War Arc:
Chapter 47: Caught in Beast's Fang
Rainy – Night – 26/11/2018(Monday) - Suou Residence, Sumaru City
(4 days before War's arrival)
Although vague, Matsuya could hear his father's voice, almost like a scream, from the outside. Truth to be told, he wasn't sure of the proper action to put a distance, no matter how small, between himself and his parents. In truth, he hated himself for not receiving any goodnight kiss from his mother.
But he had to distance himself. He had to make sure his mother won't be hurt as much as she was from losing him. He had to find a way to reach Lisa and tell her of the sudden change of schedule for his play. He hoped that his father and mother won't find out about it until that day, and he knew they won't be busy enough to find out.
However, from his mother's reaction earlier, it appeared that she mentioned nothing of the play. While it seemed to relieve him, his mother's expression was extremely bothering him.
Almost like a disappointment.
Like answering his question, his father opened the door to his room, and Matsuya, despite merely peeking, couldn't contain his shock.
The light from the living room was dim. Yet, he could see clearly the blood mark on his wrist shirt.
"Matsuya, wake up! I need you to watch over the house!"
"D-Daddy? What's wrong?"
"You didn't notice?!"
His father's scream made him trembled in confusion. There was anger, sadness, and dissatisfaction in his eyes like an eye of a would-be murderer. However, that glow faded completely seconds later.
"Sorry…" He said with low tone, "Your mother, she… she had an accident in the bathroom. I'm taking her to the hospital for a while..."
"O-Oh…"
His father probably ignored that last respond as he immediately rushed out of the room and closed the door. He heard the sound of his father's bike's engine being revved outside.
Then, there was silence.
He still didn't understand the situation.
As he pulled opened the door, he saw a trail of blood, bandage, and some used tissues scattered all over the hall. The blood wasn't much, but it appeared like a pool in the eyes of a boy. He found his footing slowly weakened.
He didn't understand.
What happened?
What happened to his mother?
Was it his fault?
Was it because he refused to kiss her goodnight?
Was it because he ignored her?
Or, was it because she knew?
"Aaaaa…" He wanted to scream out his frustration but failed. His eyes turned to the phone. The one chance he could get is now. Yet, here he hesitated over the vision of his helpless mother. He memorized Lisa's phone number before, but it all seemed foggy now.
He put a few distances away from the phone and decided to survey the house to know the occurrence that took place. He followed the trail of blood until he finally reached the source of the blood.
There was a trace of blood on the sink. He refused to enter at first but do so when he saw something in front of the mirror. It was a razor blade. Did his mother injure herself with it? Why would she need it in the first place?
Matsuya wasn't tall enough to see the entirety of the sink. He picked a small chair and stacked himself on it to have a better view. The blood on it was still moist, meaning that it's recent. But there's one more thing that caught his attention.
A photo.
Or to be exact, it's a photo he swore he had seen before. A photo of four high school students side by side-
Wait, he did remember.
Wasn't that the photo of his father that he found in Lisa's house?
He flipped the photo and saw the absence of the notes made by aunt Lisa. This must be the belonging of his father, or perhaps his mother? Yet, there was no presence of his mother in the photo…
It's best to keep away from those things, for now. His father always warned him not to mess with the crime scene whenever he encountered one. He wasn't sure how long his father's been gone, but he knew he shouldn't delay the call to Aunt Lisa. It took him a while to find the courage to use the house phone.
"H-Hello, Aunt Lisa? I need to tell you something. Can you help me?"
Silently, someone was watching him from the outside of the house. Amidst the rain, the figure stood, watching Matsuya's every motion. The figure in heavy robe took out something from inside his robe. Walking to the mailbox, he slipped a paper into it.
"T-Thanks, Aunt Lisa. I… I hope you'll come."
Feeling a huge sense of relief, he was ready to drop the phone. This was it. There's no going back now. He made this decision believing it not a child's choice, but a son's sacrifice. There won't be an apology anymore.
But the conversation continued.
"What, you want to take me for a drink?"
Tatsuya Suou
Night – Nanjo's Memorial hospital
He couldn't sit still, walking in a circle in front of the room. The cap on the lighter in his hand had been repeatedly flipped open, worrying the nurse who was walking by. But Tatsuya didn't care.
He immediately turned to the sound of the door when the doctor exited the room.
"Doctor, how is she-"
"She's fine. It did not cut her artery, but we still need to treat her injuries."
Tatsuya was relieved to hear it, but the doctor wasn't done.
"Still, she seemed to be under a lot of pressure lately. Her depression was not severe, but it might spike suddenly soon enough."
"Depression?"
"Yes. For now, keep her away from her work, or anything that might stress her out. I'll give some medicine for now."
After thanking the doctor, Tatsuya rushed into the ward and saw Maya, almost lifeless, was staring out at the window, where rain became heavier as the night fell. But the moment she saw Tatsuya, she exposed a terrible attempt of smiling.
"Oh, Tatsuya! Sorry! I was-"
"Enough!"
Tatsuya's scream towards Maya's words made her sand back to her pillow in shock. Tatsuya, with careful force, pull her hand.
"This… is not working…"
Tatsuya said in a tone that was borderline anger.
"Those fake smile, it won't fool anyone anymore. You are not helping, and I don't know how to help you if you keep it to yourself. I cannot help you if you act like this!"
Maya could only stare at her husband speechlessly.
"Maya, I'm tired… I'm really tired. I don't know how to save you. I don't know how to convince you that I'll be by your side… But, this is not the solution!"
His grip on Maya became tight.
"Maya, I'm begging you… Don't do this. Don't do this to me, to our son, to yourself…"
Tatsuya was close to tears, but he held it in to make sure his determination wouldn't fall apart. What was uttered from his mouth was the conflict he was struggling to face for the past few days. He couldn't endure what's in his mind anymore.
As if sensing his feelings, Maya, who appeared stunned at first, suddenly burst into tears. Her weep was rather loud, thus Tatsuya did what he believed was right when he allowed her to rest her face into his chest.
