AN: Yes, I'm starting the new arc. And there are ideas here that I've been planning for quite some time. All I'll say about this arc is that it's going to get quite intense, moreso than what we've had before. Please read, review, follow, favourite, etc!
Arc IV: Dancing Towards Desolation
Those Knowledge Seekers must be feeling quite pleased with themselves, having won four of the Cognition Cores.
They have the power to control more than half of this city and thus prevent any of its people from embracing our path.
Fools. Their hubris will destroy them very soon. They have no idea how far ahead I have planned. Every single outcome I have prepared for. If a new outcome arises, I shall adapt. After all, that is the true power of the Wild Card.
Yet there is still doubt over the girl from Yokohama. She isn't like the others. I wonder if she knows the truth of the Theio Kosmos.
And then there is the dancer, who grows ever more suspicious. Whose side will she take?
I may have to take more drastic measures in order to achieve world reformation. Or rather, world restoration.
Chapter 36: Betrayal's Abyss
|July 3rd 2017|Kansei High School – Library|16:13 pm|
Another day of school had ended, and now everyone was in their summer uniforms. The heat and the sunshine ushered in a quieter time for the school, even if the rest of the city was still ill at ease. The theme park of Asakita was still closed, and it was doubtful it would ever reopen. No one seemed to know what caused the failure of the rides, yet even those who escaped injury had terrible nightmares afterwards.
Talk of Aramis was still in the media as well. Svante Solberg remained in hospital, and although he had regained consciousness, he had no strength to talk, or even get out of bed. Doctors couldn't explain how his health had deteriorated, and the prospect of his recovery seemed bleak. The company itself was in turmoil, facing legal action from many rivals.
At least the city hadn't experienced a new crisis, however. That was what Shintaro kept hearing during his meetings at the Golden Laguna. Although during those, he was largely silent, his mind wandering to a million other things.
Although Akari had since apologised – very profusely – Shintaro's relationship with Celestine remained a thorny issue. He had denied repeatedly that he gave her any information, and at one point during Shigeru's interrogation, he ran out of the room, crying. From that point, his courtship of Celestine was never brought up again.
Even his favourite teacher, Suzuki, was far less willing to praise him during class. She had refrained from asking him questions during lectures, and instead picked students that weren't involved with Personas or Gnosis phones. She had her own problems to deal with, however. After so many years, she had finally seen both Tetsuo and Shiro again, bringing back many unpleasant memories.
At Chieki, things were rather tense as well. Shiro had taken a leave of absence for medical reasons, and hadn't made an appearance in the Theio Kosmos for some time. Asami hadn't turned up to class for quite a while either, and there were rumours she wouldn't be coming back. Toki hadn't been able to give them any insider information, but of course, he had to tread very carefully. Nisa Liat had take precautions to deal with deserters, as they had discovered with Kaii.
Evelina and Toshiaki were back at school but hadn't appeared at any meetings. The former spend most days after school with her father, in the hope that he had recovered and could at least say her name, or at least twitch his feet. Toshiaki's family had been quiet, but no doubt Tetsuo wasn't willing to see his son return to the Theio Kosmos.
Today, there would be no meeting. Nor did Shintaro feel like meeting up with any of his fellow students. Instead, he would go to the Library and study, as hard as he could. If he could fill his mind with as much information as he could, then he wouldn't dwell on Celestine. That was his goal, anyway.
Alas, he had been working on practice Mathematics questions for quite a while, but every few seconds, Celestine came back into his mind. It didn't help that he was surrounded by books, the one thing he and her both shared. Wiping away a tear, he tried to focus, so that he could excel on the next test and regain his teacher's respect. But to no avail.
"Excuse me, but you alright?"
Shintaro gasped. A girl in the year above had just sat in front of him, with a look of concern on her face. This was none other than Manami Inoue, the smartest girl of her year – and by far the wealthiest. He recalled from Akari that she also was a skilled dancer, having performed in public for a large crowd. Not wanting to appear weak in front of such a distinguished student, Shintaro nodded, forcing a smile.
"It's just that you've been stuck on that one question for nearly half an hour. Normally, someone as clever as Nakahara would blitz through that problem and all the others."
"Oh, I guess you're right. I just have a lot on my mind, that's all." Shintaro said, turning back to his paper.
"I know that feeling," Manami said. "Everything in the city's changed since Bythos first appeared. It's bringing everybody down. They've been quiet for a little while, but to be honest, that makes me worry even more. Even Aum Shinrikyo wasn't as despicable."
If only you knew, Manami-senpai. The powers Bythos have are even worse than sarin gas.
"If only Mayor Ashikaga would do something about all of this. All of these tragedies happening in such a short space of time is too much for any city. How many more people have to die before someone puts a stop to Bythos once and for all? If only I could do something about it myself..."
"I...I think we all want that." Shintaro said, carefully selecting his words. "Bythos hide in the shadows, and they can't be touched. They don't show their faces, or leave any trace. The police can't touch them, so neither can the Mayor. We want to do something about it, we just don't know how."
"Can I be honest with you?" The blue-haired dancer asked. Shintaro nodded, curious as to what it was. "I know someone who I think might be in Bythos."
What?!
"Are you serious?"
"I don't know for sure, and I really hope I'm wrong. But he's been acting so suspicious recently, always absent during the night, and getting defensive when I ask him where he's been. He's always on edge, and he's always checking his pockets, as if to make sure something's still there. What, though, I have no idea."
A Gnosis, perhaps. But is this guy she's talking about just one of the goons? Or is he -
"I want to know if he's in Bythos or not. But I can't just ask him outright. He'll deny it and then get even more tetchy. I wish I knew what to say to him. If he really is part of Bythos, how do I get him to leave? And if he's not, what is it he's doing that he's so secretive about?"
