AN: We're very near the end of this Arc - and there's a lot to come. Hope all of you are well, and as ever, please read, review, favourite, follow, etc!
Chapter 44: The Island of Hubris
|Pleroma|
Shintaro had gone to bed after a long night of reading, yet now here he was in Asakita, dressed back in his regular clothes. And he was unable to control his movement once again. Yet again, he was seeing a memory. And sure enough, the Wakahisas wouldn't be talking to Kei. Instead, they'd be talking to the other girl, the one who looked like Nisa Liat.
Indeed, there she was, happily talking to both the old man Toshikazu and his daughter Chou. It really did feel as if in these dreams, someone was 'editing' them to put another girl in Kei's place. Why, however, he did not know. If he could just break free. The outfit this girl wore seemed so familiar, yet he knew he had never seen Kei wear it before.
My heart is pounding. Wait, is this a dream? It feels so real. What's happening? Why can't I wake up?
The dream seemed to fast forward through that day he, Kei and everyone else had spent together. Eventually, it came to him and the girl, the one replacing Kei, at Sogen Park. Yet by the time they sat on the bench together, everything suddenly snapped, and everything around them went still. Shintaro could finally move.
"It's almost done." Nisa Liat said, happily. "Just a little longer, and you'll finally be back to the way you once were. Not just you, of course. Kohaku. Masato. Natsumi. Noboru. Toshiaki. Evelina. Manami. Every one of them will be restored."
"Restored? What do you mean?" Shintaro demanded.
"Before I can answer that, Shintaro-kun, I need to ask you something. When were you born?"
What? Why do you care about that?
"December 12th. I'm a Sagittarius, at least I think I am."
"That's right. Do you know what year?"
I'm a second year in Kansei High School...wouldn't it be obvious? Who doesn't know their year of birth? I'm sixteen!
"2000..."
As he said this, however, something didn't feel right. As if he should have said something else. But if he was born December 12th of 2000, he'd be in his second year of high school. Any other year wouldn't make any sense with that – he'd never been held back or advanced a grade.
"You already know, don't you? Something in you is telling you that's wrong. Everyone else is starting to think the same as well. It isn't just you having these 'dreams', after all. Well, they're not exactly dreams."
"What are they, then?"
The girl opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped herself. She looked to the frozen people across the path, the still trees that had once been blowing gently. She then turned back to Shintaro, gulped, and spoke again.
"I can't quite say. I don't want to...hurt you any more."
"It's a little late for that, don't you think?" Shintaro said, angrily. "What is it you're not telling me?"
Nisa Liat sadly turned away, tearfully.
"Don't you think I want to tell you?! Not just you - everyone else who's lost all their memories of me! All our friends, the people we fought together for so long!"
"We fought together? That doesn't make sense! You're Nisa Liat -"
"No I'm not! I'm just taking her places, until..." She suddenly snapped. "I'm sorry. Every time I try to tell you the truth, your mind can't take it. So I end up having to to start all over again. Even saying my real name causes you great pain..."
"Why would a name hurt me?" Shintaro asked, pleadingly.
"That's because...no, I can't risk it again, not when we're so close. Let me ask you something else. Back in April, when the new transfer student from Yokohama came, was it Kei? Or was it someone else?"
What is she talking about now? Of course it was Kei. No one else. Wait, what the hell -
Suddenly, vague recollections flashed through his head. He saw the classroom, and Kei at the front of the class alongside Michiko Suzuki. Yet there was a constant flashing of light, and in Kei's place, all sorts of people were in her place. Some were other girls, some were boys. They went too fast for him to make out their details, but they all looked distinct from each other. Yet when it finally went back to Kei, his vision was clearer.
"You could picture them, couldn't you? So many people who wanted to be in Kansei with you, Kohaku, and...Akari. Yet Kei's the only one you truly know right now, isn't she?" The raven haired girl asked. "She must be different from the thousands of others that have taken my place."
"...Taken your place?" Shintaro couldn't quite get his head around what she was saying. "What are you talking about? It's you taking her place! You and everyone else you tried to show me just now! Just another crazy illusion to confuse me..."
"Is that really what it seems like to you? How much has Kei really told you about herself? What makes her stand out from the others?"
Shintaro thought for a moment. Her harsh gaze sent a shiver down his spine. It felt as if this had happened before, that this girl could scare him with a single look. Kei had a similar stare sometimes, but it felt more intense with this young lady.
"Well, if you really care so much about her, she's been a lot more talkative lately. She told us about her best friends back in Yokohama. What were their names again...oh! Midori, Hajime, and Ryota. The latter two are dating, and -"
"No, that's not what I meant. When she goes to fuse her Persona, what happens? Does she use the Gnosis Fusion App?"
"Huh?" Shintaro asked, confused. "She never really called it by that name. She had something else called the Velvet Room."
"What did you just say?!" The young lady asked, standing to her feet. "The Velvet Room?! But only a true Wild Card can access there! Everyone else has to use the app we designed!"
App that we designed? Who is 'we'? What's going on here?
"Who the hell do you mean by everyone else? There's only two Wild Cards. Kei & Nisa Liat. Who you apparently aren't. Kei, though...when she uses the Velvet Room, she seems to stare into space, without even noticing us. It's as if she's in another planet. She did tell us about an 'Igor', though. And 'Lavenza'. Named after Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor Frankenstein's wife in -"
"I know! You've told me before!" Nisa Liat shouted.
I did? I mean, I probably told Kei before, but -
"So that's it...Kei is special. I didn't think anyone with a genuine power like mine could ever access this world, but there she is. At this rate, she probably won't stop until she finds out the truth behind..."
"Will you please tell me what's really going on?" Shintaro asked. "Are you just trying to confuse me? Kei is...special to me. There's no way I'd trust you over her."
Nisa Liat, or rather, the girl with her face, turned to him, face full of anger.
"Once I restore you, Shintaro-kun, you'll be back to normal. You won't have to worry about Kei, or anything else. Go back to sleep. I'll see you again very soon."
With that, the vision went white, and Shintaro would soon wake up in his own bed.
|August 29th|Shintaro's House|9:00 am|
Today was the official opening ceremony for Tanjoshima, the artificial island that connected to the city via the Paradiso Bridge. Largely inspired by Tokyo's famous Odaiba, it was a work of art just to look at it, and people were already living in the residential buildings there. Also, there was an observatory, luxury restaurants, a grand reception hall, and many other amenities. Now that all the buildings were constructed and completed, the ceremony to open it could begin this evening, attended by many of the city's most influential people, including the business owners of the Divine Nine, and of course, Mayor Ashikaga herself.
In the Nakahara household, the family were enjoying their breakfast, while the TV played the news coverage of the island so far, including some of the controversies that had come up during its development. The low salary of the construction workers had been a bone of contention, and there was an accident that caused several employees to be hospitalised. And of course, the city was criticised for focusing on Tanjoshima's rapid development over other facilities in the area, specifically Ginumi's coastline, which was ill-equipped for protection against tidal waves.
Shintaro, however, was more focused on the strange dream he'd had. Everything the 'other' Nisa Liat said made little sense to him. Her words were vague, and ominous. She was a mysterious one, much like Kei herself had been. Or in some ways, still was. After all, she had been very taciturn about her aunt and her family in general. All he knew about them was that her parents had died, and she had been raised by her grandparents. The group of friends she had in Yokohama sounded intriguing, but there was something about them that felt odd.
Why didn't she talk about them before? What made her decide to bring them up now? There's no point asking her directly. After all, she'll probably just brush it off, and say we should be more focused on the task at hand.
Then there was having to meet with the group's former enemies, the Aeon Administrators. He'd adjusted to Kaii being one of them fairly easily, perhaps due to his overall unthreatening nature. And he was a kind, gentle young man, keen to befriend everyone – in particular, Noboru and Akari. Yet, the other eight Shintaro had been difficult for him to talk to. He still disliked Katashi's cocky attitude, even if it was somewhat tempered now.
He and Manami-senpai haven't really gotten back together, either. I wonder if it's still too hard for her to go back to the way things were. That's their business, I suppose. As for the others…
He was grateful never to have been in a class with Mr. Koyanagi, and had learned to appreciate having Michiko as his teacher even more. His pompous nature, constantly criticising the Chieki students for the slightest things, made him insufferable. Rinaka wasn't as harsh, but she was still fairly cold and didn't speak much unless it was necessary. Asami was easier to deal with, and she and Natsumi were finally back to being good friends. Yet he had little in common with her.