"I'm scared, I'm so scared… I don't know what to do. I don't know why, but I'm really scared to go… I don't want to go, I don't want to leave…"
"There, there…"
Tatsuya stroked her uncombed hair and assuring her those empty words. He wasn't sure what else needed to be said, or if there's any need to say at all. Maya looked too fragile currently. Anymore she will fell apart.
There must be something he can do.
But for now, Tatsuya excused himself and left the room to call his son, seeing as he was harsh on the boy when he was in a hurry.
But then, he realized that his phone was dead.
Rainy - Night – Koukai Ward
Compared to his brother, Katsuya was actually better at controlling his temper. Being the elder, he found it logical to be rational in every situation in order to make a perfect deduction in any situation.
And yet, he couldn't care to hold his temper as he was on his way to the crime scene, not when he received such outrageous report from Shiori.
Let's rewind back to an hour earlier…
Katsuya lost count how many times he circled the Koukai Ward. It's been 2 hours since he arrived here. He was not out of breath, but rather disappointed that he failed to decrypt the riddle.
"X shape…" Katsuya muttered again as he made his way to the office of the managing department of the ward. Since the ward was fairly new in a sense, a separate office was built on the east side of the ward. Here was the last option he had, for he knew there was no point in wandering outside the rain any longer.
First of all, Katsuya went to those who were part of the project in building the ward 10 years ago. There should be some hint in the structure of the ward that will give clue for 'blue stone', despite being renowned as 'red sea' ward.
The officers greeted him with respect, offering every ounce of help they could give. Unfortunately, he was forced to pause at meeting one of the main planner and contributor for the Koukai Ward, the most knowledgeable in correcting any flaw in the construction. His meeting with the planner was postponed to at least tomorrow since the person is outstation.
But that's not the problem that sparked his anger. When he received the call from Shiori afterward, he expected another case of corrupted cults of Mayan. Instead, a few names mentioned by her turned Katsuya away from his current objective and rushed to the scene.
Rengedai
The number of the officer was as minimal as possible, just as he intended. Turning into the corner of the dark alley, he immediately saw Shiori by the broken down abandoned stall.
Marks of a brutal fight were clearly seen here, but it was clearly one-sided, for the injuries on the victim was atrociously severe to be called an equal fight. If it was a normal citizen, he would not be surprised. But the victim should be experienced enough to defend himself. He should be if he's a member of the elite force.
Next to Shiori was the woman who sparked his rage. She only noticed his presence when Shiori faced him and bowed. The woman was silent. No, she must be silent, after everything he said to her this morning.
Upon sight, Katsuya wasted no time to speak his mind.
"Mitsuru Kirijo."
"Chief Suou, listen, I can explain-"
"I specifically told you not to involve yourself in my case, but your arrogance is a nuisance! Not even a day, and you made a mess in this place!"
Mitsuru Kirijo, the woman standing in front of him, remained silent to spare a moment for him to speak. Dressed in thick dark clothes for disguise and under the dark color umbrella, it was clear that she was not native to this city. According to report, she arrived at Sumaru City today's late evening, along with three others: Junpei Iori, Akihiko Sanada, Koromaru, a pet that can use a persona, and lastly Aigis.
He was glad that only a certain, trusted few were present for the case, thanks to Shiori's keen management in handling the cases. Still, this case was not a case that can be fined or sentenced with papers and pen. The Kirijo is no ordinary.
"I do not wish to trouble you, but I understand that what happened is my responsibility."
"…We cannot send him to hospital. Records will show. We have a spy that monitor us from unknown. I believe you understand that as well?"
"But is it not a possibility that he was attacked because he already found us?"
"I'm not talking about our enemies. I'm talking about the entire city," Katsuya leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "I'm not supposed to tell you this confidential secret, but every political power in this city is in their hand. This conflict is severe, especially involving the Kirijo Group."
"…Very well, I believe I owe you more than apologies. I swear upon my name, I will avoid troubling you. But please, is there some way for him?"
"…Let me have a look at him."
Katsuya shifted his attention and walked towards the victim of the case.
Junpei Iori, who he remembered from the Island as a hyperactive man wearing a baseball cap, was now laying on the ground, struggling to stay conscious. His body was horribly beaten, swollen redness all over his skin, and a scar on his neck like a sign of choking. Even at this state, he refused to release the broken bat in his hand, and only untangled his fingers when Katsuya forcefully removed it.
"Hey, don't take it off…" Junpei said weakly, "I can still kick your *ss…"
"It's over, Iori-san. No use playing hero," Katsuya said, checking his arms and searching for any cuts on his body, "Hmmm… The suspect is clearly physically strong enough to attack unarmed. Skilled, too, maybe taichi or judo? Ah, this person wore brass knuckle. Fairly tall, judged by the position of the punch, but gloved to prevent any thumbprint… A man, or a woman? Old, or young?"
"Hey, who're… you?" Junpei asked, "Sh*t, you look familiar..."
"Alright, I've seen enough for now," Katsuya concluded before turning to the Kirijo, "The best I can do is contacting one of my connection. Perhaps she can offer some help. But I will not promise everything."
"I owned you," Mitsuru gestured a slight bow in gratitude, but Katsuya wasn't bothered to listen.
"If you want to repay me, then leave this city as soon as possible. Your business can't be worth this much," Katsuya insisted.
"Actually, it does," Mitsuru corrected him, "But I believe we have more important matter."
He believed it's best if he avoided the phone call to search for her. He knew she should still be awake at her clinic at the moment after he glanced at the watch. With a small transport, He and Mitsuru brought Junpei to the clinic, hoping to find some medicine or bandage to suppress the wounds.
It was his most unfortunate day.
Maki's clinic was shut close.
Night – Kirishima's Residence
(an hour earlier)
Maki Sonomura still wasn't sure why Eriko out of all people came to her in the middle of the night. It appeared urgent, following Eriko's action without explaining anything to her. She was also extremely secretive about her patient, claiming that it needed to be 'personal'.
"You looked like you're barely sleeping," Maki deduced, "Avoiding sleep for your research again?"
"You know me too well," Eriko replied while handling her steering wheel through the night rain. She appeared exhausted, barely staring at the road that Maki had to worry about her driving.
