War Arc:
Chapter 40: Rumors of Whisperer
Tatsuya Suou
Sunny - Afternoon – 25/11/2012(Sunday) – Sumaru City
(5 days before War's awakening)
Tatsuya quickly braked and stopped his bike at the side of the road when he realized Katsuya was calling him.
"Katsuya? I'm a little occupied right now."
"Can't it wait? Go to Yumezaki now, we've found out where those smugglers from yesterday were last seen! We have a lead, Tatsuya!"
"Ah, finally, some good news. But will Sudou be there?"
"I don't know, but we need you to come."
"It might be a trap."
"It is possible, but it's the only clue we got about Limbo Recall."
"Alright, I'm on my way."
Katsuya ended the conversation immediately as if he was in a rush. The mysterious girl, possibly Kazuma Kaneda's daughter, will have to wait for now while he settled the case with Katsuya.
It was then he noticed the hand that held his phone. Curling around his arm was a strange spiral mark that grew from his sleeve to the back of his palm. Although he tried to remain calm, his could still hear his heavy breath over his nose as his fold his sleeve to see from where it spread. The mark doesn't end even till his elbow, foreshadowing that beneath his shirt, there will be more marks all over his chest.
"When did this appear…?" Tatsuya wondered the beginning of the mark and concluded that it must have originated from the house. Perhaps the pain he received in the strange room was the beginning of his mark, but he was too occupied then.
"This is… just like in the past…" Tatsuya remembered the old memories of the emblem marked to him by Nyarlathotep in the past. Though the dark color was there, it seemed almost blood-like red under the reflection of the sunlight, with its design being so sinister that it chilled him.
Then, he felt a certain memory resurfacing within his mind. He had the feeling that he had seen the sketch shown by the man in the house, "Where have I seen that drawing before?"
"…The butterfly… the crimson butterfly… the blood star…"
"Quiet down, will you?!"
Tatsuya screamed at the voice in his head and continued to ride his bike, making his way to Yumezaki.
Maya Amano
Evening - Kuzunoha Detective Agency, Aoba, Sumaru City
Knock! Knock!
"Hello, Satomi? It's Maya. Open up."
Maya knocked on the office door when she realized the office door was locked. The owner rarely closed the office, even during holidays, but on some occasions, she will be missing from the city for weeks or months each year. However, Maya knew Tamaki wouldn't leave her husband alone here at this time of the year.
"Coming! Ah, Maya-san!"
The door swung opened by a woman who looked so gorgeously dressed that anyone could mistake her age despite already in her 30's. She led Maya into the office, where most of the business was dealt, and gestured her to the seat when her husband appeared from the back door after seemly cleaning something, proven by the broom in his hand. They both greeted Maya with a huge bow.
"Welcome to Satomi's lovely office, where we will spread all rumors just for you!"
The couple was none other than Tadashi Satomi and his wife Tamaki Satomi, the owner of the Kuzunoha Detective Agency after Daisuke Todoroki passed the agency to her. Tamaki proved to be an excellent successor to the agency, for there was not a rumor she couldn't investigate or spread in the city. They were also students of St. Hermelin High years ago.
"It's a long time since I came here, but you two are as sweet as ever," Maya commented.
"True, everyone should know the love of Tad and Tammy!" They embraced each other with a quick dance, forcing Maya to sweat-drop.
"Being lovey-dovey like this, I'm sure Daisuke Todoroki won't be happy."
"Oh, don't worry. He's having a drink with a friend of his," Tamaki immediately said, before she changed the topic, "Oh right, right! I almost forgot! I know some rumors about your husband. They say the Suou Devils will bring forth demons into this city and punish the evildoers!"
"That's exactly the purpose of my visit today, Tammy," Maya replied, "I want to know the origin of the rumors."
"About the origin of the rumors…" Tamaki rushed to her table and typed something on her computer, "This is, so far, one of the strangest cases I have ever seen in my career. They had no idea where the rumors came from, it's like they unconsciously heard about it from somewhere in their memories. We're not talking about few people, we're talking about masses all across the city from different area spreading it all together."
"That's impossible, rumors must always come from somewhere. Are there any similarities between each of these cases?"
"I tried that, Maya-san. Which is why we're currently searching for clues as well. We're currently listing the people who supposedly among the first to hear the rumors. See that back door?" Tamaki pointed towards the half-opened room at the back, "We had started searching a while ago about the names."
"I'll be glad to help," Maya volunteered, somehow felt joyous to know she was on the right track. Tamaki agreed, gesturing Maya into the room as they began their discussion.
"It's rare to see you working on Sunday, Maya-san," Tamaki added as she reached for a folder at the top of massive piles of folders and paper, "Usually you'll be playing at home with your son. Do you want to tell me?"
"Matsuya is…" Maya hesitated to answer, but Tamaki was trustworthy enough for her to share her thoughts, "I feel like Matsuya is distancing himself from me. I feel like he's keeping a secret. Tatsuya, too, seemed to be occupied with something and keeping me in the shade. I am so worried…"
"Hmmm, I see. So where is Matsuya now?"
"With Lisa. She's taking him to the aquarium today."
"*chuckle* Lisa Silverman?" Tamaki looked astonished upon the name, "Wasn't she's the one who couldn't accept your engagement with Tatsuya? But now she's taking care of your boy? Let's be serious, first love is hard to let go. Lisa still got the look, and Tatsuya is still quite good looking."
"Don't dig too deep, Tammy, he's still my husband. You don't need to investigate that much about them."
"They're not just somebody. We're talking about Lisa, one of the famous Muses, and then we had the hottest guy in Seven Sisters High. All students talked about it. Some were jealous, but the majority thought they were perfect together, even you."
"That's what I thought too…" Maya exhaled a chuckle as she became lost in her reminiscence for a short while, "But he came to me…"
Early Morning – 2001(Months after the battle with Nyarlathotep) – Police Department, Konan
What she heard from Katsuya didn't sound like good news. Everyone is moving on with their lives, and she had decided to be an adult worthy of her age and tried not to associate herself with pointless conversation.