Keiya, he didn't like too much either, but at least he had toned down his hostile attitude towards the group. Then there was Toki Hayashi, the Admin he had once fiercely hated and feared. Being kidnapped by him was an ordeal he had put to the back of his mind, but now that he was having to be in the same room as him fairly regularly, it brought back painful memories. Shintaro had decided to simply ignore him, and not speak a single word to the man. It seemed to be working, as Toki had not made any attempt to talk to the book-lover of his own.
He at least knows there's no point trying to become my friend. And we haven't had to fight alongside each other. Surely, at Tanjoshima, if Shigeru takes charge of allocating teams, he wouldn't put us together. And he wouldn't put me with…
Yes, there was Celestine Courtois to worry about as well. It was only a short while ago that they had been passionate lovers, hidden to all except a select few. Yet now that they were on the same side, they had been distant from each other. Right now, Shintaro didn't have any desire to be with her again. Even if she had been the first woman he had ever been intimate with. An experience of his life he could never forget – yet his feelings on it kept changing.
"I was wondering if the ceremony would even happen this year." Shintaro's mother said, looking up at her husband. Her words had shaken her son from his musings, for which he was grateful for. She had prepared a healthy breakfast today, and it was a lot tastier than her usual fare. "After all, people are still talking about the Golden Laguna..."
"Yes...but there are rumours online that Bythos has gone under." Shintaro's father said, eating from the bowl of fresh fruit while filling in the morning crossword puzzle. "It really makes you wonder how they operated, doesn't it? It's like they can go within the Shadows. They themselves remain unseen while they cause chaos. Perhaps we'll never know."
"I don't think we need to worry any more about them, dad." Shintaro added. "From now on, we can go about our normal lives."
Or at least, you two can. Hopefully, I'll be free from all of this soon. And it'll just be me and everyone else at Kansei. I might never have to see Toki again – although his sons, I'd still want to be friends with them. Noboru in particular. He's always so nice to his senpai, it feels me want to set a good example for him. Next year, he'll be Noboru-senpai.
"True..." Shintaro's mother said. "All I want is a normal life, for all of us. I don't want to wake up one morning to find out more people or places have been destroyed by that horrible group."
"It's been a calm summer. It better stay that way..." Shintaro's father said. "Perhaps we should go further afield for summer next year, especially as it'll be our boy's last year of school. Kansei is lucky to have such a well-read student."
"Dad, you don't have to praise me every single meal. But that'd be nice. All we did this year was that day trip to the mountain village. Are you thinking somewhere else in Japan…?"
Shintaro's dad shook his head. "Let's try another country altogether. You've still never left Japan, after all. We might as well go somewhere abroad as a family, even if just once. So, where do you want to go? You can never start planning too early..."
"Hmm..." He thought about it. There were plenty of places in the world he'd like to see. When he was with Celestine, visiting France had appealed to him
Shintaro nodded, as the family continued their breakfast. Soon, he would convene with others in his group, to plan what exactly would happen at Tanjoshima. He just hoped his parents never found out the truth of who he was meeting with. Or anything else about his time in the Akartharto Kosmos. So much had happened there that he could never tell anyone else.
|Kohaku's House|9:00 am|
After bidding her parents farewell on their day at work, Kohaku decided to get ready for the big event tonight. While she couldn't exactly mingle with the other guests, she wanted to at least dress for the occasion, and thus, found her best orange outfit – the same she had worn to Aika's concert. Her own feelings about the now ex-Bythos singer were still complicated, and the two had barely spoken since they were forced to fight together in Penance Church. She would have to put her anxieties over her to the side, however. For this evening, she had to focus on stopping whatever Nisa Liat could have planned in Ginumi.
She left the house and felt the warmth of the summer around her. There was still plenty of time until she and the others were due at the Meguro Hotel for the morning briefing, so she decided to take a long walk. Perhaps she'd make it all the way to Asakita on foot. She fondly gazed at her neighbourhood around her, and waved to her neighbour, an elderly kind woman who was sitting in her front garden, watching the world go by. The trees on either side of the path were large and vibrant, especially in the summer where they were at their greenest. As she walked on, she saw the sole, aged iron bench was empty – as it had been as long as she could remember. Not too much further down the road was the used record store, owned by a middle-aged couple of music lovers who she had known since elementary school. Her father had taken her inside, and despite the plain décor, she had fallen in love with the obscure music on offer, and had kept going back since.
She had never thought about her neighbourhood so sentimentally before, but not too long ago, she had a short, but incredibly vivid dream. Or rather, it was a nightmare. As she was doing so today, she had been walking through the same street, but the sky was pitch black, without a single star in the sky. It was as if a massive void was above her, where neither sun nor moon could reach. Every single house had been left in utter ruins, with barely anything recognisable left. The trees had been felled, crushing whatever was unlucky enough to be beneath them, including the old bench. No one but her was around, and everything was deathly quiet – not even the sound of the wind could be heard. She screamed, after seeing just how desolate the area was, and ran onwards, screaming for anyone nearby.
When she reached the old record store, it was in even worse shape than everything else. The building had completely collapsed, leaving only a pile of rubble. Only the old sign was left, and even that had been torn in two. As she turned back, to see what else had been destroyed, she soon realised that everything in Totsuka was the same way – no, everything in Shinshuto. Her scream of terror woke her up in the middle of the night – where everything was normal again. The city was still full of life, including her parents who had been rudely awoken.
Ever since then, that dream had been on her mind, especially when she was back at home. Her house, her neighbours, the local stores, the trees and the flowers – she wanted all of them to stay around for a long time. Whatever this dream of hers meant, she did not not. All she could tell herself was that it was simply her darkest fears, that everything she knew and love would one day be torn from her. And this was not the future. Even so, she still had to keep looking at everyone and everything around, to remind herself that her neighbour was still in one piece.
It was a short dream, but even so, it was still a nightmare. One that made Kohaku shiver. Perhaps she was too anxious about the catastrophe that Tzaphkiel had tried to warn everyone of. She pressed on, hoping to reach the regular hotel on time. Perhaps others had taken the opportunity to talk there…
|Akari's House|9:30 am|
Today, Akari was tense. Everything at Penance Church had been quite an ordeal, from the ominous words Tzaphkiel left behind to the ferocious battle against the angel horde. And now, at Tanjoshima, something awful was potentially about to occur. Whatever it was, she knew it would be horrific. All she could hope was that everyone could take care of whatever threatened to kill them, and then that would be it – no more ghosts left behind by Nisa Liat.
She had just come home from her morning walk, and immediately went to ready her beloved dog's food bowl. As she did, her mother walked into the living room.
"Akari-chan, you're up early. What are you up to?" Mrs Ito was an austere, prim woman, every much the polar opposite of her daughter in attitude. She was never one for smiling, even at home. Many of her employees at her engineering firm lived in fear of her harsh tongue. Only her husband managed to escape her wrath, the only man she showed any affection for.
"I'm meeting Kohaku-chan and all the others this morning, mum. I wanted to walk Akiko first."
"With all the time you spend walking that dog, you could have trained it to not make a mess in the hallway in the middle of the night."
"Her, mother, not it." Akari said, pouting. "You're always so mean to her. Isn't she, Akiko-chan?"
The dog continued to eat, wagging its tail, in joy. At that moment, Akari's father walked in, holding the morning copy of his favourite newspaper. Despite being in his forties, he still had a youthful handsomeness to him, clean-shaven, and looked very much like his daughter in the face. He worked at the same firm as his wife, but was more popular with the staff – and at home, was by far Akari's favourite parent.
"Hi dad!" She said, happily. "Hang on a moment, I'll get breakfast ready."
"Oh, no, it's my turn." The man said, happily. "Besides, it sounds like you've got a busy day ahead of you. You're meeting your friends from school in the morning, and later this evening too? You must be quite popular at Kansei."
"If only her grades were as good as her social life..."
"They'll get better, I promise..." Akari said, looking over at her mother. "Besides, thanks to Shintaro-kun, my notes are a lot better this year. If I've got him and Kohaku helping me, then I know I can win."