"Whore of Babylon," Eriko finally said, "That's the name of one of the four villains in the Book of Revelation. The name coincided too well with Babylon, the mysterious leader of a hidden cult in this city. Babylon technically wasn't a name. But a whore? We might be getting some clue here."
"You're saying… Babylon was one of them?"
"Might or might not."
"But your real theory is that it's a woman?"
"A possibility. Most importantly, this cult is much more powerful than we assumed. Moreover, He, or she, have eyes anywhere. If the Revelation had this guy in their hand, they can literally play us like a pawn."
"How do you know this Babylon had eyes everywhere?"
Eriko remained silent as if trying to suppress her sudden panic.
"Because someone is following us, even though I made sure not to be seen."
Maki, in quick reflex, reach for the front mirror and examined. A black car, not luxurious enough to stand out, was following their car.
"You're saying, they are…"
"Started to follow us since you came out of the clinic. That was too quick. How did they find us so soon?"
"I was being monitored?!" Maki said in shock.
"Possibly. So, there's another possibility. Either Babylon is nearly omniscient, or there's a traitor in our side or both."
Eriko speeded up the pedal and entered the dark alley before parking her car in a small basement. The car passed through them, where Maki could see a few men in black in the car.
"Or…" Eriko paused, "Or they're looking for him."
"Who?"
"Forget what I said. We need to reach my residence quickly. Have you brought everything I asked?"
"I can't bring everything if I don't know the condition of this patient. I only brought the first aid kit."
"That should be plenty, for now."
After avoiding the main road for a while, Eriko managed to reach her residence. She examined her surrounding before entering the house, bringing along Maki with her. Of course, to call her to her friend's house to treat an unknown stranger, this patient must be worth that much, she thought.
The moment she entered the house and watched carefully the strange figure sitting on the dining table, all her questions were answered. She knew the patient too well.
"Naoya?!"
Maki half screamed, which forced Eriko to shush her voice.
Naoya Toudou
"Hey, Maki. Took you too long…"
On closer look, Maki finally saw the countless wound, bullet shots, reddish spot on the entire of his body. He looked as if he was taking a break from the run of his life. His eyes were red, face's pale, and dry lips, proving the extreme exhaustion.
"He was waiting for me when I return home from work. Sneak into my house like that, I almost call the cops."
Eriko eyed Naoya sharp as she rested her hand on her waist. Naoya merely snickered at those words.
"Well, I had no one else to turn to…" Naoya responded, clutching his head gently, for it seemed the small blanket wasn't enough to stop the bleeding on his head.
After analyzing the situation, Maki immediately open her medical kits and treated Naoya. It was no ordinary wound.
"What happened to you?"
"What? Don't you watch TV? I had to run like… hours, and hours, and hours. Some idiots throwing stones, bringing pipe like some hooligans. Hell, cops were shooting at me with a gun! Didn't Takaya said to capture me alive- Urgh! Watch it!"
The bleeding at his leg worsened after Maki forced open the trouser with a small scissor.
"Eriko, go get some water for me," Maki ordered.
"Yes!"
The moment Eriko left, Naoya had already sensed that Maki did it on purpose to have some alone time for them. Maki's eyes were careful to avoid making eye contact with him.
"I've seen it; inside the coffin."
"…Obviously."
"…Shouldn't you tell her by now?"
"You know I can't do that."
He knew exactly what she was referring to.
"The longer you keep it from her, the more confuse she will be."
"I'll bear the responsibility."
Naoya felt as if his bandage was forcefully tightened as Maki replied.
"She really loves you, you know that?"
"…"
"Here! Where do I put it?"
Eriko's sudden interruption halted their conversation.
"This should be enough. And, Naoya, do you know someone just followed us with a car?"
"Common, isn't? Just so happened that everyone in this city can trace my every movement ever since I stepped into this place. Feels like I'm in a spy movie or something."
"Or it could be them?" Eriko interrupted.
"Nyarla's goon? That will be the worst-case scenario."
"Perhaps they haven't seen us yet- Wait, Naoya, where are you going?"
"You know I can't stay here," Naoya rose up from his seat and reached for his phone and purse by his side, but his hand was stopped by Eriko.
"Eriko, they'll find you."
"Surely, how bad can one-night stay be?"
"Eriko's right, getting yourself caught by them is a disadvantage for us."
"This is risky."
"I'm willing to risk it."
Seeing Eriko's strong determination and Maki's opposition, Naoya finally break into a small laugh and gave up.
"Still, I'm sleeping on the couch, am I?"
"Of course, so don't try to do anything stupid tonight just because we're alone."
"What kind of man do you think I am? I'll never steal your food."
Night – Peace Dinner, Aoba
Despite being invited, it wasn't easy for Matsuya to simply accept the invitation from her. Even though she watched over him a lot since he was young, that did not make it easier.
"What's wrong, Matsuya-kun? Don't you like it?"
Aunt Lisa, gowned in a simple dress, asked from across the chair when she saw the drink untouched.
"No, it's not like that. Daddy will be mad if he knows I'm outside."
"But a child all alone in a house is dangerous, isn't it?"
"B-But daddy told me to watch over the house."
"He's actually told you to watch over yourself while he's busy with your mom. Do you know actually what happened?"
Matsuya shook his head.
"But you take care of yourself, not to be a burden to them. That's an independent boy."
Aunt Lisa patted his head, forcing him to hide his blush face from her.
"A-Aunt Lisa was the one taking care of me, so I'm not really independent."
"Nonsense! You did well, Matsuya-kun. So, did you tell them about the theater?"
Matsuya shook his head, albeit slowly.
"Good boy! Your mother had it rough, so it's time for you to solve this problem- I mean, we can solve this problem ourselves. Nobody can suspect that the date has been changed."
"What if they find out?"
"Don't worry! They won't. They're too busy enough on their own. Shouldn't it be our turn to handle this on our own?"
"O-Oh," Matsuya nodded quietly, "I'm sure… they'll be happy if I become more independent…"
"*chuckle* Don't worry," Lisa pitched his cheek softly, "Whatever happened, aunt Lisa is here for you."