This applied mainly for the Suou brothers, whom she did not want to associate with to prevent Tatsuya from regaining his memories of the 'other side'. Which was why today's call from Katsuya seemed to distress her greatly after months of zero conversation with him. The only message she got was the name of Tatsuya and the 'other side'.
It was an hour past dawn when she arrived at Katsuya's office to see Katsuya's restlessly waiting for her in his usual uniform on his chair, gesturing her to her seat. But Maya politely declined, demanding Katsuya to skip the pointless introduction.
"I had to tell him," Katsuya told in the briefest possible way to her. The one thing Maya feared for Tatsuya had become reality.
"How much have you told him?"
"Enough to make him convinced about what happened during his 'void' memories when the 'other' Tatsuya took over. I told him of Baofu and Ulala, even Nate and Eriko, but only the 'mysterious' girl caught his attention."
"You mean me?" Maya gasped, "Why? How did this happen?"
"I never asked him, but… uh…" Katsuya stuttered, organizing the right sentence to use, "To put it in an easy way, he had the 'déjà vu' feelings of you. The same kind of feelings you had on the 'other side'."
"But he didn't remember me after Tatsuya of 'that side' left his body. He couldn't just suddenly remember. I made sure of that…"
"Yeah, I know you did…" Katsuya sadly answered, hinting his own dissatisfaction, "You didn't answer my call, my message; nothing, ever since what happened. But, I understand completely why you wished to be away from us. I love my brother, so I know what's best for him."
"Katsuya, I assure you I didn't mean harm to stay away from you-" Maya explained with a slight regret, but Katsuya interjected.
"Stop, I get it. Let's not change the subject. Now, where were we?"
"I made sure I never made contact with Tatsuya ever since what happened. So why did he get that feeling of 'déjà vu'?"
"Oh, Maya. It's not just 'déjà vu'. If only you saw what's he's like for the last few months…" Katsuya noised a sarcastic laugh, "Ever since the graduation day, he never stopped thinking about you."
Maya couldn't believe her ears upon those words. To never stopped thinking about her was extreme. Taking the train to work, going for lunch, returning home while watching over her surrounding to make sure Tatsuya never see her seemed in vain. She could guarantee that Tatsuya never stalked her, but that brought to the question. How did he know of her?
"Ever since graduation day?" Maya responded, "I wondered what happened at the graduation day?"
"Ah, yes!" Katsuya half-shouted in realization, "Kashihara and Mishina went to that school that day to bid him farewell! Lisa Silverman was there too. Maybe their meeting with him enacted something. I was there, so I know four of them chatting together. He did talk about them, but in the end, he mentioned you. Strange, you're not there at the graduation day. So why?"
"…" Maya bowed down her head as she listened.
"Anyway, he started talking about a strange girl that he's attracted to, and went searching for you all over the city if not for me stopping him. That must have awakened something in him, forcing him into nights of dreaming of a certain girl at a shrine."
"I see…" Maya nodded, "So you need to tell him."
"I'm sorry, but I had to so that he won't be so obsessed with you. Funny thing is, it somehow works. He currently thinks of you as a friend he had forgotten. At least, that's what I told him."
"But he dreamed of me of all people…"
…
"I thought we're not a match," Maya said, "But he came to me of all people."
"That must be what they called 'destiny'," Tamaki gleefully answered, but turned to the office hall when she heard the bell sound, "Tad, get the door! Forgive me, Maya-san, but I must welcome our guest."
Tamaki left the storeroom to greet the customer. Maya, alone in the room, caught herself smiling maidenly by the thoughts of it.
"He came to me…"
"Tad, back away! Over here, you prick!"
The files in her hands fell to the ground by the thunderous sound of rapid gunfire. Armed with her own handgun, she pressed herself to the wall near the door and glanced, only to see Tamaki had already subdued a man wearing a white mask as his face laid bare on the ground while a machinegun was seen not far from where the attacker was. A row of bullet holes was imprinted on the wall above the office table, with Tadashi shivering cowardly under the table's deck. Tamaki shifted her attention to Maya and smirked as she gave a thumbs up. It was clear that the assassin had underestimated Tamaki's power.
"Next time you want to shoot someone, you need to be faster!" Tamaki scolded the subdued assassin, forcing the mask open to see an ordinary man cowering in fright over Tamaki's dominance over him.
"Who sent you?" Maya asked as she approached the man.
"I don't know… they wore masks…" The man assassin said weakly as he groaned in pain by the shoe's heel stabbed on his back by Tamaki, "They told us to… kill… the rumormongers…"
"Oh no! Chunky!" She remembered conversating with Toro this afternoon. She called him but received no answer for it seemed he's always shut off his phone when he's eating. She needed to be fast.
"Why do they want to kill the rumormongers?"
"I-I don't know, I was just assigned to do this!"
"I need to tell Tatsuya," Maya told Tamaki as she called Tatsuya, but he too shut off his phone.
"Tammy, close the agency and hide somewhere safe. Send this man to the police station and ask for Katsuya Suou, he will help."
"Maya-san, be careful!"
Maya had already left through the front door before she could listen to Tamaki's warning.
Tatsuya Suou
Evening – Abandoned building, Yumezaki
The police cars had blocked all the entrance to the abandoned building. Tatsuya, parking his bike not far from the entrance, rushed towards his brother, who was waiting for him with Shiori and her force next to him.
"What's the intel?" Tatsuya asked.
"We're not clear, but one of the suspects we apprehended yesterday confessed they received the shipment from here. We checked from every angle, but we can't detect anyone. All we have to do is burst in. Reload everything and please, no phone."
"Alright," Tatsuya shut off his phone and took out his gun before checking the barrel. From the creak of the door, he spied into the empty floor.
"What was that?"
Katsuya instantly laid on the wall next to the window and peeked inside.
"I heard something, like glass, from the ground floor."
"Let my team handle it first," Shiori suggested, signaling her force to enter first and searched the area, with Shiori leading them. The Suou brothers merely waited for her to finish.
"Tatsuya, are you alright?"
"Hmmm?" He turned to his brother.