Both at school and in the Theio Kosmos.
It wasn't just them she had befriended, however. Noboru, the handsome actor in the year below, who was poised for greatness. Manami, the dancer heiress. And from Chieki, the school that her own were eternal rivals with, the Yoshinaga Twins – she'd become very fond of shopping with Natsumi, and trading sweets with Masato. Toshiaki and Evelina were nice too, and very knowledgeable about all things technology. They'd even given her ideas for dog toys they could make for her – and she was seriously considering taking them up on it.
Yet Kaii was the one who had been on her mind most often. Despite being several years older than her, they had become very close – due to their love of animals, and their overall positive way of thinking. Taro had started to recognise her, and loved to lick her hand – much like Akiko had warmed to Kaii. And whenever Akari was near him, she felt her heart skip a beat, her face becoming warm and tingly. She had a habit of developing crushes on other men, as Kohaku and Suzu had told her several times before.
But I think this is the first time I've ever really be in love. It's a wonderful feeling. But I can't really just tell Kaii how much I care about him. He's too old for me. And even once I'm adult, he might have already found someone else. Still, if we can still be friends, that'd be enough for me. It'd be better than losing him altogether.
"Well, you better be home early tonight." Mrs Ito said, wagging her finger. "Your father's planning a drive outside the city tomorrow, so you better not sleep in as usual."
"I won't, I promise!" Akari said. "I love it when dad takes us out..."
As she said this, something in her mind stirred. When had he taken the family out for a drive? She desperately tried to summon a memory of this, any memory at all, of such an event. Yet nothing came at all. Normally, she'd have thorough memories of this, like the feel of the seat in the back of the car, or the view of the countryside as they drove by. Yet none of this stood out for her.
Come to mention it, her memories seemed odd. While she certainly knew of past events, she had difficulty actually picturing them in her head. It was like knowing the plot of a book, without having actually read it. Had something happened to her mind since she gained her Persona in April? Was it affecting her recollection of the past in some way?
"I know you do, darling." Her father said, warmly, as he began to prepare his favourite breakfast dish tapsilog, a rice dish with beef and scrambled egg he learned from a Filipino cookbook. Akari's stomach began to rumble as she saw him hard at work in the kitchen. With a good breakfast in her, she knew she'd be ready for whatever lay ahead at Tanjoshima. She put aside her memory worries for now, and sat at the kitchen table.
Maybe if we're lucky, nothing will happen. And then that'll be it. Just going back to school with Suzu and everyone else. Maybe I can still see Kaii at weekends if he wants. If my mother knew about him, she'd go insane. Dad probably wouldn't like it either, but I'd at least be able to win him over.
|Hiyashi|9:45 am|
Before their meeting at Meguro, Toki and Kaii had decided to visit the shrine. It felt like a lifetime had passed since either of them had been, and despite the chaos of the Theio Kosmos, it had never been drastically changed in that other world. It was a bright, warm day, and the two men were in their t-shirts – of the same range, but of different colours. Toki had gone for a black and red style, while Kaii opted for a dark blue and white scheme.
"It's been a strange year, hasn't it?" The young man said, as he looked up at the torii. "I come to this city, that everyone's talking about as being some big and exciting metropolis. All just so I could find out who my dad was..."
Toki looked over at his son, the elder son he had never realised he had until a short while ago. "Not quite what you were expecting, was I?"
Kaii shook his head. "Honestly, I didn't really know what to expect. I wasn't even sure I'd find you, but I figured, even if I never did, this city would have something good for me. Didn't expect to be recruited into Bythos, and discover a Persona..."
"You never told me how your Awakening went, did ya?" Toki asked, curious. "C'mon, tell me."
"Well...I was dragged into the Theio Kosmos, and Nisa Liat threw a Gnosis at me. It kinda hit me in the face, though. Not exactly a great first impression. Then, when she summoned Shadows for me to test my 'potential' on...I screamed. Louder than I'd ever screamed in all my life."
Toki nodded. "Sounds like it went a lot like mine, then. Well, I managed to catch my Gnosis with my hand, but only just. Old reflexes from the Featherman days kicking in, I guess."
"Then, just as I thought I was gonna die, I felt something pounding in my head. Then I heard a voice – that was it. I just knew I could call upon the other me. And then, there he was, Grannus. He destroyed the Shadows in one hit. And then, Nisa Liat made her promise. If I used my powers to support her and Bythos, in whatever they needed to do to right the wrongs of the city, she would find my real dad."
The two men looked at each other, thinking back on their days at the Bythos Citadel, where Nisa Liat gave them orders, before she returned to her quarters. Kaii recalled his first conversation with Toki quite vividly – he had brought in his own lunch as well as a spare just in case someone had forgotten theirs, but no one was willing to eat with him, either because of their schedules, or they found him too easy-going to their tastes. Yet it was the former Black Condor who stayed behind, to enjoy the second bento box.
"This stuff tastes great, Murayama. Did you really make it all on your own? This chicken's grilled to perfection."
"Course. I had to learn how to cook. My aunt and uncle weren't any good, so it was all on me. Thought this extra food was gonna go to waste, but...thanks, um..."
"It's Toki, kid. Toki Hayashi. Kaii, right?"
"Y-Yeah. I gotta say, those other Aeon Admins sure gave me the cold shoulder. Especially that Katashi kid. He really as good as he thinks he is?"
"He's fast, no doubt about that. But he's always grumbling about having to work alongside me. But there was no one else to pair me with. To be honest, I dunno, if I'd be happier teamed up with anyone else."
"Yeah...and there's nine of us now. Someone's gonna end up on their own. Guess it's gonna have to be me."
"Wait, hold on a minute. Katashi wants to be a lone wolf. Why not just take his place, and lead the Azure Squad with me?"
"W-What? Seriously? But, won't he mind that he's not in charge of that squad anymore?"
"Like I said, lone wolf. He doesn't want to fight alongside equals or subordinates. I just put up with him cause Nisa Liat forced us into pairs. But she'd probably change it up if we showed her I'm better off with someone else by my side."
"You mean...me? But Toki, I just made lunch. How do you know we'll fight as a duo better than you and Katashi?"
"Because...I just do, kid. Something in me tells me that we're gonna get along great. And on the battlefield, fighting with our Personas, for our lives...I wanna be with someone that actually gives a damn about me. And, so far, so good. How about it? We go for some training tonight, and show Nisa Liat the results afterwards?"
"You're on!"
"Hey, look alive." Toki finally said. "It's been tough, no denying that. But meeting you has been one of the best things in my life."
"Whoa, you mean it?" Kaii asked.
"Course I do. I wish I could have spoken to your mother one more time. Just to say how sorry I was for the way I acted. I'll never get that chance, just as I'll never be able to see Kaiyo ever again. But now that I'm with you, the son I never even knew I had, I feel like my life can start over again. That maybe, living isn't so bad...at least, it won't be as lonely as it was before."
"Toki..." Kaii said, beaming. "I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my life. And my memories are still confusing the hell out of me. But I'm...happier than I've been back home. No, this city is home now. And I want to protect it, and all the friends I've made. If you, me, and Noboru can fight together, then nothing Nisa Liat left behind can ever destroy us."
The older man stared at the elder son, impressed.
"You sounded real passionate there, kid. Good thing you grew up strong. And you got a good heart, too. Like when you and that Akari girl are walking your dogs together. Everything's gonna be fine for you, I know it."
"Thanks, Dad."
The two of them smiled, and then gave each other a warm hug, as father and son. This was what Kaii had been waiting for, for most of his life. Even if most of his other memories seemed 'off', the part of him yearning for his father remained intact.
"Okay, enough of the sappy stuff for now. I'm gonna head back and check on Taro." Toki said, happily. "You better get to the meeting, kid. Everyone's gonna be waiting. I won't be too far behind."
"Got it. See ya, old man." Kaii said, waving. As Toki left, with a spring in his step, the young man looked back at the shrine, and smiled. Just then, he heard footsteps behind him, and he felt someone tap him on the shoulder.
Huh? Who's this?
He saw a young woman, in her mid-thirties, clearly not from around here, with long, wavy ginger hair, and a freckled face. Her clothes were mostly red, consisting of jeans, a vest and a short-sleeved waistcoat. Something about her felt familiar.