"Have you known this guy for a long time?" Shintaro asked. "...Is he in our school?"
"Yes. He's quite famous around here. His name..." She began, lowering her voice. "...is Katashi."
Shintaro gulped. He had seen the athlete a few times, and heard many stories of his success in the track team. There was talk of him entering the Olympics in 2020, making him the first Shinshuto native to take part. His cool, aloof nature gave him a mystique that seemed to drive the girls of the school wild. Yet his attitude was sometimes abrasive. The last time Katashi had spoken to Shintaro, it was to deem him a 'geek'. This, naturally, failed to endear Yamaguchi to Shintaro.
"So the Sprint King could be part of Bythos?!" Shintaro asked.
"...It's just my thought. Still, it's hard to talk about it with anyone. I can't ask him outright. And all my friends in my year fawn over him every time he comes near them."
"Then, why ask me? What can I do?"
Manami looked straight into his eyes, and as he did, he felt a shiver down his spine.
"You've been acting strange yourself since the school year started as well, Shintaro-san. Ever since Kakusa-san transferred here, and Bythos started tearing this city apart. You keep meeting up with her, Teruya, Ito and Komatsu after school. And I've sometimes seen you outside of school with Yoshinaga-sensei's twin siblings. You're always looking around, determined not to be seen..."
She's clever. Or maybe we were just careless.
"I doubt you'd be in Bythos. You don't look the type. Maybe, just maybe, you and your friends are trying to find a way to stop them altogether. When you next meet them, please, considering looking into Katashi-kun. I just hope I'm wrong this time – oh, Kakusa!"
Shintaro looked up, and saw Kei approaching the desk. Gulping, he wondered just how much she had heard.
"Hello, Manami-senpai. I didn't know you were helping Shintaro-kun with his studies."
"Oh, that's not exactly what we were doing." The blue-haired genius said, nervous.
"We were talking about Bythos..." Shintaro said, keeping a close eye on the other students. Fortunately, none of them was listening in.
"I'm sorry, but I need to head down to the Kujou Dance School. If I'm not studying for the entrance exams, I'm working on my dance technique. Think about what I said, alright? Good luck to you both."
With that, Manami got up and left the library. For the first time in a while, it was just Shintaro and Kei together.
"Did you hear any of what we said?"
"I heard her ask you to consider looking into Katashi-senpai..." Kei said, stoically. "She's worried he's in Bythos, right?"
"Exactly. He's a massive jerk, so I wouldn't put it past him." Shintaro said, bitterly.
"You can't go just by that. There are those in Bythos who on the surface, appear to be kind souls. You should know that better than any of us..."
"...Do you have to remind me, Kei? I thought Celestine was the most wonderful woman in the world. We even spent the night together. She made me feel wanted. Like I wasn't a weirdo for liking so many books."
"I never thought you were a 'weirdo' at all, Shintaro-kun. I might not read as much as you, but I enjoyed hearing you talk about your favourite books. How much they'd inspired you. I still do. Ever since we won those two cores, it feels like you've been drifting away. That no one wants to hear what you have to say. But I still do."
Hearing this, Shintaro looked up at her, and felt more tears come to him. He put away his books and pencils, unable to study. In order to recover from Celestine's betrayal, he thought he needed to be on his own. Kohaku seemed to be the same way, reeling from Aika's true nature herself. Yet now, he was starting to see how wrong he was.
"Come, let's go somewhere, just the two of us," Kei said, looking out of the window. "It's a beautiful day, after all."
"Yes, it is. Maybe a walk would do me some good."
The two of them soon left, this time not for a 'strategy meeting', but just to relax. With the advent of Bythos, any chance of peace was worth seizing.
|Sogen Park|16:30 pm|
The park was enjoying another crisp and clear afternoon, and thus many came here to relax. Lots of people had come here after school, and thus one could see the uniforms of all the high schools in the area. Noburo, of course, was a Kansei student, and his clothes held a higher prestige than many others.
"Wow, even the Aoi Mirai students come here after school..." He said, staring at one girl's rather bright sky-blue skirt. "The 'No Future' school, huh? With the way things are turning out, maybe there's no future for even the Kansei or Chieki students.."
As he wandered to the fountain, however, he heard a dog bark. This wasn't exactly uncommon in a busy park, yet the dog was getting closer and closer. It was a black terrier with a furry coat and a small tail, wagging rapidly. Soon enough, it was up at Noburo, paws on his leg.
"Hi, there!" He said, smiling. He gave it a friendly pat, and the dog licked him in return. "So, what's your name, um..."
"Say hello to Taro!" A familiar, baritone voice said.
Noburo gasped. Walking up to him, in good spirits, was Toki – and Kaii was right behind him.
"Hey, Dad! Kaii! So this is Taro, huh? He's adorable!"
"Isn't he? He's so fast, too. Here, let me show you! Fetch, boy!"
Kaii quickly took a ball out of his pocket, and hurled it as far as he could. Immediately, Taro barked and bounded after it, and caught it after a graceful leap into the air.
"Wow! Good catch, boy!" Noburo said, eagerly. "Didn't know you guys came here!"
"First time we've taken the mutt here. He loves it – think we'll have to take him here more often." Toki said, chuckling. The dog returned to his master, and dropped the ball, eagerly awaiting for it to be thrown again.
"It's good to see you out and about again. And in the normal Kosmos, too." Noburo said, happily.
"Looks like you're doing well too," Toki said, ruffling his younger son's hair. "After Tarumi, I was worried sick about ya."
"...I can't stay sad about Teruko-chan my whole life. Especially when I have the power to protect others like her."
