't have anywhere to go back to anyways." He was mostly talking to himself now. "Everyone's going to become Shadows and...urgh..."
"Everyone back!" Rise's alarmed voice went through all of their heads and they quickly stepped away...as Adachi's body was floating in the air?
"What the...!?" Chie...everyone in the Investigation Team was highly alarmed by this.
The voice that came from Adachi's body was different...not only that he had been so wrapped in Shadows that the only thing that could be made out was the eerie golden eyes he had. "All humans...will become Shadows. And I shall descend upon the united world...as the master of order."
"Descend...? Order...? What's with this guy all of a sudden...?" Yosuke said as the Investigation gathered together before...whatever this was.
"This isn't Adachi...it's someone completely different," Rise explained. No doubt she could sense the change. I could feel it too. I could imagine...that this being was the one that had actually given Adachi his powers to begin with...and probably why his powers just seemed to be different.
"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..." the being spoke again.
"Who are you!?" Naoto asked the question that we all wanted to know.
"I...am Ameno-sagiri. One who rules the fog. One awakened by man's desires. Do what you will, but your world's erosion cannot be stopped. It is an inevitability...You played your part well, stirring up the will of the masses into madness. But that will soon come to an end...Mankind will soon become Shadows and live on in the darkness of the fog, oblivious of their reality..." the being answered. Stirring the will of the masses into madness? That isn't what happened. That had nothing to do with the fog...the fog made people uneasy...what did the murder have to do with it? Most people at this point had no idea that the case was even a concern anymore.
"What the hell are you!? Why are you doing this?" Yosuke didn't understand...none of us did...everything was happening so damn fast.
"I am the one that shepherds humans to the true desires. Though their hearts longed for peace, it could never be attained...So they tore down the wall between image and reality. Indeed, this is the outcome desired by mankind. And mankind's desires are my desires. That is why I decided to expand this world..." the beings explanations made sense and also made no sense at all.
"Y-You're sayin' you're the one who created this nasty-ass world!?" Kanji was getting angry at all of this.
"This is part of the sea of unconsciousness that exists within human hearts. A hollow forest born from bloated desires and false imagery. Humans view things as they see fit. They wish not for the truth, but rather prefer the undesirables be hidden in fog...Still, humans fear what they cannot see. That brief yearning for truth becomes a ray of light which breaks the fog and torments the Shadows..." the being continued to explain. Oddly...it made a weird kind of sense.
"That's why the attack and kill whoever's nearby at that time...A hollow forest...Then, this place isn't simply affected by people's hearts...It actually exists inside them?" Yukiko's speculation seemed to ring true.
"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," the being stated. Hollow Forest...I didn't like that term.
"Will you shut up already!? We'll just use our power to beat the heck outta you, and it'll all be over!" Chie seemed fed up with this.
"It was I who made it possible for you to bring about this destiny...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 all have done very well since," the being said.
"...'Bestowed power'?...'Contact with this world'?...You mean the power to enter the TV?" Yukiko quickly interpreted what he had said.
"Then, the Midnight Channel...was that phenomenon also your doing!?" Naoto stepped in to ask.
"Humans fail to see things as they truly are. They choose to see only what they wish. I acted only in support of this. A world filled with desires...Viewed through a window, from which one sees what one wishes to see...Humans departed from reality of their own volition, craving more false images." The being said. Man, it was starting to bug me how vague he was...answering without actually answering. Reminded me of Philemon actually.
"A window that shows people what they want to see..." this struck something with Naoto.
"So that's why those who got famous suddenly appeared on the Midnight Channel, one after another...It was all in people's minds..." Rise said.
"I have to say, it must be true...The Midnight Channel we saw in Namatame's hospital room...That kept bothering me since. What we saw there wasn't Namatame's true intentions at all..." Naoto was talking about the time where I hadn't been there. It was also a time that the Investigation Team nearly made a fatal mistake...and one they would have had no way to take back.
"At that time...we had just been told that Kayane-senpai had died," Yu added grimly.
"Then...it came on because we were all thinking, 'This person must be the killer, he can't be forgiven'?" Yukiko pointed out exactly what had happend. I could see the realization cross every member of the Investigation Team. I wasn't there...but I think I knew how it played out now.
"I can't believe it..." Yu said turning his hand to a fist.