"Can I help you, ma'am?" Kaii asked, politely.
"Oh, my apologies. I thought you were someone I used to know." The young lady said, with no expression. She had an accent Kaii vaguely knew of being Scottish, but where he had heard such an accent before, he had no idea.
"You a tourist?"
"Yes, something like that." This woman was defensive and seemed tense. "This city feels much different than any I've ever been to back home. Nothing like Edinburgh..."
"Oh, so you are from Scotland, right? My little bro goes to Kansei. There's an English teacher there with a weird name...MacKenzie, or something. She's from Scotland too..."
The girl seemed somewhat shaken at the teacher's name, and backed away.
"I'm sorry to bother you again. I'll be on my way. Take care, sir..."
She practically bolted down the steps, leaving Kaii very confused.
Who was that lady? Did she think I assumed she and Noboru's teacher were related or something? I wasn't gonna say all Scottish people look the same, or anything mean like that. I hope she'll be okay, whoever she is. Anyway, I have to worry about Tanjoshima tonight. There'll be time for anything else afterwards.
|Masato's Room|
"Phew..."
For Masato, it had been a good summer, full of baseball practice. And now that Bythos seemed to be finally done with, he felt good about the future. He wouldn't have to worry about any of his friends being killed by Shadows any more. Yes, that had been at the forefront of his mind during every encounter. The memory of EX-NIHILO on the Chieki rooftop still lingered in the back of his mind, especially how much pain it had caused him.
One thing that did concern him was the lack of contact from Eiji. He'd become somewhat moody just before the term ended at Chieki, and for once it didn't seem to be because of low test scores. Masato had texted him many times, but Eiji either blew him off, or more recently, just ignored him.
What's wrong with him? Hope he's okay. At least I've got you to talk to, Dorothy...
He was typing a long message to Dorothy, before he headed out to the hotel. As he did, someone knocked on the door.
"Bro, are you almost ready?" Natsumi asked.
"Yeah, just about," Masato asked. His sister opened the door and came closer to his computer. "Hey, this is private!"
"Sorry! I'm curious about the girl who stole my brother's heart, that's all!"
"Stole my heart, huh…? I like that." Masato said, grinning to himself. "Man, the pictures she shows me of New York are something else. Look at how amazing the baseball games are!"
"Yes, fascinating. You do know that we're due at the hotel shortly, right?" Natsumi said, nervously – in case their parents overheard. Luckily, they were busy on the phone with Hideki, and it sounded like another animated conversation.
Masato nodded, annoyed. "Yeah, I know that, sis. And I haven't forgotten some big party is happening at Tanjoshima. But I wanna finish my message to her, okay?"
"Fine, just be quick about it. Shigeru doesn't like us being late, especially after what happened last time. Tzaphkiel, that weird angel - I wonder where it is now?"
Masato wondered the same thing – the angel host was destroyed, of course, but the 'voice' that spoke from it was recalled to god knows where. It hadn't been in touch with anyone else. Wherever it was, it clearly was in no position to act on its own.
Maybe we should be looking for it. Then again, we've been all over the city in the Theio Kosmos by now. If it hasn't turned out yet, then it's probably not somewhere anyone can just wander into.
"Okay, I'm done." Masato finally said, submitting his message. "Wait. I forgot to add something -"
"Add it later!" Natsumi snapped. "Come on, don't be late!"
"Fine..."
The two left the house, waving to their parents, ready for their next mission.
|Meguro Hotel|10:30 am|
The meeting had finally come. Everyone was present and huddled together in their groups. The Admins remained seated among themselves, maintaining a professional distance from the others.
"Today, we're going to go over the structure of Tanjoshima, and the events taking place there this evening," Shigeru said, pointing to the projected screen. There was a satellite image of the island, that was overlaid with a wireframe map. "In the centre of the island is the Tanjoshima Reception & Concert Hall, an elaborate venue for hosting large scale events. There will be a party attended by many of the city's elite, not to mention government officials from other Japanese cities that have been formally invited. Many bands will be playing, such as Electric Sea..."
"Yeah, we got asked to play a while back," Netuno replied. "And we're going to be playing a lot of songs. I'll be busy with the guys all night, probably."
"I've been asked to sing as well," Aika added. "I can't exactly cancel my appearance, I'm afraid."
"That's not what I'm requesting either of you do," Shigeru said, looking back at the screen in front of him. "This event is specifically for invited guests – the general public will not be able to attend. However, there are other festivities planned for them – for example, the Observatory will be free to attend."
He pointed to a tall building towards the south of the island, surrounded by a park area. This was the Shin Hoshi Tower Observatory, an elegant building with a dark blue and silver facade. Atop this observatory was a huge telescope, a state of the art model. Shintaro estimated the building to be at least one-hundred-and-fifty metres tall. As such, it was quite a bit larger than the other buildings on the island.
"Also there is the harbour area. Using a screen of water, a light show has been promised. A luxury cruise ship, the Shinshuto Seafarer, will be acting as a restaurant for the evening, for those who aren't invited to the main event at the reception hall. Tomorrow, she will disembark on a cruise around the coast of Japan. This will be her maiden voyage. Of course, there are many who have simply reserved a table for the evening who won't be going on the cruise, simply to enjoy the food being prepared by a top-class chef."
"A celebrity chef?" Kaii asked, curious.
"I wouldn't say 'celebrity', exactly, but in his field, he's very well renowned. He's normally employed at the Hotel Aquarius. By the by, what became of that accommodation?"
"It was abandoned," Shiro said, after a pause. "It was deemed too unsafe after what happened at the Golden Laguna, so in the Theio Kosmos, it is completely unused. No trace of ourselves was left behind."
"I've kept an eye on that place too, Komatsu-san," Reia added, looking up from her laptop. "There's nothing happening there, not since the Parcae were eliminated."
"Very well. Then let's continue. People will be travelling to and from Tanjoshima using the Paradise Bridge, either via foot or via their cars. Unfortunately, there is no Aeon Pathway that currently takes us directly to the island, but there is one on the Ginumi shore very close by. Therefore, we'll need to walk onto the island."
"How exactly are we gonna do this?" Masato asked, curious. "I mean, either in the Akarharto or Theio Kosmos, all of us are gonna be divided among the three events, right? To make sure nothing happens?"
"That is essentially the case, yes. Although there will be a fourth team at the entrance to the island. Their job will be to ensure no Shadow threats from the mainland get close to the guests at Tanjoshima. We must watch with both eyes wide open. Any carelessness will not be tolerated. Does everyone understand?"
Everyone nodded, and Shintaro wondered where he would be sent.
"Very well. Then I'll start with the reception hall. I will be there, of course, as well as Kaiyo. Yoko – Mayor Ashikaga – will be attending as well. It goes without saying, but if you were to meet her at any point, you must not reveal what you know about Noriko, aka Nisa Liat. The loss of her daughter has already broken her. She would not be able to survive if she knew...what the ghost of her beloved girl had become."
I wonder how much the Mayor knows about us. She's never talked to anyone besides Shigeru in our team. If I were to meet her, what would I say?
"Komatsu-san. Let me go to the reception hall. I'll be on standby with Shintaro-kun." Kei immediately spoke up, looking fondly at her friend. "You'll come with me, won't you?"
"O-Of course I will."
"That's fine with me, but who else will be there with you?" Shigeru asked. "Remember, if anything were to happen, you will need a balanced team of -"
"I'll go." Akari suddenly said, seriously.
"Me too," Kaii said, hand over his chest. "I have to make myself useful."
Kei looked at them both, surprised. "Are you sure?"
"Relax. They're with the Wild Card that stopped the leader of Bythos. What's gonna happen to them? They'll eat bad sushi?" Netuno said, smirking. "And I'll be there too, don't forget. You can count on me."
"Just don't hurt your fingers on your guitar strings." Reia said, playfully. "Toki, I think you already know this, but -"
"I got it. Don't go anywhere near the reception hall. That's fine, I wasn't going to volunteer anyway."
"A wise choice. But I hope you realise this wouldn't just be for tonight. You must never, ever approach Kaiyo again." Toki said, darkly. "If Noboru wishes to spend time with you, I'll allow that. But you cannot approach my home – his home – at any stage. Do you understand, Hayashi? Or have you forgotten how much my wife suffered because of you?"