"Yeah," Matsuya smiled before it temporally faded, "Aunt Lisa?"
"Yes, Chinyan~?"
"If…" Matsuya swallowed his words, finding it difficult to utter those thoughts in his mind. After aunt Lisa gazed at him profoundly, He finally said it.
"If I run away from home, will you be my new mummy?"
…
The many presences of customers inside the restaurant didn't break the momentary silence he felt when he said it. He lowered his head, not wanting to see her expression. He was afraid, wondering if he overstepped his comfort zone with his time with her. It was a risky demand.
"One condition."
He raised his head to see Lisa revealed an index finger to him. Her expression was difficult to explain. It seemed to be a mix of joy, anger, and… loving?
"If you want me to take you, then you'll need a new daddy too."
"Huh?"
"You heard me, a family need both parents, right? So, I can't have you alone."
"I-I guess…? Then, when will you get married?"
"Pffff!" Lisa suppressed her desire to laugh when she heard it, "Oh, Matsuya-kun! How innocent are you? Alright, I'm sorry. Forget what I said before. I guess the best answer would be: If you run away from home, I'll take care of you until you decide what you want to do."
In a way, that was the most reassuring answer he needed at the time like this. Lisa seemed happy without the slightest hint of anger at his request. It was reassuring to know there's someone who was willing to lend out their hands to him.
"But, if you want to call me 'Mama Lisa', I'm okay with it."
"Umu…" Matsuya hid his reddened face. When she decided to say it herself, it became embarrassing beyond words.
"I… I think I pass. And…"
"Another question?"
"Y-Yes," Matsuya shyly replied, but now that he had come this far, this is the best time to satisfy his curiosity. Lisa was already waiting for his question.
"That day, when I was at your house, I found a picture. It's a picture of you, and daddy, and uncle Eikichi, and Jun-sensei."
Lisa's face drastically changed.
"Where did you find it?"
"I-In the storeroom."
"…I see… You found that old picture…"
"You're really… close with daddy and the two of them. Was-" He paused, realizing that it was not wise to mention anything about seeing that photo in the toilet after his mother's curious condition.
"I mean, it seemed important…"
Lisa's face temporarily lost its color, as if remembering something unpleasant.
"It is the last memento of our high school. When you graduated, sweetie, friends you met in school won't always have time for you, just as you for them. Contacts through the phone are fine, but to be side by side with them are the best moment."
It was a logical answer, but why would his mother hold this in her house?
"I saw everyone in that picture, but was mommy there?"
"NO!"
All of a sudden, Lisa rose from her seat and screamed, shocked Matsuya till his heart skipped a beat. The customers around them stared for a moment before turning their eyes away. The glare on Lisa's eyes was terrifying. She seemed like a different person when she screamed a while ago.
Seeing Matsuya's scared face, Lisa calmed down and put on her gentle face, but lacked the smile.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scold you. I'm sorry, okay?"
She reached out her hand and rested on Matsuya's hand on the table. Matsuya still failed to see the reason for her sudden outburst but was sensible enough to know that question was too sensitive for her.
"I-I'm sorry too. I won't ask again."
"I guess that's for the best… Oh, was that?"
"Hmm…?" For a moment, he thought aunt Lisa was referring to him until he followed her gaze towards his back. Curious, He turned around and saw someone familiar.
On the counter, ordering some meals for takeaway, was a woman he had seen with his father before, yet he failed to remember the name. She appeared awfully on guard as she checked her surrounding a few times. It was only after a while that she noticed them at the table near the window.
"Ara, Miss Silverman?"
"Miyashiro-san? Packing for night shift?"
"No, not for me actually," Shiori answered before turning to him, "Oh, Matsu-kun? What are you doing here?"
It took them a few minutes to retell the story of what transpired at Matsuya's house. Shiori clearly half-believed the story.
"Maybe it's best if I don't inform Katsuya-san about this. He caught up in an unpredictable situation. I hope you will keep this a secret from him. Though, where is Tatsuya right now?"
"He should be at the hospital with Maya right now. But I messaged him just in case because I couldn't get through him the first time."
"So, you had to watch over Matsu-kun here?" Shiori rummaged Matsuya's hair, which he found extremely annoying as he shoved the hands away, "I guess I'll leave you at that. I'm in a hurry, actually."
"Who's the guy that needed that much food?"
Aigis
Late Night – Kirijo's hideout, Narumi
"*munch**munch*"
"Junpei, watch your manner!"
"What? Aren't you hungry, Aki-senpai? I have one here."
"Chicken burger? Are you kidding me? Beef, dammit, beef!"
"Woof!"
"Aww, see? Even Koromaru love it- Hey, Koromaru, that's mine!"
"Suou-san, I apologize for their behavior…"
"Hah… Forget it…"
"Mitsuru-san, is burger really a good healing material?"
"Aigis, don't follow their example."
Junpei gulped down the fast foods like a hungry lion while he was being treated by a secret medic at the side. Mitsuru's crew had all gather here in the secret hideout, composed only with simple furniture, small TV, and radio. When Aigis turned to Katsuya and a middle-aged woman with long hair by his side, they were observing them at the side, at the same time glancing at their watch.
"I'm afraid I cannot delay my absence from the office. You have three minutes to explain why you're here," Katsuya said with a strict tone. Mitsuru wasn't afraid, but she obeyed in respect and began to explain the importance of this man. It was her responsibility too, as Labrys' sister, to find out about this case and catch the criminal.
Mitsuru began to explain that Fuuka had found a description of a man that was completely identical to Sho Minazuki in the list of missing people. Since it was filed only a few days ago, it was logical for them to find the track while it still there.
"This is very interesting," Katsuya curved his eyebrows in deep thought. It seemed he must have heard of this case.
"I supposed you know of this case, Suou-san?"
"In a way, yes. We had to postpone the case when Takaya caused trouble for us."
"Then I'm sure it's fine if you lend this case to us and tell us any information about the suspect and those who might have an insight on this case? The one that saw him and filed the case, do you permit us to meet this person?"