"We let ourselves be deluded..." Naoto muttered.
"Exactly..." The being interjected. "The more false images one yearns for, the more one stops yearning for reality...And so the forest grows on... That is the expansion of this world."
This world had to be massive as a result...Everyone has moments where they want to escape reality...wish for something easier...something good. It was just how humans worked...but was that all there was to it? A place where you only see what you want to see? Yeah...I could see a lot of people being okay with a world like that. I never could...the world is rough...but a world without troubles and problems? That wasn't living...that was barely existing. There would be no point in humanity at that point.
"Enough talk already!" Kanji grabbed his folding chair and pointed it at the being. "Long story short, you're the one behind all this!"
"Yeah, I dunno who you are, but you're going down!" Yosuke readied his own weapon. "People want to become Shadows!? Their desire is your desire!? To hell with that! When did we wish for that crap anyways!? We kept fighting and fighting like morons to get where we're standing!"
"Yes...That I did not forsee..." the being regarded them for a moment. As if considering something. "The ability to master your own Shadow that emerged to Kill you, and use its power...A new and uncertain facet of mankind...Is it worthy to put my trust in, or not...? It must be tested..."
Suddenly the being...no Ameno-sagiri landed on the ground and it erupted in fire around him...seemingly consuming him. But then the Earth began to shake and the ground gave way as something...large appeared. A large sphere with a gigantic eyes...the colors on him constantly changing through the entire range of different colors. But more importantly was the strange cylinder shaped objects along its top...that was releasing...the fog.
"So this is the cause of all the fog?" Rise asked.
"Indeed. I have come to put you all to the test and judge your worth," Ameno-sagiri supplied.
"Like we give a damn what you came for!" Yosuke growled.
"You've done what you want so far, but that'll end when we crush you!" Kanji added.
"Precisely," Naoto confirmed standing next to Kanji.
"Then we know what we've gotta do now!" Chie said.
"I don't want people to turn into Shadows!" Teddie said as he added himself to the growing battle line.
"We'll defeat it for sure!" Yukiko moved next to Chie.
"Come on, Yu. Got any good one liners right now before we kick this things ass?" I said as I stood next to our leader and my kohai.
He simply gave me a smile, "I'm here because of all my friends. They supported me through my transition here as a transfer student and as we faced each hardship with the murder investigation. These are my precious friends and I want to spend a good long time with them. I want to see the future we all create. So I'm not going to let you or even the desires of mankind get in my way!"
I couldn't help but chuckle as Rise moved up next to me. I turned to her feeling like I needed to say something. "Rise...I..."
"You finally moved forward, Kayane. I'm so happy to have you in my life...and I'm not about to let someone...anyone take that time away from me again. I'll give everything I got to back you guys up," Rise said as she quickly kissed my cheek. "There is too much left I want to experience to just let it end."
I could feel my cheeks raising in temperature, but it also gave me the biggest smile I could have. I looked up at Ameno-sagiri. "I've lost a lot of people in my life...but everyone here came after me...never having met me...had never even spoke to me. Yet they fought to save me...helped me face my past and they never laughed or held it against me. It was hard for them to know what I had done in my past and how much I wanted to turn away from the truth...from reality. I could have easily been the same as Adachi." I shook my head and pointed my sickle at Ameno-sagiri. "With them I overcame that darkness...they pulled me out of that fog and showed me that accepting the truth and facing reality...its hard but there is something incredibly important you gain from facing that. Happiness and a chance to truly smile. So I'm going to go forward with my regrets and my pain and live my life like I should. I'll make new memories...happy memories and go on to the future. It won't be easy, but life was never intended to be that way. We struggle, we falter but its so we can learn and press forward pass that and we become stronger and in a lot of ways enjoy life more for those good memories. So one day after I have lived a good long life, I'll greet Miyuki after with a smile and tell her just how much I did in my life. For that...for Rise and all of my friends...None of us are going to let you or all of Mankind to get their way!"
"To defy me is a senseless act which goes against your world's wishes...Now let everything vanish into the sweet fog of illusion! Let us begin!" Ameno-sagiri responded by sending out not one...but two large fire attacks out at everyone.
I covered Rise as the fire swept by...man I couldn't stand head like that. "Yu! What's the plan?"