Toki was silent, as was everyone else. Shintaro didn't exactly feel sorry for him, but seeing Shigeru so angry was never pleasant. Eager to change the subject, he spoke up.
"Excuse me, Komatsu-san, who should watch over the harbour?"
"Ah...yes. That's quite a big area. Not as vast as the Iruka Marina, but still plenty of space for large boats beside the cruise ship. We'll need more people there than the other regions, to be absolutely sure nothing goes wrong. Getting on the boat would be difficult, but if we observe it from the docks, we should be ready to intercept any possible attack."
It's like we're at war. Perhaps that's what this actually is. Will anything actually happen there, though?
"I'll go!" Kohaku said, raising her hand. "I can handle the harbour!"
"Me too!" Natsumi said.
"Very well. Then once my set list is finished, I'll go as well." Aika said. "Celestine, will you join me?"
"Yes, of course." The authoress added. "Asami, will you accompany us as well?"
Asami nodded, smiling at Natsumi. "Don't worry. It might be hard, teaming up with former Aeon Admins, but if anything comes up, our skills as Persona users will be more than enough to deal with it."
"I'd like to go to the harbour too, if I may," Evelina said.
"As would I," Rinaka said, causing the Swedish girl to falter somewhat.
"That's a lot of girls in one place..." Katashi said, frowning.
Why the hell is that a big deal?
"Yeah, I guess so. How about you and I join them?" Toki suggested, jovially.
"W-What? I didn't mean -"
"Then it's settled," Shigeru replied, ignoring the runner's reluctance. "Now for the Observatory – we'll allocate five people there. Hiroyuki, would you like to take command of that squad?"
"Was just about to ask." The soldier said, giving him a firm salute. "Now, who thinks they can handle being under my strict orders?"
"...I do," Masato said, clenching his fists. "I'm not the same kid you lectured once before. I'm ready for anything."
"I'll go too, as your senpai." Toshiaki added. "That, and I've been wanting to ask Kita-san about his life in the JSDF for a while."
"We can talk about that later, my boy. But as for the others in our team..."
"I'll go," Keiya said.
"As will I," Toshiaki added.
Masato and Toshiaki's faces of anguish said it all. Shintaro felt pity for them – and also a sense of relief that Celestine wouldn't be in his team this evening. Hopefully, this team would be able to co-exist without destroying each other. Hiroyuki was highly regarded by the soldiers under his command, and his superiors trusted him greatly, but these were civilians he was dealing with.
"Then that's that." The soldier said, ignoring his younger soldier's looks of dismay. "Then that leaves our team at the gate."
"Yes," Shigeru said, looking at his son. "Noboru, you'll be on watch for anything that attempts to reach the island via the bridge. We'll be counting on you."
"I won't let you down, dad," Noboru said. Toki bit his lip at this – it must have stung to hear his son call another man father. Even so, he did not speak up, but Kaii did give him a sympathetic look.
This family situation is a complex one. I'm just relieved I'm not part of it. But I can't focus on that now. Not tonight.
"I'll be there too," Manami added. "I may be your senpai at school, but as a Persona user, you still have more experience. So I'll be relying on you to guide me. I hope you don't mind."
"N-Not at all, senpai," Noboru said. "By the way, if the city's elite are coming tonight, doesn't that include your parents?"
"Yes. Father owns one of the Divine Nine companies, after all, so of course, he'd be specially invited for the ceremonial opening of the island. It'll be alright, of course. After all, your father and Kei will be there in case anything should happen. And I'll do everything I can to support you at the gate."
"I'll be at the gate as well, of course," Michiko added. "I'm not about to leave my students to fend for themselves. Reia, Novalie, you two will be with me."
"Fine with me, although I won't be able to babysit Netuno..."
"Hey! I'm older than you, aren't I?" The guitarist said, pouting. "Man..."
"Don't worry, Netuno-kun, she says these things because of how much she likes you," Novalie said. "It's called 'tsundere', isn't it?"
"...This is no time to joke around, Vinters." Shigeru said, seriously. "Tzaphkiel warned us of a catastrophe. Whatever it might be, we must do everything in our power to prevent it. Is everyone clear of where we must go?"
The entire team nodded.
"The main event begins at 19:00 hours. I'll be there early, of course, and will make my own way there with Kaiyo. Fonseca, Makino, you two will do the same. Everyone else will enter Tanjoshima using the Theio Kosmos. Once there, make your way to the designated points, and be ready for anything. Stay in contact with each other if there's anything we need to know about." Shigeru said. "The event will end officially at midnight. I must ask you all stay there until then."
My parents won't like that one bit. If I tell them I stayed at Kohaku's house and we lost track of time, would they believe that? I sure hope so.
Now everyone knew what was expected of them, they could depart, and ready themselves for the coming day. Shintaro hoped he would not have to use his Persona or his sword this evening, but if he did, it would only be against a small threat. After all, if neither of the Aeons were fighting for the Princess any more, what was left that could get in their way?
|Tanjoshima – Reception Hall|19:30 pm|
The grand building was just as magnificent on the inside as it was on the outside. Elegant golden pillars, elaborate chandeliers, finely crafted tables and chairs, and a huge stage with a red velvet curtain, the place had truly no expense spared. Every table had distinguished guests of high society, including business owners – from Shinshuto and beyond. Indeed, the Prime Minister of Japan had been keenly interested in the development of this new city, and while he had been unable to attend, he had sent a highly ranked member of his staff to greet Mayor Ashikaga. He was now sitting with her, at the same table as Shigeru and Kaiyo Komatsu.
"Have you ever visited Tokyo, Ashikaga-san?" Tarusuke Hayami asked. A plump, round-faced man, with a bald head and thick moustache, he looked very much the polar opposite of the muscular, athletic Shigeru. He seemed to be around forty, slightly younger than both the Mayor and Shigeru. "I grew up in Ikebukuro myself. It's a wonderful town, especially Sunshine 60."
"I've been there several times on business," Yoko replied, focusing on her meal. "Never as a tourist, unfortunately. Perhaps sometime in the spring next year."
"Now that would be wonderful. Of course, what part of Japan doesn't look beautiful with the cherry blossoms?" Tarusuke said, laughing joyfully. Shigeru and Kaiyo joined in if only to be polite, but the Mayor didn't even show him that courtesy. Still, he did not seem to notice her lack of interest. Or perhaps he was ignoring it.
"I'm very impressed with this island so far. It certainly is not as vast as Odaiba, but it is a beautiful haven regardless. I'm sure our Prime Minister will be very pleased when I report back to him." Tarusuke said, finishing his third glass of red wine, while Shigeru was just pouring the second for himself and his wife. "Of course, I won't have much time to explore the rest of your fine city either. Now that this nasty Bythos business seems to be done with, I suspect Shinshuto is in for a long period of peace."
"Excuse me, I need to pay a visit," Yoko said, getting up to her feet. Kaiyo excused herself as well and followed her into the ladies room. Thus the two men were on their own. Smiling, Tarusuke leaned back on his chair, enjoying his wine glass.
"Ah, it's good to finally be able to relax. Working for the government is a tiring role, but I wouldn't have it any other way."
"With everything that's been happening, I've been kept busy most days myself. Yet with Bythos going quiet, I can look forward to some quiet time with my family. Kaiyo and I have a son in Kansei, Noboru. He's going to be an actor – a very talented one, I should add."
Tarusuke smiled. "I've got two daughters back home, from my first marriage. They're beautiful little angels, always singing together. Maybe someday, they'll be singing on stages like the one right in front of us. By the way, Komatsu-san, this is a bit of an awkward question...but is Ashikaga-san single?"
Are you serious? Do you think Yoko would ever be interested in any man? You have no idea just what kind of person she is nowadays. Even as one of her longest friends, I don't know how to approach her any more. This man means well, but I need to disabuse him of any notion of romance.
"Ever since her divorce, and her daughter's death..." Shigeru began, grimly. "She has been alone. And that's the way she intends to keep it. Her working life is enough for her."
Somewhat disappointed, the envoy from Tokyo sighed. "I should have known. I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself again. My wife left me a long time ago, and I've been looking for that special someone ever since. Obviously, you're a lot luckier in that department."