"Your face is very pale. Have you been stressing yourself out again? And why are you wearing those gloves?"
"Uh…" He tilted to his hands and observed the black biker's glove, which was thick enough to hide the spiral mark on his hand, "I might have overworked myself yesterday, but I'm fine. These gloves are just for protection."
"…Everything's fine with Maya?"
"…Don't worry about it," He responded, but unconvincingly, "I'll protect her if anything were to happen."
"Why do you talk as if something will happen to Maya?" Katsuya asked, but with a forceful tone. He began to mention something in the past.
"That day, that rainy morning, before we went to Tatsumi Port Island to save Yukari Takeba, I saw you talked to Jun about something. Ever since that day, you can act all you want, but I know something's changed in you."
"…" Tatsuya couldn't look at his brother in the eyes and explain.
"Tatsuya, look at me, what did Jun say to you that day?"
"Guys!"
The brothers turned to the entrance and saw Shiori gave them the signal. She pointed to one of the corridors in the building.
"We found a tunnel leading to the underground. Let's get inside!"
"Alright, let's go, brother," Katsuya said, stealthily entered the building with Tatsuya.
Windy – Evening – Koukai Street, Koukai Ward
"…Aunt Lisa?" Matsuya voiced after a long mute between them. Lisa's face was terrifyingly serious as if she meant it extremely when she suggested it.
"…*chuckle* I'm kidding!"
Lisa burst into giggles, further confusing Matsuya on the matter. The seriousness faded away, leaving but a face of a concern babysitter, "There's no way you should do that. You're a good boy, aren't you? Whether or not they will come, you should at least tell them about it."
"O-Okay! I will tell them later."
"But, let's just say, if you had any trouble; let's say your parents can't come to your play or they were too busy to be there for you, I will 'replace' them. You will invite me to your play, don't you?"
"Of course, you can! I would love too!"
"Thank you, Chinyan. Let's go to the aquarium before the lines get too long."
Meanwhile, inside the aquarium…
2nd lower ground, Aquarium Center
"Mom, look! A demon!"
"No, dear, that's a… that's a cosplay!"
"Psss, look. Is that man the girl's dad?"
"Crap, I almost thought I saw the devil himself!"
Eikichi simply ignored the comments from the outlook of people as he licked the ice-cream in his hand as he sat at one of the tables in the resting area. Mia Kaneda, the girl he met only an hour ago, was sitting in front him, sketching something messily on her drawing board. He noticed that she used a lot of red and black pastel, proven by the red and black mark on her hand.
"So... Mia Kaneda? What should I call you?" Eikichi began the conversation, albeit awkwardly.
"Whatever you like…" She responded faintly.
"What are you drawing?"
"Something bad."
"…What?" Eikichi blinked, "Why do you draw bad stuff?"
"Because I dreamed it every night."
"You draw it based on your dreams?"
"Nightmares."
"Nightmares? Okay… So, uh… You really like drawings, huh? Who taught you?"
"My guardian. He said I need to learn it."
"Yet here you are, wandering alone in this place. Sounds like an unreliable guy, that guardian of yours," Eikichi frowned, gritting his teeth, "Listen, this may sound harsh, but I really think you should warn him not to leave you alone. You almost got kidnapped! He doesn't even give you a phone to call him. It's like he doesn't care about you!"
He realized he may have overextended himself in his dissatisfaction upon her guardian. To his surprise, Mia only bowed, despite her sour expression.
"…I know…" Mia didn't reject his thoughts, "But he's the only one who took care of me since my father left me."
It caught him by surprise.
"What about your mother?"
"Never knew her."
"…I'm sorry, I didn't know that…" Eikichi apologized, searching for the next topic to recover from the awkward atmosphere. He scratched his neck, observing around as he finished his ice cream. He glanced at the girl's side, where the ice-cream he bought for her began to melt.
"Kid, your ice-cream is going to melt."
"Just a second…" Mia nagged, scratching the pastel to complete her sketch. She finally put down her drawing board and reached for her ice-cream, only for Eikichi to stop her.
"Wash your hand, girl. Look, your hand is so dirty with pastels. It's not good for you."
"Okay…"
Mia nodded obediently, leaving her things behind and disappeared behind the wall. Curious, Eikichi glanced at the sketch and couldn't help but wondered the meaning behind it. From the looks of it, it depicted a white demon with octopus-like head with its abdomen covered in red. At the side was a person, probably a man, with something like a black scrub at his back.
"Holy sh*t, that's creepy…" Eikichi thought, then noticed the girl had returned from the washroom and reached for the ice-cream.
"Say, Mia…, Mia-chan, yes. What are you drawing? An octopus demon?"
She nodded, still licking her ice cream.
"And this white demon has a red tummy?"
"It's not red, it's blood. She's bleeding."
It was that moment, Eikichi felt the extreme oddness of her imagination.
"This creature is a woman and she's bleeding? You said it like it's an actual person."
"It is."
"Hey, Mia-chan, that's not something a kid should say."
"But it came from my nightmare…"
"Even so, avoid saying that, okay?" Eikichi advised. It was then he received the phone call.
"Yes? Ah, it's you, Shogo! Yes, I'm here. In an hour? Okay, I'll be there."
He glanced at his watch after the call.
"That was my team member. I got an hour left before I had to join my band, but I can play with you until then. Where else do you want to go? What kind of fish do you want to see?"
"…A whale. I want to see a whale."
He swallowed his saliva upon her extraordinary request.
"A-A whale? We don't have whale here. This is an aquarium. I don't know if they even have a killer whale."
"Because whale swim in the sea?"
"Of course."
"Then let's go to the sea."
"What?!" Eikichi widened his eyes in shock, "Which part of the 'sea' do you want to go?"
All of a sudden, Mia reached for her sketchbook as she finished her ice-cream and flipped the previous pages before. She then revealed it to him, "This one."
Eikichi leaned closer to examine it. It clearly looked like a space filled with stars.
"Isn't that space? That's not a sea."
"But it is a sea!" Mia nagged, seemed offended by it, "Take me to this sea!"