"I'll keep him weakened as much as possible. Chie-san, focus on using your most powerful physical attacks. Yosuke buff up everyone's agility! Yukiko, focus on keeping everyones health up. Kanji follow up behind Chie-san with your own attack. Naoto, prep for a bigger spell attack. Teddie hit with ice for now. Senpai, try and find an opening," Yu ordered out as he summoned his Persona and moved in.
Seeing all the Investigation Team in this fight was something else...after all they were usually limited because of space...but when Ameno-sagiri had appeared...it had created more than enough room for them to all safely join in the battle. It seemed Ameno-sagiri was well equipped to handle them though, as all his attacks seemed to emit out in a 360 degree radius. That meant I needed to protect Rise.
Each member let out their attack, but it was going to be impossible for me to find an opening like Yu had been talking about. No...what needed to happen was...the skill that was unique to my Persona...to me. It was called Symphonic Discord and each time I had used it was to disrupt a collection of Shadows. Ameno-sagiri...had to be collective of Shadows. He said so himself...his desires were Mankind's desires and there was no way he had been inside of Adachi the whole time.. But I didn't want to leave Rise unprotected. But...I needed to take the chance if I could. I knew that Rise's Persona wasn't completely unable to defend her. I just...didn't like the thought of her being so exposed.
As I had done this Chie had come in hard with her Persona and landed a powerful blow against Ameno-sagiri, as well as Kanji behind her. There was a bombardment of attacks in quick succession on Ameno-sagiri.
The Investigation Team backed off as Ameno-sagiri somehow seemed impressed by the attack but also disappointed. "How foolish... Your actions will draw many back into suffering and strife... Why will you not understand this?"
After a moment, Ameno-sagiri suddenly expelled a thick fog around him from the exhaust looking objects on his body.
"Huh? I can't sense him? Everyone hold off on your attack!" Rise ordered to the others. The Investigation Team all went back, Teddie and Yukiko made sure to top everyones health and Yosuke renewed everyones agility buff.
"What is he doing?" Chie asked.
"He's prepping for a big attack..." I muttered as we watched the fog suddenly dissipate from around him.
"Everyone, brace yourselves!" Yu ordered out. I quickly made my way back to Rise and prepped myself...there was a blinding light accompanied by an intense pain that forced me to fall to my knee, but thankfully I had taken the brunt of the attack and Rise was more or less unhurt. I had to get close...I had to try.
"Kanji, cover Rise for me!" I yelled out.
"You got it, senpai!" Kanji said as he moved towards me as I started running forward.
Yu fell into step with me along with Yosuke and Chie.
"We'll cover you, Senpai," Chie said.
Ameno-sagiri launched an attack but Chie jumped forward and shattered the oncoming ice attack. I jumped over and continued sprinting forward with Yu and Yosuke still with me. A wind attack came next but Yosuke was there to counter it as Yu and I kept going.
"Are you going to try that move again?" Yu asked referring to Symphonic Discord.
"Yeah, its just a feeling I have. But...I think its the last time it will be of any use. The rest of it, I'll leave to you," I said as we were approaching.
"I'll be here," Yu said as Ameno-sagiri attacked again and Yu expertly deflected the attack in a different direction as I ran up close to the Shadow.
"I'll be here, waiting for you...please promise you'll come back to me," Rise's voice entered my mind.
"Don't worry...we have a long future ahead of us. I'll always come back to you," I said as I came withing range to Ameno-sagiri. "Let's see just how united mankind really is...Symphonic Discord!" I shattered the tarot card in front of me as Tsukiyomi appeared and struck the shadow...and as it happened I was consumed by darkness.
Date Unknown / Time Unknown
Place Unknown
It was a long hallway...that hallway that I knew so very well. It was one that I could never forget...could never escape from. Not completely. At the end of the hallway was the familiar door...covered with hundreds...upon hundreds of scratches. Evidence of my feeble attempts to escape from my Uncle's abuse. I opened the door to my room and found myself looking at...myself? No...I knew who he was.
"I am a Shadow...the true self. Even if you accept me, I shall always be here...a part of you and waiting for your confidence and thoughts to falter so that I can truly be free," the golden eyed Shadow said, but unlike before he seemed almost uninterested in it. He and I were the same after all. I had already accepted him...but like he said...he was always here, its just now he was a part of me. He glanced at me for a moment. "It is a ever looming threat over anyone that awakens to their power of Persona. This place may be a source of great pain, but it is also what gives you strength and power. As long as you draw on the power of Persona you will forever be reminded of your past and how you were unable to act back then."