"...I'm sure you'll find the right woman some day, Hayami-san," Shigeru said, genuine.
He reached for his Gnosis, keeping it under the table so no one could see it. So far, no pressing updates. Shintaro's team were in the Akartharto Kosmos version of this place, and it was empty. The Harbour team were keeping vigilant, some of them on land, some were nearer the boat. Likewise, the Observatory team were doing fine, despite the friction between the younger and older members. At the gate, nothing unusual had been spotted.
Finally, the women came back, and the evening continued. The Mayor was cordial, yet she did not react to the longing looks Hayami was giving her. Something about her drew him in, yet she had zero interest in any admirer. Her husband, and Noriko's father, had run away with another woman quite some time ago. He had returned for his daughter's funeral but had no contact with his ex-wife since then. Love was simply not something Yoko needed.
Nothing would ever fill the void left by a child's death. When Noboru called me 'daddy' for the first time, I cried. Tears of joy. He was my step-son at that point, but I wanted to legally adopt him as my own boy. To make it official. Now that Toki is around again – no, now isn't the time to get frustrated at the thought of that waste of space. As long as he does his job, and keeps away from Kaiyo, everything will be the same.
Finally, now that the meal was over, the man organising the event took the stage, to introduce the musicians playing this evening.
"We hope you're all enjoying the meal. Tanjoshima was built with the hard work that has driven this city to prosperity in the modern era!" The man said, his voice booming all over the stage – and being drowned out by the raccous applause. Yoko, however, clapped very slowly, without even looking at the stage. "Tonight, I'd like to introduce a very special guest! Ladies and gentlemen, give a warm round of applause for Aika Makino!"
Smiling, waving to her audience, Aika walked on stage and took the microphone. Everyone applauded, as she began to sing her first song. Shigeru began to relax, enjoying the music, and the company around him. Perhaps everything would be fine, and Tzaphkiel's words would mean nothing at all.
|Tanjoshima Harbour|20:30 pm|
The Seafarer was a beauty of a ship, designed with a classical look. With the gentle tides, the view of the boat and the sea beyond was truly picturesque. In the Akartharto Kosmos, the restaurant on board was packed, and the wonderful smells would drift onto the main land. In this world, however, it was empty. Only Kohaku and the others were here to watch over it.
"Man, the menu sounded so delicious...we couldn't have had dinner there as part of our job?" Katashi asked, his stomach rumbling.
"Eh, their food's way too rich for my tastes. Kaii, now he knows how to cook." Toki said, proudly. "He's surpassed on that – and a lot of other things."
Celestine sighed, shaking her head. "Why is it always about food for you two?"
"Hey, that's just how we bonded. He was nice enough to bring in a spare lunch, and me being the dumbass I am, I forgot mine. I dunno why everyone else but me gave him such a hard time..."
"I don't, either. Kaii is a gentleman." Kohaku said, for once in agreement with Toki. She'd started to think of him more fairly, or at least, she was more neutral to him than Shintaro was.
"I...I guess it was how upbeat he was." Rinaka said, after a moment's thought. "He wasn't bitter about his lot in life – he was genuinely excited to be there."
Evelina blinked. "So his positive attitude clashed with the pessimists that made up the other Aeon Admins? Is that it?"
"I guess so," Asami said, bitterly. "All he wanted was to find out who his dad was. He wasn't looking for revenge like us. I feel bad for being mean to him now..."
"Relax, Asami-chan. You can tell him that afterwards. He'll understand." Natsumi said. "Honestly, he's not the type who'd hold a grudge."
Kohaku saw someone coming towards them in the distance – it was Aika, in her white dress.
"How was it?" Celestine asked.
"It went well, I think. After my selection of songs was over, I let Netuno and his band go on stage. Nothing unusual to report. Komatsu-san and his wife were near the front, as was the Mayor."
"You didn't bring any snacks…?" Katashi asked.
Aika frowned. "We didn't come here to stuff ourselves. Besides, I thought you were on a strict diet? Or are you giving that up?"
"N-No! No way!" The runner said, annoyed. "Sorry, I'm just...well, it's about my brother."
"What happened?" Kohaku asked, curious.
"Well, my parents received a call from the prison – the officer there told them my bro had been...beaten up, really badly," Katashi said, uneasy. "But my folks don't remember having any children apart from me. They went crazy, and just screamed at the caller, saying the prison must have made a mistake. Yet their contact details were the only ones they had for an Ichiro Yamaguchi – who my parents insisted had nothing to do with them."
"So whatever Nisa Liat did to them, it's still in effect," Evelina said, nervous. "Perhaps it will never fade. Even if the entire Theio Kosmos vanished, they will have forever lost all knowledge of their older son."
"Yeah, and now it's starting to scare me," Katashi said, pale. "What if my brother is innocent after all? If he is, then what the hell do I do? I..."
Kohaku didn't have an answer to that question. He wanted to badly to escape the shame of having a murderer in the family, especially if he still wanted to become a famous runner. Yet now, even if his brother was innocent, overturning his guilty verdict would be extremely difficult, and if his parents had genuinely forgotten him, he had no chance of escaping his cursed luck.
"Right now, we can't do much but wait," Toki said, gently. "We'll figure something out. Just give it some time. For now, we gotta focus on the work we're given."
"I know," Katashi said, still anxious. "I'll try to focus harder. Sorry, guys."
"It's unusual for you to apologise so much," Aika said, teasingly. "Perhaps you're finally growing up."
Kohaku smirked, but when she turned to the sea, something seemed off to her. The water had been so calm moments before. Yet it seemed choppier now, and the waves could be heard against the shore.
"Huh?"
"What's wrong, Kohaku-chan?" Natsumi asked, walking over with Asami. "Wait, it wasn't that wavy before, was it?"
"I don't think so," Asami said, worried. "Let's stay calm. It's not too bad for now..."
As she said this, however, Kohaku saw something further out in the sea. A red spot in the water – one that was growing larger and larger. And from it, ripples formed on the sea. Those ripples soon gave way to a giant wave of water, one that was rushing at the island at insane speeds. And above this wave was a humanoid body – one that had an insane face, with blood-red eyes that could be seen even from the distance.
"Oceanus!" Katashi screamed. "But – I thought it wasn't going to attack us?"
"Something's changed since we last saw him!" Toki shouted. "Dammit! Everyone, fall back and take cover!"
Kohaku gasped, her heart racing. The wave was coming so fast, it would crush the Seafarer for sure. There had to be something she could do to defend it.
"...Airmid, help me!"
|Hoshi Tower Observatory|20:40 pm|
This was a much more mature exhibit than the Great Beyond Space Museum, and as such, inside the Theio Kosmos, it lacked any abnormal features. Simply a fairly basic display of the stars, and interactive exhibits. There was a large fragment of a meteor on display, and a small theatre that normally would have been playing an education movie about the creation of the universe. On the floor above them was a deck where people could view the island and the city itself via smaller telescopes, which was intended to be a romantic hotspot. With the observatory's impressive height, it was destined to be an iconic part of the Shinshuto skyline.
"Do you often go to places like this, Koyanagi-san?" Keiya asked, keen to break the long silence. The five had been looking around the ground floor, just in case anything was particularly unusual, but aside from Masato knocking over a stand in the gift shop, nothing exciting had happened.
"Not particularly. I am finding this rather informative, though. Including this map of the Big Dipper. And all the stars that are part of the constellation, and their names, the origins of said names, etc. You'll no doubt be enjoying this more than myself, I assume."
Keiya blinked, confused. "Why do you say that? Because of my Arcana? Well, I do have fond sentiments for the moon. It's a powerful celestial body, after all. And it complements a romantic evening rather nicely. Not that I've had one of those for quite some time."
"Me either, of course," Shiro said, sighing. "Let me guess, no one since then compares to your first love."
Masato grimaced, but thinking about it, Dorothy had been his first love. The blonde girl who talked endlessly about how cool Manhattan was, and how much she'd like him to be there, and then watch the Yankees. It was the first time he'd connected to someone about baseball so strongly, even more than anyone at Chieki. He noticed Toshiaki walk up to him, and smiled.
"Hey, Senpai, this place is kinda boring, isn't it? No giant spaceship for Natsumi to steal and take us to the moon with."
