Oh Boy! It is I the Maelstrom coming at you after two weeks and my birthday which was the 19th of this month! I know this chapter is comparably shorter compared to the first one, and especially compared to the second chapter, but I felt like I needed to write as much as needed as well as end it where I felt worked.
Don't worry tho! This chapter will certainly be a little bit more telling for Subaru's inner thoughts, and especially considering that there is a tidbit at the end of this story I decided to add!
I like to think that this will work especially considering Subaru's backstory. But for now, I'll keep hush! Let's get onto responding to the reviews!
UKNE-12mark3: Hahahaha! I mean, most likely! When that does happen, it's gonna be a sobering experience for Subaru that's for sure!
Alex Acost: Hey, Hey, Hey! Well, you're wish will sooner come true faster than you think before! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Zheng yi wei fang mao Cat of J: No problemo! I'll try to be more regular with my updates, or at least update them more often than just once every 3 months!
SomeRandomMexican: This is Persona 4 Golden, in…Inaba. I thought I made that clear? Lol
SugoiMasta'69: Thank you so much, Sugoi! I really appreciate the patience and the support! Don't feel shy in giving constructive criticism for the future tho, or at least specify what you liked from each chapter! Helps tell me where I'm getting things right and what could use improvement.
Guest: It's the Golden Version!
Reader: Well, for the most part I am interested in changing a few things up, while also adding in Subaru's personal accounts of the situation at hand.
Alrighty! Disclaimer: I do not own Re:zero, or Persona! Please support the official release!
Enjoy!
Chapter 5: The World Shrouded in Fog
"In another world!?" Yosuke and Chie both exclaimed at the same time, but only look even more mortified at Subaru's proclamation at that.
"Y-Yeah! Looks like it is another world!" Subaru exclaims, a bit too excited for his own good at the fact that they another world exists. Like, finally, there's a different world to explore and even more so a lot of unknown stuff to find!
Well, that is if we somehow manage to find anybody in here! Subaru awkwardly chuckled although he looked around the area they fell in and realized that…well, there isn't much to look at other than the pale-yellow fog obstructing their view.
And of course, as he looks back to his friends, his smirk fell. They were terrified and even more concerned. Subaru almost forgot about that for a moment and had to take a deep breath all by himself…and decided to take a better approach.
Not to mention his right shoulder was still sore from the sudden fall right into the floor, he held it and rubbed it slowly to make sure it didn't move much. He didn't break a bone at least, but the pain was there…
As much as he wants to know more about this secret world, Subaru cleared his throat as he looked at the two of them. "A-Anyways, aside from that…I-I think we should get exploring."
"E-Exploring…?! We just went through a TV, and now we're in god-knows-where, and the first thing you want to do is explore?" Chie nervously exclaims, but she had every reason to be. However, Yosuke also tapped his foot nervously.
"Y-Yeah, but there has to be an exit somewhere, right?" Subaru spoke as he waved his good hand, but also a bit more confident…even if he also was a bit curious. "Maybe if we find the exit, the three of us can get back home."
The guy read so much about these Isekai's in his manga, it's only normal for him to be excited about this! Maybe a bit too excited some would say, but Subaru always dreamed of this scenario.
Of course, he can't forget that…Yosuke and Chie don't necessarily like the idea. He had to remember, these two lived a normal life…and at best a good life compared to his. And if there is an exit to this world, which Subaru at least hopes there is, then that means they also have a way back in!
"W-Well…as much as I don't want to leave anywhere close here…" Yosuke's knee kept shaking, but he also sighed. "Natsuki-san's right, there's a way inside this place, there has to be somewhere that leads us away from here."
"Y-Yeah…but…" Chie didn't look so convinced, but Subaru didn't blame her for that.
"L-Look, if there is no exit, we're trapped." Yosuke reaffirmed that but folded his arms. "So, let's hope to god we find an exit somewhere."
So, I can come visit the next time I need a break! Subaru felt like a genius for figuring that out for himself. At least he doesn't have to go missing, although the idea certainly felt tempting. Either way, he pumped a fist to himself.