I think I understand what my Shadow was getting at. "Yet Ameno-sagiri will force all of humanity to forget about their struggles, life or the problems they faced in the past. It isn't so hard to believe that all of humanity would rather run from their problems than face them. Everyone has moments or even years like that."
My Shadow nodded, "Even those in the worst of situations would be denied the possibility of finding something better...or even the choice to give up. Even the existence of us Shadows would mean little at all. We would forget who we are, and the individual we came from. Everything would simply...exist with no real reason or purpose for doing so. Hardly a world at all. Just a mass of Shadows that simply...reside on this world. Life might as well be over at that point."
"There would be no struggle...there would be no happiness, sadness, grieving or celebrations, it would be more like the Earth standing still, never moving...it would simply be another place among the stars," this was not me or my Shadow that had spoken, but yet a different Shadow that had revealed themselves. It was the Shadow of Rise. "We would hate that...not only would nobody notice me...but nobody would even be aware of each other. Existence for the sake of what? A world like that is hardly something people wish for. It is not a place that even Shadows would wish for."
I nodded looking at the golden eyed Rise, "It's a vague interpretation of humanities desires. There would be no falsehoods and there would be only one truth. But then there would be nothing left except for that. And that...isn't a world at all."
"Much like what you have seen before...this is a culmination of many shadows...hundreds, thousands, perhaps tens of thousands combined to supposedly achieve this ideal world that Ameno-sagiri speaks of," Another Shadow...this one of Yu came into view. One after another the Shadow versions of all the members of the Investigation Team stepped forward.
"If its like it was before with the fake Shadows of Rise and I then...the mass of Shadows is being held together by only a single thread...only a common emotion...not necessarily intent or wish..." I said looking to the ground for a moment. I looked back to my Shadow, "How is it that all of you are here?"
"Kayane," a voice called from behind me. I turned and as I did the scenery changed once more. I was on the playground again...and the one who had called my name was a familiar face. "Welcome back to the Velvet Room."
"Miyuki? But I thought I was..." I shook my head. I looked around but the other Shadows were gone. "What exactly is going on?"
"Your ability disrupts the threads that bind Shadows together...it brings forth the differences between them. In short you force them to realize that each individual shadow is different. They realize that the wish they unified to fulfill is not exactly what they want," Miyuki stepped forward in her Velvet Room outfit with a smile on her face. "I didn't think I would see you again so soon. But your power has an unintentional side effect that draws you in to the Shadow itself. I took the opportunity to bring you here so that you would have a chance to know what is happening."
"What about the others? Like Rise?" I asked concerned if I had just completely disappeared from sight. "I've...put Rise through enough. I don't want to scare her."
Miyuki shook her head, "Don't worry...this place resides outside of time. To them, the attack you started has only just begun. But here...within the Velvet Room, time holds no power."
I wasn't sure how I was supposed to act...but I knew that situation was more complicated than it first appeared. There had to be something else going on...something more than just Ameno-sagiri...I hardly think that it was him that had caused the incident between the fake Shadows of Rise and I to manifest. No...that didn't seem to be related to it. Or rather, it was very unlikely. That was just a gut feeling though. While Ameno-sagiri was clearly part of the reason the murders were even capable of taking place...what had happened with the other Shadows had been...something different. No that seemed tied more directly to this place...a place where your hidden desires come to the surface. "Miyuki...that force from before...is it still trying to get to me or the others?"
She paused for a moment and walked close to me, "Kay-chan, that outside force will more than likely try something again...to spread doubt and confusion among you and the rest of the Investigation Team. The nature of Shadows means that as a Persona user there is no real end to the fight against them. Shadows exist beyond just the TV world, but in the real world itself. Within each and every one you meet. Although they are typically not strong enough to manifest themselves there without some sort of intervention on someones part. But it doesn't mean that danger only exist within this world. Plus as your Shadow reminded you...if you ever falter or stop believing...you Shadow will return and likely more powerful than it was before."
"And the same goes for all of them...Any who has awoken to Persona..." I said before Miyuki took me by surprise and hugged me.