Not so long ago, he had attended her funeral. As much as he thought he could handle it, he spent most of it holding back tears, and when he gave the eulogy, by the end of it, he burst into tears, and had to be taken back to his seat by Shigeru.
Seeing Teruko's family wasn't easy, either. They were devastated, losing their only daughter. And they had no idea of how she died, nor would they ever know. That was a blessing, however. Witnessing her slowly die as her life was drained away was something no one would forget. Not knowing the truth was terrible, Noburo understood that much, but in this case he felt it was far preferable to what he had witnessed.
"You wanna stop here and get something to eat?" Toki asked. "My treat, of course. And your mum doesn't have to find out. I mean, you could tell her the truth, but -"
"Then she'd never let me out of her sight again." Noburo said, shuddering at the thought of that argument.
Soon, the three men were seated at a cafe, owned by a former geisha called Kamiko. While they waited for their curry to arrive, they were engaged in light-hearted banter, the kind that Noburo had come to appreciate in recent times.
"So bro, you're in the drama club at school, huh? How's that going?
"Well, now that everyone's stopped saying how sorry they are about Teruko, we're finally making progress. In fact, we're planning something for the festival. They've got me playing Hamlet..."
"Now that role is in your blood, my boy. People used to say my acting was hammy!" Toki said, grinning. The three chuckled, and in that moment, it was as if there were no Shadows, or another realm beyond their reach. They were just a family having a good time.
I never knew having a brother would be so much fun. And meeting my real dad would turn out this way, too. Having such a cute little dog there helps too. Which reminds me, I wonder if Akari's walking her Akiko today? She'll probably be with Suzu again.
"I think I can pull this off. I've read this play many times. Shintaro-senpai says it's one of his favourites. Although we haven't hung out for a little while."
"...He okay?" Toki asked. "Kaii told me about...her."
"You mean you didn't know about Celestine?" Noburo asked.
"Nope, not me." Toki said, shaking his head. "Not that she liked me much to begin with. She's so full of herself, because she can write long books and make a ton of money doing so. It was always Aika she was friends with, so they probably knew the whole time. Stuck-up bitches..."
"Come on, dad, that's not nice..." Kaii said.
"Neither were they, remember?" Toki said, shaking his head. "Especially to you. Treated you like dirt. Aika always said she thought you were 'brash, unenlightened, without any depth or intelligence'." His voice was high pitched as he said this, imitating her speech.
"...Kohaku-senpai still really depressed about it." Noburo said, no longer in the mood to laugh. "I...I don't really know what to say to her. We've had meetings with Shigeru and the others, sure, but we don't really chat. We just talk about what Bythos are up to, maybe go somewhere to practice fighting, then we go home."
"Yeah..." Toki said. "I wish I could give you some juicy details, but it's been quiet at Bythos too. Nisa Liat's really pissed off over us losing four of the Cognition Cores. She's watching over Totsuka and Ginumi to see which one will be next. At the moment, she thinks it'll be Ginumi, since they're nearly ready with one of those artificial islands."
"...Then all we can do is be ready for whatever happens next." Noburo said, drinking his water. "Let's forget about that for now. Kaii, what's new with you?"
"Well, I'm finally going up for those entrance exams again. Can't be a ronin forever." Kaii said. "I'd like to get back to school and really make something of myself. I mean, look at you. You're only fifteen, but you study hard, you put all your soul into acting, and you're still kicking ass in the Theio Kosmos. If you can do all of that, maybe I can too!"
"...Wow, I inspired you?" Noburo asked, surprised. "Well, good luck. I've got a few years to wait until I'm taking those exams."
"You'll ace them, both of you." Toki said, proudly. "...It's funny. The whole reason I joined Bythos was so that I could start over as a dad. And look what we're doing right now. Having dinner together, as a family. If only the other Admins wised up. That they never needed Nisa Liat to begin with..."
"They'll figure it out, someday." Kaii said, hopefully. "Anyway, I want to think about a future that I don't need a Gnosis or Persona to achieve. Now that I finally met my dad, and got a kid brother, I want to know how much more I can get out of life. Just hope you two are gonna stay around."
"H-Hey, we're not going anywhere!" Noburo said. "I'd never leave Shinshuto. Not until Nisa Liat is defeated and Bythos is dissolved."
"And I ain't leaving this city any time soon. Sure, there's always a chance I'll run into Noburo's mum. But if my two boys are here, then I'm staying."
Kaii, happy again, smiled. The food finally arrived, and as they ate, they joked about all sorts. This was the sort of moment Noburo wished would last forever. Even though he knew he'd be summoning Aengus soon.
|Bella Donna Shopping Center|16:45 pm|
Even with all the unease that was spreading throughout the whole of Shinshuto, people were still flocking to the shops. While a lot of this was panic buying, many were simply shopping for the fun of it. Two girls from Kansei were such shoppers, having done so together since they first met last year.
"Akari-chan, look over there! They've got a sale on at Juliet's!"
Joining Akari was her best friend, Suzu Nogami. She shared Akari's upbeat nature, yet was far more sensible and controlled. And unlike her, Suzu could actually keep secrets. As ever, her dark brown hair was tied in short pigtails, except she seemed to be growing them longer.
"Oh, awesome! I love their sales!" Akari said. The two of them ran inside, and soon enough found something they loved. Matching friendship bracelets, silver with red writing on them.
"These are so cute!" Suzu said. "C'mon, let's buy one each! You have enough, right? You and I have part-time jobs now. They're a little expensive, but you love them too, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do...oh, okay. Let's get these! Oh, and look over there. That purple bag would be great for school. It even matches our uniforms! I'm getting that for sure!"