"Alright, guys, just follow me in that direction, and we'll definitely find our destination!" Subaru adopted a slightly confident, if cocky expression. Of course, as he began walking in one direction Yosuke and Chie looked at each other…and reluctantly followed Subaru behind him.
The three teenagers didn't exactly have much in the way of good direction, let alone where they were going. Subaru took careful steps wherever he walked, to not trip or fall flat on his face like an idiot. However, while Yosuke and Chie behind him were frightened and still nervously shaking…Subaru couldn't help but hide an almost giddy and stupid smirk.
Subaru didn't want to stay here forever, sure, but Subaru was still just as excited about the fact that…every manga about different worlds and different dimensions was real! All of that is amazing, especially considering that it means different worlds exist!
If I'm lucky, maybe I might find someone friendly…maybe a cute girl or something! Subaru's thoughts went in a different direction, so much so that he hadn't noticed after a bit of walking that they left the studio, and instead were in a raised walkway.
Huh…? Subaru…swore they didn't even see a building at all, let alone walked towards a building at all! "H-Hanamura-san, can you check where we are now?"
Yosuke gulped, but also leaned over the side of the railing next to them and clucked his tongue with almost hopeless anxiety. "Not really…I know we're in some kind of building, but the fog's too thick that I can't see a damn thing!"
"Ahhhh…w-we're definitely just wandering too far away from where we need to be…!" Chie asked, although considering her voice Subaru noticed she was uncharacteristically shaky. Then again, this situation only left Subaru a little bit unnerved. However, as they kept walking along the way…Subaru noted a door in front of them.
"Hey, I think we're getting somewhere!" Subaru held in a gasp, but he also seemed glad they might have found a lead and a door to somewhere. Of course, he took the lead and walked towards the door. He turned towards the two and spoke. "Guys, I have a good feeling about this!"
"O-Oh really!? Heck yeah!" Yosuke spoke out nervously but seemed hopeful as he charged forward.
"F-Finally!" Chie seemed more frantic, but she followed as well.
With that, Subaru nodded with a grin as he went to open the door…before being met with a flash of red and black. As soon as he entered, he found himself gasping slightly. The room they entered was…relatively normal. There was a bed next to the window, and a shelf with books that Subaru didn't focus on too much. Aside from the potent plant and a rug, the room not only looked average…the fog was even lighter.
"Huh…I can actually see here for once." Subaru commented as he glanced in front, and Yosuke followed behind him as well.
"Feel's good at least. Oh, let me check!" Yosuke dug into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, flipping it open and looking at the menu…before sighing in defeat. "No service. What a surprise."
"Well, duh." Subaru shrugs. "In another world like this, there isn't really going to be service from cell phones."
"What makes you say that with such confidence?" Yosuke folded his arms, but he also seemed confused by how nonchalant Subaru was right now.
"I just did my research on this sort of thing." Subaru exclaimed with a small awkward chuckle…before blinking. "N-Not that I do research on different or parallel worlds to begin with!"
"…man, you seem to have a cool head about this…considering we're stuck." Yosuke sighs, but seems more nervous than ever.
"Yeah, but there has to be an exit somewhere, trust me, we'll get out of here!" Subaru tried to muster up his confidence, but at the same time…he did have a lingering thought in the back of his mind. Not that he wanted to honestly just say it, but this…seemed a little bit better of a fantasy.
"Could you guy's slow down…" Chie called out from behind them, as she entered the room. "It's hard enough to see where you're going…"
"Oh, sorry Satona—" Subaru turned around to face her with a grin. However, his eyes were met with…a grisly sight. One that left him ajar and…thoroughly unnerved.
Splotches of red stains on the walls, over posters that were plastered on almost every inch. However, even more than that, red mixed with yellow splotches everywhere. At first, Subaru thought of a dead body…but there wasn't anybody to begin with. It didn't help that the sight felt so out of place. It was as if it just appeared, a canvas of red and yellow, crudely painted and splashed over the posters…that had the faces cut-out.
What…the actual…fuck…? Subaru held his breath, but he looked unnerved as Yosuke was next to him. When Chie turned around as well, she seemed…even more terrified.
"W-What the…!?" Chie exclaimed as she turned around and witnessed the macabre display in front of them, before frustratingly commenting. "It's a dead end! There's no exit here!"