"That's not a sea, Mia-chan," Eikichi said, but at the same time trying to persuade her to choose something else. Mia sank back to her chair, lowering her head and silently rested down her sketchbook. Eikichi scratched his head, glancing at his watch and wondered how long does he need to watch over her.
"Mia-chan, look, I-"
She's not there anymore.
Eikichi paused, almost shocked, to see Mia's absence from the chair. He searched around and saw no trace of her leaving the booth stand. The pastel, the sketchbook, all were left just as she placed it.
"Mia-chan? Where are you?" He stood up and searched around as he began to panic. He turned to the ice-cream seller at the stall not far from his seat and asked.
"Hey, do you see any girl leaving this place? She's 7."
"I don't know. I didn't watch. Perhaps you're seeing the 'ghost girl' of this ward. Some people saw her, but then she was gone."
"What do you mean she was gone?" Eikichi cursed, searching around one more time before he realized Mia was long gone from the place.
"Mia-chan, where are you?! Damn it!"
Evening – 25/11/2012(Sunday) – Ebony, Hotel Pleiades, Narumi
"When was the last time we really share a table for a wine together, *cough**cough* Todoroki?"
"It's been a long time."
At the corner of the bar where light failed to enter, Baofu and Daisuke Todoroki, the former head of Kuzunoha Detective Agency, was seen talking to each other in front of the bartender. Todoroki, despite being so old and seemly senile, was sharp to detect Baofu's motive.
"What an expensive champagne you bought for me. Do you really want to spend the day drinking this with me? Kaoru, you don't need to force yourself this much if you want the information regarding the rumors."
"I can't deny *cough* that that was my reason, but I just thought, why not?"
"Just you? Where's Serizawa?"
"*Cough* I can't let her follow me, otherwise she would nag non-stop all day."
"That's a very specific reason, Kaoru, and I find out you started smoking tobacco."
"*chuckle* I'm enjoying life as it is… *cough*!"
Todoroki halted his words, but he patted Baofu's shoulder, as a sign of understanding as he lent Baofu another drink. Baofu turned around and observed the bar.
"You said you have someone *cough* to give you the information."
"If I can do it by myself, I would. But I'm an old bone now. I can't even walk to the toilet without my cane. Chikarin, I think that's what she called herself, is a remarkable rumormonger. She should be on her way here… Though, she seemed to be late. Oh, Serizawa."
Baofu turned to his back and saw Ulala clenching her waist as she glared at him with bitter eyes.
"What did I just said? No, I don't want to hear it. I have been looking everywhere for you! How could you leave me and do all the investigation alone? Your cough doesn't look like it's getting better, and you're drinking wine?! I bet you forgot to take your medicine too."
"What did I tell you*cough*?" Baofu laughed as he turned to Todoroki.
"Let me handle the investigation, while you go back right now…" Ulala began to drag Baofu by the arm, "…And REST!"
"Urgh… Stop *cough* trying to be my mother," Baofu rebelled, "I'm fine. *cough* Besides, I'm waiting for someone."
Riiiing!
Todoroki's phone rang. Upon answering it, his expression darkened.
"Okay, Tamaki. You stay right there, I'm coming to the office," Todoroki said as he hung up his phone, "Someone just assaulted Tamaki's office."
"!" Baofu and Ulala widened their eyes.
"Maya was there when it happened. She's checking on the other rumormongers as well. They all might have been targeted."
"I assumed it's because one of them know something that might harm them? *cough*" Baofu concluded, "And I guess what the enemy really wants is… Chika Ueda?"
"She said she was at Yumezaki last time I heard of her," Todoroki said. Baofu and Ulala turned to each other with decisive eyes.
"Todoroki-san, let me go *cough* to where she is and protected her," Baofu decided, but he felt a tug on his shoulder, "What's *cough* wrong, Ulala?"
"Please forgive me for this action," Ulala palmed her hands together with an apologetic bow, before in a blink of an eye, she landed a straight punch to Baofu's solar plexus, knocking him out.
"Gah!" Baofu rolled on the ground, witnessed by the customers in the bar. Due to Baofu's age and his weakened condition, it was unlikely he will be able to stand anytime soon. Todoroki merely stared in silence before Ulala turned to him.
"He's been sick for a while, so I can't let him go there. Please watch him for a while. I'll take him back later!" Ulala requested, then sprinted to her destination. Todoroki, again, remained silent, before he let out a chuckle.
"What a dangerous woman you have, Kaoru."
Maya Amano
Gatten Sushi, Rengedai
"Chunky!"
Maya pulled open the door to Gatten Sushi, where Chunky was usually seen talking to Miyabi, Eikichi's wife. To her horror, the entire restaurant was filled with bullet holes. She saw nobody saved for Chunky himself next to the fallen assassin. Chunky himself was severely wounded and blood covered most of his face.
"Ah, Maya-san! Urgh! Ouch!" Chunky pressed his stomach that shown several bullet wounds, "I haven't fought anyone for a loooong time, but it's okay! Everything is under control!"
"Did you fight with the assassin?"
"Yeah! Urgh… my hips! He was tough because he caught me by surprise, but my persona can one punch that guy to oblivion!"
"Is anybody else hurt?"
"Miyabi-chan is fine, I think?"
She shifted her attention to the counter and saw Miyabi gazing towards her from below before she fully exposed herself, clearly frightened.
"Maya, it's you! Thank god!" She left the counter and approached her, "There's this guy with a gun, he wore a mask… He came in and started shooting the place. Luckily, I closed the shop early because Eikichi wasn't here. I just allowed Chunky to have a quick eat before that guy arrived. Chunky was the one who fended off that guy."
"That's good to know-" Maya paused, noticing that Miyabi is pressing some blanket over her right ribs. She gasped, immediately realized the truth.
"Miyabi, you were shot too!"
She examined the wound and noticed the thick red spot on it. Chunky, too, was surprised to miss her injuries. Miyabi sarcastically laughed, trying to raise the mood.
"Looks like I'm not quick enough to dodge the bullet, hehe…"
"Have you call the ambulance?! Chunky, call the police, too! Here, Diarahan!"