"...Maybe I'll get one of those too. My old one is getting worn out already." Suzu said, admiring it closer.
Soon, they were leaving the store, with their new purchases. The girls had already put on their bracelets, on opposite wrists. Akari loved the way the bracelet caught the light nearby, and how detailed the red kanji for 'best friend' was.
"Maybe we ought to try Trailblazer next. New shoes might be good!" Akari said, eagerly.
"Akari-chan, if we keep this up, we'll end up buying everything here! And we can't take a whole store back home. Your mum calls you a hoarder enough as it is."
"Yeah, that's true, but I like my retail therapy. Plus, Akiko can never have enough toys."
Suzu shook her head, yet she remained amused. And so the two of them walked on. However, as she followed, Akarai felt a shiver down her spine. Try as she might, she thought back to her bizarre dream of several days ago. One that still preyed on her mind.
She had been running through a street, crying. Why, she didn't know. The street didn't look familiar either. At least, it wasn't like anywhere she had seen in Totsuka or Mizuho, and while she passed a lot of buildings, they didn't look like the ones that dotted the Shinshuto landscape. Finally, she came to a stop, and pulled out a cellphone, and dialled a number.
The rest of the dream was a blur, but it ended when she was in a dark and cold room, and walked into a glass booth, the same size as a shower cubicle. A strange metallic helmet covered her head, and there was a gigantic blast of noise – that was when she woke up.
"Akari, what's wrong?" Suzu asked.
"N-Nothing! I was just...deep in thought. About Bythos. That's it."
"You, deep in thought? Who are you, and what have you done with the real Akari?" Suzu asked, laughing. "Come on, let's at least look at Trailblazer. Then I want to check out the food court."
The two of them went around the shops. As they did, Akari kept thinking about that dream. Why was it plaguing her mind, when she should be enjoying a day out with her best friend in the whole world?
It's all because of Bythos and Nisa Liat. They're the ones to blame. Just focus on destroying them, Akari. A nightmare isn't real, so get over it. At least, I wish I could. But why would I have a dream like that? What do I do?
As difficult as it would be, Akari would have no choice but to focus on anything but that dream. Today was about her and Suzu, no one or nothing else. She wouldn't let the horrors of the other world get to her. All she wanted was to stop Bythos, then focus on school, her friends, and Akiko. Her dream of being a successful vet wasn't going to die because of them, not if she could help it.
|Toshiaki's House|
The atmosphere in the home had been very tense for all involved. Toshiaki had planned on his family never finding out about his power, but now they knew. They had seen him fight against the triad of ghosts, the Parcae. Even if they were now gone, plenty more Shadows infested the realm of the Theio Kosmos. And as someone with a Gnosis and a Persona, Toshaki was fated to return.
Tonight, after a long day of school, Toshiaki wanted to finally talk to his father about everything, and who his new allegiance was with. To aid him, Evelina turned up as well. Her father's condition had not changed, much to her despair. Even so, she wanted her best friend's family's blessing.
"...I'm sorry, you two, but it's just so hard to understand. You have smartphones with technology that allows you to go to that awful alternate world, and fight creatures like those girls." Tetsuo said. "And two people that betrayed me have the same power..."
"We were discovered by Bythos first, sir." Evelina said, as respectfully as she could. "Koyanagi-sensei and Rinaka-san deceived us both. Now we know who it is we should we siding with."
"Um..." Yuudai mumbled, curious. "This 'Persona' thing you guys have. Can I do it too?"
"Not unless you have a Gnosis. And we don't have any spare. Even if we did...you saw how dangerous that world was, didn't you?" Toshiaki asked. "You're not going back there ever again. It's no place for kids."
"Yet you clearly want to go back..." Tetsuo said, dismayed. "Son. If there were worse things than those 'Parcae', then I absolutely forbid it! You can't just stroll into that world and expect me to be fine with it! These smartphones you and the others have are pure evil!"
"But dad, you always taught me to never just leave people who are in need. Remember?" Toshiaki said. "If I don't go back, I'm leaving everyone else to fight it out. I might be safe and sound at home, sure. But I'd just be a coward who couldn't be there for those who needed him."
"Bythos are no longer our friends. I thought I could trust Rinaka-san and her colleagues. But no more! Yukimora-san, please. Let your son fight in the Theio Kosmos. You don't have to understand it fully. Trust in him. He won't be alone. I'll be with him! Like always, I'll be protecting him every single step of the way."
Tetsuo was silent, as was the younger Yukimora brother. Finally, after a moment of deep thought, their father spoke up.
"What will you do if you fight Shiro again? He's not just your teacher anymore. He's...the man your mother loved more than me." Tetsuo said, bitterly.
"Dad..." Yuudai uttered.
"I know that. Koyanagi-sensei can't move on from what happened all those years ago. In his eyes, he should...have ended up with mum." Toshiaki said, eyes on the table.
Had that been his future, would he have been happy? He hated his teacher even before all of this had happened. But was his attitude all because of how his life had turned out? Had he married Kaede, he might have been a warm, loving husband and a gentle father. Perhaps he would have taught his students with respect, rather than disdain.
Still, that was just one possibility. And Toshiaki didn't want that reality at all. Despite everything, he was glad to have the father he had always known. If Shiro couldn't accept fate, that was his own fault, one that he would have to overcome.
"I'm going back." Toshiaki finally said. "I know it's dangerous. Even with Conchobar, there's a chance the worst could happen. But if we don't do something, Nisa Liat might win, and this entire city might end up a hellhole. If it even survives. Please, Dad. Please, Yuudai, let me go back and help everyone else."
"I won't stop you, big bro. You're pretty strong even without that Persona thing. Dad?"