"That won't be necessary."
"…I see," Mitsuru somehow expected her demand to be rejected, but Aigis couldn't let it end that way.
"Katsuya-san, please," Aigis finally stepped forward and bowed slightly, "This man harmed my sister and caused trouble for us and the other team from Inaba. All we need is a clue."
"I think you misunderstand my words, miss… Aigis, was it? What I mean is that there's no need to interrogate the one who filed this case, as there's not much to be offered, anyway."
"Forgive my objection, but I failed to understand how you seemed to trust this informant too well," Mitsuru intercepted their conversation, "Victims tend to twist the truth to ensure their own safety. Yet, you trust this person?"
"Every single word."
"I don't follow. You speak as if you're close to him, or her."
"'Her'," Katsuya finally loosened his tense expression, "It was my sister-in-law who filed this case."
"…I beg your pardon?" Mitsuru had to ask twice to confirm what she heard.
"Maya Suou. You must have heard of her; wife to my brother, one of the men of prophecy. It happened roughly around 5 in the evening two days ago. It was heavy rain, and my sister-in-law accidentally crashed into him. Yet, he strolled up and dashed away uninjured despite such damage caused to the car. We can't call it a hit and run case, yet he failed to show up to complain."
Aigis turned to Mitsuru, shocked by the coincidence they had with them. But Mitsuru hurriedly assured herself and asked.
"And you didn't find even a single lead on him?"
"I didn't know he's that important, mind you. We don't put much effort in that sort of case."
"Then, why not let us handle the case-"
"Here we go again," Katsuya voiced out his frustration, "You really don't want to give up, do you?"
"I keep my promise to let you handle Takaya's case, so allow us to have this case. I'll be careful to avoid the media."
"You make sure of that."
Katsuya coldly left the place with the rest of the police force. By the time the conversation ended, Junpei had already being treated well, although imperfectly. The middle-aged woman accompanying Katsuya walked towards Mitsuru.
"Tomorrow, have someone get the case file in the rubbish can in front of Satomi Tadashi in Rengedai ward. I'll put it there in early morning."
And they were alone at last. After traveling here through secret transport, half of the Shadow Operative was now alone for their private time.
"Now," Akihiko turned to Junpei, "When Koromaru left you at that place, who did you encounter? Junpei, despite your annoying manner that we love and accept, you're not weak. I can vouch for that. But this persona-user, to overwhelm you to this state? Was it him, Juugo?"
"I'm not sure, but I don't think he's that professor, not one bit."
"Then how did he look like? Tell us the full story, Iori," Mitsuru said.
"Koromaru was scared when he reached us," Aigis said, "What happened?"
Junpei, watching the expression on their faces, decided to start the weak introduction.
"You guys know how tired I am when we were sent straight from Port Island this evening? Well, I forget to eat for the afternoon, since Yuka-tan wouldn't stop telling me to slack off and packed my bags. So, the moment we reached the hideout and got my spare time, I had to explore; undercover, I mean…"
Evening – Lotus Plaza, Rengedai
(5 hours earlier)
"Woohoo! Sumaru City!"
Junpei shouted joyfully upon reaching the mall in Rengedai. In fact, he heard that every ward had a mall with the majority of everything you need. Just going to one mall is enough. Junpei checked his phone and rushed to enter the mall.
"Sumaru, HERE I COME-"
Kirijo's hideout
"UNDERCOVER MY *SS!"
Akihiko landed a fist in his head, interrupting his story. Junpei, groaning in pain, decided to continue.
"You don't have to hit me like that! I'm just getting started too!"
"No wonder you got attacked! You literally want to catch people's attention!"
"Junpei-san, that is a very bad move from my standpoint," Aigis agreeing to Akihiko's scold.
"Alright! I didn't shout that loud! Mitsuru, don't look at me like that! Let me finish first!"
Evening – Lotus Plaza, Rengedai
(5 hours earlier)
Junpei checked the shirt he was wearing and realized that he still wore the practice shirt he was wearing in the morning. To ensure he get the image he deserved, Junpei rounded the mall and checked for the dressing he needed for the day. Of course, undercover was his true disguise, and so he traveled for a while, selecting place he wanted to go instead of exposing himself to every shop.
It should be at least two hours before Mitsuru finally called, wanting him to start with the place with the trace of Sho Minazuki. Naturally, leads were none, but the Koromaru's nose sense might be proven useful for him.
He reached a certain stall that seemed to promote a number of paintings. However, the sketch on it was disappointingly childish and amateurish.
"Ah, interested, young man?"
The stall keeper was a man estimated to be in his 50s, clean-shaved face and wrinkled forehead. He looked extremely friendly that Junpei felt wrong to ignore him.
"It doesn't look nice," Junpei commented before realizing that he said it too loud, "W-What I mean is-"
"Ahaha, don't worry! It's common for you to say that," The stall keeper said, "Besides, I don't really want to sell these, I merely wish to see anyone who would understand the depth of these painting. Would you mind for me to take a bit of your time to explain?"
Junpei realized that he still had time and decided to tally along.
"Are these yours?" Asked Junpei who seemed clueless at first. The man laughed at his manner.
"No, it belonged to students at the school I used to teach."
"Wow! You're a teacher?"
"Retired years ago."
"Well, fine. What makes this so special?"
"First, can you believe that all these drawings were made by two complete different strangers at a different time?" The old man excitedly explained.
"What, what's that supposed to mean? Doesn't that just showing that they just finish the second half of the drawing on their own?"
"True, but! This images instead responded to those who understand the meaning behind the painting and complete the symbolism behind it."
"Meh, sounds like a social experiment."
"Well, that's IS true, considering that I follow this test from a book written by one of the best psychologists I've ever heard of. But, isn't it interesting?"
"Okay, I supposed?"
"Hah, don't worry about it! It's okay not to understand it. I had one painting that connected two people perfectly."
"How perfect is that?"
"They're married now."
Junpei finally widened his eyes and amazed by that facts.
"Do you have that painting?"
"Unfortunately, someone, who understand the beauty of the painting, brought it a long time ago."
"Damn, now I'm curious."