Sssshit. Subaru cursed his luck at the moment and groaned out as he seemed…less than happy about it. He does at least want to find an exit, but he's worried for Yosuke and Chie. They didn't have to stay, and Subaru already knew they would call his idea crazy to begin with.
It's not like I want to stay forever…the place is a little bit creepy, but I'm sure a different world isn't this creepy everywhere…right?
"It keeps getting creepier and creepier the further we go…" Yosuke sighs, bothered as well, and even more unnerved than what Subaru was right now.
Though that was unlikely considering even Subaru didn't feel comfortable at the moment…
"…" Yosuke closes his eyes…and for a moment starts holding in something as he tightened his legs together and groans out. "Gahh! I can't hold it any longer! My bladder is about to explode…!"
"Dude, what the fuck?!" Subaru exclaims with a look of disgust, but albeit he didn't exactly like the idea of something like pissing your pants. "Can't you hold it for just a while longer!?"
"If I try to hold it in any longer, I'm just gonna piss my pants! I'm not walking around with pneumonia stains!" Yosuke exclaims as he runs over to the nearest wall and starts unzipping his pants.
"H-Hey, Hanamura-san! What are you doing!?" Chie blinked as she looked a little bit disgusted herself. "You're not seriously going here!?"
"And you're not seriously gonna keep watching, are you?! Turn around!" Yosuke snapped, but he also kept himself turned away from the two of them…and Subaru honestly threw up his hands.
"O-Oh, GODDAMMIT!" Subaru recoiled as he turned around, and just took in a breath to hold in his sight. "F-Fine, just…d-don't take too long!"
"T-Trust me, I don't plan to!" Yosuke said once more, that is until…he stopped. Surprisingly enough, he looked at his left and looked like his urge to let the bladder loose was curbed.
On one hand, at least there's not gonna be any smell. On the other hand, Subaru gulped at the sight that Yosuke was looking at. A chair underneath, and somehow above it a piece of red cloth tied into a noose…hanging below the roof and dangling with a soft but unnatural glow to it. Somehow, the arrangement left Subaru with a pit in his stomach.
When…when was that even there? Subaru pressed his lips to hide his growing nervousness. This arrangement was oddly macabre, certainly not uncommon in Japan…and while Subaru never outright considered doing it…
If…my parents really did leave me here because I was a nuisance… Subaru's thoughts darkened, but he shook his head at that…and tried to not think hard about it. His dad is too amazing to consider something like that. And his mom…well, he knows she loves him the most despite how much of an airhead she can be at times.
They were amazing parents…he was happy to have them. But upon realizing that the pit only worsened.
I'm his son… Subaru gulped a bit, but he also felt a dreadful pressure on himself…and a small headache coming up.
"S-Seriously…" Chie muttered to herself, but she looked around the room. "What's with this room? Check out these posters…their faces are all cut out. Somebody must really hate this person…"
"No joke…" Subaru muttered out, but even then, he still couldn't take his eyes off the noose and chair set-up. And he wasn't alone in that, as Yosuke also walked to it and grimaced.
"Dude…This chair and noose…that kind of arrangement is never good…" Yosuke peered closer but raised a brow. "It's tied in a noose…is this a scarf?"
"Looks that way…" Subaru stepped closer, peering at the scarf in question. It was a bright red, and surprisingly clean for such a dreadful arrangement. But then that begged the question of why the scarf…and what's with the posters being cut out? While it's very possible someone hated this person, there was no reason to even think about it if they didn't even know who the person in question was! "W-Well…this is clearly a bust…let's go somewhere else guys."
"Y-Yeah, I don't think I can stay here anymore…" Chie agreed with a worried expression, while Yosuke nodded with a small frown.
Subaru began to walk out the door when Yosuke took a closer look at a poster next to the door. "Hey…I think I've seen that poster before…"
"Who cares!? Let's go! I'm sick of this place!" Chie exclaimed with impatient fear, before slumping and wincing. "And I don't feel so good…"
"Now that you mention it, me too…" Yosuke winces, and looks uncomfortable and…pale too. "Natsuki-san, is it affecting you too?"