Tetsuo frowned, but as he thought, his expression softened.
"Promise me one thing, son. You and your friends will win. And...you save Shiro from his madness. As much as I hate him, I...I don't want to see him go down this insanity any longer." He said.
"I promise, Dad. And to you, Yuudai. I'm going to kill every single Shadow that comes my way. I'm going to beat all the minions Nisa Liat throws at us. And I'm going to knock some sense into Koyanagi-sensei. Michiko will want the same, I bet."
"Michiko...I never expected she would be involved with something like this. Yes, once Bythos are gone, she can go back to being a normal teacher. And I...I can finally talk to her again, as her friend."
"Thank you. We won't fail." Evelina said. "...I have to make up for my dad's mistakes, too. Whatever happens to Aramis in this country is out of my hands now. But I have to end this nightmare."
"It's not fair, you children having to do something so dangerous. Yet I can't exactly take your place. Even if I confiscated your phones, I'd never be able to use them. The sooner you thwart Nisa Liat, the happier I'll be."
Toshiaki nodded. "Dad...from now on, I'm going to put everything I've got into beating that stupid Princess bitch! I nearly ended up fighting for her! Not this time. She'll be behind bars soon enough."
With this, the atmosphere felt nowhere near as tense. Toshiaki's secret power was no secret anymore, but that didn't bother him at all now. It only made him feel stronger. And he actually was looking forward to returning to the Theio Kosmos, this time besides the students of Kansei and Chieki.
Fighting the twins was horrible. Now I get to be on their side, for good. Natsumi, Masato, hope you can keep up!
|Yoshinaga House|18:14 pm|
The Yoshinaga family were having dinner, this time prepared by the matriarch of the family, Emi. It was she who the children inherited their vibrant red hair from, hers she had tied in a bun without a single strand astray. Her cooking was delicious, yet having dinner with her could be a trying experience.
Tonight, Hideki and Setsuna came over, mostly out of guilt. Yet as soon as they arrived, they were bombarded with questions about the upcoming wedding. During the dinner, Natsumi and Masato had to hear all about the 'wonderful' ideas their mother came up with, to which their timid father Michio agreed with.
Neither of them was feeling particularly excited about this wedding anymore, however. With crisis after crisis in the Theio Kosmos, they were wondering if life would ever return to normal. Asami's absence from school was causing quite a stir, and she hadn't uploaded any videos on her website since that fateful day she had to banish the ghosts of the past.
Masato thought being on the baseball team would improve his mood, alas this had been a dim hope. His batting average was down, as was his speed. With this loss of skill, his teammates were quite worried, but he insisted it was due to 'family issues', and he'd be alright. Yet Eiji had been increasingly distant, and he didn't understand why.
"Honestly, mom, we can find our own band, one that are a bit more modern...and economical…." Hideki said. Setsuna sighed, as she finished her plate of mabo curry.
"But Hideki-kun, this one would be perfect. They might be a little above your budget, but they're beautiful. You can't go wrong with a classical band. I won't have you ruin the wedding with your fancy 'DJ' idea. A Yoshinaga wedding needs a proper band with actual musicians. Right, dear?"
"Yes, darling." Michio said, eager to avoid a fight.
The twins, still living at home, knew not to set their mother off. Which meant not giving her an excuse to point out their low grades in certain subjects, or reminding her of what happened in Junior High School.
"Anyway, this is a big wedding. My eldest son is finally getting married. I have to contribute, don't I? Like I did when I worked two jobs to support everyone. Hours of backbreaking labour to put food on this table."
"Yes, mom, I know." Hideki said. "We'll think about this band. I just hope the venue's big enough for all their instruments."
"We'll manage. Now as for the bridesmaid's dresses. We need to talk colours. Don't forget your sister will be wearing this dress, and I won't have you put in any old rag. Now, there's a great tailor in Hiyashi that I found the other day - "
"Can we talk about this after dinner?" Setsuna said, curtly. "I've had a long day at the office. I was hoping this would be a peaceful family dinner for once."
"Excuse me? I'm only looking out for my son! I want what's best for him and the family. At least he isn't daydreaming about some blonde girl he met on a baseball forum."
"Mom, don't." Masato said, embarrassed.
"How can you possibly be in love when you don't even share the same language? You've never met her face-to-face. If you want to find love like your brother, you ought to look closer to home."
"Your mother's right, you know. This Dorothy might be a nice girl, but she's so far away. Online relationships aren't right for you, son."
"They have a lot more in common than you think, dad." Natsumi said, frowning. "If she makes Masato happy, isn't that all that matters?"
Her twin bother looked at her in surprise. She had initially teased him about his internet relationship, so to hear this vow of support was quite the shock. Yet he soon realised that she meant every word. Smiling, he nodded at her. Whatever happened, his sister would always have his back.
"Fine. Ignore my advice. All of you. See how far you get without me. I might as well not even be here if no one wants to hear what I have to say."
"That's not true, mother..." Hideki said, flustered. "We...really want your help with this wedding, still. It's a big day for all of our families. And I know who I want for best man."
"Oh?" Masato's father asked. "Who did you have in mind?"
"My little brother. Who else?" Hideki said, smiling at Masato.
"R-Really? I have to make a speech in front of everybody?"
"Yeah. Don't worry, I'll help you out. Trust me, you'll do fine. Besides, by the time we get married, Bythos will have been forgotten. Everything's gonna be okay."
"...I hope so, big bro." Masato said.
I'll have to fight them again pretty soon, with sis and everybody else. I can't have anyone else in my family find out. It's bad enough that Toshiaki-senpai's dad and kid brother know. Still, we only have two of those Cognition Cores left. Which means once we get those, Nisa Liat is history.