"What's wrong, you look like you want to connect with someone. Is there someone in your mind?"
Junpei's mind immediately flashed the images of that girl he held dear. If only he didn't bring up those words, perhaps he won't have to remember the painful memories. He remembered her sketch, her drawings, and her smile. It hurt him more than he imagined.
"Yes, but it's long gone now…" Junpei said in a lifeless tone. The old man seemed to sense his tone and wise enough to comprehend his distaste.
"Forgive me for reminding you of painful memories."
"Ah, it's okay," Junpei almost forgot his sadness when he saw the old man bowing his head to him, "Hey! You don't have to bow like that! Ah, sorry. Need my phone!"
He hurriedly reached for his phone and answered it.
"Yes, Mitsuru? What, now? Okay, okay! I'm on my way," Junpei quickly hung up his phone and greeted the old man, "Gotta go! see ya, old man! Oh, do you know how to get to… Iwato mountain?"
Near Mount Iwato
Akihiko was waiting with Koromaru near the entrance to the small mountain on their back. Junpei, seeing Akihiko observing the watch impatiently, cracked a joke.
"You sure took your time," Akihiko said.
"Yeah, had to take a stroll somewhere."
"Fine, just get started right away. Koromaru."
"Woof!"
Koromaru barked happily as he responded to his calling. Junpei seemed to disbelieve at first to the purpose of Koromaru's presence here.
"Are you sure his sense of smell is good? I mean, he's not a police dog."
"Grrrr..." Koromaru understood that and growled angrily, which made retraced his words.
"Okay, okay. If you're not sure, just summon Cerberus, they have three noses, haha..."
Akihiko and Koromaru's stares seemed to ridicule him.
"Alright, where do you want me to take him?"
"There."
Akihiko pointed at a street with T junction visible from where they're standing. Since it was evening, many cars were on their way home. But the traffic light seemed to spare a space for them to investigate the case.
"From the reports that we have read, the young man was last seen from this place, two days ago. If it didn't rain, maybe there's a trace of smell. Unfortunately, it's raining a lot, so I'm not really confident in that, but try your best."
"Dude! There are hundreds of houses here! Where am I to start?"
"Hey, you're a smart guy (sarcasm). You'll think of something. Besides, Koromaru's here. He can smell persona user from a hundred meters, can you?"
"Woof!"
"Are you this guy we're tracking is a persona user?"
"Highly possible."
"Alright. If you say so. Koromaru! Chop, chop! We got works to do!"
Kirijo's hideout
"You don't have to put that old man in your story," Akihiko sighed.
"Why not? It's interesting."
"That still doesn't explain how you got into this mess," Mitsuru said, "Were you followed? Did you notice anything interesting before that?"
"Like Akihiko said, Koromaru didn't smell anything unusual beforehand. So, it doesn't make sense that he was able to find us without we noticed it."
"The one that beat you is a persona user?" Aigis asked. Junpei, being asked by that question, chuckled lightly.
"Not just any persona user. A freaking pro. I'm not sure if any of us can take him one on one."
"Don't tell me… So it was him, Juugo?!" Akihiko asked in anger.
"Well, he wore a mask, seemed to talk like a psychologist, and crazy strong. But, he doesn't look like he's a Wild Card either, but I could be wrong."
"Did he wear any hat?"
"Uh, It's too dark. Maybe not…?"
"There's no mistaking it. It's him," Akihiko gritted his teeth, "Finally, I got the chance to meet that bastard…"
"And how do you encounter him?" Aigis asked.
"So, it's getting dark at the time..." Junpei continued.
Rengedai
"Are you sure you're in a right way?" Junpei asked the dog.
"Woof!"
"That's all you said an hour ago! Come on, let's take a break first."
Junpei grumped, seeing as he was following a dead track by Koromaru. Half an hour since he began searching, Koromaru found a suspicious trace of cotton near the side of the road. When he inspected it carefully, it seemed to be remains of a red cloth near the sewer, probably dragged by heavy rain. Koromaru found deep interest in it as if sensing a trace of something special, like a trace of a persona user.
Then, he saw a trace of curry food near it and began asking for direction to any curry shop. The majority of the first suggestions was Gatten Sushi, a restaurant owned by husband and wife, but it was closed due to the certain accident yesterday where the wife was injured.
After failing to identify the source, Junpei decided to rely on Koromaru to search for it. Unfortunately, only his sense towards persona user is superior compared to normal dog scent, the rest are mundane at best. Thus, it was hard for him to detect the right curry out of many shops in the city.
"Hah..." Junpei rested on the side of the street with Koromaru at his side. Koromaru eventually rested down and gave up his feet.
"Wuuu..."
"I know. After this, we're getting a real food for us."
"Woof!"
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Koromaru suddenly turned his eyes to a certain direction. Junpei, in response, followed his direction to the crowd of passengers passing in front of them.
"...Do you sense a persona user?"
"Woof!"
"Then let's chase after him!"
Following Koromaru's scent, they followed through the crowd, into malls, and eventually reached an alley with secluded shops along it. Then, Koromaru made another bark and searched for the torn cloth in Junpei's pocket.
"The curry traces! Is it nearby?"
"Woof! Woof!" Koromaru barked happily.
"That means we're close! Good job, boy!"
Running through the shops, Junpei followed the movement of the dog and entered deep into the maze of a dark alley. Opened shops eventually dimmed out, and soon there was not a single light ahead except for the streetlights and moonlight that seemed to be blanketed with clouds.
What stood before him and the dog was a closed ramen shop, which seemed to be for rent and unused in a long time. The windows were thick with dust, and the sign 'for rent' had long been there. There was a trace of curry on the side of the wall, which Koromaru's scent seemed to pause there.
Immediately, Junpei turned into his battle stance. He could feel it, the oddness of the situation here. The torn cloth, curry trace, all seemed to flow perfectly to lead them here. He checked around and see that the place was secluded enough to kill a person without alarming anybody.
"Sh*t, is this a trap? Koromaru?"
Suddenly, Koromaru growled heavily at one direction of the alley. His face was fierce, preparing for a bite with his fang. Junpei always cautioned as ever, avoided focusing on that direction.