"I really wish I'd been there then. Your sis is one fiery girl, even without Brigid!" The Chieki runner said, chuckling at the thought. "At least you're here, my man. I've nothing against Hiroyuki personally, but I find authoritative types really hard to talk to. It's hard enough with Koyanagi. Still the worst teacher in the world."
"Tell me about it. If only we'd ended up with Suzuki-sensei. I guess there are worse teachers to have, like that volleyball guy from Tokyo...but listen, it'll be over eventually. There are no Shadows here at all, so it shouldn't take long for Komatsu-san to tell us to go home." Masato said. "Course, then I'll have to deal with the parents. Joy."
"You don't get along with them?"
"Not really. My mother's the head of the household. No question. Seriously, anyone who doesn't fall in line with her is doomed. My dad's got no backbone to stand against her. Even after my big brother left home, she's still trying to control him. She keeps trying to make him and Setsuna go with her plans for their wedding. It's so stupid. It's part of the reason I wanted an online girlfriend...so they never have to see my mother being so cruel."
Toshiaki, with a pitiful look, sat next to Masato. "Does your mother know about Dorothy?"
"Oh, she sure does. And she's said many times how much I should look for a nice traditional Japanese girl. No Westerner would be a worthy girlfriend for a Yoshinaga, she says. Every single day." The redhead sighed, looking up at the starry ceiling. "After school, though...I wanna be a big shot on the Shinshuto Baseball team. But first, I wanna see the States, with Dorothy. Until then, I have to deal with my stupid mother."
Toshiaki stared, shocked. Keiya had overheard this, and was looking in their direction, but said nothing.
"That's awful, man. Your mother just needs to let you live. My dad's finally learned that lesson, I think."
"Oh god, I forgot. He was there in Asakita with your brother! How are they doing?" Masato asked, anxious.
"They're okay. I had a long talk with them, and...well, my dad gave me his reluctant blessing to keep going back to the Theio Kosmos. In fact, he knows I'm here. As does my brother."
"Did...you tell them about Shiro quitting Bythos?" Masato asked.
"I didn't get around to that yet," Toshiaki said, grimly. "When I started talking to him about Tanjoshima, he kept saying things like "I hope that fucking Shiro doesn't show up to screw you over again". So I couldn't just say that we're allies."
"Wise choice."
Koyanagi looked over, arms crossed. The two younger boys looked over, surprised. They hadn't expected him to be so agreeable tonight, judging by their faces.
"Tetsuo would indeed not appreciate the idea of us working together. So if you're willing to keep that a secret, so be it."
"You're okay with him hating you now?" Keiya asked, surprised.
Shiro sighed. "Perhaps living on with my regrets was the mature thing to do all along. If the alternative is a cataclysm that cannot be undone, then I'll leave things as they are."
Toshiaki smiled, one of the few times he'd ever done so in front of his nemesis. "First meaningful thing he's ever said! It's a miracle!"
The two adults shook their heads, and walked further away, looking vigilantly for any signs of trouble.
"I guess there's not much I can say about your mother that would help, but...you ever want to talk, you know where to find me. And you've got everybody else." Toshiaki said, looking back at Masato, with a gentle lilt to his voice.
"Oh, I know that now. I'm glad I get to hang out with so many cool people these days. Shintaro and I are getting really close again. And having the coolest guy in Chieki as a friend is pretty nice too, you know?"
"Aww, you're making me blush. But once I graduate, I think it might be you that takes up that mantle." Toshiaki replied, laughing. "C'mon, we better get back to work. Kita-san is giving us dirty looks."
The two of them got to their feet, rejoining the group. As they did, however, the lights flickered, and the displays turned off.
"Huh?" Masato muttered. "Is there a power cut or something?"
"Shadows?!" Keiya said, on edge. "I don't see anything but ourselves, but-"
Just then, they heard screaming. Very loud, terrified screams. A lot of glass being shattered, and crashing, and the entire floor above shook violently. And then after that was a very inhuman screech. Whatever calm had been at the observatory had been shattered instantly – especially as a strange lifeform crashed through the ceiling.
"Holy shit!" Masato screamed.
This was a completely new Shadow – it had the upper body of an emaciated female, with long black hair, that had a strange shimmer to it. The face had blood-red eyes, that were crying tears of blood – that formed a strange star shape as they trickled down her pallid white face. Her gloves and dress seemed to be formed out of the night sky itself, with moving star patterns. There were no legs beneath this dress, simply countless stars.
It was when he looked at the fact that Masato realised he had met this girl before. That night in Mizuho, she had nearly died. Now, however, he was a Shadow not too unlike the one her old friend had become.
"Hisaya Ueda..." Hiroyuki uttered, in dismay.
"That was the old me! But I'm not that weakling from the Crimson Squad anymore! From now on, you can call me Asteria. I'm going to be ruling this island, as its eternal queen of the stars! While all your other friends get killed, I'll destroy you all myself! Just like I did those pathetic humans upstairs!"
"Humans? Upstairs? But there shouldn't be anyone there in the Theio Kosmos!" Keiya shouted. "What is happening, Hisaya?"
"Shut up, you stupid card freak! You don't control me any more! We just have to do everything we can to bring the Core into being! Just like with Mizuho so long ago! But this time, I'll succeed where Astraeus failed! I'll get that Core and rule the island, in his memory!"
"This is insane. What did she mean by our 'other friends'?" Shiro asked. "Don't tell me, the rest of the island is in a similar situation?!"
"Everyone else among us is in grave danger," Hiroyuki replied, rifle at the ready. "Attack! Now!"
|Tanjoshima Reception Hall|20:45 pm|
Shintaro, alongside Kei and the others, were sitting on the empty chairs by the right-hand side of the room. The entire place was deserted in this world, but otherwise, looked no different than the real one. Everything was immaculate as expected. On stage, Aika would be singing, yet here, it was silent.
"If only we could have had some of the food here..." Kaii said, gazing at the empty table nearest them.
"I know, I know..." Akari said, hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. Once this is over, I'll cook you something good."
"You can cook?" Shintaro asked, surprised. "I thought Kaii was the main chef here?"
"Hey, I have more talents than you think! Sure, I'm not like that guy from Fate, but I can put together a few good recipes! Especially cakes..." Akari said. "In fact, that's it. Once we're all done with this, I'm making everyone a giant cake to celebrate!"
"Oh?" Kei asked, intrigued. "Now that sounds good. I haven't had a homemade cake since I left Yokohama. It was an emotional day, but despite all that, Hajime found a good recipe for a coffee chocolate cake that he and Ryoma put together. Well, they sort of had to – Midori's attempt was a complete disaster."
"How so…?" Shintaro asked, morbidly curious.
"She put gravy over the cake instead of chocolate icing."
Shuddering at this thought, Shintaro winced. Kei, however, just laughed.
"Hey, we learned a lesson that day. Gravy over chocolate sponge is disgusting. We didn't have proof before then, but now we do."
The group laughed. They were having a good time, even if they were all alone here. It had been so quiet until then, but now, the group were swapping horror stories of cooking, from both themselves and their families. Shintaro had learned the hard way that just because ketchup is red, it wasn't necessarily a good substitute for red food colouring.
"Man, this is great," Kaii said, checking his phone. "It's nice to have the place to ourselves. If only we'd brought a speaker to play music or something."
"Relax, I like it without any sound – makes it easier to hear other people talking," Shintaro said. Just then, he thought he heard something crack. "Huh? Was that the window?"
"I don't think so..." Kei said, looking above them. The windows seemed intact. In fact, all Shintaro could see was his own reflection in them, alongside Kei's, Akari's, Kaii's, and Shigeru's -
"Huh?!"
Akari gasped. Shintaro looked around, and blinked. The once empty hall was now full to the brim with guests, most of which had failed to notice the group sitting apart from them. Netuno was on stage, eyes closed, playing his electric guitar with finesse. He abruptly stopped, however, as did the rest of his band.
"Um..." Kaii began. "What's going on? Did we warp here by accident?"
"But we didn't find a QR code for this place. Did we?" Akari asked, looking all over. Several of the guests had now noticed them and were looking rather perplexed as to their sudden appearance. A feeling rather mutual, Shintaro noted.
"Listen, everyone, let's stay calm here. "We have to get back to the Theio Kosmos, and fast -"
"Actually, Shintaro-kun..." Kei said, gravely. "Look..."