"Sorry...I just...I don't know when I'll see you again...and I didn't have a chance to properly say goodbye when we were within your mind before," Miyuki's voice dropped to a whisper and dropping the somewhat formal tone she had when talking about Persona and Shadows just a moment ago. "Finally...you're finally starting to move forward...aren't you? I can see it...you really love her...that Rise, don't you?"
"Yeah," I said and returned the hug. "Feels like I didn't have a choice for most of it...she's rather... persistent."
"I'm so glad," Miyuki giggled a bit and took a few steps away from me. "In the end it was still your choice to let her in...to finally take steps to let your heart open and feel again. That was something you had to decide...no one else. Not me, not her or even Mom...but you. It's now your desire to live that drives you."
In the world of Persona, it was very obvious that choice was a very key factor when it came to power. It had a tendency to even change someones abilities even while in the middle of a fight. I had experienced it with the development of my skill Symphonic Discord. The mind...the soul and our dark secrets and desires...but also love, hope and our state of mind all had influence over the power of Persona. Choice...was the source...where all that power came from. "Miyuki, do we ever really have a choice when it comes to love?"
"Of course," Miyuki said softly. "What attracts us to others is different for everyone...and is often determined by our experiences when we are very, very young. Its developed in a time before we can accurately make well informed decisions. Although it can be subconsciously...we make the choice to love someone or not. For you...I think the moment you saw Rise was all you needed."
Her words made me pause, "Huh? What do you mean?"
"In that world you were forced to relive the past...and the way you felt not only about my death but what your Uncle had done to you. When you were finally yourself again and received your Persona, you had a chance to really see the kohai that had come to your rescue. People that you had never seen before...that had traveled to a place for your sake, and I think that was hard for you to accept more than yourself. Still what really caught your attention was that among them...a girl was crying. She had been crying for you," Miyuki's words immediately brought images of that exact moment to my mind. Rise, with her twin tail hair, had stood their crying over what she had seen...on what I had lived through. I vividly remembered that first exchange I had with her.
Why would she be crying? It certainly wouldn't be because of me. I walked over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder, "Why are you crying? You shouldn't waste them on me."
"How can you say that, Senpai?" Rise said as she wiped away her tears. "You must have been so lonely after she died."
I had no value in myself...still blaming myself for Miyuki's death at the time...but Rise...she had shown me something I had never really experienced in my life. Someone that truly cared for what I had been through. Sure the others of the Investigation Team had cared and had shown it time and again...but the reaction Rise had given had left a deep impression on my mind. That was probably what Miyuki had meant by choice...it was that moment that my mind had made a choice...if I was ever going to allow myself to love again...it would be her. Maybe that wasn't quite accurate but...Rise had a definite effect on me the moment I saw her.
"I had made that choice too, you know," Miyuki said as she walked up to me and gently placed her hand on my cheek.
I felt an ache in my chest as she did this...something like this was what I had often dreamed about when I was younger. Because I had never known how I felt for Miyuki...and even now, I'm sure I would never really know for sure. "Is that why you took it upon yourself to do what you did? To try and fix everything on your own?"
"I was a few years older than you, Kay-chan," Miyuki leaned forward and placed her forehead against my chest. But she spoke more than loud enough for me to hear. "Even still, I had already been in love with you. I think it was just because you were the only one that knew the truth of what was happening to me. And in turn you trusted me with your own problems. It might have been just a big sisterly love...but it was love none the less. I decided then that I would never put you at risk. I was the oldest...I needed to protect you, that was what I believed. But even in my wildest dreams I didn't think I would die then. But still I made sure to write down everything that I knew...just in case it didn't go like I thought they would. You know me...always over planning things. I had even made stupid plans you know...about the future. About how I would wait for you, and be there to support you. Even what I would do waiting for you to graduate from High School so I could marry you...It was all such long in the future dreams...but I had them anyway. And I wanted them to come true. Still it was those dreams I had that led to my choice to confront my Father alone...and caused all of that to happen. And that is what I have to live with from now on. As strange as this existence is that I have. I'll always love you, Kay-chan. What that love could have been I'll never know, and if we're being honest then it no longer matters. Rise-san is the one for you now. And I know you can and will be very happy with her. And that is all I have ever truly wanted for you. That has never changed. You smile now...because of her."