There was a man.
He was fairly size, well-built, and mannered like a gentleman. He was dressed in a very dark outfit, so dark that Junpei can't reaffirm himself what type of outfit it was. Only a small street light glowing from a few feet above. The man finally exposed himself to the spotlight and was seen holding something.
Snap!
The sound of camera shutter was heard. It was a camera, branded, unlike anything he had seen so far. It seemed to be custom made, too.
"Fascinating."
The man said with eerily deep voice after he took the photo. He lowered his camera, revealing a mask of an animal, but it's unclear if it's a mask of a tiger or lion.
"Today, I caught two preys. Ah, my world was broadened again. A dog who could trace my scent is out of my expectation. Almost failed my plan."
"Whoa, there! Stay where you are! Who are you?"
"And why would I need to tell you anything?"
"Oh yeah?" Junpei patted on Koromaru's head, "Run, tell the others I'm here. I'll take care of this in the meantime."
"Woof!"
Koromaru was prepared to run to the other side of the alley until, in a flash, the man with animal mask jumped and hopped on the walls before standing in front of the dog. His movement was so fast, that he mistook him for a monkey or a grasshopper.
"Sorry, but I'm planning on erasing my trace here."
He suddenly reached out his hand into his back pocket and took out a small brass knuckle. Then, like a spell, he summoned a very familiar card floating in front of him.
It was an arcana card.
He was summoning his persona. Seeing the familiar persona summoning back in Inaba, Junpei urged Koromaru to escape.
"Koromaru, RUN!"
"Umashi-ashikabihikoji."
Equipping his brass knuckle, the stranger landed an insanely fast punch on the card.
Crash!
Junpei & Koromaru VS the Stranger with Beast Mask
"Dammit!"
Junpei screamed when a huge gust of wind pushed them backward. Koromaru too struggled to keep hold of his foot to prevent himself from being blown away. When the wind dispersed, Junpei glanced through the pressure and saw an extremely powerful figure above the stranger.
A god.
Umashi-ashikabihikoji
Arcana: ?
One of the Kotoamatsukami, the collective of first gods that came into existence in Japanese mythology during the beginning of time. As one of the five Kotoamatsukami, he represents 'Energy', one of the two deities that came after the first three gods. Like the rest of his fellow gods, Umashi-ashikabihikoji went into hiding after the creation of the world and was never mentioned again.
Clad in lightning-like properties, his armor was a figure extraordinary beyond words. The lower half of his armor was clothed in gold-yellowish cotton and painted with many old Japanese words. The upper half of his torso revealed his thick metal armor, making him appeared buff. His head was covered in a mask.
He was not an ordinary persona. Even Junpei knew it.
"Koromaru, you feel it too, don't you?" Junpei asked. A quick glance at him shown that Koromaru was trembling and unable to bark.
Junpei admitted his overconfidence in the majority of shadow fights. His auto healing skill nulled his sense of danger throughout most of the battle. Among his fellow friends in Shadow Operative, Junpei was above average at most, above Ken and Koromaru, but could never find himself reaching the level of Mitsuru and Akihiko. Still, if he had to fight against anyone who seemed stronger than him, he would not run away. That is the arrogance of Junpei Iori.
However, perhaps for the first time as a persona user, Junpei thought about running away from this man.
"Hahaha... Geez, why is it my hands so sweaty all of a sudden? Need to take a shower when I go home."
"Are you done talking to yourself?"
The powerful persona suddenly motioned his left hand towards them.
"Koromaru, listen. We can't win. The only way to win is for you to escape. I'll create an opening, so use whatever you can to run and call Mitsuru."
"Woof!"
"Good boy. Trismegistus Hermes!"
Junpei summoned his persona and lunged at the stranger. The man, however, did not budge, but merely stood motionlessly, staring at the swinging bat.
Then, something terribly weird happened.
For some reason, the bat in his hand was gone. He was flying backward. Worst of all, he was unable to see any movement at all.
"Guhhh?!"
The amount of pain at his solar plexus was so great that he felt like he was hit by a wrecking ball. The bat was lost from his hand and his persona was thrown backward as well. He didn't see any movement, yet he was sure that the stranger must have attacked him.
"Burghhhh!" Junpei vomited a portion of junk food he ate this evening along with some blood. He almost fainted but remained conscious when he heard Koromaru's bark.
He heard the sound of Koromaru summoning his persona, but immediately afterward, the weeping sound of dog was heard. He looked at his direction and saw Koromaru trying to regain his stance from the injuries.
One hit. With a mere one hit, Junpei knew that half of his strength was gone for good by the sudden attack. If not for his passive skill, Spring of Life, he would have been done for and rendered immobilize.
"That's it? How disappointing. I expect much more from the elite force of Shadow Hunter."
"Cheh! Who said I was done?" Anger boiled up inside him when he heard his mockery and forced him to stand up, "I'm just getting started! Just you and me! Agidyne!"
Hermes blasted a heavy fire attack, not towards him, but towards the holed roof of the old ramen shop. The impact sent down a few wooden boards on the stranger. Junpei took this time to jump for Koromaru.
"Koromaru, away you go!"
Like a baseball, Junpei threw the shocked Koromaru at the other side of the alley as far as he could, sending him crashing at a pile of rubbish can. Recovering himself, Koromaru made a run of his life and escape through the opposite direction.
"Go."
Like a nerve response, the stranger blasted away the woods that fell on him and chased after the dog, slipping past Junpei like a flash.
'It's like he's a beast!'
Junpei thought when he saw the insane speed of the stranger. Of course, he would never let him have his way, and so he rushed after him and tried to catch his legs.
"Your opponent is me! Torrent Shot!"
With the speed of sound, Hermes cut through his path and prepare to vertically cut the stranger, but another strange thing happened. This time, however, he was able to observe the enemy's movement.
"Volt Fall."
An attack of what seemed to be made of lightning and wind, Umashi-ashikabihikoji palmed his hands together and raised his right palm to the air, where the blade of Trismegistus came from. Then, there was an eardrum-piercing noise and deafened Junpei, along with a flash of light blinding his vision.