He turned back to the stage, and shuddered. The red curtain had now become a dark purple, and seemed to be aflame – the fire being a blindingly bright azure. The entire area was becoming darker, and more twisted, with the once elegant designs giving way to demonic symbols of fear. The ground began to shake, and several chandeliers collapsed onto the ground, shattering the various tables.
Netuno, still on stage with the petrified Electric Sea, jumped down, and ran towards Kei's team.
"What the hell just happened?!" He screamed. "Guys...this is still the Akartharto Kosmos?"
Akari shook her head. "No, Netuno. We didn't warp there by mistake. It looks like everyone else was brought over to the Theio Kosmos…!"
"Shigeru! What's happening?!" Mayor Ashikaga screamed, getting to her feet.
"I don't know! But we're in danger if we stay here!"
"My goodness...is it an earthquake?!" An unfamiliar chubby man cried.
"No, Hayami-san." The Mayor said, in disbelief. "I'm afraid this is connected to Bythos. Right now, we must -"
Before she could finish, there was a massive cracking sound – and a hole in the centre of the room opened up. Narrowly, the guests avoided falling in, and ran back in horror. Climbing out of the hole, was a mammoth beast of untold strength and insanity.
"Menoetius?!" Akari screamed, holding Kaii's hand tightly. He gulped, staying still.
"No...ri...ko! Where...is...Noriko?! I'll...kill...I'll kill...I'll kill ALL!"
With a ferocious roar, it slammed the ground with its fists, and the dozen unlucky people nearby were sent flying by the waves of dark crimson energy. The force of the impact was so great, it smashed through the window – and the victims were sent flying onto the ground below.
"No!" Shintaro's heart was pounding in his ears. This couldn't be happening. Not tonight, of all nights. This Shadow was going to kill everyone in sight if left alone. "Kei, we have to destroy this thing!"
Nodding, Kei took out her Gnosis. It no longer mattered how many people witnessed their powers. Right now, this monstrous Anomaly, the first Nisa Liat had ever created, must be destroyed. Akari and Kaii did the same, and Shintaro followed.
"Yoko. You must escape with everyone else!" Shigeru screamed. "I'll lead the way."
"R-Right. Everyone, follow Komatsu-san! Hayami-san, stay close to me." The Mayor ordered.
"Netuno, what the hell is this? How do you know those kids?" Lenore asked.
"It doesn't matter! We have to get out of here!" Elzira shouted. The Titan Tyrant grabbed her hand, and together, they followed the others out of the building.
"You're...not leaving, are you?" Heliodoro asked. "You can't fight that thing!"
"I'll explain everything later. But right now, you have to escape Tanjoshima. I swear I'll be back!"
Angry, he ran out after his band, towards the fire exits. Thankfully, Menoetius was now focused on Kei's team, and turned towards them, managing to stand upright – revealing just how many scars and burns the Princess had inflicted on it over the years. A Shadow would normally not bear wounds in the same manner as a human, but this one was on a whole other level. Its head no longer looked human, and seemed to be a deformed demonic horned facade, only vaguely in a humanoid shape.
"Noriko…where...hiding?! I kill….anyone...who gets...in way…!"
"This is the strongest Shadow we've ever faced," Kei said, her katana firmly in her hand. "Everyone, give it your very best. We must not lose here."
Shintaro took a deep breath, and reached for his rapier. This brute of a Shadow had an aurora of pure hatred and rage, one unlike anything else. If it could destroy the Golden Laguna, would Kei and the others even be able to hurt it?
There's no other way! I'll fight, for as long as it takes!
|Tanjoshima – Gate|20:50 pm|
The team at the gate to the island had been keeping watch, but so far, everything seemed fairly normal. Noboru had been quiet, wondering how both of his fathers were doing – not to mention his mother. Likewise, Manami had been largely silent. The older women were talking among themselves, but Noburo wasn't paying close attention, other than when he was asked for his opinion on the costumes he'd had to wear in his various acting appearances. That all changed, however, when they saw people running towards them. Panicking, terrified people.
"What?!" Novalie murmured. "What's going on?"
"Dad's over there! And...the Mayor?"
Before long, there was a massive crowd shoving past them. Shigeru and the Mayor stopped, however, and turned to Noboru's team.
"Dad, what's going on? Everything was fine until a moment ago!"
"What's your son doing here?" A large man next to the Mayor asked.
"It doesn't matter. Right now, we need to get everyone back to the Akartharto Kosmos." Shigeru said, frantic. "...I don't understand it myself, but everyone has been sent to this world."
"Are you serious?!" Michiko asked, shocked. "Then...we have to hurry!"
"Manami-chan, why are you here?!" Her father asked.
"Forget why, darling, we have to get away!" Her mother shrieked.
Before she could answer this, however, the people down the bridge screamed. A massive wave of water was now approaching Ginumi's shore, very close to the bridge. In terms of height, it must have been at least seventy metres. It soon crashed upon the shore, completely enveloping the defenceless coast. No building it touched was left unharmed – most of them were shattered, destroying the promenade in seconds. It mattered not how sturdy the homes or businesses were, they were reduced to rubble immediately.
"Oh my god!" Manami cried. "...What is that?"
More waves came towards Ginumi, flooding the remains of the shore. A portion of the bridge near the mainland collapsed, sinking into the depths. Several unlucky guests had fallen in, and those still on the bridge were forced to back away.
"No!" A businesswoman cried. "There's no way out! We're all going to die!"
"Oceanus..." Shigeru murmured.
"The ocean is what, exactly?" The horrified man next to the Mayor uttered. "This is insane! There's no way these waves are normal! My god!"
"Hayami-san, it would take far too long to explain everything to you. Right now, we must get everyone to safety. Noboru, and everyone else, I'm going to need you to teleport everyone to a safer place in the Akarharto Kosmos. Preferably not Ginumi. Manami, Michiko, Novalie, Reia, aid him. It may be difficult to use the app with just one person."
"Dad…?" Noboru said, fearfully, as he gazed at this phone. "It's coming up with an error message. 'Too much interference'."
"Mine as well," Michiko said, shaken. "Shigeru, what on earth happened at the reception hall?"
"Menoetius appeared inside. Kei's team are fighting it right now."
"Oh my goodness!" Novalie said, shocked. "We have to do something, and get everyone to safety!"
"We have to call in emergency services!"
Hayami tried reaching for his cellphone, ignoring Shigeru's objections, but when he felt inside his pocket, he looked up in confusion. He pulled out two phones – one was his regular work device, the other was a very familiar one to Noboru and the others.
"A Gnosis?!" Manami asked. "Why do you have one of those, mister?"
"I-I don't know!" The man cried. As he held the mysterious Gnosis, it soon began emitting a red aura. "W-What? It's...it's burning my hand! Help, someone!"
"Hayami-san!" The mayor cried, horrified. "Shigeru, we have to save him -"
Alas, before anyone could reach him, there was a massive flash of red light – and pulsing with dark energy in front of Tarusuke Hayami was none other than the fearsome EX-NIHILO. Against all odds, it had returned, with a sword even larger than before. The mask seemed slightly different too – blood was oozing from where the 'eyes' would be.
"No!" Noboru screamed. "Not you again!"
"What...What's happening…to me?!" Hayami screamed, falling to his knees. "It...hurts...argh!" Blood started to leak from his ears, and his veins began to throb. The Gnosis was stuck in his hand, and seemed to be burning away the skin.
Bastard! I have to do something!
"Initializing. Host 'Tarusuke Hayami' providing adequate energy to sustain manifestation. Beginning BATTLE 06 Procedure. Annihilation of Tanjoshima must be fulfilled."
Reia gulped. "If this thing is here, this must mean Nisa Liat created another one."
"Then she's not dead?!" Novalie shouted. "No, but Kei defeated her, didn't she?"
"Shigeru..." The Mayor said, standing behind him. "We must destroy this thing. And then focus on getting off this island. The longer we stay on Tanjoshima, the more dangerous it will be."
Noboru didn't need to be told twice – or even once. He drew his swords, as did his comrades. If he could slay this demon as fast as he could, perhaps this poor man could be saved from Teruko's fate.
"You won't destroy this island! Come, Aengus! We have to win, no matter what!"