"H-Huh?" Subaru blinked, before he snapped back to the situation around him and…felt lethargic. Almost too heavy, and a bit more lightheaded than before. "S-Something yeah…I feel lightheaded…"
"That and your arm is still in bad shape…let's go back." Yosuke sighs, but also looks concerned for Subaru. "I'm seriously starting to feel sick, and Natsuki-san needs to get his arm checked…"
"N-No worried, Hanamura-san, I-I'm fine, I can still move if you need me to!" Subaru feigned a bit of confidence, mostly to hide the fact that while he still felt pain, he didn't want to bother them with that.
"Y-You sure?" Chie asked, concerned as well.
"Y-Yep, let's get moving!" Subaru nodded frantically, but for a moment had a small smirk at her concern. It's a good step in the right direction! "B-Besides, if we're lucky…Hanamura might find an actual bathroom to drain the snake."
"Oh, don't even remind me of that…" Yosuke nodded, but of course the three teenagers began walking back the way they came. However, as soon as they began walking along the railway, it seemed to Subaru that…the path in front of them seemed to have widened into a street.
Just… a street? Like, the place and their environment changed around them. Almost to the point that Subaru found himself unsure of where exactly he and his friends found themselves in. However, the walk would last a bit…as Chie asked.
"S-So, guys…what exactly do we do when we get out of here?" Chie asked, as she looked around, although her steps were slow due to her lack of vision.
"Well, nobody's gonna believe us if we tell them about this foggy place…it's supernatural and on top of that a different world. That's just how it goes." Subaru spoke with such confidence, although as he looked around and tried to peer, he only made out vague if…strangely familiar buildings and street-signs.
But…it certainly didn't look much like Inaba for some reason. Why?
"Y-You got a point…who's gonna believe a bunch of teenagers about this place? At best they might think we're joking, and at worst we'll look like crazy people looking for attention…" Yosuke added to the conversation.
"W-Well, hey, at least only the three of us know about this place…it'll be our secret that's for sure…" Subaru trailed off, although he noticed a vague round shadow some feet ahead of them, and at that Subaru paused and held in a breath. "G-Guys!"
"Eep! W-what is it?!" Chie yelped, but she also gritted her teeth in nervousness until she noticed the shadow in the middle of the street. "I-It better not be some ghost!"
"Who are you calling a ghost?" Suddenly, a high-pitched voice came from the direction of the round shadow…who walked forward with squeaks in every step…and as they grew in vie—
"Eh…EH!?" Subaru and Yosuke both recoiled in shock and…bizarreness. The figured in question is…a bear mascot. No joke. It has a blue, red, and white colored suit around it's pudgy and almost comical body. If anything, it's eyes were formed into a small frown that looked like any mascot's 'angry' face, as it scrunched up and pointed at the group with blue-pawed gloves. It's head was a circular dome, as it's wide-eyes were oval and comical as you would expect from a mascot. However, it had a zipper going around the neck like a collar, which already left Subaru wondering why it looks the way it does.
"W-What the…it's a giant bear mascot! With a frowny face and everything!" Subaru pointed at it back, and a widened expression remained in it's shock…and also a wide grin. "And it's…cute, in it's own way!"
"C-Cute?" The bear mascot just sort of recoiled with it's own widened expression, but they seemed flustered and abashed at that. "W-Well, I am a beary well-kempt bear after all—w-wait, y-you can't trick me!"
"And it talks too!?" Subaru and Yosuke exclaimed out loud, almost surprised. The latter was more unnerved than the former, who simply looked more amazed and grinning widely like a kid seeing their favorite character.
Of course, the bear blinked and simply shook its head. "Of course, I can! I'm a bear, I'm not illegible! I've been here since bear-ever after all!"
"And it's making bear puns too!" Subaru hops in place once but seems a bit more excited then he really should be!
To be fair, can you blame him!? This is the first person they met in the new world!
…
Huh…now that I think about it, I feel kinda underwhelmed. Where's the cute girl that's supposed to be the owner of the mascot character? Or the knight? Well, not a knight, this doesn't seem to be a medieval setting or world…but Subaru does wonder honestly.