She summoned Artemis to stop the bleeding, but a medical aid was more efficient to fully heal the wound.
"I already called, Maya-san. There's nothing left to do for us," Chunky said.
"Wait, I'll call Eikichi too-"
Miyabi quickly pulled Maya's hand.
"Please, don't tell my husband," Miyabi begged, "He has a concert today. He's been looking forward to it for months. Don't make him worry about me. This is my request, Maya."
"Miyabi…" Maya thought to herself before she nodded.
"Why are you here, Maya-san? I thought you'll be at Kuzunoha Agency right now."
"Tammy was attacked by an assassin too. I came to check on you."
"So he was targeting me! If someone was targeting rumormongers, then it means one of us is holding a crucial information about the rumors. Maya-san, go to Yumezaki and find the last rumormonger, Chikarin. Last time I heard she's bragging about something she found about rumors."
"Chikarin, that's right," Maya said, remembered the last active rumormonger, "I should go. Please, take care of Miyabi."
Maya left immediately, leaving Chunky alone with Miyabi. Chunky voiced his thoughts amidst the sudden silence.
"Fheh! That guy was tough, but he's nothing compared to me. Wait, I didn't actually punch that guy… He's just suddenly faint when I summoned my persona. I wonder why… Right, Miyabi-chan? …Miyabi-chan?"
Miyabi was silent with her eyes closed.
"Miyabi-chan, don't close your eyes! Please don't die!"
"I'm not, idiot… Just let me rest for a while," Miyabi replied with her eyes dimly opened, albeit weakly, embarrassing him.
"S-Sorry…"
Evening – Aquarium, Koukai Ward
"What else do you want to see here, Matsuya-kun?" Lisa asked after they traveled around the aquarium for 10 minutes.
"Ummm… I'm fine with anything," Matsuya answered.
"Then, let's have a break at that table."
"Okay, Aunt Lisa… Aunt Lisa?" Matsuya asked when he saw a man in heavy makeup talking to two security guards not far from them, "What is that man doing?"
"Oh, he's a rockstar. He's a… EH?!" Lisa half shouted upon closer look, "That's Eikichi!"
"Huh? Uncle Eikichi doesn't look like that."
"Because he wears makeup, Matsuya-kun. Come on, let's talk to him."
Eikichi seemed to be in extreme panic, giving a ridiculous hand signal to tell something to the perplexed guards. He was so invested in his explanation that he didn't notice Lisa and Matsuya's presence.
"Eikichi, what are you doing here?"
"Ah! Lisa, you're here! Crap, goddammit!"
"Language, Eikichi. Matsuya-kun's here."
"Oh, there you are, Matsuya-kun- I mean, no! This is a big trouble! I didn't notice until then!"
"Calm down. Tell me one by one, what happened?"
"She's gone!"
"Who?"
"Mia-chan!"
"…Mia-chan?"
"Yes!"
"You mean…" She glanced at Matsuya, "…You can't mean that Mia-chan, right?"
"Girl, there's only one Mia, and that's Mia-chan."
"Hold it," Lisa paused, "Are we sure we're talking about the same girl right now?"
"…Wait, that means, you saw her?"
"No, that's not what I mean…"
"Eh?" Matsuya suddenly interjected after noticing the sketchbook in Eikichi's hand, "Isn't that Mia-chan's sketchbook?"
"You know her?" Eikichi asked with shock.
"She's my classmate."
"Your classmate? That's a surprise. I mean, she said she was seven, but I never thought she's your classmate. But that's not important right now. We need to find her, she's gone! I was eating ice-cream with her at the stall, then she disappeared!"
"Okay, I'll help you find her. There's no need to panic."
"Actually, I need to hurry. I have to get back to my band in less than an hour. I have a concert tonight, remember?"
"Oh, yeah…" Lisa responded, although unconvincingly, which made Eikichi twitched his eyebrows.
"You don't know about my concert? I thought we were friends. How could you?"
"Hey, I have my own life! I'm sorry, okay? I 'forgot'!"
"'Forgot'? Yeah, I can't expect much from Ginko, huh?"
"Wei! You promised you won't call me that anymore!"
Matsuya could only watch silently as Lisa and Eikichi had their little argument, while he himself wasn't surprised by Mia's disappearance.
This wasn't the first time there's a rumor about Mia's sudden disappearance from a certain place, especially in the classroom. Some of his classmates said they only looked away for a second from where Mia was before she disappeared from her seat, frightening them. This was the origin of her nickname, 'ghost girl' or 'weird girl'. When founded by teachers, she said she 'didn't remember' what happened to her.
"I think I know where she's gone to," Matsuya said, gaining both Lisa and Eikichi's attention.
"You do?" Lisa reaffirmed his words.
"If she's missing, then she's probably watching the sea again. She loves the sea."
"The sea…" Eikichi muttered, "Does she love the sea that much?"
"Let's go find her. She should be nearby in this ward."
They left the aquarium and searched for Mia.
Tatsuya Suou
Hidden passage, Abandoned building, Yumezaki
"I thought we know every passage there is to know in this city. Looks like I was wrong. Tatsuya, you got the flashlight?"
"Right here, Katsuya. Shiori, don't make too much noise."
Suou brothers and Shiori all entered the underground passage through the long ladder from upstairs. The passage itself reeked of chemically induced gas, forcing the small team to cover their mouths to block the heavy smell. They reached a door that was seemly sealed shut by a heavy padlock. Instead of lock-picking it, Shiori shot down the lock, before giving her signal to kick open the door. The Suou brothers nodded, and Shiori turned the handle.
"Freeze!"
The room, dark and windowless, resembled so much like an abandoned laboratory. Glass and tables were scattered all over the floor, along with monitors which screen had been crashed with something blunt like a baton. It seemed to be inhabited by a group of intellectual skills, evidenced by the whiteboard displaying numerous formulas too complex for Tatsuya to comprehend. Shiori's flashlight shined upon the quiet atmosphere, examining every part of the room.
"Looks like they took all of it and destroyed any evidence," Katsuya commented.