"We'll just have to hope our Mayor gets everything under control. Right now, with so much uncertainty in the city, it's hard to know what will happen each day." Setsuna said, sadly. "Some of the other lawyers at the firm are worried that Bythos will come after them..."
"Let's not talk about Bythos in this house. It'll only make us worry. Now, about the dresses. Something in pink would be beautiful. It is Natsumi's favourite colour, after all. And it better not show too much leg..."
"I...wasn't planning anything revealing, especially not for my future sister-in-law!" Setsuna said, her frustration showing more than ever.
"Oh, and you must find out what your mother's wearing. I have to make sure not a single part of her outfit matches mine..."
|Kohaku's Room|18:30 pm|
After school, Kohaku didn't quite now what to do with herself. She had felt this way almost every day since the events at Hiyashi. Gaining the cores should have made her happier, but instead, she felt a growing sense of despair. More people had died, not just the three young men in the Jade Squad. They weren't exactly pleasant, but they all had families and friends, who were now grieving. And then her idol, Aika Makino, revealed her true allegiance.
She thought about going to the library, like Shintaro, but then changed her mind. Her emotions were too all over the place for her to concentrate on studying. It was hard enough to focus on her lectures, unlike before. Everyone else she knew from school had other plans, and she didn't want to intrude on them. So, after wandering around campus for a few moments, she made her way back home.
Neither of her parents were back yet, so she made dinner for herself. Even if she was used to this, it never felt enjoyable to eat by herself. Often, to alleviate this, she'd turn on the radio or the stereo. Then, she could distract herself with music, either her favourites or new songs she could then make her new favourites.
Yet she didn't even have the heart for this. Nor was her ramen dish giving her any enjoyment. Forcing it down, she looked around the house, and sighed. It would be at least another two hours before her parents returned.
Whenever they were around, Kohaku put on a facade, trying to assure them that everything was well at school. Yet that couldn't be further from the truth. It scared her, how easy it was to convince her parents. Perhaps her acting skills were better than she thought. Yet she didn't want to have to lie. If she could just tell her parents about the ordeals she had faced since April.
But then, how could she? They hadn't seen it in person, like Toshiaki's family. She wouldn't need to tell him, nor would Shigeru approve. To her parents, Kohaku was a perfect student who not only had good grades, but was a music lover. If they discovered that she had the power of a Persona, and had spent her time after school in a dangerous alternate world, their image of her would be destroyed forever. At least, that was what Kohaku told herself.
Going up to her room, she decided she would at least try to get some of her homework done. As she got to her desk, however, she noticed something was still in one of her drawers. Pulling it out, she gasped. It was her concert ticket, for Aika. She had held on to it, as a memento. Yet just seeing her name printed on this piece of card was torture. The young woman with a beautiful voice, and even more beautiful lyrics, was part of the organisation that was making her life hell.
Screaming in anger, she ripped the ticket to pieces, and threw them in her waste bucket. Then, unable to control herself, she threw aside the contents of her desk and buried her head in her hands, sobbing. There was no way to forget all of Aika's songs, for she had listened to them so many times. Even if she deleted them all from her phone, and threw out her album, she could never forget how much she loved Makino's work. And how she had actually befriended her.
When the door open, she gasped. She had been crying for so long, her parents had finally finished work. Carefully tidying up her desk, she wiped her face clean, and looked in her mirror. Her smile finally ready, she made her way downstairs.
"Hi Mum! Hi Dad! How was work?" She asked politely.
"Oh, same as ever. So much squabbling over what to do about Bythos..." Her mother said, annoyed.
"I swear, we need to hurry up and book a summer vacation, just for the three of us." Her father said. "And how was your day, Kohaku-chan?"
"Uh, yeah, great! Kohaku said. "School's fine as ever. Can't let Bythos get in the way of my studies!"
"Now that's the attitude this city needs. Good on you!" Her mother said, patting her on the shoulder. "We need to think about where we can go this summer. Perhaps somewhere outside of Japan..."
The family began discussing their vacation plans, considering Portugal or Malta. Yet as lovely as those two countries could be in the summer, Kohaku still couldn't get excited about either of them. Her duty was to destroy Bythos. Even if it meant facing Aika.
We have to get the Cores from Totsuka and Ginumi, and fast. Then maybe I'll start feeling happy again. Until then, I have to keep up this act around mum and dad. If they're working so hard because of Bythos, I can't worry them any more. It's hard, but if I keep this up, I can at least make them happy.
|Bythos Citadel – Administration Chamber|19:00 pm|
Tonight, hidden away in the Theio Kosmos, the majority of the Aeon Admins were having a meeting with their leader. Toki had just arrived, leaving just one of them to appear.
"He's late again," Rinaka said, rolling her eyes. "You'd think he'd be more punctual, considering his reputation."
"Oh, leave him be," Shiro said. "We've got bigger worries than timekeeping, haven't we?"
Nisa Liat stared at him, with a particularly piercing scowl. "That's an understatement and a half, Koyanagi. Think about this for a moment. Mizuho, Tarumi, Hiyashi and Asakita. Four times we could have taken the Cognition Core and thus controlled the entire district. Four times! And every single time, you pathetic Admins have failed me!"
"I'm sorry, Princess..." Keiya said, nervous.
"...Same." Asami said glumlu, eyes on the table.
"When I personally selected you all, I assumed you'd be capable of the tasks I assigned. Unfortunately, I vastly overestimated your talents. We've even lost an Admin to those misguided Knowledge Seekers."
"Why worry about an insignificant worm like Murayama?" Celestine asked. Toki glared at her, but she did not react to his clear anger. "There is still a chance to seize the Cores already in their possession."