A thunder. That was the only conclusion he could give. A massive thunder, fastest one he had ever seen, just struck him and pinned him down. The extraordinary effect was that he was not burned, probably due to his immunity to fire, but it still paralyzed him.
"Aaaarrggh..." Junpei tried to scream in pain, but was unable to, due to being majorly weakened. He focused on his front and caught a glimpse of Koromaru being strangled alive by the persona.
"I told you... that your opponent... is... ME!"
Junpei activated his hidden passive skill, Spring of Youth, an upgraded version of Spring of Life. It was a skill he would rather avoid using since it was risky and dangerous to his body. It forced the body to heal tremendously during the battle but will cause a huge drawback after the battle end. He tried to use it the first few times, but he was wise enough to know that it required him to be in the grimmest battle to use it.
Somehow, Junpei smiled, slightly overjoyed that he was able to use this opportunity. Reaching for his bat, Junpei spammed an attack.
"Double Fang!"
"You just don't want to quit, do you?" The stranger, who was facing Koromaru at the time, immediately swung his brass knuckle and aiming it at Junpei. The persona above the stranger mimicked his move and attack.
"Force Sigil."
The blunt attack from the mighty persona landed a palm on Hermes. He blocked his arms, but the impact was so powerful that Hermes was pierced with some invisible force that passed through his block. The brass knuckle, on the other hand, swung at Junpei's head, but Junpei was lucky to dodge the attack this time, yet the damage on his persona still affected him.
"That should put you down for a moment," The stranger said as he changed a kick and landed a boot at Junpei's right knee, disengaged his footing and send Junpei kneed on the ground. Normally, this attack should be more than enough to cripple a man, that's what on the stranger's mind.
Imagine the surprise when he was trying to finish off Koromaru, Junpei caught him off-guard and locked him with sleeper hold from behind. The wound from the punch, the kick, and the absurd damage to Hermes was not shown on his face. His wounds were healed at incredibly rapid speed, that the stranger voiced his frustration.
"How are you still moving?" The Stranger asked, at the same time struggling to remove Junpei from him, "Let go, or I'll make it harder for you."
"I don't think so. Koromaru, go!"
Koromaru, hearing his scream, used all his might to stand on all four and regaining his momentum to run.
"I won't let you- What?"
When the stranger tried to send his persona after the dog, Junpei reached out to his sleeves and disturbed his aim, sending Hermes to grab on him.
"Fine… Sigil Burst!"
He activated another skill, but it seemed too sudden, seeing as Umashi-ashikabihikoji shown no sudden movement. Yet, Hermes was hit with a powerful force from somewhere, and Junpei felt the effect greatly.
"Gah! Don't you touch him!" Despite that attack, Junpei remained strong with his grip with his powerful healing skill. Finally, his grip on him loosened when he saw that Koromaru had finally left the alley and disappeared into the street.
"My perfect picture… Oh, you've done it. Umashi-ashikabihikoji: Flow Fall!"
Umashi-ashikabihikoji made a blade-shaped with his hand and sliced through Hermes mask. The pain Junpei received finally freed the stranger, with him landed a huge knee on Junpei's chin. While Junpei and Hermes were struggling to regain their stance, the stranger wasn't done.
"Tarot burst: Ace of Sword."
He felt an overwhelming attack all over his body. The effect of Spring of Youth kept his conscious for a few minutes as he received the beat down. He wasn't sure if he truly did lose conscious after the fight, for he was aware and remembered Mitsuru talking to someone, but failed to remember when the stranger left.
Kirijo's hideout
"You could have died," Mitsuru commented when Junpei concluded his story, "That was incredibly rash."
"He would have caught up afterward. Only one of us may escape."
"If Koromaru didn't find Akihiko at the street at the time, you might be crippled forever," Aigis said concernedly, which Junpei laughed it off. Koromaru howled weakly at the side in guilt, but Junpei patted on his head and praised him for his effort.
"Don't worry, I won't be getting my ass kick next time."
"Still, I have my doubt," Akihiko muttered, "Maybe I was mistaken, he can't be Juugo. He changed his emotions without his signature hats. I thought maybe he had another set of masks, but I guess I was wrong."
"That's not reassuring, isn't it? It means that there's someone else very strong out there, stalking our movement," Mitsuru said, "From now on, we need to be extra careful at whatever we go. Be on guard when using our phones. Aigis, stay close to me. Akihiko, you will get the folder from the police tomorrow. Make sure you're not followed. Koromaru's done enough, so he should rest with Junpei- What's wrong?"
"Uh, guys?" Junpei's expression turned to panic, "I can't find my phone."
"Hmm? But I'm sure we never let the police took anything-" Mitsuru widened her eyes and took out her phone, "Everyone, destroy your phone. The enemy was aiming for our location using the phone."
"What?!" Akihiko half screamed as he broke apart his small phone, "Great, just great! Not only did they basically know we're here, but now they'll find our base!"
"No. From Junpei's story, they know we're Shadow Operative, but they don't know anything beyond that," Mitsuru said, "It seemed they failed to know we're with Koromaru. This unreliable information must have been leaked from the moment we left Tatsumi Port Island. Aigis, you have something to say?"
"Mitsuru-san," Aigis interrupted, "How are we going to buy a new phone?"
Junpei laughed shortly afterward, seeing as Aigis failed to realize her question was not fit for the moment.
A/N: This is probably the longest chapter I've written so far in this story. So much to write, that I can't help cutting some parts for this chapter. This arc is going to be longer than I thought, almost as long as Persona 2 duology. Hope you enjoyed this chapter that came sooner than I had planned.
First, let's talk about that persona, Umashi-ashikabihikoji (What a long, difficult name…). He is one of the five gods of creation in Japan mythology, Kotoamatsukami. I'm sure that persona name already gives away the identity of the man with a beast mask. How low will Maya, who was once a great persona user, deal with her terrible depression? What's Matsuya going to do? What's Tatsuya going to do? How long will Mitsuru and the team be there?
Please wait for the slow update.