I nodded...there was nothing to say...she had told me something similar to that a long time ago when she was still alive...when we would sit underneath the tree at the nearby park...the very park in which this Velvet Room was designed after. It had been a place of solace...and where Miyuki and I had often escaped to...to pretend that nothing in the world was wrong. Funny that this would be more or less the same...except within my own mind. I felt words coming to my mind. I spoke as honestly as I could, "I loved you too, Miyuki...but how or in what capacity...I'll never know. I was far from being mature enough to think about things like that when I was young. I barely understood that what my Uncle did to me wasn't normal. You were the one that had told me it wasn't right. Still, you were gone before I really knew what I felt for you. That was then, but I'm not going to hesitate when it comes to Rise...I want to let my guard down and let her see every part of me...I want to take the risks I never could before. And I want to know all about her...and protect her and alway be there for her. That's why I won't let Ameno-sagiri get his way. I'm going to help my friends and stop this threat here. To do all that...I can't keep thinking about you like I have in the past. I want to live only for her now."
Miyuki took a few steps back with a smile on her face as she pulled the grimmoire of hers to her chest. "I'll always be supporting you, Kay-chan. No matter how many years pass. And I expect to hear you recount everything when it is all over. Of your life with Rise...life with your passion of music. Don't ever let it go...Onii-chan. Keep moving forward, with the one you love."
I could feel it...a pull...it was taking back...away from here. Somehow...I wasn't convinced this was the last time I would see Miyuki. I would see her again some time in the futrue...I was sure of it. "I'll keep moving, Miyuki. I promise," I gave her a smile as the pull became something I could not fight. And then my vision was flooded with light.
December 10th / After School
Magatsu Inaba (TV World)
I was thrown away from Ameno-sagiri but I managed to land on my feet but the momentum made me come to a sliding stop. Symphonic Discord had done its damage though...Shadows were seemingly trying to separate themselves from Ameno-sagiri and thrashing in every which way. The screams that came from it wasn't a collective one...but that of hundreds if not thousands of voices all at once. "Yu! Do it now!" I yelled back as the silver hair kohai of mine was rushing past me.
His Arcana card came floating down in front of him. "Helel! Morning Star!" A large Persona appeared...one that appeared like an angel but had horns like of a devil. An immense light came crashing down directly unto Ameno-sagiri but the light forced everyone to shield their eyes. When it cleared...Ameno-sagiri remained but was nothing like he had been before. His form much smaller and had seemingly stabilized from the attack I had done to him.
"I see...Your powers are strong," Ameno-sagiri sounded...impressed? If not surprised by this outcome. It seemed Ameno-sagiri had come to some sort of peace with this outcome. "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. Mankind's desires are my desires. If mankind so wishes, I will return at any time...I am always by your side, watching..."
"Well, don't wait up!" Teddie yelled out. "We'll keep that from happening, no matter what!"
"Time will show the path humanity takes...Children of the new potential..." the massive body dispersed leaving only the body of Adachi on the ground. The Investigation Team and I all ran up to check on him.
"You think...it was controlling Adachi-san?" Chie was the first to speak.
"I doubt it. It would have been somewhat contradicting to control a humans actions if he claims to be humanities desires," I knelt down next to Adachi and felt that he had a strong pulse. He was still conscious too but very, very dazed. "That being said, he probably was aware of what would happen based on those desires."
"Yes, it is unlikely he was manipulated. His own intentions were definitely clear. But we also can't claim to know what influence Ameno-sagiri had on Adachi," Naoto was quick to add her own speculation.
I shrugged in response, "Fair enough. Persona is one thing...Ameno-sagiri seemed to be more of a God than anything else."
"Yes, Ameno-sagiri did seem to share some traits told in Japanese folklore..." Naoto seemed intrigued by this line of thought.
"All myth start from a truth, right?" I added.
Adachi stirred a bit and sat up...he didn't look to be affected either way. He held his tone in a sad yet seemingly uninterested tone, "So that's it huh?" Despite the expression on his face I feel like he was relieved that things had gone this way. Still he spoke with an irritation in his voice. "Fine...Live however you want. If you think you have the power to change the future...then go right ahead." I think I understood him better now...if only for a simple fact. This was all things he had given up earlier in his life.