"That's right!" Aika said, looking at Rinaka. "Before Evelina betrayed us, she helped complete Ignorantia!"
Nisa Liat, surprised, looked at the musician in her ranks. "Now that I had forgotten about. Yes, thanks to Celestine, we were able to infect that idiotic Kansei teacher's pet. Or rather, his Gnosis."
"I don't get it. You got him to sleep with you so you could put malware on his phone?" Toki asked, incredulous. "Just what does this thing do?"
"My my, Toki...do you not pay attention during our meetings? Now I know where Kaii inherited his lackadaisical disposition." Nisa Liat said, laughing. "Well, it's quite simple. Nakahara's Gnosis can be rewritten at any time by our command. And not just his. Any Gnosis he regularly communicates with has a high risk of being infected, too."
"So if we infect their Wild Card..." Keiya said, in realisation.
"Then we can steal the Cores on her Gnosis too," Rinaka said, with a sinister smile.
"Guess it's not a complete disaster, then..." Shiro said, relaxing somewhat.
"Hold on. What if they manage to hide the Cores somewhere else?" Toki asked, cautious. "They might have thought of a hiding place -"
"Then we just find out where that place is, and get them. Duh."
Having entered the room, at last, was a black spiky-haired teen, of a slender, athletic build. Wearing a blue vest and blue shorts, his muscular arms and legs were quite visible. Around his arms were silver bracers, and he wore blue trainers, the exact same ones he had used to win race after race for his school.
"Sorry I'm late, losers. Had some stuff I had to take of at Kansei. The curse of being a prodigy, I guess. So where are you sending me to next? I'm getting bored of beating up the small-fry, you know. Gimme something worth my time."
"Patience, Katashi-kun." Nisa Liat smiled, gesturing to the empty seat. "Actually, I've got a job for you as well. This time, you and Toki are going to Ginumi. There's something there that you'll be investigating very thoroughly..."
Excited, the youth sat down, rubbing his palms. His partner on this mission, however, was far less enthused. His passion for Bythos was all but gone, yet this young man was raring to go. Toki could only hope Ginumi wasn't going to be the centre of another disaster. Perhaps the time had come for him to fully change sides...
|Totsuka – Underground Shelter|19:15 pm|
Mayor Ashikaga had been dealing with a lot of negative press in recent weeks, due to the tragic events of Asakita, and the protests in Hiyashi. Everywhere she went, she was bombarded by reporters asking what she was doing to combat Bythos and their enigmatic Pleroma Princess. Every single time, she stressed that she was doing whatever she could, and asked the public to be patient.
At least she had finally found a secure place to hide the Cognition Cores, however. Shigeru was relieved to hear that, as he had been struggling to find a place that wasn't at risk. This was an underground bomb shelter that had been built after World War II. When Nagasaki and Hiroshima were attacked by nuclear bombs, the people in the area were horrified, and the architects decided to build a shelter in the event their city was struck. Of course, this was not the case, and the shelter had remained abandoned for over seven decades. In fact, only the city government knew it had existed.
It existed in Totsuka, and the entrance had long since been built over by the Kibo-Jo. Yoko discovered it by accident one evening, when she pressed the wrong button on the elevator. On the lowest floor, which normally lead to the car park, there was a heavy metal door that with a special key, one could access to head down a long staircase, and reach the shelter. That special key was in Yoko's possession, but she had made a second copy for Shigeru, who was with her tonight.
"As you can see, it's very secure. Deep beneath the ground, heavy metal doors, and the walls are nigh-invulnerable to outside forces. Earthquake proof, too." Yoko said, using her phone's flashlight to illuminate it to her guests. "If you're looking for a ready-made place to hide someone – or something – then I can think of no better."
"The Cognition Cores would be very safe here." Shigeru said. "Indeed, we've had them stored on Kakusa's Gnosis for perhaps too long. A safer spot to guard them is what we need, and this place would be perfect."
"Course, we'd need to make sure it can withstand whatever Bythos can throw at it in the Theio Kosmos," Netuno said, looking around at the stone walls. Down here, it was very cold, and he was shivering.
"I'm sure your experience in that dimension will aid you well," Yoko said, smiling. "After all, your own base has yet to be attacked, or even discovered. Unfortunately, I lack a Gnosis or a Persona, so I cannot provide any security beyond what you see before you. But I trust you all. Go to the Theio Kosmos, and augment this place's security, so that only we can access it."
"We'll work on that, then," Reia said, examining the facility. "First, we'll need one of the smaller cores so that we can manipulate this shelter. That shouldn't be too difficult.
Hiroyuki nodded. "Also, we'll need to find some means of hiding them within the shelter. Can't exactly leave them out in the open here. Every single security measure we can think of, we'll need. Passwords, biometric scans, you name it."
"It's quite unsettling, being in a place like this..." Novalie said, shaking. "Especially when the people who lived here before were so afraid of annihilation. At least now this shelter can be put to good use."
Yoko nodded, happily. "Studying the Cores themselves would be a good idea, too, and from here we can do that quite safely. Again, I can only do so much. They can only be touched in the Theio Kosmos, right?"
"That seems to be the case..." Michiko said. "Their power to influence the people of the city is terrifying, though. To be honest, I'd be much happier locking them all away forever. At least them no one can abuse that power."
The Mayor frowned at this. "I thought a teacher would have more imagination. These Cores, when all combined, might just have the ability to shape reality. Fear will only limit us."
"...We'll be on our way to the Theio Kosmos, then. Yoko, we'll get the place ready, then we'll seal each Core away." Shigeru said.