"N-Natsuki-san, t-this isn't something to get excited about!" Chie exclaimed as she took a step forward and pointed at the bear accusingly. "A-And what is a mascot doing here? Where exactly are we!?"
"I-I can't say anything to any of you, I'm unable to bear this much suspicion!" The mascot's frown turned into a sad one, but they darted their eyes back and forth around them, Beginning to mutter. " Oh no…no no no no no no!"
"W-What? What's got you so frazzled?" Subaru blinks as they seem confused by the bear's fear. That until Subaru noticed that the yellowish fog started clearing up slightly, although only enough that when Subaru looked up—
—There was a red sky, with black lines streaking through it. Like a distorted frame or picture, it seemed to remain eerily on top of the familiar streets. Very familiar streets at that.
"W-What the…this is totally freaky!" Subaru blinked as he took a step back.
"Oh no~!" The mascot shouted out in fear, as suddenly it reached behind and pulled out a pair of glasses. They seemed to be black with white and orange accents on the rims and the sides. "Y-You, put those on now! I-If you don't then the Shadows…the Shadows will…!"
"W-Wait, the Shadows…like monsters!?" Subaru widened his eyes at that, already seemingly figuring out where this was going.
"M-M-Monsters!? Oh hell no, we need to get out of here!" Chie exclaimed, nervous and already even more fearful.
"W-Wait, take these!" The mascot threw the glasses right at Subaru, almost smacking right into his face as Subaru flinched and hissed.
"Gah, dude, couldn't you just—" Subaru opened his eyes, as he put on the glasses…before everything around him was visible. Or rather, there was no fog in sight that made things impossible to see. "W-Wh-What…?"
And what he saw…left him bewildered. The streets weren't tight or packed…and this didn't look like the shopping district in Inaba. Not even a place in Inaba at all! The place honest to god didn't make sense to him…because he still didn't catch on to why the place felt so familiar. Regardless, he didn't have much time to think about it, as coming from the buildings surrounding the street…black blobs started to seep out into the walls.
"W-What…!?" Subaru flinched and felt goosebumps.
"D-Dude, you seriously put those on!?" Yosuke said out of disbelief, but Subaru didn't seem to focus on that. Instead, the blobs on both sides of the street seemed to be forming into…a vague slimming ooze as it coalesced around theatre masks. Blue and yet pale in death, the frowning faces seemed to foretell an omen…and look upon them with pity as it wailed. Subaru knew this, and for some reason that thought grew unnerving.
I was half-expecting orcs or demons…not slimes! Not like slimes were particularly strong, but Subaru didn't have any weapon!
"Shit, we need to get out of here guys!" Subaru exclaimed with hushed and surprisingly concerned worry.
"What!? What are you looking at?" Yosuke didn't seem to be in much of a hurry, which frustrated Subaru at the moment.
"OH NOOO!" The mascot shouted and ran away in the direction where they came from, almost at supersonic speeds at that! Subaru wished that Yosuke and Chie could follow that example.
"Where is he…?" Chie gasped in horror before she could finish, as she pointed with a shaking finger. "What the hell is that thing!?"
Subaru whirled to where she pointed…and the blobs had dropped down to the floor with a splat. Disgustingly so, their wails only turned…more echoed, as they started floating right then and their…morphing and their gelatinous ooze soon solidified into a pink ball with deep black stripes.
Holy…shit…! These weren't slimes…not in the least. The masks foresaw their doom, but when they turned around to reveal bright red lips, an outstretched tongue and bright white teeth…it drooled.
No, it was salivating.
It was…hungry.
For them.
"Holy shit…!" Subaru gasped out as he stepped back and shouted at the top of his lungs. "Fucking RUN!"
He ran right in front, but Subaru also mustered up whatever courage he had to run past the monsters. Soon, his friends followed suit with screams of fright, but the globules filled with hunger followed them with cackling distorted glee.
Subaru never forgot to run track, so he was confident he could outrun these things. If it were just him, he wouldn't have been too afraid of running away!
But I can't let Yosuke and Chie get hurt! Even if he didn't know them much, he wasn't just gonna let them die! He had to make sure! He wanted to be a hero!