"Everyone has the power to do that," Yosuke must have picked up on what Adachi was indicating to.
"Heh..." Adachi shook his head. "Get outta here...The Shadows will finish me off. Just leave me be. You came here to kill me in the first place...didn't you?"
I'm sure the thought would be tempting to some people...but this was different. For the Investigation Team, it was about finding out the truth...and seeking for Justice that we all believed in. Sure there were things like the TV World that the police would never be able to comprehend or even be aware of...but as long as we or any other Persona users might exist in the world...then e would make sure that things like this wouldn't be misused.
"No, dumbass," Kanji put as eloquently as he usually was.
"Plus if we leave you here dying...and a dead body eventually appears, then what? What's that accomplish for anyone? You're stupid game is over. We're taking you back. Live and face your punishment. That's how it works in our world," Yosuke said simply.
Adachi shook his head, "Right."
"This is who we are, Adachi. A part of me may have actually wanted to see you die, if I let it. But that isn't justice...its just revenge. You know me enough to know that isn't what I would ever want," Yu said as he offered a hand to Adachi. Reluctantly he took it and was brought to his feet. "For someone like you...even if it was a long time ago...I believe you once felt the same way."
"This is the same outcome Dojima-san would want as well," Naoto added.
"You're probably right," Adachi nodded and said nothing else as we left this twisted place. His eyes remained down towards the ground as we went back to the entrance.
Rise walked back with me, holding hands as we stayed behind the others at a distance. "Adachi seems completely defeated," Rise whispered to me. I knew what she meant by that...it wasn't just that we had physically defeated him...but mentally he had been soundly defeated as well.
"He was forced to see another way of thinking...one that he had turned his back on for a long time. I know what that is like. To feel like everything you might have known could be wrong. And while it doesn't excuse the choices he made...in reality all he might have ever needed was someone to be there and be a positive influence," I squeezed her hand and smiled at her. "Much like how you have been to me. Without you...or the events that happened...I may have never changed. Changes to circumstances and it could have been me that had been responsible."
"Good thing we'll never find out, Kayane," she smiled. "After all...what better way to make a triumphant return to the music industry than with my boyfriend? Things I definitely want to experience. Now...we finally can."
After arriving back to the exit we left the TV world behind us and back to the electronic section of Junes. Adachi was breathing hard and had obviously taken a toll of damage in the fight...or possibly even that of Ameno-sagiri hijacking his body. Who was to say how that had worked either...
A policeman wasn't that far off, and after a phone call he was there. Naoto was the one that stepped forward to talk with him, "Greetings Shirogane-san. We got word from Detective Dojima. He's wanted on suspicion of murdering Yamano Mayumi and Konishi Saki, right?"
Naoto nodded, "Correct."
"Understood. We have an ambulance downstairs. Should we have them bring the stretcher here?" the policeman asked.
"An ambulance?" Naoto was momentarily baffled but seemed to make the connection.
"Detective Dojima assumed one would be necessary. He wanted the suspect to be carefully taken into protective custody. It...Well, it was a personal favor to him." The policeman offered a quick explanation.
"Well, they were partners, after all..." Chie said softly from next to Rise and I.
Adachi simply kept his face down...not wanting anyone to look at him or to look at anyone else. But it was a simple thing to know what was being said here. Even if Adachi may not have felt like he mattered to much to Dojima...it wasn't true at all. Dojima might have been hard on him, but it wasn't because of any sort of animosity...but Adachi had already been too misguided...too locked in his twisted perception of the world to see it. It was a shame that it took all of this for him to really open his eyes.
Not long after, Adachi was taken away on the stretcher and the Investigation Team left Junes and we all just started walking.
We were welcomed by blue skies and the sun hanging in the air. But none of us said anything as we walked down the street...it seemed like it had been so long since we had seen this that it was almost unreal. Perhaps to the others...I guess I had spent most of the time the fog had covered the town in a hospital bed. I guess things had been weird that way.
"See, Mom!? It's all sunny! I can play outside like you promised, right!?" a young boy came rushing passed them as we found ourselves in the shopping district.
"Oh, Makoto! Don't run like that!" the boy's Mother came jogging by after the young boy. And it seemed this was enough to convince the rest of the Investigation Team that things were definitely different.