"It's not recently too," Tatsuya replied, "Judging by the dust and webs, it seems that they have left this place for a long time. If it's true the shipment is made here, then there must be a strong reason for the Revelation to return to this place just for the shipment."
"Hold it," Shiori halted their conversation, "Did you see that? There's somebody here."
They quickly changed into battle stance upon the sight of a presence sitting on a roller chair facing away from them. From the long length of the hair, it seemed to be a woman. Katsuya decided to be the voice of the team.
"This is the police. We going to need your cooperation to turn around and show your hands where I can see them."
The voice responding to him turned out to be eerie beyond word.
"Why… Why… Why…"
The crooked voice of the woman echoed through the room.
"Ma'am, please turn around. We won't hurt you."
Then, the eerie voice turned to nightmarish.
"WHY DID THEY PICK HIM?! WHY NOT ME?! TELL ME, WHY?!"
When she turned around, Tatsuya and Katsuya couldn't contain their shock over the identity of the woman.
She is a famous fortune teller in the past, and a member of New World Order. She was left to die along with Takahisa Kandori in the Undersea Ruins years ago.
Who would have thought that, after the second revival of Takahisa Kandori, she would follow in his footsteps?
At first, they could barely recognize her rotten, wrinkle skin. But after a solid moment, they recalled the face of that woman.
Chizuru Ishigami.
"Y-You! You're Chizuru Ishigami!" Katsuya cried, "You were supposed to die alongside Kandori!"
"She has been brought back," Tatsuya said, "By the power of Nyarlathotep, she was revived, but barely."
"They didn't… they didn't pick me…" Chizuru murmured, "I was the one who loves him truly! I was the one who should be his 'sacrifice'! But tell me, strangers… Why did they pick him? For what purpose was I reborn into this cursed world without my love by my side?"
"You mentioned 'sacrifice'," Tatsuya said, "Do you perhaps… knew about the prophecy?"
"…Ah! You!" Chizuru, upon eyeing on Tatsuya left her chair and dropped to the ground and weakly dragging herself across the floor towards Tatsuya.
"You! You're the Paradox! You! It's your fault! You should never be here! Because of you, everything is lost!"
"What? What are you talking about?" Tatsuya demanded an answer.
"Follow the voice… Infinity lies… Bond shattered… path to destruction… you…"
"Urgh!" Tatsuya clutched his head in pain by the voice. His shriek was horrible that Shiori and Katsuya's expression turned to panic.
"Tatsuya, what's wrong?!"
"It's all because of you! You, Nyarlathotep, everyone, just go back to nothingness, where nothing exists! My poor love, he had to suffer as a vessel of a god! JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE! STOP THE PROPHECY!"
"Suffer? I did what?"
"You… you… you…"
"Grrrr, shut up!"
"Tatsuya, back away!"
By the time he regained his focus, what was left of Chizuru was instead a whitish figure, covered in a mist-like aura as she gained her footing before she finally gave a final, menacing glares of her yellow eyes. Her voice was no longer recognizable.
"Juugo, Toudou, you all can go to hell!"
Shiori and the rest of her force wished that they could forget what they witnessed afterward. She was morphing into something only imaginable by nightmares. Her presence became massive, and the trace of human within her was swallowed by the black mist.
"…Nyog'Sothep… Nyog-Sothep… fhtagn… azothhotepfhtagniinn'dfiigta… You… You…"
"Argh! Stop! Stop! Dammit! Stop!"
Tatsuya kneeled on the ground in pain over the whisper and wasn't aware that his nose is bleeding. Even Shiori couldn't handle the sudden situation until Katsuya took over full command.
"Aim at the woman! Shiori, take Tatsuya back to the surface!"
"Understood! Units, take aim!" Shiori commanded, while she reached for Tatsuya and prepared to drag him away. Katsuya held his breath as the mist began to take full form. He commanded.
"FIRE!"
But it was too late.
The moment the first shot was fired, the creature dashed towards the wall behind her, ripping through the steel walls like a cotton as she escaped. Katsuya rushed to the empty spot left by the creature and realized she was long gone into the sewer connected to the underground lab.
"She's gone to the sewer! She might slip into subway monorail any moment now! Turn back, block any exit to the subway station around this area! GO!"
"Katsuya, w-wait…" Tatsuya, still being carried by Shiori, pushed her arm away, "Let me go with you. I'm okay now…"
"Don't be ridiculous! My team and I can stop her. You are to step down from this operation! That's an order!"
"But I have to go! I need to hear what she said about me. I feel like it's important, and I need to know…"
"…" Katsuya paused, taking a moment to think and decided before he left his spot, "Don't hold us back."
"Heard you loud and clear, brother," Tatsuya grinned.
Windy – Seawall near Ebisu Beach, Koukai Ward
"Found her," Matsuya pointed at the red bench facing the sea, where on it sat Mia, staring blankly into the sea where the sun was dimly glowing under the cloud. Matsuya, Lisa, and Eikichi approached the girl who was still unaware of their presence.
"Mia-chan! You're watching the sea?" Matsuya spoke as he sat next to her, startling her.
"M-Matsu-kun?! Why are you here?"
"We're looking for you, obviously," Eikichi appeared from Matsuya's back, bringing with him the pastels and sketchbook belonged to her and returned it.
"My sketchbook! Eh? Mishina-san? What are you doing here with Matsu-kun?"
"Right? It's an amazing coincidence! To think you met with Uncle Eikichi!" Matsuya said in amazement before being interrupted by Eikichi.
"Mia-chan, don't do that anymore. Please. Do you have any idea how worried I am to see you suddenly disappeared like that?"
"I did? I'm sorry, I don't remember walking to this place. I don't remember a lot of things. Thank you for returning this to me, but I want to watch the sea for now."
"Are you still… waiting for your guardian? Eikichi told me," Lisa intercepted their conversation, "Since you're a friend of Matsuya-kun, we wouldn't mind waiting next to you."
"Uh, Lisa?" Eikichi requested, "Can you do me a favor by watching over this girl? You know… the concert?"
"Fine. Just go," Lisa said in irritation, but smiled when she observed Mia, "I guessed I'll accompany you until then."