Eventually, the six Persona users left, leaving the Mayor behind. She looked around, and gazed at the letter she kept in her pocket. The one she had read more times than she could count. Its words she would never forget.
"Noriko. Will these Cores combined bring you back? Will it make life worth living again? Please, answer me…! I can't stand it. This loneliness! I can't count on Shigeru to research these things. I'll need a Gnosis of my own. And a Persona. How...How do I get those?"
Just then, she heard a loud noise, like something hitting the ground. Disturbed, she looked around, but saw nothing. She began opening the doors to the various rooms in the shelter, and when she looked in one of the abandoned bedrooms, she gasped.
What she had been looking for was in the middle of the room, up for grabs.
|Flower Fields|19:30 pm|
After a long walk through the city, including a hearty dinner in Tarumi, Shintaro and Kei were finally walking further away from the crowds and traffic. Now, the two of them were walking in the grassy regions outside Shinshuto. Here, nature thrived, and there was a long path that went up a hilly slope. Soon, one could see the ocean from the rocky clifface, and there were white flowers surrounding them everywhere the eye could see.
"I've never walked so far in one day before..." Shintaro said.
"Me either. It's a great view, isn't it? Being so high up, the ocean waves down below. And there's no one here but us. Only thing is, it's a long walk back."
"I don't mind at all, actually. For so long, I kept seeing places that reminded me of when I was with...her. But now I'm seeing new parts of the city, and I feel just fine."
As he looked around this spot, he smiled. It was the first time in quite a while he felt a genuine smile come to him. This scenery was idyllic, like something out of a postcard. A place like this, Bythos couldn't touch.
"Kei...how are you feeling about everything?" Shintaro finally asked. Surprised, she looked at him carefully. "Ever since you got here, you've been involved with Bythos, and fought so many Shadows. Doesn't it get to you?"
"I'd be lying if I said I was enjoying myself in the Theio Kosmos," Kei began, deep in thought. "But I don't regret coming here. I still got to meet you and everything else at Kansei. Not to mention our Chieki friends. If I hadn't met you, I don't know if I'd have coped."
"At least you've found something to be happy about. I...I thought I had. But not any more."
"Shintaro, I'm sorry. I know I gave you a hard time, but I didn't think she would turn out to be one of our enemies. I had my doubts, but I was hoping that I'd be wrong..."
"I guess you were right to be suspicious of her, Kei-chan." Shintaro said. He sat back, and she followed suit, the sound of the waves roaring beneath them. "It's silly, isn't it? I had a stupid fantasy of an older woman for so long. She'd know all my favourite books, and love them as much as I do. She'd be beautiful, sophisticated, and headstrong. Confident. But fantasies aren't worth it. Looking back, I bet she never felt anything for me at all."
"Shintaro..."
"I never told her anything about having a Persona, or a Gnosis. She must have thought I'd give her top secret information if she told me things I wanted to hear. I was deceived, and I was too blind to see her for what she really was. How could I have been so stupid?"
"You weren't stupid. You wanted someone to love you for who you are. That's never 'stupid'. It's what everyone deserves, after all." Kei said, looking straight at him. "Especially in a time like this, where everyone's hearts are full of anxiety, and no one knows when all the madness will end."
Shintaro stared back, thinking this through. He hadn't spoken to Celestine since that night at Asakita. He deleted her number from his phone, and blocked it completely. And he'd put all of her books under his bed – he couldn't bring himself to destroy them, but he knew he'd never be able to read them ever again.
"You feel like without her, there's a void in your life that just can't be filled. Right?" Kei asked.
"That's...exactly what it's like." Shintaro said. "I knew that with me being in school, it'd be a little dangerous being with her, but that made it exciting. For all of my life, I've been trying to be the perfect student, the prefect son, who always does the right thing. Having a romance with my favourite author felt kind of liberating. My chance to finally do something wild. And look where it got me."
"Maybe you're trying too hard." Kei said. "For a long time, I've felt there was something missing in my life, too."
"...Are you talking about your aunt?"
Kei nodded. "It's been so long ago since she died, but I can still remember her so clearly. She was my mother's younger sister, so she was sort of like an aunt and a big sister to me all in one. She always looked out for me, and wanted to know I was alright. She came here, sixteen years ago. I told Kohaku about this before – she studied at Kansei, like us."
"What happened to her?"
"I...I really don't know." Kei said, uncertainly. "She died suddenly. No one could find out why. Everyone was devastated. I don't even know how long it took me to stop crying. But I did. And last year, I decided I wanted to find out how she died. That's why I came to this city. To find out if anyone knew anything about her."
"And have you found anything yet?"
"N-No..." Kei said, looking at the sea. "Aside from the memorial at Kansei, it's like she never existed."
"Do you know any of her old friends from school? Maybe they'd know something." Shintaro said.
At this, Kei froze, and looked at the ground, biting her lip. When Shintaro looked closer, he saw her eyes welling up with tears.
"H-Hey, are you alright? Did I say something wrong?"
"No, Shintaro. Not...at all." Kei said. "I'm still looking for answers about my aunt. But even if I can't find them, at least I'll have made friends. Ones that I'll never forget. Including you."
The two of them looked at each other, and smiled. Now, he felt closer to Kei than before. And he had finally learned about her past – the mysterious death of her aunt that had haunted her for so long.
"I'm glad you're still talking to me," Shintaro said, grateful. "Come on, let's walk back to the city. While there's still a sun in the sky."
"Sounds good to me!" Kei said, giving a rare giggle.
The two of them began their long walk back to the city. While it would be a long one, at least the warmth of the sun and the breeze would calm and relax their souls. The Theio Kosmos would await them soon, however, and no doubt another ordeal would present itself.