"It's for real...The fog's really gone!" Chie turned to Yukiko with a big smile and then to the others.
"We did it...This time, its for real," Yukiko added her own smile.
Rise squeezed my hand. "It's been so long since the sky was that blue."
"Maybe its just been too long since you've seen it," I added and playfully poked her stomach with my free hand.
But she looked at me with the most amazing smile I think I had ever seen on her...which is pretty significant considering I had seen quite a lot of her smiles lately. I knew what this really meant though. She leaned over and pulled my arm down so that I would lean down and kiss her. I did so without a thought to where we were. "Everything is how it should be now."
"It's finally over," Yosuke sighed from nearby.
"Thanks...everybody," Yu said and grabbed all of their attention. I just turned to him with a slight grin on my face.
"I bet it feels like its been a long time since you came to this town," I said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, but despite what we had to face...I wouldn't trade it for anything," Yu said as the rest of the Investigation Team surrounded their leader.
"Hey, don't get all sappy. We did this together, but well, this means...we've won." Yosuke said as he place his hand out. Chie put hers on top of his, and then Yukiko, then Rise, then I did...soon all of the Investigation Team was hurdled together and had their hands in.
"Huh? What're we doing?" Kanji asked.
"Ooh, what's this?" Teddie had no doubt just been copying everyone else.
"This is what a team does after a hard earned victory. Now we need a cheer," I said.
"A cheer? Like what?" Teddie asked.
"You decide, leader," I looked over to Yu.
He chuckled, "Let's keep it simple. We did it, on three. One...two...three..."
"WE DID IT!" the Investigation said in unison. "Woohoo! A few others added as we all reverted to laughter.
"Alright, who is hungry?" I added at the end.
"Ooh! Me! Are we going somewhere Kay-chan?" Teddie was all too eager it seemed.
"That's right, first to the grocery store then off to my house," I smiled as the rest of the Investigation Team definitely was quick to get behind this idea. There was no better time to celebrate...and definitely no better time to move forward. Still in the back of my mind I knew that while this incident was over...there was still another threat out there...one that had tried to pull me to the after life...a threat that had gathered Shadows to make the fake shadows of Rise and I. And there was still the presence of the TV World...there was a lot of unanswered questions. At the very least one thing had been resolved. So for now...it was time to party.
A/N:
What causes people to head down a darker road in life? It's actually easier than most people realize. The thing of it is...most of it is determined in your youth and the kind of environment you grow up in. Developmental psychology and sociology focuses on this question. Such as what makes someone choose to kill? It isn't a situation that people usually consider but there are many that do. A lot of research indicates that it has to do with a lack of support structure not necessarily as a kid, but more pivotal moments in your life. For example some kids get in trouble once get punished and then never do it again. Then there are those that go a very long time without being caught or punished and figure...hey I got away with this for so long...I just need to not get caught. Then over time crime can escalate. Still, killing another human being is a huge jump even if everything in your youth has a poor support structure and have a skewed view of what is right and wrong.
Adachi holds resentment to the people around him that he feels were handed everything on a silver platter. Those that just seemed to do things effortlessly while he struggled and never seemed to get rewarded for his efforts. The problem in the game is we never learn exactly what he did to earn him to be shipped away from the city. We don't know what Adachi went through. We don't know why he felt like the world owed him something...that he was somehow justified in getting his kicks. It's also incredibly unlikely he knew that the world would eventually merge with the TV world at the beginning...but once he knew that he cared even less about the outcome. You could also argue that because he figured it out he tried to convince them not to chase him. I am somewhat inclined to think that way too, as Atlus has tried to somewhat redeem him in the epilogue of Persona 4 and also his involvement in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Still there is a lot to wonder about when it comes to why Adachi did what he did. You get the sense because he feels like its deserved...that it was also a means to have control and power over something in his life, to which he appeared to not have in anything else.
There are many reasons why people turn to murder but I guess we won't ever know for sure what brings Adachi to that point. Now...we move forward. Still have events from Golden to cover, such as Marie and her dungeon, as well as the final dungeon and true ending to get to. So quite a bit more to go before we start hitting stuff past it. Still I hope everyone has enjoyed it so far and continues to stick with me.
Anyway, you know how it goes. Leave me a line and let me know what you think of how its going so far. And I'll see you all next week with the next Chapter.