"Thanks, Lisa. Mia-chan," Eikichi turned to Mia, "If you're still here when I come back, I'll treat you to a dinner. Okay?"
He dashed away, leaving the three alone.
"I don't need it…" Mia murmured, but loud enough to be heard by Lisa and Matsuya, "My guardian will give me food from outside. He will get angry if I take any food from strangers."
"But you're not a stranger to Matsuya-kun. Your guardian can't be that angry."
"But he will. He's very strict. I need to back at 7 or he will get angry."
"Is he rarely at home?"
"Yes. He left in the morning, then came back at night."
"Then he won't go to your play, then?"
Mia focused her eyes on Lisa with raised eyebrows.
"I told her about our play," Matsuya added. Mia nodded.
"My guardian, he said he'll think about it. But I'm sure he won't come. I was never here for anyone else."
"T-That's not true!" Matsuya jumped to the seat next to her and stared intensely on her face, "Don't worry, I'm sure your guardian will come to watch you!"
"Is that really true? Will your parents come then?"
"T-That…" He paused, unsure the answer when he was reminded of his family's situation. However, he shoved it aside and chose to be positive, "Don't worry, I'm sure they will come. I-I'll support you too from backstage, okay?"
"Matsuya-kun," Lisa responded to his statement with mixed emotions. Mia didn't smile, yet she bowed slightly, expressing her gratitude.
"Thank you, Matsu-kun… Uh!"
"?" Lisa and Matsuya were alerted of her sudden cry as she shut her ears.
"Mia-chan, what's wrong- Mia-chan?!"
"It happened again! The voice, it's whispering again!" Mia cried, "So many… blood… so many red butterflies… so many scary monsters! Take me back, take me back!"
"M-Mia-chan? What's wrong?" Matsuya asked in a panic, seeing as she was violently rattling in her seat. Lisa, too, was shaken by her unnatural behavior.
"It's scary… that whisper is scary… It's very close! I'm scared… Just take me back! I want to go home!"
And she lost consciousness, just as the sun started to set. A childlike Matsuya couldn't contain his horror that befell his friend.
"Mia-chan!"
Maya Amano
Late Evening – Yumezaki
"Chikarin please, pick up the phone…"
Maya mused with the phone in her hand as she journeyed through the streets, searching around for the rumormonger Chika Ueda, aka "Chikarin" after failed to find her at her usual spot. She realized she was running out of time as the assassin will approach Chikarin and finish her.
It was then she received messages from Todoroki:
"If you're looking for Chikarin, she's heading towards Narumi Ward with a subway train. Try looking for her at the train station. Ulala will be there soon."
"Did he… knew?" Maya thought, "Tammy must have informed him and Ulala. I better get to the subway station fast."
Despite that, was she too late?
When she reached the subway station, it seemed police had blocked the entrance, preventing further path. Something had happened in the subway station, and she needed to get in.
But luckily, she saw a familiar face among the police, but it was a face so bitter it taunted her the fate of Chikarin. The false image of Chikarin laying on the pool of blood motionless appeared in her mind.
"Shiori-san, It's me! Tell me what happened!" Maya said as she hurriedly approached her. It was clear that Shiori, still positioning her units among the entrance, wasn't expecting Maya, who should be at home, was among the crowds swarming around the station.
"Mrs. Suou?! You shouldn't be here, it's not safe. The police are taking over this place."
"I need to see someone! She should be inside! Or was I too late?"
"Too late? No, we're…" Shiori leaned closer to Maya and whispered, "There's a shadow that is escaping through the sewer and possibly will reach subway monorail. Nobody was killed. May I ask who are you referring to?"
"Chika Ueda, an indie journalist! Please check if she's on the station because someone is after her life! Two rumormongers had been attacked!"
"Assassins?" Shiori raised her eyebrows before her hand reached for her lips, analyzing something.
"Did the assassinations was planned because they knew we would be too occupied with our raids today? Are we being played around…?"
"There's a raid?" Maya said, but it was left unheard by the focused Shiori.
"Very well. We will search and protect her. She's one of the rumormongers with blue hair, correct? I'm sure your husband knows her."
"…Shiori-san, is my husband inside? I called him, but he didn't answer."
"…That's confidential, even to you."
"If he's here, then I apologize, but I cannot be away from him. I can't just stand by and wait."
"Mrs. Suou," Shiori decided a firmer approach, "Your husband insisted on it. I will definitely not put you in any harm that may distress your husband. Have some faith in us and the Suou Devils."
Shiori left the place without waiting for her response and disappeared into the crowds. Maya could only stare, conflicted between her faith in her husband and the anxiety dancing in her heart.
Tatsuya Suou
Late Evening – Subway Station, Yumezaki
The commotion in the subway tunnel was extremely intense, as most people were supposed to be on their way home, yet were forced to hold in place by the police forces. The resistance was clear when a few adults were arguing with the police, demanding reasons for forcing the onboard passengers to exit the stationed subway.
Yet they all stood silent when the Suou Devils walked by towards the control room. Beneath the stiff façade, however, Tatsuya was suppressing his pain in his head, clenching his lighter tightly in his palm as the daemonic voice constantly subduing his mentality.
"Halt all subway schedules right this moment! Do not let any subway leave this ward!"
Katsuya stomped into the control room occupied by three managers in charge. They were clearly terrified by the sudden outburst, but Katsuya never held back his strong lash on them.
"Call the HQ, I want this ward under my force! I said now!"
While he watched his brother contacting the HQ, Shiori entered the room and approached Tatsuya.
"Your wife is here. You probably shut off your phone when she called earlier."
"…What? What is she doing here?"
"The rumormongers were attacked around the city. We fell into another trap, Tatsuya. The rumormongers were their objective. The last one, Chika Ueda, is on her way to Narumi Ward from this station. I don't know how your wife got herself into this, but she was the one who gave this information. We got to find her and catch the assassin!"