This is my time to be a hero! Subaru repeated those words seriously to himself, as he slowed down and made sure they kept up with him.
He turned to see them running with him. "Let's hurry up! I think I know a way around here!"
"W-Wait, how do you fucking know!?" Yosuke shouted in fear, but they kept running all the same.
"J-Just follow me wherever I go, okay!?" Subaru shouted back, but he held a serious expression as he kept running…and found themselves at a crossroads. "Left!"
He pivoted his foot, and kept running even if he was almost stumbling, his heart pounding in his ears as Chie and Yosuke were catching up.
But so were the monsters, and they floated towards them faster than Subaru thought. Their laughter was getting closer and closer. Closer…and Closer!
Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit, Shit! Subaru panted heavily as he ran, the streets getting closer…and the familiarity settled in until he knew exactly where he was going. However, his palms were sweating at the thought, and his eyes widened as he ran.
…Wait a minute…
It couldn't be…he wasn't supposed to be back here. Subaru panted heavily as the three of them took a sharp right, although Subaru knew where he was going. The streets were getting tighter, and the residential houses were clearer to see, along the way a Sakura tree was in the distance!
Regardless of how much they ran, eventually the cackling would turne farther and farther away. Eventually, Subaru turned a corner…before slowing down to a slog and his hands on his knees as he gasped for air. His sweat formed on his brow, and for a moment he forgot that Yosuke and Chie were behind him. He turned to them, the both of them looking exhausted and gasping harder than before.
"W-Whew…oh god…n-never make me do that again…!" Yosuke gasped for air, as he fell on his butt. "T-The hell were those things? They were clearly dangerous…!"
"T-That's the last thing I want to hear…we're further away from finding an exit all this way! It's been so long since we were here, and not even an exit in sight! And I feel even worse…" Chie groaned as she was on her knees, although she looked even more pale due to the oppressive air in the town.
"S-Shit…" Subaru cursed under his breath, as he wiped the sweat off his brow…and tried to adopt a more serious expression to them. "W-Well…we can't give up now…!"
"D-Dude, just… stop…!" Yosuke exhaled, although they looked terrified all on their own. "There's no way we're getting out now! We're stuck…!"
"Hanamura-san, I'm getting you two out of here alright? And I'm not sure you know, but whenever a Natsuki make a promise…they damn well keep that promise…!" Subaru gasped for air, but he seemed serious and insistent on that detail. "Understood?"
"Natsuki-san…" Chie breathed out, but she was panting and catching her breath…for a moment nodding and trying to collect herself. "W-Well…we just gotta find that bear then…!"
"G-Good idea, Satonaka-san!" Subaru nodded with a small smirk.
"R-Right, that mascot was suspicious, but they seemed to know exactly what's going on. If we find them, we might have the best lead at getting out of this place." Yosuke reasoned, almost looking hopeful. "N-Now, we just need to make sure we don't get eaten on our way out!"
"N-No way, we're not dying today!" Subaru frantically but seriously stated, before glancing to his right and—
"…!" Subaru paused as he widened his eyes…
"Huh?" Yosuke arched a brow, although considering everything they went through, the dude was concerned this time. "What's the matter?"
"Y-Yeah, you just suddenly went…silent. And pale." Chie remarked as well, although she was equally as concerned.
W-Why…W-Why is it here…? Subaru's eye's spoke of fear, confusion, bewilderment, and a sense of dread coming from the building in front of them. It was a one-story house, with cement steps leading to the front door which was surprisingly normal and familiar. The roof was a bright auburn, while the actual framework and walls of the house looked pastel-white.
"…t-this is…" Subaru muttered to himself, stepping forward rather than backwards. He began walking towards the door, leaving Yosuke and Chie confused.
"D-Dude, what are you doing? What if there's more of those things in there!?" Yosuke went to grab his shoulder, as he walked along Subaru, the dread creeping onto his Auburn-haired party member.
"T-There won't be…" Subaru whispered, his eyes shaking but almost…unnaturally fixated. "This…should be safe…"
"W-What makes you say that…?" Chie shuddered as she moved closer with Subaru and Yosuke to the front of the door, letting Subaru in front.