"…I see, but I know Chikarin when I see her. She stands out among people. Yet I don't see her on the station when I examined around. Perhaps-"
"Tatsuya, listen!" Katsuya's voice interrupted their short conversation, "There's a subway, No. 40, already on their way to Narumi Ward. We managed to reach the driver in charge, but it looks like we have to walk through the monorail."
"There, she might be in that subway. Let's move," Tatsuya ordered, "She might hold a clue about Limbo Recall."
Late Evening – Subway No. 40, 106 meters from Yumezaki subway station
"What is going on?" Chika "Chikarin" Ueda, the rumormonger of Yumezaki Ward, sighed heavily as she glanced at the front of the subway who suddenly paused and announced that they have encountered a problem. She was impatient, knowing that in her hand was a crucial information regarding the rumors of the city, which clue she happened to come across from one of her friends. Todoroki-san must have been waiting rather restlessly for her at Narumi Ward.
"Hehe, I win…" But Chikarin smiled, knowing that she had surpassed both Chunky and Tamaki in getting the clue for the mysterious rumors. Regaining her excitement, she hid her smirk as she hung her hand on the strap handle, seeing as the seats were packed with employees waiting to return home.
She reviewed the notes she collected from her friend, who is said to be one of the first to spread the mysterious rumors.
"Hmmm… I still don't get it, but… what do they mean by 'whisperer'?"
She was unaware of a single man, from the back of the train, was patiently approaching her from a visible distance. In his wrist was a pocket knife, but lethal enough to cut down the throat.
Luckily, Chikarin's life was saved by a call.
"Hello, Todoroki-san? I know, I know. I'm stuck in a subway right now. But I have the information that you wanted, so…"
"Chikarin, listen. That information is highly private and valuable. Someone might come after you, so you need to watch your back. You said you're in a subway? Make sure you're not followed."
Todoroki hung up the call. Chikarin, despite having little knowledge of the situation, decided to check her surrounding area.
Then, an earthquake struck the train.
Tatsuya Suou
Underground monorail, Yumezaki Ward
"AAAAHHH!"
Tatsuya and the rest of his team were trailing down the monorail in the dark, guided only by flashlight. But the screams from distant made the environment much eerier than before. The atmosphere now certainly gave them the goosebumps, thus they hurried their steps.
"There, I see it!" Shiori shouted, pointing to the small light ahead of them, "It's them, it's-"
"Stop!" Katsuya froze their tracks, sensing something dark ahead. Their eyes were focused on the subway that they were unaware of Tatsuya's sudden pain.
He couldn't bear it. The whisper inside him was now so mysteriously sounded that it seemed no human possess the power to hear the insanely high frequency that should have deafened any human in seconds.
"Everyone, aimed for the roof of that train!"
He heard Katsuya's voice and followed the trail of all the lights to the roof of that subway train. He realized he couldn't stay down when he saw the enemy had appeared before them.
"Whisper… whisper! IT HURTS ME!"
The monstrous creature with female voice revealed herself.
Cthylla
Known as: The Secret One
Arcana: Tower
A Great Old One herself, she is the youngest spouse of Cthulhu and Idh-yaa. She is prophesied to give birth to reincarnated Cthulhu should Cthulhu somehow die in the future. As such, she was heavily guarded and kept a secret by Deep Ones and Yuggya.
Octopus-like tentacles spreading frizzly on her face, while she was given an extra 2 pair of eyes preying each member of the police. Her size was twice the average adult, with limbs stretching long across the roof of the subway train. On her back was a pair of greyish wings that could take flight anytime. There was nothing left of Chizuru, all that's left is a white-skinned monster waiting to be taken down.
"FIRE!" Katsuya screamed.
Hordes of bullets that were aimed at her were all deflected like a rubber. Taunted, she jumped from the roof, preparing to wipe out the force.
"Shiori, inform the team to rescue the passengers on the subway. Let me and Tatsuya handle this," Katsuya ordered, sensing the face of Great Old One was closing in.
"Affirmative. Squad!" Shiori gave her order than spread the team. While Cthylla was distracted by the Suou brother's presence, the rest were stealthily leaning against the wall of the tunnel and approached the subway.
"Let's go, Tatsuya," Katsuya said, sheathing his gun and prepared his persona.
"Yes, let's go!" Tatsuya clenched his fist.
"Hyperion!"
"Apollo-"
"You… you… you… you… you… you… you…"
"Urgh!" Tatsuya dropped to his knee over the pain in his head. The voice in his head was no longer bearable. It seemed to have reached the peak.
"Tatsuya?! What happened?!" Katsuya asked, seeing as Cthylla had begun to increase her speed and rushed towards them. The Apollo above him mimicked his action as he groaned in pain.
"Katsuya, stay back! Don't come near me!" Tatsuya begged, realizing that he began to lost his vision.
And he returned.
He returned to the dark space, where his unconsciousness envisioned the red butterflies surrounding his numb mind. The red butterflies around him began to enlarge and increased in number.
He then saw a huge yellow orb in front of him, neither hot or cold, seemly motionless in front of him. The swamp of red butterflies was swamping around the orb.
"you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you… you…"
He felt an insanely powerful force pulling him away from the orb. It was then, he realized the yellow orb…
…was the eye of a colossal red silhouette, gazing at him sharply like a blade to his chest.
"YOU ARE MINE, MY DESTROYER."
"AAAAHHHH!"
The Apollo above him was torn apart by a dark unnamable shape, and it was Apollo that he knew no more.
A/N: Sorry for the late update. Finally, the voice of Azathoth reached its maximum point. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The 'ghost girl' Mia Kaneda, the fate of Tatsuya, and Chizuru Ishigami's return will bring greater mystery as well as answers. The three rumormongers above are the rumormongers from the original P2 duology, so you might not recognize some of them, or even Daisuke Todoroki if you haven't played it.
Cthylla technically wasn't created by H.P. Lovecraft himself, but by another horror writer named Brian Lumley, who invented a lot of Great Old Ones for Cthulhu mythology. Chizuru Ishigami was a member of the New World Order, who romantically interested in Takahisa Kandori and was supposed to die alongside him at Undersea Ruins. Why is she back just like Kandori? And what will happen to Tatsuya?
Please wait for the slow update.