However, Subaru didn't seem excited, let alone happy about this…not like he didn't want this place to make him feel all of those. The house was supposed to be safe, comfortable, and familiar…even if he had stuck himself in there for too long for years…
At least…it was… Subaru reached his hand out to grab the handle, before pausing and hitching his breath at how cold it was…and gulping a lob in nervousness. He shouldn't be here, this house shouldn't be here, and he shouldn't be dragging Yosuke and Chie into this! It didn't make sense, there was no reason to!
But… A traitorous voice at the back of his mind whispered. Don't you want to see what's inside…?
He did. No. He had to. He needed to know if they were in there. It would help the pounding in his chest to stop…to just stop…!
Regardless, Subaru twisted the handle with a shaky grip…and he was met with a darkened entryway…the very same one that he would always walk in after the trip to the grocer. Subaru looked down to the corner and noticed two pairs of footwear. A blue and orange pair of sneakers way oversized for him…and a pair of slippers that she would wear. Considering she was a stay-at-home mom…it made sense…
"T-There's nothing here…?" Yosuke darted his eyes around the entryway, as him and Chie carefully followed Subaru's lead.
Subaru stepped forward onto the living room, looking to his left and noting the arching entrance towards the kitchen. Empty and clean, unnaturally so. And then, Subaur noted the family table…and seemed to be hitching a breath. His expression looked…extremely dreadful, and almost…uncanny.
The table was clean, save for a bunch of pictures.
"D-Dude, this is…surprisingly homey…if also pretty dark." Chie noted, at least unsure but at th same time glad the place looked less…creepy than the previous apartment. However, Subaru didn't care to look where she went.
He was more focused on the one picture he noticed…
IT was an old one, but certainly a treasured one that they loved to have around. Something they were proud of, and especially considering it was Subaru in it.
The young child had the same sanpakugan eyes, although softer due to his age at the time, possibly 7 or 10 at the time. They wore a simple white t-shirt, and had a bright grin, showing a chipped tooth in the front. The kid looked scrappy, but also genuinely proud of the gold metal that was wrapped around his neck. First place in the running competition, and Natsuki Subaru won a medal that he was so proud of at first.
And two people had their hands on each shoulder, a strong but grinning man with glasses and a muscled body under a blue shirt and black vest. The older man held a look of pride and kindness. The woman on the other side had the same eyes as the young boy but seemed more airheaded…even if she also lovingly smiled at the accomplishment her dear boy achieved.
Somehow…the picture that was supposed to elicit a fondness in Subaru, only ever elicited guilt, and even more self-loathing.
And now, in this other world…the house seemed to be darker and…yet somehow haunting. As if the self-loathing and guilt was replaced with a sense of dread and terror.
"Hey, Natsuki-san…" Subaru blinked out of his dreaded stupor, before turning to Chie who looked at him in concern. "You, okay? You don't look so good."
"…Y-yeah…i-it's just…" Subaru looked down, and then back at the picture…which he went forward to put it face-down. It wasn't relevant…and he didn't want them knowing who that kid in the picture was. "It's just a headache…"
I thought I had left it behind…
"W-Well, we gotta get out of here eventually…y-you promised, remember?" Chie looked a bit scared, but at the same time…her expression turned to a determined frown that Subaru wasn't sure of why. "And I'm not gonna let some monsters get in my way! I'll be there, and we can get out of here! The three of us!"
Subaru looked at her stunned, before letting out a humorless snort. "Y-Yeah…I dunno why this place is here but…w-we'll get out of here…at least I hope so."
Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock.
"…!" Subaru and Chie flinched at the sudden clicking of the second hand, reverberating all over the house…and Yosuke seemed to recoil backwards especially.
"S-Shit! Where's that coming from!?" Yosuke exclaims but looks around the dim-lighted house…only to hear another tick-tock coming from the house, and in particular the sound coming in from a door in the wall.
"N-No…" Subaru blinked, almost confused and yet…more unnerved than ever before as he paled. It doesn't make sense…that sounds almost exactly like…
"Familiar…isn't it?" Suddenly, a ringing but uncanny voice echoed through the house…and this left Chie and Yosuke confused.
"W-Wait, did you say something, Natsuki-san?" Chie arched a brow, but her eyes never left where the tick-ticking sound came from. At that, Subaru started with widened eyes, almost scared to go further…but enough so that he went closer to it. "H-Hey, Natsuki-san?"
"Every morning…and every single day you'd just listen to the clock wind all the way up to 8:00! It's kinda funny actually!" Subaru barely heard a warped but clearer voice coming from the door, and for some reason the voice…left Subaru sweating from the palm of his hands. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes fixated on the door that led to the one place he wasn't ready to go back to.
He shouldn't even be here…not now, or ever. He left this place for the same reason he complied with going to Inaba…
So why am I once again going back to it…? Subaru gulped, but his body shook as his palms gripped the sliding handle
"D-Dude, what are you doing? W-What's up with you right now?" Yosuke exclaimed in a hushed tone, but he seemed to be frantic.
"…t-this is…" Subaru blinked, but despite how surprisingly concerned he looked…the fear and dread in his eyes were thick to see. His hands shook, but he slowly opened the door with a held breath, creaking and shuffling wood to the right. Eventually…Subaru found himself releasing a breath.
"W-Whoa…" Yosuke and Chie gasped, but not softly or loud. Just…bewildered at all accounts. Then again, Subaru didn't blame them as suddenly he regretted opening his door. His door. The door led to his bedroom. Stacked with a shelf of light novels, a console next to the TV, and a bunch of anime figurines.
All in all, it seemed oddly…benign and normal to these two, but to Subaru it felt like going back to the beginning. The beginning he wasn't proud of…let alone wanted to think about. So why? Why the hell is this place here to begin with…?
Why am I here? Why are they not here? Why is…everything as I left it?
"What is my stuff doing here…?" Subaru whispered as he looked around, his bed empty and the shelves stockpiled with all sorts of merchandise he bought over the course of four years. AT the current moment though, he went over to the clock by his work desk…and seemed fixated as he hitched a breath at what it was counting down to.
7:58
"W-Wait, you're stuff…? What are you saying?" Yosuke whispered suddenly, but…then his eyes fixated on the clock. "What's…going on?"
"T-This place feels…weird…" Chie looked around and then leaned closer to the clock, as she seemed confused. "What's it counting down to anyway?"'
"…" Subaru stared at the clock…and immediately a sense of expectant dread and anxiety ate at his heart, as he put a hand to his own chest. "…no way…"
7:59
"Well, Well…'bout time you showed up…" A sudden voice startled the group of three, as they whirled around to where it came from.
"W-What the…!?" Yosuke exclaimed in nervousness.
"W-Who?" Chie whispered softly, but she seemed on edge…
"…are you…?" But Subaru started with a blank but dreadful stare…as it looked back at him.
The vague humanoid sneered at him; its sickly yellow eyes formed into a twisted scowl with a bright nasty grin. However, the part that Subaru didn't understand…or rather didn't want to take note of was…it looked exactly like him.
Save for the dark purple aura surrounding it, and the sickly yellow eyes…the blue pajamas it wore were Subaru's pajamas…and it's eyes were exactly like Subaru's eyes. It looked uncanny, copied, and yet…a mockery of him. A sneering person that seemed to be so…delighted as it looked at Subaru.
"Well? Ya gonna stand there and be stunned?" It started with a raised eyebrow, and its sneer turned bitter. Until the chiming of his clock began to ring.
8:00
"You damn good-for-nothing?"
Yep! Subaru up against you-know-who. This can only end well…
Well, aside from that! I am sorry that this chapter is short, but I believe it works for the story and as a small seg-way to the real horror of the situation, as Subaru will be facing his Shadow in the next chapter. However, with no Persona's and even more due to his own insecurities, how will he hope to win this?
Well, that my readers, you will have to wait and be patient for! However, I can assure you, the 'fight' against his Shadow will be more…struggling and grueling then anything this Subaru has to go through.
Except the canon Subaru. Nobody can top what happens in the actual source material.
Anyways, I'm glad you all enjoyed this material! Leave a favorite, follow, and a review if you are able to!
This has been the Maelstrom, and I look forward to seeing you on the horizon!
